My timeline and budget...need help

[umaangel00]

DH is upset because it's going to cost a lot so need all the help from my wonderful friends at DIS.

TIMELINE:
10th: leaving for Florida
11th: Still driving to Florida
12th: Arrive at Florida...nothing planned
13:Magic Kingdom/possible park hop
14: Universal
15: Epcot/Park Hop
16: Busch Gardens
17: MGM/DTD
18: off
19: seaworld
20: animal kingdom/dtd
21: universal
22: kennedy space center
23: more disney/dtd/park hopping
24th: leaving for home

BUDGET
760: condo
570: disney tickets (5 days, park hopping and magic plus)
440: orlando flex ticket (unlimited admission to seaworld, busch gardens, both parks at universal, and wet and wild for 14 days)
70: kennedy space center
300: gas
300: food
200: souviners

Now mind you it's just DH and I going. Grand Total: 2640.

 

[jenimay]

We're going first time in Oct. but you're food budget seems really low for 2 weeks. You've budgeted $21/day for 2 people. just curious what you are planning on doing for food. We dont' have to worry about food as we'll be able to take advantage of the free dining plan, but what I've heard from others is that the food is a big chunk of the budget. Maybe others have a better idea of how to help on other areas though. We're only going for a week(including a day at the beach and at Kennedy), but you're trip cost doesn't seem unreasonable to me. BTW, where are you driving from? Also, editing to add, to take out some expense, you can eliminate park hopping. Also the Orlando 14 day pass seems high. You probably have already priced it out, but it may be cheaper to buy regular tickets for each attraction, since you are only spending 4 days at those places. HTH's

Jeni

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Yep you are going to WAY overshoot your budget on food. $300 for 2 weeks will be hard to do unless you are eating most of your meals at your condo (not an easy feat if you are going to all those parks).

 

[c&ldisneylovers]

I also agree that you underestimated your food budget. Dh and I budget about a $100/day for food. This is for two counter service meals and one sit down meal (not a "signature" restaurants.) Allearsnet.com has a list of restaurant (both counter and sit down) menus and costs. This is what I use to help budget my food costs.

Christy

 

[umaangel00]

We won't be eating at the parks at all. That's how it's so cheap. We will eat breakfast at the condo. Have lunch packed in our car in the cooler. And have dinner at the condo. Maybe once or twice go out. I like to cook, so it's not a problem. I tried pricing everything out seperatly but it's really not cheapier. 100 for both parks for 2 days at universal. 50 for 1 person at seaworld. same price at busch gardens. I am not over the price of the all inclusive pass. I don't think it's that bad either for the price. I know we can afford it. I guess I might as well keep everything the same and just do the budgetting myself. I pay all the bills as it is. LOL

 

[umaangel00]

Oh yeah, we are driving from Michigan. We just did Disney and Universal in march and the total trip was only 1300. Not bad if you ask me. Now if you ask DH, that's a totally different story!

 

[staceyfe]

Can you decrease the price of the condo? I used skyauction and got a 2BR for $260/week?

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

We are planning to do much the same as far as food for our trip this year, except there are 7 of us the first week and 5 of us the second week.

It says you leave on the 10th and get there the 12th...........where is the hotel? Are you sleeping in your car or something? lol

 

[umaangel00]

Yeah we will be sleeping in the car. At truck stops. We did that on the way back home. If need be, we will get a cheap motel (motel 6) in macon ga again.

 

[Mad4Dizne]

I noticed that you have alot of driving there!!!! With a trip to Busch gardens and The Space Center. Are these must do's????? You might want to consider staying at the Disney Parks longer????? That might free up more budget and you could save these for another trip???

 

[umaangel00]

Under normal circumstances we would save these for another trip but we are already going to disney for 5 days and we aren't coming back until we have children of our own to bring with us. The 2nd week just came up 2 days ago so it might still not happen.

 

[buddy&wooz]

I don't see any parks that need a Plus option on your schedule (waterparks, DTD, Disney Quest...) Can you get tickets without Plus options instead to save a little?

 

[sk!mom]

You could drop the park hopping option if saving money is more important than that feature. I like to hop but I could do without it if the budget required. If you ae staying off site then use Sky Auction. I agree with others that your food budget seems way to low. I personally would skip Sea World and Busch Gardens since to me they aren't in the same league as Disney.

I'm sorry that your DH is making your planning difficult. DH and I enjoy the planning almost as much as the trip. Good Luck!

 

[jckdisneybound]

Since you are staying off-site, remember to work parking in your budgets, I don't know about the flexpass, but you will have to pay for daily parking at the Disney Parks.

 

[umaangel00]

We might just do it the way I have it. I will have the money by then. I will have 1600 saved up on my own plus at least 1000 from income taxes and 450 for DH's vacation days payout. I dunno yet. I wish he was more into the planning but he just get's stressed out and angry.

 

[MrsPete]

11th: Still driving to Florida
12th: Arrive at Florida...nothing planned
16: Busch Gardens
23: more disney/dtd/park hopping

BUDGET
760: condo
570: disney tickets (5 days, park hopping and magic plus)
440: orlando flex ticket (unlimited admission to seaworld, busch gardens, both parks at universal, and wet and wild for 14 days)
70: kennedy space center
300: gas
300: food
200: souviners

You're spending an awful lot of time driving. Have you checked everywhere for the best price on plane tickets? Given that you have only two people, it might be cost-effective. I see that you've allotted 300 for gas; two weeks ago it cost us 124 to drive round-trip from NC, so I wonder if you've allotted enough.

Don't drive to Busch Gardens yourself; since you're getting the multi-day tickets, you can take the FREE shuttle to and from BG. You'll also arrive well rested.

Since you're planning only 5 days for Disney parks, I'd move Downtown Disney to your "arrival day" or your "off day". It doesn't cost anything to visit DTD, so it make sense to visit on a day when you're not "spending" a ticket.

760 sounds high for a condo for two people. I suspect you could do better.

Kennedy Space Center is the thing I'd cut. It's not all that great a place, in my opinion.

I think you may be unhappy with your food budget. It's perfectly do-able, but I think sandwiches every day for lunch will get old fast. I'd cut the souveneir budget and beef up the food budget.

 

[umaangel00]

Thank you for all the help. I am sure I can do better for a condo but in all honesty, this condo is normally 115.00 dollars a night and I'm getting for a little over 60.00. It's in Windsor palms if that makes a difference. It's that much for both weeks. Not just one. I know everyone thinks my food budget is low, but it's only 2 of us. Most of the food I am bringing from home. Pershiables I will get there. At home, I only spend 200 a month on groceries. I am very frugal. LOL. Souvies only costed us maybe 50 the last time so I know I WAY over budgetted for that. As for flying, I won't do it. I have never been on a plane and I never will get on a plane. Just a personal preference of mine.

Again, thanks for all the help. I will consider everything when we make our final decisions!