Can it be done for $1500-2000?

[Riverhill]

Staying here may help if there is availability




Dreams Villas of Orlando 4-Bedroom Villa from $99 per night!* 4-bedroom/3 bathroom villas sleeps up to 10 people. Fully equipped and beautifully appointed each villa includes FREE Wireless High Speed Internet, televisions in each bedroom, over 50 Disney DVDs, crib/pack-n-play, complimentary membership to Sam's Discount Shopping Club plus much, much, more!!

 

[Derby4me]

Did anyone suggest looking at Dreams Unlimited Villas for accommodations? They are owned by one of the owners of Dreams Unlimited Travels, sleeps 10 and has pricing starting at $99 per night. Just one option of many. I've never stayed there but has heard many great reviews.

 

[torinsmom]

This is not correct.


They are cracking down on misuse of the YES Program. Other than pre-formed groups it is very limited.


The YES individual registration is normally not available during the summer, only at specific low attendance periods.

Based on current pricing, two adult and two child four day base tickets comes to $1,148.07 including tax at the Gate.

I don't know about this year, but we did YES individual enrollment in July 2011 and 2012. There were classes in June, July and August.

 

[Mom2Ben02]

We are going November 2-9, and have a very strict budget! Here is our break down:

Lodging - Orange Lake, using a friend's time share = $235/week
Tickets - 2 adults, 2 kids, five days, using the 10% cash back through ebates/orbitz = $1083.54 - 10% = $975.19
Gas + misc. travel expenses from Illinois = $450 (The "actual" total is probably going to be around $550, but I am subtracting the normal $100 we budget for gas)
Food = Breakfast/lunch/travel snacks paid for with our normal grocery budget. We are bringing our crock pot, and I am going to make breakfast casseroles in it every night. We are going to eat a big breakfast, then bring in lunch, snacks and drinks to the parks. Dinner out budget is $50/day. Some meals less (T-Rex using gift cards I earned from work) and some more (Ohana), but the average of $50 should work = $350 Buying Disney gift cards for this part, using my Target debit card, so subtract 5% = abt. $333
Parking - $15 x 5 days = $75

Total = $2,070. We will be adding a souvenir budget of $50/kid ($150) and a "misc" expenses budget of $500. Honestly, with two kids having birthdays, and a very generous family, I highly doubt the souvenirs will come out of our pockets.

They seem to have the Orbitz deal once a month, right about this time. I have been buying one ticket per month to make the expense easier. I have also been buying a Disney GC every time I go to Target.

As PP have said, I would definitely talk to the other people going. If all are OK with eating at cheaper restaurants, or splitting up for meals, then it should be spelled out now.

Good luck, OP! You can do it!

 

[Darcy03231]

Hmm... sounds like it's going to be tough, but possible. I think if we can keep it close to $2000, I can talk them into it. We have done YES tix in the past, and it seemed to save us a lot of money. I looked at them a couple of days ago, and it doesn't seem to be as good of a deal. Bummer! Still an option, of course, as every penny counts!

I agree that they may need to reset their expectations, but they are pretty frugal. The last time they went, their tix were gifted to them and they had someone's timeshare to use for free, so this trip will be a financial shock !

I wouldn't try to talk them into it. I would present the options and the figures and let them decide if it is something they can afford to do or not. If you talk them into it and it turns out to cost more they're going to either be resentful or back out at the last minute because they can't afford it and someone else might be resentful.

Having done WDW for years and in a variety of ways I think a $2000 budget for a family of four is unrealistic, especially if that includes transportation costs there and back. While driving is definitely less expensive than flying with four people, there's still the cost of gas, meals on the road, and a night in a hotel both there and back. Say approximately $400 for gas, $75 for meals and $150 for hotels while traveling and you're up to $625 (and this is on the low end). Add in the cost of park tickets and you're up to almost the $2000 budget before you've paid for food and lodging in Florida, parking at WDW, and any miscellaneous expenses like souvenirs.

Realistically, I would say the family needs to up their budget to about $3000 to give themselves some wiggle room or not go.

 

[mrsklamc]

I wouldn't count on this year's pricing for YES tickets; there could be another dramatic jump....of course it can't go anywhere near the last one without charging MORE for YES, but still.

 

[JOCAmom]

Can you really get a house that sleeps 9 during the summer for $1000 a week?

We got a house in Clermont that sleeps 14 for $999 for 8 nights at the end of July/beginning of August of this year. Took a lot of searching but it can be done. It's not fancy and no out of this world themed rooms but it's got good reviews.

 

[Marionnette]

Hmm... sounds like it's going to be tough, but possible. I think if we can keep it close to $2000, I can talk them into it. We have done YES tix in the past, and it seemed to save us a lot of money. I looked at them a couple of days ago, and it doesn't seem to be as good of a deal. Bummer! Still an option, of course, as every penny counts!

I agree that they may need to reset their expectations, but they are pretty frugal. The last time they went, their tix were gifted to them and they had someone's timeshare to use for free, so this trip will be a financial shock !

Going to Disney is always cheap when someone else is footing the bill!

I really don't think that the trip will be possible for this family unless everyone else is also in agreement with going frugal on this trip. You're right YES tickets are the deal that they used to be and there's no guarantee that they'll even be available when you plan to visit Disney World. My suggestion is that you get all the families together to discuss budgets. Be realistic with this family about what it's going to cost for tickets, for transportation, for the resort and for food. Don't blow pixie dust up their skirts about what the cost can be. If anything,inflate the price so that they have extra money in case of emergency or unexpected expenses.

Show them the cost of tickets. Use the pricing on UndercoverTourist.com as a reference. Then use the menus on allears.net to illustrate the cost of food in the parks. There's a fuel cost estimator that AAA has online. It can give them an idea of what gas would cost them TODAY. Pick a couple of offsite resorts and vacation rentals that you feel are acceptable and use them as a yardstick for expected costs for accommodations.

Above all, do not sacrifice the vacation wants of your family and the third family in order to accommodate this family's frugality. You don't have to vacation on a shoestring unless you also enjoy that kind of trip.

 

[4HppyCamprs]

Going to Disney is always cheap when someone else is footing the bill!

I really don't think that the trip will be possible for this family unless everyone else is also in agreement with going frugal on this trip. You're right YES tickets are the deal that they used to be and there's no guarantee that they'll even be available when you plan to visit Disney World. My suggestion is that you get all the families together to discuss budgets. Be realistic with this family about what it's going to cost for tickets, for transportation, for the resort and for food. Don't blow pixie dust up their skirts about what the cost can be. If anything,inflate the price so that they have extra money in case of emergency or unexpected expenses.

Show them the cost of tickets. Use the pricing on UndercoverTourist.com as a reference. Then use the menus on allears.net to illustrate the cost of food in the parks. There's a fuel cost estimator that AAA has online. It can give them an idea of what gas would cost them TODAY. Pick a couple of offsite resorts and vacation rentals that you feel are acceptable and use them as a yardstick for expected costs for accommodations.

Above all, do not sacrifice the vacation wants of your family and the third family in order to accommodate this family's frugality. You don't have to vacation on a shoestring unless you also enjoy that kind of trip.

Great advice!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I couldn't do it that cheaply. I'd let them know that it will cost between 2,500 and 3,000. The tickets alone are over 1,100.00.

I honestly wouldn't try talking them into it if they couldn't afford it.
Having to cook at a condo, bring sandwiches into parks, no souveniers at all, no snacks other than what you bring into the parks isn't a vacation to me.

I just really don't see being able to do it for under 2,500.00.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Going to Disney is always cheap when someone else is footing the bill!

I really don't think that the trip will be possible for this family unless everyone else is also in agreement with going frugal on this trip. You're right YES tickets are the deal that they used to be and there's no guarantee that they'll even be available when you plan to visit Disney World. My suggestion is that you get all the families together to discuss budgets. Be realistic with this family about what it's going to cost for tickets, for transportation, for the resort and for food. Don't blow pixie dust up their skirts about what the cost can be. If anything,inflate the price so that they have extra money in case of emergency or unexpected expenses.

Show them the cost of tickets. Use the pricing on UndercoverTourist.com as a reference. Then use the menus on allears.net to illustrate the cost of food in the parks. There's a fuel cost estimator that AAA has online. It can give them an idea of what gas would cost them TODAY. Pick a couple of offsite resorts and vacation rentals that you feel are acceptable and use them as a yardstick for expected costs for accommodations.

Above all, do not sacrifice the vacation wants of your family and the third family in order to accommodate this family's frugality. You don't have to vacation on a shoestring unless you also enjoy that kind of trip.

One of three things or some combination therof will need to happen:

1. Everyone else will have to agree to do this trip frugally.
2. They will need to come up with more money.
3. The other families going on the trip will need to come up with extra money to make up for this family's lack of funds.

In my own family and circle of friends, I would probably do a combination of one and three if I really wanted someone to come and I knew they wouldn't be able to, but if DH and I downgraded our plans we could cover their extra. I'd only do it if I knew they were really strapped for money, and I had a means to do it without making them feel indebted to us.

 

[JosieMouse]

Can you really get a house that sleeps 9 during the summer for $1000 a week?

You can get a house for under $1000 a week. We're going for a week next August with my sister and her children. I've been able to find 4br (and even a few 5br) homes that sleep 10 for under $800 including taxes and all fees. OP, I will send you a pm about the houses. As far as them or the other family all having to agree to wanting to have the same "budget" in mind only needs to happen with the houses. They do not have to eat or buy the same things that the other families do. I'm cheap and I'm trying my hardest to plan a trip for the 7 of us for $5000. All eating will be done offsite. You can always find a resturant with deals like 2 for $20 or kids eat free (there is a kid eat free card you can get for $20, but I wouldn't bother with it). The family could just do fast food everyday for lunch and dinner. Bring food with you for breakfast and snacks for the park and car ride. I added up the price of gas to there and back at $4 a gallon from Louisville, KY in a Suburban and it was $480, and that dosen't include the driving that will be done during the 5 days were at Disney. We're not buying souviners at the park. I will look in places like Walmart and Target and see what they have. I just want some thing I can't find at home. The most inportant question is what all are they including in the $2000 budget? I know the $5000 budget I have only includes thing that will be bougt in Florida and gas. We'll be bring $1000 for emergencies or unexpected cost, like tolls.

 

[sksjasams]

I wouldn't try to talk them into it. I would present the options and the figures and let them decide if it is something they can afford to do or not. If you talk them into it and it turns out to cost more they're going to either be resentful or back out at the last minute because they can't afford it and someone else might be resentful.

Realistically, I would say the family needs to up their budget to about $3000 to give themselves some wiggle room or not go.

I completely agree...talking them into it is not a good idea.

 

[pryncess527]

I couldn't do it that cheaply. I'd let them know that it will cost between 2,500 and 3,000. The tickets alone are over 1,100.00.

I honestly wouldn't try talking them into it if they couldn't afford it.
Having to cook at a condo, bring sandwiches into parks, no souveniers at all, no snacks other than what you bring into the parks isn't a vacation to me.

I just really don't see being able to do it for under 2,500.00.

And IMHO, it's even worse when you are travelling with people who don't have to do any of that stuff.

 

[averysmom]

How will the other families feel about vacationing on such a shoestring budget? I don't think that this family's budget is realistic, given that tickets alone will consume more than half of their lower limit of $1500. As others have pointed out, there is no way to predict what gas will cost next summer, what ticket prices will be and how much the demand for offsite rentals will jump given the onsite pricing for 2014.

Will the others be happy with staying offsite and in a resort or condo that offers less so that this family can also go? Or even sharing living space with them for a week?

Will they be okay with eating their meals in cheaper restaurants, packing lunches or returning to their rental property to cook dinner each night so that the other family can stretch their dollars?

Will they be comfortable denying their kids a Mickey Bar or light-up spinning toy because the other family cannot afford that splurge? How do you explain to little Timmy that even though Daddy is fine with buying him the pirate sword, Tommy's parents can't buy him one.

I would be perfectly honest with this family and let them know what the other families intend to spend and how they will be spending it. After all, this is their hard-earned vacation, too. They should not feel as if they cannot spend their money in front of the other family out of consideration for their feelings.

I totally agree with this! I've been on short weekend trips (not to wdw) before where I felt guilty stopping to get a coffee or a snack b/c the ppl I was travelling with were on a shoestring budget. I can't imagine what it would be like in wdw!

 

[Marionnette]

And IMHO, it's even worse when you are travelling with people who don't have to do any of that stuff.

It's all a matter of perspective. Personally, I dislike traveling with people who are counting every penny. It makes me feel as if I cannot splurge on the very things that I worked so hard to save for. I didn't want to have to think about how thirsty my traveling companions' kids were when I stopped to get my own kids a soda. Nor did I want to feel guilty about buying my kids a light-up souvenir for the nighttime shows while the other family looking on with envy. So, I would deprive my own family of enjoyment in order to be empathetic to the other family. That kind of vacation only happened once and it sucked!

 

[pryncess527]

It's all a matter of perspective. Personally, I dislike traveling with people who are counting every penny. It makes me feel as if I cannot splurge on the very things that I worked so hard to save for. I didn't want to have to think about how thirsty my traveling companions' kids were when I stopped to get my own kids a soda. Nor did I want to feel guilty about buying my kids a light-up souvenir for the nighttime shows while the other family looking on with envy. So, I would deprive my own family of enjoyment in order to be empathetic to the other family. That kind of vacation only happened once and it sucked!

I've been on both sides of the coin. I've been the poor person who is a little envious of everyone else s ability to spend freely -- while also being self-conscious that I was hindering their trip because I couldn't spend as freely

Then I've been the one who is on vacation to splurge and felt guilty at some of my splurges while travel companions couldn't. And was also compelled to stay in a much cheaper hotel than I would have selected to accommodate the group.

IME, traveling with people who have different financial capabilities while on vacation causes stress for everyone involved.

 

[bellaally]

You can find cheaper house rentals but you have to really its very doable. I rented a villa in Clermont about 20 minutes away . I paid $429 and that was after taxes and all. The house was lovely. The last house we stayed at was huge 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom. That slept 12 with a sofa bed. They also had a pool. And there was a Walmart less then 1 mile away. All for like 612, that was in Haines city in a gated community called southern dunes. I looked at vrbo. Com. Also universal would be a cheaper alternative for the family.

 

[Straitlover]

I have not read all the replies, so forgive if this is a repeat. Soemone in that family needs to sign up for MyPoints. They can click on the emails, do surveys, etc, to earn points and use those points to get gas cards. They should be able to earn enough to cover a good portion if not all of the gas in a year.

Another person might be albe to sign up, too, and earn points to get a Marriott card for a hotel room for the trip down or back.

 

[erbeaman]

Thanks for all the support and advice! I think I'm going to price out a few different scenarios, and present it to them. I'm hoping that if they know what to expect, and realize that they have a year to save money for it, they will be open to the idea of spending a little extra money. I'm not worried about how they will impact everyone else's vacations. We have all vacationed together before (at least the adults), and are used to them being frugal. It doesn't change our spending habits. On this trip, the only impact might be on the lodging, and if we decide we don't want to stay where they want to stay, there won't be any hard feelings. We aren't planning on touring together everyday anyways.

I'm hoping YES tix will be available. We did get them a couple of years ago during the same time frame, and they are available this summer in August, so hopefully the trend continues! When we used them a couple of years ago, only one adult could attend the class. Is that still the case, or can both parents go to get the better deal on tix?

Thank you JosieMouse for the house rental links! Some of them look pretty promising!