redmaria

For Christmas, my MIL has decided to give all her family and grandkids a trip to Disney this year.......unfortunately, with so many cousins who have other commitments, the only time frame we are able to do altogether is this Feb. 2012 during the President's Day weekend. UGH!!!!! Here's what I'm looking for:
1. Prefer to be on Disney property due to a short-time frame and get that "extra magic hours", but will consider a very close off-site property esp. if there is a huge difference in price.
2. Need handicap access for my MIL who will be bringing her own scooter to WDW because it would be cheaper for her to buy one than to rent one daily.
3. Need ALL-inclusive package (airfare, hotel, meal plans and Disney tickets).
4. Prefer a 4-night stay BUT will consider 2-3 night stay to save on cost.
5. The trip will be for 16 people ages range from 5yrs-70yrs old. would prefer 5 rooms total....would consider a villa if that is cheaper, would consider condo time share suites, will even consider renting a house in Orlando if it even makes sense. Will also do cabin/camping at Fort Wilderness if that is our only option.
6. Families will be flying out of Boston for 11ppl. The rest are from New Orleans who would be driving down to Orlando.
7. Our budget is around $10K..........is this even possible for the dates? if not, will consider Easter 2012, July or December 2012.
NEED feedback ASAP! Thank you.

abram

At first glance, your budget seems low to me. If I guesstimate $300 per person airfare from Boston ($3300), $200 per night per room ($4000), $200 per person admission ($3200), $50 per day per person for food ($3200), that totals almost $14,000.

I believe there is a Diney message board at www.disboards.com.

Good luck!

spirobulldog

you might try
http://www.disboards.com/
http://allears.net/pl/planning.htm

I would probably book my airfare. Then do your Hotel/Ticket package. I don't like the meal plan. and I sure wouldn't with that many people. There are just to many variables. The reason they do the meal plans is to make more money, IMOP.

With that many people, you will won't to do different things at different times. I would suggest going to the same park as a group and maybe just being all together for one meal a day and perhaps an event like fireworks or parade. If you won't to all do something together do it first rather than trying to meet up later. Trying to all meet up at a certain time later will be a disaster. There are several attractions that would interest nearly everyone.

Disney is almost always well equipped for any handicap need.

You have a lot of option for lodging.

I think you are going to have a hard time for doing airfare, lodging, meals, and tickets for $10,000 for 16 people.

Disney needs some planning and a trip with 16 people sure does. I suggest waiting rather than trying to go in 5 or 6 weeks from now, unless you get some really good bargains.

travelbuff

Call Disney vacations directly, they can give you alot of options. Also I have used Liberty Travel (libertytravel.com) twice for Disney vacations and 3 times to arrange a concert tour for 50 people to the Bahamams, so they can handle a large group.

Have a great time.

redmaria

Funny abram, been pricing it out.....albeit trying to get the disney tix on craigslist for half price and i'm coming to the same price you guesstimated! Thank you. Spirobulldog's got a point about the meal plan....it would be cheaper to go on our own at diff. times and meet one meal a day....that would work. And it is kind of silly to be trying for 6 weeks from now, yes I wish we could get around that. I will call Liberty Travel, thank you I had forgotten about that.

lincasanova

My brother LOVES the Disney meal plan. It includes tax and TIP. He feels it is a bargain and always gets it. ( They go to Disney a lot, and he has definitely weighed it all out).

qwovadis

wdwinfo.com have been going there sincet hey opened in the Early 1970s.Spirit.com will have your cheapest flights down
Lake Buena Vista Resorts will have your best prices be at
DownTown Disney lots free to do. Disnay has Tree House Suites that will work well. The LBV Palace Hotel is awesome 1 block from downtown Disney cheapest ever for me Royal Plaza Resort bidding priceline.com $30/nt. $10K for 16 is not much for what you want to do agents will cost more just DIY to save..

stumpworks73

Your back up target dates are extremely busy periods. Christmas is attendance peak. Spring Break is second. You will find no bargain hotel rates or air fares during these periods. The lines are long, the crowds are elbow to elbow, and restaurants are packed all day every day. If you can consider off season, you can improve your rates and fun considerably.

I agree with all the above, you are not going to get this trip together for $10,000. My quick calculation actually is higher than abram. I would have estimated $16,000.

Rather than try and economize the budget to inadequate time and bare minimum accomodations, would the gift recipients consider supplementing the fund to make for a more enjoyable trip and benefiting from your MIL's generosity.

mikesmom

Just a clarification from a previous post - the Disney meal plan does not include the tip.

I think you could contact Disney and tell them you have a Grand Gathering. They will help you coordinate a trip like this. I think it would be cheaper to book the airfare separately from the rooms, tickets and meal plan. I haven't crunched the numbers, but I'm not sure you can do this for 16 people over Presidents's week for $10,000.

I, too, highly recommend you go to disboards.com. You will get a lot of help from knowledgeable Disney travelers on that site.

Good luck. It sounds like a fun trip!

spirobulldog

A Disney trip for $1000 a person would be a bargain,IMOP.

spirobulldog

Disney tickets on craigslist for half price is probably a sure fire way to get all 16 of you thrown out of the park. The only real savings for Disney is with AAA or when Disney does some kind of sale.

schmerl

Good idea to contact Disney.
Also contact Dreams Unlimited. They specialize in Disney vacations.
http://www.dreamsunlimitedtravel.com/

schmerl

I agree. I would never buy park tickets from anyone but a reputable agency.
Contact Dreams Unlimited. They specialize in Disney vacations.
http://www.dreamsunlimitedtravel.com/

MomDDTravel

July... Change to July...

lincasanova

Maybe they changed the meal plan as at least that is how my brother explained it to me. Sorry for the misinformation!

lincasanova

It seems gratuities are only included in the dinner shows and some pizza place.

janisj

Do NOT even consider buying Disney tix on craigslist!!! That could be a total disaster . . .

ChristieP

My family just did Disney last week. Yes, it was very crowded! A friend was there the week prior (while most schools were still in session) and she said the parks were not crowded at all.

If someone in the family is military, they can get GREAT discount Disney tickets (4 day park hoppers for $150 each) at their local military base. Each service member can activate only 6 tickets annually, so it won't work for the whole group, but it will help.

I agree with everyone else NOT to buy tickets on Craig's List!

spirobulldog

Why I don't like Disney Dining Plan. There are certainly argumnts for and against it.

First off- 3 or 4 different plans
Quick Service
Basic
Deluxe
And Premium-this is a new category for 2012

You get a desert but not an apptzr, and absolutely no substitutions.

You need an attorney to read all pages to explain the dining plan.

My daughter and I rarely eat breakfast. We certainly wouldn't eat desert that many times over a 4 day period. We usually just get one desert and share it. Do you really want a piece of cheesecake for every member in your party and then not have the ability to not get an APT? And if you like a big breakfast and then a light dinner, the plan doesn't fit to well either.

Then you have additional rules like using 2 credits for a character meal or show.

If you want a coke in a mouse ear cup, you can't do that, they only give you a standard cup-no substitutions or upcharges allowed.

Sometimes I might want wine or an espresso. While at other times I might just want tap water. So unless you drink what they want you to, then you aren't going to come out there either.

And good grief if you want to have a pizza brought to your room, 2 credits for that I believe.

The tip is included at some places and other places it isn't. I tip based on the service I get(not really how good the food is). Your tip goes to a server or in a pool of servers. I tip based on how I am served, not some standard 15%,18%, or 20%. It is rare that I don't leave a tip at all-it has to be absolutely horrid service. Maybe 1 out of a 100 meals. I do take into account of the type of place I am in. Usually the more expensive the restaurant the more I will tip because each server doesn't have as many tables. So sortof a % method, but don't add it to my bill in advance.

I think kids are considered adult at age 10 at Disney, but they can still order from the kids menu. Wow, that sounds like a loss.

I prefer staying on Disney Property. However, if you do stay off property, you basically can't eat off property because you paid for a meal plan. So, if you want just a quick bite somewhere there goes money wasted.

Now try to calculate what you will eat in advance and how much you will eat and if you will spend more or less with or without the plan. Read all the pages that Disney provides to make sure. Good Luck!!

nytraveler

Whatever you do, do NOT buy tickets on Craig's list. They are almost surely a scam (and you won;t find out until you get there and have to rebuy all of the tickets).

Agree that doing this for $10,000 for 16 people is going to be a real challenge - and to try to arrange it in the next few weeks close to impossible.

I'm no a big fan - but have been seerral times. And for a group like yours, obviously trying to really hold down the budget I would wait for the summer - with lower prices. I would also strongly consider renting a house nearby - to get 5 or 6 bedrooms for much less - as well as a private pool. Rent a couple of cars and let people do a few things together and then whatever each wants.

This will save a lot on breakfasts and snacks - and perhaps even a couple of dinners at home.
Also give you a place for younger kids to hang out - since full days at Disney will probably be too much for them