| Disney theme parks are a great vacation destination | | | | holds your spot in line. Upon entry to Disneyland, |
| for kids and families. Problem is, most families with | | | | head straight for your favourite attraction (or the |
| kids travel to Disneyland at the same time of year - | | | | most popular) and grab a FastPass, slip in a quick ride |
| the summer months. This is the peak vacation | | | | on a different attraction, then return to redeem your |
| season for travellers and Disney theme parks are no | | | | FastPass. You can repeat this pattern all day long. |
| exception. | | | | Save Money on Disney Area Hotels |
| Travellers are better off planning ahead when it | | | | Because there are so many hotels within a short |
| comes to visiting Disneyland in Anaheim and Walt | | | | radius to Disneyland, there is often an opportunity to |
| Disney World in Orlando. Doing so will avoid the | | | | get a great deal on a hotel. Although many hotels |
| frustration that many parents have when planning a | | | | have excess capacity, they are reluctant to publish |
| Disney vacation. A good strategy will cut town on | | | | major discounts on hotel rooms because customers |
| line-up wait times and help save you money on your | | | | with existing reservations may demand a discount as |
| vacation. | | | | well. Instead, many hotels sell off excess capacity to |
| Best Day of the Week | | | | hotel reservation websites that do not reveal the |
| It goes without saying that crowds will be smaller | | | | name of the hotel until after you purchase. Hotwire |
| during the off season, but for many families, | | | | and Priceline are two popular 'opaque' hotel |
| especially those with school-aged children, this is not | | | | reservation websites. |
| possible. If you cannot avoid the off season, try to | | | | Although travellers can usually get better hotel deals |
| go during the last week of June or the first week of | | | | on Priceline, I recommend families avoid using Priceline |
| September. Once July 4th rolls around, Disney parks | | | | for Disney vacation hotels for a couple reasons. First, |
| is in high gear. If you are planning a July or August | | | | Priceline hotel room reservations are only guarantee |
| trip to Disneyland, Tuesdays through Thursdays are | | | | accommodation a maximum of two hotel guests. |
| best. While Disneyland does not release daily | | | | This is problematic for parties of three or more. |
| attendance records, weekends are noticeably busier | | | | Second, Priceline hotel reservations do not guarantee |
| than week days. | | | | any particular amenities. While most Anaheim and |
| Best Time of Day | | | | Orlando area hotels have swimming pools, it would be |
| Any parent knows that getting out the door with | | | | a major disappointment to 'win' a hotel on Priceline |
| kids in the morning can be a daunting task. Families on | | | | that did not have one. |
| vacation like to sleep in and take their time getting | | | | Hotwire is a safer choice for families while still |
| out the amusement park. Use this to your advantage | | | | offering great discounts. Anyone considering Hotwire |
| by getting up early and arriving at Disneyland or Walt | | | | should spend a couple minutes checking out the |
| Disney World early. It will pay off significantly. You will | | | | Hotwire hotel lists, a list of hotels known to be |
| get into the park quicker and line-ups for attractions | | | | available on Hotwire as reported by actual Hotwire |
| will be short. Disney usually opens at 8:00 or 9:00 a.m. | | | | customers. By comparing the amenities on the hotel |
| during the summer. Be sure to ask your hotel for a | | | | lists to those on Hotwire, it is often possible to reveal |
| wakeup call and give yourself and your family plenty | | | | the name of a hotel before you purchase. |
| of time to get to the park. | | | | Save Money On Meals |
| I also recommend that people leave the Disney park | | | | Most hotels have mini fridges. It is often worthwhile |
| around lunch time or shortly thereafter. This is when | | | | to take a taxi to a supermarket and stock up on |
| the park is its busiest, the weather is hot, line-ups are | | | | essentials - soft drinks, sandwich supplies, and |
| long, and kids are starting to get tired. This is a good | | | | breakfast cereal. Disney does not allow outside food |
| opportunity to head back to your hotel, have a | | | | into its parks unless a visitor has food allergies. |
| snooze, rest your feet, or cool off with a swim. | | | | Fortunately, portion sizes are large in Disneyland and |
| Meltdowns usually happen in the late afternoon for | | | | can usually be shared. |
| kids (and parents) who try to go straight through | | | | I recall taking my nieces to Disneyland back in the |
| without a break. | | | | mid 90's. We did not have a lot of money and the |
| Use the FastPass | | | | hotel we were staying at only had a mini fridge and a |
| FastPass is a ticket you can get on select Disney | | | | coffee maker. We got really creative and used the |
| rides that give you a timeslot in which you can | | | | coffee make to boil water to make instant noodles |
| bypass the line for a particular attraction. You are | | | | and other instant meals that required boiling water. |
| only allowed one Fastpass at a time, and typically | | | | We even threw some wieners in the coffee pot |
| have to return to the ride in about an hour to bypass | | | | (without the coffee of course) and had hotdogs! |
| the line-up. Think of the FastPass as a buddy who | | | | |