budget my budget will ya?

[PrincessSuzanne]

I disagree, they have some great options when you stay away from hamburgers and chicken nuggets.

In the MK, we like Cosmic Rays. Roasted chicken and veggies. in AK, we like the little Chinese place next to Yak and Yeti. There are too many great options in Epcot to even list.

With proper research you can get great food at Disney, counter service or table service.

I have to agree with you, there are some really good fast food places at WDW, many of which you already mentioned.

We are just 2 adults and can eat a CS meal for less than $25 for both, and that is 2 combo meals and large drinks. I think it is closer to $21 or $22, but I round up.

We don't usually eat breakfast, except maybe a pop tart, granola bar on the way to the parks, but sometimes, we will stop for a bagel, muffin, or juice. There is a CW breakfast at DHs that DH and I share, it is a sausage and egg bagel; I cut the bagel and sausage in half and give DH the egg for his half, then we each get a beverage and that costs about $10

TS meals vary greatly. Allears.net is a great place to get a general idea of TS prices, but I would call and get a definite price for the restaurant you wnat to eat at. We go Christmas week and at least a few days during that week have a premium priced menu, so better to be safe than sorry.

Suzanne

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Well there are school schedules and other things to consider. In a later post, she mentioned going with her family. Including her parents and younger siblings that are still in school. And it includes her daughters birthday.

Her budget is just for her family though. Parents are picking up their own tab. It seems they're scheduling their vacation their own way. Which usually works out best for larger groups. Plan a few get together nights/days but not make the entire vacation about sticking with the WHOLE group.

It also depends, but sometimes a 2 bedroom villa can be more economical than doing 2 rooms at a value resort. There's a bit more room, a kitchen, and I think laundry room too. Just totally depends on the family dynamics and what could work for them.

I think she is going in July, don't think most kids are in school then.

I don't think the villas are that reasonable, unless she can rent points from a DVC member. If there are only about 6 people going, check out the Ft. Wilderness cabins, they are really nice. I think 2 rooms at a Value are great, or even a AS Music family suite. Unless you want to stay-off property, then I personally don't think that is the way to go, but that is just my opinion, I don't like to stay off-site, it didn't work well the one night we did it.

Suzanne

 

[SandrA9810]

I think she is going in July, don't think most kids are in school then.

I don't think the villas are that reasonable, unless she can rent points from a DVC member. If there are only about 6 people going, check out the Ft. Wilderness cabins, they are really nice. I think 2 rooms at a Value are great, or even a AS Music family suite. Unless you want to stay-off property, then I personally don't think that is the way to go, but that is just my opinion, I don't like to stay off-site, it didn't work well the one night we did it.

Suzanne

Some one asked why she was going in July and not an off season month since her daughter is only a year old.
There's 7 total. OP, husband, and 1 year old daughter (which doesn't count for room count). OP's mom and dad, plus 2 siblings (school age).

I LOVE Fort Wilderness, I think it's the greatest spot on Disney property. However, it could be a bit awkward sharing a cabin with the entire family, and only one bathroom. I would think her and her husband would want a bit of privacy rather than sleeping in the front room.
In a two bedroom villa, there would be two rooms with a door on them. I don't remember how many bathrooms there are.

I don't like off property either. It just seems to take so much longer to get on property, and get to where you're going. Totally takes away from the magic. Plus would incur more charges with renting a car and such.

 

[acf_1991]

Okay so now that our 2012 trip is getting closer we finally came up with a "budget". Is anyone here willing to double check it for me and let me know if this is way too little or way too much? This is our first WDW trip and so far these are just estimated guesses so if something is off please let us know. This is for DD, DH, and myself. DD will be turning 2 and this will be a celebration for her birthday.

So far this is our plan:

$1400 plus tx for our tickets (we are getting the premiere tickets since we caculated we are better off getting those instead)

$1700 for ASMo (this will probably be a bit less because this is calculated by perferred and we don't want perferred, but it was the only way to get a guess on the official WDW website)

$1000 for food for two adults and a child under 3 with one ADR for Cindy's

$850 for spending money ($200 for DD, $150 for DH because he's not big on souvenior shopping, and $500 for my self because I go wild )

$100 for photopass

$100 for photo session

$300 for welcome package for my DM, DB14, DB9, STF, DH, and DD

$80 for DD bday cake

Now, does this sound about right? So far the only thing I am certain about is the tickets which are $700 a pop. Everything else, I am really unsure. I did check each website out to get an idea.

Also, if this helps, the souveniors I already know I'm buying are ATLEAST one piece of clothing for each of us, a snowglobe, magnets, shotglasses, photoalbums, and picture frames. Oh and most likely Christmas ornaments.



We will be visiting all four parks plus the two water parks FYI

Please work your magic fellow DISers

Just a quick update for those who read this thread. WDW ticket prices came out yesterday, I think. So now I have my hotel quote. Hopefully I can book VERY VERY VERY soon

Link to my planning will be posted soon

Tickets: $1400
I will be buying premiere tickets for two people. For the people who read this and do not know what the premiere pass is, it is the AP that allows 365 admission to both DL (my home park) and WDW (my future vacation) and I actually calculated that this AP is more money's worth than just a 10 day base ticket to the world.

Hotel: $1372
My dates have now changed from 7/25-8/5 to 7/29-8/8 and my estimate has gone down from $1700 to $1372

Food: $600-$1000
After a lot of advice from my DIS friends, DH and I have come to the conclusion that $600 will be our minimum amount of food money and with $1000 we will be perfectly well off with food money. Thanks to someone who told me about allears

Spending $: $850
This hasn't changed, although I highly doubt we will spend this much, but I am very likely too

Photopass: ?
I am not buying the WDW pass, I am taking the advice of a DIS friend and taking a photopass card from DL and having the CM apply every picture to that card and I will buy the photopass from DL when I come back home. THANK YOU for that advice.

Photo session: $100

$300: for the welcome package for the family (7)

Cake:$40 is our new budget for DD cake

 

[SandrA9810]

Don't forget about another $500 for flights.

 

[acf_1991]

Awesome almost forgot!!
Thanks!

Don't forget about another $500 for flights.

 

[SandrA9810]

Watch Southwest like a hawk. I was able to book a flight to Dallas for $79, when the average flight was $129. Now on my returning flight, I could either leave at 6am or get in at midnight, which sucks. I kept holding off and watched tickets go above $200, finally found a flight July 4th for $99 in the middle of the day. That same flight is now $325.

The best part is, if the flight does go down, or you change it to another cheaper flight, you get to keep the remaining credit. So say you book at $149, and you come across a $119 flight. That's an extra $60 for you to use within a year. And a little less than half the cost of another ticket to Florida.