Do you have a trip to Walt Disney World planned for the near future? If so, are you wondering how to best have an affordable Disney vacation? Your accommodations will be a large part of your vacation budget, so it is important to know your options so that you can make the best choice for your family.
There are several factors that will affect where you choose to stay on your Disney vacation. The time of year, size of your family and your need for transportation while there will play a role in your decision.
Some times of year, like the summer, holiday weekends, and Festivities/New Years are the busiest for the parks, and so tend to be the most expensive for the Disney resort properties. It is also not unusual for Disney resort rooms to be sold out during these times of the year, especially if you are planning on short notice. Because of this, at these times, you will typically find off-Disney properties to be your most affordable options.
Consider also the size of your family, since if you have a number of children, you may need more than one motel room. If this is the case, you may find that \”suites\”, villas, or rental homes may be your best choice for affordable accommodations.
It is also important to think about traveling to and from the theme parks. Staying on a Disney property will mean that you will have use of their free resort transportation. Staying off-site requires you to see if your hotel/motel has a shuttle, otherwise you will need to rent a car.
So what are your options then for Disney World accommodations?
It is becoming more frequent for families to choose vacation homes or condos for a Disney World vacation. With this type of property, you will have more space for your family, sleeping anywhere from 4 to 16 people. If your family size usually means multiple hotel rooms, then this option may be your most affordable. In addition, you will have the use of a kitchen which will allow you to prepare meals and even eat in if you wish, a definite cost savings.
Or you can choose an off-site property. Since non-Disney hotels/motels generally cost less, this is a great way to have an affordable Disney vacation. Off-site properties will probably cost less, and possibly quite a bit less than what a Disney World resort property would cost. In order to make sure that this is the most economical option for your budget, find out if the hotel you are looking at offers things like free breakfast, or free park shuttles. Will you need to rent a car?
What about Disney World resort properties? Disney typically offers a number of \”perks\” to their resort guests that can make this the most affordable choice for you in some circumstances. You will not have to worry about transportation as Disney\’s Magical Express buses will transport you to and from the airport, and their extensive resort transportation system will get you to the theme parks…saving you quite a bit of money. Plus Disney offers \”Extra Magic Hours\” which provides you more time in the parks than non-resort guests. And with the regular promotions that Disney offers, you may find that a Disney vacation on-site can actually be extremely affordable.
Once you choose, before booking, make sure to compare your pricing options, whether you stay on or off Disney property. It is not unusual to get a better price from websites like Expedia and Travelocity, than the one you are quoted by Disney or the off-site hotel. Also be sure to check for discounts through groups like AAA and AARP. If you are a teacher, ask about discounts as well: the Walt Disney World Swan and Walt Disney World Dolphin often have teacher promotions.
You can have a very affordable Disney vacation. By taking the time to research all of your accommodation options, you can make certain to choose the most economical one, and so to create magical memories…but not necessarily expensive ones.
Nancy Bobby has been traveling to Disney World for over 10 years. Her most useful guide to save hundreds of dollars on a Disney vacation has been the Ultimate Disney World Savings Guide. Get help with your own affordable Disney family vacation and get her free Disney vacation guide at her blog www.theaffordablemouse.com.
Tags: affordable disney vacations, children, disney savings guide, disney world vacations, planning disney world vacations, travel, trips, vacations, walt disney world
