Budgetting Do's and Don't at the World

[ckoncurat]

I went to Disney pregnant many times.. I would not use a wheelchair unless you have serious pregnancy issues- and in that case, why go to disney at all?

 

[newchic99]

Do...
Remember you are on vacation. Have a great time !
Drink plenty of fluids.

Don't....
Let the idiots ruin your vacation

 

[clajgray]

If you do PhotoPass (whether it's a share or not...)

TAKE A PHOTO (with your camera) OF EACH OF THE PHOTOPASS CARDS!!!


If one of the cards is lost (ask me how I know) you can still use the number and get the photos.....

 

[SweetStitch]

Great ideas!! They will definitely come in handy.

 

[mrs.explorer1977]

I don't take credit for it, but it was the best idea I've ever seen (probably in a magazine.)

I thought taking the picture of the signs by your parking space was another great idea.

I've also read to take a picture of your children at the start of each day -- if something should happen and you're separated, you'll have a picture to jog your (frazzled) memory about what they were wearing.

 

[rrobin3051]

All the picture ideas are great...
I will definitely take pics of my kiddos in the beginning of each day
Oh and take pics of your disney tickets, if lost they can look the number up.
I love the one of your info on your camera...GREAT Tip

 

[angela1044]

Great ideas everyone. I've done a lot of these.

 

[brymolmom]

DISCLAIMER: This is just my own personal opinion for the best vacation budgets for my own family. Won't necessarily work for everyone.

DON'T:
Waste money on getting dd's all dolled up at BBB. Especially in the summer heat - their hair lasts an hour or two and then they're just sticky and hot and ready for a shower.
Buy lots of bottled water - get free cups of ice water and bring a sports water bottle and fill it up.

DO:
Share CS meals
Bring lots of snacks, drinks and/or sandwiches in a cooler to the park with you.
Take lots of breaks.
Take advantage of FREE DINING - it is by far THE BEST deal Disney offers for my family.
Save money on checked bags by keeping your packing list very small - then just plan on a load of laundry or two while using the pool one day.
Make the most of your park tickets by getting to the parks at rope drop. You will be able to do more in the first 2 hours you are there than all of the rest of the day combined.

 

[RLccweems]

 

[Dizisfun]

I've also read to take a picture of your children at the start of each day -- if something should happen and you're separated, you'll have a picture to jog your (frazzled) memory about what they were wearing.

This is a great one. And to add to that, when we went with our grandchildren I purchased wrist bands, you put YOUR name and cell phone number on the inside of the band. Remind your kids not to take the wrist bands off, only in an emergency and they get separated from you, then they should find a CM and show them the wrist band with your info on it.

 

[MrsKreamer]

DO:
Buying some small souvenirs now on sale at the Disney Store and Walmart and hiding them. During the trip when they ask for something I can surprise them with the things I have already purchased.

Not buying any souvenirs until the last day. Except for certain specialty shops, most park merchandise can be found at World of Disney at DTD. So our plan is to NOT buy anything in the parks and if by the last day we really wanted it we can still purchase it.

Know your child's limits. My DH and I understand that one of our kids is laid back and can probably be in the parks from rope drop to fireworks without so much as wanting a balloon. However our other child can only handle so much and will need multiple breaks and possibly even need to go back to the hotel for a nap. Many people think I am crazy for even wanting to bring our youngest on this trip because of that.

DONT

We can't split meals. My DH is a big eater, and has a thing about sharing food from plate to plate. So we booked during free dining and upgraded to the deluxe plan.

Don't go when you can't afford it. We have saved up for this trip for a few years so we can go on cash and not worry about what we spend.

Don't freak out if you can't squeeze everything you want into one trip...that is how they get you...you can't do everything in one trip

 

[watkinsme]

We leave for disney in 3 weeks
I will be 18 weeks pregnant (after 2 years of trying) . During both of my previous pregnancies I have had siatic nerve pain from about 16-17 weeks. Not a serious condition, but does give me lots of pain when I walk. Right now I'm not planning on getting an ECV but if between now and then or while I am there it does start acting up I will rent one ithout thinking twice about it

 

[mla1977]

Great ideas so far!

 

[Aliceacc]

I know this isn't the most popular winner.

But for us this year, the biggest don't will be DON'T do laundry!!!

Last year those 2 loads of laundry meant we got to DHS late. Everyone was miserable and the lines were incredible. It was the only day we didn't get an early start.

This year, I'll pack enough shorts and T shirts for an entire week. (Seriously: it will be August in FL. How much room will some shorts and Ts take??) If I have to rinse out one or two things, so be it. But I am NOT spending time in the laundry room, away from my vacation, making my family wait or missing time with them.

 

[JeMarie6]

DO - Check for any possible discounts. My mom was worried that we'd have to pay $10/day for a fridge because she needed to refrigerate her eye drops (she has glaucoma). I found out it's free if the fridge is for medical reasons. (Thanks DIS boards!)

If you don't have any medical issues, check out a fridge swap! Many are free or only cost $10-$15 for the full length of you stay. Same for stroller swaps and photopass shares, saving me a lot of money/hassle so now i can afford that balloon for DD and mickey bar for DS

 

[kool_kat]

Here's some of the do's I did my last trip

Do...
- Go to the Dollar Store before your trip.
I bought a 2 pack of ponchos for $1.00. They were folded all nice and little to fit in your fanny pack. Now grant it, they aren't high quality, but will keep you dry. Buy several & pack one in your fanny pack until used. After the rain, we just took them off & threw them away. Next day packed another one.
Also, bought some glo stick necklace/bracelet kits for $1.00. It made 3-4 necklaces/bracelets. Took them and gave them to my niece to wear at night instead of buying all the expensive light up toys. I let her completely decorate herself with several necklaces and bracelets and she thought she was "so cool".

- Buy a water bottle holder. We bought ours from a Totes outlet and it fits snug over a water bottle and has a strap that snaps closed. We would freeze bottles of water each night, and start the day with that. Throughout the morning, it would melt and we had ice cold water. Also, the bottle snapped nicely to our backpacks.

- If you are going to participate in the pin trade buy pins before you go. Often the Disney outlets will have older year ones for cheap. Can also buy ebay.

 

[brekin67]

We just found out last year at the end of our trip we could "cash in" our meal credits for other stuff. I think they let us get 2 snacks and 2 drinks for each remaining CS credit. We loaded up on Mickey rice krispie treats for office gifts, and orange juices.

 

[natcat117]

If you don't have any medical issues, check out a fridge swap! Many are free or only cost $10-$15 for the full length of you stay. Same for stroller swaps and photopass shares, saving me a lot of money/hassle so now i can afford that balloon for DD and mickey bar for DS

Thanks! We are considering a fridge swap for our next trip (just my sister and me). We just need to get the dates set.

Thanks for the tips everyone!

 

[sskem96]

Do remember that if you need a Tylenol, Tums, Bandaid, etc, the First Aid stations will provide them for free! Of course we take our own supply for the room, but when my stomach got shook up on Test Track and I didn't have any Tums on me, it was great to be able to just walk into the First Aid station, sign my name on their clipboard, and they gave me about 3 individual packs of some generic antacid tablets.

Don't be judgemental of people in wheelchairs or ECVs, and don't assume they're saving any time! My daughter sprained her ankle on our last trip and was in a wheelchair for the rest of the week. While I'm sure it looked to other people like we were flying to the front of the line, once we got up there they would have us wait 20 minutes or so before loading us onto the ride. (This was in Jan, not during a time when we would have had to wait 90 minutes in a standby line.)

As for washing the mugs, I use the little travel bottles that we put our shampoo and stuff in, and just fill one with dish soap. I didn't realize some people drink out of them all week without washing them! Yuck!

I also fill a full sized shampoo bottle with liquid laundry soap, and take the original lid from the detergent bottle to measure with. We have sensitive skin, so we stick with the same kind we use at home. Don't forget to throw some dryer sheets in a ziplock baggie, too. Mini M&M containers are great for holding quarters for the laundry. Thankfully, I have DVC now, so I can just throw a load in right before I go to bed and dry it in the morning. I don't have to pack the dish detergent anymore either since they provide that. I really love my DVC!

Do stop at every Photopass photographer you see. If you decide to buy the CD, the more pictures that are on it, the better value it will be.

 

[DLW8]

Great thread....

here is one that I don't recall seeing:

DO bring more than 1 pair of park sneakers (or shoes) whatever you wear. It gives your feet a change of "pace" by alternating and is invaluable if you go on a wet ride and your shoes don't dry out by the next morning.

As others have said, DO take a break from the park. We have always done this, even when it was just DH and I. Now with DD and DS, it's a definite. While we may not nap (okay DH will nap for sure), it's a break to hang out, explore the resort or hit the pool, just a break from the parks.

DO know that you won't see everything you want to do, so have each person make a list of the TOP things to be done...everyone gets to pick one (or more) for the day, and it's a successful day.

DO have fun!!!