Affordable trip, staying onsite, ioa, us, busch gardens, sw? how to?

[TENIA66]

I spend most of my time hanging out on the disney side of this board so this is pretty new to me........

We, a family of five, myself, dh, dd 13, ds 7, and ds 2, want to possibly fly out from st louis area end of july for a 5 day trip. we'd like to stay onsite, maybe if we can afford it, my hubby won't wait in line, so if we don't we'd have to buy the express passes. Our food choices aren't picky, counter service is fine.........

Can we do it for:

Flight $600 or less round trip
Tickets should be $450 for us/ioa then $225 bg, $225 sw
Hotel, could it be found for $120 a night onsite anywhere?

Thanks for your help

 

[G8r4evr]

I spend most of my time hanging out on the disney side of this board so this is pretty new to me........

We, a family of five, myself, dh, dd 13, ds 7, and ds 2, want to possibly fly out from st louis area end of july for a 5 day trip. we'd like to stay onsite, maybe if we can afford it, my hubby won't wait in line, so if we don't we'd have to buy the express passes. Our food choices aren't picky, counter service is fine.........

Can we do it for:

Flight $600 or less round trip
Tickets should be $450 for us/ioa then $225 bg, $225 sw
Hotel, could it be found for $120 a night onsite anywhere?

Thanks for your help

Hi!

The least expensive onsite hotel is Royal Pacific and that typically runs around $200 a night, but thats not to say that you cant get luck =)

I just booked a room using my Florida Resident discout at Royal Pacific for $165....

Have fun planning!! =)

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Unfortunately, UO doesn't have any Value Resorts. They're all Deluxe by WDW standards. However, you can get them cheaper than WDW's deluxe resorts, just not Value resort cheap. As G8r4evr noted, the cheapest of the 3 is Royal Pacific Resort. The rooms are smaller & may be a tight fit for 5, but if you don't mind being cozy they will suffice. If you have AAA, call to see if they are offering a discount on the room. Unfortunately, July is high season, & the rates are high. (I feel your pain. We usually go in July, & will be again this summer.) One other suggestion I would make would be to skip BG & use that money toward the room. We really like BG. After all, it's our "home" park. It's a bit of a drive from UO though, & would make for a long day trip. SW offers a "pay for the day, come back all year" special. You could spend 2 days there & UO would easily fill the rest of your days. Their resorts are an attraction in themselves, & pool hopping is encouraged. I'm sure if you try hard enough, you can make it work. Feel free to ask questions &/ or seek advice.

 

[macraven]

to the op:

to save some big money, don't fly out of lamberts.
drive over the river and thru belleville area and head to scott air force base.

they have commercial airlines flying out of there direct to orlando.

you can park for a song there.

some great rates of flights.

with the money you will save on the flight, you can swing staying on site.


i've done it before.

 

[johde]

Another place you might save is getting a 2 park Seaworld/Busch Gardens pass. It gives you 7 consecutive days at both parks for $85.

 

[ski_mom]

to the op:

to save some big money, don't fly out of lamberts.
drive over the river and thru belleville area and head to scott air force base.

they have commercial airlines flying out of there direct to orlando.

you can park for a song there.

some great rates of flights.

with the money you will save on the flight, you can swing staying on site.


i've done it before.

Which airlines fly from Scott Air Force Base? I'd be very interested in this!!

 

[TENIA66]

the airline i think is allegiant air, out of midamerica airport, near scott air force base...........

 

[macraven]

i also read that spirit is trying to get in there. don't know if that will happen but would be nice if they could. they do the specials of flying for $10 on promo times.

google the airport and you will find the airlines that operate out of there

 

[englishteacha]

Tenia! Hi! Glad to see another budget board gal here! We're doing the same parks you are. You'll save a lot of $$ if you get the Busch Gardens/SeaWorld $85 passes. Unlimited visits for a week. I think the tax is cheaper on one of their sites, but I don't remember if it's BG or SW. FL does it's tax by county, I guess.

We're not staying onsite but in a condo we got for a song-$50 a night! If you really want to stay onsite at UO, only stay a couple of nights there, then stay offsite for your BG/SW days. That will save you a bundle. If it were me, I'd arrive in Orlando, stay somewhere off site for the first few nights and do BG and SW, then leave that hotel early, go check in at your Universal hotel, and get your key so you'll have express access all that day, plus the days you stay. Someone in another thread said your key is good the day you check out, too, so that's another day of express without paying for an additional onsite night. Maybe spend your last night in Orlando offsite so you can spend the full day at UO, then go to your offsite hotel and depart for home the next day.

Allearsnet.com has menus for Universal. The prices for dining there don't seem horrible...no worse than any other theme park. I guess most restaurants will give you a AAA discount, if you have the card. I haven't had any luck finding prices for BG and SW. If you do, will you share the info?? When are you going? We'll be there Aug. 11-18. It's going to be SOO hot. But it was go in August or not go at all. I picked August!