Can it be done?

[joolz1910]

That is the big question I've been asking myself this weekend. Or am I kidding myself? I want advice /reassurance / a wake up call from the experienced WDW planners. I am planning to go in October half-term 2012 (our school dates are 22nd - 26th - so it would be 2 weeks, including this week) and there are 5 of us ( 2 adults, 12yr old, 8 yr old, 5yr old).

My dilemma is whether I have budgeted enough. I want to get everything for £6500 plus a 'contingency fund' of £500. This is what I have estimated:

£2500 Flights (direct or indirect, preferably from BHX)
£1000 Accommodation (thinking 2/3 bedroom suite, maybe Cypress Pointe)
£1100 Ultimate Tickets
I should have saved enough to book most of the above by April 2011.
£500 Transfers, gratuities, taxis, insurance
£1500 Spending money / food

I have decided against driving the first time there. We can do picnics etc with the occasional table service meal. None of us is really into 'shopping' although the kids would have their own money for souvenirs. I know I could get it cheaper if we all stayed in one room but I don't think we'd cope for 2 weeks!

Any advice / thoughts would be welcome. I have never been, so I'm really struggling with planning.

 

[florida sun]

Joolz- Im going to pop this over to trip planning for you, Im sure there are loads of our trip planners over there that can help you out with some advice

 

[2Tiggies]

Hi Joolz

I have never stayed off site, but since I also like to save for my trips in advance I will give you some of the pointers I use.

It is always difficult with budgeting so far in advance because of fluctuating exchange rates and airfares. Those are potentially your biggest challenges if things are unstable.

Since it looks like you are doing a fair amount of self catering for meals and staying offsite your food budget and gratuity allowance looks okay. Obviously gratuities increase directly in proportion to the number/type/cost of your TS meals so if you aren't doing too many of these, then you should be fine with your budget.

Park tix look okay too - they do increase from year to year and sometimes within, but so far nothing horrendous so that looks fine.

How will you be getting around? I-trolley is cheap for I Drive. Taxis are more pricy plus tips add up really quickly. How will you get from your hotel to the parks? Some resorts offer free shuttles, others have a nominal charge and some of them have none at all. This would be a consideration when defining your transport budget.

I can't help with accommodation costs as I only stay onsite so I obviously pay a lot more for "less" if you know what I mean.

I will say that you are wise to have a contingency fund as that takes a lot of pressure off.

 

[joolz1910]

Hi Joolz

I have never stayed off site, but since I also like to save for my trips in advance I will give you some of the pointers I use.

It is always difficult with budgeting so far in advance because of fluctuating exchange rates and airfares. Those are potentially your biggest challenges if things are unstable.

Since it looks like you are doing a fair amount of self catering for meals and staying offsite your food budget and gratuity allowance looks okay. Obviously gratuities increase directly in proportion to the number/type/cost of your TS meals so if you aren't doing too many of these, then you should be fine with your budget.

Park tix look okay too - they do increase from year to year and sometimes within, but so far nothing horrendous so that looks fine.

How will you be getting around? I-trolley is cheap for I Drive. Taxis are more pricy plus tips add up really quickly. How will you get from your hotel to the parks? Some resorts offer free shuttles, others have a nominal charge and some of them have none at all. This would be a consideration when defining your transport budget.

I can't help with accommodation costs as I only stay onsite so I obviously pay a lot more for "less" if you know what I mean.

I will say that you are wise to have a contingency fund as that takes a lot of pressure off.

Thanks. I had set my heart on OKW but now realise that it's probably stretching my budget too far. I will check out the free shuttles for hotels. I have seen some of the components cheaper - like flights / accommodation but I have budgeted for the average price.

Am I right in thinking that Charter flights will be out 18 months in advance and Schedule flights 11 months in advance? Or have I got that completely wrong?

 

[torsie24]

Have you priced up OKW? (Sorry if you have, I have no clue what a 1 or 2 bedroom costs there) I jsut ask as surely you could get the 42% and the free dining, which added to the savings on airport transfers and taxis etc. could make it more worthwhile.

Also, the non monetary benefits of being on site and have the disney transport and magic and EMH are worth adding into the price for me.

 

[fairytale]

We are a family of 6 and for the past 2 years have stayed at SSR using the 42% offer code plus free dining.

I did a quick calculation last night for staying off site and judging by our figures there really wasnt that much difference in it.

I opted to thinking that we would spend off site approximately 200$ a day on food thats to include for drinks and snacks which we would get included in the Dining Plan. Then taking into account accomodation for 6 and therefore requiring a suite of some kind etc, it worked out to be more money staying off site...

It may just be worth checking the OKW/SSR offer

 

[Ware Bears]

I'd check out that offer too. I can remember pricing it up out of interest for us last year (we're also a family of 5) and it worked out more or less the same as we were paying for our stay offsite and budgeting for one table service meal at Disney each day. If the offer had been on for over our dates we may have even considered cancelling and re-booking ~ in fact it was a relief it wasn't as I didn't relish the hassle!

Also, I know lots of DISers manage fine offsite without a car but check out the shuttle service for your accommodation before you book (trip advisor etc) as some have a very limited service/share with other resorts and you are tied to their times.

 

[scottish mum]

We are a family of 5 too, and this year our holiday for october is costing us £6000, this is without spending money but staying onsite at a deluxe hotel. So if you are off site the accomodation will be cheaper so I think you could manage to have the whole holiday including spending money for £6000. Although you will need to factor in price increase on tickets, and also i am not sure how easy it is to stay in places like cypress point etc without a car, and could spend a lot of money on taxis etc. Try pricing up a 2 bed villa in OKW or SSR for next october as they have had offers on for this and already offering it cheap for next year, although no guarantee they will off it for 2012.

 

[dixonsontour]

Are you 100% set against having a car?

It's just for £500 you could get a car and insurance for 2 weeks.

Having a car means you can easily shop for food/drinks and visit offsite restaurants which are alot cheaper. Also factor in the time you save commuting. It would open up the possibilty of staying in a villa which would be great with your kids ages - there are some fabulous villa prices - certainly under £1000 for 4 beds own pool for 2 weeks.

I know people do manage to stay I drive area without a car and use buses/I ride but the trade off is the time it takes and accomodation choices.

Onsite is entirely doable without a car but i'd want DDP as you are tied to eating onsite.

We've done 12 plus trips to various parts of Florida but last trip was our first time onsite with free DDP. Guess what we loved it and are doing it again.

 

[joolz1910]

Thanks for the replies.

I priced up OKW with the discount and DDP for our dates next year and it was £4500 through Disney. I started to wonder whether I was getting beyond my budget as I would need to factor flights etc on top of this. I would love to stay onsite - if only you could stay in a 1 bed instead of a 2 bed.

It seems that most of you think there wouldn't be much between OKW and offsite, so I will explore it a bit more. I just don't want to overstretch myself.

 

[2Tiggies]

Thanks for the replies.

I priced up OKW with the discount and DDP for our dates next year and it was £4500 through Disney. I started to wonder whether I was getting beyond my budget as I would need to factor flights etc on top of this. I would love to stay onsite - if only you could stay in a 1 bed instead of a 2 bed.

It seems that most of you think there wouldn't be much between OKW and offsite, so I will explore it a bit more. I just don't want to overstretch myself.

Remember if you stay onsite, you can deduct whatever proportion of your budget was for food offsite as you will get free dining, but don't forget to factor in tips - which will be more with 14 TS meals. But unless you want to explore Orlando and surrounds, you won't have transport costs to consider.

 

[london75]

Thanks for the replies.

I priced up OKW with the discount and DDP for our dates next year and it was £4500 through Disney. I started to wonder whether I was getting beyond my budget as I would need to factor flights etc on top of this. I would love to stay onsite - if only you could stay in a 1 bed instead of a 2 bed.

It seems that most of you think there wouldn't be much between OKW and offsite, so I will explore it a bit more. I just don't want to overstretch myself.

I'm sorry but offsite is always going to be cheaper, dining plan or not. For perspective, we stayed in a luxury 6 bed villa for three weeks for £1800

Food for 5 (three adults, two children) can't have been more than $100 per day except on better meal days as we usual eat fast food in the parks as don't like to sit around for a long time. Cheesecake factory usually came to around $150 for the five of us although MIL barely eats and kids are fine with kids meals.

The villa was in Windsor Palms which really is 10 minutes from the Disney parks although a car would be essential.

 

[gemmybear83]

I was going to suggest an offsite villa and rent a car too, for if I was family of five I would rather have all that space and my own pool and with young children have the flexibility to eat in some night rather than have to go for meals out everytime.

I would recommend going on the dibb and having a look at the villas on there

 

[joolz1910]

I was going to suggest an offsite villa and rent a car too, for if I was family of five I would rather have all that space and my own pool and with young children have the flexibility to eat in some night rather than have to go for meals out everytime.

I would recommend going on the dibb and having a look at the villas on there

That's a really good point about flexibility. Decisions decisions. Looks like you can stay in a 1 bed at OKW - I wonder if that would be ok? The villa option would cause me stress as I'd have to drive - and I'm a terrible driver.

 

[gemmybear83]

That's a really good point about flexibility. Decisions decisions. Looks like you can stay in a 1 bed at OKW - I wonder if that would be ok? The villa option would cause me stress as I'd have to drive - and I'm a terrible driver.

With the 1 bed villa at OKW you would the best of both worlds?

 

[joolz1910]

With the 1 bed villa at OKW you would the best of both worlds?

That's what I thought.
On Allears it says that the 1 bed villas sleep 4 plus 1 child under 3 in a cot.
On Virgin I put my kids' ages in (12, 8, 5) and it selected a 1 bed. I know that you can phone to ask for a rollaway bed at Port Orleans, yet it says 'will not accommodate' a party of 5 on the website. Perhaps this is the same thing - if you don't ask, you don't get.

Just got to keep my fingers crossed that prices don't increase too much and that the offer is on for 2012. Knowing my luck...

 

[london75]

That's a really good point about flexibility. Decisions decisions. Looks like you can stay in a 1 bed at OKW - I wonder if that would be ok? The villa option would cause me stress as I'd have to drive - and I'm a terrible driver.

I definitely prefer driving there over the UK. From Windsor Palms it's literally left, end of the road, right, right and you're at Disney's maingate.

 

[joolz1910]

I definitely prefer driving there over the UK. From Windsor Palms it's literally left, end of the road, right, right and you're at Disney's maingate.

Sounds so easy and Wayne almost had me convinced....but you seriously wouldn't want to be my passenger. I just wish DH drove.

 

[wilma-bride]

That's what I thought.
On Allears it says that the 1 bed villas sleep 4 plus 1 child under 3 in a cot.
On Virgin I put my kids' ages in (12, 8, 5) and it selected a 1 bed. I know that you can phone to ask for a rollaway bed at Port Orleans, yet it says 'will not accommodate' a party of 5 on the website. Perhaps this is the same thing - if you don't ask, you don't get.

Just got to keep my fingers crossed that prices don't increase too much and that the offer is on for 2012. Knowing my luck...

Not sure why Virgin are allowing a party of 5 in a 1-bed villa at OKW. DVC 1-bedroom accommodations (with the exception of AKV and, I believe, BLT) only sleep 4 people plus 1 under-3 in a cot.

 

[joolz1910]

Not sure why Virgin are allowing a party of 5 in a 1-bed villa at OKW. DVC 1-bedroom accommodations (with the exception of AKV and, I believe, BLT) only sleep 4 people plus 1 under-3 in a cot.

I know, I'm starting to think that it's an error on Virgin's website.