Where did you find your best Disney world Florida deals?

[Sleeplessem]

Massively forward thinking here, but DH and I are thinking of a Disney world Florida/ universal holiday in line with our 35th bdays (3yrs away) obviously waaay to early to book but it makes sense to start saving now esp as we’ll remortgage in this time frame. We also have been feeling super down just lockdown and wfh so thought it will give us something to look forward to. Looking at the best deal sort of places so we (roughly) know how much we need budget for.

Dc will be 5 and 2 at the time (20 weeks with dc 2), so definitely quite far in advance but never hurts to be prepared.

Where did you get your best Disney/ Florida deals.
We’re open fo staying anywhere but the preference would be a Disney hotel whilst we’re visiting the parks. Flying from manchester most likely too xx

I think it’s just about shopping around. I’d not use this year as a comparison but in 2022 and 2023, I’d start to look at current prices and then you’ll have a good idea on the costs involved. Ask a travel agent for their castings too.

What time of year are you thinking of going?

Look out over the next year or 18 months for flight sales, particular British airways and Virgin. Direct is much easier but indirect is usually cheaper.

In the last we’ve always booked direct with Disney because we’ve always gone to Saratoga Springs and made full use of free dining. Not sure if free dining is going to continue though. Disney change their offers so some times it’s free dining but others, it may be a % off.

I’ll then usually book BA for flights.

For Universal, I just book the cheapest rate available on any hotel comparison for Hard Rock or one of the hotels with express pass included.

We never hire a car when we go. Happy to use Disney transport and Uber or Lyft.

Tickets wise, Disney include those in a hotel combo and Universal, I’ll look at deals around Black Friday with places like Floridatix.

It’s honestly not too early to look at the costing and planning for your trip now.

I’d highly recommend some of the planning pages on Facebook.

Thanks for your suggestions @fossowaymum!

Time of year, dd will be in primary school by then so was thinking around October half term or easter hols? Think we need to watch out for hurricane season though don’t we.

I’ve not heard of Saratoga springs, is that a Disney hotel? Free dining sounds amazing, I’ve been looking a lot today (instead of work lol) and all the Disney hotels I’ve seen don’t include breakfast, so I was wondering about food.

I’ve looked at universal today and whilst I’d absolutely love it, I think it might be too grown up for a 5 and 2 year old?

I had no idea Facebook planning pages for Disney hols even existed? Are there any you’d rate as particularly helpful?

Thanks again for the suggestions!

@Sleeplessem

Thanks for your suggestions *@fossowaymum*!

Time of year, dd will be in primary school by then so was thinking around October half term or easter hols? Think we need to watch out for hurricane season though don’t we.

I’ve not heard of Saratoga springs, is that a Disney hotel? Free dining sounds amazing, I’ve been looking a lot today (instead of work lol) and all the Disney hotels I’ve seen don’t include breakfast, so I was wondering about food.

I’ve looked at universal today and whilst I’d absolutely love it, I think it might be too grown up for a 5 and 2 year old?

I had no idea Facebook planning pages for Disney hols even existed? Are there any you’d rate as particularly helpful?

Thanks again for the suggestions!

October half term. Everyone worldwide has Easter off. That and Christmas are the busiest times.

Saratoga Springs is a Disney hotel. It’s a deluxe one. When they do free dining, hotels are given dining depending on their (for want of a better word) star rating. Value hotels give you, from memory, one meal and one snack a day plus a soft drink. Deluxe will give you 2 meals and 2 snacks a day plus a drink or a glass of wine. It’s been 3 years since we last went so I’m going from memory. There are usually quite a few on site restaurants we like to eat at and, in particular character dining where various characters come round to meet you so deluxe for us has always been worth it.

There are good bits of Universal for younger children but the kids will get so much just from Disney, as you will that you can leave it for another trip.

Facebook groups I use are

It’s Orlando Time.

Disney and Orlando for Brits

Disney and Orlando tips for Brits.

You will lose hours and hours reading and researching. Get a note pad and pen ready.

The DIBB is also worthwhile looking at. That’s a website forum.

@fossowaymum

The DIBB is also worthwhile looking at. That’s a website forum.

Fab, thanks again!

Will deffo look at October rather than Easter! DD will only be In reception so a few days out of school won’t kill her.

Did you get express passes? I’m looking online and I think they are off sale due to covid so I can’t see the ‘rough’ price

When we went last year we booked the full package with Virgin. Flights from Manchester, car hire and off site rental home with pool. It was simpler all in one.

We had Disney tickets and went most days but it was nice to go back to our own space and chill by the pool. On site hotels is not for us but loads of people love them.

@Agadorsparticus

When we went last year we booked the full package with Virgin. Flights from Manchester, car hire and off site rental home with pool. It was simpler all in one.

We had Disney tickets and went most days but it was nice to go back to our own space and chill by the pool. On site hotels is not for us but loads of people love them.

We were debating that too, cost being the major driver. How did you get to the parks? Drive? Dh was worried about finding parking and the cost of parking behind astronomical? How did you find it? Wondering if taxis would be cheaper or if there is another option that we’ve not thought of xx

Op Go on the dibb - U.K. site for Disney fans. You will find EVERYTHING you need to know. Holidays to Disney are all about the planning!

Off site and on site are massive topics themselves.

Onsite you don’t need a car as Disney provide transport. No parking costs on resort or at the parks. You also get extra magic hours.

Offsite, you’ve got a villa or a condo but will need a car or rely heavily on Uber and or Lyft. No extra magic hours unless you get annual passes.

As I said above, we chose Saratoga Springs. onsite resort but their rooms have kitchens, are in small blocks with each block having their own pool, bar and laundry. 2 minute walk to a bus stop to take you to the parks and Disney springs.

It really is all about what suits your family.

If you go to Disney, book with Disney. You only have to pay a small deposit and full money is only due 6 or so weeks before. We were meant to go and because of covid they refunded everything. I’d found deals but we would have lost money on them.

Standard deal on site is 14 days of ticket for 7 days price. Fast passes don’t cost extra but are suspended just now.
In normal times in October you would get the dining plan for free which would make a massive difference. There is talk of it returning soon.
DC2 would be totally free though I think.

To give you a price guide last time we booked for May for 3 of us (DD priced as an adult) it was £4500 with free dining, tickets and $200 voucher etc. You might get it cheaper at a cheaper resort though (cheaper resorts have reduced dining plans so you need to work out which is best). My flights were only £1100 on top.
We spend very little when we are there though, just tips and some gifts.

We were all booked for 2020 and had to cancelled, started booking for 2021 and cancelled again feels like we will never get there. 2022 might be our year fingers crossed.

We had booked a week in a Disney hotel with the free dining plan then a week in a villa with pool for Universal and Kennedy. We have four DC ranging from 17 to 11. I’ve been told Disney is best for younger kids, Universal for older. With the ages of yours I would be thinking of 2 weeks in Disney with the dining plan if it comes back, that way you are getting all the Disney parks and the water parks and book an overnight at the Hard Rock which would give you 2 days of fast passes for universal which I think would be enough for little ones.

These are all fab suggestions thank you!

General curiosity, do you guys explore the rest of Florida whilst you’re out there?

DH wants to but isn’t so keen on the 4 hr drive to Miami with 2 little ones. I recall as a kid we went to sanibel? And a place where they did mermaid shows? Would love to hear your recommendations and even places to not bother with. It’s really helpful in planning our dream hols xx