2 broke college girls...

[JillianMarie]

I'm coming out of lurkdom to also recommend skipping the dining plan. I think the conventional wisdom is that it's always a good deal, but for two adults a room discount is a MUCH better deal, if you can swing it. At least when my husband and I have traveled we've found that to be the case. Half the time, we split meals because otherwise it's just plain too much food which also helps keep the cost down.

You've got a year to save for it, so I think you'll be alright. I'm jealous!

 

[bananasplitkids]

I've done both trips while in college and just last year my first year post grad so I know what it means to be on a budget. My friend and I went in September during low season and spent about 1200 total. We bought 5 day hoppers from Undercover tourist. We stayed offsite was able to buy a timeshare for $289 for the entire week at Wyndham Cypress Palms, did not have to to do the timeshare presentation as we were underage. We booked a rental car from Sixt for under $100 for the week. (If you do stay offsite I would recommend using Sixt as they do not charge for being under 25 their minimum age is 21 this in itself saves $100+ over other rental places). We then did Viggle, Quickrewards, etc. for different gift cards for food places for dinner. We did one big dinner at Disney at Ohana's. We did lunch at the parks, we went to places where the food was enough to share. We had a really great time and best of all stayed within $1200. We are doing it again in October.

 

[AuroraSheasMom]

Thanks to all who have posted so far! It is cheaper to stay at All Star Movies (by about 20$ give or take.) Im a Trip Advisor junkie and the reviews for POP are 100x better than those for ASMo...any opinions on that?

Keep in mind, I haven't actually been to WDW in 6 years but our 1st trip, we stayed at ALSMo. We loved it. Thought the theming was great (very Disney) and were very satisfied. The only issue we ever had was the one day we didn't catch and early bus and hopped on 30 minutes before park opening. The bus was almost full by the time it had picked up at the other All Star resorts. I've also stayed at POR and AKL. For us, we rarely spent much time in the room (although the AKL is worth staying out of the parks for a day), so I would save the $ and stay at ALSMO.

 

[AuroraSheasMom]

I'm coming out of lurkdom to also recommend skipping the dining plan. I think the conventional wisdom is that it's always a good deal, but for two adults a room discount is a MUCH better deal, if you can swing it. At least when my husband and I have traveled we've found that to be the case. Half the time, we split meals because otherwise it's just plain too much food which also helps keep the cost down.

You've got a year to save for it, so I think you'll be alright. I'm jealous!

I agree on skipping the meal plan, as well. If neither of you are big (man sized portions) eaters, you can easily save money by sharing meals. A half a rotisserie chicken at Cosmic Rays is a big portion. Add an extra side, split a drink (or drink water) and you've saved yourself some money. If you can get a 20% room only discount, eat QS, and split meals, it would probably be cheaper than booking a package with free dining since room rates can be higher. Look on the Mousesavers website and find the chart with the room rates and discounts for the last couple of years, compare and see!

 

[dhardawa]

I'm coming out of lurkdom to also recommend skipping the dining plan. I think the conventional wisdom is that it's always a good deal, but for two adults a room discount is a MUCH better deal, if you can swing it. At least when my husband and I have traveled we've found that to be the case. Half the time, we split meals because otherwise it's just plain too much food which also helps keep the cost down.

You've got a year to save for it, so I think you'll be alright. I'm jealous!

I'm going to adamantly disagree. The room discount on a value is usually about $20 a night and two adults will spend way more than that on food in the parks. I'd go value with no preferred room (especially at Pop because there are no really far away rooms) when there's free dining.

 

[JillianMarie]

I'm going to adamantly disagree. The room discount on a value is usually about $20 a night and two adults will spend way more than that on food in the parks. I'd go value with no preferred room (especially at Pop because there are no really far away rooms) when there's free dining.

I suppose two adults *can* spend enough to make the difference worth it, but that doesn't mean they *have* to. I mean, I don't know, I just know what works for my traveling team of 2 adults and we'd much rather have our food costs be elastic expenses (i.e. we are the ones in control of how much we spend or don't) rather than a fixed cost going in. When we were last there I think we ended up spending between approximately $400 on food for 6 days between the two of us.

When we were looking at going this fall, I crunched some numbers and realized that the DDP (with rack rate room) and the room discount (with food OOP) would end up being about equal for us and we would've chosen the room discount. But, hey, everyone has a different way of doing things.

 

[Marionnette]

I suppose two adults *can* spend enough to make the difference worth it, but that doesn't mean they *have* to. I mean, I don't know, I just know what works for my traveling team of 2 adults and we'd much rather have our food costs be elastic expenses (i.e. we are the ones in control of how much we spend or don't) rather than a fixed cost going in. When we were last there I think we ended up spending between approximately $400 on food for 6 days between the two of us.

When we were looking at going this fall, I crunched some numbers and realized that the DDP (with rack rate room) and the room discount (with food OOP) would end up being about equal for us and we would've chosen the room discount. But, hey, everyone has a different way of doing things.

Your own expenses were about $80/night for 2 adults. I'm not sure what kind of room discount you were able to get. The offer for the general public for Sept. Free Dining was 5% off of the rack rate at Value Resorts. That translates to about $5/night in savings. Free Dining would be a better choice for the general public when staying in a Value Resort. That's just the way that the numbers fall.

 

[Marionnette]

Hi Everyone!

This coming summer, my friend and I are planning on a disney trip. Around a week, maybe a bit shorter. We've both been previously in the past. Ive stayed at moderates, and shes been to all 3.

We're both in college and dont have a TON of extra money to spend on this trip. Were thinking of splitting the room costs and potentially dining plan costs. We havent done the math yet however. Just wondering if you had any tips on how to squeeze the best time out of a trip with only a bit of money!

My advice:
Sit down and decide what amount you can afford to spend. Is your limit $1K for everything? Or is it more like $500? I have kids that are "poor college students" but they have a considerable amount of discretionary spending money. None of them would blink if someone suggested that they take a $1500 vacation.

Once you've established a price that both of you can afford, then you can start exploring your options. If you work in the reverse direction (pricing things out and then deciding what you can comfortably afford), you're going to open yourself up to disappointment.

The PPs have good suggestions for cutting costs. They're pretty much the same as what would be suggested if you were a married couple with 2 kids:

• stay offsite
• drive instead of flying
• bring food and beverages with you
• get your tickets from an authorized reseller
• travel during low season
• limit souvenir spending
• have an emergency fund to fall back on because "things" can happen

 

[kseg95]

Good Morning. Thanks for all the new responses!

I just want to say that we would definitely fly! Driving from Maine to Dis isnt high on my list of wanting to do. Especially after past experiences Ive had. Lol. Thank you though!

Well I guess after reading Im spoiling myself a bit more. I want the dining plan because I love Be Our Guest, Le Cellier and 50's Prime Time. Plus I find it a bit easier to just pay all at once. Rather than dragging all that cash with me. Too enticing to spend!! At Dis I rarely eat breakfast unless it is scheduled. So granola and yogurt in the room would be fine.

Does anyone know if booking midweek is cheaper or more expensive? I know sometimes flights are less if you avoid weekends. Thanks for the help so far. Im new to Disboards and everyones so helpful!

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

Good Morning. Thanks for all the new responses!

I just want to say that we would definitely fly! Driving from Maine to Dis isnt high on my list of wanting to do. Especially after past experiences Ive had. Lol. Thank you though!

Well I guess after reading Im spoiling myself a bit more. I want the dining plan because I love Be Our Guest, Le Cellier and 50's Prime Time. Plus I find it a bit easier to just pay all at once. Rather than dragging all that cash with me. Too enticing to spend!! At Dis I rarely eat breakfast unless it is scheduled. So granola and yogurt in the room would be fine.

Does anyone know if booking midweek is cheaper or more expensive? I know sometimes flights are less if you avoid weekends. Thanks for the help so far. Im new to Disboards and everyones so helpful!

you are aware that when staying at a value resort with free (or paid) dining you'll have to pay extra to 'upgrade' to the regular dining plan.

to me this isn't all that much of a budget trip if you're staying 'preferred' which is often literally one building closer to the food court than 'standard'. And you want to upgrade to the regular dining plan. That's not a bad thing if you can afford it. If you're really watching your budget you have to look out for the little things "it's only $12 more per night" adds up.....

 

[amie416]

DH and I take the "save and splurge" approach to any occasion that could lead to out-of-hand spending -- like our wedding, vacations, etc. Make friends with a spread sheet and start punching in real numbers for all your expenses to get to your starting point. This is usually a very scary number. Then, set your priorities, and start working out alternate scenarios... Seeing the total number in front of you is the best way to combat add-on-itus. It's a bit of work to set it up, but I managed to bring our wedding costs down from $11000 to $6500 using this method and we still splurged on things like an open bar with premium liquor and hiring a magician (!) for our reception.

Here is an example of our current "big" vacation budget. DH and I have always taken super-budget-conscious holidays, so this WDW and cruise vacation will be the most expensive and longest vacation we've ever taken together. Our numbers won't work for you because our vacation is very different (staying with family at DVC, attending my cousin's wedding)... but you might be able to use some of the same categories.

Our Budget

As the real numbers come in, I update the spreadsheet so I know how much we have to put away each week. (eg. If I buy restaurant.com GCs for one of the meals, I can update our budget to reflect that.) Our budget numbers are padded a little bit too, but because we're not doing DDP the extra goes back into our pocket, not Disney's. Once I have the budget pretty much finalized, I'll grab some GCs for each day's park meals so I can stick to the food budget and don't have to carry cash.

 

[JillianMarie]

Oh right. Duh. We were at a moderate which I suppose would effect the math on that, wouldn't it?

 

[Marionnette]

Good Morning. Thanks for all the new responses!

I just want to say that we would definitely fly! Driving from Maine to Dis isnt high on my list of wanting to do. Especially after past experiences Ive had. Lol. Thank you though!

Well I guess after reading Im spoiling myself a bit more. I want the dining plan because I love Be Our Guest, Le Cellier and 50's Prime Time. Plus I find it a bit easier to just pay all at once. Rather than dragging all that cash with me. Too enticing to spend!! At Dis I rarely eat breakfast unless it is scheduled. So granola and yogurt in the room would be fine.

Does anyone know if booking midweek is cheaper or more expensive? I know sometimes flights are less if you avoid weekends. Thanks for the help so far. Im new to Disboards and everyones so helpful!

Dining Plan, preferred onsite location, flying instead of driving....these will all add to your costs.

The Dining Plan is only available if you stay onsite. It is not always "free" and when it isn't, you must purchase it for the entire length of your stay. The price for 2014 is $58.66/night per adult. Plus, you need to pay for tips at all of those TS locations. If you're looking to take a trip on a shoestring budget, this really is not the way to go. Consider buying gift cards to pay for your food if you want to pre-pay for meals.

Mid-week travel is almost always cheaper when you're headed to a vacation destination. You will probably find cheaper airfare for Tues./Wed./Thurs. departures. Fares will be higher during Christmas, Thanksgiving, spring break, Presidents' Weekend and Easter - just to name a few high-cost time periods.

Disney Value Resorts have weekday and weekend rates, with the weekends being more expensive. They also have "seasons" and the rack rate will be dependent upon the season in which you are traveling. Location within the resort will also play into the cost of the room. POP actually has 4 room levels for 2014 in addition to the seasonal rate changes and weekend price hikes.
http://www.mousesavers.com/2014-pop-century-room-rates-season-dates/

You can say "I want this and I have to be able to do that" but all of those things are going to cost you money. There's nothing wrong with getting what you want if you have the means to pay for it. I know a lot of people with champagne tastes and beer budgets. They learn to like beer or go thirsty.

 

[swasyluk]

Yay for you! Going to Disney is pricy any way you look at it. You have the advantage of having a year to plan and budget and it's so great that you've started.
In two weeks, my husband and I are leaving for our third trip to WDW within a year and have gone for 2 weeks at a time. I know what peoole are thinking and yes we are fortunate. We have no debt and pay for our trips in full as soon as the bill comes. Disney vacations are sacred to us and we don't mind sacrificing and going without the extras all year if it means a trip to the castle.
With that disclaimer out of the way, I've been able to book all of our trips on the cheap without feeling like we're missing out. I did a ton of research and decided upon ASMu. Its affordable, fun, clean and has an awesome pool area. We were able to have more money to spend on souvenirs (this particular trip was my first time to WDW). We spent two nights at Pop in May (then switched to ASMu ) and we hated it as it was far larger than the All Stars. ASMu or ASSp is the way to go on a budget (ASSp is the first pickup and drop off on the bus route). Dining plan seems to be a definite splurge for you and you're willing to make other concessions for it, so go for it. Just never count in a discount or free dining in case it doesnt happen. Another thing tip I read is to not purchase the dining plan and out the "cost" of the plan on a gift card and if you have money left you could use it for a future trip or for a few souvenirs.
Enough rambling from me. No matter were you stay or how much you spend or don't spend, you'll have a blast and make some great memories.

 

[kseg95]

How does one go about getting a room discount? So many people have suggested it.

Also, unfortunately neither if us are old enough to be able to rent a car!

Im going to try and see my expenses from the last 2 trips and compare it to the dining plan price and see if its a realistic thing to purchase.

Im nervous about buying tickets from a reseller. How often do people do that?

 

[bananasplitkids]

How does one go about getting a room discount? So many people have suggested it.

Also, unfortunately neither if us are old enough to be able to rent a car!

Im going to try and see my expenses from the last 2 trips and compare it to the dining plan price and see if its a realistic thing to purchase.

Im nervous about buying tickets from a reseller. How often do people do that?

I personally always buy from Undercover Tourist you cant go wrong them and its very safe. Are you atleast 21, if so you cant rent through Sixt Rental Car and you wont get charged an underage fee. It is not onsite at the airport but they are always running shuttles and last time I used them everything went smoothly. If not you can sign up for USAA and they have a code to waive the underage fee for Avis, Budget, and Hertz and it is free!

 

[HM]

As a college student the best we could do was spend the week at a friend's grandparents trailer home in Melborne Beach and drive to MK for the day. I applaud you OP if you're able to come up with the funds for a 'real' trip.

 

[Q-man]

Well I guess after reading Im spoiling myself a bit more. I want the dining plan because I love Be Our Guest, Le Cellier and 50's Prime Time. Plus I find it a bit easier to just pay all at once. Rather than dragging all that cash with me. Too enticing to spend!!

Paying those 3 places out of pocket and going QS for everything else is going to be cheaper than the DP. Le Cellier out of pocket is going to be a better deal than 2 TS credits. Eat BoG as a CS at lunch. You can buy Disney gift cards to lock the money up in a way that can only be spent with Disney. Also, ask for the gift cards from family for holiday and birthday gifts between now and then.

When are your finals? If you finish by mid May and can go before Memorial wknd crowds that should be a fairly cheap time of the year. Plus in would be before the Florida summer heat if you're coming out of Maine.

 

[Marionnette]

How does one go about getting a room discount? So many people have suggested it.

Also, unfortunately neither if us are old enough to be able to rent a car!

Im going to try and see my expenses from the last 2 trips and compare it to the dining plan price and see if its a realistic thing to purchase.

Im nervous about buying tickets from a reseller. How often do people do that?

Room Discounts - Keep an eye on the Codes and Rates subforum of the Resorts Board. There are a few people who get advance notice about discounts for the general public and they often leak the info. about a week prior to the official announcement. You can also get a room discount many times if you are a AAA member. However, that discount is generally not as good as those offered to the general public.

Tickets - Avoid risky markets like ebay and craigslist. They are not sanctioned by Disney and if you have a problem with your ticket, Disney will not help you to resolve it if you purchased through an unauthorized seller. Undercovertourist, TicketsAtWork, Ticketmania and MapleleafTickets are just a few of the legitimate places that I can name off of the top of my head. AAA also sells discounted tickets to members. Your university may also offer discounted tickets, so check with them as well. You might want to check the thread about buying tickets through Orbitz. They have had some good deals when you use ebates' shopping portal for cash back on your purchase.

Car Rental - There are agencies that will rent to "under 25" drivers without adding outrageous fees. Check the Transportation Board for information as to which ones are the easiest to work with.

Dining Plan Evaluation - There's an excellent spreadsheet that you can download at http://seeyareelsoon.wix.com/seeyareelsoon#!dining-plan-calculator/cxc0 . You will need Excel in order to use it. You plug all your info into the spreadsheet and it calculates whether paying for the DDP (or QSDP or DxDP) is a better deal for you vs. paying OOP for each meal.

 

[worm761]

Here is a great dining plan comparison! It will tell you how much OOP, QS DDP, basic DDP, and Dx DDP will potentially cost you.

http://www.distripplanner.com/