note: Since Hanna just turned 5 (yesterday) I’ve started thinking about taking her to Disney. I know NOTHING about Disney or what it takes to prepare for the trip, and have a wonderful time without spending a fortune. I do, however, know someone who does! I immediately thought of Nancy Bobby ~ my favorite Disney Travel Specialist from The Affordable Mouse! She was gracious enough to put together a guest post to help me (and all the other Disney clueless folks out there) get started. Without further ado…
Planning an Affordable Family Disney Vacation
Many thanks to Jackie for inviting me today, to discuss one of my favorite topics: Disney vacation planning!
Just about every family considers, at some point, planning a vacation to Walt Disney World. Many however, never get beyond considering it because a Disney vacation can be expensive and therefore, a luxury that gets put off until “we can afford it”.
But you don’t have to postpone your Disney vacation dreams. Because believe it or not, a Disney vacation can actually be quite affordable!
Yes you read that correctly: The phrase “Disney vacation” and “affordable” are in the same sentence. J
While it won’t happen accidentally, with planning, research, and the willingness to consider a variety of options…because there are MANY options…you can plan a vacation to Walt Disney World that fits just about any budget. Really!
Wondering how to make it happen? Well then let’s talk about a few things that you will want to consider.
Plan Far Ahead
First, try to plan as far in advance as possible. And I don’t mean weeks. I mean months, preferably at least 6 months in advance. There are many reasons for this, but the main one is that time equals money saved: the more time you have, the better the chance that you will be able to get the best deals available. Plus it gives you time to build your vacation fund. J
Next, look at a couple things that will have a major bearing on the cost of your Disney vacation. Give yourself time to research here, because making the right choices at the beginning can save you hundreds…if not thousands….of dollars on your trip.
The Time of Year
The season or month that you visit Walt Disney World will have a huge effect on the cost of your vacation: some times of year are simply more expensive than others. Typically holidays and school vacations are the most expensive of all….so if you have any flexibility at all, try to schedule your trip during the cheaper times of year. If you can’t, then you will be saving on some of the other variables of your trip instead. This is like a puzzle to a certain extent: you put the pieces together to make them fit in the way that is best for you…and no two ways are the same.
Promotions and Special Deals
To really save money, you will want to do some comparisons to see what is actually cheapest. I always tell folks to not make assumptions: you may “think” you know what will be least expensive, but until you actually run all the numbers, you can’t know for certain. And people are often surprised about what is actually cheapest for them!
So get out that trusty calculator. Figure out your budget and know when you will be traveling (or at least the general time of year or month), then look at the promotions that Disney offers. Get a quote. After you do this, consider non-Disney hotels and even vacation rental properties too: these can in some cases be less expensive….but not always. You want to be very careful here and add in the extras that you may need to pay for that will be free when you stay with Disney, like transportation, parking, and in some cases even food.
Taking the time to plan and research for a vacation to Disney World can be a lot of work, but the reward for your time and effort will be the magical memories you create with your family at the “happiest place on earth”…and the knowledge that it is a vacation that was actually affordable.
About the Author:
A Disney travel specialist, Nancy Bobby started her blog, The Affordable Mouse, as a way to share information, ideas, tips and strategies for saving money at Walt Disney World. If a Disney vacation is in your family’s future, get the answers you need with her free Step by Step Guide to Planning an Affordable Disney Vacation.
