Getting closer, budget time.

[mudnuri]

It's getting closer to our trip, we were going to push back to May, and pull DD's out of school, however I will be taking 2 summer classes which start the beginning on May, so I can't do that.

Here's the logistics.

Leaving Vermont Friday morning. Driving to Santee, SC..get up, drive to Jax,FL. Get up Sunday and proceed to Orlando.

Reservations at Tropical Palms Resort 4-18 thru 4-24. (79.00 night 2 bedrooms)..

Sunday will be a lazy day, possibly at the pool, or mini golf for the kids

Food budget starts here..
Monday-Thursday- Breakfast at resort, snack/lunch/snack at park. Late dinner offsite.

Friday Seaworld day- same food as m-th

Saturday- check out of resort around 11, go to gatorland. Late lunch after gatorland. Drive to Santee, find dinner on the way, and begin the return home process, only stopping 3x on the way home.

I have figured so far the following I've rounded up most stuff
tropical palms 500.00
park hoppers 700.00
seaworld 200.00
food for resort 75.00
snacks/lunch/snacks 30.00 per day- 150.00
dinners $35.00 per day 175.00
minigolf/gatorland etc.. 250.00
5 hotels (2 down, 3 home) 450.00
meals enroute 250.00
diesel fuel- $250 (we NEVER buy the cheapest fuel we can find...always Flyin J's)


that puts us at 3000.00 not including little trinkets etc...

Where can I pare down, is my food budget way to low/high?...I figured we normally spend 35.00 on a dinner here at say, Applebee's, Chillies etc...

Lunch's DH and I are both on Atkins, and will still be then, so we will be forgoing fries/deserts etc.. and DD's will be sharing 1 meal, probably a adult meal.

I did look into vouchers, but I am afraid I wont use them, or I wont get my money out of them. I'd hate to have to say to DD's "i know your hungry but we gotta walk WAY over there to that rest. where I can get more food for my money.."

Any help would be appreciated

Brandy

 

[hockey mom]

I don't think that $35 for snacks/lunch/snacks for a family of 4 is enough. Unless you are bring drinks and little things into the park. April is when we go and it gets very hot which equals lots to drink. Figure at least $20 on lunch which leaves $15 for water, pop, ice cream or popcorn for the rest of the day.

 

[kilee]

Add $10.00 to what you pay at home. We have eaten at Ponderosa, KFC, Ruby Tuesdays, Even Dunkin Donuts, Denny's. Many offsite places. No matter where we travel, the ones in Orlando are consistently 20% more than anywhere else. So, with tip and a family of 4-- your food budget may be under. You didn't mention how old your DD's were. Same thing w/ lunch. My family of 3 (me, DH & DS 10) eat counter service lunch at the parks. we order 2 reg meals and one kids meal for DS. It runs us about $25.00. Thats just lunch. So, $5.00 would only get you 2 bottles of water. No snacks. Most people also can't usually eat ALL fast food burgers for a week, so sit dows may be necessary here and there. If this is the bottom line, as much as you can get-- here are my suggestions: Push Gatorland to the end of the trip. If the money starts running tight-- don't go. Other thing, unless you need a really, really fancy place you may be able to get your hotels on the way down alittle cheaper than you budgeted. Unless you already booked them. If not, try printing up coupons at roomsaver.com they are great discounts but only good for walkins usually. Have Fun!!

 

[HaleyB]

I think you might be a bit low on food, both in the parks and on the road. How many days is the $250 on the road budget covering? 5? 6? We tend to spend about $25 for lunch and about $40 for dinner when on the road (always stay at places that have some sort of breakfast). Also are you sure you will leave the parks for dinner every night? You might want to plan on spending a bit more, it is better to plan on more and spend less than the other way around. Don't forget things like tax and tips. I always forget to budget for tips, but as luck would have it I always over budget somewhere else and it works out.

 

[mudnuri]

I thought my food budget was a bit low, we will be bringing in water, but thats it. I'm on vacation, I'm not a pack mule! LOL..

This was a rough estimate to get me a bit closer to where I need to be when DH asks finally how much this is going to cost. It's not a budget trip, and is actually more splurge now than it was before. With me going back to school, a 12 day trip isn't going to happen anytime really soon!

The hotels on the way down are already "booked"..not reserved, but I know where I'm staying. Same hotels we've stayed at the last 3 trips south. I am not one to stay at a cheap hotel when DH and I will be stuck in a truck for the next 10 hours!..DDs dont care, they can sleep anywhere.

The food budget traveling is probably off too.. We stop at Flying J's for fuel, and DD's grab some snacks/light food there around lunch time. DH and I normally just grab more water/coffee etc.. We then eat a real dinner. I will have to grab the binder from the basement on or last trip to florida, to see what I spent where.

Gatorland already is the last day, not because of budget issues, but because thats the day we head home. DH and I went to gatorland about 8 years ago and he LOVED it!!...

I'm going to go check out the menu's and see what I can get pinned down, not no where, but on price.

DD's are 6 and 7, DD6 can't eat a full kids meal to save her life..DD7 can.

Brandy

 

[hockey mom]

On your first night instead of mini-golf why not head to DD. For free your kids can make lego things and the lego store and build a Mr. Potatoe head in the new Toy store. I know when I priced mini-golf I couldn't believe how expensive it was.

 

[mudnuri]

I was thinking either golf or Old Town. We are staying right next to it, so that would be a good idea as well.

DD sounds good too! We should be arriving well before noon, and since check ins not till 4, we figured mini golf and lunch would be good. I dont want to go to DD before the resort, as we'll be in our truck. All of our rubber made totes (dont laugh, they work the BEST!) will be under our toneau cover in the bed. Rather get those to the resort...geez, maybe DD Sunday night....hmmmmm I gotta tell ya, this is the MOST time consuming trip I've ever planned, theres just way to many options!..

St. Augustine was perfect to plan. Beach, Beach, Beach, Marine Land, Beach, Beach, Beach LOL

Brandy