• “Why do you go to Disney World all the time? Don’t you get tired of it?”

• “How do you afford to go to Disney World so often?”

Having a friend who knew all about blogs and such, I was encouraged to share my love for the Mouse and my desire to answer those questions, by starting a little blog of my own. First hosted over on Blogger.com, I quickly realized all the things that my little site could do and be, so before long I made the decision to become a “grown-up” website and www.theaffordablemouse.com was born.

The rest, as they say, is history. Two years later, I am astounded at how this has changed my life. First, it has brought me some wonderful friends! I have come to know some special folks and my life is richly blessed by the addition of them. I don’t know what it is about Walt’s vision that inspires people, but I truly believe that Disney folk are among some of the most wonderful and inspiring people on the planet. And I am honored to know so many of them.

Among the most special Disney people that have come into my life are the wonderful ladies of The Affordable Mouse. Brenda, Kelly, Debbie, DeAnna, Belinda, Rachel, Shannan, and Lisa unselfishly share their time and Disney love with us every week and I am grateful beyond words for their support and love for TAM and what we do. Ladies: you all mean the “world” to me!

I am also astounded, as I look back, to see how a little idea can grow so large and impact so many people in only a few years! When I see that we have thousands of Facebook Friends and Twitter followers, in addition to the thousands who read our daily blog posts, email updates and newsletters….I can see that what we do truly helps people to live the dream that I had when I started: to help people create Disney magic for their families.

Of course, it was to further help people with their Disney vacation planning…and to realize a long-held Disney dream of mine….that I became a Disney travel agent this past spring. I absolutely know that without The Affordable Mouse….and the support of you, all of our wonderful Disney Friends…I would never, ever, have done this. And I can honestly say that being a Disney vacation planner is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done.

All that being said, I….we….have a lot to celebrate!

Now, I don’t know about you, but I think that giveaways are one of the best ways to celebrate, don’t you? So over the next 6 days, we will be doing some giveways…one each day, starting today! Each day’s blog post will feature at the top, the Giveaway of the Day, along with a *simple* question to answer. To enter, simply answer the question in the comments below. I will then choose one winner using Random.org from everyone who enters before 11 p.m. ET. Please note: you must answer on the blog post to be eligible!

Want to know what you can win?

Well, here are the prizes, in reverse order:

Saturday, December 10: Mickey Tote Bag

Friday, December 9: $25 Gift Certificate to Garden Grocer

Thursday, December 8: 18” Golden Anniversary Plush Winnie the Pooh

Wednesday, December 7: Copy of Beyond the Attractions: A Guide to Walt Disney World With Preschoolers

Tuesday, December 6: Cars or Princess Wipe-Off Board

And today’s Giveway: Winner’s choice of a custom Tee or Onesie (with Mickey or Minnie ears, or Christmas Mickey or Minnie with Santa) from Stitch-This Custom Embroidery.

Winner’s choice of fabric, thread color, name, tee color, tee or onesie, long sleeve or short sleeve. (Thank you to Stitch-This Custom Embroidery for their donation! Please be sure to visit their website to see all of the beautiful custom things they create!)

And now, for your chance to win today’s great giveaway from Stitch This, please tell us in the comments below: What is it about Disney that makes YOU want to visit?

Good luck……and from the bottom of my heart…….THANK YOU!

Find out how the FREE services of a Disney World travel agent can make planning your Disney vacation simple…and for a limited time, get a FREE Disney gift card when you book your trip with me! ($2000 minimum package cost)

A little rain never hurt anyone, as long as there is no lightning and no sound of thunder. Throw on one of those 50 cent ponchos you bought at the discount store back home and head to the Animal Kingdom! The Kilimanjaro Safari is the very best when it is raining because more animals come out in the early morning and while raining than any other time. And, since you’re there and wet already, ride the Kali River Rapids next.

Did you know that Expedition Everest also operates during rain showers? Well it does. In fact, last year we rode it three times in a row, in our ponchos, in pouring rain and laughed the whole time at the ridiculousness of it all. My kids talk about that memorable ride all the time!

If you’re not crazy about riding in the rain, head to one of the shows like “Festival of the Lion King” or “Finding Nemo, The Musical.” Both of these are excellent, dynamic shows and provide a great pick-me-up on a gloomy day. Even better than that, they are held inside large amphitheaters. Another indoor choice is the 4D show, “It’s Tough To Be A Bug” held inside the Tree of Life (caution: please read warnings before taking very young children into this show as it can be pretty intense for them).

When other people are zigging and you are zagging, it makes for a day of short lines and no waits. You can even rent a locker to store dry socks and shoes in for later; maybe even an extra change of clothes if you plan to stay all day.

Once the weather clears up and the crowds start flooding in it will be a great time to head back to your resort, armed with fun pictures and stories, and wonderful memories of the time you rode in the rain. Above everything else, never let anything get you down when you’re at Disney World – that’s not the way Walt would have wanted it. There is always a great idea for a backup plan!

Find out how the FREE services of a Disney World travel agent can make planning your Disney vacation simple…and for a limited time, get a FREE Disney gift card when you book your trip with me! ($2000 minimum package cost)

Brenda is a native Texan born and raised on the Gulf Coast. She visited Disney World twice as a teenager and always dreamed of growing her family Disney. She took her first-timer husband and their three children to Disney World in 2000 and they now spend every Thanksgiving there. Brenda writes with a comedic twist on various Disney topics. She will be sharing tips she has learned during her travels and also hopes to enlighten people on little-known freebies that Disney has to offer. She wishes she could have met Walt Disney and considers herself to be a student of Walt. In parallel to his dream it is her wish that everyone would take at least one trip to Disney World in order to share in its magic with their families.

But the truth is that not everyone will be able to take advantage of this promotion. For some, their travel dates are not part of the promotion and they may not be able to move their trip.

And for others, frankly, they may save more money using a different discount or promotion.

“What’s that you say? There are ways that I can save on a Disney vacation other than Free Dining?”

Yes there are.

While Free Dining is probably the most popular promotion that Disney offers, they do also periodically run room-only offers that at times, can be a great savings. They are not always offered, and the percentage off will typically vary on the different resort levels, with the greatest percentage off usually being on the Deluxe, then Moderate, and the lowest discount on the Value resorts. Still, depending on your family’s eating habits, comparing Free Dining to what you would save on a Room-Only promotion can be worth it to at least check.

Room-only discounts can be hit or miss though, with the discount offered at times being tremendous, and at other times, “meh”. You have to do the math to really see how it works for you.

Then there are the elusive Pin Codes. Brenda wrote a fantastic article for us a while back explaining how Pin Codes work….and a number of ways to increase your chances of “getting one”.  Should you be fortunate enough to receive a Pin Code, be sure to read the details carefully: they usually have to be used by a certain date….and it would really be a shame to get a great offer and not be able to take advantage of it because you missed the date! As with Room-Only discounts, sometimes the offer is fantastic, and other times not so much. Yes, you will want your calculator again to do the comparisons.

Does comparing all these offers cause your eyes to glaze over? It can get confusing and overwhelming trying to see what will be best for you! After all, not everyone is a spreadsheet kind of person. But the good news is, YOU don’t have to be: that’s a big part of what a Disney World travel agent can do for you! Part of what we do to help our clients is to compare all available offers to see what will save them the most money…and then to continually monitor for them when new offers come out, to see if we can save them more money!

My clients don’t have to ask me to do this for them….I do it automatically.

So whether you use a travel agent to help you, or you are doing it yourself, just know that, if Free Dining doesn’t work for you, no worries: you can still save money on your Disney vacation!

Want help planning your Disney vacation? Find out how the FREE services of a Disney World travel agent can make it all simple…and save you time and money too!

Disney has announced FREE Dining for select dates in Fall 2011 and 2012. Here are the details:

Offer is valid for check-ins 10/2/11-10/8/11, 10/23/11-11/5/11, 11/13/11-11/19/11, 11/27/11-12/3/11, 12/11/11-12/17/11, 1/8/12-1/14/12, 1/22/12-2/4/12, 2/12/12-2/18/12, 3/4/12-3/10/12 and 3/25/12-3/31/12. Some dates and/or resorts may have extremely limited availability.

• Stay at select Disney Value resorts and get the 2011 Quick Service Dining Plan or 2012 Quick Service Dining Plan for FREE.

• Stay at select Disney Moderate, Deluxe and Deluxe Villas resorts and get the regular 2011 Dining Plan or 2012 Dining Plan for FREE.

The package includes:

• Accommodations in a select Walt Disney World resort hotel (3 nights minimum, 14 nights maximum)

• Walt Disney World theme park Base Tickets (2 days minimum; can be upgraded to include add-ons such as Park Hopper and/or Water Park Fun & More at an additional cost)

Book by 10/29/11. No group rates or other discounts apply. Excludes suites, campsites and 3-Bedroom Villas.

Want more information? Contact me for a FREE no-obligation quote to see how affordable your next Disney vacation can be!

I honestly think that one of the keys here is to approach this part just like all the rest of your Disney vacation planning…and make it fun. I like to always have pictures of Disney on my computer as screensavers or background…because it reminds me of our goal! Envisioning a goal is half the battle, and it helps you remember that giving up that latte now may mean a Dole Whip at Disney World. Anything that keeps “Disney” in your mind is going to help you keep “vacation saving” on your mind as well.

Now having said that, here are some other ways that we have used to build our Disney piggy bank:

1. Credit Card Rewards: I personally love using my Disney Visa card for our Disney World vacations. The rewards that are accrued over an entire year or so can, and often do, pay for significant parts of our trips. And even if you don’t plan to visit Disney World that often, you can use those Disney rewards for all kinds of Disney products: merchandise, videos, shows etc. Another benefit is the ability to postpone payments on a trip for 6 months, interest-free…so if you know you will have access to, say a tax refund that can pay for your trip, this can be a strategy too. If you have kids, and credit cards work for your lifestyle, this can be a card that can be great. But don’t overlook other cards you may have: many offer all kinds of rewards that can be used on your trip. Discover, for example, actually accrues dollars. Others add Frequent Flier miles which lots of folks use to pay for their transportation. If you are getting any kind of rewards, look into saving them up and applying them to your trip.
2. Coin Jars…for Kids of All Ages: You might be surprised about how much money can be saved over the course of a year by collecting your change. And what is great about this is that it really is money that is not really designated for anything else, so you won’t really think about all those coins sitting around, and probably won’t use them for anything else, so they really won’t be missed. Many folks take this a step further and add money that is saved from coupon savings, and any other “found” money. Another way to implement this idea, is for your kids to use it to build their own vacation funds. When kids have their own money…they won’t be begging you for yours.
3. Get Rid of Your Junk: Having a yard sale is probably my husband’s favorite vacation-saving strategy for two reasons: we get rid of stuff that we don’t need/use, and get money for it in the process. Again, this is a great way to get your kids involved by setting up their own section of the yard sale with stuff they really need to part with: let them be responsible for selling their own items, and they can then put their profit towards their own Disney fund. Clearly children need to be old enough to comprehend this process, but as an affordable Disney vacation strategy, it is highly effective.
4. Save Up Gift Cards: When your family members ask what you (or your kids) want for gifts, think vacation, and request gift cards. Disney gift cards are great ways to make your vacation to Disney World more affordable. Whether for birthdays, Valentine’s Day, Easter, or Christmas, they really are the perfect gift. Even if you are getting them yourself throughout the year, when buying in small denominations, they can help you budget easily for your trip. Don’t overlook other types of gift cards too though. Gas cards can help you save on transportation. And restaurant cards can help pay for meals: an awesome way to really get a lot of “bang for your buck” is by using Restaurant.com gift certificates. Buy them, often for less than $4 for a $25 certificate…and a number of Disney area restaurants accept Restaurant.com certificates!
5. Out of Sight, Out of Mind: You can really avoid the temptation to dip into your vacation savings, by putting the money someplace else, like a separate account. Consider a short term money market account or CD, if the timing works for your trip. Another idea is to start a “Vacation Club” account at your local bank: a variation on the old Christmas Clubs where you deposit a small amount each week and at the end of the year you have quite a little nest egg, this strategy really works well for many people. Turns out that old saying, “out of sight, out of mind” really works.

So now, after these past few weeks, hopefully you have a good idea of what it takes to create a Disney vacation budget, and save up for it too. All that is needed is for you to get started!

• Let technology work for you: I have already told you about the AAA Fuel Cost Calculator http://www.fuelcostcalculator.com which is a great tool for estimating your gas expenses when creating your budget. Additionally, there are some handy tools to help you find the best price for gas along your route. If you have a smart phone, using apps such as Gas Buddy and AAA’s TripTik Mobile can help you to find cheap gas on your route. If you don’t have a smart phone, you can log on to GasPriceWatch.com, GasBuddy.com, or gasprices.mapquest.com when planning your trip. Of course, if you have a laptop with a GPS on your trip with you, you can search places near your current location as well. Be sure to select the option for choosing locations on your current path. Please be sure to pay attention to when the prices were updated also. There have been a few times I have gone to find cheapest gas at a GasBuddy suggestion and they had raised the prices. In those cases, the sites count on us as friendly consumers to report the current price if there is a discrepancy.
• Service your vehicle: Preventative maintenance is the best way to insure you will get the best gas mileage possible out of your vehicle. Before leaving home, get a tune-up, change your oil, inflate your tires and top off your fluids. A car in the best possible condition saves money on fuel. If you drive a gas-guzzler, you might weigh the options of renting a car for your trip. Be sure to research the cost of a vehicle with unlimited mileage and then use the fuel cost calculator (above) to determine whether or not this would be a good way to save.
• Get it off the roof: If possible, do not take your Thule on the trip. Loading your car down with very heavy luggage uses more fuel. Having the luggage piled on top of the car decreases fuel economy by an estimated 5% according to the U.S. Energy Department.
• Use the cruise: Taking advantage of your cruise control while driving on the highway will help you to maintain a constant speed, thus saving on gas. If you are wide awake, using cruise is a good idea. If you are getting tired, cruise is not a good idea; it is time to pull over and get some rest.
• Fuel rewards points: Some gas company credit cards save you on the price of every gallon of fuel every time you stop for gas. Check on getting a card for a traditionally-reasonable gas chain and use it. Also, in my area, the more you spend on groceries each month at Kroger the cheaper you get your gas at the Kroger pump. I can save 10 cents, 50 cents, 90 cents or more per gallon by using my Kroger card. Check on discounts like this in your area. Make sure it is a chain that has locations between your hometown and Orlando in order to take full advantage of the discounts.
• Stay on the path: Don’t go out of your way to find the cheapest gas. Some of the smart phone apps will find the cheapest gas, but if you don’t choose the setting for searching on your current route, you could end up in the middle of nowhere. Whatever you do, stay on your path. Don’t end up wasting the gas you have when searching for the cheapest place to fill up. This sounds elementary, but once that voice starts telling you “right turn ahead”, “go straight on and then turn left”, you never know where you are going to finally end up.

Food Tips

• Use your coupons: If you plan to stop for breakfast, lunch or dinner on the way to Orlando, take your restaurant coupons with you. By spending a little time before your trip, you can even research the restaurant locations you have coupons for before ever leaving home. Then, just plug those locations into your GPS and you will be armed and ready. Buy one, get one deals are fantastic when you have a large family to feed. A little advance preparation goes a long way to saving you money on your vacation.
• Snack Pack: Stopping for snacks will take a big chunk out of your budget. Don’t do it! Before leaving the house, pack up everyone’s favorite snacks and hand them out whenever they are needed. Stopping at rest areas to use the restrooms and then piling everyone back into the car, rather than having the kids use the facilities inside convenience stores and then wandering around wanting everything in the store, will save you LOTS of time and money. You can read more about this in my Disney Driving Tip 3 article.
• Create an adventure: Packing a lunch and drinks in a cooler is another great way to save. You can either prepare sandwiches at home and pack them into a cooler; or just pack up a loaf of bread, some peanut butter and a squeezable jelly and make them on the way. If you do that, don’t forget to take plasticware with you to use when making the sandwiches. I have to say, though, that frying chicken the night before, putting it into a big silver pot in the fridge, taking it in the car and eating it on the road is one of my favorite memories from my childhood vacation trips. My daddy always made chicken for our road trips and to this day anytime I get a whiff of real, homemade fried chicken it takes me right back to those trips with my dad when he was alive – great memories. Sorry, back to topic. Find a great place to picnic and make an adventure out of it. These are the things your children will remember when they are grown. We have done this a few times, stopping at Battleship Memorial Park in Mobile, Alabama. They have a great picnic area with a view of the USS Alabama. This saves money and is a really enjoyable, fun time with family.

I hope you will use these tips on your next road trip to Walt Disney World. Most importantly, drive safely and have a great time with your family. That’s what it’s all about after all! Happy travels!

Brenda is a native Texan born and raised on the Gulf Coast. She visited Disney World twice as a teenager and always dreamed of growing her family Disney. She took her first-timer husband and their three children to Disney World in 2000 and they now spend every Thanksgiving there. Brenda writes with a comedic twist on various Disney topics. She will be sharing tips she has learned during her travels and also hopes to enlighten people on little-known freebies that Disney has to offer. She wishes she could have met Walt Disney and considers herself to be a student of Walt. In parallel to his dream it is her wish that everyone would take at least one trip to Disney World in order to share in its magic with their families.

In fact, I like to think of it as putting the pieces of a puzzle together to create a beautiful picture. In this case that picture is your dream of a Disney vacation only with this puzzle there is no right way to put those pieces together! The only right way is the one that makes your dream a reality! Saving money on a Disney vacation is about choices and is some instances, trade-offs: if you want or need to spend more in one area, then work to reduce costs in another.So start off with that budget: this puzzle piece goes right in the center, and all the others will fit somehow around it. Now, let’s look at some of the other puzzle pieces:

When Are You Going?

It may seem as if this goes without saying, but knowing when you can go has a huge affect on the cost of your vacation: some times of year are simply more expensive than others. Typically holidays and school vacations are the most expensive of all….so if you have any flexibility at all, try to schedule your trip during the cheaper times of year if you can.  If you can’t do that, then know that you will be moving other puzzle pieces around this one, in order to make it all work. But no worries, it will all work!

What Disney Deals Are Available?

When people ask me what is the cheapest way to plan their Disney vacation, I always tell them “it depends”. The thing about this Disney vacation puzzle that we’re putting together is, as I have already said, there is more than one way to put the puzzle together.

There are so many factors that go into planning a Disney vacation that you really need to be prepared to do some comparisons. So get out that trusty calculator, and once you have your budget and know when you will be traveling (or at least the general time of year or month) then start with looking at the promotions that Disney offers for that time. Get a quote. Add in one of the Disney Dining Plans if you think it might work for your family, and compare the costs with paying for your food out of pocket. And look at each of the Dining Plans too, because it may be that a different “level” of plan (Quick Service for example) might be more cost effective than another for your family.

Once you have a good idea of your costs staying on Disney property, then look at off-site options like other hotels, or even renting a vacation condo or home. The common perception is that this is always a cheaper option, and it may be for you, but it may not be, especially if Disney has an attractive promotion that works for your travel dates. Sometimes what you save by staying off-site is negated by the things you have to add in: rental car perhaps, parking, food….. You just won’t know for sure until you run the numbers.

Remember the 3 keys: planning, budgeting, and an open mind? This is where that open mind is crucial. You may “think” you know what will be least expensive, but until you actually run all the numbers, you can’t know for certain. And people are surprised about what is actually cheapest for them all the time!

How Will You Get There?

I always recommend trying to make a decision, at least a tentative one, about your transportation as soon as possible. You don’t necessarily have to book your travel, but having a pretty solid idea of how you are going to get to Disney World….and how much it will cost….is important to know at the beginning, preferably before you book your accommodations or package. This way, you can play with the puzzle pieces a bit more, if necessary until you make them fit with your budget.

Another benefit of doing this early: start watching for ways to save money at the beginning. If you are flying, figure out what your likely carriers are and get on their promotional email list, and/or become Facebook or Twitter fans. Many discounts are given out this way that the general public never knows about. Giving yourself enough time on this part will allow you to jump on a promotion when it becomes available.

Don’t Forget the Tickets

Most people who are not getting a package, try to save money on their Disney park tickets, and it is possible to save a little on the actual cost, by using an authorized Disney ticket broker….but it won’t be a huge savings. What may save you more money is having an “open mind” (again!) about the type of ticket that you buy: maybe you save by not getting a Park Hopper, or the Water Parks Fun and More option. Or perhaps you will benefit from a package promotion where “Kids Play Free”, so that you are saving on your ticket costs that way.

This puzzle piece has a little flexibility…but not much. Whatever you do, as we discussed a few weeks ago, never buy tickets from eBay or Craigslist: tickets that have been partially used are non-transferrable, and you can’t be sure that there are really ANY days on the tickets at all until you get to the gate. Which is too late to do anything about it.

And Then There’s Food

This is a puzzle piece that you can move around a LOT, as there are many ways that you can save money on your Disney dining. Dining plan options, bringing food with you, eating off-site, cooking/eating in (a benefit of having a condo or house with a kitchen!) are just a few ways that you can potentially make your trip more affordable.

So as you can see, with planning, that trusty budget and an open mind, you really have all kinds of ways that you can shift and adjust the puzzle pieces of your vacation until you create your Disney dream.

In next week’s final installment, we’ll talk about ways to save to make that dream a reality!

We are pleased to have this post as part of the 21st edition of the Disney Blog Carnival. Be sure to stop by the Carnival for more great Disney blog posts from some of the best Disney writers around!

So let’s start then at the beginning! If you are trying to plan an affordable Disney vacation,  creating a budget is pretty much the first step. You really need to know what you can afford before you do just about anything else.To do this, I think it’s really important to be honest with yourself and be realistic. And realize that not having an extravagant budget does not mean you can’t have a magical vacation! But having an idea at the beginning, of what you can truly afford to spend will help you greatly in your subsequent planning. No matter what the amount is that you can afford, knowing your budget right from the start will then help all the other pieces fall into place.

Now you can do it the other way around: figure out everything about your trip, see how much it will cost, and then save up until you can afford to go. This is certainly what we did for our first trip: we decided what we “thought” it would all cost (based on other people’s opinions I might add, not actual research), and then saved until we could afford to go.

Which is one reason why our daughter was 7 before we went to Disney World for the first time.

But once I realized that what you paid for a Disney vacation was actually variable, I changed my way of thinking. I now figure out what we can afford to spend, and then create a vacation to fit that budget. We still have to save, mind you…but we are able to go more frequently as a result….and I know that I am never spending more than what I am comfortable with.

Yes, it’s just a different way of looking at it, and of course, my way may not be right for everyone. But for our family….since we like to go as often as we can…..it works.

So if you agree with my way of thinking…then first make your budget, and then plan around it.

In fact, planning….and flexibility…..are really the two main ingredients here. The further you plan ahead, the more options you will have for finding ways to save money on your trip. And the more flexible you can be with the various aspects of your trip…..when you go, where you stay, how you will get there….the easier it will be to create your vacation to fit your budget.

So create your budget, plan as far ahead as you possibly can, and be as flexible as you can: these are the first steps in creating a truly affordable Disney vacation for your family. Next week we’ll talk about how that flexibility will enable you to move the different “pieces” of your trip around to fit your budget. It’s kind of like putting a puzzle together. Stay tuned to learn how!

When budgeting for gas expenses, I always use the AAA Fuel Cost Calculator. Each trip it has proven to be extremely accurate and an invaluable tool. All one has to do is enter the make, model and year of the vehicle along with the starting and ending points and it calculates how much one will spend on gas. Here is a link to the site: http://www.fuelcostcalculator.com. I hope you will take advantage of this handy tool.Let’s look at cost comparisons a little more closely!

For my vehicle, gas from Houston, TX to Orlando, FL at the prices TODAY would cost me $191.55 (roundtrip = $383.10). I have included food costs for my family of 5 at $100 for food on the way (roundtrip = $200). So the gas and food would cost me approximately $583.10.

Flights from Houston to Orlando TODAY would cost me at least $1663.00 for my family of 5. So, driving saves us approximately $1000+. Even if we decided to stay at a hotel on the way back, that would only add about $150, still saving $850.00 just on transportation alone. If you plan on eating anything at the airport or when you arrive in Orlando, that would be even more savings added to this amount as well, as I did not allow for that in this scenario.

So, it is easy to see how much we would save by driving vs. flying. But what about driving straight through compared to stopping overnight? When driving straight through, one would go straight to their Disney resort. For our family, in many cases that is the Port Orleans – Riverside. The cost for the first night would be approximately $149.00. Stopping along the way at a hotel can sometimes cost less, maybe even $50 less or so. If you don’t spend anything else that night, like game room or other things to keep your kids entertained, then you may save $50.

In my opinion, driving straight through or stopping along the way really becomes a personal choice based on your own individual family and preferences. Some of the things that will have a bearing on your decision are the ages of your children, how well they travel, the number of available drivers, the stamina of the main driver, etc. We used to stop at a hotel on the way, then finish up the trip the second day. This kept us from paying the cost of a Disney resort room for our first night and shortened our driving time. A few years ago, however, we decided to drive the whole distance in one day. After that, we decided we liked waking up on our first day ready to head to the park. Now, we always drive straight through.

Since our children have grown up on these road trips, they are used to the amount of time it takes to get there. For new travelers, one great tip we have learned from experience when driving all the way in one day is to leave in the middle of the night, if possible. We like to drive in little or no traffic, so we leave at 3:00 a.m. and drive in the dark for several hours. This assures us very little traffic and the kids usually sleep until just in time to stop for breakfast. Be sure to bring plenty of pillows and blankets; children are more likely to sleep in the car if they are comfortable.

Whether you stop along the way or not, there are some additional tips that can help you to have a more enjoyable car trip. When the kids were little, I packed little surprise gifts to give to them when we got ready to leave: coloring books, crayons, toys they collected, etc. It took all the strength I had not to give them the treats ahead of time but it was a nice surprise for the trip and was worth the wait as it helped to keep them entertained and made the trip not seem so long.

I also used to check out lots of Disney movies from my local library for the children to watch on the way. I still check out some movies and there is also a great selection of audio books to choose from now that they are older. Don’t forget to bring the car chargers.

I have each child pack his or her backpack with the activities they want to do during the ride. Gallon-size ziptop bags are great for holding pencils, pens, markers, cast iron cars, and any other small items. They pack their ipods and other electronic devices in there also.

Researching some car games before you leave can be a great way to entertain the kids and play together along the way. My kids still play some of their favorites. One is the alphabet game where they begin at A and try to find each letter of the alphabet in order on street signs and billboards. We all join in on spotting the letters. Another is the license plate game, using a list of the 50 states. We try to find a license plate from each state during our journey. Also, when we get to the resort, the first one to find another Texas license plate gets a reward.

You should definitely do whatever is best for your own family. Most of all, enjoy being able to spend this time together. Join me next time for some tips on what to think about if stopping overnight. Until then, travel safely!

Brenda is a native Texan born and raised on the Gulf Coast. She visited Disney World twice as a teenager and always dreamed of growing her family Disney. She took her first-timer husband and their three children to Disney World in 2000 and they now spend every Thanksgiving there. Brenda writes with a comedic twist on various Disney topics. She will be sharing tips she has learned during her travels and also hopes to enlighten people on little-known freebies that Disney has to offer. She wishes she could have met Walt Disney and considers herself to be a student of Walt. In parallel to his dream it is her wish that everyone would take at least one trip to Disney World in order to share in its magic with their families.

I was so nervous, clicking the “send” button on my payment, until a thought occurred to me; the lightbulb in my head turned on…I have a travel agent.  If there is a better deal (because, come on, we’re all reading this because we want the best deal!), she will be as happy as I am about re-booking me to save some hard-earned cash.  The decision to use an agent was probably the easiest I made in my plans.  Ask her.  I go around and around weighing every option like my life depended on it…dining plan or no, which one, value resort or moderate or splurge on a deluxe, vacation club rental points, park hopper, water parks, Disney Quest, Disney transportation or a car…the options are ENDLESS!  I swear, I could go on a Disney vacation once a month (wow, wouldn’t that be a dream come true!) and not have the same experience twice!  As a single mom, especially, having someone to bounce ideas around with was invaluable.  And it’s not costing me a single extra penny.  In fact, it’s SAVING me money.  Wow.

The other person I have been bouncing ideas with is my son.  I have taken almost every aspect of our trip to him for consideration.  We’re going as part of his birthday celebration, so some things will be surprises!  Other than those exciting details, he has had a say in everything.  He is the one who finally made the decision about which dining plan to go with and where to stay, his reasons being so simple that it was a “duh” moment.  He said, “Mom, I want to eat at places with tablecloths and really awesome decorations.”  Ok.  Decision made.  Deluxe dining plan it is.  Yes, it’s more expensive, but picturing his face as we walk into Coral Reef, and later his excitement at eating at a revolving restaurant made the money justifiable.

I don’t mind taking a bus, boat, or monorail.  When I went as a kid, that was memorable to me!  The room to us is just a place to crash.  We’re not staying long enough to park hop, and we’ve got a pretty decent water park here.  My splurge is not worrying about budgeting for food.  It’s paid for.  I’m excited to need a minimal amount of cash to worry about.

That’s the kicker when planning for Disney.  Can it be ridiculously expensive?  Yes.  Does it have to be?  No.  Prioritize!  Walt Disney made the mouse affordable (Get it?  mouse affordable…Affordable Mouse! ) by making it for families.  He made a place where parents could have fun with their kids, and in doing so, he made it a playground for everyone, not just the rich.  By finding a good travel agent, reading when you can on theaffordablemouse.com and other Disney devoted websites, and prioritizing your wants, you can definitely have a Disney dream vacation…for less than you thought.

Jolie is a South Louisiana native, who bleeds purple and gold (Geaux Tigers!).  She is a single mom of three children, ages 6, 15 months and 15 months (no, that’s not a typo–they’re twins), and they keep her on her toes, especially when it comes to time and money.  She has traveled the world, including our favorite…Walt Disney World, even following a childhood dream and working there in her early 20’s! When Jolie grows up (or not!), she would love to work for Disney again, and her dream is to live happily ever after in Celebration, Florida.