Category — e. What to Budget for Walt Disney World

Disney released and discussed fourth quarter and fiscal year results last week. Overall, Disney shot out the lights, particularly in parks and resorts.

In domestic parks and resorts, small increases in attendance–and small declines in hotel occupancy–were more than made up for in higher realized prices.

The discussion of the these results in the associated earnings call reinforced what Disney has been saying for a while now–discounting will continue to be cut back, and there’s no out-of-the-ordinary domestic theme park capital spend currently planned for after 2012. [Read more →]

FREE DINING BOOK-BY EXTENDED TO 12/17 FOR 2012 WALT DISNEY WORLD DATES

The date by which Disney World’s free dining offer for January-March 2012 needs to be booked has been extended to December 17, 2011.

This applies to the 2012 dates only–2011 free dining bookings needed to be completed by October 29.

For more on this free dining offer, see this.

Update: for 2012 dates, the book-by window has been extended to December 17.  See this for more.

Disney World’s current free dining offer covering periods from now through March 2012 expires soon!

This deal must be booked by October 29th. For more, see this.

Other current Disney World deals have later expiration dates.  See this for more.

WALT DISNEY WORLD OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2011 ROOM DEAL

Disney World has announced a new room rate discount for 2011 dates 10/30 to 11/18 (or 11/21–see below), and 11/26 to 12/23/2011.

To get this deal, you need to book by November 19.

Discounts off of standard rates include

• 15% off of All-Star Movies, and 20 percent off of the rest of the value resorts
• 15% off of Port Orleans French Quarter Resort and 20 percent off the rest of the moderate resorts
• 25% off of the Animal Kingdom Lodge and Polynesian Resort, and 30 percent off the rest of the deluxe and DVC resorts

For the values and most moderates, the first discount period ends 11/18.  For the rest–the Cabins at Fort Wilderness, the deluxes, and the DVC resorts–this first discount period ends 11/21.

For the official Disney World page on this deal, click here. For other discounts, see this.

WALT DISNEY WORLD ROOM DEAL

A new Walt Disney World room discount program covers dates from January 2, 2012 until February 20, 2012, and needs to be booked by 12/21/2011.

Discounts off of standard rates include

• 20% off of All-Star Movies, and 25 percent off of the rest of the value resorts
• 25% off of Port Orleans French Quarter Resort and 30 percent off the rest of the moderate resorts
• 30% off of the Animal Kingdom Lodge and Polynesian Resort, and  35 percent off the rest of the  deluxe and DVC resorts

For the official Disney World scoop on this deal, click here. For other discounts, see this.

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

THE CHEAPEST NIGHT OF THE WEEK TO CHECK IN AT WALT DISNEY WORLD

Carl at Dad’s Guide to WDW has a great post here on which night to check in most weeks to make your total hotel bill the lowest.

Carl’s suggestion works most weeks, unless, as he notes, your trip is exactly seven nights long, or a multiple of 7,  such as 63 nights. [Read more →]