We're saved over $3200 for Disney!!!!

[dlwood823]

Great job! I'm not sure where you live, but remember to budget for transportation to/from Disney and tips for table service meals, along with souvenirs.

 

[bumbershoot]

I figured that was a good excuse to take the money into the bank for some larger bills.

In case you did just what was described, changed it into bigger bills, please oh please go back and put it into an account. If you are still keeping that money in a jar, all that it takes is a break-in, and that money is GONE. We have an account for trips that we didn't get checks or a card for; it's connected to the other accounts electronically but you don't have to do that if you're worried about it getting used for other things. It's just safer in an account.

I've never gotten the "beds for everyone" obsession that a lot of DVCers have. Did no one but me ever spend Christmas at Grandma's with 14 cousins all camped out on every bit of floor space you could find - with the adults - if they were lucky, getting beds, pull outs, couches and barcoloungers? (Not a lot of showering there either).

Having "vacations" like that as a kid is what made me appreciate everyone having their own sleeping space! But I always had a hard time getting to sleep and have also been a night-bathroom-visitor, so trying to sleep with all the night noises and climbing over sleeping cousins to find the ladder down from the loft wasn't my idea of fun.

Thanks! I hadn't sat down to look at the ticket prices yet.

Did I see you say you're a FL resident? have you looked into season passes (which are only for FL residents)? Don't know if it works for this vacation's timeframe OR what the costs are, but it's worth looking at.

You can look at the disneyworld.com site itself for what they charge for tickets, annual passes, and seasons passes, or you can also look at sites like undercovertourist.com for discounted tickets.

I find it's best to know exactly what you are saving for. While I haven't done it, I have wanted to put up a chart with Accommodations, Food, Tickets/APs, etc etc, and having a known amount that I need to hit. Then you fill it in as you save more. For some reason 3K just sounds like a lot for a DVC rental, but I could totally be wrong. Just make sure you know exactly what things will cost. Well, as exact as you can get.

We've always tried to put them in their own room because they go to bed at 7:30 so it's nice to not have to hide in my room.

You might also consider putting them to bed in the main bedroom and then moving them later, IF they are easily carried while asleep.

The poster was just stating with DVC, you need to pick your room type and stick to it.

Some people don't realize it!



off topic!

We got "lucky" with my grandmother, who passed away two weeks before a trip instead of holding on. However, since spoiling my life was what she did best, ruining my vacation would have been a fitting end. (Didn't like her, but would have stayed behind for my father's sake - my mother was saying "if she holds on, you are going, she will not keep spoiling my children's lives." Mom didn't like her either).

Major props to you for being honest and seeing a grandmother as a human. I had a similar paternal grandmother and I shed no tears when she left the world. (she was the one who planned all those 14 cousins sleeping in a loft trips, while all the adults had their own spaces and even their own separate condos....the first time we all went back to that timeshare, we rented something like twice the units, and kids slept in their parents' condos instead of en masse like puppies...way better)

 

[lauradis]

Your awesome Happy dance

Don't worry about the hubby, took 2 trips to find out what he really liked and disliked.

Just have to listen and ask and not get upset and thank him for putting up with the Disney craziness, helps too.

 

[fairy8i8]

Thanks! I don't know why I can't keep Ft. Wilderness and Wilderness Lodge separate!

Wow! I should therefore plan a bit more than $100 per person/per day (or look up the tickets and figure out what we want to do what day and then calculate the number of days and tickets). That would be 4x6 or 4x7 for $2600 to $2800 for tickets. Minimum.

Okay, more planning, more selling stuff!

No need to plan THAT much for tickets. The one benefit of going more than 4 days is that the price per day for tickets gets significantly less. After a week, it's only about $10 per person per day.

As an example, 4 day basic tickets (one park per day, no park hopping, no waterparks) costs $1148.08 including tax right now from Disney.

10 day basic tickets cost $1403.68 - only about $300 for those extra 6 days!

Adding park hopper or water parks costs the same, regardless of the number of day, or $236 plus tax. If you want both options together, then it's $336 plus tax.

Currently, the MOST expensive tickets you can buy, besides annual passes, for 2 adults and 2 children 9 or younger is $1,761.52.

If you wait to buy tickets, maybe factor in a 10% increase, or watch for the increase news on sites like mousesavers and buy your tickets before the increase. If you have the money in cash, might as well realize the savings, which will probably be more than interest right now.

As for lodging at the Villas Wilderness Lodge in a 2 bedroom, assuming you are not going Thanksgiving weekend (Nov 26-28), one week would be 278 points, 4 nights over a weekend would be 164 points, and 10 nights would be 404 points. You can rely on $14/point if you go through a service. If you look yourself like on the DVC rent boards here, you can sometimes get less per point - between $11-$13/point. If you are planning on a week, then going with a service, you will be paying around $3892. Going privately, that same week would cost you $3058 if you got a good deal. I personally like to look for deals

For a week, the Deluxe Dining Plan would cost you $1882.30 plus tips, about $350.

So for an easy low effort in finding deals week at Disney in November, you are looking at $7400.18. You can now see why people are suggesting a smaller villa!

If you want to spend some time finding deals and maybe have a Target Redcard and can get 5% off of Disney gift cards there, your same vacation would look more like this for a week:

VWL 2 Bedroom 7 nights = $3058
7 day tickets 5% off = $1215.89
Deluxe Dining 5% off = $1788.19
Tips w/ Giftcards %5 off = $ 332.50
TOTAL: $6394.58 ($1000 less)

After 4 days, food and lodging become your biggest expenses in adding days, not tickets.

Deluxe Dining Costs $268.90/day
2 Bedroom Villa Costs $418/weekday $484/weekend at $11/point
Tips for meals about $50/day
TOTAL daily cost (no tickets) = $736.90/weekday or $802.90/weekend

5 NIGHTS/ 6 DAYS at DISNEY
6 Day Tickets $1233.28
5 night 2 bed $2222 ($11/pt or $2828 at $14/pt)
Deluxe Dining $1268.10
Tips $ 250
TOTAL $4973.38 on the low side or $5579.38 on the high side
YOU CAN DO IT IN YOUR BUDGET!!!!

You can get there as early as 6am on the day you arrive and get your tickets and enjoy a full day in the parks your first day and can leave as late as midnight on your checkout date. Your rooms won't be ready, and you have to check out at 11am on your last day, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy more of Disney, your tickets, or your Deluxe Dining on those days.

 

[alnem112]

Congrats!!

 

[Marionnette]

If you want to spend some time finding deals and maybe have a Target Redcard and can get 5% off of Disney gift cards there, your same vacation would look more like this for a week:

VWL 2 Bedroom 7 nights = $3058
7 day tickets 5% off = $1215.89
Deluxe Dining 5% off = $1788.19
Tips w/ Giftcards %5 off = $ 332.50
TOTAL: $6394.58 ($1000 less)

If the OP is renting DVC points, she would need to find an owner who is willing to sit on the phone with Member Services for the amount of time that it takes to read off $1800 worth of Disney GCs @$50 ea. That's because the DVC owner must add the dining plans on to any reservation made with their points. And the dining plans must be paid in full at the time that they are added to the reservation. Plus, they would need to get a CM at MS who understands how to apply multiple GCs. It's not totally impossible for that to happen but it's not something that every owner is going to be willing to do.

If the OP goes through a 3rd party like David's, then the dining plans must be paid for in cash.

 

[chrystalc77]

Just think, if you manage to get a Target pharmacy coupon and have the Red Card, you can turn that $3200 into over $3400! That would be like a free night or two at a resort, depending on where you stay. (Always nice to find a way to get more ban for your buck)
Great job saving, that is a great idea to save $5s. We may have to start that.

Saving $5s is the best savings method EVER (besides Disney gift cards of course)!!! We just got on this bandwagon in April, and currently have saved $1665....all in 5s. It was really hard to get used to it the first couple of weeks, and my husband was very skeptical to start with. But now it's a no brainier....he hands them over gladly!!! We also do the change jar except no pennies allowed....only silver. I usually take pennies into work to trade them for silver to drop in the jug.

 

[pineappletreat]

No need to plan THAT much for tickets. The one benefit of going more than 4 days is that the price per day for tickets gets significantly less. After a week, it's only about $10 per person per day.

As an example, 4 day basic tickets (one park per day, no park hopping, no waterparks) costs $1148.08 including tax right now from Disney.

10 day basic tickets cost $1403.68 - only about $300 for those extra 6 days!

Adding park hopper or water parks costs the same, regardless of the number of day, or $236 plus tax. If you want both options together, then it's $336 plus tax.

Currently, the MOST expensive tickets you can buy, besides annual passes, for 2 adults and 2 children 9 or younger is $1,761.52.

If you wait to buy tickets, maybe factor in a 10% increase, or watch for the increase news on sites like mousesavers and buy your tickets before the increase. If you have the money in cash, might as well realize the savings, which will probably be more than interest right now.

As for lodging at the Villas Wilderness Lodge in a 2 bedroom, assuming you are not going Thanksgiving weekend (Nov 26-28), one week would be 278 points, 4 nights over a weekend would be 164 points, and 10 nights would be 404 points. You can rely on $14/point if you go through a service. If you look yourself like on the DVC rent boards here, you can sometimes get less per point - between $11-$13/point. If you are planning on a week, then going with a service, you will be paying around $3892. Going privately, that same week would cost you $3058 if you got a good deal. I personally like to look for deals

For a week, the Deluxe Dining Plan would cost you $1882.30 plus tips, about $350.

So for an easy low effort in finding deals week at Disney in November, you are looking at $7400.18. You can now see why people are suggesting a smaller villa!

If you want to spend some time finding deals and maybe have a Target Redcard and can get 5% off of Disney gift cards there, your same vacation would look more like this for a week:

VWL 2 Bedroom 7 nights = $3058
7 day tickets 5% off = $1215.89
Deluxe Dining 5% off = $1788.19
Tips w/ Giftcards %5 off = $ 332.50
TOTAL: $6394.58 ($1000 less)

After 4 days, food and lodging become your biggest expenses in adding days, not tickets.

Deluxe Dining Costs $268.90/day
2 Bedroom Villa Costs $418/weekday $484/weekend at $11/point
Tips for meals about $50/day
TOTAL daily cost (no tickets) = $736.90/weekday or $802.90/weekend

5 NIGHTS/ 6 DAYS at DISNEY
6 Day Tickets $1233.28
5 night 2 bed $2222 ($11/pt or $2828 at $14/pt)
Deluxe Dining $1268.10
Tips $ 250
TOTAL $4973.38 on the low side or $5579.38 on the high side
YOU CAN DO IT IN YOUR BUDGET!!!!

You can get there as early as 6am on the day you arrive and get your tickets and enjoy a full day in the parks your first day and can leave as late as midnight on your checkout date. Your rooms won't be ready, and you have to check out at 11am on your last day, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy more of Disney, your tickets, or your Deluxe Dining on those days.

Thank you. I really appreciate your breaking things down for me.

 

[bfamily5]

Congrats OP on your savings!! I love the $5 idea! Don't worry about your DH, mine didn't want to go either. But I told him I was taking the children and he was welcome to join us. I totally made sure everything was planned out...got all the good ADR's, researched my patootie off, it was flawless and he felt so stress free inside my Beautiful Disney Bubble -he keeps needing another fix (evil laugh )

 

[momof2gr8kids]

Congrats OP on your savings!! I love the $5 idea! Don't worry about your DH, mine didn't want to go either. But I told him I was taking the children and he was welcome to join us. I totally made sure everything was planned out...got all the good ADR's, researched my patootie off, it was flawless and he felt so stress free inside my Beautiful Disney Bubble -he keeps needing another fix (evil laugh )

Same with mine. As I planned our second trip he said a few times - this is our last time, right? Of course I ignored him ... Anyways 2nd day into our trip in he was already planning our next trip. And talks often about when are we going next. LOL

Congrats OP on your savings. I really need to get my kids on their savings jars again. My daughter is 12 and her $5 bills seems to go to starbucks lately. Really need to cure her of that obsession ...

 

[tadamom]

That's awesome!!!!!!

For our trip in a couple of weeks, we began saving end of last year. We always do yard sales too to help pay for the trip. This time, we asked our kids if they wanted to get in the money thing with us. Their grandparents are ALWAYS giving them $20 each to spend on junk when they visit them and they get $1-$2 a week each from their great grandmother in the mail. My husband told them for every dollar they would put in the Disney fund, he would match it. But each time they put money in, they each had to put in the same amount and the least they could give was $10 each time. I have never seen 2 kids be so willing to give up their money. When Christmas came around, they each got at least $100 from grandparents and they put in half, then when their b'days rolled around they each had almost $200 and they could give from that. In less than a year we were able to have $3000 saved for this trip. We always try to go when its Free Dining, so that much is very doable for our budget. And, they still have more of their own money for their souvenirs.

We decided after seeing my MIL really just give them $$ for junk (toys, games, $Tree junk) and then them still being spoiled with more stuff for b'day & Christmas, why not let them help save for the vacation. This way they get to Disney faster. We are usually a trip every 2 years. This way we will be able to go every year. I think this has really taught them the value of a dollar and that in the past, DH and I have had to save to be able to take them. Now they have been looking at how they spend their money differently....now you can hear them saying "Hey, I've got $10 - do you have $10 b/c that would be $20 and we can put it in the Disney fund and make it $40 with daddy matching it".

 

[3 MEN AND A BOAT]

Congratulations!!! My wife and I have used similar methods to save for trips before and it really adds up quick.
A thought I had after reading through this thread though is if your husband is so cheap when it comes to vacation spending, maybe consider staying at a non-deluxe resort. It'll drop your cost significantly and it could be the difference between him enjoying himself or not. Some people love the deluxe resort and that's great but I know my financial situation and my wife and I could not enjoy ourselves spending the extra $$$. We love Coronado (a moderate) but our next trip I'm leaning towards trying a value resort like Pop which would save us around $3-500 over the course of a week. So simply downgrading from a 2 bedroom villa at the Wilderness lodge to somewhere like Port Orleans could possibly save you serious coin.

 

[Marionnette]

Congratulations!!! My wife and I have used similar methods to save for trips before and it really adds up quick.
A thought I had after reading through this thread though is if your husband is so cheap when it comes to vacation spending, maybe consider staying at a non-deluxe resort. It'll drop your cost significantly and it could be the difference between him enjoying himself or not. Some people love the deluxe resort and that's great but I know my financial situation and my wife and I could not enjoy ourselves spending the extra $$$. We love Coronado (a moderate) but our next trip I'm leaning towards trying a value resort like Pop which would save us around $3-500 over the course of a week. So simply downgrading from a 2 bedroom villa at the Wilderness lodge to somewhere like Port Orleans could possibly save you serious coin.

If the OP wants to downgrade to something as small as a resort room, she could get a VWL studio for about the same price as a moderate resort room. She would have the added advantage of having a balcony to relax on while her children fall asleep, a microwave oven and coffeemaker in the unit for making breakfast, free laundry facility for DVC guests, and still get the deluxe resort amenities.

Just picking a week in Nov. out of the air, 7 nights in a VWL studio would cost 107 pts. At $13/pt., she would pay $1391. The rack rate for a CBR std. location for the same week would be $1396.

 

[disneylover1980]

That is amazing! Congrats!