Travel Deal of the Day (January 5, 2010)

Disney often offers discounts to Florida residents, but Disney is now offering a particularly good discount for entrance to Disney World which should obtain some publicity. Florida residents are eligible to receive a four-day pass (maximum of one park per day) to Disney World parks for $99 plus tax. The pass can be used for any four days until May 25, 2010 (certain blackout dates apply). For more information, go to the Disney Florida Resident Deal.

Travel Deal of the Day (October 21, 2009)

Walt Disney World is offering the following deal:

Buy a non-discounted 4-night/4-day Magic Your Way Vacation Package at select Disney Moderate, Disney Deluxe or Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts and enjoy 3 more nights with tickets, free. For stays most nights 11/1/09-11/20/09, 12/11/09-12/24/09 and 1/3/10-3/27/10.

There are a variety of terms/restrictions that apply to the deal, but if you are used to paying full price for Disney World tickets and hotels and are visiting parks for each day of your stay, this may be an excellent money-saving deal for you. For more information, go to the Disney Three Nights Free Deal.

Travel Deal of the Day (September 29, 2009)

Get ready to plan your trip to Walt Disney World or Disneyland next year if you volunteer in a participating program. Disney will be offering a free entry in 2010 for one day to either Walt Disney World or Disneyland under the "Give a Day, Get a Disney Day" program. There are some terms and conditions that apply to the deal, so check out the full details at this link.

Travel Deal of the Day (July 2, 2009)

If you are traveling from the Washington, DC/Baltimore area to Florida, there are some incredible fares at this time that are applicable even for Thanksgiving and the December holidays.

The Deal:
As of the time of this post, there are fares as low as $49/way (plus tax/fees) from Baltimore (BWI) to Orlando. The incredible thing to note about this fare is that it is not blacked out around Thanksgiving or the December holidays (though you will need to find seat availability for the fare). If you are flying to Disney from the DC-area for the Thanksgiving/December holidays and you can find this fare, book now.

How:
Find the best fares at an aggregator travel website such as Kayak.

Travel Deal of the Day (May 7, 2009)

If you are planning a trip to Disney World, the price of the vacation can often be daunting. Be sure to note special discounts that apply to a Disney World vacation.

The Deal:
Here are a few tips to save money on your next Disney World vacation (especially relevant given the weak economy and current travel fears due to the swine flu):

(1) If you are a Florida resident, there are special discounts available - see this link;

(2) You can save a tremendous amount of money by staying off-property at a non-Disney property. Though the drawbacks of staying off-property include the fact that you will spend more time commuting to the parks and you will not have access to a few perks available to guests of Disney properties, the money you will save will likely be tremendous;

(3) Plan your trip in advance and keep checking hotel/car rates as your vacation approaches. Hotel and car prices change constantly, so be sure to check prices every few weeks (and check daily about a week or two before arrival). If travel companies expect high demand, the prices even far in advance will be high - but if fewer people book than expected, prices may drop dramatically close to your date of arrival. Also, be sure to note cancellation policies for your hotel and car reservations as you want to ensure that you can take advantage of a lower price without paying a cancellation fee;

(4) As always, be sure to consider Priceline and Hotwire for hotel and car deals; and

(5) There are great web posting boards where frequent Disney visitors share tips - check out Disboards (for instance) to find great Disney advice.

Travel Deal of the Day (November 19, 2008)

Disney is offering some great discounts for travel during January 2009 – June 2009, including a package providing three free nights when staying at certain Disney properties.

The Deal:
It appears that 2009 will be a great time to visit Disneyworld in Orlando. Disney is offering three nights free on a seven night package at selected on-property Disney resorts. The package is available on most nights between January 4, 2009 and June 27, 2009 (a few blackout dates apply). Disney also provides a $200 Disney gift card for stays between January 4, 2009 – January 9, 2009 and between January 19, 2009 – March 29, 2009.

How:
Full booking details are available at the Disney 2009 Promotion.

Travel Deal of the Day (October 15, 2008)

If you are planning a trip to Disney next year, there is a new deal that may save you on admission.

The Deal:
Walt Disney World and Disneyland will be offering free admission on your birthday during 2009. Disney is also offering additional perks for Disney passholders that do not need free admission on their birthday but would like other perks. To be eligible for this deal, you must register on the Disney website.

How:
To find full terms and conditions or to register, go to the Disney Birthday Deal.

Travel Deal of the Day (Apr. 24, 2007)

Walt Disney World is currently offering a terrific special for late summer travel to Orlando.

The Deal:
Buy 3 consecutive hotel nights at a WDW (on-property) resort as well as a 1 (or more) day theme park ticket, and you will get a free dining package (one counter service meal, one table service meal and one snack, per person, per day). This package is valid for trips from August 26, 2007 until September 22, 2007 and must be booked by June 24, 2007.

How:
Call Disney at 407-WDISNEY to book this package. Ask for the “Free Dining Promotion.”

The Inside Scoop:
This package applies to on-property resorts within the gates of Disney World. Staying at an on-property resort at Disney is more expensive than staying just outside the gates of Disney. You are paying for the convenience of being transported everywhere by Disney and the proximity to the theme parks. That being said, if you are a first time visitor to Disney or you want to be very close to Disney (and do not mind spending a little more to be closer or for extra convenience), this is a great special for staying at an on-property resort.

The reason this deal is being offered is that late August and early September is hurricane season in Orlando (and most children are back in school during this time of year). Given the risk of hurricanes, you want to verify what the package (and any airfare) cancellation policies are for such a trip and investigate trip insurance in case of a hurricane.