Help me-ideas to get $ for Disney trip

[pixxi]

We are a family of 6 and really want to go to Disney in the fall. We are hoping for the free dining plan (never used it before). We are trying to come up with ideas to get the funds needed to go to Disney. I want to book the hotel now but I am nervous about having all the $ needed.

When does the trip need to be paid in full, before or when you check in? When can you cancel and still get your $ back?

Thanks
Pixxi

 

[mom2faith]

We are a family of 6 and really want to go to Disney in the fall. We are hoping for the free dining plan (never used it before). We are trying to come up with ideas to get the funds needed to go to Disney. I want to book the hotel now but I am nervous about having all the $ needed.

When does the trip need to be paid in full, before or when you check in? When can you cancel and still get your $ back?

Thanks
Pixxi

Hi there!

You can cancel and receive your $200 deposit back up until 46 days before your trip.

Have fun planning!!

Amy

 

[kctaylor]

I understand, we are in the same boat. I am a sub. teacher, so when we booked out trip for Dec. I paid the $200 plus whatever in change to make it even number. Once a month I make a payment on the trip and put $50-$75 on a Disney reloadable giftcard for the money to use when we are down there. I didn't get the free dining but hoping for a pin. I hope this helps.

 

[Megkel]

Good Luck saving the money to go here are my ideas:

Go during value season in the Fall. It's cheaper, less crowded, and the weather is cooler. You run the risk of rain but when we went in October we were fine. I think the Value resorts go for $100 a night per room. If you are military or have AAA you can also receive discounts for tickets.

If you can get free dinning that would be great! I know how expensive eating for six is, I'm from a family of seven. However if you get free dinning you cannot get another discount off your stay.

When I know we are going to Disney later in the year I make sure to buy my daughter gift cards for birthday, Easter, and everything else. I also let my in-laws and parents know that instead of 3 gifts (for holidays) getting 1 gift and a gift card is good as well.

Buy things ahead of time before you go. You know you will need water so take a case of water ahead of time. Instead of buying light up toys at the park go to the dollar store at pick some up. They charge a lot for sun screen, Advil, etc.. so make sure you bring your own.

I'd pay it off month to month. There is no penalty for doing so and that way it's manageable. Good luck I hope I helped!

 

[tzolkin]

Room-only reservation: one night deposit, balance due at check-in

Package: $200 deposit, balance due 45 days prior to trip
* If you're planning to do the dining plan you will have to book a package.
If you get/have a Disney Visa, you can put the balance on your card at the 45 day mark and have 6mos no interest to pay it off.


I think you can get a refund up until about a week before. Then there's a $100 penalty, so still not a huge loss if you have to cancel.

There are tons of ideas on this site to save money.
We always drive and go grocery shopping for breakfast, drinks, snacks, etc our first day. We share meals and only drink water (free) in the parks. If you can go during free dining that would save your family quite a bit on food and you wouldn't have to worry about budgeting.


We decided not to go this year, but are planning for next May (when we have gone the past two years). My oldest DD and I did a bit of math/planning/budgeting lessons. We looked up the rack rate prices for different resorts and length of stays. We did quotes with the dining plan included. We then came up with quotes for different specials. We came up with the totals for each option and then divided them out for the number of weeks we have until our trip to see how much we would need to save for each option. This was a fun project and DD has been very creative with ways to save that $ each week-- looking for coupons, cutting back on non-essentials, we even cancelled our satellite service.

 

[Smile4Me]

Pixxi- Where from in WI? I'm from Platteville (an hour south of Madison)! Where you flying out of? Or are your driving? I would suggest (depending on your location) flying out of Milwaukee because Southwest flies direct to MCO. You can check baggage for free, I think up to two bags per person on Southwest, so that will save you some $$ right away. Plus you can park in a remote lot for as little as $8 a day and get picked up by a free shuttle over to the airport! Utilize Magical Express-Saves you the cost of a rental car. Utilize the Disney buses, they are reliable and free! (well cost Im sure is worked into your total cost, but nothing extra out of pocket anyway!)
Unless you need water in your room and/or drink a lot of water, don't buy a case and haul it down there or spend the money to mail it. You can ask for and get free ice water at any counter service location on property!


Spring is here- and if you have kids, I'm sure you have lots of stuff! Have a garage sale! Sell toys, clothes, and anything else you can think of! Make some cookies or bars and some pop or lemonade and have the kids man a refreshment stand! Put all the money toward your trip! Pick up pop cans and recycle them somewhere that will pay for the aluminum!

Figure out the total cost of your trip and then divide it by how many paychecks you have between now and then, and take out that amount each check and put it into a separate savings account just for your trip! Then you know the money is there!

 

[nilseks]

You're getting some great suggestions. One of my favorites is a garage sale. You can get the kids to declutter and have them work toward the goal of going to Disney. We are having one in a few weeks. It's a lot of work and not always a huge pay-off, but I try to look at it this way...if I make $300, that's 2 nights in a Value hotel.

You can also apply for the Disney Visa and get $100. Start charging all of your expenses on there and pay it off monthly. I put everything on my Disney Visa instead of using a debit card, and I pay as I go. By doing this, I am able to accumulate about $20/month in reward points.

We are from Wisconsin and going in October. Depending on where you are in WI, consider flying out of O'hare or Midway. We are in Kenosha and we found round-trip non-stop airfare on United for only $148/pp including taxes and fees! And great flight times, too! We fly out at 9:30 a.m. and depart at 5:30 p.m. I couldn't believe our luck, but there are definitely deals out there.

Good luck!

 

[SOnotLayuh]

You're getting some great suggestions. One of my favorites is a garage sale. You can get the kids to declutter and have them work toward the goal of going to Disney. We are having one in a few weeks. It's a lot of work and not always a huge pay-off, but I try to look at it this way...if I make $300, that's 2 nights in a Value hotel.

You can also apply for the Disney Visa and get $100. Start charging all of your expenses on there and pay it off monthly. I put everything on my Disney Visa instead of using a debit card, and I pay as I go. By doing this, I am able to accumulate about $20/month in reward points.

We are from Wisconsin and going in October. Depending on where you are in WI, consider flying out of O'hare or Midway. We are in Kenosha and we found round-trip non-stop airfare on United for only $148/pp including taxes and fees! And great flight times, too! We fly out at 9:30 a.m. and depart at 5:30 p.m. I couldn't believe our luck, but there are definitely deals out there.

Good luck!

 

[Smile4Me]

Disney Visa! Thanks for reminding me! I need to apply for that! The chance of getting some discounts before the general public can make it worth to have alone ( the rewards are $1 for every $100 spent,,,aren't the best.. but every $1 helps!)

 

[nena]

Here is where we get our money for the DISNEY FUND!!
$150 automatic transfer from checking account
Loose Change in Mickey Bank
Garage Sales
Recycling $
Rebates
Disney VISA- I pay for my car insurance, dr. co-pays, and large purchases w/ my Disney Visa. Then I pay off my balance each month. We have saved our points for 10 months. We went to Disneyland last week and took with us $169 on our Disney Reward card. That was Souvenir $ for the kids!! And it didnt cost me a thing!!

 

[EclecticWAHM]

It's not a ton of money, but I usually make anywhere from $50-150 a month between online surveys and local focus groups. You can easily do a google search for focus groups in your area. Around here there's a company called Fieldwork and I know they have offices in other states. There are lots of market research firms out there that pay pretty well for an hour or two of your time to go in for a focus group and lots of online survey companies that pay a little for quick surveys or more for online focus groups. The thing to watch out for with the online companies is making sure you don't pay a dime. If they ask YOU for any money, it's not legit and you absolutely don't have to pay for a list of survey sites - the info is all out there for free online.

 

[crazelion]

I would go over to rewards board on disboards. haverygirl start a thread on how she make money for her wdw trip. The money is good. That is how making extra money for New York and US.

 

[beansmom]

i have started 'banking' 10% of everything we get as income for vacations because DH told me i can't start planning my trip to Italy til the money 'is in the bank'. I'll be there by next spring.

I round up the loose change...not much here but some...I do mypoints--i'll be redeeming for Landry's gc so we can eat free at TRex once. I'm pondering taking the grandkids' outgrown clothing to the consignment shop. All these aren't much but every dollar is a dollar.

Mainly, I just wanted to say 'woooooohooo to eclecticWAHM and congrats on your first ever family vacation'.

 

[donnajean17]

I love all these ideas! Keep them coming!

 

[jenseib]

I do online sites as well, doing offers and daily clicks. Not alot of money, but stil lsome extra

 

[browniemtb]

There is the Savings Guide?

 

[jenseib]

There is the Savings Guide?

I don't think you can post that link here, so you might want to remove it

 

[browniemtb]

I don't think you can post that link here, so you might want to remove it

Not sure why, but I can't since its locked in your quote. My post has changed.....thank you.

 

[EclecticWAHM]

Mainly, I just wanted to say 'woooooohooo to eclecticWAHM and congrats on your first ever family vacation'.

Thanks I can't believe it's taken this long...how old our kids are now but thank GOODNESS it's happening, it's already paid for and July can't come soon enough!! I'm already plotting and saving for the next one, so I'm very interested in this thread!

 

[Ericandjenng]

This sounds like a bad tv ad but, have you thought about selling any jewelry that you don't wear anymore? DH took our stuff to a local place the other day and got about 60% or more (as best as I can remember) of what we had originally paid for the different pieces. Not great but all of it had been worn--some more than others--and most of it was only 10 kt. Plus it was making nothing sitting in boxes on the dresser.

I definitely would check into the local places before you use them though also. We started discussing this back in January and one of the places wants to send your stuff elsewhere for their "home office" to give a price. I didn't trust that anymore than mailing it or going to the fly-by-night places that hit the hotel circuit.

We stuck this money in a basket for part of our souvenirs budget.