Since you have visited yet another tea party, I can tell we will have a magical friendship. Speaking of magic, nothing could make Disney more magical than a trip in December. Why December you ask? Well why not! December brings a most magical holiday season, and also great value at Walt Disney World. We've never actually been to Disney World in December, but are really looking forward to it this year. By going in early December (we're going the 9th-15th), we still get to experience the holidays here at home with our families, and also get the Disney Holiday Magic during what is considered to be a "least crowded season" according to several sites and books I have been frequenting (definitely more on all my sources later).
Since the holiday season can be a little taxing, throwing a trip to Walt Disney World should surely push you over the edge, right? Well not entirely. I thought Disney was totally out of my price range for what I imagined I would want to do before I looked into it. All I was thinking of was everything I would need (airfare, lodging, park passes, dining) and how I would never be able to afford it all. However, I shortly discovered that not only could I have all that I wanted in a vacation, but by planning ahead, I could also save a lot of money. With the help of The Walt Disney World Website, I was able to price out every aspect of my trip, which in turn, allowed me to take a hard look at my budget. I soon became a little discouraged, seeing that my trip would soon cost me a bit more money (ok a lot more money) than I could put up all at once. So that's it, right? I guess just save up and hope I don't dip into the vacation fund? You couldn't be more wrong!
Thanks to even more research (yes, I am looking at things everyday about Disney now), I was able to find an amazing fact. Thankfully, Walt Disney World doesn't require all your money up front! All they require from you is a $200 US Dollar deposit, and you can make easy payments right on their website (minimum of $20 per transaction, up to your full balance). If you are planning way in advance like we are, you must have your full balance paid before 45 days prior to your arrival at the Most Magical Place in the World. After looking at the projected cost for our reservations and dividing it up by weekly payments, we realized that Disney was way more than affordable. To make sure we could afford air travel, I had to decide which airline to use. After looking at a few options, I decided to stick with Southwest, a familiar company that allows Rich and I to have up to 2 checked bags a piece (not like we need all those) AND our own carry-ons. Unfortunately, the flights were not yet posted at the time we wanted to book the trip, so we had to wait. Finally they were released on June 4th, and were reasonably priced. We ended up booking our Disney reservations on June 7th, and our airline tickets June 8th.
Now that I've dragged you through a long "Disney line", we've finally arrived at our destination: THE DETAILS! Like I said before, we plan on a trip during the holiday season, which automatically meant budget. I've become quite familiar with the Disney Value Resorts, and since we only plan on using the room to sleep in after long nights at the parks, we didn't need many perks, which made All-Star Movies right up our alley. We arrive on a Sunday morning and leave on a Saturday evening. We wanted to make the most of our stay, so we decided 7 day park hopper passes were right for us. Disney offers many different ticket options, so if you're planning, do some research to see what may be right for you. Planning on the Disney website also allows you to pick a dining plan for your stay (which saves you MORE money), we picked the magic your way plus dining package that gives each person a quick service meal, snack, and a table service meal each day for the duration of their stay. (Stay *tooned* tomorrow for a more in depth "menu" of the dining plan, and our plans.)
Oh drat, it seems Dinah, I mean Layla (our lovely kitten) has spotted the Dormouse outside and has ran across the table, knocking over our many pots and tea cups. I suppose it's time for me to send you my salutations, as I must stop her before she bangs her nose on the closed glass door (she hasn't the best depth perception, you know). I do hope you've enjoyed our chat, and hope to see you again soon. As always, if you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to bring them to the next party! Have a magical evening and remember, Wonderland is but a day dream away!
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