Help!! Thinking of Canceling Our Trip

[anditoo72]

My husband and I were talking this morning and we are both afraid that we won't have enough $ for our trip!!!

Here is the deal we have myself, DH, six kids and my mother-in-law (she won't be staying with us, she lives in Orlando, but she will be there most of the time and is living on a tight budget so we have to provide). I only have to buy tickets for two of the kids because we already have three days left on our hopper plus passes from three years ago. We are staying in Fort Wilderness in our RV for only $35.00 a night (eight nights already paid), great deal huh?

So our biggest budget problems are tickets to universal, souviners, gas (comming from Massachusetts ) and food obviously ( the biggest part of our budget with nine of us). I already have budgeted for two nights I am making dinner, we are having breakfast in the motor home all but one day. We are having dinner off site 3 nights, and counter service for lunch all the days we are in the park.

I told him since we don't have the Universal tickets yet we should just not go there thats like $600.00 + we could save. I told him we can always go to Universal next time, maybe making it a just Universal trip. Problem he loves Universal and Blizzard Beach (another $90.00- just for the older kids and him, not a huge part of the budget so I can't see cutting it)

I don't really know what else to cut or save on. I am getting depressed anyone have any ideas or tips on what to do??

 

[swilshire]

You're the best judge of what you need to do, but I'd say go, particularly since this includes a visit with Grandma.

You have to feed them wherever you are. I don't find we spend ALL that much more when we travel than when we stay home. We bring quite a few groceries along (particularly the stuff that doesn't weigh much) because I know I can buy cheaper at home with sales and coupons. Just eat out less. Even those counter service meals can be eliminated by trips back to the resort mid-day or by toting along a picnic lunch.

You certainly can wait to do Universal another time and can skip buying trinkets (or let the kids use their own money). Really, the gas will be the only awful part. It's coming down a bit here.


Sheila

 

[philaround]

If you really feel that you will not have enough money then I would suggest that you postpone your trip. You can cancel your current reservation and reschedule for a later date at the same time. Disney can move the money you have already paid from the cancelled reservation to the new one. Since you already have 8 nights paid for at the campground this will not cost any additional money now, and since you are letting Disney keep your money you won't be tempted to spend the money on something else.

This way you have extra time to set aside enough money to enjoy your vacation so you don't have to feel nervous about spending while you are there.

I know it can be traumatic to have to postpone your trip but that would be much better than cancelling altogether or worrying about having enough money after you are already there.

I know the position you are in. It looks like I will have to push our family vacation for this September till next May.

Good luck whatever you decide to do.

 

[DBC]

I hate to give you advice you may not want to hear, but if you are worried about whether you can afford the trip at this time it probably means you can't.

If you are putting yourself in a bad spot financially you'll have trouble enjoying the trip. Plus think of how bad you'll feel when you return-the trip is over AND you spent money you may not have been able to afford. A double post-Disney hangover.

Put it off for a while and do the next trip bigger and better.

Whatever you do, I hope it works out well for you.

 

[barrysprot36]

Coming from the UK we would not dream of going to Disney if we worried if we could afford it.

Our trip next month will cost us approx: $10,680 using todays exchange. That's for 2 adults plus 2 kids (16 & 12).
This includes flights, CBR for 14 nights, 7V car, Length of stay passes for Disney, Sea World, all meals/drinks and hopefully a few momentos. Anything else will be put on CC!

This takes us 2 years to save for!

 

[always quiet]

Personally, I would say go, but skip the trip to Universal. Cutting that alone should take care of the gas for the trip.

Next, counter service for lunch for that many people daily is going to add up. Why not bring food into the parks for lunch? We always brought sandwiches in (I have found through experience that bagels hold up much better than bread!). If you really don't like that idea, research now and see what places have the most inexpensive options (for instance, in France in Epcot, you can get a ham and cheese criossant for something like $2.99) Bring in snacks though!!! That alone puts one heck of a dent in the bugdet!! Check sites like mousesavers or allearsnet.com for info on menus and prices!!

With souveniors, try and think realisticly (not always easy in disney!!) Buy something that you know you'll get use out of once you get home. I always buy the popcorn in those containers with lids and handles. They hold home-made chocolate chip cookies quite nicely!! Or, they would be great pool or tub toys for younger ones.

There is a lot of stuff you can do at Disney without spending anything additional. You mentioned staying at FW. LOTS AND LOTS of great things there!! The beach is so pretty in the evening, the kids love digging in the sand (hey! another use for the popcorn bucket! ) and it is a beautiful spot to watch the fireworks! Time it out right, jump on the boat going across Bay Lake and the fireworks are even more spectaular!

Some disney reservations (I think through Disney travel) include tickets to mini golf at no additional cost! Did you book through them? If not, can you see if they would move your reservation to a Disney travel one? 1 ticket per person in your family.

Finally, think about Grandmom for a sec. I don't know how old she is or what her health condition is. I think making memories with Grandmom is wonderful for the kids. When I was young (before kids!) my mom would tell me all the wonderful things she was going to do with my kids. Well, by the time my oldest was born, my mom developed Altzheimers and was never able to do one thing with my kids. Something as simple as taking them to a store (not alone of course!) was simply too much stimulation for her. Give your children a gift mine were never able to have...memories with Grandmom!!

 

[tmli]

I think what I am hearing from your post is that we only have x dollars for our trip will it be enough. Your accomodation is paid for. If you were at home you'd still have to eat...when we drive we bring alot from home. What if only your dh and the older children went to Universal for one day? That would be considerably less than $600. Do you have any plus features left on your passes that could be used at Blizzard Beach?

Souvenirs are tough, I would suggest buying glow in the dark necklaces and only bring them out at night when other people are buying there's from the carts. My ds always wants those light up spinny things that they sell off the carts during the parades. When we get home he never thinks of them so I pack them away for the next time. Perhaps if the kids have any bdays, etc coming up you can give them disney $ to spend at the parks.

With that many people I would try to go back to the rv for lunch as much as possible....I understand the buffet at Fort Wilderness has takeout and you can stuff alot of food in the containers they give you. I bet you could feed alot from 1 adult buffet purchase.

Only you know for sure what you can handle....only go if you can do so without stressing over every dime you are spending.

 

[Mic]

My advice would be to go, but with adjustments. Either cut out Universal, or cut a day at Disney to free up the money for Universal. Since you are already spending 8 nights at FW, cutting out Universal may be the easiest thing to do. Not only will you have to purchase tickets for Universal, but consider the cost to park your vehicle there, or factor in the cost of transportation. At Disney, there are no additional parking/transportation fees. Perhaps a second day at a waterpark would appease you husband and older kids: this would cost less than a day at Universal. We have PAP's, and during a typical week stay, we will visit the theme parks for 4-5 days,the waterparks 1-2 days, and Disneyquest once or twice. Depending on the time of year you are visiting, a day at DQ may be more enjoyable for older kids than a second waterpark day. In December/January, we skip the waterparks in favor of DQ. Tickets to DQ can usually be purchased for less than $33 if purchased in advance. And don't forget to set aside a day to just enjoy FW. We camped there once for 3 nights, and I did not explore the resort nearly as much as I wanted to. If you bring bikes/rollerblades, or rent a golf cart for a day, you could definitely make a day of hanging around FW. My kids appreciate a day without a plan every now and then. And if Grandma is older, she may need one! As for food, I can honestly say we are under-budget more often than over, and we have 4 kids. I always suggest folks go to Deb Wills' website and get an idea of what a typical meal will cost. For those of us with large families, it helps to know how much we will be spending(I usually know to the penny...my kids are used to deciding what they will order at a restaurant before we get there!). Something I've done in the past that helps a lot is to spend $10 of my usual weekly grocery money on things for the upcoming trip: cereal, snacks, bottled water/sodas, canned fruit/vegetables, etc. I usually start about 2 months prior to the trip, and I put these items in a rubbermaid storage bin as I buy them. It is always full by the time we leave(usually more than full), and I don't even miss the $10 each week. When I get to Orlando, I visit the local Winn Dixie for the perishables and any additional things I need. Be sure to make a list before going to a grocery store you are not familiar with... this will help curb additional spending as well as prevent you from forgetting something. I guess what I am trying to say in a long-winded way is I think you can still do it, but you will have to put some time in to researching and planning your budget. Hope this helps!

 

[anditoo72]

Thanks to all of you who have replied. You guys have given me some great ideas about snacks in the park I can buy starting now and won't miss the extra money that I spent. Bringing the GID necklaces was great.

I don't want you all to think we are spending money we would otherwise use for bills and such thats a completely diffrent budget, I am just thinking of our vacation budget.

I think the Universal trip may be out and spending more time at the FW like someone suggested may be a good thing to explore what we have paid for instead of spending all the time in the parks. I am going to let my husband read all your great posts thanks again, I know I feel better.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I just wanted to throw in a couple suggestions. The pizza ordered to go at Trail's End is, IMO, the best food deal in all of WDW. The pizza's are huge and they aren't that much more than you would pay at Pizza Hut. In April, I fed 2 adults, 2 teenage girls, and 3 teenage boys on 2 pizza's and everyone was full. Again, IMO the best way to enjoy it is to order it about 30 minutes prior to the floating boat parade. Have your DH wait for the pizza while you head on down to the waterfront and secure enough tables and chairs for your party. Don't forget to look on the right side of the building, as there are many more tables and chairs on this side. Bring your drinks from the RV, and now you have an inexpensive meal without missing out on any of the Disney magic.

My other suggestion would be to see if you can convince you DH and DS's to skip Universal this time, by promising to spend your next vacation there instead of Disney (well most of it anyway) . Book a hotel on site, and do Universal right. The best part is; With staying on-site, you get FOTL and going during the summer is no problem.

Hope this helps!

 

[C.Ann]

May I ask when you are making this trip - and the ages of the children?

With that info I (we) might be able to give you some better tips..

I definitely think you should GO but would like more info so we can try to help you out better..

By the way, can I hitch a ride? All you would have to do is swing by NY.. Heck - I'll even meet you on the Pike - LOL!!

 

[anditoo72]

We are going in August. The kids ages are 13,12,10,6,4,2 and my Mother in law is proud to be 65 today!! She does get tired, but she is full of pep and a lot of fun and help!! I LOVE the pizza idea, that is great and if the pizza's are huge two should do me too. I loved the idea of taking in the show while eating, but it may be a little late for the younger kids, but we are on vacation so you never know. Thanks for all the ideas and tips, please if anyone thinks of anything else I would love to hear it.

 

[always quiet]

The pizza's are 12.99 for a 16"!! They are out of this world! We had ours for dinner the night we did MVMCP and had leftover slices for lunch the next day!! Don't forget to save some of the crust for the peacocks!!

I'm sure your MIL will LOVE spending the time with the kids! Like I said, make some magical memories that will last a lifetime. Having an extra adult will also make it easier when you, your DH and the older kids go on the bigger rides. The year my dad went with us, he would walk around with my youngest in the stroller while we had the older 2 on rides like Space Mountain.

I'm sure the kids will love FW! There is also an arcade my Meadows pool. My son spent some of HIS souvenior money in there while the girls spent time in the pool.

PS HAPPY 65TH BIRTHDAY TO ANDITTO72'S MOTHER IN LAW!!

PSS - Here's a link to FW that will help you with your planning!!
http://home.hiwaay.net/~jlspence/faq_fw.htm

 

[C.Ann]

Okay - so you're going in August.. That's good - still have some time to play the money game..

Let's see.. First you have to consider the food aspect.. With a group that size it could get costly, for sure..

Go to this site and you can pull up all the menus and PRICES for all of the places to eat inside WDW:

http://allearsnet.com/din/dining.htm

For several of the children you can still order from the kid's menus and the costs are pretty reasonable.. If you study these menus hard, you can pretty much figure right to the penny what it will cost you..

Eat as much as you can outside of the parks (bringing food from home in the RV) and start buying snacky items now that you can carry around all day.. Give the older kids their own fanny packs to carry their snacks in and hopefully that will cut down on the "Mom, can I have"'s..

If you can afford it, start stashing away a few bucks each week for "extras" (like souveniers) and "pay" the kids to do some chores.. Whatever they earn is their money to buy souveniers with.. For the littlest ones, you can probably buy some Disney souveniers at the Dollar Stores and what-have-you before you even leave home.. Also use the Dollar Store for things like rain ponchos and other items you might need for the trip..

Consider skipping Universal - BUT - if you find you have budgeted better than you thought, you might still be able to swing it..

Outside of the parks make sure your MIL gets SENIOR DISCOUNTS wherever she can! Many restaurants and such offer reduced prices for seniors..

If you're not going too close to Labor Day, there's a chance that the cost of gasoline will have dropped by then (only to rise again for the Labor Day weekend)..

Take advantage of all the free events in Fort Wilderness - bring sodas, snacks, etc..

Ever consider selling on eBay? You still have at least 2 months before your trip and you could make some quick money by doing so.. Check out the eBay thread on the Budget Board to get ideas of what to sell.. You could easily make a nice stack of money before then!

Personally, I think you're going to be fine.. I think you're just in the mode that I usually get into - worrying I won't have enough and then ending up coming HOME with money because I OVER budgeted so badly!

Also, don't forget your stroller for the youngin's.. Foolish to rent if you own.. If you need a double, start hitting the garage sales.. People practically give them away.. My DD got an beautiful double stroller for our trip in Sept. of 2001 for only $20 !!

Most importantly - read, read, READ all of the boards here and you will find so many amazing tips and ways of saving money your head will be spinning!!

Yay Disney!!!

 

[always quiet]

Here's one more link!

http://www.disneycampers.com/

Also, check out the Disney camping section right here on these boards too!

 

[HenDuck]

I am in agreement with a lot of other posters that Universal is an option that should be cut if necessary.

I think that you can tweak your food and souvie budget the most, as those figures are usually negotiable.

If you really had to, you could avoid eating any meals in the parks. Eat breakfast and dinner at your motor home. Unfortunately for you, that probably means YOU will have to cook! But that will save you bucks! You can still consider bringing lunch items into the parks. PB&J, etc. Maybe not for all days, but for some. Then share meals as others have suggested.

As for souvies, you can tell the kids that they can have one each and set a price limit or tell them they can have one t-shirt each. OR tell them that the trip itself is their gift and that the pictures you will take will be their souvies!

When we went to Disneyland in April, all of us adults went nutso thinking we wanted to by DS (3 1/2) all kinds of souvies. Other than a couple of dinosaurs my husband bought him in Adventureland, he really could have cared less about the rest of the stuff. He was just having such a great time that the "stuff" did not even interest him. So your kids might surprise you. Also, if you tell them no souvies or no trip, they might be more agreeable than you'd think!

Since you're just talking about tweaking your vacation money, I think you should not cancel the trip. You can definitely bring your vacation costs down. Good luck!

 

[travelbug]

This is just a little thing, but I might as well add it to all the terrific advice you've gotten. If you need to do grocery shopping down there, it is worth it to go on the Winn Dixie website and apply for their free discount card. Mine arrived within about 10 days or 2 weeks when I applied for it. There's a really nice new Winn Dixie store close to WDW, and the prices are generally very reasonable. The card certainly helps cut the grocery bill a little more.

It sounds like you have plenty of things in your favor to go, but it also sounds like some cutbacks are a good idea. Good luck! I really hope this works out for you.

 

[ThatNiceComputerLady]

I love all the ideas on this thread, and I'll be using some of them for our trip in August!

This is a great board for cutting costs, but don't forget the other aspect: do things now to increase the money coming in. Some great summertime money-earning activities that we do include:

buy stuff at garage sales, sell them on eBay

use food coupons on double and triple coupon days

have our own garage sale, kids sell lemonade and cans of pop (my son made almost as much as me last time!)

kids (and adults!) can mow lawns, walk pets, clean pools, babysit, paint fences, do odd jobs

If your family really wants to go to Universal and have more spending money, they have plenty of time to earn it.

You're doing a great job! Keep up the good work!

Have fun!
Rebecca

 

[Taja]

My ideas are no cost or low cost things to do at WDW. Keep in mind, I've never traveled with children, so some things may not be practical!

Resort hop. Not pools, just resorts! You can park at TTC (free, since you are staying at FW) or take the ferry from FW to TTC (MK entrance--it's in that area), then visit the monorail resorts. You may not spend a lot of time at GF or CR, but the Polynesian probably will eat up a couple of hours, minimum!

Do the same for the EPCOT resorts, taking the Friendship launch around to visit the three WDW properties and the Swan & Dolphin and spend some time on the Boardwalk (more to do there in the evenings, though). Or walk! Park at YC or BC (usually you can park for 2 or 3 hours) and tell them you are eating at Beaches & Cream. When I went in December, I just asked if I could park for a couple of hours to take photographs (which I did). Parking availability may depend on how full the resorts are, though. The other option is to use WDW transportation to DTD (or park there), then hop a WDW bus to one of the EPCOT resorts.

Go to AK and WL and spend some time looking around. Again, they can eat 2 or 3 hours each, without spending money.

If you think about it, you'll find a lot of free or inexpensive things to do at WDW. We're just so accustomed to spending money to "enjoy" ourselves that we don't consider the alternatives unless they're forced on us!


__________________
Taja

 

[Taja]

Oh! And discuss the financial issues with your three older children and let them be involved in planning free/inexpensive things. I was reconciling my parents checking account when I was 8--a very good lesson in finance! They are old enough to understand that money doesn't grow on trees.

The six-year-old will understand on a much simpler level, and is likely to follow the lead of his/her older siblings. The two younger ones probably won't care much as long as they're comfortable and fed and loved by everyone around them! As long as the older ones don't whine about wanting things, they probably won't either!

Involve the older children in planning inexpensive surprises for the younger ones before you leave--while you are planning some for them! Make the process fun and don't worry about spending a lot of money to make it memorable! Some of my favorite memories are climbing "hills" with my father (sand dunes at a local dam where I was raised) and "helping" my mother bake holiday goodies!


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Taja