Going to Disney World, Best Way to Buy Tickets for the Park and Vacation Package

Hey R., we just booked our trip for July. We worked with Bob at Wayne Griffin Travel in Arlington Heights. He was wonderful, emailed pictures of resorts that we had not previously stayed at, etc.I think the total with 10 day hopper passes was just under $3,800. Our son will be 2 when we go so we felt that it would be necessary to be as close to the hotel as possible, we are staying at the Contemporary, its nice because its right on the monorail system. We are going for 10 days, 9 nights.....we don't want to need a vacation from the vacation! As for staying off of the property, do you really want to lug a car seat around? Deal with the communte time to and from parks, etc? I have read that it can take 2+ hours out of your day!!! I know they have the value resorts on the property that were very inexpensive.

hi R.-
just got back from dw this past sunday and my 2 year old had a great time. we stayed at mystic dunes which is less than 10 minutes from the park. had to sit through a 90 minute sales pitch but the 3 nights we were there only cost $50 for the whole stay. just went with the park per day pass and if you're not staying on property-i'd say go that way otherwise you'll have to pay for parking everypark you hop from. at first, i thought the choice of tix was a mistake but like i said with not staying on property, it would have been a pain to pack up, get in car seats, etc. and waste travel time getting from one place to next. fast pass-definitely! not sure if you plan on utilizing parent swap at lines your 16 month can't get into, but at epcot use it for soaring!. you're only allowed to get one per 2 hour period or after the one you have in hand expires-it will make sense one you get there. at magic kingdom-jungle cruise, peter pan, and again if big rides, space & splash mtn. there are only a certain number of fast passes available per day so they do run out and you might have to get them for the busier rides earlier in the day. ie-for jungle cruise, i got the fast pass at 12 and entry time was not until 640-so they go fairly fast. also, utilize the photopass-there are a bunch of photographers throughout park at 'picture spots' they give you a card that can hold hundreds of pictures and anytime you want a pic taken just give them the card. you look on pics online-they are pricey but of great quality especially since you can design your own borders with graphics and stuff. my son and 2 year old niece definitely enjoyed the parades and shows (especially at mgm) most. overall, i think the crowds could have been alot worse and 3 days weren't enough to get through the park but still got our fill and would call it a successful trip. have fun!

R.,
We recently took our soon to be 3 year old daughter to Disney. We had a great time. We did not book a package for the trip although it might be worth it to speak to a travel agent and compare their pricing to Expedia, Travelocity, etc... We chose to stay in a 2BR 2BA condo at Orange Lake Resort and Country Club. It was perfect.It's a huge resort with 8 pools and great ameneties. The condo's are large and clean and worked perfectly for us. Much better than all of us staying in 1 hotel room. We purchased our Disney tickets at the Disney Store at Spring Hill Mall. We did some research and could not find discounted tickets on line or elsewhere. We chose the 5 day parkhopper passes which are good if you think you will be going to more than one park a day. One suggestion I have if you do stay in a condo and buy your own food then it might be a good idea to pack lunches to take to the parks. The food options on site are pretty limited ie: PB&J, Mac & Cheese, Pizza, chicken fingers etc.. The character breakfast and lunch
we went to were great fun. You need to make those reservations ahead of time. We were there for 6 days/5 nights and easily could have stayed for another week in order to take in all of the parks and sites. Good luck with your research and have a great trip.

Hi there! I want to say I am so jealous of your trip! In the summer of '98 I worked at Disney through a college program and have to say it was one of the best summers I had! The hopper is definitely the best way to go - I am not sure if they still do this, but I believe when you buy the hopper it gives at least a discount on the transit system - however, it has been nearly 10 years, so that may have changed. A fast pass is definitely a good choice as well, I am not sure what time of year you are going, but the lines can be really long and if it is hot out you don't want to stand in line with little ones for too long. As for food - lines can be really long around lunch times, so try to eat at off times, like around 11 or after 1:00 - otherwise you will be waiting awhile as well. I worked at Pacos Bills Tall Tale in and Cafe in the Magic Kingdom - right by Splash Mountain and if you are there @ approx. 3:00 you can see the afternoon parade. Sorry I don't have any real advice about purchasing tickets etc., but thought I'd share a little of what I know. Have a fabulous time!!!!!!!!

Hi R.!
If you are going for a weekend getaway or more then it may be up your alley to check out Coastal Vacations. They have great deals on many trips in one package. I know I have a 3d-2n to DW with a free pass to a choice of there attractions and you stay on the property.
Go to http://kschatz.wholesaletravelnow.com
This may be what you're looking for.