Help! The expenses are mounting!!

[daltonsdodisney]

We will be cruising on the May 26 Wonder. I've wanted to do this for a few years and since I started working this year, I felt we all deserved it. Anyway, trying to be budget conscious, I booked a stateroom cat. 11 through DU for the 4 night. We're even driving from Indiana to save on air fare. After all that driving and being so close to WDW, I decided we'd do 2 nights at WDW. We booked a room at PO-R for a great rate of $94/nt. using a code I found out about on these boards. I'd made my initial cruise payment, then last month, paid the balance. I also put 1/2 down on my WDW stay, so I thought I was home free, but when I sat down today to make a trip expense budget, the little things add up to one big, scary sum. I hate to just charge it all and have a big payment to look forward to when I get home. Here's a list of my forseen expenses that haven't yet been paid. Am I forgetting anything? I'd probably be better off flying!
EXPENSES OVER AND ABOVE CRUISE COST:
motel stays to and from Disney-$120
1 night PO-R-$104
gas-$200
travel meals-$150
WDW meals-$150
Shutters pics-$50
girls hairbraiding-$50
ship ornament, hat, shirts-$70
baggage,room service, Palos tips-$30
server tips-$150
MK tickets-$180
snorkeling-$60
bike rental-$20
arcade-$10
taxi-$20
casino-$20
laundry-$5
drinks-$20
WDW maid-$5
This is a very conservative budget, too. We're not even doing any major excursions and I'm already near $2000. I'm having the girls come up with some souvenir money, but otherwise, I have 1 month to save. HELP!

 

[abitjaded]

Drive all night-- and eliminate hotel costs to and from? Or, tent camp at Nat'l parks or Nat'l Forest on the way to and from?

Bring a collapsible cooler from home, or large cooler to leave in trunk, fill with jug of water, frozen and fill with sandwich stuff, snacks and drinks from home--eliminate most of meal costs to and from?

Change WDW ressie to All Stars or get cheaper off-site? Refill your cooler and eat from that with just one special meal at WDW?

Avoid the casino!!!!!!!

Don't see much to eliminate from cruise without stiffing the CMs!



Carla

 

[kramer_clan]

Take time to go through the house and have a yard sale. It can help. I do this all the time before trips to give my kids and I some extra spending money.

Vicki

 

[Grumpy0831]

Well, I can see you are as budget conscious as I am. Here are a few tips...
I totaly agree with the other comment about packing your own food. Use a cooler and make sandwiches. Shop at a grocery to replenish instead of fast food. If you do stop at a restaurant, do the splitting thing. My hubby and I split almost everything! Olive Garden will split the meal on two plates for you, taking a $12 dinner for one and making it for two. Super size at fast food rests and then split.
We didn't buy any pics from the ship-except one at Castaway Cay, because you get the ship in the background. But, I did take videos and pictures of our pictures. They are nicely displayed on the ship, so I just took a picture of the picture. (I know,I am really cheap, but my family got a kick out of it!)
You don't have to drink and you don't have to rent the bikes. You can save $40 right threre and still have an awesome trip.
As far as the t-shirts and things go...they are much cheaper if you buy them in town instead of at Disney. I live in Orlando, and there are many quality places to buy Disney merchandise other than Disney.

Have a wonderful trip!!

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Regarding the line, "server tips-$150."

I didn't see anything on the list regading Stateroom Host/Hostess tips. The guidelines from DCL for a 4-night cruise -- per guest (adult or child) -- are:

Dining Room Server: 14.75
Dining Room Asst. Server: 10.75
Dining Room Head Server: 3.75
Stateroom Host/Hostess: 14.50

That works out to $175 for a party of 4. (On our 7-night cruise, we tipped more than the recommended 7-night amounts because the service was so outstanding.)

Regarding the line, "baggage, room service, Palos tips-$30."

We left our bags with the curbside porter. I tipped $10 for 7 items (4 suitcases and 3 smaller items). When we reclaimed our bags after the cruise, we didn't use any porter services.

Palo charges a gratutity of $5 per person for dinner, so that's $10 for two. There's a line to increase the tip (we did), but that's optional.

We never used room service, even though we had a Category 6 stateroom with a verandah. With all the good food at meals and on deck 9, we just never felt the need to order anything from room service (even though I had assumed we would do so).

As far as the suggestion to "Drive all night-- and eliminate hotel costs to and from."

I wouldn't do it -- although I know many people do, even from Northeastern Illinois. It's dangerous. Over-tired drivers are a serious risk to themslves and others. Highway saftey folks are now starting to take over-tired drivers as seriously as drunk drivers.

Parking.

What about the cost of parking your car at the port?

 

[daltonsdodisney]

That's right, I forgot parking, another $28! This is probably as low as I'm going to get it. It's just hard for me to spend over $3000 on any trip. I guess it's a once in a lifetime thing (unless I totally love it, then I'll really have a problem on my hands. Good idea about the yard sale. I'll try to have one before we leave. If I can at least save $500 cash before then, I won't have to charge so much. (We just bought a new Trailblazer Ext and have a step-son in college so I don't want to over-do it)
Thanks!

 

[sshuttle]

I also recommend changing your reservation from PO-R to All Star Resort. It will save you at least the cost of a theme park ticket. You're only going to be staying two nights so the All Stars are perfect. For a longer vacation, it's nice to be able to upgrade but for two nights do the cheapest route. They are still great resorts, nice and clean, fun pools. Theme park food is VERY expensive so do your best to share, remember you'll be eating great on the ship. Best advice - once you've committed to your plan and decided to spend the money, ENJOY. I tell my husband this all the time

 

[mouseclick1]

Have you already made reservation for your hotel stays on the way there and back? I know some people like to drive until they get tired, but I already have reservations for our drive down in July. We are stopping at an Econolodge in GA, for $36 per night. We will be arriving in the evening, and leaving first thing in the morning, so I do not want to pay for any extras that we won't be using. Maybe you could look around online and save some money in that area?

 

[kidzmom3]

I also think the econolodge is a great idea. You are basically only going to sleep there, so don't pay too much. Definelty share food items. Or maybe consider at the parks doing a character meal at say 1040 am that will take care of breakfast and lunch. you can have small snacks before and after , provided by you. Indidual size cereal boxes are great.