of budget ideas. I also love the book "the Unofficial Guide to WDW" for planning purposes - you get info on not Just WDW but Orlando area as well for hotels, activities, etc.
We stay offsite for budget purposes, but many swear by on-sight stays, you'll find many various opinions here.
We usually at breakfast in our room (will get a room with a refrigerator or buy a styrofoam cooler) and most days, our "big" meal will be a late lunch. The sit-down restaurants (many not to be missed) are usually less expensive until around 3 pm? maybe 4 can't recall, we usually have our lunch around 2:30, then a late, light dinner.
One big money saver for us was having our DS (age 6 now) "earn" his spending money before the trip, then he has his "budget." We did this for the first time last year, WOW what a difference. Instead of him asking us to buy everything he saw, we would just tell him how much money he had (left) to spend, and he become quite frugal. He started with $40 and came home with $15! He also used to want to buy everything now, but when spending his own money, he'll look around, and wait. Then toward the end of the day he makes his decision - a lot less junk....
Read this board, but also the others (tips, Orlando, Restaurants, Hotels, etc. etc.)
The planning is half the fun.
If staying offsite, consider Priceline, lots of info here and theres this other site :http://pub4.ezboard.com/bpricelineandexpediabidding
check out the links to Orlando/WDW
We also used Priceline for car rental.
Have fun!
Offsite Feb 2001
Offsite Feb 2000
Offsite March 1999
Offsite March 1998
Offsite Feb 1997
Hey - What can I say? Offsite gets me there every year.