Planning: Stage 1

Before going or doing anything, I always do research.  I don't go shopping for groceries without doing research.  Most big purchases require a years worth of research.  Disney was different.  I think I spent one night on the Internet looking and booking and 2 weeks drooling and yelling at the first lady to come look at this cool thing we can do.  The kids were in my mind the perfect age, 6 & 9, still young enough for the innocence but old enough for the rides.  Matter of fact our family was made for Disney, 2 children, 2 adults.  It seams everything revolves around a family of four, finding a deal should be easy.  Guess what?  It was!!  I had been told by several people to expect to spend 4k and to use a certain travel agent, nope...didn't do it.  I was told to go to this web site and that web site and ask for "Disney package number one" or "Book the perfect getaway" nope, didn't do it.  Didn't use sky miles, credit card points, gold bond stamps or Sunday circular coupons.  I booked the trip, 7 nights, 8 days round trip airfare from MSP to Orlando, meals, hotel, and 6 days of tickets for under $3K. Here is how to start the magic.  Book thru Disney direct.  Wow, you didn't see that coming did you.  Booked the flight directly thru Delta also.  Boy that was a punch to the gut huh!  Think about it, everyone else has to tack on some sort of commission and they aren't booking anything that you can't.  Did I spend a year doing this, No! Go on the Disney site and look for a promotion, ours started as a reduced hotel price and ended up as a free meal plan.  (Free meal plan I will explain later, that was a deal).   

Lets start with the airfare.  I recently booked a flight to Washington DC and looked at Cheapo air (usually the least amount of money) What I found was that the Delta site was less money.  So I started with Delta. I found the time I wanted to go and started matching flight days.  I found Tuesday to Tuesday the cheapest.  Matter of fact dirt cheap.  $170 per ticket. I then went to some different sites and compared, nothing came close.  I know what yours saying and this was a direct flight.  Point A to Point B no connecting flight in Genoa Nebraska, bang get on get off, done. 

OK lets do the math for you sceptics that think you can drive everywhere and save money.  At least two days down and back, that is 75 bucks a night for a cheap hotel with plywood mattress and birch bark sheets.  Next food.  Have to eat, so budget $40 a meal, two meals a day and I will even throw in a cooler with bread  and cheese for loose meat sandwiches.   Where does that leave us now $640.00.  So now we have to buy fuel.  Yes you have to come back.  I Drive a van for comfort, 25 mpg which equates to 130 gallons round trip at ...drum roll please..$3.50 gallon and we have $455,  plus wear and tear on the vehicle, stopping every 20 minutes to visit every bathroom , 4+ extra days of vacation, and the kids asking every 5 minutes, "What town are we in now?"  Fly!!! and you may live long enough to blog about your experience.  I spent a total of $850 for 4 tickets, baggage fees, and rental car to and from MSP. I think I've made my point.

Next up, Booking thru Disney and getting the right tickets for your stay.