How inexpensive can we do a last minute trip to Disney?

[LeahA]

Scenario-

Family of 5
Offsite accomodation
Late Feb/Early March trip
No hopping from park to park/skipping a couple parks
Counter service meals/or meals in condo-hotel
Driving to Florida

 

[Marionnette]

Scenario-

Family of 5
Offsite accomodation
Late Feb/Early March trip
No hopping from park to park/skipping a couple parks
Counter service meals/or meals in condo-hotel
Driving to Florida

You didn't say how long or what the ages of the family members are. They can have an impact on the total cost.

 

[crazelion]

I would stay at the Hawthorne suites on Canada Avenue that offer free breakfast. pack picnic lunch and do counter service dinner in the parks. Even better option is offsite for dinner and save money at cheap buffet like Ci Ci Pizza or Golden Corral. Drink water at meals to save on cost. Park tickets now is be hard part because they are expensive.

I would also bring snacks from home too. That will cut cost at the gas station with the kids and some adults too. LOL

 

[Ahrizel]

Check out www.skyauction.com Your looking last minute, which works well. You should be able to get a 2 bedroom condo for less then $400 for the week. Lots of space, and a full kitchen will save you a bundle. Your looking for ones that have a one week stay. You have a car, no problem. Stop at the grocery store, stock up for meals in the condo, and bring a small cooler into the parks for lights meals and snacks.
Mary

 

[LeahA]

We have 3 boys ages 8/11/14. Thanks for all the ideas so far!


Leah

 

[sunshinehighway]

Have you check out Last minute travel? There's a little trick to seeing the secret hotels. If you add a car to the reservation, it shows the hotel name. You can always take the car out before you actually reserve the hotel.
I haven't used them before. I think there is an older thread somewhere on the dis about it.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Have you check out Last minute travel? There's a little trick to seeing the secret hotels. If you add a car to the reservation, it shows the hotel name. You can always take the car out before you actually reserve the hotel.
I haven't used them before. I think there is an older thread somewhere on the dis about it.

You can know without even pretending to add a car! We did it for our Thanksgiving visit to DLR *I booked the hotel last August. Check this out.

 

[sunshinehighway]

You can know without even pretending to add a car! We did it for our Thanksgiving visit to DLR *I booked the hotel last August. Check this out.

Thanks for the tip! That looks easier than pretending to add a car. I almost used them last year for a last minute trip. They had the Hilton in DTD for under $90 but I ended up getting a deal for a Moderate.

 

[At World's End]

Check out Wyndham Bonnet Creek on ebay.

Also, check to see if the YES program has individual enrollment tickets at the time you are going.

http://www.disneyyouth.com/individual-enrollment/catalog/

 

[honeydiane1953]

Scenario-

Family of 5
Offsite accomodation
Late Feb/Early March trip
No hopping from park to park/skipping a couple parks
Counter service meals/or meals in condo-hotel
Driving to Florida

I have flown, and driven. We always stay onsite. We r deluxe snobs. Only three sometimes four. 5000. always no matter what special no matter what it comes out to 5000.

 

[DisneyLoverUSA]

You can stay at the Quality Suites Lake Buena Vista for less than $80 a night and it sleeps 6 and has a full kitchen (full size fridge, 2 burner stove, sink, microwave, no oven) and a full free HOT breakfast buffet with eggs, waffles, Sausage, cereal, fruit, yogurt, muffins, Bagels, etc. That alone is worth about $7 per person, or $35 a night. The rooms are nice and they have a TV in each room with way better selection of cable TV channels than that crap TV on Disney property. The BAD THING IS when you first turn on your TV in the room, you know what channel is showing? OMGGGG THE MUST DO'S!! Even off property the DISNEY MUST DO'S is showing on the TV!! I almost shot the TV off the stand.

http://www.qualityinn.com/hotel-orl...&nchild3=&nadult4=&nchild4=&nadult5=&nchild5=

There is a Cici's Pizza about one block from this hotel. $6 per person all you can eat pizza with drink.

DH and I ate there 2 times for less than $14 each time.

If we don't get free dining for our dates this coming October we will be staying there again. We stayed 6 nights and our room total was $498. BARGAIN!! The pillows are amazing. I meant to ask them where they get them or if they sell them but I forgot.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Check out the link below for tickets from the Children's Hospital. There might be a package that will work for you.

http://www.floridahospitalforchildren.com/donate/donate-tickets

 

[zurgswife]

You can know without even pretending to add a car! We did it for our Thanksgiving visit to DLR *I booked the hotel last August. Check this out.

If anybody has done this can you tell me where you find the "more info" link...I've looked at the site and I can't find it...

 

[HayGan]

Check out the AAA trip/gas calculator to see approximately how much driving will cost you. http://fuelcostcalculator.aaa.com/ We always add about 20% on to their estimate to account for driving around Orlando while we are there. Depending on your vehicle, you could easily be looking at $500+ just in gas charges.

Of all the vacation elements, i think food is the easiest one to find ways to save significant money. Consider checking out restaurant.com for great deals on vouchers for locals restaurants. Some of our favorites are BB Kings and Giordano's. I would suggest buying a voucher with enough credit to order stuff to take back to your place and use for lunch/dinner the next day. We fed a group of 7 last year for 2 weeks on a $800 budget including eating at Boma one night for dinner. We shop at Publix for groceries and eat very few counter service meals.

Accommodations are the other easy way to save money. You have received lots of great ideas here for places to stay. I would strongly consider staying somewhere that does have some level of kitchen available otherwise you are going to spend well over your budget on food.

Even after using a ticket discount (like the one in the Mousesavers newsletter) you are still looking at at least $1,300 for tickets (assuming at least 4 park days) Have you considered going to Universal instead? You can have more park days there for less than Disney. Your boys seem like the ages that may love it (mine are 10 & 11 and have been in love with US/IOA since we started going there 3 years ago.)

All together (and bare minimum) I think you would be looking at the following

Driving (gas/tolls/etc.) - $550
Food - $300 (mostly groceries but a few less expensive meals)
Accommodations - $500
Tickets - $1,300
Misc - $250

So you are looking at at least $2,900.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

If anybody has done this can you tell me where you find the "more info" link...I've looked at the site and I can't find it...

I've done it, more info ~ I actually click Book It, the screen you're taken to will have the hotelID= up in the address bar.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

You can stay at the Quality Suites Lake Buena Vista for less than $80 a night

http://www.qualityinn.com/hotel-orl...&nchild3=&nadult4=&nchild4=&nadult5=&nchild5=

That looks terrific. How convenient is it to the parks? I assume pretty easy commute since you've stayed there & recommend it?

 

[auger]

That looks terrific. How convenient is it to the parks? I assume pretty easy commute since you've stayed there & recommend it?

It is located on Palm Parkway, which is just outside the DTD gate.
Any of the hotels on this road are EXTREMELY convenient for easy access to WDW.
Quick, easy drive without having to hit a bunch of Orlando traffic.
It is also just off of I-4, so you can easily access the highway to get other places you may want to go.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Awesome, we'll have to look into that a bit closer!

 

[honeydiane1953]

I meant three or four people. The total is always the same.