I DID IT!!! 6 days 5 nights with dining and character meals~under budget!!

[LittleMissDisney]

I am exhausted, really I could totally go for a nap right about now-except my family will be expecting dinner in an hour.

Just before Christmas dh gave me a preliminary budget for our second Disney trip to take place this summer. Keep it under 3K he said, so I went to work looking at different resorts, times and dining packages.

For the most part it was easy-we were looking at 5 night/4 day stay with no park hopper and QS dining. Then we get an idea , our boys are older and we don't think they'll be as into waiting for characters as they were three years ago so he suggests we add character meals.

So, back to trusty excel and my spreadsheets. I looked at other ways we could increase our budget before I went to bed. I debated Le Cellier and CRT when I woke up in the morning (and ultimately decided on neither).

At lunch he tells me, add on an extra day for the hotel. We'll hit DTD in the morning and leave from there. I explain that we'll be over the preliminary budget but I can make it work. He responds with, you'll get us under budget, work your magic.

Work MY magic, like "I" sneeze out pixie dust. So back to excel. And this time-it was like magic. And, I did it . $30 under budget, but I did it!

 

[LittleMissDisney]

Here's our meal plan. Almost everything is going to be a new meal for us! We did CS only last time around.

Day 1 Hollywood Studios
Breakfast: continental breakfast at hotel
Lunch: Rosie's All American NEW
Dinner: Chef Mickey NEW
Snack: Dinosaur Gerties

Day 2 Epcot
Breakfast: Fountain View (Snack credits, will pack juice/boxes for kids and I. I have tons of Starbucks gc-hoping to use them for dh coffee.
Lunch: Sommerfest (Germany) NEW
Dinner: Teppan Edo NEW

Day 3 Magic Kingdom
Breakfast: in room
Lunch: Be Our Guest NEW
Dinner: Tony's Town Square (dh and I ate here on honeymoon, but New for family)

Day 4 Magic Kingdom
Breakfast: Casey's Corner-snack credits, packed juice NEW
Lunch: Pecos Bill
Dinner: Whispering Canyon NEW

Day 5 Animal Kingdom
Breakfast: 1900 Park Fare NEW
Lunch: Flame Tree BBQ
Dinner: Restaurantasaurus

 

[flea1267]

I'm here and joining in We'll be at Disney in July too - we are there from July 12-July 18

I may have missed it, what resort are you staying in? We are at POR

 

[DisneyBliss7]

Sounds awesome! It's always so fun planning Disney vacations Have a wonderful trip

 

[Magic2000]

Sounds like a GREAT trip!!! You've got some wonderful meals planned!! I love when I can work "magic" and stick with a budget!

I am taking my granddaughter to Disney in early May. I had booked us a Little Mermaid room! I thought it was a pretty good price, including the tickets! When they released the discounts, I switched us to the All Stars, kept the tickets, and got the regular dining plan for only $40 more than I was paying at AoA without meals!!! I'm so excited!!!!

DH & I are planning to go back in early December!! So now I have more money to put toward my saving for that trip!!!!

Have a great trip!!!!

 

[chocolateavocado]

Wow!! Sound slike you have an amazing trip planned!! We had our 1st disney trip this past November & can't wait to go back!! We're planning on going back for Thanksgiving this year & love all the planning & reading these boards & reports!!
Wishing you a Magical Pixie Dusted Vacation!!!