Oldies But Goodies – Put A Calculator And Your Needs Together!!

O.K. I admit it, I’m turning into my Father!! As you get older there is a good chance that you may become a bit more frugal. I used to get aggravated with my dad because he was always looking for a bargain but now I do the same thing, especially with our visits to Walt Disney World. Let’s face it Walt Disney World vacations are expensive!! There are lots of ways to save on your visits but rather than covering how to finance your trips, let’s focus on how to get the best price for you not based on actual dollars but on how your choices work for you.

• Travel Agents Are A Great Resource – A good Disney Specialist knows all of the ins and outs of getting the best price for your needs, not just the cheapest price!! Unless you are an experienced Walt Disney World traveler, do yourself a favor and find a Disney Specialist Travel Agent. They will not only help you find the best prices but they will help you find the things (Resort, dining options, admission media etc.) that will work best for you. I still use a Travel Agent for most visits especially if I am currently occupied with other life things.
• Don’t Always Go For The Obvious – Things like “Free Dining” are wonderful but if it doesn’t fit your dining patterns (yes, we all have them) then it may not be for you. Purchasing an Annual Pass(AP)  for the “usual” room only discount and then purchasing a Tables In Wonderland(TIW) membership ($75) for a 20% discount on Table Service dining may be a better option. This can be a real money saver if you enjoy a cocktail and/or wine with dinner since the 20% discount also applies to alcohol. One precaution – significant AP “room only” discounts normally happen but there is no guarantee that they will be available when you travel and remember, when they are available the number of rooms is somewhat limited. Make sure you budget for a no discount vacation so sticker shock doesn’t ruin it for you.
• Explore Other Options – There are other options you may want to consider when deciding which resort to choose and get the best price. Renting Disney Vacation Club(DVC) points from an owner may be a very viable choice for you. Two cautions here, use a reliable and experienced DVC rental agency as an intermediary and make sure you understand the differences between renting a room at a resort and a DVC villa. There are differences, most noticeably in the housekeeping area, it doesn’t happen every day in a DVC villa. Make sure you understand the terms of the rental agency you use because things vary between them. We are going the AP and TIW for our October visit but will be trying the DVC route for our March 2013 visit. We will be using a company called DVC Rental (this is their site)  based on my research and word of mouth.

When you get to be our age my Oldie friends, depriving yourself to save a buck is not the best way to go. You have worked hard your whole life so make your Walt Disney World choices based not just on getting the “cheapest”  price but getting the best price that suits your own needs and wishes. As always, enjoy your visit to Walt Disney World!!

Ken

Related articles

• Oldies But Goodies – What Should We Expect From A Walt Disney World Vacation? (chipandco.com)
• Oldies But Goodies – Keeping The Vacation Affordable (chipandco.com)

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