Calling All Pro-Budgeters!!!

[VAgal76]

I've not had to stick with such a tight budget, but we're trying to send my parents plus nephew to WDW for 7 nights with park hopping option for $2,500. Can it be done???? Most likely they would be driving down instead of flying since it's cheaper.

Traveling from VA to FL - $75 for hotel one night on the road each way, gas, lunch (packing cooler with food) - total $350 (maybe less if they drive straight thru) Padding this just in case. They'll use WDW transportation once they get there.

Invest in AAA membership for room discount.

POP - $676 with AAA discount including tax
POR - $994 with AAA discount including tax

Since they most likely would not return the following year I figured it wouldn't be worth getting the AP unless they went with a deluxe like WL for the room discount and then it looks like it just breaks even. I feel WL is not even an option at this point with the $$$ I have to work with.

I'm at a complete lost for budgeting food. I did a lot of the high end eating while I was there last time and could blow through quite a bit a day just on meals. I was also determined not to cook or make my own meals while I was there so I didn't do much menu surfing. I was hoping POP would have fridges so they keep food in their room to cut down on cost. I'm pretty sure POR has fridges.

Groceries - $75 including purchasing water/drinks, cereal/donuts, lunch items, snacks to take to park. Could possibly bring a few things with them in their own cooler to help on this like condiments, drinks, rolls.
Breakfast - breakfast 2 mornings only - $100 (incl. tip)
Lunch - 3 counter service meals - $90
Dinner - Table service $30 each person per night (incl. tip) = about $650
Total Food = $915

MYW tickets w/park hopper = $234 x 3 + $5.00 delivery fee = $707

Souvenirs & money for laundry = $250

Total without room = $1,872

I'm not left with much for rooms, but if they went with POP at a discount = $2,548 which is where we wanted to be. I really wanted to put them in POR since my dad has disabilities and walking around a lot just to get around the resort is not going to be fun for him. But the budget isn't allowing an extra $318. I think I'm a little to squeaky as it is just having them stay at POP with this budget and I feel like I'm forgetting something too! I'm hoping all you pro-budgeters out there can give me some insight on proposing a realistic budget for these 3 with hopes to find a way to have them stay at POR.

TIA!!!!!

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

When do you plan the trip for? How old is your DN?

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

I think that you need a package. I priced the following out on the Disneyworld.com website. The prices assume that they will be traveling during "regular" season.

• 7 Nights at a Disney Resort.(std. view)
• 5-day MYW Hoppers (expiry)
• MYW Dining addon

For 2 adults and 1 child:
@ POP $2012.27
@ POR $2383.41

For 2 adults and 1 junior:
@ POP $2228.14
@ POR $2599.28

Keep in mind that if you go thru AAA, the room portion of the package will get discounted and you'll save about $100-$150 off of Disney's prices. I think that the dining addon would be a good choice for your parents since they would not have to concern themselves with the cost of the meal, tips, tax, etc. The $35/night per adult is less than what you're currently budgeting for 2 meals.

Adding on 2 extra days to the MYW Hoppers would only increase the total cost by less than $10 and is worthy of consideration.

If your DN is a junior, POR still might be out of your price range, even with the AAA discount. POP would barely be within the budget. Since Disney hasn't been offering too many room discounts to the general public, you may have to settle for a value resort and place a room request to accommodate your father's diasbility.

 

[HayGan]

Unless they definately want to eat sit down every night, you could definately cut someout of the food budget!

I also think that one of the package deals would be a good option. Call your local AAA agent and ask for a quote!

 

[VAgal76]

I just sent over the request to AAA for a package quote. I really appreciate all your help, guys! I'm hoping to get them in for 07/23-07/30 to coincide with our trip down there as well. My parents aren't big on breakfast or even lunch, but a sit down dinner will almost be a must. Not necessarily at the high end places, but I'm guessing somewhere in the middle of the road. They won't mind eating a burger or two here are there either if that's what it takes. Seems weird to be doing this. I feel guilty staying in deluxes, but DH can not fit on a double and I already have 5 of us going in one room this summer as well. Of course, I'm taking care of the bill to go with it. If I tried to go to a 2 bdrm suite it to fit all of us it would cost so much more than booking a separate vacation package for my folks. Also, I don't think I can bear to spend an entire week with my parents AND my in-laws all under one roof! I'm hoping that I can get the dining option for them and stay within range. If it has to be a value, I think POP would be the way to go. Maybe we can re-arrange a few things and give them the extra money as a gift of some sort so they can stay at POR if it comes down to it. Wow, let me see if I can cut my budget somewhere to get the job done!!!! I'd much rather do something I can live without and have my folks come along. Maybe some PD will be sprinkled on us so we can do a fun event together without breaking the bank.

ADD ON: My DN is 11 years old. I believe he would be considered an adult. He eats just as much as an adult (stays skinny as a rail with that metabolism of his!) so I don't feel bad about paying an adult price for him. Like how many times do you hear that one?! LOL!

 

[Suz D]

VAgal...2nd the ?? "when are you going, how old is DN".

I redid your math and not to be the bearer of bad news, but you left out your $350.00 transportation cost.

$350-getting there
$676-POP
$915-food (can cut expenses here-I'm looking at this thinking "It would only be
$840.00 for you to get the MYW dining package for 3 adults")
$707-PH passes
$250-souvenirs & laundry

That comes to $2898.00 for the whole thing.

Here's an idea

$150.00-hotel each way (you mentioned that driving straight through might be an
option for them, so see ** at the very bottom of this e-mail for a couple
of tips)
$200.00-transportation to get there
$707.00-PH passes
$579.42-6 nights at POP (see **)
$225.00-ECV rental (delivered to POP, e-mail me privately if you want more info on this
we do it everytime we stay and I think it would be great for your
Dad as he could use it in the parks every day as well. It's such a
good deal and cheaper than just getting on in the park-and less
than the extra for POR)
$90.00-1 character meal
$100.00-5 breakfasts at food court (long story short, we got a free breakfast for our
family of 3 at sports and we spent the MOST we could spend including bottled
juice for everyone and it was $21.00)
$210.00-7 counter service lunches at $10/person (I think this is plenty especially if
you give them budget tips like sharing the fries and getting 2 burgers)
$216.00-6 counter service dinners at $12/person (again plenty since the CS meals are
not expensive and they can drink water which is free and better for you)
$ 50.00-cooler items (I don't know if they would even need this much since they'd be
having only 2 breakfasts in the room)
$ 12.00-laundry (it's $4.00/load and surely they wouldn't do more than 3 loads)
$150.00-souvenirs and misc (that's about $50.00/person and is an easy place that
they could supplement with additional $$ of their own. It's enough that if
they can't add to the $$ they won't feel deprived.

That's a total of $2690.00 which is $208.00 less than what you came up with before, PLUS your Dad will have the comfort and convenience of an ECV which negates the need to stay at POR.

**You mentioned that driving straight through might be an option for them, so I'm assuming that it isn't a HUGE distance away. Here's what I'd do. On their last day at the parks I'd leave around 5:00 and drive about 4 hours and stay in a hotel on the way home. That cuts one night off their hotel costs (which saves you almost $100.00) and although they have a long day driving the next day, it wouldn't be as long as driving straight through. For example...

Leave Friday and drive to X-town & stay the night (I'd drive as far as I could that day and try to stay about 4 hours or less from WDW)
drive the rest of the way on Saturday & stay Sat-Thurs at POP.
Spend Saturday afternoon-Friday afternoon at the parks (which gives them almost 7 full days at the parks depending on how far they drive the 1st day and how early they get up the 2nd morning)
Spend Friday night at the same place they stayed the previous Friday night (about 4 hours or less from WDW)

I'd also try to get their hotel for less than $75.00/night on the way there. Use priceline or expedia or hotelcoupons.com and I'd be willing to bet you can get it down to about $45.00/night saving you another $60.00. $2690.00-60.00 = $2630.00

Again, this budget could be cut significantly if they go in the value season.

Sorry this post is so long. I seem to do be doing that right now.

Suz

 

[Suz D]

It took me so long to type this with interruptions from my daughter that I didn't catch all of the info in your 2nd e-mail. I didn't realize that you were going as well. What fun that will be!!

 

[VAgal76]

Oh, boy, Suz D, this is good stuff!!!!

 

[Suz D]

I'm the most excited about the possibility of an ECV for your Dad. It makes all of the difference for my Mom. She couldn't even walk from the food court to our room in less than 20 minutes because she has to go so slowly. Besides that, she was miserable.

 

[punkin]

I want to second the priceline idea. You can definately get hotels that are good enough to sleep in for less than $75. I would figure, $50 AT THE MOST, PROBABLY LESS. I also agree with leaving later at night and getting a hotel on the way. If you're going up I95 I would try to get at least as far as Brunswick, GA and maybe even Savanah.

POP is actually not that spread out at all. If you can swing the extra for a premium location in the 60s building, you would be VERY close to the food court and bus stop. We stayed in the 50s and did not feel the walk was excessive even with an exhausted 4 yr old after a full day in the parks.

I am currently trying to get my own food budget down, but it's not working. I like to eat what I like when I like. So I'm not going to be much good to you on that, but someone suggested to me (on another thread) that you can get a double cheeseburger and an extra bun and have enough to share between 2 people. I may try that for one or two meals.

 

[VAgal76]

I was shopping around in Brunswick, GA for a hotel for them and it's about $50-$60 a night without tax so that's good. I'm fearful of 2 star hotels because of a bad experience I had. So if you've stayed in one down there with good experience, please post it here. They would be about 3 hours to WDW from Brunswick, which is good because their heart will be pumping hard in the morning with all the excitement. My dad used to be a tractor trailer driver so he prefers to drive at night for as long as possible. He may have it in him to do the full 10 hours, but my mom would want to stop. It wears him out so much driving that long, but he doesn't care what his limitations are sometimes. If he does that to himself he won't see WDW until Sunday then his mobility is affected even more. It could take him 2 days to get over the trip - YUCK! He gets too antsy and wants to hurry up and get there (don't we all). I really like the idea of them cutting out on Friday night instead of driving all day on Saturday. True, you would not lose much time in the park. I think if they are that close, they would want to do a park that Saturday when they arrive. This is such an awesome plan! Then on the Friday they leave, Mom and my nephew could do a park with us and I could let my dad nap in our room if they want to cut expenses.

I also have good news. I just saved $400 on our airfare by flying out of Dulles instead of Richmond by using Independence Air !!!! So I "found" some money for them. I sure hope they're a good airline. I've seen some pretty good things about them, but I always worry about kind of new airlines with cheap fares. Of course, I felt this worrisome the first time I flew with SWA, too!

If I can score airfare like mine and have the means, I'll see if I can get them booked out of Dulles instead of driving and they can catch the Magical Express to their resort and catch a ride back with us to the airport that Saturday so they don't have to do a towncar transfer.

If I keep "finding" this kind of money they'll be staying at WL instead of POR or POP riding in their own towncar or limo!!!!

This is almost as much fun as planning my own trip - LOL!

You guys are the best for ideas, really, I mean that.

 

[taximomfor4]

If you are going too, though, if you get an AP (or someone in your party does), you can get up to 3 rooms at the AP discount price. The dates don't have to be for your entire stay...as long as you are there to show your AP when they check in. Then, DDE would be an option as long as you all dined together for the discount to apply to everyone.

Beth

 

[Suz D]

If you are going too, though, if you get an AP (or someone in your party does), you can get up to 3 rooms at the AP discount price. The dates don't have to be for your entire stay...as long as you are there to show your AP when they check in. Then, DDE would be an option as long as you all dined together for the discount to apply to everyone.

Beth

That is a great point!

VAgal...I didn't know where a good stopping point is, but the place that you've decided is PERFECT!!! 3 hours is a totally easy distance away. It makes all the travel days very manageable. If they are early risers, they could have "brunch" with you in the park on Saturday morning. Suz

 

[Suz D]

This is almost as much fun as planning my own trip - LOL!

QUOTE]

I agree. Sorry to keep chiming in, but are you close enough to Norfolk Va to fly out of there? SW has NS on 7/23 at 8:00 A.M. getting into Orlando at 9:50 A.M. and NS returning on 7/30 at 10:05 A.M. getting into Norfolk at 11:55 A.M. for $520.20 for 3 people. Might be worth the extra $$ when you have already factored in quite a bit for travel. Suz

 

[VAgal76]

We live in Central VA so we also have the option for flying out of IAD with many more flight options. I scored airline tickets for $141 a piece yesterday for the five of us and was completely thrilled. I was about book the direct flight with Delta for about $236. Boy am I glad I waited. SWA fares aren't too bad, but for the five of us it was somewhere in the neighborhood of $800 for the 5 of us flying ORF or BWI so I still came out ahead by booking Independence out of Dulles. It's only 2 hours from my house, which is the same for ORF, but I'm 3 hours to BWI. We live in one of those strange in the middle of everything places, which is I used to my advantage whenever I can.

I've downloaded Ding, but they are just for June flights right now.

Can I use the AP discount on a room at a different resort than where I'm staying for them? I didn't think I could do that. If I can, I'll jump on it!