Disney shows us the big love

By Suzanne Rowan Kelleher

updated 5:15 p.m. ET May 27, 2007

Got kids? Chances are, you've probably either already visited Walt Disney World or it's high on your vacation wish list. It's hard to think of another family destination that has as strong an emotional pull or one that keeps 'em coming back year after year. The good news? If you're dreaming of a trip to Disney World, you can probably get there without cracking open your retirement account or dipping into the kids' college fund. In fact, Disney can be downright affordable with some smart planning and savvy deal snatching. Here are 10 easy ways to save a bundle on your next trip to the world that Walt built.

1. Go in the off season
Disney hotels generally have five pricing seasons. You pay the least during "value season," which comprises most of August, all of September, and from Thanksgiving through Valentine's Day, excluding the last week in December. The fancier your hotel, the more you save by traveling during value season. At Disney World's most expensive hotel, the Grand Floridian, the price differential between high and low seasons is $144 per night.

2. Be a happy camper
Got a tent or an RV? If your family likes to rough it — and in Disneyspeak, that can mean not only electricity and sewer, but even cable TV — you can cut your lodging bill to as little as $41 per night at the Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground. There's plenty of inexpensive fun to be had, thanks to two heated outdoor pools, tennis, horseshoes, shuffleboard, fishing, bicycling, pony rides and horseback trail riding, and nightly wagon rides around the resort. Hands down, the most beloved tradition is the nightly campfire sing-a-long and marshmallow roast with Chip 'n Dale, followed by a G-rated Disney double feature on a huge outdoor screen under the stars.

3. Want luxury? Look beyond hotels
If you're willing to splurge on posh digs, you'll get the most bang for your buck at the Disney Vacation Club resorts. These deluxe, condo-style resorts operate similarly to timeshare properties, but non-DVC members can stay here, too. The big upside? More space for your dollars than you'd get at a hotel. For the price of a standard hotel room with a lagoon view at Disney's upscale Polynesian Resort, for example, you could get a plush one-bedroom unit at Beach Club Villas with a fully-equipped kitchen, two TVs, a large marble bathroom with Jacuzzi tub, and an in-room washer/dryer. (To find out the cheapest way to nab a villa, see our lowdown article on the Disney Vacation Club.) A bonus: Having your own kitchen can help you shave your food bill.

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4. Snag a free lunch. And breakfast and dinner
Every once in a while — usually for select weeks in "value" season — Disney offers their dining plan for free. As luck would have it, this offer is on the table right now. Stay at any of the Disney resorts between August 26 and September 22, 2007, and for every day of your visit you'll be entitled to one sit-down meal, one counter-service meal, and one snack. This dining plan is good at virtually every restaurant within Disney World. It usually costs $38 per day for adults and $11 per day for kids 3 to 9, so this deal will save a family of four about $392 on a four-night visit. (Want to squeeze the most value out of Disney's dining plan? See our article on Dining at Disney.)

Slide show   Disneyland through the years “The Happiest Place on Earth” has delivered fun for young and old alike for more than five decades. more photos

5. Join the AAA
This one's a no-brainer. A standard AAA membership costs $57 per year. During value season at Disney World, an AAA member can chop 20 percent off her lodging bill at any of Disney's moderate and "value" (read: budget) properties or 15 percent off at a deluxe or DVC property. Now, let's translate those percentages into dollar signs. Stay five nights at the moderately-priced Caribbean Beach Resort during value season, and you'd save about $140. Spend five nights at the deluxe Animal Kingdom Lodge and you'd save about $165. Outside of value season, the AAA discount ranges from 10 percent to 15 percent.

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