Is it possible for a family of 3 to go for $2000?

[eeyore0062]

I wouldn't do the touch of Disney, as you will not be able to take advantage of all of the parks, nor can you park hop. That really is part of the Disney magic. I would go for the Florida discount on 5 day hopper plus passes... that way you can visit all of the parks, and your choice of 2 water parks, PI or World of Sports. If you don't use all, then you have an excuse to visit again in the future. They NEVER expire!

As for staying onsite, vs not staying on site... if you can get a good Florida resident rate on an onsite resort, definitely take advantage of it! It really does add to the whole experience.

I agree, take breakfast foods, eat counter service, or late lunches instead of dinners---they will truly save you money. Also, you can share meals, as long as they are not buffets.

You should be able to do it, no problem. You might want to visit during the value season, too, as it is alot cheaper. The 1st and 2nd weeks of December are great, or if you want warmer weather, go in September!

Have a great time

 

[susy]

I did not read all of the posts, so forgive me if you've already answered these????


When are you going and for how long????
I bet you can get the All Stars for $49!!
Just keep checking mousesavers.com for FL resident discounts. Pay attention to dates to book by and the cancellation policies when you call CRO (1-407-W-DISNEY). Ask to be near the pool/food court.

As for tickets, the FL Resident seasonal passes are a better deal than the four day hopper.
The pass is good for a year with balckout times- the week of Christmas, the week of Easter and the middle of June to the middle of August-too hot and crowded anyway! We bought them last Nov and are planning our fourth trip!!!!

I would bring food for breakfasts and snacks in a cooler (as well as water). The food court at the resort is convenient, but it still can be expensive.

Do at least one character meal. Call 1-407-wdw-dine up to 60 days ahead for meals in the parks.
Keep reading these boards.
wdwig.com is a GREAT planning website!!!! Keep checking mousesavers for discounts!!!!

 

[susy]

DON'T BUY THOSE HOPPERS until you find out how much the seasonal passes are.

 

[RobinLyn]

Have you been to mousesavers.com? Mary's web site is great for finding discounts. Right now she has an offer at the Caribe Royale for $99 a night for a one bedroom suite. This resort is beautiful and has a fabulous pool !!! The location is just minutes outside of WDW, 8101 World Center Drive ( very close to Epcot and MGM ). I would look into it if you can afford it. You must mention "Mousesavers rate" when you call to get the $99 a night rate. The phone number is 1-800-823-8300. It's good between 6/1/02 - 8/30/02. Hope this helps!

RobinLyn

 

[susy]

Just checked the official disney website. Seasonal passes for adults are 179.00 and 152.00 for kids. This would be the best deal for you. The three tickets (with tax) would be 540.60.
If you could get the AS for $49, it would be 329.28 for six nights (tax included). So far, that's 869.88. If you spent 100.00 a day on food (I'm sure you won't) that would be a total of 1569.88- for seven days. Then gas and any tolls. I think you can go for a week for less than $2000 and your passes would be good for a year.
With the pass you can also book AP rates. I usually book with an AP rate, then wait for FL Res rates to come out. They have typically been about $10 cheaper.

 

[disfans]

No problem for $2000, you just have to stick to your budget that you set for yourself. You can easily do food and some small items to take back with you for $100 a day. We did it for a week on $100 a day and had so much fun. The portions are so big youcan easily share with someone. Breakfast at the rm.(cereal,danish,begals,etc.) Stay on site, it is worth the little extra. A must for a first timer. We went for the first time in 1997 and have been back every year but one we're going again in Nov. We have since purchased DVC and are looking forwad to many more trips to WDW. Hope your experience is as wonderful as ours. It's awesome. Have fun.
Nate

 

[Dallas_Lady]

Don't automatically rule out staying onsite just cause you think you can't afford it. Price it out and see for sure. Staying onsite will add a extra bit of Disney Magic to your trip! For your budget, you should be able to stay onsite easily! When I went with my family in 1997, we stayed offsite cause my Dad didn't know about discounts, codes, etc. We ended up paying more offsite than we would have if he'd researched and we stayed at the All Stars

 

[mooses41]

Just to add to the suggestion of buying an ap:
You can scedule your next trip 50 or 51 weeks from the one you are planning now, and still use the same passes.

 

[Poohnatic]

Florida resident hotel deals are easy to come by. A good friend is a travel agent in Jacksonville, and she sometimes finds that it's a better rate to do the Fl. Res than the travel agent discount. We always compare when we meet at the parks, and it's usually as good as my Cast Member rate (of half price!!)

I also frequent the two other sites mentioned, Deb Will's WDWIG.com and Mary's Mousesavers.com. Both have a treasure trove of info.

As for time to go, if you don't mind taking your daughter out of school, I'd opt for mid-October to mid-December. I'm partial to the Food and Wine Festival during the end of October, and you can also take advantage of Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, a seperately ticketed event at the Magic Kingdom--worth every penny of admission! The hotels are also at Value Rates during this time period, the best you get all year.

You CAN do this yourself, you've found a great resource right here. Planning is half the fun!

Suzanne

 

[Boo Mc]

Welcome! You should also check out mousesavers.com as they always have good discount codes (check often as she updates frequently) and don't be afraid to re-book if a better rate comes along. I'd try to stay on-site if I were you - the atmosphere is just so much more fun in my opinion. The All Stars are pretty inexpensive and you can use the WDW bus system for free if you stay on-site. You also get free parking at the parks if you stay on-site. (We always drive our own car to the parks but that's just our personal preference). All Stars also have a food court so your DD can have something different from you if she wants. We bring nutrigrain bars or other stuff to eat breakfast in the room which saves time and money. Just remember to take everything with you (film, batteries, band aids, medicine) so you don't have to buy it there and you should be able to keep costs down. Have fun!!

 

[robinb]

I would recommend that you stay onsite if you can get one of those fantastic Florida resident rates. Remember, you'll save $6 per day in parking alone if you stay onsite, so keep that in mind when you compare on-site v/s off-site. Parking at the Disney parks is free for Disney resort guests, plus you have free, frequent door to door bus transportation.

If you choose to stay off-site and your dates are set in stone, you should consider Priceline. I stayed at the 3* Renaissance Worldgate for only $35 per night. The regular rate was $89 per night. Go to www.biddingfortravel.com for more info on how to bid on PL.