Save up to 40% at select Disney Resort Hotels
All room prices are discounted for most dates through October 2nd. Save 15% to 40% at select Disney Resort hotels and treat your family to a fun-filled getaway. The bigger discounts are offered on the Deluxe rooms, but there are still savings opportunities for Disney World Value and Moderate resort rooms. Book a trip for after August 15, 2010 and save even more.

The Summer Room and Ticket Offer
Also known as the “Kids Stay and Play Free” promotion. With this special offer your kids (ages 3 to 9) do not get charged for room nights or park admission. Adults must purchase a non-discounted 4-night/5-day room and ticket package at select Disney Value Resorts. Offer valid for most dates now through October 2, 2010. The average husband and wife will pay $530 each for a double-occupancy room. Perfect if you have two kids between 3 and 9 years old.

Late Summer Room and Ticket and Dining Offer
Want to save money and be able to budget all of your costs? This is the package for you. Get a free dining plan when you buy a 5-night/6-day Magic Your Way room and ticket package for stays from August 15th through October 2, 2010. With this deal a family of four would pay $77 per day at a Disney World Moderate Resort for a total cost of around $1800. Not too bad considering that includes accommodations, dining package, and park admission. If you can drive to Orlando than you could probably do the whole vacation (gas, souvenirs, etc) for less than $2500!

If you don’t need a luxury resort with all of the golf courses and bathrobes then you can save a ton of money by staying at the Best Disney World Value Resort.

Book a  4 Night/5 Day room and ticket package during most nights between May 2 through June 3, 2010 and your children stay for FREE (ages 3 to 9). Cost of the package is $499 per adult and must be booked by May 8, 2010.

**Number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Child must stay in same room with adult. Limit of four Guests per room. Tickets are for one theme park per day and must be used within 14 days of first use.

Call (407) 939-7905 and ask for booking code BF4 or book online.

Here are some sample prices for select dates between August 9th and October 3rd.  These are generally Sunday through Thursday rates in a Standard Room. Availability is limited and rates will vary depending the resort, room type, and dates of travel. (Note: Sales tax has not been included.)

- Select Disney Value Resorts: from $69 per night

- Select Disney Moderate Resorts: from $96 per night

- Select Disney Deluxe Resorts: from $149 per night

- Select Disney Deluxe Villa Resort: from $169 per night

Here are the Disney Discount Codes you will need to secure these discounts through the website or general reservation line:

Room only code – TDU

Discount codes for use with Disney World Packages:

Magic Your Way Base Package – MVJ

Magic Your Way PLUS Quick Service Dining Option – FPC

Magic Your Way PLUS Dining Option – EQX

Magic Your Way PLUS Deluxe Dining Option – EQY 

To receive this discount all rooms must be reserved by 8/8/09. All Disney World promotional offers are subject to availability and certain restrictions apply.

Luckily Disney World does offer a flexible and interest fee payment plan for all packages purchased directly through the Disney World website and reservation line.  Although it is not officially called a “payment plan” it offers many of the same benefits.  Best of all, it applies to anyone who signs up.

How It Works
Disney World allows you to plan and book your vacation package by putting up a $200 deposit.  After this point you are free to make payments in any amount and whenever you want.  There is no interest or additional costs to sign up for this feature.  The only requirement is that your total vacation package must be paid in full 45 days before your trip.

Since there are no penalties or fees if you pay within the allotted time, you can customize your payments to fit within your budget.  This works especially well for people who are expecting tax returns or work bonuses to fund their Disney vacation.  They get the opportunity to plan their trip today and pay for it later.

You can use Disneyworld.com to manage the finances for your Magic Your Way vacation package. Once you have registered you can keep track of how much you owe and even make payments directly through the website.  You can pay the entire balance at anytime before 45 days prior to your arrival.

This is a great alternative to the hefty interest rates that credit cards have, and the flexible terms means you won’t accrue fees for unexpected events that prevent you from making your payment.  Of course you will lose your $200 deposit and any credited payments if you default.  But as long as you have the means to pay on time then there is no better way to take the anxiety out of paying thousands of dollars for your trip to Walt Disney World.

Note that this only applies to Magic Your Way packages purchased directly through Disney World.  The payment terms are not available for single ticket purchases or separate hotel room reservations.

Here is how the promotion works:

- Customers must purchase a 4 night / 4 day Magic Your Way package at the regular price.  These vacation packages include accommodations at a Disney Resort and a Magic Your Way Base Ticket that gives each member of your travel party entry to one Disney Theme Park every ticket day.  You can upgrade your package to include things like Park Hopper Passes and Dining options.

- You must book your vacation by December 20, 2009 and your stay must fall between 11/1/09 – 11/20/09, 12/11/09 – 12/24/09 and 1/3/10 – 3/27/10.  There is a limited amount of discount packages offered for each time, but Disney does not disclose how many are available.

- The base package includes a stay at one of the Disney’s value resorts.  If you upgrade to either Disney’s Old Key West Resort or Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa you will also receive a $100 gift card valid at most shops and restaurants within the park.  Rooms in these resorts include amenities like kitchenette with microwave, mini-refrigerator, wet bar and coffee maker.

- Estimated total cost for a family of 2 adults, 1 junior, and 1 child who stay at a value resort is just under $1400.  This includes one theme park ticket per day, hotel accommodations, shuttle transportation to and from the Orlando airport, and transportation throughout the Disney World Resort.  This is an average family cost of $200 per day.

- Food and airline costs are not included, although you can upgrade to the dining package for about $19 per person / per day.

- You must book directly through the Walt Disney World website or reservation line.  The booking code for this offer is IUZ.

So if you assume a $1200 cost for round trip airline tickets, your total comes to $2600 for travel, lodging, and park admissions.  This is definitely a great deal, especially when you compare it our Disney Vacation Budget Example.

If you have been considering a trip to Orlando this summer then now is the time to take advantage of this offer.  You will have to be flexible with your dates depending on availability, but it is worth it in the end.

Here are some of the festivities planned for this year’s event:
- Trick or Treat stations throughout the Magic Kingdom
- Special Daily Halloween fireworks displays entitled “Happy HalloWishes”
- Characters and mascots dressed in their favorite costumes
- Halloween-themed parades and parties

If you are planning to go, you should know that the Halloween events are separate from park admission and require an additional ticket.  Advance discount ticket sales are now available.  Ticket prices range from $42.95 to $55.95 and can be purchased by calling 407-W-Disney

A number of October dates also feature the Extra Magic Hour promotion.  On these dates, select attractions like Epcot Center and Disney’s Hollywood Studios wither open an hour early or remain open an hour late.  Check this schedule for more information.

The average high temperature in Orlando this time of year is 80 degrees with minimal chance of precipitation.  Combine this with significantly less traffic at the park and it is the perfect time of year to take small children.  Don’t forget to bring your Halloween costumes, but just make sure they are appropriate for warm weather!

On-Site or Off-Site Accommodations
Deciding whether or not you will be staying on the resort property should be one of the first questions you ask yourself.  Obviously, the benefit of staying at an on-site Disney resort is the convenience of location.  But there is a significant increase in cost for this luxury, and it spans across multiple categories such as food and entertainment.  If you are working with a tight budget you should consider an off-site hotel.  Not only will the room rates be cheaper, but you will have quick access to cheaper outlets for meals and souvenirs.

Always Call for the Best Prices
While we all enjoy the accessibility of the internet for research purposes, it never hurts to follow up with a real person on the phone.  Many internet packages offered online are take-it-or-leave-it propositions.  They are structured as automated sales and therefore they don’t always calculate the maximum savings offered.  Even if you find the deal of a lifetime, it never hurts to pick up the phone and see if you can’t find a better price.  Depending on cancellations and the time of year, a hotel might grant you a special rate if you can prove to them that you are shopping around.

Disney isn’t Always the Cheapest
You would figure that since Disney owns its resort properties that they would be able to offer the biggest discount on packages, but this is not always true.  There are a number of experienced travel agents that buy inventories in advance at wholesale prices with the risk of having to resell them.  Because of this fact they can still make significant returns while be able to provide you substantial savings over the current market rate.  Comparison shopping is the key to unlocking these deals.  Don’t just assume that Disney is the cheapest – get out there and do your homework!

These are just a few things to consider before making your vacation reservations.  No matter how attractive a package can appear online, it is always best to make some phone calls to test the market.  Of course you also need to check your sources to make sure they are reputable so that you don’t fall victim to a travel scam.  This can typically be avoided with a simple internet search of the company or person you are buying from.

Disney is Not the Only Source for Tickets.
Most vacationers believe that Disney reservation outlets are the only place to get park tickets.  The truth is that there a handful of other options if you dig deep enough.  AAA and other auto clubs typically offer tickets at a small discount.  Military personnel can find tickets at their base offices as well.  You may even be surprised to find that your employer can provide discount opportunities on tickets.  The best thing you can do is ask around before making your purchase.  You never know where you’ll find savings opportunities.

eBay is Not a Good Source for Disney Discounts.
On any given day there are hundreds of Disney travel auctions active on eBay.  Some of these appear to offer substantial savings, especially to families on a budget.  However, there are certain risks involved with buying on eBay.  For starters you may not always be buying from a reputable source.  You will also find the terms of these deals are usually very strict, which limits your options on canceling or rescheduling.  Worst of all, most third party vendors offer no guarantees with their reservations, leaving you high and dry if there is a problem.

Vacation Packages are Not Necessarily Good Bargains.
A common myth about Disney vacation packages is that they offer significant discounts.  In reality however, package prices usually represent the same costs you would incur if each item was purchased separately.  Disney provides packages as a convenient way to make all of your arrangements in one place.  Bargain hunters normally find that comparing prices for hotel, park admission, and travel arrangements on an individual basis will yield the most money-saving possibilities. 

You can’t always believe everything you hear about visiting Disney World.  In an era when anyone with a website can be call themselves an expert, it is more important than ever to do your homework.  Start by talking with friends and family.  The best resources usually come from references you can trust.

There are a number of different Disney vacation packages to choose from.  The most popular being the “Magic Your Way Vacation Package”.  It is not only the most affordable, but it includes the most popular features, such as accommodations at the Disney Resort, and the Magic Your Way Base Ticket (valid for admission to one park per day).  For additional cost, you can add an expiration clause that protects you from a surprise change in your itinerary. 

Upgrading to the “Magic Your Way Package Plus Dining Package” includes lodging at a Disney hotel, as well as meal vouchers valid at a number of different dining locations across the Disney complex. This entitles you everyday to one table service meal with an appetizer, entree, dessert, and non-alcoholic beverage, one counter service meal with entree, dessert and non-alcoholic beverage, and one snack (ice cream, popcorn, soft drink, etc).

The next level of vacation package is the “Magic Your Way Premium Package”.  Living up to its premium tag, this deluxe package includes just about everything: hotel accommodations, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and unlimited access to golf, miniature golf, water sports and other recreations. You also receive admission to Cirque du Soleil, and other featured tours and attractions.  Children booked under the premium package receive access to the activities hosted at the Disney Children Activity Center.

For those who desire the ultimate Disney experience, the “Magic Your Way Platinum Package” is the way to go.  In addition to all of the features included at the premium level, you also receive a spa treatment, and access to several services.  These include; private golf lessons, a reserved seat to the Fantasmic fireworks show, unlimited childcare in the Child Activity Centers, a ride on the Fireworks Cruise, itinerary planning services, in-room child care, a keepsake souvenir, and turndown service.  All of these features make the platinum package the most luxurious offering at Disney World.

All of these packages can take the hassle out of booking your Disney vacation, but they should not be used to solely to save money.  True thrift seekers will find the additional work of reserving these accommodations and services separately will ultimately be cheaper.  But for piece of mind, and saving time, Disney Vacation Packages are tough to beat.