Budget Mousesaver Article

[bekkiz]

This may have been posted somewhere already, but in case it hasn't:

Mary of mousesavers.com sent her brother, sister-in-law and two kids to WDW for a weekend (3 nights, but 2 days at parks), with food, tickets, souvenirs etc all included for $1000.00. It's a neat article/trip-report and has some good ideas that anyone could incorporate


http://www.mousesavers.com/howlowtrip.html

 

[hercamore]

Yes, an interesting article for sure.

herc.

 

[rigs32]

My cheapest budget trip came in at a grand total of $1500 for four people - including plane fare, hotel, food, tickets, rental car, the works. Granted, some of the items were cheaper because DH is military, but even wothout that we would have come in under $2k for the week.

I thought the $1000 would be for at least a few more days than it was for.

 

[CheapMom]

I have done onsite (All Stars) family of 4- air, food, tickets, lodging, souvies for 7 days for $1650 and...
we had a blast!

 

[HaleyB]

I would love to hear more details on budget trips. I think I am planning on it being more than it will be... my DH and I are stingy! Better to go under budget than over! But a good idea on what things end up costing would be good. The trip report on Mary's site was very interesting. Some things I didn't think of, like the cold vs. hot breakfast for days in a row...

 

[fam4jc]

Hi. I've found that Dreams Unlimited Travel, an online disney only travel agency is the best way to go IF you don't want to spend all that time hunting codes yourself. You make your initial reservation and every 45 days they double check all current code for your time frame and automatically make adjustments to your ressie! It's a huge time saver for budget minded disneyites. One of the best parts of their servive is they will make your ps' for you, including Cindys!! I know its fun to search the boards for codes and possible savings, (ive done it for months) but I'm at a very busy time with work and needed the help. Anyway, it's something to consider, especailly if you are going several months from now.
Hope this helps.

 

[BethR]

CheapMom,

As someone who is really desperate to get back to WDW this summer and has about the budget that you mentioned, I would love to hear the details of the trip that you mentioned.

Thanks!

 

[maximom]

Originally posted by rigs32
My cheapest budget trip came in at a grand total of $1500 for four people - including plane fare, hotel, food, tickets, rental car, the works. Granted, some of the items were cheaper because DH is military, but even wothout that we would have come in under $2k for the week.

I thought the $1000 would be for at least a few more days than it was for.

I agree ! I wasn't really impressed by the "savings". We have about an 18 hr drive to Orlando, therefore we'll be staying overnight in Atlanta both ways. Luckily through work I am a travel planner for the office and receive inner circle points at Drury so those nights will be freebies. I've gone over my budget with a fine tooth comb and for my family of four we'll be spending about $2000 offsite including food, gas & 3 day PH (thanks Mary) for 5 nights in Orlando. Granted I'm getting a room w/ full kitchen and don't plan on eating out a lot in Orlando but still think we're doing good.

 

[rigs32]

Money saving - priceline is your friend. You can get off site rooms for $20 and up.

We stayed in a place with a full kitchen. We got it cheap through the Air Force, but anyone can stay at an Extended Stay America, and they have good weekly rates.

Use the fridge to store healthy breakfast stuff - cereal & milk, yogurt, etc. Eat breakfast in room.

Pack lunches - sandwiches, leftovers that work at room temp, etc. Also bring snacks.

Take your daily break for an early dinner back at the room. Easy prep stuff - pre-prepped hamburgers, pasta, chicken breasts, etc. Return to a different park for the evening.

Get 4 day hoppers for a week trip - spend other days exploring the resorts, DTD, etc.

Go to the outlets for your souveneirs. Do you NEED a tank top in the summer and a sweatshirt in the winter? Get a sweatshirt during that summer trip. You can remind yourself of the trip all winter long.

 

[Cindy B]

I wasnt' that impressed either.

I did a five day trip totally onsite for four people 2 adults, 2 kids for less than $1000.

We drove, did not stop onroute, and did well.

I noticed that they ate a lot in the parks.. we always pack snacks. My kids never ever eat little things.

They would have done better with a hopper pass instead of a UPH. They did not utilitze the UPH to its advantage.


The second trip we went on was also onsite and about $1100 including gas money and food onroute.

We also drive from PA/NJ so it is a further drive.

As for making it cheaper, there are so many things you can do .

 

[Lewisc]

Originally posted by Cindy B

I noticed that they ate a lot in the parks.. we always pack snacks. My kids never ever eat little things.

They would have done better with a hopper pass instead of a UPH. They did not utilitze the UPH to its advantage.

Park rules don't allow you to bring in outside food. Mary wanted to follow the rules for this trip. You can't get a 2 day park hopper and you can't get EE unless you stay onsite. I think her methods were well planned BUT I can't see many people doing it that way. I think there are better ways to do a budget trip BUT I don't think you can follow all the rules, see all 4 parks and keep to a $1,000 budget much better than what they did.

I don't think you can get much lower. I think staying offsite and getting a 3 day convention ticket would make for a better trip but I don't think you could get the budget under $1,000.

 

[mad4themouse]

I found the article to be interesting but really didn't see any savings hints that I haven't found on these boards.

I did appreciate the comments that Suzanne included at the end, especially about the turkey sandwiches becoming "tired" and the need for a hot breakfast now & then.

I also like the caveat that the whirlwind, 2-day express economy tour of WDW is not for the newbie. Just getting oriented to the parks' layouts takes time. There is no way that a WDW virgin is going to make it to all 4 parks in 2 days and see as much as Suzanne did.

One of these days, I'm going to try to see how cheaply I can "do Disney". It just won't be this next trip.

 

[Hillbeans]

Don't forget, the one child was an "adult" ticket, that ups the price quite a bit.

Honestly, if they went outside of the park more for food, like the Golden Corral with the coupon, they'd have enough food to last them the day. We did this 3 days, skipped lunch, and had dinner. Eating at the park is really expensive.

 

[CheapMom]

I don't remember all the specifics (it was in 2000) but I know we got friends fly free from Southwest plus we had 2 airline vouchers from SWA rapid rewards.
All Star Movies had a $69 (tax included) advance purchase rate.
We did our character breakfast at Baskerville's and had a coupon for 50% off (Bill totalled around $20)
We used a coupon in our Entertainment book for a rental car for 1 week that was around $89 (before taxes)
We did 4 day hoppers. (2 adult, 2 child)
We stopped at the store for PB&J ingredients, juice boxes, pop tarts, cereal milk, chips, beer and wine, cheese and crakers... We ate all of our breakfasts in the room (except the character breakfast) and carried lunch into the parks most days and always had snacks on hand at the parks. Always carried water bottles into park. The food court at ASMO is pretty good and reasonable. We ate dinner there most nights.
(Our kids were 3 and 5 so we didn't care about fancy dining)
Both sets of grandparents gave each kid $20 (so they each had 40 total) They could spend it any way they chose, Mickey bars, souveniers... That was it, we didn't buy them anything else.
We travelled off season
BTW- with little kids 4 days at the parks was more than enough- my favorite day of this trip was when we spent the morning at the pool and then rode the monorail to GF, Poly, and Contemporary. Got off at each resort and strolled around the hotels- the kids loved it too. The article I really like at Mousesavers is the one titled something like "Free and cheap things to do at WDW"
I know the exact price because everything went on a credit card- that was all we used it for and we got an end of year statement

 

[CheapMom]

Beth- I know some of these things in my budget (namely airfare) prob. won't help you. Southwest had incredibly cheap airfare back then, if i recall it was around $100 rt from Baltimore. I think those days are over. And our Rapid reward credit card had some great promos back then. So you probably won't see those airfare savings.
That said, if I had it to do over I would have gotten 3 day hoppers (from Disney's group sales) for greater savings. I really enjoyed the off days from the parks, relaxing at the Mickey pool with my peeps, searching for hidden Mickeys at the resort!
This time around I am glad to say we have a bigger budget!

 

[crazelion]

It's easy to a budget trip if willing to give a few things.

Do a weekend trip. Example if driving distance do a Thursday through Sunday trip.

You will be amazing on how much you can do.

Be willing to stay offsite when can't afford onsite prices.

Check hotelkingdom.com for hotel rates for cheap without doing priceline. Then check tripadvsior.com for hotel reviews.

Once got hotel took care of then time what tickets to purchase. Decide which parks to go to IOA, US, and WDW.

If love Orlando IOA and US should not be miss because you can get cheap tickets all the time becuse they offer coupons.

Be willing to eat offsite for breakfeast and dinner. Eat two meals a day offsite that will save money.

I not a fan eating breakfeast in the room. Then again I don't like cold ceral. I will take lunch in the park with me if I get hungrey.

Examples of thing I take with is :
tuna saland in a can. That do have to in the fridge. They offer many varity ham saland and chicken saland with crackers with to.

I loved chicken saland and crackers together I take them to work with me for lunch all the time. They is only a 1.00 dollar.

Pringles lover so I took those to.

Drink water in the parks. They give a free cup water at the concession stand. Or bring on drinks in the park.

I always took water or powerade in the park. Not just WDW either. I do that at every amusement park I go to. Except for Lake Winnie. That's only because it 10 minutes from my house.

Gas try fill in Georiga because it's cheaper.

For the car trip down take snacks with you that will save all money.

I have took plenty weekend trips every where because that all I can afford take. Or not go. That do not take away from the fun.

 

[rigs32]

DH and I have a somewhat complicated budget system for ourselves, but it works for us.

That said, I think that in order to do a true budget trip, you need to either:
1) plan for splurges (budget for a park snack every day or every other day)
or
2) if someone decides to splurge, the extra comes from their personal money, not the group money. I'm a saver and DH is a spender. If his desserts, extras, and whatnot came from the travel budget, I'd be pulling my hair out. Instead, we decide *before we leave* on a set budget and any deviations come from our own personal money. He can go buy what he wants and not cause me to have to miss out on something I wanted to do.

You do not *have* to give into your kids demads for a snack. If you know they'll be hungry, plan a meal schedule that will take it into consideration.

As for sandwiches getting old, again it's a trade off. Much of the park food is mediocre. Why not eat my own, cheaper, mediocre food? If sticking to an in room breakfast will, in the long run, allow me to have a longer vacation, I'll do it. Saving $20 each day adds up quickly.

 

[Tina]

Hillbeans - you mentioned a coupon for Golden Corral - where can I find this? DH and I are doing a 6 night/5 day budget trip for at the end of April. We could use all the coupons we can get.

Did anyone else notice that she only SPLIT a cheeseburger with her husband for lunch at EPCOT? Hello? Those cheeseburgers arent' THAT big!! I'd like my own, please.

 

[Hillbeans]

Originally posted by Tina
Hillbeans - you mentioned a coupon for Golden Corral - where can I find this? DH and I are doing a 6 night/5 day budget trip for at the end of April. We could use all the coupons we can get.

Did anyone else notice that she only SPLIT a cheeseburger with her husband for lunch at EPCOT? Hello? Those cheeseburgers arent' THAT big!! I'd like my own, please.

Actually, at the Golden Corral, they have a bunch of coupon books, but they're at the exit (sneaky!) Grab a few of the coupon books and use them right then. We did. Even better, we have a DS 3 who we said was 3 each time we went and they didn't charge us for him for some reason. I guess they only charge for over 3 year olds. We ate a huge breakfast for $13.50 for 3 and then had a light snack until dinner. We're breakfast people and like to eat our big meal early in the day.

The coupon books are also at the other restaurants around town, like Denny's and the like on the 192 and Int'l drive area. The golden Corral is at the Downtown Disney area exit.

 

[Tina]

Thanks. We'll definitely grab those coupons books on our first night!