Disneyworld Tips...Anita

Hi Anita I tried to contact you but it would not go thru, so I just posted it... We go every year and found Pop Century to be the best. You could fit 5 in a room-it'll be tight but worth the savings. The daybed they offer would be the cheapest way to go. Disney is all about the parks, not the room. If you can afford it, they can put you in ajoining rooms so you can use the 2 rooms for all of you without stepping outside. You just have to call early enough One thing I found out-even if you request non-smoking they do not guarantee it. Now-when we make our reservations, we tell them one of our girls has asthma (which she does) and we have to have a non-smoking room (this guarantee's it-because it is medical) Always eat breakfast in the room with the food you bring (savings). We bring milk, pop tarts, granola bars, yogurt, etc...just bring a big enough cooler and refill with ice everyday. A bit of a pain but worth the savings. We brought a box of ziplock bags for our leftovers and to keep stuff cold in the cooler without getting wet-works great. We brought our own refrigerator (small dorm room size) and saved $12/day. When you make reservations tell them (OK-this is a little sneaky and dishonest) one of you has just had a surgery or has a bad foot or something and they will do their best to put you closest to the food court/buses and on the ground floor We tell them every year its one of the girls birthdays (which it is) and could they have a card for her from either Tinkerbelle or a Princess waiting for us in the room-they are happy to do it In the parks if you go to customer service and say its your birthday-they will give you a special pin and the Disney folks always take notice of this and sometimes give you free stuff!!When we went for my wife's birthday-we got her meal free one time, and one time someone took us out of line and brought us to the head of the line!! We always bring snacks and bottled water with us into the parks (savings)-the Disney folks won't let you bring in a cooler but we packed ours in a diaper bag -even though kids are 10 and 7, and they don't say anything. We drink water with every meal but I bring Crystal light. We refill our water bottles at every meal (savings) and do the Crystal light thing. Snacks-we bring something that won't melt cause it does get hot. The kids meals are usually too much for our girls so we order 2 kids meals and maybe 1 adult meal for the 2 of us (savings)-then we finish the kids food (I might not be able to do that this year since my surgery) If you are driving down, there is a great mall on I-95 in St Augustine FLA that has a clearance Disney merchandise store. We allow our girls to buy stuff there at 50-80% off, then head onto Disney. We still buy one or two things at the parks-but not as much anymore (savings) Finally there is a website called www.mousesavers.com this will fill you in on all the freebies and discounts available plus give you great tips. There are books out there about going to Disney and making the most of it-but I have found the website has everything the books have but more. I hope this helps Chris

Thank you for all the tips. I would like to go in the next year or so. Jennifer

Wow Chris, those are some wonderful tips! The people I know that have been always say it is the food costs that get you. Mine love cereal and pop tarts so I could easily get by without having to do breakfast for them anyway. I've heard it is cheaper to stay away from disney and just buy your tickets, then some say you come out better doing the whole package deal. Thanks for the website, I'll check it out too.

I think you can save some by staying away from Disney and just buying the tickets but I found it to be invaluable to just wake up, get ready and walk to the bus that brings me to the park I want. Also, by staying inside Disneyworld, you get to go into the parks earlier than if you were a drive-in guest. Late at night-when you are there till closing time watching the fireworks-its nice not having to find your car and drive tback to your hotel. But-thats my opinion. Good luck planning your trip!! Chris