help on a budget!!!!

[jensosa]

I'm new to this board and I'm becoming obssessed with everyones advice. Trying to plan a trip to Dw dec. 2001. Dh says $3000 too much and i dont'want to spend that much. The plan is to drive from ma stop one night each way pack a cooler and renting at HIFS but i'm looking for the best possible deal. We want to stay 7 nights but it looks like we might have to stay only 5. We plan on only eating out for late lunches eating bf at hi free buffet kids under 12 eat free and maybe ice cream at the park bringing our own bottled watter and get a locker with other goodies. any and all advice will be appreciated thank you in advance our budget is about 2500.

[disneyorbust]

I'm sorry to say that it will be tough. $2500.00 seems about right, although I don't know how much the hotel is or how many park tix you need. I too am driving from MA (to try to save money)and just figured out how much it will cost with gas, tolls, hotel stop-over. There are plenty of ways to save on the small things but you can't get past the tickets, hotel and travel. It's just not a cheap vacation. I'm sure you'll get some other tips about saving pennies while you're down there - dinner coupons, grocery shopping, etc. which all help.

[jensosa]

the problem is the tickets wondering if i should by the 4 day hopper or do a 1 day and do the second and third day $10 off a day its a savings of about 15 per ticket for 5 people my oldest is 11 and i have to buy a adult pass for her. I found a great rate for the hifs on the DIS hotel ressies but havent confirmed still searching if it gets down to the last min i'll give priceline a shot. i'll also plan on going to west palm for 2 nights it's were i grew up and have some fam their. My parents have a place their so its free, that will be our r&r. lisa

[Lewisc]

If you use Priceline you'll have to bid on 2 rooms and have no guarantee of a free breakfast. Take that into account when/if you decide how much to bid.
There are other suite hotels that offer breakfast. Some of the older hotels (check the reservation service on this board) might be less expensive than HIFS.

[Chesdan]

I thought I saw that HIFS was running a special during the summer to give you one night free if you booked 5. Check out their website. I think the oneday add a bonus day on before leaving the park may be history. If you are a AAA member I think a 4 day hopper is 196.10 and that includes the tax. You need to purchase the pass at your local AAA office. Vistana resort is always offering specials. I just got one in the mail for a three night four day plus 2 universal 2 day passes for $179. The catch is you have to listen to the sales pitch for 90 minutes. You can add on extra days. There is a special going on that is $49 a night at the All Star resorts. That is pretty cheap. I would pack a toaster and hit the Publix and try and eat a few meals out of the parks. I think if you try you can do it. The least I have ever spent was $2700. I usually stay at hotels that cost alot more than $49 a night. I think you can I think you can. Good Luck.

[Drake]

Jensosa
Did you say that you were going in December? What part of December? If it's not the Holiday season you might be able to get a good price on a Fort Wilderness Cabin or home. With our family of 5 it saved us a fortune in the long run. It has a kitchen, so we ate breakfast there everyday (this also saved time....while some ate the others got ready for the day.) We would also stop back during the day from the parks for a sandwich,a rest or snacks. I took some food with us from home (frozen spagetti sauce/pasta, cereal,snacks for the park, bottled water/juices, etc.) Since you're driving you can buy your food on sale at home and bring it with you. Once you're there you can run to the food store (minutes away) for anything you forgot.
I think the cabins are just as nice as hotel rooms, with a bedroom with a double bed and bunks, and a living room with a pull-down bed.
It's also very nice to have so many free things that your children can do - free campfire movies, a small beach, pools,etc. (The laundry is by the pool so you can enjoy yourself while you wash.
There's also a boat to the Magic Kingdom!
A budget tip - get the Park Hopper passes. That way if you don't go to the park every day you still have days left that are good forever. If you are a AAA Member you can get a discount on them. Or, if you join the Disney Club for $39.00 you get a discount on the passes and, sometimes during the year you can get a discount on the rooms at the resorts.
Believe me, the only way we were able to go to WDW was by checking into all the discounts and getting a place to stay with a kitchen.
Good luck! You'll have a wonderful time!

FW - April '96
FW - April '00
FW - November '00
FQ - January '02

[Mic]

Give us more info. How many "adult" tickets(in disneyspeak) will you need, and how many tickets for children? I have 4 children(ok,3 kids, 1 "adult")and I could do it for half that because we all have APs. Your tickets will be the major expense. Plan 1 day to swim/do DD or something else outside of the parks, and decide if you can get by with only 4 day hoppers. The 5-day hoppers cost less per day, but why purchase if you don't need it? After pricing tickets(use Wal-mart on 192, AAA, DC, etc. to save a little $$), search for a better hotel deal. It seems to me that a lot of people will pay $20+ more per night if the hotel serves breakfast, but $20 buys a lot of milk and cereal! I will pay a little more for 2 connecting rooms (with 2 bathrooms!)before I pay more for breakfast. Also, I recently paid less for 2 rooms at ASMu than 2 rooms at Fairfield Inn, so check for discounts onsite as well. I think it can be done, but will require a little more planning! Good luck!

[Floundering Crab]

Whatever you do, don't read Penjo's trip report!

[curlyjbs]

LOL LOL LOL
good one Floundering crab!
:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

http://www.wdwinfo.com/sites/routemandan/RAtimontrans.gif <font Color =FF0000>HIFS 10/01
<marquee direction ="right" align="middle" behavior="alternate">can't wait, can't wait, CAN'T WAIT!!</marquee>

<font face="comic sans MS">"It's disney, it's crowded. Get over it!"</font>
I just love this little waving guyhttp://www.wdwinfo.com/sites/family/wavey.GIF

[jensosa]

I'm still in the planing stages and havent confirmed any thing . I would like to stay in the park at fw i would'nt know that these codes existed or that dw discounted hotel rooms. were i work they used to give us mkc for free now we have to pay 29.99 $10 off the price. I know i have alot of researching to do and the Vistana time share thing sounds good to me if it means we can have a great vaca without breaking the bank. Reading about someone elses huge cash flow for a vaca is fine with me i'm up for the challenge and i hope maybe i'm teaching the kids something valuable. I have been to dw 4 times when i was a kid since we were florida residents and i still remember the magic and want to see it trough my kids, now that is happiness even if it is only for a microsecond, with 3 kids 11, 9, 7, we all know how it is. has any body gone to i think its mary's web site and signed up for the emails to earn points and gift certs to use on hotels and such. thanks for the info this is truley a great site my dh is laughing at me every time i go near the puter and is exuasted listening to me!!!!

[jensosa]

I'm still in the planing stages and havent confirmed any thing . I would like to stay in the park at fw i would'nt know that these codes existed or that dw discounted hotel rooms. were i work they used to give us mkc for free now we have to pay 29.99 $10 off the price. I know i have alot of researching to do and the Vistana time share thing sounds good to me if it means we can have a great vaca without breaking the bank. Reading about someone elses huge cash flow for a vaca is fine with me i'm up for the challenge and i hope maybe i'm teaching the kids something valuable. I have been to dw 4 times when i was a kid since we were florida residents and i still remember the magic and want to see it trough my kids, now that is happiness even if it is only for a microsecond, with 3 kids 11, 9, 7, we all know how it is. has any body gone to i think its mary's web site and signed up for the emails to earn points and gift certs to use on hotels and such. thanks for the info this is truley a great site my dh is laughing at me every time i go near the puter and is exuasted listening to me!!!! :)

[pats]

Jenjosa, did you ever consider renting a home. We went through vrbo.com and got a 4 bedroom with a pool for $550 a week in august. there are a lot of home on there with full kitchens. Also if you have your heart set on hifs, i found that valuetrips.com had the best rates i saw. check them out.

[wmackleit]

WOW I am so glad that I am not alone. We too are planning a trip in Dec. the 4 to 14th. I have am always on the computer trying to find the best deals. We can afford to go however I do it, but why pay more if you don't have to. I am very cheap that way, I always want to get the best deal possible I definitely do my homework. Friday night I was online until 4am, I never do that... and then I was up at 7:30 ready to go....I mean I had to check my email. and the boards.
Anyway, I saved my first $10 on Monday when I joined the Disney Club, I was very excited. I also have checked with dreamsunlimited and they have come up with a very good price for 10 nights. It is about $1100, I also have found HIFS for $89 a night.
We have never been before so when I started all of this my first thought was to go to my travel agent and let her take care of it. Boy am I glad I didn't.
Gotta go my husband is home!!!
let me know if we can exchange any info.
Thanks and see ya in DEC
I can't wait!!!!!

[dmfuru]

Try looking on the rewards board. There are lots of time between now and December to click. You will know what I am talking about when you read a few posts on the rewards board!

[jensosa]

pats i have considered a house that is what dh wants to do and i'm in favor of it and no i don't have my heart set on it hifs i found on dreams unlimited.com fortwilderness for 399 for the week i thought it was a typo when i called the cro asked me if i had to stay on sight then stated the were booked all of dec. my plan is to go dec.1-8 or dec.15-22 but am open for the whole month. the week of labor day with the discounts at the moderates sounded good my kids are not going back until sept. 10 this year so i am flexible sept is just to hot i havent forgotten!!!! It would be a bad hair day every day . " If mama aint happy ain't nobody happy" So macleit if you want i'll keep you posted and please do the same. So off to the rewards i go because this is gonna work or else i'ma gonna apouta

[roadtripper]

We have 2 kids-- 5 and 7, and we are driving to Disney next year from MA, too! One way that we save money is by leaving at 4 in the afternoon and driving straight through the night. It sounds crazy, but we stop for dinner around 8 or 9 in NJ, and then the kids usually sleep til South Carolina at about 7 in the morning. When they wake up, they're only a few hours from Florida, and a few more to Disney! It takes about 22 hours to drive. The first day, we crash by the pool, bed early, and we're ready to hit the parks the next day! I can't get HIFS for less than 110/ night, though-- would love some info on your rate. We are reserved at Quality Suites for 89/ night.Good luck-- it can be done!

[wmackleit]

I found the HIFS for $86 a night at floridaherewecome.com. Has anyone used this site? I also found the Swan/Dolphin for $155 a night with my entertainment card, it is tempting but it ends up being twice as much. DXL I said was $1100 well I got my email today and they forgot to quote me the price with a daybed for $15 more a night. Now we are up to $1300 for 10 nights. It just seems like a lot. I am hoping for some specials to come up. :) <IMG WIDTH="15" HEIGHT="15" SRC="/infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif" alt="razz"> <IMG WIDTH="15" HEIGHT="15" SRC="/infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif" alt="razz"> :)

[tink2dw]

HIFS has a buy one night get one night coupon[pay for 3nites get 3 n.FREE] that will be good in early Dec. the coupon will cut your hotel bill in half. You can find it at the
http://www.basshotels.com/holiday-inn?_template=res.html&_innCode=DISFS
you can also join the Priority club for free and that will give you early check in and late check out

good luck!!!

http://members.aol.com/DisneyNnut/tink.gif

[This message was edited by tink2dw on 03-22-01 at 04:08 PM.]

[This message was edited by tink2dw on 03-22-01 at 04:10 PM.]

[wmackleit]

Where is the coupon. I went to that site and I did not find it. Can you please help me. I have heard of this deal and was hoping to find it, but I do not see it.

Thanks

[lcmtam86]

yes please tell us where to find that buy one get one nite coupon. all over that site and I can't seem to find out where they're hiding it. also is it available in November? HELP???

[jensosa]

I also went to the site and could not find it so i looked up the 1-800# on line and used the code DISFS and they at first acted like they didn't know what I was talkinking about b/c he asked me if i was planning on booking at that time and said probally as long as I get the rate and i got it but....... DH was cooperating so back to the drawing board. I did find the Vistana which is a beautiful resort with a full kitchen a 1 br w/pullout for $99 a night and the 2B/$139 sleeps 8i think it was expedia.com I know a few who have stayed there and give 2 thumbs up. On my way to Floridaherewecome.com!!!!!hifs 1-800-238-8000
lisa

[wmackleit]

I have been looking all over for the buy 3 nights get 3 nights free coupon. I even called and no one knows anything about it. If someone can tell me where to find it I really really like it. I did talk to a supervisor at HIFS and asked her if she knew anything about floridaherewecome.com and she looked it up for me and said yes that it was a company that they did business with. She could was shocked that they were offering the rate of $86 per night. She would not match it but said if she were me she would book that rate.

buy 3 get 3 free would still be better iiffff I could find it.
:mad: :(

[jensosa]

thank you for the info on hifs=DISFS
lisa

[jensosa]

thank you for the info on hifs=DISFS
lisa :D :D :D <IMG WIDTH="15" HEIGHT="15" SRC="/infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif" alt="razz">

[wmackleit]

I spent hours today trying to find the discount for HIFS. If someone would please let me in on the special code or coupon I would LOVE IT!!!

wmackleit@hotmail.com


Thank you <IMG SRC="/infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif" alt="confused">

[wmackleit]

OKAY, I can not find the buy 3 nights and get 3 free. Can someone please help me?
email: wmackleit@hotmail.com
I think that I am going to book the Dolphin for the $129 rate. As far as I can tell it looks like it is a nice resort, and the price seems pretty comparable to the discounted rate that I was getting at DXL. However, the buy 3 get 3 free would be soooooo much better.

See ya in December, I hope!!!

[leebee]

Lots of good sites can help you cut your hotel bill. In addition to the ones you've seen listed here, try hotelkingdom.com and travelweb.com. There is a great deal at Star Island (I think, check hotelkingdom) for a 2 br villa w/sleepersofa for $41/nite, up to 5 nites, add on nights available. Remember that, according to Florida law, if you stay at a place with a timeshare pitch, you are only required to stay for as long as they say the sales talk should take- many quote a "90 minute minutes", so as long as you stay the full 90 minutes, they can't charge you any more for your accomodation than originally agreed upon. HOwever, although most timeshare pitches offer preety wonderful accomodations, there are lots of places to stay that are cheap, without the hassle. Try Comfort Suites Maingate East. It was terrific, we had a separated room suite (wall between the two rooms is a waist high wall on either side with an open archway) with 2 queen beds in the bedroom, full sized sleeper sofa in the living area, waist-high fridge, microwave and coffeemaker, large bathroom, free deluxe continental b'fast, good pools, etc. It was $58/nite in January 2001 thru www.choicehotels.com (http://www.choicehotels.com), was $55/nite thru www.travelscape.com (http://www.travelscape.com) (but they have a funny, per nite ressie charge that is refunded if you actually stay at the property). It is very near WDW, was very clean, convenient, etc. You might also want to consider a villa or house. vrbo.com seems to be a great deal (check the Orlando hotels board for reports/opinions). We also had very good luck at ************* (www.******************), the 2 br would probably be fine as the living room has 2 very comfy sleeper sofas. We put the kids into bedrooms and adults slept in the livingroom and it was fins. These were truly great, full kitchens, washer/dryer in the villa etc. In Oct. 1999 the 2 br was $89/nite. Good luck! I can usually take my DD and myself to WDW for 4-7 days, incl. Priceline airfare and PH passes, for about $1500, which includes a character meal or two, fast food lunch in the parks, and minor souveniers ($3 washclothe, tatoos, etc.). Also for a first trip, I'd recommend 4 day parkhoppers, go to one park a day, and if you finish early or the park gets too crowded, hop to a different park. Remember, youwon't see everything in one, first trip (unless you spend like two days in each park), but you'll go back again! Honest!

[smarro]

I got a rate of $54.00 by calling directly and asking for the entertainment rate. This is for a large one bedroom with a pull out couch, and I believe you can get a roll away bed. It is condominium style but has maid service unlike renting a house. The full kitchen and washer and dryer should save you some money. Do a search of the boards for more info and just type in "Oak Plantation, Orlando" in your browser to get to the website (don't have time to find it now for you, Sorry). We are planning on eating two meals a day in and one out which should save money. Have a great trip.

smarro

[preb]

I'm also looking for January...I know they had the B1G1F in 2001, but I can't find anything on the link you posted, either! Help!