The bus is not going to Disney….. but I still am.

[Barn Owl]

I had reserved a site at Fort Wilderness for September and was very excited about staying there and getting to drive the bus down. Well Disney screwed me up on that deal. They are offering free dining for the month of September (normally ~$38 day pre person), but the catch is that you have to stay in one of the qualifying resorts and camping at Fort Wilderness does not qualify (the cabins do though). Eating at Disney cost more than the admission tickets, so that was going to be a huge expense since I have a large family. In fact, I am handled as a group because there are eight of us. I ran the numbers and it just doesn't pay to take the bus. Just by driving my 15 passenger van down vs. the bus I save around $550 in fuel alone. That really sucks, but ultimately it's about family time, and that's all the bus is anyways, a tool to spend more time with the family.  It will just have to sit this one out.

The main purpose for this post is to make others aware of the free dining deal if they are doing Disney in September.......HTH

Laryn

[RJ]

Laryn -

Take the bus anyway, even if you stay in one of the resorts. 

Why?  Because with the van you'll have:

1.  More frequent pit stops enroute.

2.  More frequent pit stops = more food costs vs food stocked onboard coach.

3.  Lodging enroute, maybe.

4.  More frequent fuel stops.  Only two tankfuls needed round-trip in the bus. . .

And the biggest reason:

Eight people and all their "stuff" cooped up (literally!) in a 15-passenger van for over 700 miles each way.  BTDT - Not fun at ALL!   


Stay in the cabins at Fort Wilderness, tell the check-in folk you have a big GMC van, and you'll need a cabin that has two "head-to-toe" parking spaces available!!   

You said yourself that it's all about family time, and believe me, the family will have a much, much more enjoyable trip of that length in the coach than they will in the van. 

It's not all about the fuel costs!

FWIW & HTH. . .

[Green-Hornet]

There are still good deals on eats at Disney too. If you like buffets then go to Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom for lunch. Super food and Characters come around for the kiddies. It is about $15 cheaper for lunch and they have the same food. The Contemporary resort has the same deal at Mickeys Kitchen.
The Fort Wilderness is a cool campsite if you have never been but bring some bikes or rent a cart. it is big...and clean.
Whatever you do have fun ....say Hi to Goofy for me!
Maybe you need a poll for this one!
I say BUS   and take pics!