The ships are designed with families in mind, but also cater to adults, with exclusive pools, hot tubs, nightclubs, and adult-only dining venues. Get planning so you’ll enjoy your theme-park vacation.Disney Cruise Line offers a unique 3-in-1 cruising experience like no other, combining the classic cruise vacation with the magic of Disney. Small World Vacations ( ) is among the best known.įinally, beware of websites offering super low prices on tickets and lodging. These travel agents can help you plan a vacation that suits your taste and budget. If all this information has your head spinning, consider working with a certified Disney vacation planner. Compare that to a round-trip ticket (in January) from Memphis to Orlando at $400 ( ). Even if you add lodging and meals, you’ll still pay $500 to $600 to drive. Sleeping and eating off-site will save you money, but weigh that against missing some of the conveniences of staying at theme park properties.Īccording to MapQuest, Disney World is a 13-hour, 800-mile drive from Memphis, which comes to about $280 round-trip for a car that gets 20 miles per gallon. Disney has the most options, ranging from budget motel rooms to expensive deluxe accommodations. WDW and Universal offer a variety of on-property lodging and all have benefits. The high season includes spring break, summer, and Christmas holidays. If your schedule allows, plan to visit off-season, when accommodations are less. Orlando offers plenty of places to stay, just choose wisely, because your lodging will greatly impact your budget. WDW and Universal Studio also have web pages that offer money-saving packages ( .com/special-offers and /Vacation-Packages/bf/Featured-Vacation-Packages.aspx). The site’s best feature is up-to-the-minute crowd calendars that tell you which areas at Disney are most crowded and how long you’ll wait for rides. Subscribe to its corresponding website ( ) and you’ll receive a 20 percent discount. The site has so many details, you’ll find just about everything you need to know to save money.Īnother super in-depth guide to WDW (along with other nearby attractions) is The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World with Kids 2012. The best overall bargain-savvy planning site I’ve found is MouseSavers ( ). You will likely end up paying top dollar if you do. Don’t assume your only option is an all-inclusive vacation where you stay on site and buy a meal package. Start planning early, as there’s lots of information to sift through. AAA ( aaa.com) offers ticket discounts to members for certain ticket packages, as does Undercover Tourist ( ). The more days you spend at theme parks, of course, the lower the daily ticket price, but balance that against your higher lodging and food costs. A three-day pass for a family of four will run you better than $1,000. But keep in mind - it’s not going to be cheap. The Internet is filled with sites about planning a budget-friendly trip. I just don’t want to go into debt to do it. I have happy memories of visiting the Magic Kingdom as a kid and want my children to see it, too. So since we’ll be in Orlando, Walt Disney World (WDW) is on our list. That said, both my children love Harry Potter and desperately want to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando. Parents everywhere think their children will somehow be shortchanged if they don’t visit this crown jewel of amusement parks. I consider theme parks big money pits and Walt Disney World (WDW), as lovely as it is, is the granddaddy of them all. While I’m looking forward to what I hope will be the trip of a lifetime, part of me is cringing. This year our family is headed to Orlando for summer vacation.
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