Please go easy on me.....Disney question.....
 

I am not a fan of these resorts so please bear with me. I'm 43 and have only been to Disney once in my life, three yrs ago with the kids and I am planning a second trip later this year so my youngest will enjoy it even more.

My question is the meal plan and tickets. Instead of paying thru the nose and staying at a Disney resort I am thinking of using points to stay at the Swan (Starwood) or the Marriott conf resort for free.

I have been on a few Disney forum sites and there are some real psycho Disney people out there, very scary. Just like we include the 911 model and mods in our sig they include every date from the 10 times they've been to disney and a count down timer for the next trip. WTF????

Anyway, any experienced Disney people here know how to work the system for park tickets and food? I cant get the meal plan at the Swan so I will need to buy each meal (family of 5). The meal plan works works out to roughly $180-$200 per day. I think I can get around the food thing but what about park tickets? Any Florida insiders here that have the knowledge?

I'd rather pound my nuts flat with a ball peen hammer than go to Disney[land|world].

I know where there is a place behind a bush where you can slip under the fence.

I know, I know its pure torture!

Its filled with all FAT people eating turkey legs riding electic wheelchairs!!!

I just did a quick google search and I found about 10 pics like this:


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1242652176.jpg

My 12 year old would love to tell his buddies he snuck into Disney. LOL!

Make sure you go when it's real hot. Sweaty fat people are the best. Well, that and crying kids. My vision of heaven.

Dude I also think its lame BUT I see how much joy it brings my daughter and all that goes away. Thats what its all about anyway right? Dont worry, no matter what you will get gouged by sucky overpriced food - On or off the park. Just carry the charge card and don't worry about it. Do your part in helping spark the economy.

Tip: Don’t go in the summer - nothing is worse that a bunch of stinky sweaty mules that just got rained on by a summer rain storm!!

lame?
One finger points out and three point back.
Jeesh.

I really don't understand the whole Disney thing. I have a SIL that has taken her kids several times to Disney World, Disney cruises, dresses them in Disney. I think it is more for her than the kids.

As for me I am not about to take my daughter to some make believe world and throw away outlandish sums of money on what is to me just a silly theme park. We can have just as much fun camping, going to national parks, hiking, fishing as those other kids have at make-believe-world.

???? What

How can anybody think that Disneyworld is lame?
It's not lame, it's incredible!!!!
the ultimate dream come true for a developer, Walt Disney is an inspiration to what can be accomplished by a dream.

My last visit there my family just loved!

Cap'n! She's listin' to starboard!

Try it. Point with a finger, then look at your hand...

That's a little more like it rather than being a punk and attacking me for it! It's just an opinion dude. Relax!

K.

Dont get me wrong, I am doing this for my kids becuase they love it and at 5, 9, and 12 they are in the sweet spot for the place. This will be my last visit becuase I also just don't get it either. I saw more adult couples there last time with NO kids? Whatrs up with that? and going 10-20 times is absolutley nuts IMHO.

I like to be a traveller and not a tourist and have brought my kids to FL, the west coast, Canada and Europe three times (all driving on our own thru small towns) so a theme park for ME is pure torture.

My overall point is I dont want to pay through the nose and if I can get a cheap flight, free hotel there has ot be a way to save more $$$$.

I've been monitoring this thread as we're toying with the same vacation as soon as the kids are out of school. I was thinking 3 days in Orlando for Disney World and then two days in Coco Beach just hanging at the ocean and hotel pool. I can get 3 nights free through the Hilton system at/near DW or do a Disney hotel and have free hotel in Coco Beach. What would you folks recommend?

We did Disney over Christmas.

Rented a condo through VRBO (Vacation Rental by Owner) in a nice complex with a great pool.
Ate as many meals at the condo as possible - we ended up getting late lunches at the parks and took snacks.

Never found a discount for the Magic Kingdom but did find deals for the other parks with the local discount vendors.

Kids had fun - I was exhausted. 3 days of parks, 1 day at the beach in Clearwater and 3 days at the pool.

I'm not into Disneyland, but my 5 year old daughter.....she loves it so much. I spent 10 hours in the park alone with her a few weeks back. Its exhausting, but I love seeing how much fun the kid has.

We just eat a hearty breakfast before we go in, eat a cheaper on the fly lunch like a hot dog, then suck it up and pay for dinner. Most of the food there is gross....ugh.

I think Disneyland is a big plastic money making machine, but so what? If familys have fun there together, who am I to judge?