Category — The Tightwad's Guide to Walt Disney World

OVERVIEW: CURRENT WALT DISNEY WORLD DEALS AND DISCOUNTS FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC

Walt Disney World often has multiple deals running at the same time—see this page for how to find out about the full range of what’s available, plus other tips and hints.

At the moment it has three major deals running.

One of these deals is a “money back” deal, but the money back is on a Disney gift card—the only productive use of the gift card is to use it for dining (rather than buying the Disney Dining Plan) and souvenirs.  This deal also requires the purchase of theme park tickets.*

The second current major deal is a straight room rate reduction.  The savings on this deal accrue to you directly, so you can spend the savings or save them as you choose. These rate reductions do not require you to buy tickets.*

The third deal is similar to the second, but is for summer dates.

So far, all of these deals are posted as needing to be booked by March 27.

For most first time visitors–and for most others–the second or third deal will be a better bargain than the first.

MORE DETAILS ON CURRENT WALT DISNEY WORLD DEALS AND DISCOUNTS FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC

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OVERVIEW: HOW LONG TIGHTWADS SHOULD STAY AT WALT DISNEY WORLD

I have noted elsewhere in the instructions for typical families visiting Walt Disney World for the first, and perhaps only, time, that they should plan to be there for 8 nights and 9 days to see all of its best, while also building in sufficient time to relax and rest.

I have also noted elsewhere that to save money on a trip to Walt Disney World, you will find more promise in optimizing when you go and where you stay than in shortening your trip.

However, as part of the Tightwad’s Guide to Walt Disney World (see the bottom of this entry for more on the Tightwad’s Guide), this page provides some thoughts on a minimum length trip to Walt Disney World.

MORE ON HOW LONG TIGHTWADS SHOULD STAY AT WALT DISNEY WORLD

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INTRODUCTION TO THE TIGHTWAD’S GUIDE TO WALT DISNEY WORLD

This site provides precise instructions elsewhere on where to stay at Walt Disney World. These instructions are designed for typical first time family visitors who are not sure whether or not they will ever return.

This page completes and summarizes a series on where to stay at Walt Disney World for a subset of first time visitors: tightwads.

• Tightwads can’t, or won’t, spend what this site recommends. Either they simply can’t afford to, or they have too much fun finding bargains to do what is typical.
• This new series of instructions for tightwads is paired with an additional new series, for another subset: people looking for the most comfortable way to visit Walt Disney World.
• I am publishing both at the same time because there’s another subset, perhaps the biggest: those looking for bargains and deals on some things, so that they can spend more on others!!

TOP FIVE TIPS FOR DEALS AND BARGAINS ON WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT HOTELS

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THE TIGHTWAD’S GUIDE TO STAYING OFF-SITE AT WALT DISNEY WORLD: OVERVIEW

I’m fairly firm elsewhere that you should stay at an “official” Walt Disney World resort. (See this for a list of these.)

There are many reasons for this instruction. For tightwads, the most relevant are that

• Staying in an official resort lets you use Disney’s Magical Express for airport to resort transportation, and Disney’s transportation system for on-site transportation, and thus avoid ground transportation and rental car costs, and
• If you do all the meals in the suggested itineraries of this site, you will save much money by signing up for the Disney Dining Plan, which is only available if you stay in such a resort

However, some of you will pay no attention to my advice, and others will have really good reasons to save money by staying offsite.

Particularly good reasons would include

• Those who both are driving to Walt Disney World, so will have no use for the Magical Express, and have no intention of doing anything close to the number of recommended meals of this site, and thus won’t benefit from the Dining Plan
• And/or large families who can’t find affordable enough choices among this site’s options for large families looking for low-cost accommodations at official Walt Disney World resorts

Given that, below I share some thoughts on staying off-site.

THE TIGHTWAD’S GUIDE TO STAYING OFF-SITE AT WALT DISNEY WORLD: OFF-SITE HOTELS

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THE TIGHTWAD’S GUIDE TO GETTING WALT DISNEY WORLD DELUXE RESORT ROOMS AT ROCK BOTTOM PRICES

I am writing this from a one-bedroom standard view villa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Kidani Village.

As I write this, it is one of the three times of the year that it is value season, the lowest price period at Walt Disney World.

During the value season, this room costs, including tax, $540 a night.

I’m paying $297. That’s 45% off. And—with a little more advance planning—I could have paid about $250. And I might have been able to pull off a trickier way to get it for even less.

Anyone could do this. Here’s how to get Walt Disney World Deluxe resort rooms at rock-bottom prices.

MORE ON GETTING WALT DISNEY WORLD DELUXE RESORT ROOMS AT ROCK BOTTOM PRICES

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