First post here- HELP!

[Momofmack]

We are planning to go to WDW in Sept. or Oct. We have 3 children ages 9,5, and 2. I am feeling overwhelmed- where do we start??

How much money will we need? We are planning on 6 night stay. We aren't interested in the water parks, but may go to Sea World one day. We may splurge on a place to stay, but want to eat as cheaply as possible!

Can someone tell me exactly how to start with the budget. Is there a cheaper way to get tickets than WDW website?

Any advice is appreciated!

 

[232271]

have you visited mousesavers.com yet?

they have lots of great discount codes and tips.

 

[pamluvsdisney]

Hi momofmack,

YOu are starting in the right place. We just got back from Disney World last night. I have 3 girls, ages 8, 5, and 2. (almost the same as you). You have time to do some homework. I recommend going to mousesavers.com also to get all kinds of information and discount codes, etc.

We stayed 4 nights/days at Disney. We like to stay onsite and using discount codes made it possible. We have stayed offsite too and that works for us too, we always have our van since we drive. We haven't done SeaWorld since there is so much to do at WDW and we never get it all done.

If you aren't going to waterparks, then I reccommend getting your room and tickets separate. The packages may only be worth it if you need to go to waterparks too. I get my tickets from ticketmania.com through mousesavers.com, you can get special deals there. Sign up for the mousesavers newsletter too!!

I hope this gets you started. Have fun planning.

 

[frannn]

If you call WDW and ask for the cost (for your dates) for this pkg and exactly what it includes, it will give you a good starting point. You can compare the cost of the pkg to buying each component of your trip separately. You would be best staying for 7 ninghts if you are booking this pkg, though, as opposed to the 6 you are considering. Keep in mind that if you purchase the pkg, the tickets will only be good for your length of stay. If you buy hopper passes and have leftover days/options, they will never expire. The tickets that will come with the pkg will include the major 4 parks, the water parks, DQ, and PI. I think only the major 4 parks are included with hopper passes. You will probably want to do your airfare and rental car separately (don't know if WDW still handles this, or if they can offer you as good a price as you can get on your own). If you will be returning to WDW within the year, you may wish to purchase APs, which will be good for subsquent trips within the same year. There is also the possibility of a room discount with the APs. There is definetly a lot to consider, so I would start by picking some tentative dates and then call WDW. Have fun!

 

[mad4themouse]

Hi momofmack, and welcome to the DISboards!

My advise would be to start with how much you're willing to spend and then work backwards from there. Set a bottom line and try to meet it by adjusting your spending.

Your biggest expenses will be

• transportation
• lodging
• food
• tickets/entertainment

There will be other minor expenses but the majority of what you spend will fall in one of these categories.

Visit Mousesavers.com - Roomrates 2004 to find out what a night in a WDW resort will cost you. Those would be the "rack" rates, which will be the maximum amount that you can expect to spend on a room.

Check AllEars.net - Ticket Price Comparison Chart to get an idea of what Disney charges for their park passes. Again, this will be the maximum amount that you would spend on passes. Chances are very good that you can get the passes for less by purchasing them from an online broker likeTicketmania.com , Paramount Travel , or Mapleleaf Tickets .

Check airfare for all the major carriers from your closest airport. Check travelocity, expedia, hotwire and the airlines' own websites for prices. If you plan to rent a car, National, Avis, Budget and Alamo are located right in the airport. Check Mousesavers.com - Rental Car Discounts for help in getting a good rate.

For potential savings on dining within WDW, check the post at the top of this board called
Everything You Wanted to Know About Connections Meal Vouchers for information about meal voucher coupons and how to use them effectively. Remember that the 2yo will eat for free from the children's menu in most restaurants, while the other two will be able to dine from the same menu for children's prices. In general, we budget $100/day for food and souvenirs for our family of 4 (my children are older, eat more and dine from the adult menu). The majority is spent on food with very little going towards souvenirs.

Once you add your numbers up, you'll have a better idea of what a WDW trip could cost you. It would then be up to you to decide if there is extra money to spend on character meals or a better view from your room. Or if you need to cut back by staying offsite or getting less expensive tickets. Whatever you choose, have fun planning! Sometimes that can be as much fun as the actual trip!