Help...Family of 6

[taragarza1]

Any ideas on how to travel on a tight budget with a family of 6? Wanting to go Dec6-Dec10th. Any ideas would be helpful!! Thanks

 

[java]

BUDGET ideas-

Stay offsite at a windsor hills condo or at Bonnet Creek.

Or
Onsite in the Fort Wilderness cabins
or
All Stars family suites. (although I don't think those are worth the price unless you get a deal on them)


Don't do the add ons on the tickets- like hoppers or water parks- they really jack up the price.

Plan meals carefully. Maybe bring breakfast stuff. If you are in a cabin that opens up more options on the food as well.

 

[Psychodisney]

You could try renting from a DVC member. Check the rent trade boards. A 2br at OKW at that time would be 22 points a night(Sunday thru Thursday). Most members charge $10-12/point. You would have a full kitchen to prepare meals and wouldn't need a car.

 

[TiffanyK]

Food saving tips:

- Use the menus available online to plan your meals and budget costs. Last year my sister and I even "pre-ordered" food for our families from the CS places. we wrote down what we would want for the family (our family shares food) and the cost. When it was time to order we just read off our card. Saved us time and also kept us from impulse ordering when we were hungry.

- share snacks too. I usually carry some dixie cups in our backpack so we aren't drinking after each other and can carry only 1 or 2 water bottles. I also use those to split up ice cream treats or other things.

- If you have a place to cook, plan your cooked meals just like you would your ADRs, taking into account what time you'll be back at your place and for how long. We tried to eat breakfast plus 1 other meal a day at the house.

- If you're driving, you can pack food on dry ice and it will be "assembly only" cooking at WDW. Read about how we did this on my blog, here.

 

[Darcy03231]

We're a family of 6 and honestly, unless you go during free dining, the least expensive option is to stay off-site.

Last time we rented a 5 bedroom 3 bath house with a private pool for $700/week including all the taxes. It was in Clermont and about 15 min from Disney's main gate. We rented a minivan for the week ($200) and it cost us $12/day to park.

We ate breakfast and dinner in almost every day and packed snacks and water to take to the parks with us. We had a big breakfast every morning and then came back the house in the afternoon and had an early dinner and went back to the parks at night. I didn't count the food I bought at the grocery store in our vacation budget as we would have had to buy groceries at home. Our house had a grill and we kept the meals very simple. The first day there I made some casseroles in the disposable foil pans and put them in the freezer. We also made a big macaroni salad, potatoe salad and tossed salad. Dinner was either a casserolle & salad or something on the grill with the side salads.

We ended up eating out at a nice restaurant once, having counter service dinner in the parks a couple of times and having pizza one night (we were there for sixteen nights).

 

[TiffanyK]

We're a family of 6 and honestly, unless you go during free dining, the least expensive option is to stay off-site.

).

I agree with this. Our family of 6 has found the same thing.

 

[momofpirates]

We just returned from a two week stay in an offsite 3BD/2BA condo in Terrace Ridge. It is only a 15 minute drive to Disney. We got a two week rental for $800 total. We asked for this price as it was listed on-line at $120 a night. It was a great location and close enough to go back for afternoon breaks. We booked through Easy Choice Vacation rentals. Just do a google search for them. Frances was very helpful!

Good luck in your search!

 

[mrsklamc]

We recommend www.5mins2disney.com

Beautiful place, cheaper than disney, very, very close. And great customer service.

 

[DonnaBelle06]

I hate to agree with the others here............stay offsite to drastically cut down on the price.

When we went over TG week (so we could see the christmaxs decorations) - we rented a 4 br/3b home with pool (usually pool heating is needed and is charged extra). We were only 5 min from AK - less than 3 miles to drive.

We ate breakfast and a couple of dinners at "home". <We were a fam of 7 plus a baby and piled into a 7 passenger trialblazer as our Mom stayed home and didn't want to go to WDW). It was $10 to park 3 yrs ago...now its $12 a day.

Absolutely DO NOT park hop/water parks -- that will up your ticket lots of $$ that you could use for your grocery budget/part of the hotel/house stay.

We are going in Aug and staying on property (just the 4 of us this time - no extended family) and are not doing park hopping to save the $200 to use somewhere else.

GOOD LUCK!

 

[DawnM]

SkyAuction.com for a 2 bedroom between $200-$299/wk.

Eat most of your own food.

 

[jackie101]

We are a family of 6 & went last Dec for 7 days we got 2 rooms at All Star Music, dining plan, no hoppers, no car rental, flights from Boston for $3000. We looked at staying off site then we would have had to rent a mini van. I think the dining plan is so worth it. We got some breakfast foods for the room & maybe spent another $350. at Disney. We did have a code so that helped. Not sure how much you are looking to spend or how much this would be without a code.

 

[ilovemyjj]

Well, there are lots of money cutting ways to go!!
Number one, Have you thought of camping?? Rather than trying to get 2 rooms, or a connecting room, which is expensive.
That way you could cook a lot of meals on the grill!

PLan your meals in the park, the cheapest in MK would be cosmic rays..plus with there burger bar, you could even make a salad for free...ice water is free, bring little kool-aid packs..FL water can get a lil weird if your not used to it!

Pick your days in the world when the open early or stay open later, that way you can get more time there. PLus at the campground there is tons of stuff for the kids to do!!! You really don't even have to leave the place to have fun!!
They have a petting zoo, fishing, free movies and a campfire at night, ya meet chip and dale, a sing-a-long before that, a pool, a kiddie pool, they have games during the day, we got to play human size jenga..that was fun. They have softball games, my gosh the list is never ending..

Take the bus over to Downtown Disney...Santa will be there at that time!!

Don't feel obligated to buy stuff there!! My family goes every year for Christmas and we get a hotel, and tickets, and food, for around 800.00, plus we splurge a bit too..we have done it for 600.00 before!!
Its tricky, but can be done!!!

 

[wdwiala]

You could try renting from a DVC member. Check the rent trade boards. A 2br at OKW at that time would be 22 points a night(Sunday thru Thursday). Most members charge $10-12/point. You would have a full kitchen to prepare meals and wouldn't need a car.

One thing to remember about renting points is that the $10-$12 dollars a point includes your taxes and fees. When renting a hotel room, you have to expect at least 20% added onto your quoted room price.

Renting points is an awesome deal if it fits into your plan. We cooked in our room and saved lots of time and money. You also don't have to pay for parking in the World.

 

[SandrA9810]

paying to park is a big expense really. I'd spend the extra to be on property, save on car rental (which is always more for a big family) and parking. And with the bus system, older kids can go in later or stay later than those of you who want to turn in early.

Share meals or every one order kids meals... doesn't matter how old you are. Or where you're eating. There's never any charge for sharing, and you don't get charged extra for eating off the kids menu. Just don't go for a buffet. They can get expensive with 6 people, but trail's end at the Fort is only like 20$ per adult for dinner and much cheaper for breakfast.
And if you do bring your own meals... don't forget the toppings bar at cosmic rays and peco's. lettuce, tomatoes, mayo, grilled mushroom and onions... good stuff.

Save a day, and go to a christmas party. you get like 2hrs less in the park, but it's like 30$ cheaper than a day ticket.

Camping is definatly fun at the fort, and it's always fun to see every one's decorations.

I don't know when sign up is, or the website, but if you go the first of the month, you could try for the free tickets for parade taping. That would definatly help with ticket prices.
There's lots of savings, it just depends on what you're willing to cut out on.

 

[SandrA9810]

Don't go for a value suite... there's usually few discounts for suite rooms. But you can get a good discount for a villa room. And villas include a fridge and microwave if i'm not mistaken, and the larger ones have a full kitchen.

 

[Inigo]

And if you do bring your own meals... don't forget the toppings bar at cosmic rays and peco's. lettuce, tomatoes, mayo, grilled mushroom and onions... good stuff.

Are you suggesting taking toppings from these restaurants to put on food not bought at these restaurants?

 

[4Seasons]

A 2 bedroom condo at Cypress Pointe for those dates is just over $300 total including tax. Great location in LBV and only a mile from entrance to downtown Disney.

 

[robinb]

When renting a hotel room, you have to expect at least 20% added onto your quoted room price.

Room taxes at Disney resorts except the All Stars and AKL is 12%. I think that the other resorts are 12.5%. In either case, it's not 20%.

 

[SandrA9810]

I have... I always take a cup of hot cheese too when passing by. Or for my soft pretzel I get at the wagon across the street. Or make a small salad with the extras from my burger toppings. (you can't let food go to waste)...

Of course as often as I hang in the parks, i spend quite a bit of money there to begin with.

 

[wdwiala]

Room taxes at Disney resorts except the All Stars and AKL is 12%. I think that the other resorts are 12.5%. In either case, it's not 20%.

I tend to exaggerate. Sorry