Family of six for under five thousand! Now how to convince tight husband??

nefritz

Mouseketeer
Joined
Mar 2, 2011
Pretty much what that says! I've begged my husband many times before to take our now four (took two 8 yrs ago)to wdw! Ive been searching and planning and have everything; aoa, tickets, plane, food all for 4900$. I would love to surprise our four kids a week before christmas with this?How do I convince my overly anal and cheap husband to let us take from savings and do this?? Our kids are 11, 9, 7 and 4, which I find some of the best ages to take to wdw, much better than 3 and 6 months like last time!
Any advice is greatly appreciated, I need to drop the big question on him this week!
Thanks
 
If you think it's affordable for your family, prove it to him with the numbers.
Not just how much the trip costs, but how it would affect your monthly budget, savings account, etc.
 
Pretty much what that says! I've begged my husband many times before to take our now four (took two 8 yrs ago)to wdw! Ive been searching and planning and have everything; aoa, tickets, plane, food all for 4900$. I would love to surprise our four kids a week before christmas with this?How do I convince my overly anal and cheap husband to let us take from savings and do this?? Our kids are 11, 9, 7 and 4, which I find some of the best ages to take to wdw, much better than 3 and 6 months like last time!
Any advice is greatly appreciated, I need to drop the big question on him this week!
Thanks

Think about your pitch to DH, so as previously suggested, break it down into the individual costings.

From a blokes perspective, there is nothing more upsetting to be told that it will cost us, then adding on all the extras. So ideally everything from passports, luggage, clothes.

Don't forget to mention that this can contribute towards the kids christmas gifts. My DW doesn't know it yet, however we won't be spending alot on the kids this year, especially toys as they simply do not need any more.

So perhaps you could sugar coat it?

Good luck!
 
Also think about ways to earn extra money for the trip to ease the budget. Ideas are garage sale, ebay, craig's list, selling old gold, overtime, and saving change, etc.

I did this last year and had almost $1000 extra which helped a lot. We used ours for an extra character meal, tips, pirate league make over and spending money.

Good luck and hopefully you will be able to take your trip :)
 
is he going to object, no matter what the price? If you wait 'til January you have a decent chance of getting free dining which would cut the cost substantially and would be easier to sell him on.
 
I would save up a bunch of it without telling him -spend $50 less every time you go to the grocery store and stick that into a 'hiding' place - Take $10 from your spending money every week and don't spend it and use that - sell some stuff on Craigslist for a couple hundred more to add to it.

That way - when you present it to him - you can say - It would cost $4900, but it's only going to be $3500 out of pocket because I've already saved $1400.

Sounds cheaper that way and huge way to appeal to cheap dh.

Also - not sure if you can shave anything off that price? I know it's tough with 6...
 
Well, I'm not big on talking my husband into something. He really hates being hounded and pestered. The technique I find works best is, I present him with th einformation, and then walk away. I give him several days to reach the right (ha ha) conclusion. This usually gets me what I want. Of course, it helps that I know him well, and know what his arguments will be, so I try to address them upfront. And waiting is hard, because I'm anxious to have him make up his mind, but it works really well for me.

In your case, you might start with pointing out how long it's been since you've gone, how prices will only rise (esp. as kids become Disney "adults"), and so forth. You might even ask him how much he thinks would be a reasonable cost for such a trip, before you present your numbers--maybe he thinks it'll cost more than it will? And I agree with a PP who said, give him all costs, as much as possible, so he doesnt' feel like he got hit with extras after he's agreed to the cost.

And on a side note--we also have a family of 6, so I know what it's like. For the past several years, our trips to Disney have involved renting a house offsite. I don't know if this is what you might be interested in, but it would probably help to at least price out this option. A house rental (we do a 4BR in Windsor Hills) is much cheaper, with much more space, than anything onsite. You can prepare simple meals and snacks to save money. Of course, you also need a car--probably a minivan--so that's an additional cost, as is parking. But, I'm not trying so much to sell you on offsite, as to have you consider it as another possible option, to price out and present to your DH. My family likes offsite so much, we sold our DVC, but every family is different.
 


Price it out. We went when are kids were those ages, and it was great. We rented points for a 2 bedroom BCV and did the dining plan (since only 1 was over 10). However, you could also look into WH as a PP mentioned, and get a condo for under $1000 for a week. Then, add on park tickets, airfare, van rental, parking, and food money.

ETA - that was also the last year I felt comfortable taking my oldest out of school (a cost savings). Plus, now the kids have SO many activities, it's so hard to carve out a week that works for everyone, even when they're off from school (ds14 plays HS sports, so August is out now, dd16 has a job....).
 
Thanks for all your postings, even though everyone's situations are different I love hearing others take on trips. This did include a Disney resort 7 days, free dining, 7 day tickets and round trip air which usually sits around 2000 for six. I feel pretty good with the prices, and off course I won't just drop that amount on my husband but give each specific piece. I do have embassy suites for 50 a night if so like, but did the math, and comes close (500) to evening out after you add, food and mears airport transp., but still leaving as option.
This is going to be all my kids Christmas gifts from us, my children like so many have way too many materialistic items.
It's a toss up, some days he can see the logic in spending money on memories and others he holds on tight. The money will not break us, and January is our "bonus" time at work, so it will replenish with plenty.
Again thanks for all your inputs!!
 
Well, I'm not big on talking my husband into something. He really hates being hounded and pestered. The technique I find works best is, I present him with th einformation, and then walk away. I give him several days to reach the right (ha ha) conclusion. This usually gets me what I want. Of course, it helps that I know him well, and know what his arguments will be, so I try to address them upfront. And waiting is hard, because I'm anxious to have him make up his mind, but it works really well for me.

In your case, you might start with pointing out how long it's been since you've gone, how prices will only rise (esp. as kids become Disney "adults"), and so forth. You might even ask him how much he thinks would be a reasonable cost for such a trip, before you present your numbers--maybe he thinks it'll cost more than it will? And I agree with a PP who said, give him all costs, as much as possible, so he doesnt' feel like he got hit with extras after he's agreed to the cost.

And on a side note--we also have a family of 6, so I know what it's like. For the past several years, our trips to Disney have involved renting a house offsite. I don't know if this is what you might be interested in, but it would probably help to at least price out this option. A house rental (we do a 4BR in Windsor Hills) is much cheaper, with much more space, than anything onsite. You can prepare simple meals and snacks to save money. Of course, you also need a car--probably a minivan--so that's an additional cost, as is parking. But, I'm not trying so much to sell you on offsite, as to have you consider it as another possible option, to price out and present to your DH. My family likes offsite so much, we sold our DVC, but every family is different.

^^^^ Genius! I'd go with that! :lmao:

Failing that just go ahead and book it like my DW has done on a couple of occassions :stir:
 
^^^^ Genius! I'd go with that! :lmao:

Failing that just go ahead and book it like my DW has done on a couple of occassions :stir:

We just celebrated oru 25th anniversary, so something must be going right!;)

Seriously, though--it's good that you don't mind if your DW just books a trip, but some guys really hate that. I'm a big fan of presenting all the information in such a way that there's only one logical conclusion. Dh and I are both engineers, so the logic angle really works.
 
some days he can see the logic in spending money on memories and others he holds on tight. The money will not break us, and January is our "bonus" time at work, so it will replenish with plenty.
Again thanks for all your inputs!!

"Won't break us" probably won't convince someone who is tight with money. I really think the key is pointing out how you can afford it, not that the trip is affordable.

My husband and I are careful with money and sometimes watch Suze Orman. Show him the money! As in, show him your assets and then how the price of the trip fits in. "This is a good deal!" doesn't work for people who are looking at it from the standpoint of whether they can afford it or not.
 
Thanks for all your postings, even though everyone's situations are different I love hearing others take on trips. This did include a Disney resort 7 days, free dining, 7 day tickets and round trip air which usually sits around 2000 for six. I feel pretty good with the prices, and off course I won't just drop that amount on my husband but give each specific piece. I do have embassy suites for 50 a night if so like, but did the math, and comes close (500) to evening out after you add, food and mears airport transp., but still leaving as option.
This is going to be all my kids Christmas gifts from us, my children like so many have way too many materialistic items.
It's a toss up, some days he can see the logic in spending money on memories and others he holds on tight. The money will not break us, and January is our "bonus" time at work, so it will replenish with plenty.
Again thanks for all your inputs!!

Not to be a Buzz kill, but the free dining availability is booking super fast for December. My cousin just tried to show us up, by booking a trip for her family for December so they would go before us, but could only afford it if they got free dining. (She wants to fly so they can't save money staying off site like we are.) The only availability she could find was at the more expensive resorts. She only did online, didn't call, so there's still a chance of finding something by calling. You need to move fast though.
 
Not to be a downer, but did you figure in tips? If you have the regular ddp, the tips will add up quickly. I think they automatic 18% is added for a party of 6 or more.
 
Thanks everyone. I'm very detail oriented, we don't have ddp just quick but I have planned down to souvenirs and beer delivery! I've checked the website every day including today and still have free dining, but thanks!
I wrote up all the logistics for my husband, how we can pay for it out of pocket in the next month or take from savings! Now all I can do is wait and see what he thinks of everything:)
Thanks again:)
 
I can do a family of 7 for a little over 5000.00, but we bring our own camper down and stay at Ft. Wilderness for 7 nights/8 days. I do room/site only reservations, and then buy tickets at undercovertourist.com but we only do 5 day park tickets. I always book 1yr out and buy Disney gift cards all year long to save money. Much easier for us since if something breaks down or needs to be replaced we'll use our saved Disney money for it. This way, we can't touch the money. It's possible to do, but I agree, you need a good pitch.

ETA: That figure is with my 2 yr old, next year, my cost will be a little more.
 
I did an Excel spreadsheet for my husband. I priced out every conceivable option available. Everything from onsite Deluxe, Mod & value, with and without dining, offsite, flying vs driving etc...... I listed pros and cons of staying on and offsite. I listed what option I wanted and why. Then I left the decision up to him, knowing he would pick my option :cool1:


We are going next September one more time. Dh does not like Disney so I promised this will be the last Disney trip. After this trip I will start saving for a beach vacation, which is more his speed.
 
I did an Excel spreadsheet for my husband. I priced out every conceivable option available. Everything from onsite Deluxe, Mod & value, with and without dining, offsite, flying vs driving etc...... I listed pros and cons of staying on and offsite. I listed what option I wanted and why. Then I left the decision up to him, knowing he would pick my option :cool1:


We are going next September one more time. Dh does not like Disney so I promised this will be the last Disney trip. After this trip I will start saving for a beach vacation, which is more his speed.

Just make sure the beach is close to WDW. :P
 

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