DH wants me to cut budget by $1500??!!

[Marshmelo]

Thank you kollerbear.

So many of you have suggested spending a couple days onsite at Universal, but I don't see the savings there. I went to their site and calculated a package for 2 nights at Royal Pacific and 2 days of park tickets and the total is $1240! The cost of 2 nights at our offsite house and a day of tickets and express passes for us as I have it planned is $966. Sure, we would be getting an extra day, but would still be paying even more than the budget now. If I take it down to just one day of tickets it is still $1092. What am I missing?

 

[kollerbear]

Thank you kollerbear.

So many of you have suggested spending a couple days onsite at Universal, but I don't see the savings there. I went to their site and calculated a package for 2 nights at Royal Pacific and 2 days of park tickets and the total is $1240! The cost of 2 nights at our offsite house and a day of tickets and express passes for us as I have it planned is $966. Sure, we would be getting an extra day, but would still be paying even more than the budget now. If I take it down to just one day of tickets it is still $1092. What am I missing?

Most people who do it that way get two days of tickets and stay on-site only 1 night.

 

[kollerbear]

Sorry, posted too soon-- OR do 1 night and 1 day.

 

[kollerbear]

So it looks like that is $823 for the night of 10/16? I think this is a prime example of how the advice you were getting wasn't necessarily financial (unless I'm missing something?) and more a parks thing. That extra time in WWOHP is something that people seem to think is really important. It's a financial benefit pretty much only if you decide to cut all of your Disney time (short of MNSSHP). Then you could do a 2 day pass (at Universal) and you would be saving money I'd think.

 

[crazylady]

You also can reduce the Uni hotel cost by 20-25% if you book through cheaptickets or Orbitz with a sale.

You can stay at Universal one night and get two days of the express pass included with your stay on check in and check it day. I think you can check in as early as 7am. But if I understand your schedule you'd have to give up something to do that like moving the character breakfast or the beach days. And then there is the convenience factor.

Without the hotel at Uni, there is a small savings on 2 day tickets with no exprrss pass over the 1 day with the express.

 

[stayhomemom77]

I agree with kollerbear, in that some of the responses are more about VALUE rather that just the bottom line, but I still felt like there was an unwarranted level of hostility in some of the posts and I want to say I'm sorry that has happened on here.

I also have an ADHD kid, so I understand needing to factor that special need in. Not everyone "gets" how you need to adapt for that challenge. At the end of the day, you and the hubs are the only ones that have to worry about how much you are spending on your vacation, so I hope you can set aside the criticisms that have come your way and put the info that you have found valuable to good use. I know I have enjoyed the advice and suggestions people have offered.

FWIW, we just did our first Disney/Universal combo trip this past Christmas and I did not care for it. I thought Uni (our first experience) was a waste of both time and money. I thought WWoHP was underwhelming and the kids chickened out of most of the rides between both parks so the whole time we were there (three days) I was wishing we were still at Disney. DH was hoping for a little more ride action but was otherwise enjoying himself and the kids were having a blast! I could happily never go back but I think everyone else would really like to return in the future.

Why am I telling you this? Because no two experiences are alike...even when they are exactly alike. Would I do my trip the way you are doing yours? Nope. Does that matter? Not in the slightest. So trust your gut and have a great time!

P.S. Has anyone mentioned how far the walk is from the parking garage at Universal to the actual entrances of the two parks? It's a looooooong walk. Just a head's up!

Also...make sure you ride the Hogwarts express in both directions. The ride experience is a little different each way.

 

[Marshmelo]

I agree with kollerbear, in that some of the responses are more about VALUE rather that just the bottom line, but I still felt like there was an unwarranted level of hostility in some of the posts and I want to say I'm sorry that has happened on here.

I also have an ADHD kid, so I understand needing to factor that special need in. Not everyone "gets" how you need to adapt for that challenge. At the end of the day, you and the hubs are the only ones that have to worry about how much you are spending on your vacation, so I hope you can set aside the criticisms that have come your way and put the info that you have found valuable to good use. I know I have enjoyed the advice and suggestions people have offered.

FWIW, we just did our first Disney/Universal combo trip this past Christmas and I did not care for it. I thought Uni (our first experience) was a waste of both time and money. I thought WWoHP was underwhelming and the kids chickened out of most of the rides between both parks so the whole time we were there (three days) I was wishing we were still at Disney. DH was hoping for a little more ride action but was otherwise enjoying himself and the kids were having a blast! I could happily never go back but I think everyone else would really like to return in the future.

Why am I telling you this? Because no two experiences are alike...even when they are exactly alike. Would I do my trip the way you are doing yours? Nope. Does that matter? Not in the slightest. So trust your gut and have a great time!

P.S. Has anyone mentioned how far the walk is from the parking garage at Universal to the actual entrances of the two parks? It's a looooooong walk. Just a head's up!

Also...make sure you ride the Hogwarts express in both directions. The ride experience is a little different each way.

Thank you! Great way to look at it. I have done the US parking walk...yes, I am dreading it! lol

 

[Jenkins]

Thank you kollerbear.

So many of you have suggested spending a couple days onsite at Universal, but I don't see the savings there. I went to their site and calculated a package for 2 nights at Royal Pacific and 2 days of park tickets and the total is $1240! The cost of 2 nights at our offsite house and a day of tickets and express passes for us as I have it planned is $966. Sure, we would be getting an extra day, but would still be paying even more than the budget now. If I take it down to just one day of tickets it is still $1092. What am I missing?

Never book the package unless it is just for "convenience". Booking the US onsite hotels and buying tickets from another place (like your AAA tickets) is almost always cheaper. The packaged deals on the website give you no discounts. Like others have said you would only need one night at their deluxe hotels to equal 2 days of express passes. However, Halloween Horror Nights are a HUGE seller and the hotels jack up the prices. Unless using an Annual Pass, third party rates during the times of your stay would most likely be cheaper.

I know this information won't help now (because I know how hard it is to rework vacation days) but it might help in the future for someone else. Whatever happens I hope you have a good trip! I will be down from Indy in 2 weeks.

 

[coastalhh]

Thank you kollerbear.

So many of you have suggested spending a couple days onsite at Universal, but I don't see the savings there. I went to their site and calculated a package for 2 nights at Royal Pacific and 2 days of park tickets and the total is $1240! The cost of 2 nights at our offsite house and a day of tickets and express passes for us as I have it planned is $966. Sure, we would be getting an extra day, but would still be paying even more than the budget now. If I take it down to just one day of tickets it is still $1092. What am I missing?

How did you come up with 1092 for 1 day?

Express pass is included in the 269 rate.

So 269 for room and express pass
147 for park to park adult
147 for park to park adult
142 for park to park child

Thats $705 before taxes and you get an extra 1 hour and free parking.

 

[kollerbear]

How did you come up with 1092 for 1 day?

Express pass is included in the 269 rate.

So 269 for room and express pass
147 for park to park adult
147 for park to park adult
142 for park to park child

Thats $705 before taxes and you get an extra 1 hour and free parking.

She was looking at a two-day ticket, I think.

 

[coastalhh]

She was looking at a two-day ticket, I think.

Even a 2 day ticket and 1 night is 871.

 

[kollerbear]

Even a 2 day ticket and 1 night is 871.

Hmm. Weird. I don't think that's what you see on the Universal site when you try to book a package. I'm having the same experience as OP. Obviously others are saying not to book there, but I'm seeing a $148 difference between 1 and 2 day tickets, and the 1 day package starts at $823 on the night she would stay (at Royal Pacific, for the Express pass).

 

[kollerbear]

OHHH nvm, she was looking at TWO night at Royal Pacific and 1 day of tickets. 2 days of tickets and 1 night at Royal Pacific seems like it's 971.

 

[sk!mom]

Thank you kollerbear.

So many of you have suggested spending a couple days onsite at Universal, but I don't see the savings there. I went to their site and calculated a package for 2 nights at Royal Pacific and 2 days of park tickets and the total is $1240! The cost of 2 nights at our offsite house and a day of tickets and express passes for us as I have it planned is $966. Sure, we would be getting an extra day, but would still be paying even more than the budget now. If I take it down to just one day of tickets it is still $1092. What am I missing?

How did you come up with 1092 for 1 day?

Express pass is included in the 269 rate.

So 269 for room and express pass
147 for park to park adult
147 for park to park adult
142 for park to park child

Thats $705 before taxes and you get an extra 1 hour and free parking.

I've never found the Universal packages to be cost effective. We booked the room using a AAA discount and then bought the tickets with a small discount.

I'm not thinking that this will save you much (or anything) but will be a better use of the expensive cost of a one day Universal visit. We've done it twice (but got 2 day park to park tickets) and that one night stay was worth it for the extra hour in Wizarding World. It got unbelievably crowded as the day went on. I just think it will be a much better use of the high cost. If you're going to have to pay for an Express pass then I've found it more cost effective to spend the money on the hotel and have the perks- unlimited Express pass, extra hour, no parking charge.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

If you're going to have to pay for an Express pass then I've found it more cost effective to spend the money on the hotel and have the perks- unlimited Express pass, extra hour, no parking charge.

If you have a car at one of the onsite hotels, you still have to pay for parking at the hotel. Parking is not complimentary at any of the Universal properties.

If you park at the hotel, then you won't need to pay again at the parking garage, though. You can just leave your vehicle in the hotel lot and take the boat to Citywalk and the park entrance.

 

[robinb]

I would challenge you to think hard and honestly and pretend that you have not been in 11 years, have never been with your spouse and child and this is your child's first and maybe only time there (oh, and child has never seen the ocean), and possibly your family's only chance to go. Your child is a boy about to turn 8, has ADHD and loves adventure. You have to fly from Indiana because it is a good 16 hour drive and you only have a week, plus DS would be miserable thus making everyone miserable, in a car that long. You have to go during a school break too.

All of that is simply a justification to overspend. It happens A LOT on the DIS to people with all kinds of kids. People get invested in making their child's first trip extrasupercalifrimagical so they spend and spend and buy and buy all kinds of cool things and extras. Some folks book character meals for every day. Some folks book the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique with a complete costume. Other people get what I call "resort creep" which is where they start at the All Stars eating PB&J's and end up at the Grand Floridian with the DxDDP. All of this is done because it's a "trip of a lifetime" and that way of thinking opens up their purse strings and the money flies out. They gild the lily.

In your case you booked three separate vacations (with two expensive theme parks) over 8 days. I totally understand wanting to get as much into your vacation as you can, but you are gilding the lily IMO.

What would your budget be for this possibly once in a lifetime vacatio]n to Orlando. And please be honest with me AND yourself![/quote

Given your signature, if this is a trip of a lifetime I'll eat my hat .

 

[Sunnywho]

I would cancel all table service meals except the nonrefundable one. I've been to the parks with a 7 year old and they want to be in the parks moving around, doing rides, meeting characters. You lose park time for each table service meal and you already have limited park time. The exception might be sci fi diner because 1) HS has a lot of attractions closed right now and 2) sci fi diner has a lot of wow factor for kids.

 

[rigs32]

Hyatt versus Hotwire.....

The Hyatt is costing you over $200. You can get a 3 or 4 star hotel on hotwire with a shuttle for $75ish. Let's say the hotel lies and there is no shuttle. Even with the cost of a cab to the airport, you're still looking at less than $100 total. I don't see that "piece of mind" of a guaranteed shuttle being worth $100.

 

[Marshmelo]

Given your signature, if this is a trip of a lifetime I'll eat my hat .

All those trips were in my younger single days. I have never been to WDW with my DH and my DS has never been. And this may be the only time we do go as a family, so, yes, it IS possibly a trip of a lifetime. Hope you're hungry.

 

[danceintherain]

I get it. DH always bug eyes a little when he sees how much our trips are going to cost. He has no idea how much things at Disney cost. Then he's the one who wants to do the Dining Plan, because he likes the convenience.

Obviously I have no idea what your overall financial situation looks like, but one thing that has really helped for our upcoming trip is that I decided to create a complete budget a few month ago. Every dollar of income is accounted for in the budget, and in order to purchase something outside of the monthly limits or previous savings, the money has to come from somewhere else in the budget. So we can see exactly what our spending affects on a daily basis. So if we overspend on eating out every month, then we can see that at some point our vacation fund, or house down payment fund would suffer.
Before, we were just arbitrarily allocating money from our savings to go towards whatever we wanted at the time. We would look at the total amount of money in our bank account and think we were doing great. Then DH would freak out a little whenever our account balance went below a certain point, or we had to make a purchase that was more than around $500. Anyway...now that every dollar is assigned a specific purchase it's less stressful, because he can see that we have an emergency fund saved completely separate from our vacation fund.
When he came to me a few weeks ago and suggested that we take a vacation before he leaves for his deployment in October, I thought it wouldn't be possible, because there was only $2000 in that fund. However, once I added in 2 more months of contributions and a few other things, I got the amount up to a place where we can take a comfortable vacation. He's not stressed about it at all! He actually suggested that we 'upgrade' our hotel when I told him how much extra money we'd have available if we stayed at a Value resort.

Anyway...I'm glad you showed him the numbers, and agreed that there were certain things you weren't willing to compromise for the sake of saving a few dollars.