Help with my financial strategy..

[Lily.rose2112]

My overall budget for tickets, hotel, and food is around $2500 for 3 adults and 3 kids 7,6,3. I have more money put away for little purchses. I dont mind going over budget if the savings are substantial. We are a military family, so our tickets will be $1100. I'm trying to weigh the free dining option for us. Do we have to buy 1 or 2 day tickets for eligibility and do they expire? What would be to the most cost efficient? I don't mind breaking our trip up one in Sept the other in late Nov if tickets expire.

If we stay at CBR for 7 nights with the purchase of 1 day tickets and our military salute tickets that's $3276 and eligible for FD. The dining plan for 7 days would cost us $1700. If we used all military discounts the tickets room and dining plan would be $3915. I guess if we had to buy 2 day tickets it wouldn't be worth it! Suggestions tips?

 

[kool_kat]

Does the military discount price ($3,915) include a military discount on the room? I know that Disney usually offers a substantial discount on room only for military. Last time we stayed at Beach Club it was 40% (September 2013). Also, unless things have changed, Disney will allow you to add the dining plan to a military discounted room only reservation. They know that you get the discounted tickets they offer (military salute maybe?) so you don't have to buy tickets through them to add and pay for the meal plan. You do have to buy tickets if you want free dining (and pay full price for room), but I would think the discounted military tickets + discounted military room + paying full price for meal plan would be better savings. (At least this how things were set up the last time I went with my dad who is retired military in September 2013).

Also, have you looked into staying at the Shades of Green? They price / location can't be beat and Disney gives you the EMH when you stay at SOG. The only drawback is you cannot do the dining plan, but eating at the hotel is cheaper and unless you max out the dining plan with a bunch of character meals, you can generally eat cheaper than the meal plan costs.

 

[Marionnette]

My overall budget for tickets, hotel, and food is around $2500 for 3 adults and 3 kids 7,6,3. I have more money put away for little purchses. I dont mind going over budget if the savings are substantial. We are a military family, so our to tickets are taken care of. I'm trying to weigh the free dining option for us. Do we have to buy 1 or 2 day tickets for eligibility and do they expire? What would be to the most cost efficient? I don't mind breaking our trip up one in Sept the other in late Nov if tickets expire. If we stay at CB for 7 nights with the purchase of 1 day tickets and our military salute tickets that's $3276 and eligible for FD. The dining plan for 7 days would cost us $1700. If we used all military discount the tickets room and dining plan would be $3915. I guess if we had to buy 2 day tickets it wouldn't be worth it! Suggestions tips?

Are the tickets included in that $2500 price tag or not? Your post is confusing because you start by saying that it's supposed to cover tickets, accommodations and food for 6 people, but then you go on to say that you're military and the tickets are covered? TBH, I'm not seeing a way for 6 people to stay onsite, visit the parks and eat for 7 days for that amount of money. If you can, I'd love to see a break down of the prices.

But to clarify a few things:

• You cannot stack discounts. So, if you're staying at a resort with a military discount, then you cannot get *free* dining. You can pay the rack rate, and get *free* dining or you can get the military room & ticket discount and pay OOP for food.
• If you choose to take advantage of *free* dining, then you need to pay for tickets as a part of the package. This past fall, the *free* dining offer required you to not only pay rack rate, but to also purchase a minimum of 2 days of tickets with park hopping per person on the reservation.

 

[Lily.rose2112]

With military discount for 7 nights CBR $1000
Tickets $1100

 

[Lily.rose2112]

Does the military discount price ($3,915) include a military discount on the room? I know that Disney usually offers a substantial discount on room only for military. Last time we stayed at Beach Club it was 40% (September 2013). Also, unless things have changed, Disney will allow you to add the dining plan to a military discounted room only reservation. They know that you get the discounted tickets they offer (military salute maybe?) so you don't have to buy tickets through them to add and pay for the meal plan. You do have to buy tickets if you want free dining (and pay full price for room), but I would think the discounted military tickets + discounted military room + paying full price for meal plan would be better savings. (At least this how things were set up the last time I went with my dad who is retired military in September 2013).

Also, have you looked into staying at the Shades of Green? They price / location can't be beat and Disney gives you the EMH when you stay at SOG. The only drawback is you cannot do the dining plan, but eating at the hotel is cheaper and unless you max out the dining plan with a bunch of character meals, you can generally eat cheaper than the meal plan costs.

Yes the $3900 includes discount room, discount tickets, and dining plan.

 

[Lily.rose2112]

Are the tickets included in that $2500 price tag or not? Your post is confusing because you start by saying that it's supposed to cover tickets, accommodations and food for 6 people, but then you go on to say that you're military and the tickets are covered? TBH, I'm not seeing a way for 6 people to stay onsite, visit the parks and eat for 7 days for that amount of money. If you can, I'd love to see a break down of the prices.

But to clarify a few things:

• You cannot stack discounts. So, if you're staying at a resort with a military discount, then you cannot get *free* dining. You can pay the rack rate, and get *free* dining or you can get the military room & ticket discount and pay OOP for food.
• If you choose to take advantage of *free* dining, then you need to pay for tickets as a part of the package. This past fall, the *free* dining offer required you to not only pay rack rate, but to also purchase a minimum of 2 days of tickets with park hopping per person on the reservation.

Well if we had to purchase 2 day tickets for everyone there would be no savings.

 

[kirstenb1]

Meal plan would be the first thing to go for me. So easy to eat cheap!! Granola bars, etc in the room for breakfast, counter service lunch, maybe some TS dinners. And Shades of Green looks very nice!

 

[Marionnette]

With military discount for 7 nights CBR $1000
Tickets $1100

For 6 people? You need 2 rooms. Are you saying that you can get 7 nights at CBR for $500 per room? That's under $72 per night, which is an unbelievable discount that even CMs can't get! If that's the price that you've been quoted, then don't even mess with looking at *free* dining. You're not going to see a better rate than that.

The same goes for the tickets. $1100 for tickets for 6 people is $184 per person. How many days are those ticket for? If they are for 7 days of park visits, you won't get anything nearly that good from any discount ticket seller or from Disney on a package. Jump on it!

 

[Lily.rose2112]

It is a 4 day parker hopper with water park option. Yes 1 room with 6 people because our 6th person is a three year old. So it's around $140 a night after the discount.

 

[Marionnette]

It is a 4 day parker hopper with water park option. Yes 1 room with 6 people because our 6th person is a three year old. So it's around $140 a night after the discount.

Three year olds are not excluded from the room occupancy limits. The rule is "under 3" does not count. Three and over count.

 

[Jax1023]

And your three year old needs a ticket and meal plan too.

So you'd need two rooms, tickets for 6 and dining plan for 6. That's gonna be way way more than 2500.

 

[TwoMisfits]

My overall budget for tickets, hotel, and food is around $2500 for 3 adults and 3 kids 7,6,3. I have more money put away for little purchses. I dont mind going over budget if the savings are substantial. We are a military family, so our tickets will be $1100. I'm trying to weigh the free dining option for us. Do we have to buy 1 or 2 day tickets for eligibility and do they expire? What would be to the most cost efficient? I don't mind breaking our trip up one in Sept the other in late Nov if tickets expire.

If we stay at CBR for 7 nights with the purchase of 1 day tickets and our military salute tickets that's $3276 and eligible for FD. The dining plan for 7 days would cost us $1700. If we used all military discounts the tickets room and dining plan would be $3915. I guess if we had to buy 2 day tickets it wouldn't be worth it! Suggestions tips?

With 6 people, you are at the point that offsite will be much more cost-effective than onsite. You can easily get a week at a 2-3 bedroom condo for your current CBR budget (and since you are military, WAY less if you book through the military "last minute" timeshare site - I think you could get it for about $400). You can use the savings to get the 6th ticket and a rental car and parking (if you'd now need a car being offsite)...

 

[starry_solo]

I agree, it would be more cost effective to stay off-site. Everyone is going to need tickets in your scenario since the youngest child is 3 years old. As a previous poster said, 3 years and up requires a ticket.

Hotel rooms typically have 2 queens and *maybe* (if you're lucky) a sleeper sofa. Six people will be cramped in one room.

Unless Shades of Green has an unbelievable deal, I suggest renting a timeshare or condo offsite and order groceries.

 

[GAN]

You should be looking into Shades of Green ...it could be your best option.

 

[MillauFr]

I agree. Skip the meal plan if you want to save money.

 

[momof2gr8kids]

Don't forget the last free dining promo required you to purchase the Park Hopper or Water Park and More option. So add that onto the extra cost of getting the FD, it's not just the cost of base tickets - for 6 people that really adds up. Most likely your military discount tickets and room discount would be better, or offsite in a condo and pay OOP for food.