Any Ideas?

[Ellymay]

I posted on this board for the first time after Christmas when my dh and I received a trip to Disney from his parents for us and our three dd's. I was SO excited as this is something we wouldn't have been able to do ourselves. They are coming with us and wanted to go in May. We will be going May 1 through the 7th. We have a very tight budget but was able to stash some money away for food/spending for the girls. I don't know when/if we will be able to bring them back again so I wanted them to have a great time. Well since then we have had a few family emergencies and had to use our spending money for disney. We are now leaving in just a few weeks with almost nothing! I have been trying not to think about it because I just get anxious on how we are going to afford it, isn't it really expensive just to eat there for a week, never mind having to tell the girls they can't really get too much in the way of souveniers, and I really wanted to try BBB. Are there any ideas/suggestions on ways to save money for eating and such. I did read you can take in snacks. We were going to rent strollers:two dd's are 5 and one is 3 but is it just as easy to bring jogging strollers? Any ideas would be so welcome..sorry it was so long, I am just freaking out the closer it gets!

 

[reelmom]

You could bring breakfast items(Pop-tarts, mini muffins, dry cereal) with you to eat on the way to the parks so you don't have to buy breakfast out. In the parks, split counter service meals among the kids or you and your husband could share a meal. Buy Disney souviners at Wal-Mart or the Disney Store before you leave home. Don't tell the kids and they will never know the difference. Bring your own drinks and snacks into the park. Eat dinner out of the parks on your way to the hotel.

 

[shoegirl1020]

First of all, bring your own stroller. Stroller rentals are pretty steep if you ask me. Second, are you eligble for the dining plan? If so it would only run about $100 a day for your, dh and three kids (assuming they are under 9). The kids plan is a great value at 9.99 per kid.

I always shop at the dollar store and disney store (t-shirt sale going on right now) before we leave. I stock up on glow sticks and t-shirts and even a few twirly light up things from home.

If you give us a little more information such as where you are staying (on-site, off site, condo, etc) we have have more help.

FYI We always do "budget" trips to DIsney and am able to spend LESS than $500-600 for the week INCLUDING food. The last time we went we had the dining plan and probably spent less than $300 because we splurged on the photos from the rides.

 

[PiperPizzaz]

check these links
http://www.mousesavers.com/freestuff.html
http://www.mousesavers.com/meals.html

Have a good time and don't stress too much. As far a souvenirs go I would give your kids a $ limit and have them choose towards the end of the trip. That way they can have fun 'shopping' all week but know not to pester you. (Dh and I actually pick ours out this way.)

 

[dsnymomof4]

Don't worry so much. We've done a 7-day trip for 6 on less than $500 spending money. Eat breakfast in your room - we usually take granola bars, mini-muffins, even boxes of cereal and buy milk from the food court. Look at the menus for the counter service places and find some that you can share. The extra bun w/double cheeseburger works great! As far as souveniers, yes it is hard to say no to the kids, but maybe tell them that towards the end of your trip, they can pick out one item (reasonably priced, of course). Just being there and having fun will be enough. And hopefully, you will be able to go back again in the near future. Good luck!

 

[Ellymay]

Thanks for the help. I am surprised it can be done on $500/week. That sounds better! My sister had me all freaked out, she has gone the last two years. We are staying on site at Pop. We didn't do the dining plan, I was hoping we could eat for cheaper since we are there for 6 nights that would be at least $600. The girls are young and really don't eat very much at their meals so we can probably get away with them sharing.

 

[PiperPizzaz]

That is the great thing about Disney you can spend little or as much as you want. I have found they are always willing and happy to take more of our money.

Honestly you could probably do with way less than $500 depending on if you can go to a grocery store (you have your/a car). Food really is the big necessary expense. Everything else is just sprinkles on the sundae that is WDW.

 

[fishie]

If food allergies are not an issue, you can get a loaf of bread, a jar each of peanut butter & jelly, & make sandwiches to take into the parks. The suggestion about bringing breakfast stuff to eat in your room is good, too. You can extend that idea and cover some of your snacks, too, by adding stuff like apples, oranges, and bananas, and buy a box or two of snack packs (like wheat thins, goldfish, graham cracker sticks, pretzels, etc.) from Target or Walmart. Heck, you can even hit the grocery store before you check in and grab a case or two of soda to keep in your room. Just pop a few into the fridge each night, and you can cut down on the overpriced sodas in the park. I think the fridge costs at the Value resorts, but it would still probably be worth the expense?

Also, for souvenirs, I tend to try and get things that are either reusable or inexpensive -- we do Xmas tree ornaments (my favorite), fridge magnets, sports bottles, placemats, beach towels . . . .

I'm sure you'll be okay, even with a very tight budget -- it's *being there* that will be the most magical part.

 

[susykt4]

My kids are 6 & 4 and no longer had strollers so I picked up two $10.99 umbrella strollers at WalMart and they easily lasted through 9 park days even though the kids are 50 and 42 pounds (46 and 42 inches.) We also stayed at Pop and it was never an issue to carry the easily folded strollers on the bus- even when we had to stand. The rentals are insanely expensive and not worth it.

We took along Pop Tarts, cereal bars and granola bars that we used for both breakfast and snacks. The food court also sells boxes of donuts and donut holes for 3 or so bucks. Another thing we took was the individual Crystal Lite packets you add to your water bottle (actually got the WalMart brand for much less $$) The kids loved them and would happily drink them when they didn't get a kid's meal with milk included. DH and I used them instead of soda and they made the unfamiliar tap water palatable. The drink packet saved us a lot of money. We spent WAY less money on food than we would have on the dining plan but we ate all our meals counter service or in our room.

We took our own version of autograph books (spiral bound note cards.) I also picked up some cheap trinkets at the dollar store and WM that were left nightly by Tinker Bell and this cut way back on them begging for souvenirs.

Oh, another way to save some food money is by having your kids share an adult meal. With everyone else's fries, grapes or carrots, one adult meal could probably feed all three kids (though drink won't be included.) Deb Wills' unofficial Disney site (sorry, can't think what it's called but Google it) has menus with prices for all park and resort restaurants.

 

[reelmom]

We also take small plastic cups to split drinks.