concerned

[Proudmilitarywife]

Ok last night I sat down and added up what we spent at the wrold one year ago from this week .
We spent :
Hottel ~ 5 days shades of green $ 330.00
tickets ~ 5 days plus 1 e-night for me hubby and DS $155.00
(military meber got in free and i was half off plus DS was 2 at the time)
Food ~ 4 charcter dinners, ESPN club , pizzafari , fish place in englad at epcot , smore kit at WL , turkey legs , breadfest buffet at SOG and 2 nights at there bar and one room service . Plus i brought food for the room not alot but i did bring some . $ 482.00

Suvanears ~ 12 diffrent shot glasses (we collect them) those professinal pics at every park and 2 diffrent onse at magic kingdom , shirts shorts and diapers for my son , swim shorts for hubby (he forgot his) postcards lolly pops night time glow things for my son and a ballon the last day . also the great name badges witch were a ton of fun . And lots of other things $ 600.50

Ok so After i did this i started to figure out this years budget .... Well we are going for 6 nights instead of 5 nights , Not a big diffrence but this time DS will turn 4 on the trip and Hubby will not be free and i will not be half off . Plus we will have to pay for him at all the buffetts and such we go too .

So here is my total so far :
hottel ~ threw SOG at CR 74.00 (includes tax ) a night = 444.00

Tickets ~ we are florida residents and thought the AP was the cheapest way to go PLEASE someone tell me if i am wrong and could save more money going a diffrent route . 300.00 for adults and i think 240 for childern (not sure) $890.40 (including tax)
Disney quest~ 27.00 A 22.00 C = 76.00 so total for tickets are 966.40

food ~ i added everything up and added 50 dallors to that and came to 601.00 for 6 nights there .

Suvanears i did 300.00 for that .

Well my total was 2310.00 I know that may not sound like alot but we only have 10 paychecks from now till the day we leave so that means 231.00 save from each paycheck . We are not sure how posiable that is . So someone anyone please please help me figure out how to make this trip cheaper . thanks in advance !

Sorry so long !

 

[HM]

First--
I'd rethink the park tickets. Do you really need to do the parks every day? You could do better with a 5 day park hopper for each of you price-wise. Spend your 6th day at Disney Quest. shopping at DTD, and swimming at the pool/playing on the beach at CR.

As far as food is concerned. Do a lot of splitting of entrees at restaurants and counter service. Drink water instead of sodas (bring your own water bottle to refill).

Plan what kind of souveniers you'd like to bring home and keep to that list.

Hope this helps -HM

 

[HookdonWDW]

Okay, you wanted some advice, so here it is :

1. Lodging - 6 nights @ Contemporary (SOG rate) = $444.00

2. Food - we usually figure on $100.00/day for 4 people - that's for 2 adults, a teen, and an 8 y/o, and includes the occassional ice cream bar. We usually have money left over. You have 2 adults and a young child. I personally would budget $75.00/day, and save $$$ by eating breakfasts in the room. So, food = $450.00

3. Souveniers - okay, it's time for some tough love. Do you want a bunch of stuff that will put you over your weight allowance for your next PCS move, or do you want to go to WDW, and not be broke? I would take this down to $100.00, and wait until the last day to buy stuff. Hopefully, you won't have to touch this money - you'll have enough left from you Food Allowance to pay for your souveniers.

4. Tickets - Buy your tickets at SOG. The Fl Res. Military Annual Pass is $289/adult and $245/child. No tax because your buying through SOG. You need military ID and FL ID to purchase these.
Your total for tickets would be $823.00. Personally, I would forget DQ. Is it really worth the money to go there with a 4 year-old? Save it for when he's older. If you HAVE to go to DQ, buy your tix at SOG, and it will be $25/adult and $20/child for a total of $70.

5. Ticket alternative: If you don't think you'll be going back next year, you could buy 5 Day Park Hopper Plus Tickets from MWR. The cost is $240/adult and $193/ child. These include 2 plus options so you could do a water park or DQ or PI. Your total would be $673.

6. Ticket alternative 2: Buy 5 Day Park Hoppers, and hang out by the pool or at DTD for a couple of days. Tickets are $210/adult, $168/child. Total = $588


Now, your total cost for the trip would be:

Ticket Option 1 w/out DQ: $1,817 or $181.70/month x 10

Ticket Option 1 w/ DQ: $1887 or $188.70/month x 10

Ticket Option 2: $1,667 or $166.70/month x 10

Ticket Option 3: $1,582 or $158.20/month x 10

As far as savings ideas:

Look around the house for items you don't use. I take 11 items to the thrift shop twice a week. Put the checks from the thrift shop towards your trip. I average $50-$70/month. It also helps keep the weight down for the next move!

Have a yard sale

Check out the Rewards Program Boards. There's still time to earn enough money for some GCs.

Good luck!

 

[mrsdiznee]

Have you thought about getting the Florida Residents Seasonal Pass instead of the Annual Pass? The price is $189 for adults and $161 for children plus tax.

The Seasonal pass does have black out dates. Unless I missed it, I didn't see what dates you're planning on going. The black out dates this year are as follows: 4/12 - 4/24; 6/7 - 8/14 and 12/20 -1/3.

We always buy the Seasonal Pass and plan our trips around the black out dates.

This would be a little savings and every little bit helps. Good luck with your planning.

 

[Proudmilitarywife]

Thanks to the both of you ! You gave me new perspective to this trip !

Its funny though i just wrote an e-mail to my husband telling him no shotglasses blah blah blah cause they would just break in our next PCS move ...lol

Another great think that just happened is my mom Disney store is closing .. and she picked up my DS a rollie polli shirt , a buzz spin toy (that he wanted they cost 13.00 at the park mom got it for 6.50 ) plus she brought him some other things for his birthday for while we are down there.
I think between these things and the few birthday presents i am bring with us that we should be able to get threw the parks with out buying him tons of things . Last year we all got a ton , we just don't need a ton this time . So i think like the last person said 100 or so should be enough !

It makes me feel good to be able to bring down that cost of food . We are not planing as many charcter dinners and such so the 450.00 cost should be enough.

Thanks for the info on the Fl residents plus military memeber annual pass option . one reason why we were doing this is cause our family all lives in florida so we go down around 2 times a year . So this very well could still be an option .

On SOG website there 5 day hopper plus 2 are 252.75 for adults and 204.00 for childern . Is this diffrent if we are fl residents and military members ? Or have the prices just gone up sence the last time you went to disney ?

Thanks agian for the eye openers . I have e-mailed your whole responce to hubby and hopefully he will feel better about the money threw this .

BTW the thrif shop is a great option .... We are doing that already but have not gone to pick up a check yet . And i do the Mypoints so hopefully that will help also . thanks agian

 

[Proudmilitarywife]

fotgot to mention we are going for our sons 4th bithday he turns four on Aug 13th and we have the hottel from the 10th of aug to the 16th . So i guess we fall in that black out days

 

[HookdonWDW]

Originally posted by Proudmilitarywife
On SOG website there 5 day hopper plus 2 are 252.75 for adults and 204.00 for childern . Is this diffrent if we are fl residents and military members ? Or have the prices just gone up sence the last time you went to disney ?

I picked up a price list when we were last there in January, but they may have had an old one sitting out. I know the AP prices were correct though, because I just called the 800 number yesterday to check for us (our APs expire in June).

Good luck saving for your trip!

 

[Debbie]

And don't forget the one thing that we always do. If I'm in Disney, I'm not at home eating my grocery budget, so I can legitimately subtract that amount from the food bill! So...if you normally spend $100 a week, your food bill can be brought down by that amount. Good luck, and HAVE FUN!

 

[Proudmilitarywife]

BTW where is alabama are you ? we are station at maxwell/gunter afb in alabama thats why i ask . I see your also in alabama.

thanks for the infor on the ap passes .

 

[HookdonWDW]

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