Budget Orlando vacation

[ReneeA]

We normally go to WDW every year the last week of August into September using the free dining promo. It makes it really easy to budget and save for the trip, and we spend very little out of pocket once we get there (my kids are limited to $25 spending apiece). Our last trip was for 10 days/9 nights at CBR with 10 day base tickets and the regular DDP and cost us $2350. Plane fare was an additional $600 for the 4 of us.

My kids will be 8 & 9 next summer and we are considering doing Universal, IOA, Sea World, Busch Gardens & possibly Aquatica. I've priced out the Orlando Flexticket, and that will be just around $1000 for 2a/2c and includes all of the mentioned parks. Add in the cost of airfare, car rental, hotel, food, and incidentals and we are coming in quite a bit over what our typical WDW vacation cost us.

Any hints on how to make this more affordable? I tell you what, Disney makes it difficult to go anywhere else that time of year. It's really handy and affordable to be bussed in and fed for 10 days and not leave property for anything. I think the trip is doable, but I'm going to have to work harder to save some money.

 

[My3kiddos]

We normally go to WDW every year the last week of August into September using the free dining promo. It makes it really easy to budget and save for the trip, and we spend very little out of pocket once we get there (my kids are limited to $25 spending apiece). Our last trip was for 10 days/9 nights at CBR with 10 day base tickets and the regular DDP and cost us $2350. Plane fare was an additional $600 for the 4 of us.

My kids will be 8 & 9 next summer and we are considering doing Universal, IOA, Sea World, Busch Gardens & possibly Aquatica. I've priced out the Orlando Flexticket, and that will be just around $1000 for 2a/2c and includes all of the mentioned parks. Add in the cost of airfare, car rental, hotel, food, and incidentals and we are coming in quite a bit over what our typical WDW vacation cost us.

Any hints on how to make this more affordable? I tell you what, Disney makes it difficult to go anywhere else that time of year. It's really handy and affordable to be bussed in and fed for 10 days and not leave property for anything. I think the trip is doable, but I'm going to have to work harder to save some money.

How much is the hotel costing you? We never stay on property because of the price (there is 6 of us) so we rent a house in Clermont. We pay $699 a week plus we get an extra 15% off because we rent the same house each year. Renting a house saves us on food too because we don't have to eat out every meal and can actually cook. Also keep checking rental car prices as time gets closer. We rented 2 full size cars (my mom needs her freedom) and it was $168 a piece for 9 days.

 

[Gr8t Fan]

We're staying at Windsor Hills next August in a 3 bedroom condo for $760 for 2 weeks (including taxes and cleaning fees). They have several units available for $299/week in your timeframe.

We spend way less than an onsite WDW vacation because we have a full kitchen that we use everyday for breakfast, some lunches and about 5-6 dinners. We also pick up meals to go from Olive Garden and Chili's and bring them back to the condo.

 

[ReneeA]

I can see making breakfasts, but we won't be at the room or condo for lunch or dinners...we are morning til night kinda park people, so we will have restaurant bills.

I hadn't even started to price out the cost of rooms, but $299 sounds pretty good for a week. We will probably stay 8 nights/9 days next year.

Thanks...keep them coming!

 

[Gr8t Fan]

The website I've used is www.vacationcentralflorida.com. Believe it or not, several of their condos are already booked for August, 2011, but they have five 2 bedroom units and two 3 bedroom units available for the end of August.

 

[canadianjovigirl]

We loved Florida when we went last year. We are a family of 5 and stayed for 29 days. Wasnt a budget trip, but i do believe we got alot of bang for our buck. We stayed in Clearwater beach for the first 4 days and then had a rental house in Davenport. We did 7 days at Disney, Busch Gardens, Seaworld, Discovery Cove, Aquatica, Universal, Islands of Adventure, Daytona 500, Kennedy Space Center, NFL game, Daytona Beach, all our food, rental van, flights etc etc for not alot more than what the Disney website wanted for the 5 of us to stay onsite. I found the best deals for us by just researching for the best deal at each place, it worked out cheaper than the flex pass at that time.

There is so much to see and do that i could not have imagined going across the country and not seeing more than Disney. We ate breakfast at the house and ate lunches out and some suppers. Some days we did get back in time to make dinner and sometimes not, depending on what we were doing that day. There was no way we could have ate out for that long as there were alot of days we didnt want to even eat out, just wanted to go back and make something............

Enjoy your trip........

 

[chabs]

I would consider staying on Universal property for the days that you are going to Universal. The front of the line pass is worth the extra cost of the hotel. Out of the three, my kids liked the Hard Rock the best because of their pool.

I agree that Disney makes it hard to go anywhere else. We always go the same time for free dining. The thing about going to Universal is do you really need the same amount of days to do Universal and the rest as you do to see Disney? Maybe you can cut a couple of days off your trip to save a couple of bucks.

 

[DawnM]

Where did you find this rate? It isn't on their website.

Thanks!,

Dawn

We're staying at Windsor Hills next August in a 3 bedroom condo for $760 for 2 weeks (including taxes and cleaning fees). They have several units available for $299/week in your timeframe.

We spend way less than an onsite WDW vacation because we have a full kitchen that we use everyday for breakfast, some lunches and about 5-6 dinners. We also pick up meals to go from Olive Garden and Chili's and bring them back to the condo.

 

[ReneeA]

I would consider staying on Universal property for the days that you are going to Universal. The front of the line pass is worth the extra cost of the hotel. Out of the three, my kids liked the Hard Rock the best because of their pool.

I agree that Disney makes it hard to go anywhere else. We always go the same time for free dining. The thing about going to Universal is do you really need the same amount of days to do Universal and the rest as you do to see Disney? Maybe you can cut a couple of days off your trip to save a couple of bucks.

If we want to see Universal, IOA, Sea World, Busch Gradens and Aquatica, we need to go for at least 7-8 days, I think. I know that we don't want to spend the money to do Disney in addition to US/IOA, so we are going to do everything else instead, then back to WDW in 2012 (maybe).

Good ideas so far. I think I'll just need to do lots of research to find the best deals - especially on rental cars & hotel.

 

[jerseygirl81]

I agree with other posters that cooking your meals could save you a lot of money. My brother goes to disney with his wife and children they stay outside at a resort with a continental breakfast, they pack a lunch and drinks for dinner they use coupons for some restaurants. If you did'nt want to cook each night you could do some less expense meals like pizza or roasted chicken from the supermarket. I've heard of many people talk about this on the budget boards. Before free dining was offered we used to go to Perkins for dinner and order breakfast the kids loved it and it was a cheap meal. Restaurant.com also has coupons for Orlando restaurants when they have a sale you can get a $25 coupon for about $4. I know what you mean about the free dining though its nice just walking into the restaurant and not thinking about the bill. It sounds like you have a lot of fun things planned. Linda

 

[crazelion]

Going to US check into there all day dining planing for 20.00 bucks. I also Sea World has all day dining for 30.00 dollars. This save m a lot money. I also I would eat outside the parks. There are many cheap dining options. Like ci ci pizza.

 

[Pineapple Whip]

National / alamo has the best pricing on car rentals. Get an emerald aisle membership for discounts, and check with BJ's Sam's Costco for car rental coupons.

 

[Gr8t Fan]

Where did you find this rate? It isn't on their website.

Thanks!,

Dawn

Here's a link (I hope) to their availability for the last week of August, 2011:

http://www.vacationrentaldesk.com/o...ultiguid=04825f07-52d2-4ca3-b598-623f471148fb

When you click on the available 3 and 2 bedroom condos, the week is $299 plus tax and cleaning fee. If you stay 2 consecutive weeks, you still pay tax but only pay the cleaning fee once.

 

[DawnM]

Thank you!

I have 2 SkyAuction blowout weeks left but I am not seeing the blowout weeks offered much anymore and need a good alternative.

Dawn

Here's a link (I hope) to their availability for the last week of August, 2011:

http://www.vacationrentaldesk.com/o...ultiguid=04825f07-52d2-4ca3-b598-623f471148fb

When you click on the available 3 and 2 bedroom condos, the week is $299 plus tax and cleaning fee. If you stay 2 consecutive weeks, you still pay tax but only pay the cleaning fee once.