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The food in the parks is very expensive and bad. Also, I spent a fair amount on tipping to doormen, golf pros, wait staff, and limo drivers. I feel strongly about tipping good service and it was all good. The bell boys appeared with ice cold bottles of water every time we left. The front desk staff was helpful setting up our golf times and other excursions. We felt very safe. I did not rent a car and I will not next time. Lots of shuttles between hotel and Disney. But next time we are staying at a golf resort and taking shuttle service to the parks.
I have two sets of friends who have stayed at moderate Disney hotels, like Port Orleans, during peak season, and it was fine.
I book through a travel agent, and I never use the on-line services mentioned by others. I have seen too many people not het what they expected at the desk when they arrive.
Most people who go to Disney aren't hiring limo drivers and tipping doormen
Looking into a family vacation at Disney World and realize that it is no longer affordable for middle class families - it is so expensive that only rich people (i.e. upper middle class and above) can afford it.
It is like $50-70 dollars a day per kid, that is sooooo unaffordable. Have less kids, or make more money comrade.
Also, quit b*tching about private businesses and what they offer to the public and how much they charge. You sound like an entitled brat that blames the world for your lack of funds, quantity of kids and disparaging remarks about the upper class.
Let me guess, you pay $175/month for TV and all of your kids have smartphones @ $40/line and you complain about Disney tickets.
I've been to Disney more times than I count, and have learned how to do it on the "cheap" (relatively speaking).
1) The Orlando area is awash with hotel rooms, condos, timeshares - there's no unearthly reason why you can't find something affordable - and if you can't, PM me, I can hook you up. This was 20 years ago, but a friend of mine found a room for $10/night on 192.
2) A condo will be more economical than a hotel room. Why? You will have a kitchen/kitchenette. You can eat breakfast/dinner there. PACK YOUR LUNCH and snacks and bring it to the park. It's cheaper and better. Bring a refillable water bottle so you don't pay $3 at the parks. Go to Publix/WalMart and buy a 3 dollar water bottle/fan combo so you don't pay $15 on a hot day in the park.
3) if traveling with small kids - set expectations up front that they don't get every little trinket they set their eyes on. Set a limit and reserve 1 hour during your trip for shopping.
4) I'm not a fan of bringing really small kids to the park (under 5). You don't get the bang for your buck, it's overwhelming and tiring for them - expectations are really high and a lot of time you'll end up disappointed. You'll also have to leave the park for naps and come back at a later time. It's not my thing. Our kids were 7 the first time and they were troopers - 12 hrs in the park without issue. It made it much more pleasant for everyone.
5) If you can afford a multi day, non expiration pass, I highly recommend it. I bought ours about 4 years ago and the park cost per day is around $40. We still have passes to the water parks from the tickets we purchased 8 years ago.
6) Universal is NOT cheaper (but I like it anyway).
Disneyworld is not your one stop shop, I am going to go there every year for vacation kind of place now is it? It would seem to me that this is the kind of place that you save up for and go out and have some fun for a week. Not like you are going to be back next year. Not that we have ever been. Still, we do go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure every few years. When we go it is a two day event. We normally stay across the street from the park and visit one park the first day and the other the next. When we go I bet that we spend about $2,000 for the weekend. I would love to visit Disneyworld and figure that with all of us we would easily spend $6,000. I just checked and for a family of 4 for a week long stay, room and food included it would cost $2,772. For my family we would pay double or $5,544 for the week air fare not included. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/vacation-packages/
I don't see how that in high priced or unreasonable for a middle class family.
pricelines name your own price function. bid 35-40 for a 3*
This is all fine, but you may not get the hotel you want by doing that. I have been screwed by Priceline pick your price more than once and you are not talking high season, which is when families are traveling. It is fine to get cheap rates and yes, they can be had, but if you haven't experienced something it is a little hard to be objective. Most of us have done the Amusement Park vacation, we have kids and grandkids and we realize what might work for a single person, on business is very different from what works for a family.
The food in the parks is very expensive and bad. Also, I spent a fair amount on tipping to doormen, golf pros, wait staff, and limo drivers. I feel strongly about tipping good service and it was all good. The bell boys appeared with ice cold bottles of water every time we left. The front desk staff was helpful setting up our golf times and other excursions. We felt very safe. I did not rent a car and I will not next time. Lots of shuttles between hotel and Disney. But next time we are staying at a golf resort and taking shuttle service to the parks.
I have two sets of friends who have stayed at moderate Disney hotels, like Port Orleans, during peak season, and it was fine.
I book through a travel agent, and I never use the on-line services mentioned by others. I have seen too many people not het what they expected at the desk when they arrive.
You hit the nail on the head about not getting what you expected to get, not to mention, even if you do, the cost of the hotel is just the start. Many hotel rooms do not handle more than 3 people comfortably, so you are looking at two rooms, the cost of food for a family of 4 even if you stick with fast food will run you into the poor house and the cost of everything in the park runs that bill up and over the top. It is fine to budget, to teach the kids, there is only so much money and to try to keep all the prices down, but by cutting back too much to the bare bones, a vacation can soon be ruined.
Disneyworld is not your one stop shop, I am going to go there every year for vacation kind of place now is it? It would seem to me that this is the kind of place that you save up for and go out and have some fun for a week. Not like you are going to be back next year. Not that we have ever been. Still, we do go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure every few years. When we go it is a two day event. We normally stay across the street from the park and visit one park the first day and the other the next. When we go I bet that we spend about $2,000 for the weekend. I would love to visit Disneyworld and figure that with all of us we would easily spend $6,000. I just checked and for a family of 4 for a week long stay, room and food included it would cost $2,772. For my family we would pay double or $5,544 for the week air fare not included. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/vacation-packages/
I don't see how that in high priced or unreasonable for a middle class family.
Where did you get the figure: $2700 for a week including food, park entry fees etc? I would really doubt anyone could pull that off, but even if you could, add the airfare, you are looking at a heck of a lot more. Have you checked air lately?
This doesn't mean I would discourage anyone from doing Disney, I would not. I think it is a wonderful one time experience and the best way, probably is to rent a time share condo. This gives everyone more room, you can prepare some, if not all meals in the unit and they have a lot of activities as well. I don't think Disney is out of reach for most middle income families, but it isn't a vacation to take lightly. It would take a few years of savings, to do it right.
You mention doing Disneyland every few years. Living in So Ca and spending only a couple of days, is very different than traveling across country. Most people wouldn't want to spend less than 4 or 5 days. If you do it every few years, you don't have the need to jam so much into a few days. Heck, when our kids were little and we lived in So. Ca. we went to Disneyland sometimes a couple times a year.
Spent 10 days at Disneyworld a few years ago with a family of 4. Stayed at a Moderate resort, and did the dining plan, and took the bus to the parks. We did not do Park Hopper passes because we were there long enough that we didn't need them. I planned my days out to match up with the character meals we booked. The whole trip was less than $4,500 (once you added souvenirs, etc.) for 10 days at Disneyworld. I specifically chose a non-peak time to go, and looked around for a good deal, which I found.
That did not include airfare. We use credit card points to go towards airfare and hotel options. Once we spent drove from Texas to Destin, Florida and spent an entire week (7 days) at Sandestin Hilton in a Jr. Suite solely on points. We paid only paid for gas and food on that trip. Reward points are awesome!!
Where did you get the figure: $2700 for a week including food, park entry fees etc? I would really doubt anyone could pull that off, but even if you could, add the airfare, you are looking at a heck of a lot more. Have you checked air lately?
This doesn't mean I would discourage anyone from doing Disney, I would not. I think it is a wonderful one time experience and the best way, probably is to rent a time share condo. This gives everyone more room, you can prepare some, if not all meals in the unit and they have a lot of activities as well. I don't think Disney is out of reach for most middle income families, but it isn't a vacation to take lightly. It would take a few years of savings, to do it right.
You mention doing Disneyland every few years. Living in So Ca and spending only a couple of days, is very different than traveling across country. Most people wouldn't want to spend less than 4 or 5 days. If you do it every few years, you don't have the need to jam so much into a few days. Heck, when our kids were little and we lived in So. Ca. we went to Disneyland sometimes a couple times a year.
I left a link. It is from Disney Vacation packages. You could click on and see for yourself. I also mentioned that it did not include airfare to Disneyworld.
[SIZE=4]Room, Tickets & Dining[/SIZE] 6-night, 7-day vacation packages with the Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan and tickets valid at
all 4 Theme Parks, for as little as $99 per person, per day for a family of four at a select Value Resort.
I left a link. It is from Disney Vacation packages. You could click on and see for yourself. I also mentioned that it did not include airfare to Disneyworld.
[SIZE=4]Room, Tickets & Dining[/SIZE] 6-night, 7-day vacation packages with the Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan and tickets valid at
all 4 Theme Parks, for as little as $99 per person, per day for a family of four at a select Value Resort.
Total package price $2,772*
yes, this is what they are advertising but did you try and book it? I did, I tried 2 dates, it would book, the problem? Check the meal package, what it covers? it is simply quick snacks meals a couple times a day, no sit down meals for starters. The price does not include any transportation to the theme parks nor taxes. There is always a catch. Yes, the price still isn't really all the bad, but it is not quite what it appears to be. Then you add airfare, like you said, it doesn't include that and you are up to a pretty hefty amount. My point again, is, a vacation at Disney World is really an expensive vacation. No, it is not out of the reach for most families, but it is something many can do only once and it is a lot more than the price you see posted that states: from such and such. I have a pretty good idea about costs, I used to be a travel agent and we booked these packages through Disney all the time. They usually ended up being about 1/2 more than the starting price said.
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This was 20 years ago, but a friend of mine found a room for $10/night on 192.
