Can We Get By???

[disneysteve]

Okay, the 2 things where my budget varies from your's are 1. Transportation. We've always flown, but that adds about $700 more to the budget (unless there's a SWA $39 each way deal).

2. Accomodations. Wow! That really makes a huge difference, in spite of the code rates at WL. I've got to keep thinking about this.

Even with the $39 deal, that means $234 for 3 tickets plus taxes and fees, airport parking, rental car (or at least ground transport from the airport), tips for baggage handling, etc. Our drive from NJ cost under $325 and we could have managed to find cheaper hotels on the road but wanted to stick with Marriott properties. Plus, we would never do Disney without a car, even when staying onsite, so we would have to include the cost of a rental car.

As for accomodations, I mentioned the places I've stayed onsite. I've also at least been in the rooms at most of the other properties when visiting friends. Even the deluxe hotels (WL, AKL) have tiny cramped rooms in our opinions. I would never want to stay there unless it was just DW and I. The offsite options are just better for families in so many ways and, as someone mentioned, sometimes closer to the parks than the onsite hotels. From Orbit One, for example, we were 3 miles from AK and didn't need to travel on 192 or I-4 to get there.

 

[TNKBELL]

Hi I absolutely enjoy the thrill of budgeting my WDW trips! We are a family of 6 and we drive from Kansas. This takes us 3days/2nights. We spent a total of $2000.00 this does not include OKW DVC. This year we are planning a trip in October. We are out of DVC points so we will probably do skyauction or getravelop.com. Disneysteve's pics are great and OrbitOne would be an awesome place to stay!! I agree with his philosophy about space! After being cooped up in a car for 3 days we all need our space! We also eat breakfast in the room. One great thing we discovered while staying onsite was SSR has $25.00 family take out meals. They are huge!! We had enough food for 3 meals and this is for 6 of us!! And definately the best food we had the entire trip!! Just my 2 cents!

 

[ptrbryant]

Hey, tnkbell!
I'm actually holding off on tickets until we hs'ers find out more about the Y.E.S. program...should be word this March, right? Also, are the discounted tickets only available for the children who participate or their families as well? (aside from the "free" chaperone tix per 10 kids).

Take care,

Karla B.

 

[ptrbryant]

We're Marriott-loyal as well. I was thinking about using some points to make the stopover hotels free, but may want to save them towards more expensive destinations. The cheapest Marriotts I found where we'll be staying (Valdosta) are about $79 prior to taxes. Which ones are you finding at a lower rate?
Also, the other factor we have is pet-sitting for our spoiled dog & more spoiled 2 cats. I always forget how fast that adds up! So, the two extra days driving adds another $60+ in those fees.

Karla B.

 

[disneysteve]

We're Marriott-loyal as well. The cheapest Marriotts I found where we'll be staying (Valdosta) are about $79 prior to taxes. Which ones are you finding at a lower rate?:

Do you mean where we stopped on the road? We stayed overnite at a Fairfield Inn each way in the Carolinas. The total for both nites was about $125. One time we got the discounted rate in the travel magazine from the state welcome center. The other time no rooms were available at that rate but the AAA rate was only a couple dollars more. And Fairfield includes breakfast so we had a good meal free before we got back on the road.

BTW, we don't book our stop over hotel in advance. We wait until about an hour before so we know where we'll be. Then we use the Room Saver guide to pick a hotel and just call ahead for a room.

 

[toystoryduo]

disneysteve~

Couple of questions for you:

1. Can you share with us how SkyAuction works? Did you specifically request Orbit One? Was it a full week? Do they have 3 bedroom condos? Where is it located? What is their maximum # of people per condo? Is it a gated community like Windsor Palms? Any info. you can give here would be great!

2. How would you compare Orbit One with Windsor Palms? We stayed at Windsor Palms last December (10 people) and we are looking to stay there again (14 people) this year too. However, if Orbit One proves to be cheaper, we may try that option.

Thanks disneysteve! Your advice and information here on these boards is so helpful!!!

 

[disneysteve]

disneysteve~

1. Can you share with us how SkyAuction works? Did you specifically request Orbit One? Was it a full week? Do they have 3 bedroom condos? Where is it located? What is their maximum # of people per condo? Is it a gated community like Windsor Palms? Any info. you can give here would be great!

2. How would you compare Orbit One with Windsor Palms? We stayed at Windsor Palms last December (10 people) and we are looking to stay there again (14 people) this year too. However, if Orbit One proves to be cheaper, we may try that option.

Thanks disneysteve! Your advice and information here on these boards is so helpful!!!

1. I bid on a Ready, Set Go (RSG) auction on SkyAuction. After placing my bid, I put a hold on a unit at Orbit One. After I won the auction, I e-mailed SA and told them I had the unit on hold and they booked it for me and sent me the confirmation.

Here is Orbit One's website:http://www.islandone.com/ior/oo.html
They have only 2-bedroom, 2-bath units. The buildings are 3 stories except for one which is 2 stories. The site says the units accomodate 6. I don't know if there is a limit on putting more than 6 in them but there is only sleeping space for 6: king bed in the master bedroom, 2 twins in the 2nd bedroom and a sleeper sofa.

We did stay a full week, Saturday to Saturday. The place is very convenient to Disney. It is on Entry Point Blvd. which becomes Sherberth Rd. when it crosses 192. So to get onto Disney property, you just make a left out of the resort, cross 192 and come in the back way by Animal Kingdom. No 192. No I-4. So no traffic to speak of. There is a guard shack at the entrance though honestly it wasn't always manned. Sometimes there was a guard and a barrier. Other times the barrier was up and you could just drive in.

2. Windsor Palms and Orbit One are different. WP is a gated community of condos, townhomes and pool homes. Most are privately owned rentals but some are owned by permanent residents. OO is a timeshare resort - no individual ownership.

I have stayed at WP in a 3-bed condo in November 2003. We loved it. WP was definitely more upscale as far as the furnishings are concerned (though that can vary from unit to unit based on the owner's taste and budget). WP felt more like a home to me, someplace you would actually live full time. OO felt more like a vacation resort.

Things I liked better at OO. The pool is much closer and larger. At WP we were pretty far from the pool. OO is closer to Disney though not by a tremendous amount. At OO parking is a bit closer to your unit than at WP.

Main thing I liked better about OO was the price. We paid $90/nite for a 3-bed condo at WP. We paid just over $37/nite for a 2-bed unit at OO. For that reason alone, I would pick OO over WP. I'm quite sure you can't get a 2-bed condo at WP for that price.

 

[Minnie1156]

We go down with a family of 4 and we do not spend $2000 after trip is paid for

 

[toystoryduo]

Thanks disneysteve!!

 

[fausz4]

We are going in Sept with our DS3, DS8 and my parents (all of which are first timers). I will have all lodging, passes and travel paid for up front - but need to budget for our time there. We are staying in a 2 bdrm villa at OKW. I am sure we will eat breakfast in each day and have a couple dinners there too. We are also planning a day at Daytona Speedway (Yea - Jeff Gordon!) and Cape Canaveral.

My question - how do I even start figuring a budget while we are there??? I don't know what Character Breakfasts we will attend or extra activities (would love to hear your best bets and one's you shy away from).

I am just trying to save up as much $$ as I can! - but want to be able to tell my parents what to expect too. I have heard alot about the Passporter book available - would that help too??

Thanks!

 

[KristiKelly]

To answer the OPs question, yes $2,000 should be more than plenty for food & souvenirs (even if eating on-site). I think you should have plenty of $$$ to go ahead and start planning your next trip down .

I am just trying to save up as much $$ as I can! - but want to be able to tell my parents what to expect too. I have heard alot about the Passporter book available - would that help too??

Thanks!

fausz4, have you visited www.allearsnet.com? There you can find menus to all of the restaurants and prices. This has helped us tremendously in the past to know what to budget for. Can also help if you have picky eaters in your group to know the type of food each restaurant has. Also, keep in mind that most restaurants are cheaper if you eat lunch there vs dinner. I have a Passporter & love it. I don't necessarily carry it around to the parks but I do take it with us. I usually keep all of our PS confirmations & tickets in the book. I think the books are very helpful.