The Tightwad’s Guide to Where to Stay at Walt Disney World: 2. Resort Deals and Discounts

This page is part of the series The Tightwad’s Guide to Walt Disney World

OVERVIEW: RESORT DEALS AND DISCOUNTS AT 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 addresses where to stay at Walt Disney World for a subset of first time visitors: tightwads.

MORE DETAILS ON RESORT DEALS AND DISCOUNTS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD

Walt Disney World Resort hotels have standard prices that go up and down over the course of the year. Disney World also offers resort hotels at different price points, ranging from less than $100 to more than $300 per night.

In addition, during one particular time of the year, not only are Walt Disney World prices lower, but often it offers a deal for free food.

• See this for price seasons,
• This for what you get at the different resort price points,
• This for the free food deal, and
• This for general thoughts on managing your Walt Disney World budget.

Also, even during good economic times, Disney will make various deals available to the general public. These deals can be up to 45% off of seasonal list prices.

These deals can be available almost any time of the year except for the very busiest times—you won’t find them at Christmas/New Years, Easter, or Thanksgiving. Also, in the busier times of the year, both fewer resorts, and fewer rooms within them, will be available for these deals.

The good news for bargain hunters is that these deals tend to be most available during the same seasons that list prices are also at their lowest—so that the deals drive the prices to rock bottom.

You can find many of these on Walt Disney World’s “Special Offers” page.

There are lots of other sites on the web for Walt Disney World bargain hunters.

On this site, pay attention to the ads—Disney often places ads for discounts at the top, right side, and bottom of the pages of this site. Also check the “News and Changes” section—if there’s a big deal discount, it will usually be in there.

Be also sure to check MouseSavers.com. It typically has the best and most comprehensive listing of Walt Disney World discounts available.

MORE WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT DEALS AND DISCOUNTS

Besides Disney itself, you can sometimes find Walt Disney World resort hotel deals on the usual hotel websites—e.g. via Kayak.com—or as part of packages offered by airlines and such—e.g. Southwest Airlines.

Be very careful with the results of internet hotel searches.

Several hotels will show up in these searches as being on or in Walt Disney World that don’t have all–or in some cases, any–of the benefits of a “true” Walt Disney World Resort hotel, such as access to the Disney Dining Plan or Magical Express. (See this for more on why this matters…)

Many of these hotels are great for returning visitors, but should be avoided by first-time visitors.

The hotels that may show up on these searches that first time visitors should avoid include the Walt Disney World Swan, Walt Disney World Dolphin, and any hotel with an address on Hotel Plaza Boulevard.

You can also find Walt Disney World resort deals packaged by airlines. More of these are available to you if you are willing to go through a connecting city, as this opens flights to Orlando for you from pretty much every airline that serves your local airport.

Always check the websites of the airlines that serve your home (and nearby cities as well) for such deals.

Also check with AAA and AARP if you are a member.

Beyond this, if you are not satisfied with the deals you have been able to find on your own, consider working with a travel agent that specializes in Disney travel.  They may be able to find you a great airline or other package deal.

PUBLISHED SO FAR IN THE TIGHTWAD’S GUIDE TO WALT DISNEY WORLD

• The Tightwad’s Guide to When to Go to Walt Disney World
• The Tightwad’s Guide to Which Night to Check In
• The Tightwad’s Guide to Where to Stay at Walt Disney World
  • 1. The Tightwad’s Guide to the Best Resort Hotel Bargains
  • 2. The Tightwad’s Guide to Resort Deals and Discounts
  • 3. The Tightwad’s Guide to Getting Deluxe Rooms at Rock Bottom Prices
  • 4. The Tightwad’s Guide to Staying Off-Site
• The Tightwad’s Guide to How Long to Stay at Walt Disney World
• Air Travel 201: The Tightwad’s Guide to Cheap Flights to Walt Disney World
• The Tightwad’s Guide to How to Eat at Walt Disney World
• Planning Your Walt Disney World Budget

PUBLISHED SO FAR IN THE COMFORTABLE GUIDE TO WALT DISNEY WORLD

• The Most Comfortable Time to Goto Walt Disney World
• The Comfortable Guide to How Long to Stay at Walt Disney World
• The Most Comfortable Place to Stayat Walt Disney World:
  • 1. The Options
  • 2. Recommendations
• The Most Comfortable Way to Travelto Walt Disney World
• The Most Comfortable Way to Tour the Theme Parksat Walt Disney World:
  • 1. Minimizing Planning Time
  • 2. Minimizing Advance Planning
  • 3. Reducing Daily Scheduling
  • 4. Eliminating Early Mornings
• Planning Your Walt Disney World Budget

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