Teach me to be a cheapskate

[karenbtx]

I read a great thread once about the best cheapskate things ever seen at disney. For example a family brought a loaf of bread into the park. They bought a turkey leg and made sandwiches for four.

My family is going June 6-13 and staying at CSR. There are 4 of us DH and twin DS's (7). This is our second trip to WDW so we know our way around somewhat. One of my sons only eats hotdogs so we already plan to have groceries delivered by wegoshop.com and bring hotdogs into the parks with us.

I'm not really a cheapskate but I want to be one. Any and all nice suggestions are welcome. :confused3

June 2004 Land/Sea POR/Wonder
June 2005 CSR

[stahshee]

ok i am a mom of 4 i have some cheep rules :teacher:
1. always have the children share drinks or get water
2. split food up between all of you. order pasta you get more for your money
3 bring some snacks into the park
4. bring sandwhich baggies to store your left overs
4. bring lunchables to the park or vienna sausage and place that on bread and use ketchup. :rotfl:
5 get free sample from laundry soap companys to bring on your trip.
6 do not buy pool toys at the hotel buy them at walmart and bring them with you
:bounce: :cheer2:

[MEM]

I read a great thread once about the best cheapskate things ever seen at disney. For example a family brought a loaf of bread into the park. They bought a turkey leg and made sandwiches for four.

My family is going June 6-13 and staying at CSR. There are 4 of us DH and twin DS's (7). This is our second trip to WDW so we know our way around somewhat. One of my sons only eats hotdogs so we already plan to have groceries delivered by wegoshop.com and bring hotdogs into the parks with us.

I'm not really a cheapskate but I want to be one. Any and all nice suggestions are welcome. :confused3

June 2004 Land/Sea POR/Wonder
June 2005 CSR

Are you talking about being more careful with money in your everyday life or just while at WDW? I would start by referring to yourself as "a frugal person" rather than "a cheapskate" which in my opinion has negative connotations.
I think of frugality as a game -- how much can I get for my money? Finding a great deal on something my family needs is very satisfying -- just this past weekend I hit a yardsale in which a teenager was selling her outgrown clothes for 25cents each. I purchased 6 nearly new sweaters for my daughter for next winter as well as a knit boa-type scarf for me, also for a quarter. I do not let my frugality make my family or friends uncomfortable which in my mind makes me "frugal" and not "cheap."

If you are talking about being frugal only while at the World, I have dozens of ideas I can share. I suggest you first try a search on this forum. Many of us are frugal in our day-to-day life so that we can let loose alittle while on vacation and also afford to take a vacation in the first place!

[karenbtx]

I want to hear great ideas for Disney. I hate it when I could have gotten something cheaper or for free and I didn't know about it. I like the word Cheapskate. It's sort of a status symbol in my neighborhood.

[dzneelvr]

We use our Disney Visa to build Reward Dollars that can be spent almost anywhere around WDW. It's not a "cheap" idea, but it is money that you are getting free for purchases you'd be making anyway. Also, check out the discounts for resorts up until you leave. We saved over $400 last trip on our room by getting a discount code and revising our original ressie (never cancel and re-do; always revise). That's a better deal than eating turkey legs and bread!!!!! :rotfl: Annual Passes are good for long trips even if you only go once a year. We get additional discounts off meals and purchases, so again, free money. I call it being smart :earsgirl: :earsboy: :earsboy: :earsgirl:

[karenbtx]

How do I find out about discount codes for my resort? I don't really care that much about saving money as I want to hear funny disney cheapskate ideas.

[momoftwins]

You did not say whether you were staying on a package or got one of those great PIN codes. If you did not get either and you have AAA, reprice your trip with Disney asking for a AAA discount. (If you did not get a PIN, some people are reporting they are getting them by asking if there is one under their name when they call).

We go at least every year, so we are buying 10 day hopper passes with no expiry and will get more than one trip out of them. We always needs to have down days so this works for us.

We always bring water into the parks. Waters are $1.25 ea for the smaller bottles, and I think $2.50 for the larger bottles. We always bring snacks. My twins are always hungry from all of the walking. As another OP suggested, we share food also. There are some very reasonable stands that sell fruit that is yummy.

Although it is nice to buy a few souvies in the parks, bring some with you that you can get on sale locally. My kids didn't care or know the difference.

Have fun planning.

[karenbtx]

We are on a package. MYW parkhopper. I'm going to try asking for a PIN. I'll post when I get an answer.

Thanks for the suggestions. Keep them coming.

[DisneycrazedX6]

When we go to a buffet,I usually bring ziplock baggies for "some laters". Usually I just get candy,cereal,maybe an apple or banana. Last time though...we went to The Trailside Buffet and I took some Fried Chix. My three year old daughter loved it so much,I just had to take some for her. :earsboy: :earsgirl: :earsboy: :earsgirl: :earsgirl: :earsgirl:

[christinou]

Bring breakfast with you and eat breakfast in your room, I usually bring a couple of boxes of cereal, and just buy a quart of milk, then I just bring some plastic disposable bowls and voila insta breakfast that can be eaten at leisure.....
Buy the refillable mugs at the resort.

[ryanmilla]

We use our Disney Visa to build Reward Dollars that can be spent almost anywhere around WDW. It's not a "cheap" idea, but it is money that you are getting free for purchases you'd be making anyway.

Depending on your mortgage company you might be able to make your mortgage payments with your Disney Visa. Then just send your normal mortgage payment to the Visa card rather than your mortgage company. That is a quick way to rack up reward dollars. We are in the process of refinancing and I am definitely doing that. Hopefully, for our March trip we will have a bit saved up.

[TNKBELL]

Depending on your mortgage company you might be able to make your mortgage payments with your Disney Visa. Then just send your normal mortgage payment to the Visa card rather than your mortgage company. That is a quick way to rack up reward dollars. We are in the process of refinancing and I am definitely doing that. Hopefully, for our March trip we will have a bit saved up.
Now that is a great idea!!!!!!!! :earseek: I have been putting off getting another credit card but now I may just have too!!! :bitelip:

[buzz2400]

Some ways to save money at disney:
if have car, go to walmart or food store and buy soda and snacks.
bring snacks into the park.
all counter service will give you free ice water.
if you go to ak, buy the meal plan where you get a meal and soda, plus coupons to later buy ice cream/popcorn and another soda.
if don't have access to car, buy the refillable mugs at resorts.
if you have kids, buy a noodle for the pool at walmart. only about $1 and gives them hours of enjoyment.

[pjlla]

When we go to a buffet,I usually bring ziplock baggies for "some laters". Usually I just get candy,cereal,maybe an apple or banana. Last time though...we went to The Trailside Buffet and I took some Fried Chix. My three year old daughter loved it so much,I just had to take some for her. :earsboy: :earsgirl: :earsboy: :earsgirl: :earsgirl: :earsgirl:

Just a warning... you may be flamed for admitting this. I am not going to give you a hard time because heaven knows I am far from perfect.... but lots of people will feel free to flame you heavily for admitting to "stealing" from the buffet...............P

[CheapMom]

I think you may find that it is pretty hard to pay your mortgage with a CC. Many won't take CCs and others that do charge a fee. If there are any banks that take CCs as mortgage payment- I would love to know which ones do this. (If I ever refinance I would consider this for the rewards)

[flagdaytwins]

To me, a cheapskate is someone who is staying off-site but parks at a resort and takes Disney transportation to the parks.....to save a whole $8 (nevermind violate a few rules!).

Being frugal to me is the same as being money smart -- why would you spend $2.50 on a 99 cent bag of chips at Disney???? Well...that would be when you forgot to pack snacks of course! It was tough to carry around all our snacks and water.....but we saved some $$.

[karenbtx]

To me, a cheapskate is someone who is staying off-site but parks at a resort and takes Disney transportation to the parks.....to save a whole $8 (nevermind violate a few rules!).

Being frugal to me is the same as being money smart -- why would you spend $2.50 on a 99 cent bag of chips at Disney???? Well...that would be when you forgot to pack snacks of course! It was tough to carry around all our snacks and water.....but we saved some $$.


Ok based on that definition I guess I don't really want to be a cheapskate. I have gotten a few really good ideas. I don't want to break any rules but still get something cheap or free. I do admit that I take my own sodas into the movie so you know I'm bring them into the parks. More ideas are welcome. We leave June 5th.

[flagdaytwins]

Definately bring your own sodas and snacks....

I didn't see if you had kids -- toddlers -- ours like the individual fruit cups that Dole makes. They are easy to pack and loaded with sugar (a treat for my kids)....no need to refrigerate -- and they give my kids the energy they need to make it thru the day.

We bought all of our souvenirs at Wal-Mart down there in Kissimee....I felt so embarassed...but I saved some $$. They don't sell mouse ears tho -- plan accordingly!

I'm a stay at home mom so every penny counts!

[barb45]

I agree with the meal sharing and breakfast in the room. Even though we flew in last time I had brought a box of cereal in my luggage. Every night (we didn't have a fridge in our room) my 15 year old son ran down to the food court and bought milk which I put in the ice bucket over night. And there's breakfast! We also learned the hard way (it was just the 2 of us that trip) that we could share meals. Even though the waitress that we asked said that the meals weren't that big - they were! We only ate half of our food each - which means we could have ordered one entree and shared it thus making it half the price. One day we went to Disney Quest and weren't feeling to hungry. I decided to order just a Caesar Salad and my son had "just" nachos. When we were totally stuffed it didn't even look like we had touched our food. It felt a shame to throw it out but you can't keep food like that from going bad. Next time we will definitely share. Have fun with this.

Oh - here's a funny one for you (no flames please). We had to go into Orlando one day (when my husband was with us) to find a new bathing suit. While I went into the discount souvie store my husband started to chat it up with the guy at the "discount ticket booth". Since it was around lunch time and they were offering us $100.00 and free lunch buffet to look at a time share we took them up on the offer. After the tour we said no, took our money and our full bellies back to WDW.

[karenbtx]

Since it was around lunch time and they were offering us $100.00 and free lunch buffet to look at a time share we took them up on the offer. After the tour we said no, took our money and our full bellies back to WDW.

I don't think that is terrible at all especially at meal time. $100 and lunch is good for those things. Usually they want to give you some cheesy carriage ride. Thanks for the meal ideas.

[LeoGrrrrl1982]

Probably the best advice is to share meals. The only thing in disney i would say isnt huge is the burgers....but with those you can always buy a double burger, an extra bun for under a buck and voila two burgers!
ON our first trip my fiancee (who is a self proclaimed gluton) wouldnt go for the sharing meals thing. As a result we not only wasted food but because we were full from a large meal we didnt have room for any treats like dole whips or bakery goods at epcot.
It took some convincing but he gradually came over to the disboard dark side :rotfl:
I started him out first by sharing a large drink (saves about 2 bucks!) then we moved onto bigger and better things...sharing one of the huge sandwiches at plaza restaurant and supplementing by ordering extra potato salad (and we finally got to try a dole whip lol..yummy)

[summerrluvv]

Our last trip we didn't spend much on food at all. DS and I usually split meals, or we both got kids meals. We ate breakfast in the room most days and packed juice and water to take to the park along with a small snack.

How do you plan on packing hot dogs to eat in the park? Hot Dogs should be heated thoroughly (not eaten cold), so what are you going to warm them with?

[CheapMom]

Breakfast in the room saves more than $$- It can save you a ton of time. The food court in the morning can be a complete zoo. I am packing cereal and plastic bowls for our next trip.
Here is some good budget advice: BE PREPARED- there is nothing worse than checking in and then realizing- 'I forgot my bathing suit' or 'we need baby tylenol' ... You will end up paying big time.
Also do your homework for the best price on tickets, lodging, airfare...
Going to the outlets (like Belz) for souveniers saves a lot of money but it takes up time so you have to decide which is more important to you- saving $ or time. I usually hit the outlets- they are great.
I take in snacks and always carry water bottles into the parks. I eat kids meals and we share meals. I give the kids a certain number of DisDollars they can spend as they wish- and then that is it.

[Muushka]

Snip...
How do you plan on packing hot dogs to eat in the park? Hot Dogs should be heated thoroughly (not eaten cold), so what are you going to warm them with?

OK. I have always wondered about this. I thought that a hot dog was similar to bologna, which is eaten raw. That is probably wrong! :confused3
Anyone??

[barb45]

Yeah - that hotdog thing is kind of scarey. So is the idea about having baggies for the left overs. You usually aren't taking the left overs straight back to a fridge and I don't think food poisoning is a great idea! It's not worth ruining a vacation over a few dollars.

[stahshee]

hey my friend just had a great idea. buy the frozen juice from concentrate and freeze it b4 your trip. bring a cooler on the plane and fill it with lunch meat bread and mayo and use the frozen drinks as ice. when you get to the hotel make the drinks. then later fill it in a water bottle and bring it to wdw. sounds good to me. it saves money space and keeps things cold!

[karenbtx]

How do you plan on packing hot dogs to eat in the park? Hot Dogs should be heated thoroughly (not eaten cold), so what are you going to warm them with?

Hot dogs are fully cooked. My kids will eat them any way. I did discover a way to cook them though. Use hot water from the coffee pot and pour it over the weiners in a small microwaveable bowl for about 5 minutes. Put them on the bun and put that in a ziploc. I will be carrying an insulated lunch box with a shoulder strap that I got at the supermarket for $5. They probably won't be hot but they should stay warm for a few hours. We are staying at the CSR so we will have a refrigerator. I'm having groceries delivered our first day.

My kids don't care if the hot dog is carried in or bought fresh as long as it's a hotdog. I just can't see paying $3 a pop.

[summerrluvv]

Hot dogs are fully cooked. My kids will eat them any way.




Then why do the packages say "heat thouroughly"? :confused3

[mum4jenn]

Hot dogs are fully cooked. My kids will eat them any way. I did discover a way to cook them though. Use hot water from the coffee pot and pour it over the weiners in a small microwaveable bowl for about 5 minutes. Put them on the bun and put that in a ziploc. I will be carrying an insulated lunch box with a shoulder strap that I got at the supermarket for $5. They probably won't be hot but they should stay warm for a few hours. We are staying at the CSR so we will have a refrigerator. I'm having groceries delivered our first day.

My kids don't care if the hot dog is carried in or bought fresh as long as it's a hotdog. I just can't see paying $3 a pop.

While hot dogs are fully cooked they should still be heated again because there is a good possibility of getting listeria from them.That is a form of food poisoning.Also any food that is in the danger zone for too long of a time is just growing bacteria by the millions by the seconds!!(The "danger zone" is temps between 41 and 140) IF you still want to take a chance on hot dogs then you would be better off getting the individually wrapped ones and putting them in a cooler.I think just a few months ago there was a national recall of some hotdogs because of listeria and someone either got really really sick from them or else they died. BTW...I am a school lunchroom manager so I take these things very seriously.

[Taja]

I'm with the poster who considers "cheapskate" to have negative connotations. When I was young, the term was applied to people who got out of paying for things--going to lunch with a group and never having money, that sort of thing.

Frugality, on the other hand, is ensuring the best value for money or energy spent--without harming others! :)

So I consider myself frugal rather than cheap. I pack a soft-sided cooler for bottled water and milk (six or twelve can size, for one or two people), purchase breakfast supplies to eat in the room, package snacks in snack size zip-top bags to take into the parks (usually just one per day), take my initial bottle of water into the park with me, and graze for most meals. It's harder at WDW than most places, but usually I can order a side salad and eat some crackers and/or carrots from my snack bag (counter service only, thank you!).

I usually have an actual lunch or dinner every second or third day, taking leftovers to my room and tucking them into the cooler (lots of fresh ice changed frequently) and reheating them in the food court microwave. Most individual portions in full-service WDW restaurants are two or three meals for me--can't eat that much food at one time and my frugal soul abhors throwing it out!

In cold weather, I will pack my hot pot and make instant mashed potatoes (the instant soups are too salty for me), but that's the closest I'll come to "cooking" in my room! And the hot pot never is left unattended!

Beyond that, frugality is knowing and adhering to my budget. If I can't afford it, I don't buy it. I don't whine about it. I don't talk about it. Sharing frugal budget tips on the boards doesn't count--that's why we're here! But in the parks or daily life, it's much easier to just accept things that can't be changed--or work quietly to change them! :)

[grlpwrd]

While hot dogs are fully cooked they should still be heated again because there is a good possibility of getting listeria from them.That is a form of food poisoning.Also any food that is in the danger zone for too long of a time is just growing bacteria by the millions by the seconds!!(The "danger zone" is temps between 41 and 140) IF you still want to take a chance on hot dogs then you would be better off getting the individually wrapped ones and putting them in a cooler.I think just a few months ago there was a national recall of some hotdogs because of listeria and someone either got really really sick from them or else they died. BTW...I am a school lunchroom manager so I take these things very seriously.

You REALLY know your stuff! :worship:

According to the FDA: Food Safety Guidelines
The same general food safety guidelines apply to hot dogs as to all perishable products -- "Keep them Hot, Keep them Cold, Keep them Clean." Although all hot dogs are fully cooked, you should reheat them and make sure they are steamy hot throughout.

Studies have shown a high level of the harmful bacteria listeria on hot dogs. Thus, for added precaution, persons at risk may choose to avoid eating hot dogs or thoroughly reheat them before eating.

When you leave the grocery store with hot dogs, head straight home and refrigerate or freeze them immediately. If there is no product date, hot dogs can be safely stored in the unopened package for 2 weeks in the refrigerator; once opened, only 1 week. For maximum quality, freeze hot dogs no longer than 1 or 2 months. And, of course, never leave hot dogs at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or in the hot summer months when the temperature goes above 90 °F, no more than 1 hour.

REFERENCE: Code of Federal Regulations, Volume 9, Section 319.180

I bolded some important parts about keeping hotdogs warm because one can get ill and the poster did say she was taking it in an insulated lunchbox yet keeping it within a safe temp. zone is so important, especially in summer months.

Really, is it worth the chance of getting food poisoning?

In any case, we eat in our rooms for breakfast, take snacks and drinks, and share meals sometimes, but I won't jeopardize our health just to save a few bucks. That's just me.. ;)

[karenbtx]

Then why do the packages say "heat thouroughly"? :confused3

The package says fully cooked heat and eat. I plan to carry them in my cooler and eat them within a few hours. It's no worse then sending a sandwich to school with your kids in their lunch box for petes sake.

Can I just get some more great ideas for free or cheap stuff. I'm really not a cheapskate and my budget isn't that tight. I just get tired of waiting in line for food and paying $3 for a hotdog.

[summerrluvv]

The package says fully cooked heat and eat. I plan to carry them in my cooler and eat them within a few hours. It's no worse then sending a sandwich to school with your kids in their lunch box for petes sake.



<shrug> "heat" and eat being the keyword here. You are letting kids eat them cold. If you don't care if your kids get Lysteria, then I don't either :confused3

[Praying Colonel]

--Take refillable water bottles in for the whole crew. We used the Brita filter bottles last year, but I've heard they're discontinuing them. You might be able to find them online.

--It's going to rain at some point during the week. Instead of buying the Mickey ponchos in the park, plan for it and go to your local dollar store and stock up--take one each day for each member of your crew. Our Dollar Tree sells them 3/$1. After the rain stops, just ditch them.

--If you're going during the summer, you're going to get hot during the week, too. ;) Instead of buying the fan/water bottle combo in the park, buy a little personal fan at Wal-Mart/Target before you leave. I found them for $1.49 each last year before we left. Helps when you're standing in line.

[barb45]

Instead of trying to save a couple of dollars on hotdogs - why not bring peanut butter sandwiches instead. That's about the only thing (other than non-perishable snacks) that I'll bring along on trips because they don't need to be kept cold. We do breakfast in the room also. I'd like to know what the lunch room manager thinks about keeping leftovers from the restaurants??? I figure because you are at WDW, it's going to be a while before you get back to your room. I guess if I was going straight back (and I had a car) and I had a fridge in my room, I might consider it. I would never keep them in a cooler though because the temp in the cooler is not consistent and you can't be sure it's the right temp. I'm as frugal as it comes so I really hate losing my vacation dollars to illness.

[vanyel]

Instead of buying the fan/water bottle combo in the park, buy a little personal fan at Wal-Mart/Target before you leave. I found them for $1.49 each last year before we left. Helps when you're standing in line.

And here I thought I got a great deal at Walgreen's last night because they were on sale for $4.99 instead of 7.99..

Oh well.

[mickilovesmickey]

A friend of mine told me about the hotdog idea. Only they take them in a thermos with boiling hot water. They figure that they will cook while they are waiting to be eaten. Still makes me kind of nervous. I agree with the fact that getting sick is not worth saving a few dollars. But I have thought about taking in a few of the Smuckers PB&J sandwiches. These are frozen and can thaw throughout the morning. (You don't have to keep them frozen). I have 3 small children and they would rather eat these than hamburgers etc. So I thought that I would bring these for them and then my DH and I would eat at a counter restaurant. Also we always bring water in. We freeze it and then pack the frozen water bottles for the park. This keeps the water cold during the day. And I always pack snacks for the kids. Then if we do get an ice cream or whatever, we will share. The kids are too little to eat them on their own anyway. Plus we get to try more things this way. I am all for being frugal. But frugal so that we can spend money on the things that matter to us. And this differs for everyone. We have WDW with really large budgets and with very small. I still would rather be at WDW even if that means we have to eat in our room more etc.

[mum4jenn]

Instead of trying to save a couple of dollars on hotdogs - why not bring peanut butter sandwiches instead. That's about the only thing (other than non-perishable snacks) that I'll bring along on trips because they don't need to be kept cold. We do breakfast in the room also. I'd like to know what the lunch room manager thinks about keeping leftovers from the restaurants??? I figure because you are at WDW, it's going to be a while before you get back to your room. I guess if I was going straight back (and I had a car) and I had a fridge in my room, I might consider it. I would never keep them in a cooler though because the temp in the cooler is not consistent and you can't be sure it's the right temp. I'm as frugal as it comes so I really hate losing my vacation dollars to illness.

If you are taking leftovers from your meals you should make sure you can get them under refrigeration as soon as possible. Again any time the food is in the temperatures located in the danger zone the bacteria is multiplying so rapidly it would blow your mind to really know how fast!! If someone has a cooler with ICE in it and they bury the food in the ice then it should be ok. If the ice is melted or if someone is not using ice at all but just an insulated cooler then that is NOT enough!! The thing to remember is that if the food is warmer than 41 or cooler than 140 then you are creating a dangerous situation. Add those situations with the HOT summer sun in Florida(anywhere as far as that goes) and you have a situation that is very dangerous. We (at work) have training classes each year to teach us more updated info on food borne illness.If the public knew all the things we have seen in these presentations then we would all probably just eat paper!!! LOL!!! The folks out there that just eat veggies are NOT immune either!!

When we take any food or snacks into the parks we take peanut butter,beef jerky,and those little packs of the cheese that you spread on the crackers, and fresh fruit. Most of the time now though we don't take anything other than fruit because we have so much fun we don't have time to snack!!

When my dd takes a lunch from home she usually takes peanut butter and jelly or some vienna sausages. I put two or three of the frozen ice packs in her box with it also. Once she is old enought to go to my school I will probably keep her lunch in our cooler!!

But even with all the info that has been posted here there are still those that will take their chances with their families health and lives.

[mum4jenn]

A friend of mine told me about the hotdog idea. Only they take them in a thermos with boiling hot water. They figure that they will cook while they are waiting to be eaten. Still makes me kind of nervous.

What your friends don't seem to realize is that once the "boiling hot water" is taken off the stove (or out of whatever they used to make the water boil) it is no longer at the boiling point. It really does not take long for the water to cool down to under 140.So they are NOT "cooking" them at all....they are just sitting in warm water gathering bacteria!! And yes even 135 is still warm to us but it is breeding ground for those pesky bacteria.You have good reason to be nervous about that situation.

[nicknamy1996]

We drive so we don't have to worry about the airplane, but we do a cooler for the room. It's just a playmate cooler, big enough for a gallon of milk(and a bottle of juice or two) Each morning we all have a bowl of cereal and head off to the parks. (with a "sippy cup" of juice for each kid) This usually holds us over until a late lunch/early supper and then we may get a snack later at the park or on the way back to the hotel, but we pretty much do one meal a day at the parks.

Anyway... my point was the first year we packed cereal and milk... but no bowls or spoons! We went to the gift shop and bought a set of 4 plastic bowls for $10 and got spoons from the food court. (we could have just asked for some disposable bowls, but the bowls were nice and we still use them today) So don't forget the no so obvious things, because they can eat in to the money you thought you were saving.

[Vivianne]

I read a great thread once about the best cheapskate things ever seen at disney. For example a family brought a loaf of bread into the park. They bought a turkey leg and made sandwiches for four.

My family is going June 6-13 and staying at CSR. There are 4 of us DH and twin DS's (7). This is our second trip to WDW so we know our way around somewhat. One of my sons only eats hotdogs so we already plan to have groceries delivered by wegoshop.com and bring hotdogs into the parks with us.

I'm not really a cheapskate but I want to be one. Any and all nice suggestions are welcome. :confused3

June 2004 Land/Sea POR/Wonder
June 2005 CSR


This thread is funny. I'm not a cheapsake but deep down inside I have cheapskate inclinations. I always walk away feeling I should have paid less. :rotfl2:

[PamNC]

Well - I'm neither frugal nor a cheapskate. So, maybe you're wondering why I'm on this board...to get ideas from the experts. Just spent my $$ on a CA vacation. I missed FL and Disneyworld so bad I'm trying to squeeze in a vacation from my vacation. If that makes sense.

Anyway - I have one. It's my one frugal tip. Not a big one, but here goes. First of all, if we drive down we always take a cooler and bring our own cokes and water. We just keep filling it up from the ice maker at the resort. That saves a ton alone. But get this stroke of genius for breakfast savings. If you go to the Boardwalk Bakery...there is a yummy coffee cake loaf for about $5.00, maybe even $4.00, I can't remember. Anyway, you can eat breakfast off of the thing for 2-3 days. Provided you don't have any kids, which we don't. We get a couple of small milks and viola! Breakfast.

We also split the tonga toast at the Kona cafe....it's too much for one person to eat anyway.

Okay, sorry, I keep thinking of things. We order kids meals for lunch at the counter service places.

Maybe I'm more frugal than I thought.....hmmmmmm.

PamNC

[Taja]

I'm really strange about using my cooler. I place the ice in zip top bags (easier to clean and replace). One with a thin layer of ice goes on the bottom, and the sides receive the same treatment. Another layer is placed near the center of the cooler (horizontally) and the cooler is topped off with a thicker layer.

The theory is that cold descends. My goal is to maintain the temperature as evenly as possible throughout the cooler. Not perfect, but it seems to work.

I do change the ice at least twice each day--more frequently if I return to my room during the day. Perhaps I'll take a thermometer with me on my next WDW trip (December, 2006) and check the theory! :)

[EthansMom]

We order ice water with lemon instead of soda at sit down restaurants (saves $2 per person per meal). Also, I often order a child's meal for myself at counter service -- lots of food for $3.99. We also share meals, snacks, sodas, desserts, etc. -- there's no food or drink item that anyone in our family won't share.

Also, you can save quite a bit of money by going to the nicer sit-down restaurants at lunch when the prices are cheaper and going to the counter service places for dinner. (That's assuming you like to save money AND eat at nice restaurants.)

We take our own bottled water into the parks and small snacks for the kids.

On my next trip, I'm considering taking Magical Express instead of renting a car, since we're flying and don't plan on doing anything but Disney.

We stay out of the stores until the last day or two and then take the kids to the World of Disney store at DTD and let them pick out one toy in the $25-$30 range. For DH and I, we just get a t-shirt or sweatshirt, if we see one we like. On our last trip, the kids each spent no more than $25 on their toys and DH and I couldn't find a t-shirt either one of us liked, so we spent less than $50 on souvenirs.

We don't buy stuff just to have stuff -- that's a true mark of someone who is frugal.

[gdulaney]

Hi Karen,

I don't have an opinion on the "Great Hotdog Debate", althought I love a good chili-cheese dog. :) I love saving money and stretching it to get the most for my money. It rubs off too. My hubby can now spot a clearance sticker at 20 paces.

We use a Disney Visa and AMEX. Currently I have a pretty good promotion on my Disney Visa, so we put just about everything on it. For the folks who suggested paying their mortgage.... most banks don't accept credit cards for mortgage pmts. I asked why and was told it for a couple of reasons, one being the chargeback rights associated with credit cards. If your bank or mortgage lender accepts credit cards, this would be an excellent way to build rewards. That said...you'd be surprised what you CAN pay using plastic. Taxes (if you owe), car tag, cell phone bill, groceries, pet food, etc. Heck we used our Disney Visa to pay off our DVC contract, then wrote an Access 3 (equity line) check to pay off the Disney Visa in full (so we didn't owe interest on the credit card). If a company takes plastic, they get it. Then we pay off the credit card in full every month. This takes fortitude, because if you use the money and can't pay the card off.....you could end up owing interest, etc.

We do test drives, surveys, have yard sales, etc. I also hang out on the DIS Rewards Board (lots of tips for freebies and online points). You'd be surprised at how quickly you can save up 'points' for redemption. We usually redeem out points for either gas gift cards (helps alot with those high prices at the pump) or restaurant gift cards. When we were on vacation last year, my hubby and I ate at Bahama Breeze twice and after the gift cards we owed less than $20 total (and we each had several frothy drinks).

We also try to fit in at least one timeshare presentation. I mean, shucks, if somebody wants to pay me (or give me tickets to a show or park) and feed me....why should I say no? Well....at the end, it's all about being able to know that all you can and will say is NO (no matter what tactic they try and trust me, as a veteran, we've seen and heard most of the tactics).

Oh, and we use coupons for almost everything (especially groceries). There are tons of sites that will give you tips for saving using coupons. I even take my coupons on vacation (you never know...). One morning last year we wanted to eat a nice breakfast (you know the IHOP type vs cereal). I had a coupon for buy 1, get 1 free at IHOP. YUM!!! We both had a wonderful breakfast for next to nothing.

For cheap Disney World souvies...check out the Character Outlets in Orlando (one is at the Orlando Premium Outlet Mall and the other is at the Beltz Factory Outlet Mall) or the horribly busy Wal-Mart. The big Wal-Mart has an entire section of Florida and Disney stuff. Tees, sleep pants, cute stuff, cheesy stuff...it's a huge selection of Wal-Mart priced souvies.

Hope some of these tips help. This is a great thread. I always learn so much from fellow frugal folks.

Good luck!! :wave2:
Ginny

[hsmamato2]

:flower: I understand about the hotdog thing, they are cheap and easy to carry for picnics, I do it all the time for my kids. But... I am leery of germs, etc. so here's what we do, I always cook them in boiling water first,coffeemaker would work-then when they're hot- take them out, refrig(or ice) for 5-10 mins.- then I slice them, put them in a small ziploc brand hard conatiner, put ketchup in another small container,,or in parks, just get some from any cs restaurant,they're free.- They've been cooked, they've been chilled, and I keep them in insulated bag with bit of a chiller thingy till we eat them-carry a few toothpicks so the kids each have their own "utensil" also cube some cheddar and carrots, and there's lunch! This is also a way to carry a lot of food in a little space, I've had friends who can't believe the kids are full from such a small lunchbox setup! Have fun on your trip- sometimes the hotdogs in the parks get close $5 each! :earseek:

[Dory's Twin]

The Great Hot Dog Debate....interesting topic....If your kids eat them cold, why can't you cook them fully in your room, package them up, put them in a cooler, eat them cold in the park...sound like a bologna sandwich to me....or a cheese sandwich, or salami , etc......they have so many preservatives, etc....

My DH is a food safety NUT so I have to be ultra careful, but I would do the hotdog thing if my kids would eat a cold dog....

have fun and let us know how you did it..


Also, how is a hotdog hot in a thermos different than the soup I send to school....?

[VSL]

I'm wondering about the food-sharing thing..

I'm not entirely sure about my bf's plans, but my plan is to take enough money for food only. I'll be getting more off my parents (as I'm going for my 21st birthday), but as long as I've got enough for food, I'll be happy (park tickets, etc. are already booked - and one meal at Planet Hollywood for my birthday). I imagine he'll do something similar (but probably take a bit more money).

I did look into the whole DDP thing, but we decided that it wasn't for us - we didn't like the idea paying $35/day for food when we might end up wanting/spending completely differently! (next time it may be different, but we weren't risking it this time as it could have worked out more expensive if we don't use every meal). I also didn't like the idea of tying myself into having a set number of meals/snacks/counter-service meals for the holiday (besides which, we love Planet Hollywood and Rainforest Cafe, which aren't included in the DDP).
We might end up wanting to eat lots of table-service and snacks, with no counter-service!
I'm planning on taking enough for approx. $42.50/day (for me - I'm encouraging Jay to do the same for food!).

Anyway... previous posters have mentioned sharing meals and/or ordering from the children's menu.
Now, I can't imagine the counter-service places having any kind of problem if you decide to order a kids meal or share, but what about the table-service places (including Rainforest Cafe, Planet Hollywood, etc.)? Do they mind? I know we'll have enough money to be able to have a full meal each (and we will sometimes, no doubt!), but the portion sizes are not something I've ever been able to get used to in Disney! (and it would mean that we could go to these places more often and I'd have more general spending money!)
It's not something that's generally done over here in the UK unless it's a dessert, so I want to make sure that it trully is accepted through the majority of table-service restaurants before going (I was only about 14 the last time I went so I wasn't paying much attention!).

Long post :rotfl: but just wanted to find out how accepted meal-sharing is!

TIA!

[barb45]

We've never had a problem meal sharing at the table service restaurants. They have even let me order off the children's menu! We were at Canada in Epcot and they handed my son a children's menu (he was 13) and I asked if he could order off the adult menu and I the children's menu (because I have a small appetite) and they said "no problem". Also the meal portions are so huge I would rather share an entree and have room for appetizers and/or dessert. I also tip extra because they are so good about this.

[pampam]

I believe a few pages back, someone mentioned the meal plans at AK. They are great. We have even gotten our meal, just as we are leaveing and taken it back to our hotel for supper.

We never rent a car, but use the Lynx public transit to get groceries, go to Beltz or have a meal off site.

Someone mentioned that one can use the microwaves and toasters at the food courts. We have done that, heating up canned chili, soup, etc.

I believe one can order in pizza, or even chinese food from off site. However I have never done that, so I can't say for sure if this is possible. If someone has, who did you order from?

I have also heard of people buying a styrofoam cooler instead of renting a fridge. Then when they are finished with it, they pass it on to someone who is just checking in, as a good deed.

We always use the hot water in the food courts to make oatmeal. We usually make it in a bowl with a snap on lid. Lately, I have been making it in a refillable cup. Works great. Add hot water, stir, put the lid on, and in 5 minutes you have hot cereal. You do not have to use instant oatmeal for this. Quick oatmeal works just as well. One can even make instant soup, Mr. Noodles, instant rice, or anything else that can be cooked with hot water.

While at the grocery store, pick up a bag of apples. They are good for snacks, and with a little peanut butter spread on the slices, they make a hearty breakfast.

[mum4jenn]

Also, how is a hotdog hot in a thermos different than the soup I send to school....?

Actually it is NOT any different at all if the temp gets below 140 for any length of time. ANY food that is supposed to be kept over 140 or under 40 and if they get in the danger zone can be potentially dangerous. This is exactly why I don't send soup with my dd. I tried it years ago and even put boiling water in the thermos before putting the soup in and even then the soup was not hot but barely warm by the time my dd tried to eat it. I have decided to wait to give her soup when she reaches the 3rd grade and comes to my school. I can heat it up for her in our school kitchen!!

[barb45]

I have to keep popping into the great hotdog debate here - why would you spend thousands of dollars for this great vacation and then totally ruin it to save $3.00 on a hotdog. That's how you are going to look at it when someone is barfing there brains out (or being hospitalized) and you lose a few days of your trip.

Stick with breakfast in your room. Use counter service where you can share meals or purchase children's meals. Don't buy souvies (or go off-site for them). Make sure you get a great room deal etc.

Personally I like to skimp at home so I can go wild on vacation!

[foundnemo]

Someone mentioned in the "secrets of Disney" thread about the cave in Epcot (just to the right of Spaceship Earth, before you enter the countries, I believe). It's a cave where softdrinks from around the world are available to sample for free! Sounds like a good place to quench the families thirst and spend nothing :cheer2:

[barb45]

Yes - that's called "ice station cool". It's actually an igloo. It's a great stopping point for something cold to drink. Make sure you take one of your favourite's last because some of them will leave a nasty taste in your mouth. This is one of my son's most frequent stops.

[Bete]

:banana:
I'm in my fifties and we've been to WDW a couple of dozen times. We haved lived in Illinois and Indiana; so, Florida is not that close. I'm an absolute believer in one party from the family having an annual pass. This affords Disney room discounts and meal discounts, as well as, store discounts, etc. If you go during value season that will save lots of money, too. Obviously, you can save more if you go to the value resorts. We have stayed at almost every resort in our time. We like the parks more than the resorts; so, we don't do Deluxe every time. Most of our time is in the parks. For sleeping, we aren't too choosy. You can split your stays with a deluxe and a value resort, too.

We plan multiple trips when we have annual passes; so, we get the best value from them for the year. My best tip here is to get APs at the very end of one year for Christmastime and go around mid-December; so, you can catch the holiday happenings at the parks. This is my favorite time. Go again any other time the following year. Conclude it all by going early for the Christmas season like right after Thanksgiving. Crowds are low after Thanksgiving through mid-December. You get two Christmas seasons, as well as, another time of the year and moreso, if you choose to go more often. Because we spread out the times, we don't get bored with three trips for the year. Usually, we will skip the next year and go else where. We start the cycle again with Disney and we have used this system for at least a dozen years.

Get the most out of your park time by park hopping. Go to the park that opens earliest and switch parks later in the day to go to the one that stays open the latest. We take a break in between to rest but we are in the parks alot; so, we feel we get better value out of our tickets because we are in the parks more. Pace yourself at the park with rides, attractions, and shows. With some sitting time with shows, you will be able to last longer each day. Go with a plan not to back track through the parks. Use fast pass as much as possible. You will do more using it and accomplish more each day and that gives you better value. Also, if one ride has a long wait skip it and go on. You can usually see three other attractions vs. one. You can try again for the ride you missed at another time.

We love the entertainment coupon book. If we stay off-site it's even more valuable. You can get car rental discounts and many meal discounts from them. There are attraction discounts, too but they are not Disney. You would need a car to make this option worth while. There are internet sites for money off coupons through Orlando tourism sites that cost you nothing more than printing them out. Join the Rainforest Cafe club to get 10% off their meals. There are other perks with their card, too.

If you have a car, by all means do grocery shopping and eat meals off-site. There's nothing magical about paying for meals twice as much on-site as oppose to going off-site. Yes, you can treat yourself to some special meals at Disney but not everyday, every meal. We even bring food from home while we are on the road, if we take our own car. Coolers are a must. There are many collapsible ones available; so, you can even pack one as luggage. Styrofoam ones are very inexpensive. We have even used the sink in our room to keep items on ice. We have never been sick by doing any of the above. You do have to go for ice a lot; so, you need to prepare for that aspect. Usually, we would do ice in the morn before the parks open. Next, we'll change ice at a break time during the day and one more time before bed usually after the parks have closed.

If you insist on eating at Disney, by all means go to a late lunch rather than dinner. If you can eat a lot at one meal then go to buffets and consider it as your two meals for the day. Store it up that way. Don't order the most expensive items, either. Sometimes getting an appetizer is enough for a meal. Sharing and child meals are always a good idea if you don't have a big appetite.

Don't get caught up in a moment with souvenirs, limit your spending in this department.

I could go and on but I don't want this too long. ::MickeyMo

[eeyore45]

Re sharing food at sit down places... No problem! We split a meal at RFC, lots of food, easy to share... altho for us, we make sure we live a 'good' tip!!


Another "cheapskate" tip is alcohol, bring your own!! I carry on the plane my alcohol, no problem. I'll mix my own in the room, and go down to the pool. I buy beer at the grocery stop, (I've read a 6 pak is cheaper at the resort shops than one beer bought at the pool bar!) One poster even says she brings her wine into the dining sit downs, and they charge a corkage fee, but its still cheaper than buying a bottle of wine with their meals!!

[LisaRay]

I will mention on this hotdog issue that the idea of eating a cold hotdog sounds awfully gross but to each his own!

When we go for 10 nites I am planning on buying a package of hotdogs and then on our non park day or on another day or two that we are taking an afternoon swim and will be around the hotel we will cook and eat them then.


My mom got me this great thing from Pampered Chef ( i am too cheap to order from there!) it looks like a little black plastic pan with a lid. You can put in your food item ( hot dogs, frozen veggies etc.) and add a little water then microwave for only 1-2 minutes and it tastes like a boiled hotdog not a microwaved hotdog! We can't stand to eat microwaved hotdogs but these taste like steamed. We are staying at POP and I will just buy a package of hotdogs and a pack of buns then when we go down to fill up our mugs around mid day before going out to the pool area I will throw this thing in the microwave for 1-2 minutes while they fill the mugs. Then we can go sit outside and have a cheap lunch!! I plan to do this for at least 3 meals during our 10 night 11 day trip. But we also don't eat them in the parks instead i always buy an adult sized chicken strips meal and have the kids share it. So that way they aren't eating too many hot dogs all week.

I am also using my little pan on our trip to the beach this year too!

[mum4jenn]

That seems like a neat idea!! Sometimes when we go we will take one of those small propane grills and cook out by the pool. Once we forgot or little grill and we bought one of the disposable ones that have a charcoal type thing in an aluminum pan and a grate on the top. everyone that has seen this always says they wished they had thought of that. Once we cooked in the parking lot of Animal Kingdom and security came by but their only concern was our disposal of the grill until we showed him that we brought 3-2liters of water to wet it and have no heat coming through and the trash bags. As long as we left no trash he did not have a problem with it. We had our cooler with drinks and we ran the air so our dd who was then around 2 could take a nap. We normally don't go that cheap anymore but we would if we needed to!!

[Claroquesi]

Two tips I haven`t seen yet.


I love my camel pack at Disney. Fill it with ice and water in your room and you have a drink all day. Also it keeps snacks cool, good for things that may melt in FLA sun.

Re: souvenirs my folks used to buy little disney themed gifts ahead of time. Then just leave a small one each day under our pillows a la tooth fairy, or on our beds. It was always exciting to go back to the room and see what Mickey had left for us that day. We never usually wanted the Disney stuff beacuse we knew Mickey had left us something in the room.


If you BYOB remember to bring bottle opener/wine key.


re: great hot dog debate. My Mom sent us to school with thermos hot dogs all the time and we were fine.

Oh!! Also Ghiradelli shop in Down Town Disney gives out sample chocolate squares. Might be a nice place to stop off before leggo land.

[gdulaney]

Something we do to stretch our money is to check out various Disney guides from the library. That allows us to do our pre-trip homework without shelling out a ton of money. For folks who want to buy a guidebook, this is also a good way to figure out which guidebook you really like.

Ginny :wave2:

[eeyore45]

re Water...

we have the nalgene bottles, and use carabeeners to clip onto things...


ICE is free!! We'd get glasses of free ice, add to the nalgene bottles, and never be without cold water!!

oh, and i always (at home, and vacation!) order a LARGE soda, no Ice! (volume you know, fill that glass with soda, not ice that melts, and waters down my drink!!) The soda must be cold, per directives, and if you want to split it, use that free cup of ice.... (dh used to work at a rest. and says the soda from a fountain costs very little, hence most fast food offers free refills, since this is a nightmare logistically for Disney, we do large, no ice!)

[karenbtx]

I have to keep popping into the great hotdog debate here - why would you spend thousands of dollars for this great vacation and then totally ruin it to save $3.00 on a hotdog. That's how you are going to look at it when someone is barfing there brains out (or being hospitalized) and you lose a few days of your trip.

Thank you for your concern. I can tell you more ideas I have so you can judge me on these as well.

[gdulaney]

Karen,

I'm not sure how long you've been reading the DIS boards, but sometimes folks can turn the most ordinary of comments into a major debate...which is fine, but sometimes it gets a little ugly (which in my opinion, isn't fine). Most folks really try to post comments that are helpful and supportive. Most folks don't mean to come across as sarcastic meanies....but it can be hard when all you have is the text to read and you can't see the really nice, smiling face that is posting.

And yes, I'll probably get remarks regarding this post....but the "Great Hotdog Debate" isn't the topic of this post...helping you convert to frugalism (is that a word?? :teeth: ) is the topic. That said...if we do start a hotdog debate thread, can it be on toppings?? I'd really love a chili-cheese dog. YUM! :lovestruc

Ginny

[TNKBELL]

Two tips I haven`t seen yet.


I love my camel pack at Disney. Fill it with ice and water in your room and you have a drink all day. Also it keeps snacks cool, good for things that may melt in FLA sun.

Re: souvenirs my folks used to buy little disney themed gifts ahead of time. Then just leave a small one each day under our pillows a la tooth fairy, or on our beds. It was always exciting to go back to the room and see what Mickey had left for us that day. We never usually wanted the Disney stuff beacuse we knew Mickey had left us something in the room.


If you BYOB remember to bring bottle opener/wine key.


re: great hot dog debate. My Mom sent us to school with thermos hot dogs all the time and we were fine.

Oh!! Also Ghiradelli shop in Down Town Disney gives out sample chocolate squares. Might be a nice place to stop off before leggo land.
OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH!!!!! CHocolate! :Pinkbounc :Pinkbounc :Pinkbounc Wow we will definately have to stop in there!! Also what is a camel pack? Thanks for the tips!

[karenbtx]

but the "Great Hotdog Debate" isn't the topic of this post...helping you convert to frugalism (is that a word?? :teeth: ) is the topic.


Thank you Ginny and I have gotten some excellent tips. For those who would like to help me learn to be a cheapskate aka "frugalist" I would love to hear from you. :bounce:

[my3princes]

We carry snacks with us. My kids like ritz crackers with pb&j on them. I get a jar of Goober Grape and we dip the crackers into it. No utensils needed and they taste great. We also carry powdered beverage mix (crystal light, koolaid or powerade) premeasured (the formula containers at Walmart have 3 compartments that work great). We get a cup of ice water, run it through our Brita Bottle ( the ice water at Disney has the same taste as the fountains around the park) back into the original cup, add the mix and the family can enjoy a wonderful ice cold drink for little cost. They tend to drink more when it isn't plain water. It is also nice to not be drinking alot of soda. I am apparently very frugal because I have used most of the ideas previously mentioned. I also search the Disney Stores for clearance items. Last year Pirates of the Carribean had a lot of sale items (T-shirts, hats, magnets) They were better than half price and made great cheap souvies.

[mum4jenn]

Gee I never thought of this as being a hot dog DEBATE. I was only trying to pass on some very valuable information in regards to food safety. Some people care about not taking a chance on making their family sick. Since that is a part of my job it is only natural for me to try to warn folks about the dangers of food items.I am responsible for about 550 children and adults 5 days a week as far as food safety is concerned. Alot of people don't think about things like that but maybe my words of reality have helped SOMEONE and they will decide to not take the health of their family lightly. For the ones that want to take a chance go ahead...maybe you will be ok and maybe you won't but if someone in your family does get sick don't always assume it was Disney or the water at Disney or the sheets at Disney.....it could very well be from a mistake you made in your own food safety.As far as what I want on MY hot steamy hot dog.........I want ketchup and mustard OR some of that cheese sauce they have at Caseys at MK!!!! Yummy!!

We normally take a cooler loaded with ice for eating lunch in our room. We will take sandwich stuff,jello and pudding cups,milk for cereal,etc. We don't eat in our room everday for breakfast or lunch but about half the time we do which saves quite a bit. For breakfast we will go to the Sizzler on I drive or Perkins some days so we can get a hot breakfast. One time we stayed at I think Amerisuites which had a great free breakfast each morning and you could even make your own steamy hot waffle!! THAT was really good.

We haven't really shared a meal yet but next time we go I might do that with my dd.

[CheapMom]

We take Smuckers Uncrustables and I put them in a pencil box so they don't get smushed.

[summerrluvv]

We take Smuckers Uncrustables and I put them in a pencil box so they don't get smushed.


You can get a sandwich holder free with 2 proof's of purchase. Of course if you are carrying more than one sandwich, it wouldn't suit your need, but it's neat.

http://www.smuckers.com/promotions/sandwichkeeper/uncrustableskeeper.pdf

[barb45]

Momforjenn - I certainly learned from you input and appreciate it.
Karen - I was not judging you. I was trying to get people to look at it from a different perspective. The money you invest in the vacation is important too. One year my son and I got sick (not food related but respiratory flu) and it really sucked to miss 2 days from the parks (unlimited park hoppers). I would hate to see that happen to anyone if it could be avoided. I was also making alternative suggestions to help you out. Sorry I cared!

[jsmla]

I second the AP suggestion!

2 nights at Pop Century/Regular Season/Rack Rate $227.78
5 nights at Animal Kingdom Lodge/Regular Season/Rack Rate $1332.45
Total: $1560.23

2 nights at Pop Century/Regular Season/AP Rate $165.00
2 nights at Animal Kingdom Lodge/Regular Season/ AP Rate $775.00
Total: $940

Total savings using AP discounts: $620.23
(All prices include 11.5% sales tax)

And this is just on our upcoming June trip! We realized similar savings using this same AP on last summer's late July trip (6 nights at the Wilderness Lodge-got a great rate of $114/night!) and my birthday trip (4 nights at POFQ) last April.

I can't remember exactly what I paid for my Premium AP last spring but I think it was between $500-$550. Even if we had only taken the June 2005 trip my AP paid for itself with a bit to spare!


Other stuff we do:

If you have a travel trailer or RV Ft. Wilderness is a great money saver. You get the perks of being on-site (transportation, EMH) at an affordable price. An annual Ft. Wilderness vacation (using those trusty APs!) was a family tradition for many years. In a travel trailer you can easily prepare your own meals and Ft. Wilderness is a wonderful place for over-stimulated kids to blow off steam on bike rides, visits to the petting zoo, etc. To this day my DD remembers our Ft. Wilderness stays as her favorites!

When not camping we usually drive to Disney and spend the first night in an inexpensive Priceline room.

I've used Priceline twice for rental cars. I've been able to reserve an economy car for $10-12/day each time. These were just DH and me trips. I feel the rental car paid for itself with one trip to Publix. (We drink a lot of beer!)

We save tons on food by not eating meals in the parks. We usually only splurge on two or three special meals each trip. We went to character breakfasts when the kids were young. Now that they're almost grown up we usually celebrate our trip with a nice meal at one of the TS places that looks interesting and an "eating around the World Showcase" evening. When eating out we always drink water and often split/share meals. Otherwise we eat back in our resort room and bring snacks and water into the parks. Not only is this MUCH cheaper, it also let me keep a rein on the kids sugar and grease consumption. We bring one small (lunch size) cooler packed with ice in Ziploc bags, juice boxes. PBJ and fruit to the parks. In my "stuff" bag I pack pretzels and trail mix. Everyone has a water bottle that we refill at the water fountains. I know that there are many that feel deprived if they have to prepare meals on vacations. I'm not one of them. For me Disney dining is best done in small doses. We eat healthier and spend far less money this way. The few times I've caved and agreed to fast food in the parks I've regretted it. Reserving our dining $$$ for two or three special meals made that trip to Chef Mickey's all the more magical for its uniqueness.

If you go to the water parks take a cooler with a picnic lunch. This save a lot of time as well as money. The lunchtime mobs at the water park CS places are monumental!

If you do laundry on vacation bring your own detergent/dryer sheets. These are very expensive at WDW.

I try to be prepared. I keep a kit packed with first aid stuff, tylenol and something for an upset tummy. When DS was in his ear infection stage I got a prescription for antibiotics from the pediatrician. Those walk-in clinics are not cheap.

Once my kids were old enough to handle their own money I gave them a daily allowance to spend however they saw fit. DD usually spent hers on trinkets and snacks in the parks. DS preferred to save his to buy one nice souvenier (like one of those rubber Star Wars masks at the Star Tours gift shop). This worked very well for us and GREATLY reduced the whining and begging. We try to make one trip to the Disney outlets at Beltz so we can pick up less expensive gifts for people back at home (friends, nieces, our pet sitter, etc.)

Our best "bang for the buck" souveniers:
Collecting pressed pennies (DD)
Disney baseball cap (bought at home or from the Disney outlet) along with a Sharpie to collect autographs (DS)
Autograph books and fat Disney pens (both kids)
A disposable camera for each of the kids.
Sending an e-picture postcard home from the Imagination pavillion. (free!)

We also tried to enjoy all of the freebie/almost free things Disney has to offer. The Lego store, a ride in the front of the monorail, the campfire sing-along/movie and opening the Magic Kingdom were just a few things that my kids really enjoyed. They also liked getting up on stage at some of the shows. Superstar TV and the sound effects show (this was a long time ago!), The Comedy Warehouse (more recently) and the Hoop-de-Doo revue were just a few of the opportunities they had to be a "Disney" star.

Kind of a long post but I have a bee in my bonnet about Disney. Our friends think were too extravagant with our annual Disney trips. They go once, don't plan, don't take advantage of discounts and don't try to economize on food. Then they spend the next few years complaining about the fact that Disney is just too expensive for the average family.

Jennifer

[mum4jenn]

You can get a sandwich holder free with 2 proof's of purchase. Of course if you are carrying more than one sandwich, it wouldn't suit your need, but it's neat.

http://www.smuckers.com/promotions/sandwichkeeper/uncrustableskeeper.pdf

Cool!! I got one last year included in my dd's lunch box. I might need to get another one using the proofs of purchase!! Thanks

[karenbtx]

I second the AP suggestion!

2 nights at Pop Century/Regular Season/Rack Rate $227.78
5 nights at Animal Kingdom Lodge/Regular Season/Rack Rate $1332.45
Total: $1560.23

2 nights at Pop Century/Regular Season/AP Rate $165.00
2 nights at Animal Kingdom Lodge/Regular Season/ AP Rate $775.00
Total: $940

Total savings using AP discounts: $620.23
(All prices include 11.5% sales tax)

And this is just on our upcoming June trip! We realized similar savings using this same AP on last summer's late July trip (6 nights at the Wilderness Lodge-got a great rate of $114/night!) and my birthday trip (4 nights at POFQ) last April.

I can't remember exactly what I paid for my Premium AP last spring but I think it was between $500-$550. Even if we had only taken the June 2005 trip my AP paid for itself with a bit to spare!

Jennifer

Jennifer,

Thanks for the great tips. I was investigation the AP options. I don't see a savings for me. There are four of us. Myself, DH and 2 DS's under 10. We only go to WDW once per year and stay at a moderate resort. Do you think I could really save with an AP? I'm going to be disappointed if I missed a big savings.

This is my price comparison. It does not include the additional $880 I paid for air fare from DFW.

AP 1906 7 day MYW Parkhopper Plus Pack no expiration 998
Rooms 2107 7 nights CSR 1104
_____ ____
4013 2102

[bigorangeandy]

We bring water to the parks with us. I will freeze several bottles the night before then wrap them in a towel (helps with condensation). This way we have cold water in the day, keeps my back cool also. We also bring fruit in with us, bananas, and apples. We also bring fruit bars, granola bars and the like. We also have water with our meals, this saves several dollars each meal, and during the summer it’s good to stay hydrated. Make sure that you have more than enough batteries for everything you will need, they are much more expensive on site, than what it will cost you at home (this goes double for special camera batteries). Eat a table service lunch instead of dinner, this will save a lot of cash, then have counter service for dinner. If you go to a water park you are allowed to bring in a cooler, bring in your drinks, snacks, sandwiches (parking is also free).

[jsmla]

I hope I have this right:

AP Trip
1 Adult Premium Annual Pass $550
1 Adult 7 day MYW Premium ticket $315
2 Children's 7 day MYW Premium tickets $550
7 nights @ CSR w/ AP discount $861(Apr-Ju)/$763(Jy-Aug)
total=$2275 (before 7/5/2005) $2178 (after 7/5)
(MYW ticket prices are from Ticketmania. All prices include tax.)

Your trip adds up to $2102 so you wouldn't save anything on this trip. I remember the moderate AP rates in years past were usually in the $80 (+tax) range. (Our last summer moderate stay was in 2003.) This year moderate AP rates are $109 in early summer and $99 for July/August. I also used rack rates (not package or AAA) to calculate my savings. That's sort of cheating a bit but makes me feel like I'm getting a REAL bargain on that AKL room! We usually stay in value or moderate resorts if we're not camping but this trip is a special treat for DD and she loves the AKL. We're balancing it out with two nights at Pop Century.

I plan my AP purchase to cover two summer vacations. We took our 2004 trip in July and will be going this year in June of 2005 before my 2004 AP expires. That way one AP purchase covers two trips. Of course this only works if you're planning on going every year and can work your dates to fit. When we took those two week long trips back in the '90s everyone in my family had an AP. My kids have summer jobs now so I'm the only one to get one. Everyone doesn't need an AP to qualify for the room discount. This year I'll be using an AP, DD a MYW ticket and DS 3 days left on an old Park Hopper from his 2003 senior trip.

If your planning on going to WDW another year and don't want an AP I'd recommed upgrading your current tickets to 10 Day MYW Premiums. I'm doing this for DD and she'll use 5 days/2 plusses on this trip and the rest on her senior trip in 2006. It ended up saving us quite a bit. An expiry 5 day MYW with parkhopping and 3 plusses is $233 at Ticketmania. A 10 day MYW with parkhopping, 5 plusses and no expiry is $358 so she loses one plus and I save $108. Once again, this only works if you KNOW you'll be going back.

I think your prices look good. Either way your'e going to have a GREAT trip!

Jennifer

[karenbtx]

I plan my AP purchase to cover two summer vacations. We took our 2004 trip in July and will be going this year in June of 2005 before my 2004 AP expires. Jennifer


That is excellent. I'm sure the savings are considerable for the second trip. We probably will not be going back to WDW next year but I will consider this in the future. The kids are still young. DH and I are also (sort of) :rotfl:

[Claroquesi]

OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH!!!!! CHocolate! :Pinkbounc :Pinkbounc :Pinkbounc Wow we will definately have to stop in there!! Also what is a camel pack? Thanks for the tips!

Camel pack is a back pack with a sack you fill with water inside of it. It is leak proff and there is a straw with a stopper you sip out of. It holds about 2 ltrs of bev of your choice.

[Chicago526]

I too am a big believer in not knocking myself out to save 2 or 3 $'s on vacation. I just spent $2000 on air, hotel, and park passes, at this point $10 isn't going to kill me! :)

I do think spliting meals is great, though! I can also see bringing in your own pb&j, chips, and drink boxes for young kids (5 and under), it's not that much trouble and it saves about $5 to $8 per kid per meal. Eating breakfast in the room is a good idea too. But I will still plan on once character breakfast for the trip, one sit down meal per day (it makes such a nice break, and counter service food gets real old real quick) and I've got no problem in buying souvies (within reason) especially light up toys that keep them busy while waiting for parades and fireworks.

To me, the bigest place to save money is in the air and hotel, so if I get really good deals on that, I figure I can spend a bit more (or don't need to cut as much) in other areas.

[gdulaney]

Target has some of their mini magnetic travel games on clearance. Games such as Chutes and Ladders & Connect Four.

Ginny :)

[crazelion]

Go up to any concessions ask for a cup ice water and free. Why carry around water when get free.

In the summer it's must carry around water bottle with every where go. But does not mean can't get cold water for free.

[drakethib]

OK. I have always wondered about this. I thought that a hot dog was similar to bologna, which is eaten raw. That is probably wrong! :confused3
Anyone??

Well if somehow you could nuke them, through them in a regular thermos and they will keep warm and safe all day long !!!

[drakethib]

The package says fully cooked heat and eat. I plan to carry them in my cooler and eat them within a few hours. It's no worse then sending a sandwich to school with your kids in their lunch box for petes sake.

Can I just get some more great ideas for free or cheap stuff. I'm really not a cheapskate and my budget isn't that tight. I just get tired of waiting in line for food and paying $3 for a hotdog.


As kids, my mom let us eat tons of cold hot dogs.

I am now 33 and doing fine. (although these days I prefer my hot dogs hot :goodvibes )

[CheapMom]

As kids, my mom let us eat tons of cold hot dogs.

I am now 33 and doing fine. (although these days I prefer my hot dogs hot )

My husband is the youngest of 8 and he grew up in a house with 2 working parents- he said they all practically survived on raw hot dogs and little else. They are all OK.

[barb45]

Some of these remind me of when we took our first daughter to the nursing home to visit my husband's mother. She couldn't understand why we had a car seat for her! She said I put you kids in a laundry basket in the car and you were fine so that's good enough for these kids too!!

We also had plenty of raw hotdogs when we were kids. I think if they are kept at the right temp. they would be fine but if the temp. gets too warm then the bacteria starts going crazy. We used to take tuna and mayo sandwiches to school and they would sit in our lockers for hours before lunch and we were fine. Now that I know better I would say that we were just lucky and I certainly wouldn't try it with my kids.

Let's think of some other cheap ideas instead.

[mum4jenn]

Some of these remind me of when we took our first daughter to the nursing home to visit my husband's mother. She couldn't understand why we had a car seat for her! She said I put you kids in a laundry basket in the car and you were fine so that's good enough for these kids too!!

We also had plenty of raw hotdogs when we were kids. I think if they are kept at the right temp. they would be fine but if the temp. gets too warm then the bacteria starts going crazy. We used to take tuna and mayo sandwiches to school and they would sit in our lockers for hours before lunch and we were fine. Now that I know better I would say that we were just lucky and I certainly wouldn't try it with my kids.

Let's think of some other cheap ideas instead.

FINALLY!!!!Someone came to my rescue!!!! You are right though. There are LOTS of things that used to be done that were actually dangerous and there are alot of lucky folks walking around!! My dh said that his mother used to make them swallow Vicks VapoRub when they were sick!!! Would anyone in todays world feed their child Vaporub????? Yes they survived but gee wiz!!!
I guess though that I will not ever try to warn anyone about food-borne illness again.

Thank you to those that did support me in my effort to lower someones chance of getting sick just to save a couple of bucks.