Has anyone seriously started budgeting for NOV/DEC 2005?

[sarahsmom73]

I have! I am starting to put down figures so I can help my Mom, Dad and Brother plan! We plan on staying at the Dolphin as we are eligible for a teacher discount... 4 out of the 6 of us are teachers!!! I have a rough cost for the hotel... Tickets through HSC, A van from FL Tours, as well as some vouchers.. Oh yes and 2 rough estimates for air fare...

Here Goes...

Hotel $219 per nt((1709.30))
AIR $647 SWF (south east)
1000 BTV

FL Tours $215 (if we fly Southeast into Sanford)
115 (MCO)

6 day PHP 276.07 x 2
221.42 Child
Total 773.58

so far figuring high : 2697 (FL tours is cheaper if we fly into MCO
but flt costs more...)

Now add food .... $1050 (150 per day)

Souv..... (this is a hard one.... I'll figure this out later)

So Far......$3747


It is around $8.00 per day... not including souvineers

 

[DiznEeyore]

I say it never hurts to plan ahead!! You're doing great getting things budgeted ahead of time.

I'm already budgeting for October 2006!!! It will be dh and my 15th anniversary and we are hoping to spend a few nights at both AKL and Poly concierge (never done that!) before moving over to our "home" at VWL. Kind of a "trip around the world", LOL!!

I have rough figures down and have been saving since this past April. We're up over $300, and that's just from change, bottle returns and a few reward program checks.

I love having a trip to save for!

 

[Disney4me04]

Me Me!! Pick ME!

I am going October 2005. Already have started the budget and plan;

Here is mine so far:

dates: October 26-31, 2005

Room: 551.90 (Pop)
Airfare: 500
Tickets: 536 (5 day park hopper plus)
Food: 550
Transfer: 100
Spending: 250
Tips: 10 (mousekeeping)
Misc. travel money: 100
Fulton's Crap: 100
Hoop De Doo: 100

 

[meeshi]

Well, I haven't seriously started budgeting yet, but I have started saving. I'm hoping to go the week after Thanksgiving 2005. I've been searching for ticket deals (considering the Master Card deal for US/IOA tickets since we're a family of 5), room deals, etc....

Don't know if we'll fly or drive either. We have a wheelchair lift on our van for dd and don't know how much it would be to rent something like that down there.

So I'm in the very early stages, but saving right now is the #1 priority.

 

[beansmom]

I have:

2 nites AKL $400 approx
5 nites AS $400

1 annual pass $400

food for dd and me - $600

souvenirs-$750-1000

gas/road expenses $500

so roughly

$3300 and that is without any discounts. I'm hoping to bring it in at around $2500 and I already have $300 in the bank towards it.

I'd also like to do Universal but don't see how we will have time. Oh, well...I guess I'll just *HAVE* to plan another trip for that.

 

[jcemom]

I'm working on it:

8 nights at POFQ = 1200.
AP for me = 400.
5 day PH for DD = 200.
MVMCP tickets = 70.
Air + Towncar = 500.
Food = 350.
Tips = 100.
Shopping = 300.
Sleigh Ride = 30.

Total = 3150. (I'm hoping for AP rates, of course.)

 

[jeankeri]

I have been saving since January. I have been doing survey sites, rewards sites, etc and set up a savings account just for trip $. So far I have $900+. Waiting 'till AAA rooms are released for next year. When I make my ressies I can really plan a budget. Also have been doing Disney Visa- have $230 there so far. Plan to use that for Cirque/MVMCP/?Illuminations cruise tickets. Should have $800 by the time we travel.
So- I don't have a detailed budget YET, but have been planning in my head. .

 

[fam4jc]

jeankeri - we are going the same time you are Nov/dec 05 Can't wait

I have started a preliminary "high side" budget and am now working on food and fun budget. We have our ressies but will change them in a heart beat!

What sites to you use for the survey's ect? Can you refer me to them? have you actually been paid with real money? Super cool way to earn money for WDW

It's a long way off, but planning and saving for it are part of the fun! You appreciate it more, imho, if you have to work for it

 

[jeankeri]

fam4jc- I have been doing surveys on Greenfield's, Pinecone Research, NFO Surveys and GoZing surveys. I've been doing them since Jan/Feb. From Greenfields I've made $50+; Pinecone $15 (I've just started with them- they were open to new members with children under 12mos. Don't know if they still are); NFO $10 (and $5 towards my next payout); Go-Zing $18. I do them on and off.
Oh- also Vividence. This one is a little tricky- they only pay out if they think you've made a good faith effort. They also pay out in Amazon GC. I'll PM you with extra info tomorrow- trying to get everyone to bed now. I found links to all from a thread on the Rewards Board. If you do My Points or Quick Rewards you can get points for joining some of these survey sites through them. With so much time 'till our trip every little bit has a lot of time to add up- and get added to!

 

[kimbac3]

I have my vacation home booked already! We are going the first week of December 05. I have a detailed savings plan in place - which will involve my ing account - also have dates for when I'll buy park hoppers, when I'll buy MVMCP tickets. I have a budget started - going on the high end for everything. I try to do a little Disney planning once a week...Passes the time faster....

Kimba

 

[TonyS20]

Add me to the list. Actually Dec 05/Jan 06 depending on schedules. My DH and I would be celebrating our 10th anniversary during the trip.

8 nights VWL - our DVC points
3 nights AKL conceirge - 1455
3 nights GF main building conceirge - 2025
airfare - 500
rental car - 400
Honeymoon photograph services - 300
Food - 1000
Tickets - 800
Sunrise Safari - 100
Extras - ??

Just pricing out the hotels right now and trying to decide on all the details. Don't tell my DH about the stays in AKL and GF. Those are the anniversary surprises!!

 

[sarahsmom73]

It is so nice to know I'm not the only one out there!!! I hav ebeen quietly saving since we came back from WDW in April and decided that if I had some kind of budget in my head I would work even harder to save! WE will all have to keep in touch with each other!

 

[etwinchester]

I have it all set up on the computer down to the very last detail. Also have $200 in my ING account and I only started it June 1. I save all my quarters for the Disney Fund as well as what I put in a month.

By the time we're ready to go, we should have MORE THAN enough to go and some left over to put towards the next trip...

Never can be overprepared. I'd rather have more money than not enough...

 

[HenDuck]

Gee sarahsmom, I'm in the same situation as you, except we just came back from Disneyland and are planning to go back in 12/05!

DH and my mom really want to take DS to DL for Christmas and this December was just to quick for our budgetary constraints, so we're planning to go next year to see both the Christmas decorations and the 50th anniversary celebrations.

We are a family of 2 adults and one child (he will be 5 by 12/05).

My tentative budget is:

Air fare - high of $1,000 and a low of $0, depending on our frequent flier miles situation
Hotel - $135 x 10 nights = $1,350 (probably at Embassy Suites or something similar - includes full breakfast )
Food = $1,000
Car = $300 (including gas)
Park Tickets:
DL 5 day passes for 2 adults & 1 child = $360
Knotts = $80
Legoland = $120
SD Zoo = $85
Sea World = $135
Spending = $600
Tips, etc. = $100

Total = $4,130 - $5,130 depending on airfare

This also does not include any discounts we may find on park tickets or hotel prices.

We are saving change, dollar bills, putting away $$ into our savings accounts, and will probably do at least one garage sale. Garage sale money goes to the rental car and character meals.

All of my expense estimates at this point are very, very high. I like to price out the highest costs and then have enough money for extras so that we can do whatever we like when we are on vacation. If we need to, we will cut back on a couple of the park days (at non-Disney parks, of course ).

The figure for spending money is probably way too high because DS will definitely have his own spending money from B-day gifts, disney dollars, etc.

Glad to know I'm not the only one who's waiting over a year for their next Disney vacation.

Can't wait until we pick dates so I can put a countdown clock on my posts!

 

[NikiM20]

OK dont laugh but.................I am planning our trip for May of 2006. I have 1 ticket purchased and $380 saved for food,travel, and souvineers... I will get all of our tickets and then reserve the room and pay 1 mth at a time. We went on our first trip at Easter and now i am a hopeless addict *sigh* I love Mickey But DH thinks im so I havent told him anything SHHHHHHHHHHHHH dont tell

 

[momm2four]

Yep, we're going on a DCL cruise Oct '05, so I'm just squirrelling that money away. Between Ebay, surveys and a yard sale, I've saved $1500 since January, tucked away in my ING account.

Love planning for my trip!
Lori P.

 

[marcyinPA]

Me!! We are hoping for the first week of Dec 2005. We'll be traveling with another family, so we are all trying to figure out where we want to stay.

I haven't really laid down a budget, so much as I've been trying to figure out what is most cost effective for us. We'll end up either getting two cabins (they'll have 6 people, we'll have 5) or four value rooms (ASmovies would be my first choice, I think).

Trying to figure out if an AP would help...otherwise, we'll be doing 5 day parkhoppers (no plus).

I've got a list going for meals...I'm sure they have a list started too! "Musts" for this time are O'hana, Whispering Canyon, and Le Cellier (never did either of those before) along with the old standbys...Artist Point, BOMA, Chef Mickey's.

Most likely we'll be flying, probably out of PHL and if airfare stays like it is now, probably SW, although USAir has been trying to be competitive.

We'll use TTC, so that will be around $120 or so for a van.

We've been saving, I have my change jar going, I've pysched myself up to work alot this fall (I'm a Realtor...you get out of it what you put into it!) and I'll be eBaying my little heart out once my kids outgrow their clothes! (I've got a stash to go on auction before school starts)

12/05 just seems SOOOOOO far away!!!

 

[sarahsmom73]

You are all awesome! I say we keep this moving so we can get over the "crazies" together!!!

BTW... NikiM20~ YOU ARE NOT CRAZY!!!!

Go momm2four!!!

So what do you say! Should we be planning and saving buds?!

 

[bear74]

no your not for planning now.
As soon as my DH & I got back from our honeymoon their we were talking about going back.

I am planning for nov./dec. 2007 for me, DH, DD 4 when we go and my mom. Trying to convince my cousin and her DH and 2DD to go with us. their problem being airfare is so expensive from maui, Hawaii to orlando, Fl
Here's my tentative budget
Nov.25, 2007 - Dec. 4, 2007
Hotel Pop Century 772.70 + $10.00 a night for extra adult in room
Gas driving from Austin Tx. round trip 260.00 (including tolls)
Food 900.00 will be buying Q&C vouchers. yes I know its a lot but we will be doing character meals and Rain Forest Cafe. this also includes money for food we will bring withor get at grocery stor their.
Annual Passes for 3 adults and 1 child 1,552.85
MVMCP 140.75
Souvineors ? 500.00 probably not that much but needed a number rather be safe

Total- $4216.30

Have been giving my husband disney dollars in his stocking, B-day cards, fathers day cards and will do for anniversay as well. Am doing same for DD and will start sending my cousins DD's Disney dollars for birthdays as well.

 

[HenDuck]

My mother just offered to take us to DL THIS December!!!

We had planned for December of 2005, but I guess we'll be seeing the Mouse this Christmastime!! Yahooo!!!!!

Oh my gosh. I am so excited!

We are looking at going from Dec. 8th through the 14th. I cannot wait. This is the best Christmas present ever!

Now I just have to figure out how to add that countdown clock to my signature!

Yippee!!!!