Disney Math Help! - **Sorry Long**

[Charitycase20]

Hi All!
I have been assigned the position of "Family Planner" somehow and I'm starting to second guess myself. I need some help with my trip, can you run over the numbers with me and tell me I'm taking the least expensive options. Here's the run down:

January 21 - January 27, 2012 (set in stone, can not change)
4 Adults - DH, MIL, DIL, myself
3 kids (kinda) - DS (4), DD (6), DN (11)
4 days in parks, 1 park per day no hoppers
ADR for Akershus Princess Breakfast and Ohana Best Friends Breakfast

Here's where it gets sticky...
I have a site in Fort Wilderness reserved - $476
Renting camper from local - $125/per night (tax? occupancy tax?)
ADR's figuring to be about $500 with tax and tip
Tickets from UCT - about $1800
We are driving down from MD. About $450 for gas and tolls.
Will still need groceries for 7 people for other meals.

So DISgurus...Would 2 mod rooms and free dining be cheaper for us? We still only want to do 4 days in the parks. I just can't figure it out.
We are still saving money but right I am figuring by December we will have roughly $700 in Disney gift cards (easiest way to save) and $4000 in cash...for 7 people! The incidentals (souvies and little things) will come out of our monthly budget.

Thank you all for your help!

 

[Lovin' Disney]

The one burning question I have is: did you buy your tickets from UCT already? Because you have to buy some sort of ticket to go along with the dining plan. Here's what I came up with:

4 people (your immediate family) in a garden room at Port Orleans:


1850.20 with a 2 day ticket, which would be required with the dining plan
2156.92 with a 4 day ticket, which is how many days you wanted to spend in the parks.

3 people (your IL's and DN) in the same type of room at the same resort:

1697.81 with a 2 day ticket, which would be required with the dining plan
1937.45 with a 4 day ticket, which is how many days you wanted to spend in the parks.


That comes to $3548.01 with the 2 day tickets (if you already bought them from UCT) and free dining.

If you haven't bought tickets yet, the price would be $4094.37 and would include your tickets and free dining for your entire stay.


Right now you are spending $476 @ the campground, about $800 on the camper, $1800 on tickets, and $500 on 2 ADRs, ($3576 total) plus the cost of food for all of your other meals, which could get pricey depending on if you're buying food to keep in the camper or eating at Disney property.

If it were me, I would just stay in a hotel and not deal with all of the camper stuff. It just doesn't feel like as much of a vacation when you're doing everything like you are with a camper.

Have you considered staying in 2 value rooms? You can always upgrade to the regular dining plan for a small cost. Here are the prices I came up with:

For 4 people:

1273.42 with a 2 day ticket, which would be required with the dining plan
1580.14 with a 4 day ticket, which is how many days you wanted to spend in the parks

For 3 people:

1121.03 with a 2 day ticket, which would be required with the dining plan
1360.67 with a 4 day ticket, which is how many days you wanted to spend in the parks.

 

[Janepod]

Is there no way you could check in Jan. 22? You would get free dining. Maybe split the reservation?

 

[mickeyplanner08]

Standard room
All Star Music

Jan 21-27

4 day base tickets
Upgraded to regular dining

Room 1
2 adults, 2 children age 4 & 6
$1815.10

Room 2
2 adults, 1 child age 11
$1658.57

Grand total $3473.67 versus your approx. $3651 in a camper. You just need to add tips/gas there and back and you are done! I'd take the 2 hotel rooms any day!

 

[mickeyplanner08]

Is there no way you could check in Jan. 22? You would get free dining. Maybe split the reservation?

?? Free dining came up with a Jan 21 check in when I plugged it in ???

 

[mickeyplanner08]

OK, here's Port Orleans FQ

4 day base tickets, regular dining

Room 1
2 adults, 2 kids
$2089.48

Room 2
2 adults 1 child age 11
$1870.01

Total= $3959.49

 

[Janepod]

?? Free dining came up with a Jan 21 check in when I plugged it in ???

I hope you're right! I booked mine in August and when I plugged in Jan. 21 no free dining so we booked Jan. 22 arrival date. Will have to call when I get home. Thanks!

 

[SandrA9810]

Depends on if you've been to the Fort before, and you want to go again.

I'd also ask over on the Fort board for ideas on keeping costs down. Personally, I'd take a vacation in the camper any day over staying at a moderate, although I might give it up for a room at the Wilderness Lodge.

It's really a different experience there, and many campers don't necessarily save money on a standard week vacation when it comes to traveling with a trailer. They do however make up the costs by staying for 2 weeks or longer at the fort, then the price per day goes down a bit.

I see it more as a personal preference rather than a cost savings. There's tons of things to do at the Fort during the day, what's your plan if you're at a moderate resort for your off days?

 

[lizziepooh]

I would take 2 rooms with 2 full bathrooms over a camper with 4 adults and 3 kids. That just sounds way too crowded even if it is a big camper. Two rooms will give you some private space to spread out and get away from each other when needed.

 

[Crazy4Disney06]

I would take 2 rooms with 2 full bathrooms over a camper with 4 adults and 3 kids. That just sounds way too crowded even if it is a big camper. Two rooms will give you some private space to spread out and get away from each other when needed.

Ditto!

 

[SandrA9810]

I would take 2 rooms with 2 full bathrooms over a camper with 4 adults and 3 kids. That just sounds way too crowded even if it is a big camper. Two rooms will give you some private space to spread out and get away from each other when needed.

Yeah, but there's comfort stations at the Fort. So there's no need to share a bathroom at all. Plus there's the extra one in the camper. There's 4 showers and 4 toilets. And you have a lot more space to spread out at a campsite over being in a room. The trailer might not be huge, but there's a huge driveway. Plus the campfire movie at night to go to. Or down to the beach for the fireworks and Electric Water Pageant.

If the kids have skates or scooters, there's plenty of room for them to burn off some energy and have fun.