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Step 1
Plan ahead. Give yourself plenty of time to plan your Disney vacation. At least 6 months would give you enough time to research and find some great deals.
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Step 2
Register on the Disney website. After you register, log in every time you research anything on the website. Sometimes Disney will pull this information and offer special deals through the mail.
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Step 3
Start researching. There are plenty of deals to be had, but it's up to you to do the research. A great website is mousesavers.com. This website is updated frequently, with the most up to date specials that Disney has to offer. It also lists a lot of helpful information. For example, it lists the different "seasons" of Disney, from the least expensive time to visit to the most expensive time. It also tells you when the parks are the most crowded, etc. In a nutshell, it gives you a great amount of information to help you plan your trip. You can also sign up to be a mousesavers member and you will receive monthly emails regarding special savings.
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Step 4
Order your free DVD planning video. If you go to the Disney website, you can order a free DVD planning video. This is a great resource to have when planning your vacation. It also is a fun way to get everyone excited about going! It makes a great gift if you're planning on surprising someone with a Disney vacation.
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Step 5
Getting there. Depending on where you live, you may be planning on driving, flying, or taking a train or bus. If you're planning on flying, Disney offers free ground transportation for you and your luggage. If you're staying on Disney property, Disney offers free transportation to all of the parks and Downtown Disney. So, once you're there, unless you plan on going to see other attractions, you don't need to worry about driving. Also, keep in mind if you're flying, many times it's cheaper to fly during the week (typically Wednesday or Thursday).
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Step 6
Is a Disney package worth the money? It really depends on what you plan on doing while you're at Disney. There are some great package deals out there right now. Sometimes free dining is offered (Disney has a few dining plan options), sometimes free nights are offered. For example, if you stay for three nights, two additional nights, plus tickets are free. If you visit the Disney website or the mousesavers website, you can see all of the offers available.
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Step 7
In the market for a new Visa card? Disney has a Disney Rewards Visa card. When you sign up for this card, a percentage of your purchases earn reward points. These points can be placed on a rewards card and can be used for many Disney purchases. They can be redeemed for tickets, meals, used toward your vacation, etc. There are too many to list! Also, if you use your Disney Visa to purchase your Disney vacation package many times you will have 0% interest on that portion of your bill. Also, in some instances, Disney will offer deals to Disney Visa cardholders before offering the same deals to the general public.
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Step 8
Have fun while planning your trip! It can be a bit overwhelming, but if you give yourself plenty of time and research some of the websites I listed you'll be well prepared. Also, get some travel books from the library. You can purchase them at a bookstore as well, but if you're looking to save some money, checking them out at the library is free. Also, visit the Disney website. Once you booked your vacation, you can make free customized maps of all of the parks. This is a fun activity to do with the kids and free is good!
