How much have you saved on a WDW trip?

[KC78]

I have just saved my family THOUSANDS on our upcoming trip to WDW and I'm very excited about it! My family keeps saying I should become a travel agent!!!!
There's 6 of us and we are staying in a 2 bedroom Villa at OKW for 9 nights. We have 4-six day hoppers and 2-4 day hoppers+water park, plus we are flying from the Northeast...all for $3800!!!! Considering the stay alone at OKW goes for more than that WITH a 40% off discount...I am beyond excited and thrilled!!!! Just the tickets and hotel without airfare go for more than $6000(or about $8700 without discounts). Sooooooo excited that I was able to save so much!!!

Anyway, it got me thinking and wondering what others have saved on their past (or current) trips to the World and how they saved?????

 

[twooley2]

we have 5 people and our tickets for 6 days one park per day were 1205 the deluxe dining plan is costing 2765.00 for 7 nights and our stay at SSR until we decide to change is only costing us points as we are DVC members. We booked a hotel on the way for 55.00 and a hotel our last day for 106.00 I'm not too sure about saving as this still seems like a lot of money but we love it.

 

[Marionnette]

Best savings was the result of an internet error. The website had a dvc studio room with tickets during free dining for just over thirty dollars per night. I booked it and then called them to make sure that they would honor the rate. They thanked me for bringing the error to there attention and kept the rate for me. The next day the error was fixsed on there website. I used points to pay for the airfare. A five night stay with tickets cost me just over one hundred eighty dollars for two people.

 

[luvsJack]

I have just saved my family THOUSANDS on our upcoming trip to WDW and I'm very excited about it! My family keeps saying I should become a travel agent!!!!
There's 6 of us and we are staying in a 2 bedroom Villa at OKW for 9 nights. We have 4-six day hoppers and 2-4 day hoppers+water park, plus we are flying from the Northeast...all for $3800!!!! Considering the stay alone at OKW goes for more than that WITH a 40% off discount...I am beyond excited and thrilled!!!! Just the tickets and hotel without airfare go for more than $6000(or about $8700 without discounts). Sooooooo excited that I was able to save so much!!!

Anyway, it got me thinking and wondering what others have saved on their past (or current) trips to the World and how they saved?????

So, how did you get this deal?

 

[mommyof2princesses]

I think our cheapest stay was in 2009. I worked for Disney Store for over a year and had saved up some park hopper tickets. We went during free dining, during homeschool days. It was our longest trip. I believe we had 8 days of park hoppers, 10 days of hotels and free food. We spend about $2000 on the whole trip. That is for 1 child, 1 jr and 2 adults!

Our trip in Janurary is for 6 days, 5 days of ph and free dining for the same amount of people. The trip is costing us about $1800. We are staying at a value this time. We usualyl stay at a moderate.

 

[SDSorority]

So, how did you get this deal?

Yeah no kidding! I want to know too!

 

[KC78]

So, how did you get this deal?

Well, our 9 nights at OKW (2 bedroom) I rented points from 2 DVC members for a total of $1640 (less than $6 per point)
Our park tix came to $1029-total, because my kids are doing the yes program (it's almost a 50% savings!!!)
Our flights were originally $132 RT...but had to change things around a bit and they went up about an extra $50 per person but still not bad at under $200 per person RT.

Even if we stayed at a value with free dining it would have cost about $1500 more or with a room discount we could have stayed at a value for the same price. I love the fact that we are staying in deluxe accomodations for the price of value!

Same package would have cost $9827 through Disney with Free Dining
With 40% off room only discount through Disney would have cost $7134
My price: $3803
Savings of $3331-$6024

 

[DisneyFansInLINY]

We made our own package: 1/29/2011 - 2/3/2011

Studio at Bay Lake Tower at the Contemporary for 5 nights:
Rented from DVC member on ebay for $850.00 and used cashback programs knocking the price down to $800.00!

Two 6 day base tickets from Undercover Tourist using the Mousesavers newsletter discount: $461.90 and free shipping! We didn't need a ticket for our daughter as we already have.

Deluxe Dining for 2 adults and one 3 year old child: $899.00 (full price but we are using our Disney Rewards from our Disney visa credit cards towards the cost. So far we have $260 in reward money but we still have 3 months to earn more)

Airfare for 3 people from NY to Orlando minus $65 airline credit and including insurance: $518.20

$800.00 (room)
$461.90 (6 day base tickets for 2)
$639.00 (deluxe dining plan for 3 $899.00 - $260 in Disney rewards)
$518.20 (r/t airfare for 3 w/insurance)
+
----------
$2419.10


As compared to Disney's quote for the same vacation:

$3086.40 (Disney package includes 40% off room rate, deluxe dining plan for 3and 6 day base tickets for 3)
$518.20 (r/t airfare for 3 w/insurance)
+
----------
$3604.60

Total savings by making our package:

$3604.60 (Disney package price)
$2419.10 (Making our own package price)
-
----------
$1185.50 (Total savings)

 

[SDSorority]

WOW you guys are amazing!!!!!!

 

[ccgirl]

I have just saved my family THOUSANDS on our upcoming trip to WDW and I'm very excited about it! My family keeps saying I should become a travel agent!!!!
There's 6 of us and we are staying in a 2 bedroom Villa at OKW for 9 nights. We have 4-six day hoppers and 2-4 day hoppers+water park, plus we are flying from the Northeast...all for $3800!!!! Considering the stay alone at OKW goes for more than that WITH a 40% off discount...I am beyond excited and thrilled!!!! Just the tickets and hotel without airfare go for more than $6000(or about $8700 without discounts). Sooooooo excited that I was able to save so much!!!

Anyway, it got me thinking and wondering what others have saved on their past (or current) trips to the World and how they saved?????

Funny....my family says the same thing to me. Maybe it's in the water in MA. Anyway, there is a very similar thread going on that I posted to so I have copy and pasted here.

OP - you do not mention food...is that included in your budget? Still a great deal. I have never heard of anyone renting points for under $8 per point so that's awesome.... Here are my trips:

Last Oct 2009, my DH and myself went for our 10th Anniversary to the F&W festival. We stayed off site in our timeshare, airfare was very low as we had a SW credit. I think it was $150 RT for both of us. Rental car for $160 and we purchased AP's. So, that was expensive. About $900. Food ran about $200 so that was $1560 for 7 nights in a 2 BR timeshare. This May 2010, we traded our timeshare with RCI for a 2BR at BWV. No rental car need due to the superb location. Already had AP's for my DH and myself. My DS was 2 so he was free. My DD7's tix we got a 6 day PH from AAA. I think it was about $250. We purchased the dining plan about $650, airline tix were about $750 for 4 tickets. Total was $1650 for a week at 2 BR at BWV...SWEET! This trip in December, is our longest. We are going 10 days. Staying 4 nights at ASMo, 6 nights at a 2 BR timeshare off site, Discover Cove/SeaWorld, and 5 day tickets. We got free dining for our ASMo stay. I got an amazing deal on a renal car for $240 for the 11 days. We had to get park tickets for 3 of us, my DS is still under 3. So, that trip is going to be ..

Discover Cove/Sea World .....$320
ASMo, free dining, park tix (5 day MYW)..... $1200
Rental car............$240
Airfare..................$800
Timeshare...............$120 (trade fee)
Food................$100

Total.......$2700 for 10 nights/11 days

 

[KC78]

Funny....my family says the same thing to me. Maybe it's in the water in MA. Anyway, there is a very similar thread going on that I posted to so I have copy and pasted here.

OP - you do not mention food...is that included in your budget? Still a great deal. I have never heard of anyone renting points for under $8 per point so that's awesome.... Here are my trips:

Last Oct 2009, my DH and myself went for our 10th Anniversary to the F&W festival. We stayed off site in our timeshare, airfare was very low as we had a SW credit. I think it was $150 RT for both of us. Rental car for $160 and we purchased AP's. So, that was expensive. About $900. Food ran about $200 so that was $1560 for 7 nights in a 2 BR timeshare. This May 2010, we traded our timeshare with RCI for a 2BR at BWV. No rental car need due to the superb location. Already had AP's for my DH and myself. My DS was 2 so he was free. My DD7's tix we got a 6 day PH from AAA. I think it was about $250. We purchased the dining plan about $650, airline tix were about $750 for 4 tickets. Total was $1650 for a week at 2 BR at BWV...SWEET! This trip in December, is our longest. We are going 10 days. Staying 4 nights at ASMo, 6 nights at a 2 BR timeshare off site, Discover Cove/SeaWorld, and 5 day tickets. We got free dining for our ASMo stay. I got an amazing deal on a renal car for $240 for the 11 days. We had to get park tickets for 3 of us, my DS is still under 3. So, that trip is going to be ..

Discover Cove/Sea World .....$320
ASMo, free dining, park tix (5 day MYW)..... $1200
Rental car............$240
Airfare..................$800
Timeshare...............$120 (trade fee)
Food................$100

Total.......$2700 for 10 nights/11 days

No, i didn't include food because I'm not sure what we will be spending seeing as we have a full kitchen I'm sure we'll have some meals (mainly breakfast) in our room. There's also the cost of Universal and Busch Gardens which we are doing that I didn't include or the cost of a car rental which we may or may not get. Since we are saving so much on our room and tix we are able to add more onto our trip than we had originally planned. We are still way under budget even adding in all the extras. It really feels great!!!

 

[LaDonna]

I think I'm gonna look into renting DVC points next time!

 

[KC78]

I think I'm gonna look into renting DVC points next time!

You definitely should! This is my second year renting points and from 4 different members and it has saved us soooo much! There's risk involved but I do my homework and get all the info I possibly can on each member and so far it has turned out to be nothing but GREAT!!! I'm able to be very flexible and book our trips only 2-4 months out which also saves a ton of money.

 

[princessmom29]

We are booked for 8 nights at POFQ, 2 adults 1 junior. I saved over $1000 with FD!

 

[ccgirl]

You definitely should! This is my second year renting points and from 4 different members and it has saved us soooo much! There's risk involved but I do my homework and get all the info I possibly can on each member and so far it has turned out to be nothing but GREAT!!! I'm able to be very flexible and book our trips only 2-4 months out which also saves a ton of money.

If you don't mind, do you find the points over on the rent/trade board or do you PM members that you know? As I said, I have usually seen $10 a point so $6 a point is fabulous. I loved all the extra room when we stayed at BWV and the location was just perfect for us. If I could get points at $6 I would definitely look into it as I am limited as to when/what I can trade in using RCI.

 

[Marionnette]

If you don't mind, do you find the points over on the rent/trade board or do you PM members that you know? As I said, I have usually seen $10 a point so $6 a point is fabulous. I loved all the extra room when we stayed at BWV and the location was just perfect for us. If I could get points at $6 I would definitely look into it as I am limited as to when/what I can trade in using RCI.

I signed up for dvcrequest.com newsletter. Two weeks ago I got an email from them for rentals at six dollars per point. They were only at saratoga springs studios and one bedrooms. And only for specific dates in november. Its not a good month for me to go so I didnt look into it any further. But theres always the chance that someone who has expiring points will want to rent them out for less than the going rate. There might be other websites out there that also link up renters and dvc members. I just saw the website on a disboards banner and clicked thru to check it out.

 

[KC78]

In 2008 we saved around $2400 with free dining for 4 adults, 1 junior and 1 child but paid rack rates for our hotel stay at POR (I think it was somewhere around $4000 for 2 rooms for 12 nights). If we bought the dining plan for this trip it would still cost us less than what we paid during free dining and staying at a moderate hotel. The dining plan was a little bit too much food for us so I've decided to pay as we go for food this time around and see how we do.

 

[KC78]

If you don't mind, do you find the points over on the rent/trade board or do you PM members that you know? As I said, I have usually seen $10 a point so $6 a point is fabulous. I loved all the extra room when we stayed at BWV and the location was just perfect for us. If I could get points at $6 I would definitely look into it as I am limited as to when/what I can trade in using RCI.

Last year I used the rent/trade board here but it changed since then and you are unable to post wanted requests over there. So this year I used a different site. Many people do sell their points at $8 per point or less if their points are coming close to expiring. I have seen several offers from $4 to $6 per point.

 

[LaDonna]

Last year I used the rent/trade board here but it changed since then and you are unable to post wanted requests over there. So this year I used a different site. Many people do sell their points at $8 per point or less if their points are coming close to expiring. I have seen several offers from $4 to $6 per point.

That is what I'd be interested in, but I guess if I wanted to do that I would have to be very flexible and not know where I was staying until a couple months out huh? But no biggie, I can just buy my park tickets when I get there. I've only done DIsney getting and paying everything upfront several months out so that might make me a lil' nervous though

 

[tlh0726]

We are checking in late on the 22nd (friday night) and checking out the 31st for a late flight home.

Flights for 4 -$376 round trip
Rental car for 9 1/2 days - $205 (double stroller and bus no way)
MNSSHP tickets for 4 - Free used Disney reward points
POP Century room - Free - used Disney reward points
Park Tickets - Free - bought tickets from UCT for our spring trip, upgraded these to AP, bonus of $125 when Disney gave gate price and covered the rest with Disney reward points.
Food - estimating $350 we are more snackers than eaters during vacation.
Airport parking- $80

Total cost for 9 days $1011