balancing dream vaca w/reality budget

[newholidayx2]

sooo this Aug vacation started as a "cheap" vacation - DS & myself going to VWL for 6nights to use up our 04 DVC points since they couldnt roll over more than 1 yr
then i added on 3nights at Riverside, then I switched VWL to BCV and Riverside to WL
then I figured since I had another 3vacation days for this yr to add them onto the beginning of the vacation at Pop
then I was rethinking our park hopper tickets - 10day expiring/non-hopping MYW would cost as much as our 5day hopper ticks we'd bring back with us
then I figured thought about getting an AP so I can get the DDE card? and of course Id have to get (2) cos I wouldnt be happy not hopping if DS couldnt hop
then i thought about adding on the DDE card - I mean ppl do say in Aug Id need a PS every day - well if I had the card we could eat at the more expensive PS restaurants - wouldnt need to be the $15pp & under

welllll believe me I can keep going - last night I thought about going back to the cheaper route - (2) 10day expiring/non-hopping, no DDE card - however we are definately going for 14days!

soooo do you find yourself like this? keep adding and adding and adding

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

Yep!

This next vacation was supposed to be me and the kids. We were going to get one last trip in on my AP, use up some FF miles and some remaining meal vouchers before they expire.

Now DH wants to come along, too. Suddenly, I need another airline ticket, a larger car and another park ticket. I'll need more money for meals and I'm considering changing from a moderate resort to a deluxe just so that we can have a little more room. That's going to depend upon whether any AP codes come out for our time period. *sigh*

So, what was once a "budget", quick trip with the kids is slowly becoming a family vacation.

 

[InstImpres]

Yup, me free vacation is looking like 2k for 2 of us(using ff miles, have an ap and DVC points.)

Remember, if you time it right you can get 2 vacations out of the ap and with the dvc discount the diifference between the 10 day and the ap (which will let you in 14 dyas this trip and another trip) is only $60.

How about putting POP in the middle of your trip (weekend) and than renting additional dvc points, sometimes that is cheaper than a mod depending on season.

JMHO but certainly can relate.

 

[antbritt]

Oh I thought it was just me!
I started out with a week at SOG with my DD. Then the Airfare was so High so I added 2 noghts ( overflow from SOG ) at the POR ( hahah for cheaper airfae?) then I asked a friend if she wanted to join us. and then I reallly reallly wanted to stay at the Boardwalk soo I changed some of the nights from the SOG to the Boardwalk . Then my friend got a good FL res rate at the Boardwalk Conceirge . So I said Ok.
Then my son had some free time so he wanted to come. Humm More airfare, tickets and more food money. After A while I figured I really neeeded another room for him to be there so I got lucky and got 2 nights at the SOG for an extra room ( still need 2 more nights for us to have 2 rooms for the time he is there)
Then the Airfare at the Airport I really wanted dropped but still higher then the one I had booked . so I switched that for Convenience.
Now I think A week away with my DD has turned into : 10 nights, 3 resorts and 6 people!
Oh yeah then I figured for the price I should just skip the MYW tickets and get an AP for myself , then I realized if I did that I really needed 1 for my DD if I am going to have to go again ( what a shame!! Hahah) So now I went to 10 nights , 2 resorsts, 6 people and another trip planneed!
I think my Love of Disney is my own worst enemy!

 

[canwegosoon]

I could have written your post! Our OKW now is SSR/BWV, and the counterservice with a few PS is now almost all PS because I don't know what to expect with Easter. The tickets...AP/DDE vs 10 vs 10 non expiry, car vs. Town car. I am sick. I think I have put way too much time in to this trip. I knew there was a reason why I liked packages!

 

[torianne31]

What does "DDE" mean?

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

What does "DDE" mean?

DDE is shorthand for Disney Dining Experience. It's a discount dining program that AP holders and Florida residents can join for an annual fee. For Florida residents, the fee is $75. For AP holders, the fee is $50 for a limited time.

The DDE benefits include a 20% discount off of your dining bill at select locations. That discount can be used anytime that the participating restaurants are open (you are not limited to set hours of operation). However, there are blackout dates like Christmas and NewYear's, when the discount cannot be applied.

 

[torianne31]

Thanks for the explanation, was tossing all kinds of possibilities around for what DDE could mean and was coming up blank..

 

[hockey mom]

I was helping a friend plan a March break vacation with no thoughts about going myself

She decided not to go but we are going to have a blast.

I had my AP left so I figured I had better use it before it expires in April. When I mentioned it to DH he said " so you want to spend $2500 on another trip to save about $75 worth of an AP"- I said "yep" and He said "sounds good, lets go"

 

[bigsis1970]

haa haa Barb -- add me to that list too.. my 1k trip is out of control I went from 7d/6n using just my waterpark left over tickets and 1 day hoppers on left over passes and the free shuttle for our july trip -- to this -- the airfare i found was perfectly priced out of my hometown - portland, me but was into Tampa so now i need a car .. then i got thinking that just one day - even with hopping - wasn't going to be enough park time so i am getting us each a 3 day basic - no hopping and expires. and while we are staying at OKW in a studio so we can potentially "eat in" i am getting back a bit more in tax money so will be spending it on "eating out" LOL ... i am at almost 2k !!! its pure and simple craziness !!! Michelle

 

[SleepyatDVC]

sooo this Aug vacation started as a "cheap" vacation - DS & myself going to VWL for 6nights to use up our 04 DVC points since they couldnt roll over more than 1 yr
soooo do you find yourself like this? keep adding and adding and adding

And we thought DVC would SAVE us money!!!

First, 12 night trip in April to BWV in a studio turned into 5 nights in a BWV 2-bdrm and 7 nights in the BWV studio

DDE availablity means a AP is necessary which led to getting as many trips as possible in 12 months

So, one trip lead to 2 more trips, October 2005 and Februaury 2006.

That means APs for 4 (2 adults, 2 children)

Ooops, need to stretch those DVC points to be able to go multiple times. Keep 5 nights in a 2 bedrm at BWV, cancel the studio for 7 nights and exchange another timeshare for a 2 bedroom at Marriott Cypress Harbor for those 7 nights.

DH says, who knew that saving money could be soooo expensive!!!

 

[disneymom3]

ha ha ha! I LOVE that I am in a place where everyone is as insane as I am!!!

Oh yeah, I have been there. Especially those money saving trips with the AP!!