How Would You Reduce This Budget??

[Julia M]

I have been going over our PS's and travel plans, and find myself over my budget. While it won't be the end of the world if we spend a little extra, I'd prefer to keep our budget within what I currently have saved.


These things have been paid:

airfare $1177
passes $1191
Vouchers $123.75
hotel (exchanged our tmeshare)

I have $1450 in travelers checks.


These are not things I can change!
CAR RENTAL $232
Dog Boarding $400
Parking $28
Gas $40


We will eat b'fast in our timeshare. Because we will have attended a week long family reunion the week before, I anticipate being given the leftover food.


Here are my plans:

Travel Day: Airport $30


Sunday
Chef Mickey's for dinner for 5 $115


Monday
Sci Fi Diner for 5 for lunch
$60
(2 kids vouchers)

counter service $20 for dinner
(2 vouchers for adults, pay for kids)
OR
FDP at Hollywood and Dine $100


Tuesday
Rose and Crown for Illuminations for 5 $120

Ice Cream Social $6.99 each $45 and counter service $20 for lunch
(2 vouchers)
OR
Biergarten for lunch $75
Lunch - Adult $14.99; Child 3-11 $5.99



Wednesday Aug 11
free day: hang at pool
Whispering Canyon $90

off-site lunch $40



Thursday
AK Vouchers for lunch $45
Le Cellier for dinner $120



Friday

Ohana's for dinner $120

Cindy's for b'fast
(using 2 vouchers)

counter service lunch $20
(2 vouchers)


Travel Day: Airport $50


Misc. Snacks/ Drinks: $75

The kids have their own spending money, and I really don't buy souvenirs. We already have film, suntan lotion, etc.


Basically, I would like to cut out $300. What would you cut out?

As FYI, I really don't want to cut out the spending at the airports either way (it's about a 9-10 hour day for us, and letting the kids have a "treat" is important). I also feel like we already pretty much limit our snacks and drinks, so don't want to reduce that.

I was thinking if I took out Chef Mickeys, Le Cellier and the FDP, I'd be there! Is this the best way to go? Any suggestions?

If push comes to shove, I can come up with the money.....I just really like to stay to my budget.

Thanks

Julia

 

[Amirah95]

I would definitely cut out some of the table service dinners. That's where you're spending too much money (budget wise).

I have a question for you...what would and your family be willing to cut out of your current itinerary to cut some costs?

 

[ErinC]

Okay, I know that you said you couldn't change it, but what's with the $400!!!! to board the dog? Isn't there some way to cut that cost. Hire a neighborhood teen or friend and pay them $100.

I would cut a couple of the sit down meals in favor of some counter service. I'd probably keep chef mickeys because it's our favorite.

 

[Cindy B]

Yes, $400 does seem excessive. My boarding cost for two dogs is $33 day (including tax).

We have now found a neighborhood teen ager to come in and walk the dogs for $10/day.

 

[InstImpres]

What kind of park passes are you buying and from where. That is often an easy spot to save.

 

[enchantedpixiedust]

We're cutting a few of the big sit down dinners from our schedule - it's really saved a fortune. Plus we're splitting some meals. I would probably pick that to cut from your budget unless your heart is set on them.

Good luck!

 

[The Sweetness]

I will probably book a suite for 5 nights (3 clean beds and a clean bathroom are all I need) for slightly more than half of what you are planning to spend for pet care...

 

[zurgswife]

I realize you live in CA and things are a more expensive...but $400 for a dog...

I had a college student live at my house for 12 days and it only cost $250 for 2 dogs...I'd try changing that...

Also, do less in the sit down meal catagory....we found out that the local Papa John's pizza deliveries....It was $28 for 2 pizza's but it was a big savings over a sit down dinner..

 

[Julia M]

okay, here are some more details

Dog Boarding: Our dog is actually being boarded for 17 days. In addition to our trip, we also have a family reunion. It's in a facility where he gets to be in an outside area.....not just kenneled. I think it's a pretty good price. The pet sitters I contacted would have been $680! Our dog LOVES other dogs and people.....I donm't want him isolated that long, with someone just coming in to feed him or walk him once a day.

Passes: Our passes have been purchased since last September.

I guess I should have been more explicit. What sit down dinner(s) would you eliminate from my schedule?

Actually, except for Biergarten and the Ice Cream Social, all the restaurants are ones we haven't eaten at, and would like to. Thats why I was asking for help for reducing them.

I was thinking Chef Mickeys, because it's the day we change from one timeshare to another. I've heard that lately the food is more hit or miss. I was also thinking Le Cellier, because we might be tired after Animal Kingdom, and maybe won't want to switch parks.

But maybe Ohana's, and just do counter service and MK? Or maybe Whispering Canyon, since we're off site that day, and it would be just as easy to order pizza deleivery, rather than leave the resort?

I guess if we do Chef Mickeys, we don't need ice cream social, and vice-versa.

The two I don't want to give up are Sci Fi Diner (our kids are now looking forward to it) and the Princess B'fast (since I already have the breakfast vouchers, it's paid for. It's also a mother-daughter time for me and dd, and probably the last time she'll care about doing it!)

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Julia

 

[luvindisneyworld]

From what the OP said,The vacation all together is going to be a couple of weeks.She said they were going to a week long family reunion first and then to Disney.

Edited to add that I think I was posting at the same time as the OP.


If it were me I would not cut Chef Mickeys just because I think the kids will Love it.
I think I would cut Lecellier,Rose and crown,and Hollywood and vine.But that is just me.
There is great viewing ares all over Epcot so unless you just really wanted to eat there it would not be worth it to me just to get to se Illuminations.

Misty

 

[PattiPB]

We always cut out sit-down dining, but that is just us! We have so many themed restaurants and fine dining in Vegas we could eat better here for less money (lots of 2for1 and local discounts) and be relaxed while doing it. When we eat at WDW, we are always watching the clock planning where to go next!

Quite frankly, my kids would revolt at so many "serious" meals in a row! I'd cut it back to my "off" days, and maybe one or two more, but not every day.

JMO! Have an awesome vacation!

 

[luvindisneyworld]

I would also keep Whispering Canyon because all of you will have a blast.

 

[gigi1313]

how old are your children? could they babysit each other and maybe do one of the sit-downs w/dh while ordering them pizza? (there are ways to make them think it's a big deal, rather than a cost-saving measure!)

also... where is your timeshare? is it dvc? if so, i think you could skip some of the rental car... i don't know if you know, but both national and alamo have car rental desks in the dolphin hotel... so if you need the car to get from your reunion to wdw, you could drop it off after you check in... need it again another day? rent it again (although it looks like you'll be on property most of the time and maybe not needing it?) if so, use disney transport and cut costs there...

my kids are really excited about doing sci-fi also... but we're going to go for dessert instead of a meal... maybe you can do that w/some of your meals? also, you can find good spots for viewing illuminations that do not include a $100 dinner...

i hope that helps... i know how it feels to want to be w/in a certain budget but not knowing how to stay there! LOL!

 

[Wish I lived in Fl]

A friend gave key to teenage boy , family friend, while she was on vacation to Ireland. He had a party, house and yard were trashed. Police and Insurance company have been called.

We pay for the kennel.

 

[fairytinkerbell]

I would go to cheaper restaurants where you can choose different priced items on the menu.....Red Lobster, TGIF's, Taco Bell, Planet Hollywood, etc.

go to one or two vs five for instance... (buffets)


Try to stick within your budget bec. if you spend too much money on food you might be upset about it and u don't want to be upset when ur on vacation!

I planned on going to Le Cellier - UNTIL I read the menu and added up the cost of the items we'd get - almost an $85.00 bill!!!

We never ate at a country- and have never been to EPCOT at nite either, so that's why we wanted to try le cellier, BUT it's too much $$ for dinner!! That's just crazy...
That's when I decided to go to Cape May Clambake Buffet (walk thru the gateway of epcot) and eat there!

P.s. Your dog is worth every penny of that $400! If that babysitter is good!

Have a MAGICAL trip!

Fairytinkerbell

 

[jeankeri]

Sci-Fi one of my DS's (6&8) favorite restaurants/ least favorite meals . Go for dessert. All the foods had a funny taste to them. Also- the FDP you could skip and get counter service, and eat while you wait for the show to start (are there 2 shows the night you are going?). For Epcot- pick one sit-down meal, then sample from different lands as you tour the World Showcase. It's fun to do, and you'll enjoy all the entertainment as well!

 

[Amirah95]

We only do two sit down dinners per year on Disney (on a 7 day trip) and that's because our little family isn't crazy about the food on Disney (thank goodness because we'd spend a fortune). Maybe you should choose by the number of places and not which places. Like for example, cut your sit downs to 4 or 5 instead of doing 9 or 10 (did I count that right? If not, I apologize). Figure out if that could work for you and how much that will save you.

 

[maggiew]

Maybe you can change some of the dinners to lunches??? Like Le Cellier? Eat there at lunch time. ANd Chef Mickeys you can do for breakfast - same atmosphere but cheaper.

Plan on sharing meals. Since my DD turned 12 and is considered an "adult" I have mostly cut out the set price places (except a few character breakfasts) and chose "off the menu" places. That way we can share. We find that one meal easily feeds both of us. If necessary order another appetizer or something. But we have never felt it necessary.

Instead of LeCellier on your AK day, go to Rainforest. You don't say how old the kids are but you might be able to have one VKL adult voucher and one kid voucher. Join the Safari club (free) and get a free appetizer too. That may feed you all.

The ice cream social is fun and relatively inexpensive. I would keep it. Just don't order drinks. Our bill rose by 50% when we got drinks. And no one wanted to drink it because coke doesn't go well with ice cream. Next time we will get water.

We enjoyed Sci Fi. DH and I split the steak sandwich and were pleasantly full and not overloaded.

At Whispering Canyon, order off the menu and maybe split the meal with someone instead of getting the all you can eat platter.

We didn't really enjoy our meal at Rose and Crown. We were lucky enough to get a patio seat but it was slightly obstructed. My food wasn't that great (I got the fish and chips.) The kids didn't touch their food. Grab some fish and chips from the counter service place and camp out a spot early. Our favorite is the bridge by France.

If you are trying to cut out money, cut the Hollywood and Vine Fantasmic Package. Get your counter service and eat it in the seats while waiting for the show.

Maggie

 

[lovesdumbo]

I would skip Rose & Crown. I've been twice and thought the food was marginal both times and neither time did I get a seat with a view. Those tables are limited and they won't let you wait for them.

 

[dutton]

Hey!! My kids are 4,6,9,and 11. Two years ago we all ate at Sci-Fi and loved it !! In fact, my DH said all rest. on Disney should be like that. Our kids were totally mesmerized for the whole time. Also, his meal and mine could have been split (he had a fish sandwich i think and i had a reuben). I wouldn't do Chef Mickey's and the Social, b/c it is same characters. We did that once and I regretted not cancelling one. I agree with Amirah95 that the food is just not worth the money. I, too, am trying to cut back on some of our picks, but I am caught in by all the theming!! We live in a small town and our choices are DQ, Hardees, McDonald's and Huddle House!! But I realize it's all wasted on my DH and kids-- they'd rather spend more of that time in the parks or swimming! Also, we had LeCellier on our list but are cutting it out b/c it doesn't seem very kid friendly. ( I mean nothing much to entertain them) So we have decided that if they won't be happy,then we probably won't be either. Well, good luck deciding! Oh, also when are you going?