Freaking out about affording trip...how much do I really need?

[StephStanley]

We are a family of five (dh, me, and 3ds, ages 6,6,4 at time of trip)
We are leaving Dec 3, staying overnight on the way. Doing Daytona on the 4th, checking in at OKW on the 5th.
Switching to Coronado Springs on the 10th and staying 3 nights. Departing on the 12th.
We will stay overnight somewhere on the way home too.

So, I will need three nights of hotel (offsite, two traveling, one night in Daytona)

We will need two adult admissions to Daytona USA ($18 each I think)

We have 5 day hoppers (paid for already)
OKW and Coronado Springs are almost pd for (will be this month)

We are coming from VA, so we will need gas/food down and back.

We will do breakfast in the room, pack uncrustables and lunchables for the kids (their version of heaven)

DH and I will pack snacks and do a late lunch in the parks.

I want to get vouchers for beaches and cream, pepper marked and rainforest cafe (so they will be prepaid)

The kids will want a disney snack each day i'm sure.

I'm prebuying some souveniers to leave on their beds at night "from mickey" but they will each get something on the last day.

If I save $5.00 per day until we go that is around 1400.00 is that enough?

how much should my "goal" be?

How much in Disney dollars (i have around $150 so far) and how much in cash? (We dont use CCards)

Any other ways I can save money? Any ideas? Is it normal to freak a little now that i'm totally committed to the rooms and the tickets and cant backout? :earseek:

[ncbyrne]

There's really know way for anyone to know another family's spending habits to give a realistic goal for you. DH and I, with no kids, have done super trips and spent under $2000 for 16 full days which included air fare, hotels, tickets, meals, souvenirs, etc! And, we've also spend twice that much on half the time! Where we stayed and what and where we ate every day played the biggest part in the cost difference. You can easily figure the cost of the three offsite hotels; estimate your car's gas mileage and add in the non Disney admissions. Since a lot of your trip will be paid for in advance, the biggest unknown expense will be food. Just estimate the cost of the kinds of restaurant food your family eats and then pad the total a bit.

[BrerMama]

Just to give you an idea, I've done a very detailed budget for our family. We're a family of 5 also (kids are 9,8 and 4 during our trip). We are planning on eating breakfast in the room, most days have a PS for lunch and then will eat counter service for dinner. Twice we are eating at a buffet for dinner (H&V for Fantasmic and Chef Mickey's) and on those days I budgeted more for snacks during the day but no lunch because I'll make early dinner PS. We are also budgeting over $200 to buy t-shirts because we're addicted to them. We're using a towncar service so that fee plus tips for the driver and bellman at the hotel are in our budget. Total is $1600 for 9 days. I would think your $1400 would be enough, especially because you have a car and will prepay some meals.

[kilee]

$1400 for food, souvineers, and "travel hotels" should be enough. Considering you have everything else paid for. For discounts on your travel rooms print coupons at www.roomsavers.com They do usually have some restrictions, but I have used them a couple times for decent savings. I have even had some hotels take them on the weekend, when some of the coupons say no Fri or Sat. Just because they weren't very full. Daytona has A LOT of filthy hotels for high prices. Research for yourself there. I like the activities in Daytona, but we had a hard time finding a clean room. Daytona USA--- there is a kids admission. Plus things like one of the simulator rides, arcade games, and track tour (best part of the whole place) aren't included in the general admission. There is coupons for here at all the Welcome Centers (even the one up outside Jacksonville as you enter Florida). They'll save you I think $2.00 off ea. adult admission. I was also able to dig up free arcade token coupons at the welcome centers.

[MAC3]

Hi StephStanley,

I think your budget sounds great as long as you stick to it. You should do well. The only other advise I can give for saving would be to start a coin jar and every time you go to the store, put the change away.

If something totals $4.12 don't dig for the .12 give them $5.00 and the change goes in your "Disney Fund". This adds up quickly and will be a little cushion for your trip!

Editted to add: don't forget to look for coupons in your local papers for things(breakfast items, ect) you will buy while there. Anything you can do to save helps.

Have a great time,
Lisa

[familyoffive]

You will have a kitchen while at OKW, so don't buy any meals during that part of your stay. Bring a cooler with you to keep juice, water, sodas cold. Pre-book your hotels both down and back in order to get the best rates. You will be onsite for 8 nights, what are your plans for the other days? There will be MVMCP going on during your stay, and you may want tickets to that. Plan to do MK and EPCOT during the week, avoiding them on Sat/Sun.
Since you are driving, you can take your car to the parks and store lunch in your cooler, taking a break from the parks to eat lunch.

[tbell27]

while visiting Disney we usually eat a HUGE breakfast so that no one is really hungry at lunch. Then, around 2 we let everyone get a snack that we wouldn't have been able to eat (or afford!) if we'd bought lunch. Usually the kids really want the junk food anyway, and it isn't too tough for me to eat ice cream as a meal! This way our "lunch" bill isn't too big and the kids get what they want. We eat healthy (?) at breakfast and dinner.

enjoy your trip.:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: (yes, the kids do look like this after the high sugar lunch, but think of it as adding more "go" power:smooth:

[Bojangles]

Originally posted by StephStanley
We are a family of five (dh, me, and 3ds, ages 6,6,4 at time of trip)



How did you manage that? Last time we went to WDW with 5 people (brought our nephew) they wouldn't let us stay at Coronado Springs. :( We ended up having to stay at a deluxe resort.

[r3ngels]

I also have a family of 5 and I think you budget is good. But I have also been told that we need a deluxe room, until I told them our 2 year old is still in a crib, then they agreed a moderate would be okay. I hate how you talk to 2 different CM's and you get 2 different answers:confused:

[familyoffive]

Since you booked room only, are you showing 2 children on your reservation or 3? Disney allows 5 in POR and requires a 2 bedroom for a family of five at the DVCs. My children will be 6,7(turning 8 on trip), and 13 on our upcoming June trip. We are limited to 2 rooms at value or mods(POR allows 5), deluxes will allow more, with the exception of BWI(limit 4), and WL/AKL require 2 rooms or a deluxe room. We run into this whenever we travel and I always have to factor higher costs for hotels.

[CarolA]

How about NO cash and NO Disney Dollars and ALL your money in travelers checks.

Cash and Disney Dollars cannot be replaced if lost and/or stolen and your vacation would be ruined.

(I continue to be amazed at people wandering around Disney with TONS of cash. Just because you went to Disney not everyone took a nice pill!)

[StephStanley]

My res. sheet for OKW says Studio- Number of Guest 5.

Maybe since he will be just turning 4 they let him go? I dunno.

They have his name and bday at Coronado too, I didn't know to question it?

[Bojangles]

Do you have gratuities figured in too? (housekeeping, bell services)?

What will you have left after gas, Daytona admission and the other hotels that are coming out of the $1400?

[r3ngels]

I didn't know to question it?

__________________

I wouldn't question it? If they have all of the travelers names I would leave it at that...:Pinkbounc

[chadfromdallas]

Originally posted by Bojangles
Do you have gratuities figured in too? (housekeeping, bell services)?


If your on a budget, is it so wrong not to tip housekeeping? :p

[StephStanley]

If your on a budget, is it so wrong not to tip housekeeping?
*********************************************

Hey, sounds like a plan to me!!

I havent worked out a detailed budget, I will get there after I book the other hotels. How much should i plan for tips? We've never traveled before, never where anyone carrys your bags. How much is appropriate?

We only have one day of Housekeeping at OKW, then everyday at CS right?

I feel like the clampetts going to Disney..lol.

[chadfromdallas]

Originally posted by StephStanley
We've never traveled before, never where anyone carrys your bags. How much is appropriate?
I feel like the clampetts going to Disney..lol.

Never had anyone carry my bags either :p

[Bojangles]

Everyone usually tips $1/person/day. I tip bell services depending on the number of bags or how much stuff. Here's where it gets expensive...they expect you to tip the man unloading the car as well as the one that takes your bags to the room. I usually don't leave the unloading guy quite as much as the one that takes the bags upstairs, though. ;)

[StephStanley]

I'm glad I found this site...I would be lost! I'm gonna be throwing 20s just so I'm not "that cheap chick whose clothes was in piggly wiggly bags!" lol

[zurgswife]

At OKW... you park at the room so, with your own car you wouldn't have any need to tip bell services...I've never stayed at CSR so I'm not sure if you park at your room but I think soo....once again no need to add valet tipping to your budget...

[DeDixie]

Have you considered driving straight thru? We drive from Delaware and it's less than 16 hours. Just a thought.

[Jana49]

Just a thought -

It used to be that housekeepers made less than minimum wage and relied on tips, much like a waitress. Even if that is not still the case, it would be best to work it in your budget somehow, because they count on tips, I would think.

We tip $5 a day and stay at the value resorts, and are so pleased with the good job the housekeepers do. I even make special envelopes for them so they know the money is intended for them.

Jana

[4greatboys]

I assume you belong to Connections or Hotwire since you are getting vouchers. They also sell the gift cards for Planet Hollywood. They are $10 each but you get a $2 rebate back per card. So if you bought $50 in certs you will get back $10 so it ends up costing you $40 for $50 worth of food--you can also use the certs for the tip and/or merchandise. You can also get 10% off your bill with your AP or DVC member card.

[momof2inPA]

Our family of four drove down in December, staying overnight on the way down and back and spending one night in Daytona. The travel hotels were $49- Country Inn and Suites and $59- Comfort Suites. We paid $69 at the Radisson, but I think we way overpaid and it was not very nice. If I did it again, I wouldn't book the hotels ahead of time, but just stop and make an offer. The hotels are empty that time of the year and willing to rent rooms very cheaply.

[shatzjsl]

If your on a budget, is it so wrong not to tip housekeeping?

I think it would be wrong not to tip housekeeping. Even if you plan on only $2 per day you should be okay. It is still a nice gesture. And remember to leave it daily! You may not have the same housekeeper every day of your stay.

But if it comes down to the family eating or tipping, the answer would be eating and maybe leaving a nice note of appreciation.

[StephStanley]

I think the not tipping was a joke- I laughed anyway. I will definetely tip, thats not a question.

If I couldnt afford two bucks a day, I wouldnt have any business visiting Disney! lol

[chadfromdallas]

Originally posted by StephStanley
If I couldnt afford two bucks a day, I wouldnt have any business visiting Disney! lol

Well $2 a day *5(what I will be staying) equals another souviner :p

[MATTERHORN]

Sorry, had to butt in here, I hope this was a joke, but anyone thinking of not tipping for a service provided is rediculous. If you need that extra souvener that badly, then you should leave the sign out that requests they do not clean your room. Sorry if it was intended as a joke, but as the others have said it doesn't have to be much, but it is silly to think that you will tip someone that brings you food, but not someone that cleans up after you? I live in Vegas where tips are relied upon in many industries including housekeeping and it is amazing how some people treat those that make their vacation relaxing and enjoyable. Sorry so long, but please don't use the services if you don't want to tip.

Andrea

Also, this was not intended so much for this post as for the MANY I see about people not tipping! AMAZING!

[exwdwcm]

great tips listed here.

we saved a ton on one trip by staying in the wilderness home in ft. wilderness----we cooked at least one meal each day in our kitchen there. We ate every breakfast but one (did one character breakfast) there as well. We shopped for stuff and shipped it down before we went- cereal, canned goods etc. We took midday breaks and would have sandwiches at lunch etc.

It saved a ton of money and made the meals we did eat at WDW all the more special. Of course, part of the fun is eating there, so it just depends on how much you want to splurge.

We always do a pre-disney garage sale as a family. We usually make around $1,000. I was a member here about 3 years ago and someone posted a great garage sale thread and we used tons of those tips and made a lot more money than usual. (putting small items like toiletiries or jewelry in ziploc baggies, then selling them- people go nuts just cuz it is in a ziploc baggie!).....anyways- that always helps with the cost!

[keswick1uk]

Tipping is part of the holiday. Thats server and others wages. We accept and agree to pay a hotel $x we should agree to do the same with the staff...even though they don't formally leave a bill.

I actually disagree with tipping in the sense I wish everyone was paid a fair and proper wage for their services by their employer so they could guarantee what they take home to live on; we would of course have a higher menu price to compensate. But, as that is not the case, then the tips *must* be built into the budget. Just think how you would feel if your wage relied on a whim and someone decided just not to pay.

[mad4themouse]

Originally posted by MATTERHORN
Sorry, had to butt in here, I hope this was a joke, but anyone thinking of not tipping for a service provided is rediculous. If you need that extra souvener that badly, then you should leave the sign out that requests they do not clean your room. Sorry if it was intended as a joke, but as the others have said it doesn't have to be much, but it is silly to think that you will tip someone that brings you food, but not someone that cleans up after you? I live in Vegas where tips are relied upon in many industries including housekeeping and it is amazing how some people treat those that make their vacation relaxing and enjoyable. Sorry so long, but please don't use the services if you don't want to tip.

Andrea

Also, this was not intended so much for this post as for the MANY I see about people not tipping! AMAZING!

Sometimes people make posts like those to see what kind of reaction they can get from everyone else.

[crisi]

Disney does not consider hotel housekeeping to be a tipped position. They don't get paid well, and if you feel like you need to augment their income, that is very generous of you. But, unlike bell staff or waitstaff, where tipping is "expected," and they are paid below minimum wage and dependant on tips to make anything approaching a decent income, it is not expected that you tip the housekeeping staff.

[Eyore4Ever149]

I know tipping is a sensitive topic, I think we all agree on that. I feel like the person who wrote "that" post didnt actually read the whole chain, and would have known no one is joking.

I came from a "well bred" family I suppose and my father never tipped. I worked for a large hotel in TX, where I was doing a training program. I spent 3 weeks cleaning tile with a toothbrush, or making beds, washing windows, folding someone's pj's neatly for their return, folding TP into a triangle, making sure the roll faced down, made fancy folded wash clothes, laid out bathrobes, you name it...oh and while off topic I have to add...women are the worst! :tongue:

My point, if I got a tip, hey cool, but if not, I didn't have time to think about it. One man gave a woman I was working with and me a single red rose (he was in the room while I was there) I thought that was so awesome!

I got one folded bunny our first night, I tipped like crazy right in front of the bunny all weekend and never got another animal. bummer.

If you cant afford to tip, then dont, if you have 4 quarters in your pocket, go ahead, maybe you will get the second bunny I was waiting for.:wave:

Im thinking of asking my own budget questions in a new thread....