Disney World Trip in 2012

[coasterjudge]

I am currently planning a trip to Disney World in September of 2012. I need any info regarding saving as much as possible for a seven day trip for two. Anything you know will be of great help, even if it saving only a penny. This friend of mine is 22 and has never been to a Disney Resort so please help.

[toonaspie]

Hmm...not much I can advise you on saving in advance only to just keep saving money in a jar or something and let it build up.

As far as thrift ideas go...there are low price vacation packages usually consisting of a stay in a Value-level resort and a low level Dining Plan.

I high urge that she looks into the WDW website for more info.

Vacation package/planning info: In-Depth Planning Topics | Walt Disney World Resort
Onsite Hotel info: Accommodations | Resort Hotels | Walt Disney World Resort
Dining Plan info: Disney Dining Plans | Walt Disney World Resort

Also note that depending on what dates she plans her vacation around, she could save even more money is she avoids weekends/holidays/summers etc. The prices of the hotel rooms vary based on when crowds are most expected.

[daveyk]

I'd like to point you to two resources I use: Mouse Savers (.net), which gives some really good money saving tips, and Touring Plans (.com) which gives excellent advice on visiting/when to visit.

[DisneyExp]

Hello there! So glad to see you're planning to visit WDW! You're in for quite a treat! As far as actual discounts go toonaspie is absolutely correct. If you go to the Walt Disney World website Walt Disney World Resort there is a tab labeled "Tickets & Packages," put your cursor over it and a list will drop down, go to the "Special Offers" link, and click. On that page all the vacation deals they offer are listed. They usually have certian dates that they apply to so make sure you check to be sure you book your vacation for those days. Deals for 2012 aren't posted yet so continue to check back the closer it gets to booking time for your trip.
In the way of dining definitely go with the basic dining plan otherwise you'll spend more than you'd like to and not get the full experience of the fantastic dining opportunities at WDW. For more information on the dining plan go to Disney Dining Plans | Walt Disney World Resort. Right now they only have the dining plan options for 2011, so again check back when it gets closer to your trip to make a decision.
For hotels, if you find that none of the special offers work for you then book a Value Resort. I've found that generally the All-Star Music resort is the least expensive. Don't be mislead by the title "Value," they have all the fun and magic of any other resort.
When you're purchasing your tickets be sure to unselect options you don't need. If you don't plan to attend the water parks then deselect the waterpark option. Be sure you have the standard room option selected, waterfront and other room options cost more and are unnecessary depending on your party.
If you're flying take advantage of the magical express rather than renting a car or calling a cab. It is a free service as long as you book your flight through the WDW website. They deliver all your luggage to your room and take you right to your resort and back to the airport when you are scheduled to leave. They also offer the WDW buses that go from park to park and park to resort. There really isn't need for a car unless you want to go that little bit faster from place to place, but taking advantage of the buses is probably wisest if you're looking for cost effective options.
If you have any questions at all about anything I've written, more info on booking, or questions about Walt Disney World at all please don't hesitate to post them here! Myself and the other Mice chatters will be sure to help as best we can. If not, have a magical trip!

[kennesawtom]

I'm sure you will have a great experience at WDW. I also would highly recommend that you checkout the websites which explain ( in great detail ) how to experience a WDW vacation for less. You want to keep in mind that it doesn't have to cost a small fortune to have a WDW vacation.

I would recommend www.mousesavers.com

Also, the folks here on this board can offer you sound travel advise as well.

[Ltsharkie06]

hey! I am going to WDW in september of this year...i just wanted to clear up something about the magical express...you do NOT have to book your flight through Disney. If you book your flight elsewhere (which is what I did since it was cheaper) you simply have to go to the WDW website, sign in find your reservation and it will say that magical express is not selected. You can select this and you simply have to enter in all your flight information (flight number, when it is expected to land, ect.). I hope this helps!

[harpist1991]

I stayed in All Star Sports during spring break a couple of years ago and it was really bad. The resort itself was amazing: great pool, small room (but it worked for four people), and a nice cafeteria. The problem was all of the school groups that were there, plus the cheerleading competition. If you're not planning on spending any time in your room, the value resorts would be perfect. And, by September, most of the schools are back in session. I would suggest eating breakfast in your room everyday because that would cut down on costs. Also, if you don't plan on going to multiple parks in a day, make sure you uncheck the park hopper option (although it is really nice to head over to another park, like Epcot, for dinner in the evenings).