Disneyworld....

...on a budget? Can it be done?

We are heading to Orlando in April. Just so happens that there is an AAP conference going on then-at the Disney compound...what better time to overload on Mickey and the gang?!

Has anyone done this without having to take out a second mortgage or sell a kid as one of the seven dwarfs? I was looking around and it appears that it is going to cost a lot no matter what, but I would like for it to not hurt all year long.

Suggestions on where to stay would helpful. Looks like my in-laws are going to be joining us as well. Not sure if that will be good or bad, as FIL is terribly obese...at least DW and I might be able to have a romantic dinner(sans kids) with "Herbie the Love Bug"


Thanks for any tips!

[DCJenn]

Matt- go to http://www.army.mil and check out the MWR (Morale, Welfare, Recreation) section. There's a resort that the Army owns...next door to DW. and it's waaaay cheaper than the Disney hotels and it was completely refurbished last year. Might as well take advantage of those miltary benefits. (and no, it doesn't matter that Gretchen is AF)

Jenn

[Sheherezade]

That sounds like the best tip Jenn!

We actually dared to stay at a time share tryout place for 4 days two years ago. It was one of those "You have won a Florida vacation!" phone calls and I went through with it. It turned out to be pretty great. The accomadations were amazing--a one bedroom apartment overlooking the pool about ten minutes from Disney for 35 bucks a night with free tickets to Sea World and one of the dinner shows in the area. The time share sales pitch was required, but we went in to this mass cafeteria-like place and had breakfast while the guy pitched us. We said no, he showed us a unit and gave us some figures and we said no again. He passed us off to a manager who asked us if we were truly not interested, we said no to them again and they sent us on our way. It was not that painful considering we got such a nice place to stay for 4 days. I don't know what they do with kids around (my dad watched ours while we went to the pitch) but it was certainly a family oriented place. It is desperate I know, but I just thought I'd mention it didn't turn out that badly for us. Have fun!

This is interesting cuz we have been looking at trips to Florida on hotwire (including plane, car and hotel for a week.) I found a package in May for 1200 for the 4 of us. I didn't think it was that bad, Dh thinks it expensive. Our kids are so little though I figured if we had just had the nice hotel and maybe went to one attraction it wouldn't be that pricey.

Matt,

We went last summer and stayed at the Homewood Suites that is across the street from Disney World. We liked staying there because they offered a free (although not the greatest) breakfast each morning and the room had a full kitchen in it, so we cooked a lot of our meals in the room rather than going out to eat each night. And we were able to make sandwiches for lunch everyday and take them in to the park with us. It was great because we didn't have to worry about eating that awful amusement park food!

Tickets are what kills you so the timeshares that offer free tickets are a great idea and there are a bunch of them in that area you can try. Just do a search on the internet to look for who is offering the best compensation....but be prepared for a high pressure sale especially when they learn your wife is a doctor.