• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About Me
  • Disclaimer
  • Disney Blogging Resources
    • Resource Page
    • Blogging Help
    • Products and Downloadables
  • Contact Me
  • Etsy Shop
  • Privacy Policy

Melissa Speaks Dog

Just a Girl and Her Animals

  • Home
  • Disney Travel
    • Disneyland Parks
      • General Disneyland Tips
      • Disneyland Dining
    • Walt Disney World Parks
      • Disney World 101
      • Disney Springs and Water Parks
      • General Walt Disney World Tips
      • Walt Disney World Resort Hotels
      • Walt Disney World Dining
    • Other Disney Parks and Resorts
  • DIY and Recipes
    • Disney Inspired Recipes
    • Disney Crafting
    • Holiday Disney
  • General Travel Tips
    • Travel Planning Tips
    • Transportation
    • Money Saving Tips
    • General Travel Reviews
    • Packing and Item Reviews
    • Other Theme Parks
  • My Brain
    • Disney Product Reviews
  • Animal Know How
  • Blogging

Your Top 5 Disney Vacation Planning Questions ANSWERED

September 25, 2018      Leave a Comment

My friends and family all know that I’m a huge Disney freak – and they know how much I travel. Because of this, I’m usually the go-to person when they have questions about Disney parks. Since starting this blog I’ve also encountered lots of people who have no idea where to start.

It may seem daunting and overwhelming, planning a Disney vacation. In actuality, it’s very easy once you figure out the basics! Below are the top 5 questions I get asked about planning a Walt Disney World vacation. This is just a quick summary, and I will update this post as I create more posts specifically correlating to these questions. In the meantime, here is a break down of the top 5 questions that you probably have as well if you’re a Disney newbie. Don’t worry, I’m here to be your pixie guide!

**this post contains affiliate links! This means I may receive financial compensation for my recommendations. Please see my disclaimer for more information!**

1. How Much Does it Cost to Go to Disney?

This is the #1 question I get, hands down. Cost is obviously a HUGE factor that will make or break a family vacation. Many people avoid Disney because of this specific reason. Unfortunately, there is no easy way to answer this question because there are many MANY variables that determine the cost of your trip. Some of these factors include:

  • What time of year you travel
  • How many people are in your family
  • Whether or not you do add ons (Disney Dining Plan, Park Hopper, etc)
  • Which resort you stay at

And this doesn’t even include airfare or transportation from MCO.

Still, to give you a rough estimate, here is the cost for a family of four, in the first week of June 2019:

  • Disney’s Art of Animation Resort – 7 days, 6 nights. 5 day park ticket with Park Hopper Option and the Disney Dining Plan = $4560

So it’s true that Disney is no cheap endeavor. As you can see, I put a few add ons in that package, such as Park Hopper and the Disney Dining Plan. These are things you can skip for a cheaper price.

If you need help planning and want the cheapest option possible, I recommend calling a Disney travel agent or simply playing around with the deals on the Walt Disney World website yourself. Here are some tips on how to save big bucks on your Disney vacation – and a few secrets on how to get discounts before you travel!

2. When is the Best Time to Visit?

Again, this is mostly down to personal preference. I like to go during the Value Season, when it is the cheapest and least crowded. It’s a little cooler in Florida during this time, but I’m willing to sacrifice for cheaper rates. However, if you’re not able to take off time during the school year, you might want to visit during the summer or during school breaks.

Some people LOVE visiting during the holidays, and others would rather experience the plague than the lines at Disney during Christmas. It really comes down to a few things:

  • Which is the more important factor for you – cost? Weather? Crowds?
  • When can you realistically take time off of work to travel?
  • How much are you willing to spend on airfare? (I always suggest looking at travel sites such as Expedia, which gives you cash back on eBates and can help if you’re tight on the budget!)

3. What are the Differences in the Resorts?

Disney has many different options for resort hotels to fit any kind of budget. The cheapest hotels are the Value Resorts. The next step up is the Moderate Resorts, followed by the Deluxe Resorts. The Deluxe Resorts also have the option to stay in a villa, which includes a kitchen and multiple beds/bathrooms. This will be where you stay if you are a Disney Vacation Club member.

Value Resorts are just as their name says – the value option. They’re the cheapest, but also pack the most people into the smallest amount of space. You won’t find character or luxury dining at these hotels, but if all you’re looking for is a place to sleep, these are a great choice. Moderate resorts are more spread out for a bit more cash, and often have nice theming and a few more dining and recreation options. Finally, Deluxe Resorts are the the whole package – lots of dining, shopping, and recreation right at your fingertips. They’re often very close to the parks as well and have additional travel options including boats or even the monorail!

4. Which Ticket Add Ons Should I Get?

Disney just updated their ticket add ons to two options – Park Hopper and Park Hopper Plus. If you purchase just a basic ticket, you get one park a day. You can exit and re-enter as you please, but you can’t go from Magic Kingdom to Hollywood Studios.

Park Hopper allows you to bounce from park to park during the same day. Yes, you can even go to ALL FOUR parks if you’re feeling daring! This is great if you want to start the morning at Magic Kingdom, go back to your hotel for a nap, and close out the night at Hollywood Studios. Park Hopper Plus, their newest option, gives you that option as well as admission to the water parks. The ticket gives you 5 total visits, so you can spread the water park visits out however you please.

5. Do I Need the Disney Dining Plan?

The Disney Dining Plan is personally one of my favorite aspects of Disney. I LOVE not having to think about the cost of meals while I’m at the parks. The Dining Plan comes in three different levels:

  • Quick Service Plan: Each person gets 2 snacks a day, plus 2 Quick Service meals
  • Dining Plan: Each person gets 2 snacks a day, 1 Quick Service Meal, and 1 Table Service meal
  • Deluxe Dining Plan: Each person gets 3 meals (quick service OR table service) per day plus 2 snacks

There are a lot of things to consider before purchasing the Dining plan. For example, “snacks” include beverages – even water bottles. So your Dole Whip and a water bottle? That’s your two snack credits right there. Some restaurants also require more than one table service credit (like Be Our Guest at dinner). This will obviously leave you one day short, so you have to either pay out of pocket OR just skip that meal.

The best way to judge whether or not you’ll need the plan is to ask yourself – are you REALLY going to eat all that food? I could never imagine getting the Deluxe Plan. If you want to sit down and calculate your projected cost per meal to compare, you can, but I find it almost always ends up saving you money.

In addition, remember the Dining Plan does NOT include tips!

Planning a Disney vacation can seem like a huge undertaking. It is true that there are so many aspects to planning the trip – but if you put in the time, and do your research, you’ll be able to plan an amazing vacation for your whole family. Yes, you CAN do it – even if you’ve never been to Disney before! I hope that these questions gave you a baseline on where to go for your own trip planning needs.

Any additional questions? I would LOVE to help! Drop it in the comments! For more Disney content be sure to subscribe to my newsletter for post updates! Additionally, you’ll get my FREE WDW Planning Checklist as a thank you for signing up!

Like This Post? Check Out These Other Recommended Posts For You!

  • Top 4 Park Updates Coming to Disney in 2019!

    Happy New Year everyone! With the start of another year just around the corner, it's time to start planning for 2019. For those of you who are fellow Disney fans…

  • Disney Water Parks - Worth it? Or Not?

    Disney water parks are yet another great thing that the Walt Disney World resort offers that you can't find at other resorts. While the pool is a great way to…

  • The BEST Shoes for Disney!

    What are the best shoes for Disney? Believe it or not, this is a pretty controversial topic! Some people are die hard sandal wearers, and others insist you HAVE to…

  • Coffee Lovers Tips for Disney

    Coffee and I have a special relationship. I started drinking coffee daily my junior year of high school, visiting Starbucks every day if possible. I think it's safe to say…

  • Review of Sprinkles - Disney Springs

    Who doesn't love CUPCAKES? If you're all about the recent fad of trendy cupcakes, you HAVE to check out Sprinkles at Disney Springs. As part of their renovations in the…

Reader Interactions

Let's Chat! Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

About Me

 

My name is Lissy, and I’m a Disney lifestyle blogger, DIYer and photographer. I’m here to help you plan the most magical Disney vacation, and keep the magic alive even after you come home! I also want to share my secrets of success with you with my instructional blogging posts. Thank you for subscribing, and I invite you to follow me on social media as well. I can’t wait to connect with all you fellow Disnerds!

Follow Me on Social Media!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

What's Popular Now

  • Make Your Own Steering Wheel Cover DIY
  • Plaza Inn Disneyland Character Dining – Review of Breakfast with Minnie and Friends!
  • Review of the Genie+ and Lightning Lane Service at Walt Disney World
  • Motion Simulators at Disney – Review for Motion Sickness
  • Wine Country Trattoria Dining Review

My Top Picks from shopDisney (Updated Weekly!)

Follow me on Pinterest!

LIKE me on Facebook!

LIKE me on Facebook!

Search

Footer

Follow Me on Social Media!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Web Hosting

Copyright © 2023 · Wordpress Theme by Hello Yay!