November, 2015
I don’t mind telling you, as much as I love a Disney vacation, sometimes it’s really hard to psyche myself up for a big vacation week, knowing we face a nine-hour drive to Orlando and huge crowd levels once we arrive. My husband and I are both public school teachers. Taking time off of school for travel during a time when many people are still in school and at work, say the week before or after Thanksgiving, can be next to impossible. Between football games and upcoming final exams, this is not a great time for a teacher to miss classes. So that leaves us having time off of work when many, many other people travel to Disney World.
This year we just didn’t want to drive to Orlando over the Thanksgiving holidays, so we opted to drive 45 minutes down the road from where we live in Foley, Alabama, to stay in a resort community called Martinique. We stayed here during Spring Break of this year but in a different rental home. You can read about that adventure here:
Beach Princess: Spring Breakin’ It at Martinique in Gulf Shores, Alabama
Did I mention the crowds are just nuts during big holiday weeks at Disney? The screen shots below show wait times for Monday, Nov 23, 2015 at 3:30 p.m. Many schools throughout the country are not even out yet, but hoards of people take their children out for the full week and head to Orlando. Our school system is out for the full week, certainly contributing to the crowds.
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Let’s not forget the beaches of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, which are huge draws for thousands of people every summer.
Why go to the beach in November when it’s too cold to swim? Because you can save a substantial amount of money on your accommodations. Our rental home would cost us $1,000 more just 4 months from now during Spring Break, and you can triple that for a summer stay.
That’s what I’m talking about…no crowds, beautiful surroundings and accommodations, plus the beach. Life is indeed good for a Cheapskate Beach Princess.
Like to read about our other favorite place to stay at the beach in Alabama? This one is not pet friendly, but it is truly unbelievable in terms of furnishings and amenities.
The Beach Princess: Orange Beach’s Caribe Resort Truly Is Like No Other
Thanks for stopping by, and we’ll see you taking a walk on the beach…
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Disney’s Cheapskate Princess
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Amanda Major is the creator of cheapskateprincess.com. She remembers her first visit to Magic Kingdom like it was yesterday, because she had a ham sandwich tucked in her shorts pocket. The whole family snuck in their lunch; you can’t make that kinda stuff up. 40 years worth of trips to Orlando later, she is still trying to save money on vacations.
Amanda is a Disney Vacation Club Member and Annual Pass holder. Her amazing husband, band director Carl Major, plus three teen children and two dogs keep her busy. Amanda teaches Leadership to high school seniors in the almost-coastal town of Foley, Alabama. Read about her cheapskating local vacations with this link. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, walking somewhere, or paddling a kayak. Life is indeed a blast.
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