help me get to Dis on $1200 or less - please!!

[iwannago!!]

Ok.. I got 4 nights at the Wyndham for $33/night - total $160. I got 4 days car rental with Priceline for $13/day compact - $75. I purchased a 5 day hopper plus ticket on ebay for $197.50 and used a work incentive to pay for 2 -4 day hopper plus passes(1 adult/1 child)and airfare for the three of us(no cost). We lucked out - total out of pocket cost is $433 (=/-)... we are saving $$ in a jar for spending money. DD is doing an EXCEPTIONAL job keeping her room clean, folding towels, dusting and being a good kid... we give her change and maybe a dollar or three every day and she gets really excited to put it into the jar - fun stuff! AND SHE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW THAT WE ARE GOING YET!!!

I had carefully weighed the Marriott points/Hilton points exchange for park passes... it really is a good idea.. Marriott offers the 7 day hopper pass which is a good investment to use over 2 vacations or 1 long one.. here is the link for Hilton:
http://www.hilton.com/hhonors/rewards/entertainment.html#disney
you can also get universal studios rewards and disneyland rewards here... clik on 'entertainment rewards' at the top of the screen

Marriott has a bigger selection to offer... link is
http://www.marriottrewards.com/awards/Theme.asp

good luck!!!

 

[Beckles]

I would just warn anyone that the value of the Park Hopper passes compared to the value of a similar hotel stay from Marriott or Hilton is not very good ...

 

[iwannago!!]

Beckles is right - partially (IMHO)
A 7 day child parkhopper plus pass is 55000 Marriott points OR can be purchased for $250+/-
For the same 55000 Marriott points, you can stay at
Category 2 hotels for 7 nights -SELECT Courtyards or Fairfield inns across the country - near Disney, there is the Courtyard/Lake Mary

Category 3 Hotels for 4 nights (such as Fairfield Inns in marriott village or Int'l drive)

Category 4 hotels for 3 nights (Courtyard Lake Bryan - Springhill Marriott Village)

Category 5 & 6 hotels for 2 nights (CY at Downtown Disney - Renaissance Orlando)

So, yes.. you can stay for 2-7 nights for free ---and pay for your park passes... OR you can use priceline and take your chances on a 3* hotel for a good bid and get a pass for free!!

FYI - 4 nights at Wyndham Palace ON DIS PROPERTY at $33/night = $160.99.... I will gladly pay for hotel and get a $250 pass for free with those points!! AND a 7 day hopper can be used over 2 vacations since it comes with 4 plus options.. 11 days of fun!!

HiltonHonors program only offers 4 day hopper plus passes and is a better bargain for hotel.. Again.. IMHO