Discount disneyworld tickets/tips?

eb · #1 08/09/04, 09:15 AM

Hi folks....not exactly a homesteading question, but wondering if anyone here has any good info on how to save money on a disneyworld trip? (besides staying home...not interested in debating the morality of the disney coporation today....)

We are bringing the kids for the first time in November...got an *awesome* deal on the airline tickets (5 tickets, roundtrip, non-stop on delta from bradley international to orlando for $560ish total...)....

Anyway, I know there are a lot of others here on a tight budget and looking for ways to save money on car rentals and disney passes...we need 5 days of passes on the disney website cost is about $1200 (ouch!), there is gotta be a cheaper way?

BTW: We haven't made hotel reservation but will be renting a house outside (which seems a lot cheaper than any of the disney hotels...plus we get lots of extra bedrooms for all the kids).

Thanks in advance for any suggestions...

Tinker · #2 08/09/04, 09:22 AM

We haven't been to Disney in several years, but yea those fees are a killer. I have been told by others that is is actually cheaper to stay on a Disney site/resort, as you get a discount on tickets, plus lots of extra perks. They use to have just a few expensive resorts, but I understand they now have some facilities that are a lot more reasonable, and if you add in all the extras, it may be the best way to go.

Jena · #3 08/09/04, 09:41 AM

http://www.mousesavers.com/wdwtixdiscounts.html

Tractorman · #4 08/09/04, 09:45 AM

You might try to PM Earnest/simpleman I think he and his wife both work there I'm sure he will know some tricks just be sure and post them for us too.

jillianjiggs · #5 08/09/04, 09:56 AM

Try an Orlando CityPass. Just search Google for them. For our honeymoon, we're doing 3 days at Disneyland, 1 at Knottsberry Farm, 1 at Seaworld, and 1 at the San Diego Zoo. It was something like $372 for BOTH of us to get 6 days worth of tickets. Otherwise, it would have been $100 a day for both of us, or $600. Plus, the CityPass gives you all kinds of coupons, and you get a special ticket at for Disney. The ticket allows you to book an appointment for an attraction (say...splash mountain) and then come back at the appointment time with no waiting in line.

Jena · #6 08/09/04, 10:05 AM

The biggest thing I ever did to save money at any attraction was to never buy food or drinks in the place. Eat well before you go, pack a lunch and drive-through on the way home. They won't let you bring a lunch inside, but you can return to your car to eat, then go back to the park. I would bring snacks in my bag and water bottles. You can re-fill the water bottles at the drinking fountains. If you have to buy drinks inside, make the kids share and buy large ones.

Since you are renting a house, you ought to be able to prepare food. If you don't have any kitchen facilities...it's still a lot cheaper to buy a bunch of lunchables at the store than to pay $5 for a burger!

Jena

Jan Doling · #7 08/09/04, 11:47 AM

Be careful buying "discount" tickets. I live near Orlando & it was on the news just this week re arrest of sellers of stolen tickets as "discount" tickets.

We have Sea World passes and always take a powdered ice tea or lemonade mix (not in glass jars, they don't let those past the gates). I spoon it into their water bottles and they add cold water from the water fountain. Saves a fortune. We also pack vienna sausages, Little Debbie snacks, crackers and plastic jars of peanut butter. Theme park food seldom wins awards, costs an arm and a leg and the lines are atrocious! Picnic whenever you can and save your funds for eating out at real restaurants (big breakfasts are the cheapest meal out and start your day out right).

Try to get a motel room with a microwave and keep your cooler iced down. You can get rotisserie chicken at the deli section of most grocery stores, fresh fruit & cheese to eat in your room. We try to hit a Wendy's or Burger King as these both have 99 cent menu items, so you can eat a meal for about $3 each.

jillianjiggs · #8 08/09/04, 12:13 PM

CityPass is legit. Disney themselves sells them. In fact, that's who we ordered them through.

BCR · #9 08/09/04, 03:39 PM

Budget Travel Magazine has an online database with great hints about Disney and other common destinations.

Soni · #10 08/13/04, 11:06 PM

Tip: don't forget to bring ponchos. It rains nearly every afternoon at disney. Big heavy showers. And great fireworks every night at closing, so don't miss them if you get the chance.

sewsilly · #11 08/14/04, 12:21 PM

We took a family of 5 to Disney/Orlando this spring. We had several days of tickets left from a trip three years ago. (We got a great deal at the gate, where adding an additional 4 days worth of tickets (to what we thought we'd originally buy) for about $50/person. This included two days of waterpark tickets.

We stayed 'scrunched' (call it quality family time) in a standard two bed hotel room on International drive for $40 a night and it included breakfast buffet.
We packed in sandwiches, pb&j and snacks. They check your bags, but have no rules against these things.

The park restaraunts and food kiosks will give you a cup of iced water for FREE, if you stand in line and ask. Water bottles work well too.

We did sandwiches in the hotel room, and only ate 'out' a couple of times.

It was a lot less expensive than we thought it would be.