Hi Hive!
Anyone have any good Disney World tips, esp money saving tips on food, car rentals, etc? We are thinking about going next month, during what we were told was on the cusp of hurricane season (ekk!). Any thoughts or sites that are worth checking out?
**Edit: forgot to mention, we will be bringing our LO (2 years old) and I am 6 months pregnant. Am I nuts for going during the hottest month?? 
hostess / watermelon / 14932 posts
Hehe what would you like to know? We go yearly!
Check out allears.net - its awesome! I'm about to get my hair cut so I can't write much now but I'll be back this afternoon to write you a book!
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
I want to take our LO one day so I started this thread a while back...there are some good tips!
http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-what-do-you-think-is-a-good-age-to-take-your-lo-to-disney-world
blogger / nectarine / 2687 posts
we went this past february. Lil' CB was FREE because he was under 3 (definitely take advantage of that!) so we didn't feel too badly about him only going on a few rides here and there. he was mostly interested in the shows and parade anyway! definitely get the park meal plan -- a definite saver!
persimmon / 1205 posts
Look for deals where you can get free dining. I've done this in the past and my friends are doing this for September and it can be a huge savings.
wonderful clementine / 24134 posts
Just be prepared for lots of heat, humidity, and afternoon rain.
Next time we go, we are going to stay at Reunion Resort in a single family rental home (they have a water park on site) and then take day trips to the park. Much cheaper than staying on site.
persimmon / 1479 posts
Check out disboards.com, the people that run the site are the same group that do the Passporter book, which is also a great resource-they can tell you the cheapest stroller rental, grocery deliver-everything.
We just went in January ans stayed at Coronado Springs on the Disney property. We booked during a free meal time and itwas a great deal. We didn't need a rental because Disney offers free airport pickup/drop off (they even get your luggage delivered to your room for you) and the transportation to the parks and downtown Disney. This was so much easier for us since I have never been there and they really make it pretty easy!
pomelo / 5789 posts
You can find coupon books at most of the diners (Dennys/Ponderosa) which give money off Most of the non Disney attractions. I personally love the miniature golf and there is a coupon for that.
To save $$ on a rental car, I always check http://www.rentalcarmomma.com
cherry / 190 posts
I live about an hour and a half away and we are seasonal pass holders. What would you like to know? Try to find a hotel that has a kitchen in it that will help with food costs. All disney parks let you bring in food as well so that is a great money saver. To save on parking at the parks (which is 14 a day) if you don't stay on disney property you can park at Disney's Boardwalk hotel and take the boat to epcot and the monorail from epcot to magic kingdom or a bus from epcot to the other parks. Bring your own ponchos because park prices are outrageous.. Feel free to let me know if you have any specific questions..
cherry / 135 posts
Thanks everyone for your input! I am up to my head with info on DisneyWorld that this is all so overwhelming.
@sorrycharlie: thanks for the site! I will definitely check it out and come back with more questions.
@regberadaisy thanks for the link! I did a search before posting and must have missed this.
@mrs.cowgirl: that's why I want to go now too! LO is FREE!! Love it! As for meal plans, can you purchase it there? Or do you need to be affiliated with a resort to purchase? I am a little confused about the meal plans.
@Chrispygal: free dining?? where? how? please share.
@TheHistoryOfUs: oh yuck! I totally didn't think how bad it would be. Am I crazy for going during that time period being 6 months preggo and a 2 year old?
@MrsMeNow: Thanks for the site! I will definitely check it out. We are also thinking about not renting a car since we may be considering a Disney resort. Did you find that using the Disney transportation to be pretty tideous and a long wait? I heard what could be a 30 minute trip would take 2 hours of just waiting. Is that true?
@travelingbrit: love that idea! perhaps we will need to make a trip to a local diner once we get there. Thanks for the tip and link to the site. Still contemplating on a rental.
@laneybugsmommy: thanks so much for the advice! We are thinking about staying at either disney wilderness lodge vs. animal kingdom since we were thinking about eliminating a car rental. Any thoughts on those resorts? Or renting a car is the way to go?
hostess / watermelon / 14932 posts
@umlo: right now disney is offering the free dining plan for most stays booked after September 30 - http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/special-offers/ . I agree with not needing to rent a car - the only downside is that if you want to get back to the hotel quick, with the bus system, it's not quick most of the time. There is often a wait, and if you leave at peak times (say, right at closing) it's a mob scene. The upside of having a car is the ability to go wherever you want, whenever you want - and if you stay on-property (a Disney owned hotel), you get free park parking.
ETA - I've stayed at Wilderness Lodge several times, it's my favorite resort! you can get a boat right to magic kingdom. from there, you can take a monorail to the ticket and transportation center and hit epcot, too. my parents have stayed at Animal Kingdom and said they wouldn't again - while it was cool, they said it was really far away from everything.
cherry / 135 posts
@sorrycharlie: ohhh very good to know about the Wilderness Lodge. I was leaning more towards that one than the other but wondered if the animals would be something that LO would love or hate.
And ahhh, that free meal plan deal. Only if I wasn't too far along with this pregnancy then I would totally adjust the dates.
And do you get free parking at the theme parks? or you mean just at the Disney owned hotels?
hostess / watermelon / 14932 posts
@umlo: both if you stay at a disney resort you get free park parking - and of course, free at the resort.
persimmon / 1479 posts
@umlo: No, our trips to each of the parks were about 20-30 minutes. We were there at a pretty slow time, but we hardly had to wait for a bus to come 10 mintues at the most and then they drop you right near the gates to get in so you don't have to walk too far.
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
Is it free for 3 and under or under 3? How much would it be otherwise?
@Mrs. Cowgirl: did you feel it was worth the trip with CB being so young. If we were to go it would be our only vacation of the year. So I feel I would want M to be older so she can enjoy more.
How's the weather in feb? Is it off peak season?
blogger / pomelo / 5361 posts
We went in June. My biggest tip is: buy The UnOfficial Guide to Dianey World or get the app. The app costs money but I gives you updated wait times, etc. The book/app has different "touring plans", i.e., with kids, without kids, arriving late, etc. It tells you when to go to each ride. Following one of the plans, we never had to wait more than 45 minutes in line and most were 15 minutes or less. It was soooooooooooo worth it!
olive / 70 posts
It is unbearably hot in August at Disney!!! I would not want to be there then when I was pregnant. But, Disney is my favorite place in the whole world so I understand why you want to go! Animal kingdom resort is amazing with an awesome restaurant, Jiko, but it is far away from everything. Worth a visit though. We got excellent rates at the swan/dolphin which we loved because it was like staying at a deluxe resort but at a value price...and it is on the boardwalk which I think is the best location because you can walk to Hollywood studios and epcot, my two favorite parks! That was an all ears rate of $119!! We loved the swan.
Other tips...use fast pass, and look into the baby switch so you can both go on rides - one stays with baby while the other rides, then you switch. Only one wait in line!
wonderful clementine / 24134 posts
There are so many great tips here, I am bumping so I can subscribe and favorite! We are going in May with my 21 month old!
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