Help with a possible budget trip, please!

[pennymom]

I've been more of a lurker than poster for years now, but would really appreciate some help. We've been to WDW twice, once in Sept. 07 and again in Dec. 2010. We stayed on property at value resorts both times, and used DDP. When we were there last Dec., I booked the bounceback for a 40% off a mod for November. Then we replaced some old appliances and decided to postpone the trip, but I haven't changed the ressie yet. Just hopeful, I guess!

But the more I think of it, the more I think we'd like to take advantage of the the kids only taking off a couple of days of school and going for 6 days during Jersey week (Nov. 1st or 2nd to 6th or 7th - our schools are closed on Nov. 4th and 5th) We might still be able to go if I can bring the cost down enough, so I started looking at the options. I'd appreciate some advice from anyone who has good information on...

Fly or drive?:
I am finding airfares at about $900-1000 for the four of us out of Phila. We've never driven down, but would consider it. Have any of you driven from near NJ to Florida, or 800+ miles? What are the pros/cons? If we decide to drive, Halloween is on Sunday, Oct. 31st, and might be a consideration. I don't know how the kids would feel about missing Halloween.

Lodging:
I am seeing a LOT of lower-priced hotels/motels, but there's just too much info out there! Our main requirements are clean, a pool, and reliable shuttle to the parks. (I'd like to avoid the expense of either parking or a rental car depending on the flying vs. driving decision.) An included continental breakfast might also be a good perk. Any recommendations?

Travelocity, Orbitz, etc.:
Any pros and cons of booking flight and hotel together through a site, or is it better to do it yourself?

Tickets:
Probably 4- or 5-day base tickets. We had park hoppers on one trip, and didn't use them much.

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated. I am so hoping to visit the Mouse in November and not wait a year!

 

[Tina]

I've been more of a lurker than poster for years now, but would really appreciate some help. We've been to WDW twice, once in Sept. 07 and again in Dec. 2010. We stayed on property at value resorts both times, and used DDP. When we were there last Dec., I booked the bounceback for a 40% off a mod for November. Then we replaced some old appliances and decided to postpone the trip, but I haven't changed the ressie yet. Just hopeful, I guess!

But the more I think of it, the more I think we'd like to take advantage of the the kids only taking off a couple of days of school and going for 6 days during Jersey week (Nov. 1st or 2nd to 6th or 7th - our schools are closed on Nov. 4th and 5th) We might still be able to go if I can bring the cost down enough, so I started looking at the options. I'd appreciate some advice from anyone who has good information on...

Fly or drive?:
I am finding airfares at about $900-1000 for the four of us out of Phila. We've never driven down, but would consider it. Have any of you driven from near NJ to Florida, or 800+ miles? What are the pros/cons? If we decide to drive, Halloween is on Sunday, Oct. 31st, and might be a consideration. I don't know how the kids would feel about missing Halloween.

Lodging:
I am seeing a LOT of lower-priced hotels/motels, but there's just too much info out there! Our main requirements are clean, a pool, and reliable shuttle to the parks. (I'd like to avoid the expense of either parking or a rental car depending on the flying vs. driving decision.) An included continental breakfast might also be a good perk. Any recommendations?

Travelocity, Orbitz, etc.:
Any pros and cons of booking flight and hotel together through a site, or is it better to do it yourself?

Tickets:
Probably 4- or 5-day base tickets. We had park hoppers on one trip, and didn't use them much.

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated. I am so hoping to visit the Mouse in November and not wait a year!

I'm also doing a budget trip this year and I've done fantastic in saving money. The first HUGE saver was booking a timeshare rental at the Wyndham Bonnet Creek through Ken Price of vacationupgrades.com. If you check out the "We love Bonnet Creek" thread over on the Orlando Hotels board (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2114303), you'll find tons of pictures and posts about this fabulous resort and dealing with Ken. I just booked a 2 bedroom villa from him for late September at $100 per night. Also, note that this resort is in the middle of everything and backs right up to the Carribean Beach Resort (surrounded by Epcot, Disney Studios, and Downtown Disney).

We've done the drive a few times now and don't mind it at all. I'm driving from just south of Washington DC and its about 850 miles. 13-15 hours depending on how fast you drive, how many stops you make, etc. You'll find lots of drivers talking about the drive over on the Transportation Board in the 2K miles + thread (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2507731).

And finally, we've made this a true budget trip by collecting different food coupons and restaurant gift cards. I took advantage of the $2 sale at restaurants.com and picked up a few of their deals. I've also cashed in award points on my Wells Fargo visa card to get gift cards for a few restaurant chains that are near Disney.

I hope you find this info useful and are able to make your trip affordable. Good luck!

 

[Perditamarie]

Just wanted to share our super budget travel find: our last trip we flew down and rented a car to drive home! The rental fee for a 48 hour rental was $40, and we had a spacious minivan to drive from Orlando to NH. I would definately do that again.

Is there free dining offered during Nov? May be another budget reason to stay onsite - the awesome Disney transport, themed hotels and free food! Something to research for sure!

 

[Tina]

Just wanted to share our super budget travel find: our last trip we flew down and rented a car to drive home! The rental fee for a 48 hour rental was $40, and we had a spacious minivan to drive from Orlando to NH. I would definately do that again.

Who did you rent from? I was looking for a one way rental for last October and the daily rates were fine. Unfortunately all had a relocation fee of anywhere from $300-$500! I ended up driving my own car both ways.

 

[Perditamarie]

I want to say it was National...we picked it up at the Swan and Dolphin on our last day. My DH said they wanted to move cars out of Orlando, which is why it was such a super price. We stayed onsite and used Disney transport until it was time to drive home. We returned the vehicle to our local airport.

 

[Tina]

I want to say it was National...we picked it up at the Swan and Dolphin on our last day. My DH said they wanted to move cars out of Orlando, which is why it was such a super price. We stayed onsite and used Disney transport until it was time to drive home. We returned the vehicle to our local airport.

The direction must be the difference. I was wanting to drive down and fly back.

 

[Perditamarie]

also check out Southwest rates on Tues and Wed...much cheaper to fly then....I know it hurts for us northerners to get there sometimes!

 

[pennymom]

Thanks for the tips and ideas! Anyone have a recommendation for clean, inexpensive hotels with shuttles to the parks?

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

www.mousesavers.com

She has some deals at the Marriott Village that include breakfast and transport.

The "basic" option is the Comfort Inn LBV, transport's a little less often then I like, but it's there. I generally stay in the Lake buena Vista area and find some great deals on hotels that provide free breakfast, free internet etc. The transport is not as good and if you fly you have to get yourself to the hotel, but it's doable.

 

[disneysteve]

Fly or drive?:
I am finding airfares at about $900-1000 for the four of us out of Phila. We've never driven down, but would consider it. Have any of you driven from near NJ to Florida, or 800+ miles? What are the pros/cons?Halloween.

Lodging:
I am seeing a LOT of lower-priced hotels/motels, but there's just too much info out there! Our main requirements are clean, a pool, and reliable shuttle to the parks. (I'd like to avoid the expense of either parking or a rental car depending on the flying vs. driving decision.) An included continental breakfast might also be a good perk. Any recommendations?

We drive from Cherry Hill every year. In fact, we leave a week from Friday for our annual visit. It is 1,000 miles door to door and generally takes us 17 hours, though we've done it in 16. All together, flying takes about 7 when you count drive time to the airport, security, baggage claim, car rental and drive to your hotel, and that's if your flight is on time which it never is.

Pros of driving: Door to door service. Pack anything and everything you want. No extra fees if your suitcase weighs 51 lbs. No security lines. Stop for food and breaks whenever you'd like. Have your own vehicle to get around once in Florida. No worries about how to get souvenirs home. Driving is also way, way cheaper. Figure 2,000 miles, 20 mpg, $3/gallon is 50 gallons so $150 roundtrip. If you stop overnight each way, add another $150 for hotel rooms and that brings you to $300. Even with food costs, you'll still be way under the $1,000 you'll spend if you fly - and that doesn't include a rental car once you get there.

Cons of driving: It does take longer. That's about it.

Lodging: I would NEVER stay in an offsite hotel near Disney World. There are thousands of rental properties that are so much nicer and cheaper. For example, we are renting a 3-bedroom condo at Windsor Palms for $79/night total including taxes and fees. That gives DD her own room and bathroom. Gives us all a full kitchen, washer/dryer, internet access, big screen TV in living room and more. Complex has a very nice community pool.

Last year, we rented a 3-bedroom pool home in Lindfields for $100/night. Had everything the condo has plus was a single home with a private, screened-in pool.

Don't know why anyone would pick a hotel over that.

 

[pennymom]

Lodging: I would NEVER stay in an offsite hotel near Disney World. There are thousands of rental properties that are so much nicer and cheaper. For example, we are renting a 3-bedroom condo at Windsor Palms for $79/night total including taxes and fees. That gives DD her own room and bathroom. Gives us all a full kitchen, washer/dryer, internet access, big screen TV in living room and more. Complex has a very nice community pool.

Last year, we rented a 3-bedroom pool home in Lindfields for $100/night. Had everything the condo has plus was a single home with a private, screened-in pool.

Don't know why anyone would pick a hotel over that.

I'll look into that, thanks!

 

[stm61]

if you live in south Jersey have you checked prices to fly out of Atlantic City? Sometimes prices are much lower to fly Spirit then Southwest.

 

[disneysteve]

I'll look into that, thanks!

Two good sites to check:

VRBO.com has listings for all over the Disney area.

http://www.windsor-palms-florida.net/ is just for Windsor Palms.

 

[torinsmom]

Can you get into a YES Education group? You can get heavily discounted tickets and your kids would spend 3 hours in a class one morning. They don't have open enrollment in November, but people here are organizing groups to go--have to have 10 kids or more.

Here is one for a program on Nov. 3

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2517441&highlight=yes

I would drive and save that money. Takes longer, but then you would also have your own car to get around.

You can rent a 3 bedroom condo for around $500 for a week. We stayed at Emerald Island, very close to Disney. This was the condo we stayed at, but there are plenty of others. This one was very close to the clubhouse/pool(we could see it from our front stoop)

http://www.vacationhomerentals.com/vacation-rentals/Kissimmee-Florida-vacation-rental-townhouse-proID-42665.html

Marsha

 

[csharpwv]

I LOVE THE BUDGET BOARD! HAHA
Most people hate budgeting and all that but my wife and I really have fun with it! That's why I love this board! HAHA BUT - Anyway..

A LOT OF GREAT TIPS ON YOUR BUDGET TRIP SO FAR!

Here are a few of mine -

First off - definitely DRIVE - after flying our first three trips as a married couple - we have driven our last two trips and we have loved it.

SO much fun in fact that the first trip we were planning to drive - we planned to go grab a bit to eat after work, come home, pack the car, sleep at home - and leave the next morning bright and early - drive till we get tired and get a hotel, and make the rest of the trip the next day. Well we were so excited that we during our dinner after work I said - Let's go crazy and leave tonight! My wife, being a planner who plans down to the second said "..uhhh.... ok..." So we came home packed the car - and hit the road by around 11:00 pm. We had dropped our kitties off at their "Grandma and Grandpa's" AKA my Mom and Dad - HAHA - so we were able to drive straight through (From North Central WV) We were in VA by 1:45 or so - Hit NC a couple hours later, napped at a rest area for 15 minutes, hit the road again, finally we stopped to sleep in the car for about an hour just before the SC border and I woke up as the sun was rising - woke up - hit play on my iPod with the Lion King soundtrak - and off we went. By the time we hit GA we were ready for breakfast - SO we knew we were going to make it to Orlando that evening - so since we started out vacation a day early - we needed a hotel for another night - so we called DVC and were able to get a studio at... OUR FAVORITE... Wilderness Lodge - so we literally pulled up to Wilderness lodge at 4:00pm - checked in - showered - grabbed a bite to eat and then hit the Magic Kingdom! HAHA We added a whole extra day to our trip!

OK - now that my glee about that trip is out of the bag LOL here is what we do to save money while driving.

PILOT GAS STATIONS/TRAVEL centers - really cheap fountain drinks in styrofoam cups - the ice last literally about 3 hours! So we fill at the first one and then refill from larger bottles on subsequent stops. Plus they have cubed or 'crushed' ice - it's not really crushed - it's just the tiny pellet ice that's soft - but we love it!

If you have a smartphone - download a gas price finder app! Gas prices can change drastically when you cross state boarders - if you are 20 miles from the next state - with a 1/4 of a tank - see if it's going to be cheaper to fill up now - ..... or in the next state! If you have a Diesel vehicle - carry cash! It's cheaper (due to trucks buying large quantities - and the cost of credit processing fees) if you pay cash - not so much so for gasoline though.

Use a fuel additive if your car is a few years old to clean out the 'gunk' to get better gas mileage.

Drive at night to avoid wasting gas getting stuck in traffic. PLUS if you drive at night you won't need to run the A/C as much in the car - thus saving on gas mileage.

Plan to avoid metro areas early in the AM and around 5:00pm to avoid rush hour.

Be sure that your tires are properly inflated! Believe it or not - it can really cost you if your tires are not inflated properly!

WATCH YOUR SPEED! Nothing busts a budget quicker than a speeding ticket!
If you are stopped be apologetic - and beg for a warning - but don't be crazy enough to argue! And remember - you can't use radar detectors in VA - and if you area driving from anywhere north of the Mason-Dixon line - you almost have to go through VA!

Don't buy food on the road- if you have room - pack it before you leave home - that way you can snack to avoid buying big costly meals. Sandwiches are a great solution. If you are from WV or select few other areas you know about the wonders of the Pepperoni Roll! Great trip food!

Know what you are getting into - spend several days planning your route - and make sure you know where you are going - make sure you plan for where you will be at a certain time.

On our last trip we couldn't leave until 5:00 on a Saturday - so I had planned to stop in Charlotte NC for the night to sleep - so I could see my Godparents there in the morning. So I knew where we would be - and when we would be there - from home - to hotel - to hotel.

As far as tickets- you should have bought them before today the prices went up - some sites will still have some remaining inventory from before the increase - try to catch those!

BY ALL MEANS - stay on property and take advantage of FREE DINING! They extended it until a few days before Christmas. Unfortunately we can't take advantage of it due to being DVC members - but oh well - we'll pay the same in 2057 for our lodging as we do today - so there has to be a trade somewhere!

Next - if you have free dining - let us know - I have a few tips for you on that - one of them being Cosmic Rays in the Magic Kingdom where two times now my wife and I will get the 1/2 chicken and BBQ Rib combo with two sides and a drink - and dessert - all for one counter service credit - then we can use the other counter service credit for breakfast! I have some other tips as well - but let us know!

Plan your trip well enough to avoid needing to hop parks - it's an expensive option that can bust your budget - or save you a ton of money if you've planned well enough!

Cash in credit cards rewards if you have them - that's money that isn't coming out of your pocket - so it's 'free' - and can really give you a great pad on your budget!

For nighttime fun - go to a Dollar store and buy the glow in the dark/lightstick necklaces - and bracelets there - they are a LOT cheaper there than in the parks - and while you are there - buy a supply of the cheap disposable ponchos ($1 each or less) it sure beats paying $6 for a disposable poncho in the parks!

Go to Sams Club or Costco and buy the individual packs of Tylenol and other meds that you might use on your trip - they are really cheap and are so much better than hearing tylenol rattle in the bottle every time you move - plus we usually buy a box every year at the end of the year if we have money left on our medical flexible spending account - we buy at least Tylenol and Immodium.

Well I guess my last tip for saving $$ on your trip is this - TAKE REFILABLE WATER BOTTLES! You can get free ice-water at any counter service place - just ask! Then dump that into your water bottle - I suggest a wide-mouth Nalgene Bottle with a 'Humangear' cap on it - the cap reduces the mouth size so it's easier to drink from. PACK RUBBER BANDS - when you check into your hotel - ask for a couple extra washcloths and then rubber band one around your drink bottle so the condensation doesn't get all over your bag/backpack etc. You can fill them at your hotel in the morning to get started and when you need ice - just go to a CS and get free ice-water - and you have ice in your bottle ready to go.

AND - if you don't like the taste of Florida tap water - buy several gallon jugs of drinking water/spring water at a grocery store - $.99 (or less!) for a gallon of water sure beats paying $2.00+ for a 20oz bottle of water in the park. If you have your own bottle you can always get more ice!

 

[kelly1218]

if you live in south Jersey have you checked prices to fly out of Atlantic City? Sometimes prices are much lower to fly Spirit then Southwest.

Spirit charges extra for baggage.... I've found it's usually more than flying southwest out of Philly.


We usually drive if it's more than 2 of us going. We usually budget $400 for travel, and that covers gas, oil change before/after, and meals and snacks on the trip.

We drive straight through...so we don't get a hotel room. We always have $200 extra just in case we do decide to stop though....but with 2 drivers, we haven't stopped in the last 5 trips.

 

[kelly1218]

.



As far as tickets- you should have bought them before today the prices went up - some sites will still have some remaining inventory from before the increase - try to catch those!

according to mousesavers the prices haven't increased yet!

 

[pennymom]

MANY THANKS to all of you! I'm looking into rental properties, the YES idea, and going to talk to DH about driving down. The only downside I can see for driving will be that the kids will miss Halloween, as we'd probably leave on Oct. 29 or 30 and plan for a 2/3-day drive. I truly appreciate your suggestions!

 

[aceys_h0ney]

Aside from saving gas driving at night we love it because the kids sleep all night and usually wake up once we hit Florida in the morning. We live in VA so I think it was around 700 miles for us one way. In our town there are events up to two weeks before Halloween so perhaps you can find a celebration for them to go to and dress up before the actual date. That might soften the blow of missing the actual Halloween. Or if you have enough family close by dress the kids up and drive them from house to house to trick or treat. Maybe even throw a small Halloween party before you go, easy enough on a budget.

Totally agree with knowing gas prices, we saw a .40 increase from state to state in June. I don't have a smartphone but used gas buddy to find the best prices on our route before we left. Also if you have a Kroger and they do fuel rewards buy Disney gift cards and get more off your gas. For our June trip I bought $400 in gift cards for our tips and souvies and earned .80 off per gallon on one fill up. I filled our van up for $25 then used gift cards I cashed in using my banks reward programs. So our drive down cost $25! We were already going to be spending the $400 at Disney.

I would really look closely at staying on-site and taking advantage of free dining. We love the DDP and got a PIN for free dining in June and it really saved us tons, we upgraded to the regular plan so for our family of 5 (4 are Disney adults) we paid roughly $300 for the week for dining plus tips. We could have easily spent that on two meals at Disney. Also cooking in your room is a good option if you stay offsite at a condo, just make sure to consider if it is a good one for your family. For us we wanted to be in the parks to maximize our time there so leaving to eat and coming back seemed like a waste.

Bring your own snacks and water for the parks, we threw that stuff in the backpack and did not buy anything additional. Cut out souvenirs, if you have some already and have been a few times no need to spend a ton on them. Each of our kids had around $50 from savings to spend but hubby and I only spent maybe $50 combined on our 2 year old and ourselves. I like a magnet, postcard and picture frame and I am set. We brought down some Disney toys for the kids and broke them out when they were bored, same for the light sticks at night.

I hope you guys are able to go!

 

[disneysteve]

BY ALL MEANS - stay on property and take advantage of FREE DINING! They extended it until a few days before Christmas. Unfortunately we can't take advantage of it due to being DVC members - but oh well - we'll pay the same in 2057 for our lodging as we do today - so there has to be a trade somewhere!

If you don't mind being onsite, it probably is worth looking into the free dining deal. Personally, we much prefer the space, privacy and amenities offsite so it was never a consideration for us.