Least amount of $ needed for 1st timer

TheButlerDiditt

<font color=blue>The butler gets blamed for everyt
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Dec 2, 2003
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I have a friend that would like to visit WDW with her DH and DS (4 years) for the first time. She now lives in New York City. If she pinches pennies on everything, what is the least amount of money she would need for a three day vacation and how would she spend/save the money? Any thoughts?
 
Let's see ----

$100/day lodging at a value resort = $300
$100/day food should do it = $300
$450 approximately for tickets if they get one day passes for the 3 days.

Are they driving or flying?

Any other costs would be spending money on incidentals or souvenirs.

I would say they could do the trip for between $1500 & $2000 depending on how they got there, when they go & if they can get codes.
 
Shouldn't cost much for only 3 days. At the cost of gas here in NY and the time spent driving, I would look for a deal on a flight and also, if staying onsite isn't something they are worried about, they can stay offsite for next to nothing. Or go during value season and reserve AllStars....being four, their child would like movies......and pay $86 a night(room rate plus fees/taxes). Food would be minimal with one that young. Tell them to pack breakfast stuff like poptarts, get a refillable mug for coffee in the morning, eat lunch out at the parks and come back to AllStars, order a pizza and enjoy the pools!! We just went in Nov, so if they have any specific questions, just ask! (and it was our first time, too)
 
Bare minimum: Driving, spending one night each way at an Interstate Motel, 3 nights offsite at a very basic motel in the Disney area, going in the off-season, eating offsite as much as possible, no souvenirs, no sit-down meals at Disney, $1200. We went 2 years ago for a total of eleven days - five of them at Disney World - there were four of us - we ate three sit-down meals in the parks, spent about $200 on souvenirs, went to KSC for a day, 2 days at the beach, spent approximately $2500. That does not count money spent before the trip on new luggage, clothes, guide books, fanny packs, etc. It is not cheap, but it does not have to cost a fortune. A friend of mine who also had a family of four went for five days also (and they did not go anywhere else in Florida) and spent $7000(!), and swore that it was impossible to do it any cheaper than that. Tell your friend not to buy into that. It can be done cheaply if you're willing to make the tough decisions. But you might warn your friend that going to WDW for three days is going to be like trying to eat just one potato chip!:hyper:

Musky
 

I would definetly stay offsite when money is an issue. Assuming the value resorts are around $100/night, you can save somewhere in the neighborhood of $60-75/night by staying offsite(assuming you don't mind not so super hotels).
 
Originally posted by QuickGold
I would definetly stay offsite when money is an issue. Assuming the value resorts are around $100/night, you can save somewhere in the neighborhood of $60-75/night by staying offsite(assuming you don't mind not so super hotels).

Wow - I don't think I've ever seen a hotel for between $25-$40 in the Orlando area. Where is that? :eek:
 
By going on the websites that have Disney info, many of them have advertisements/links that popup about deals at many hotels right near Disney and they are cheap, like $49 or $39 per night. Also try mousesavers.com for recent discounts.
 
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Originally posted by MELSMICE
Wow - I don't think I've ever seen a hotel for between $25-$40 in the Orlando area. Where is that? :eek:

Believe me, you wouldn't want to stay there.
 
Originally posted by Efastpitch
Believe me, you wouldn't want to stay there.

LOL! You're absolutely right. I'm just wondering where in the world those would be & what type of accommodations they are. I'm an onsite girl myself! ::yes::
 
depending on how much food they like to eat......we usually had a couple pop tarts and juice boxes for breakfast. A late lunch was usually off park (there are some nice buffets around - just try to get there when they are cooking fresh food or ask for fresh food). We went to Cici's pizza for all you could eat pizza, pasta, and salad for $4.00 - kids loved it and the chinese buffet was a big hit. Then we had a snack for dinner. For the four of us we never spent over $50. a day. We didn't bother with a character meal because we met a lot of characters in the parks. The kids never asked to go into a store so we didn't really buy any souvenirs (except PINS and boy those add up quickly) but I love them.
 
Wow, I would never be so presumptuous as to assume I know where someone would or would not want to stay. If you'll read the OP, you'll notice that it says if she pinches pennies on EVERYTHING, what is the least amount of money.... It does not say what is the least amount of money she can spend and still stay in a 4-star hotel. I just today received my Kissimmee 2004 Visitors Guide, and here are some of the prices quoted in it : Clarion Hotel Maingate - $45; Travelodge Suites - $35.95-43.95; Knights Inn Maingate - $27.95-35.95; Best Western Maingate East - $39.99; Days Suites - $42.95; Howard Johnson Maingate Resort West - $29.99; Rodeway Inn Maingate - $29.99; Super 8 Lakeside - $28.95; HoJo Maingate East - $29.99. Now I know there are a lot of people on these boards who would never dream of setting foot in one of these properties, but there are also a lot of us who would gladly stay there and get down on our knees and thank God that we found a place we could afford.

Musky:(
 
I love the $20+ night places. Sure, they're nothing special. But for when you absolutely, positively must see the magic, it's the best way to save money. Most are name brand(Ramada, Mariott, Holiday Inn, etc) and they're that cheap because you can buy them at Hotwire or Priceline. :)
 
I got the Clarion Maingate on Priceline for $25 ( 2.5*) in December and was VERY happy with my room - immaculate and quite large. One of the benefits of being offsite is that parking is usally more convenient, and it's not such a hike to the room.

In October I stayed at various DTD hotels that I got for $35-38 a night, and they were great. These were all rated 3* on Hotwire and were not "budget" no frills places at all.

I have stayed onsite many, many times - just got back from a week at AKL. I've stayed at a couple of AllStars, POR, CBR, and BWV. I don't have any problem with staying offsite to save MAJOR dollars. In fact I think I've wasted money staying onsite many times when I left the room at 8 and returned in time to go to bed. I loved AKL because of the animals and view and knew I was going to be spending more time at the hotel.

I don't use Disney buses or take advantage of early entry so those benefits aren't important to me. When I flew in from CA - early entry would have meant getting up about 3 am on CA time - didn't want to do that on my vacation.

I didn't go to WDW for almost 15 years in the 80s and early 90s because I couldn't afford to. Wish they would have had Hotwire and Priceline back then. I hate to see someone deprive themselves of a visit because they over estimate the minimum room costs.

Staying in a room for $25-35 does not have to mean staying in a dump.
 














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