Need advice on keeping it cheep

[jmielynn]

My husband and I are wanting to take our two girls to Disney World in Orlando next September. At the time of the trip they will have just turned 4 and 2. We don't have tons of money to blow since I'm a stay at home mom and my husband is self employed. We want to cut costs as much as possible but still give the girls a wonderful experience. My oldest is 2 1/2 right now and LOVES princesses and tinkerbell. She's also a huge animal lover.. My youngest is just 6 months right now so she's just happy to be here.

ANy advice from more experienced parents out there on how to keep costs down? We plan to take lots of food to cut costs for breakfast & lunch and maybe eat out somewhere nice for dinner. We also plan to stock up on little dollar store disney items to bring out while we're there to cut down on the "I wants". We will also be driving (10-12 hour trip) but it should cut down on airline ticket and rental car costs. Plus my hubby hates to fly.

Also, any perks that are not widely known that could help make the trip great??

 

[deserrai]

A money saver I use is to take an insulated bag and bring our own bottled water. But, only if you are bringing a stroller to hang it on. Too heavy to carry. It can get extremely hot and constantly buying drinks gets very expensive. All the quick service restaurants will also give you a cup of ice if you request, but the tap water is not so good.

 

[natfrac]

Back when I was taking kids to WDW, we ate at counter service restaurants and at the hotel food court a lot. Breakfast in the room was a given. Then we'd plan for a handful of sit down dinners, picked mostly for the theme more than the food.

Watch for special deals on rooms and/or packages. September is generally a slower time of year, so there are usually deals.

Your kids will be a little young, but when my kids were a bit older I started to give them cash as spending money. A lot more thought goes into the shopping when it's "their" money.

 

[ceecee]

Is it during the time with free dining? That would save a lot. I would recommend All Stars or Pop, the kids would love it. You can also share a lot of meals, we save a lot doing that. We also get a box of donuts for breakfast and that lasts a few days. Since you will have a car, pack some water bottles. I really don't mind that water there but a lot of people do.

 

[LuLuO]

My husband and I are wanting to take our two girls to Disney World in Orlando next September. At the time of the trip they will have just turned 4 and 2. We don't have tons of money to blow since I'm a stay at home mom and my husband is self employed. We want to cut costs as much as possible but still give the girls a wonderful experience. My oldest is 2 1/2 right now and LOVES princesses and tinkerbell. She's also a huge animal lover.. My youngest is just 6 months right now so she's just happy to be here.

ANy advice from more experienced parents out there on how to keep costs down? We plan to take lots of food to cut costs for breakfast & lunch and maybe eat out somewhere nice for dinner. We also plan to stock up on little dollar store disney items to bring out while we're there to cut down on the "I wants". We will also be driving (10-12 hour trip) but it should cut down on airline ticket and rental car costs. Plus my hubby hates to fly.

Also, any perks that are not widely known that could help make the trip great??

We usually brought our snacks and lunches to the parks. Sandwiches and such. We always brought our own drinks. When we did eat at quick service, we shared meals.

Regarding souvenirs, I bought the dollar store stuff and walgreens and walmart stuff before going on our first trip. I didn't find that I saved all that much. I felt that the quality of the park souvenirs was much better and they were special because they came from Disney World. On our second trip we set a budget for our 4 year old and our 2 year old and got them a couple of nice things. They are still playing with those, but the cheapo stuff is long forgotten.

 

[SamSam]

You might want to look into renting DVC points, even in a studio you will have a small fridge and a microwave. In a 1-bedroom you would have a full kitchen.
You can rent from individuals here on the rent/trade board (read up on it first) or from a place like Davids Rentals (they advertise here).

 

[Marionnette]

My husband and I are wanting to take our two girls to Disney World in Orlando next September. At the time of the trip they will have just turned 4 and 2. We don't have tons of money to blow since I'm a stay at home mom and my husband is self employed. We want to cut costs as much as possible but still give the girls a wonderful experience. My oldest is 2 1/2 right now and LOVES princesses and tinkerbell. She's also a huge animal lover.. My youngest is just 6 months right now so she's just happy to be here.

ANy advice from more experienced parents out there on how to keep costs down? We plan to take lots of food to cut costs for breakfast & lunch and maybe eat out somewhere nice for dinner. We also plan to stock up on little dollar store disney items to bring out while we're there to cut down on the "I wants". We will also be driving (10-12 hour trip) but it should cut down on airline ticket and rental car costs. Plus my hubby hates to fly.

Also, any perks that are not widely known that could help make the trip great??

Tickets:

• Disney's current tickets are called Magic Your Way (note that this may change by the time September rolls around). You can choose your options based on how you want to vacation. I suggest that you NOT add waterpark fun and more, nor the no-expiration, nor the hopping (going to 2 or more parks in a day). This will save you a considerable amount of money.
• Ticket resellers like UndercoverTourist are cheaper than purchasing directly from Disney.
• If your husband is a member of a professional organization, check to see if they are having any kind of meeting or convention in Orlando when you are going. They often have discounted tickets.

Food:

• Share plates, especially the kids.
• Bring extras into the parks to relieve hunger pangs between meals.
• Tote water bottles or ask for ice water at CS locations instead of buying water.

Resort:

• Offsite is almost always cheaper than onsite but parking will cost you $14/day and some resorts tack on a hidden resort fee, so do your homework!
• Onsite can be a deal if you manage to find a good room discount or great package price.

Misc.:

• Save souvenir shopping for your last day.
• Bring a small first aid kit, complete with Children's Tylenol and any other drug store type stuff so that you don't have to pay top-dollar for it in the gift shops.
• Collect samples of laundry detergent and softener if you plan to do a few loads of laundry during your stay. Much cheaper than buying the boxes of detergent in the laundry rooms.

 

[Patience]

We did a budget trip in October 2011 with our two daughters who were then 17 and 4. We stayed at Pop with free dining that we upgraded from quick service to regular dining plan. This allowed us to do more character meals than we would have done if we were paying OOP and my then 4 year old loved them. For princess lovers, I highly recommend Akershus in Epcot and 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian for dinner. We brought goodies that I had purchased beforehand and left them out each night "from Tink" for our daughter to find. That turned out to be a huge money saver for us because our daughter didn't really ask for anything in the parks other than a balloon, which we purchased. I bought things like tees, plush princess dolls, a plush Mickey, etc. "Tink" also left princess dresses which were purchased on sale at the Disney Store before we left (I think they were only $24.99 each) and she wore one to her Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique appointment and one to Akershus. We brought water with us and took our own water into the parks each day and also brought Mio to flavor the water. We didn't want to use our snack credits for water or drinks, dole whip floats notwithstanding, so this worked out well.

We had a wonderful time and felt like we received good value for our money. We are planning another trip this fall and this time I am giving my daughter some money to spend for souvenirs. She will be 6 by then and loves paying for things out of her "own money". I am thinking maybe $50. Our older daughter is in college now so she won't be going with us this time so the trip will be a little less expensive overall.

Have fun!

 

[indimom]

We usually brought our snacks and lunches to the parks. Sandwiches and such. We always brought our own drinks. When we did eat at quick service, we shared meals.

Regarding souvenirs, I bought the dollar store stuff and walgreens and walmart stuff before going on our first trip. I didn't find that I saved all that much. I felt that the quality of the park souvenirs was much better and they were special because they came from Disney World. On our second trip we set a budget for our 4 year old and our 2 year old and got them a couple of nice things. They are still playing with those, but the cheapo stuff is long forgotten.

THIS!! I did the same thing one trip, and it was a bit of a waste. We did better when we just told the kids they could window shop throughout the week and we woud purchase their favorite item at the end of the week. Of course, this may not work depending on your kids' personalities and how well they understand that concept (yours are a bit younger than mine were when we used that plan).

Other tips:

If you eat Counter Service, let the kids share a plate. They are small enough, it shouldn't be a problem.

Drinks and snacks seem to be what really busts the food budget. Bring your own and and hang them on the stroller (I'm assuming you are bringing one based on the ages of your kids). And you can always get a "cup" of water for free at any counter service. It's a smallish cup, but there's no limit on these. (The fountains are somewhat warm and some people dislike the taste, so this seems like a better option for most people.)

You can find cheaper lodging off-site, but make sure you take into account the cost of parking and gas and the time it would take to travel. It never seemed worth it for us, and we just stuck with the value resorts.

Keep your eyes open for discounts. There are usually some to be had at that time of year.

With littles, I would skip the hopper and just focus on one park a day.

Don't forget to bring things like tylenol, chapstick, plenty of diapers, etc. The prices on those necessities is when you have to buy onsite.

Ask your family for Disney Gift Cards for all holidays and birthdays between now and the trip. You can use them for meals, snacks, souveniers, anything really. And they can find them at just about any chain store: Kroger, Walmart, Target.

Have a wonderful trip!

 

[TnTWalter]

1st trip: Jan 2006
Our kids were 3 4 and 6. We had to do TWO rooms at POP.

Dining Plan is great for character meals which little kids love AND saves you from waiting in lines at the parks.

R/T AIR FROM INDY. 6 DAYS 5 NIGHTS NO CAR [Used Magical Express and Busses] 2 A 3 C PARK HOPPER TIX. Souvenirs $25 each kid.
$3000 I didn't know how to get the most bang for the buck for sure!!

2nd trip Fall 2007
Polynesian with dining plan. Had a pin code.
R/T INDY. NO CAR 6 days/ 5 nights; also purchased MNSSHP TIX for 4A and 3C Souvenirs $25 each kid.
$3500 total. Much better deal!

3rd Trip 2009 also known as 'The Budget Trip'
oldest now counted as adult so 3A, 2C
We stayed offsite: Windsor Hills $450 total for a WHOLE week.
Food budget $600. This included Crystal Palace Breakfast, many counter services at the parks and DTD, $196 in groceries bought at Target there for the condo [we also took some groceries to the beach following week].

Tix $1000 for 7 day base pass for 3 adults 2 kids.

Parking Fees 7 parks 7 days $14 per day [you can enter and exit without having to re-pay]. $98.

We drove straight through from Noblesville [just north of Indy] with planned stops along the way. We slept at rest areas both ways for a little bit. Found nice parks, had a nice meal, etc. I think budget for food and gas was $250. If you want places, I'm happy to find info and post.

$100 in souvenirs for 3 kids.

Total $2400

Fourth Trip: U]2012 Spring Break[/U].
Offsite Bonnet Creek.

2 Bedroom $599 for Sat-Fri; 7 days, 6 nights. It’s going to be really hard to get me back onsite!

EATING OUT: We spent a whopping $468 on eating out in and around the parks! We cooked very little besides breakfast!

We had snacks and CS meals at Parks
Offsite meals: Giordani’s [had $25 restaurant cert. that I got for <$2 but still spent $45...we ate it for lunch and dinner though], Fuddruckers and Earl of Sandwich and the Pollo place at DTD for smoothies.

Groceries $160. We did breakfasts, snacks and 2 dinners at bonnet creek. Adult beverages as well. 2 cases of water.

Spent most ever on souveniers $236. And pressed pennies…$33. LOL.

Parking $14 per day for 7 days. Loved the Diamond AAA pass. If you can get one, highly recommend [free with purchase of WDW tix at AAA]. $98 total for parking.

$474 on traveling there and back….food, gas, 2 hotels.

$1272 for 5 7 day base tickets.

Grand total $3300ish. but had 4 over 10 so 4A, 1C.

 

[TnTWalter]

first trip: mickey ears of course. inexpensive and awesome. Go to le chapeau @ MK for great selection and embroidery. Our kids have their hats displayed.

if you can wait til later in the week that would be great. then the kids can see what appeals to them and you can check out pricing. I gave them a dollar amount and they had fun staying in it. The parks do have some nice options and nicer than dollar store or walmart. I would do autograph books, spray fans and light up toys from walmart/dollar store.

don't overlook the shops after fave rides: for example. one of my son's fave souvenirs and only $20 or $25 I think. He still has it 5 years later...

 

[BadgerGirl84]

My #1 money saving tip is to stay off-site at a hotel with a free breakfast and free parking. Some of my favorites are the hotels in the Marriott Village and Marriott Residence Inn Lake Buena Vista. I have also had a nice stay at Buena Vista Suites. I stayed at Bonnett Creek last year (The timeshare, not the hotel) and loved it. Had a huge 3 bedroom for 5 people at $120/night. No free breakfast, but you can make it yourself in the full kitchen.

I find Disney dining to be quite expensive, so I usually only eat Disney food when I'm in the parks. Much cheaper to eat breakfast in the room or at the hotel for free, then pick up a pizza for dinner or stop at a place like TGI Fridays or Sweet Tomatoes for dinner.

Read the entire MouseSavers website for more tips.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

My #1 money saving tip is to stay off-site at a hotel with a free breakfast and free parking. Some of my favorites are the hotels in the Marriott Village and Marriott Residence Inn Lake Buena Vista. I have also had a nice stay at Buena Vista Suites. I stayed at Bonnett Creek last year (The timeshare, not the hotel) and loved it. Had a huge 3 bedroom for 5 people at $120/night. No free breakfast, but you can make it yourself in the full kitchen.
.

+1. Stay offsite in a suite type hotel which provides at least a microwave and refrigerator. You'll get a much nicer room for the cost than you would at a value resort. Bring your own lunches to the parks. You'll save a lot of money on dining.

 

[Praying Colonel]

Staying offsite and eating in-room or off-site as much as possible are big money-savers. If eating in the parks, splitting meals can also save $.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

first trip: mickey ears of course. inexpensive and awesome. Go to le chapeau @ MK for great selection and embroidery. Our kids have their hats displayed.

if you can wait til later in the week that would be great. then the kids can see what appeals to them and you can check out pricing. I gave them a dollar amount and they had fun staying in it. The parks do have some nice options and nicer than dollar store or walmart. I would do autograph books, spray fans and light up toys from walmart/dollar store.

don't overlook the shops after fave rides: for example. one of my son's fave souvenirs and only $20 or $25 I think. He still has it 5 years later...

I am not entirely sure what that is, but I love that photo and I can tell your son loves his souvenir!!

TP

 

[Jill in Chicago]

For our first family trip one of my fears was that I would do something "wrong," and a all these people would say, "Oh you could have done such and such soooo much cheaper." What I found out is that there really is no magic way to save money, just common sense and perseverance.

To begin with yes there are sites where you can buy Disney tickets, and yes you will save money. (You can ask for the site names here.) For our family we would have saved under $20.00. I have no idea why, but the other sites for tickets made me nervous, so I just got them from Disney.

Next, know the cost of Disney hotel rooms, the base price. Then you will know if a deal is really a deal. That means that if free dining comes out for when you want to go, will your room price go up? Then is it really the deal for your family? (It still might be.)

Check out the prices at allears.net for food at Disney. You can do a great job of figuring out your budget ahead of time. With little ones you really will not spend a lot of money on food. Pick one snack, all share it. For lunch split your hamburger.....

We have stayed off site, but my DH enjoys driving to the resorts, versus using Disney transportation. Me? I would stay on site and use the Disney transportation. Check out the cost of All Stars.... and then you'll know if you'll get a better deal staying off site.

Figure in the value of "private time," for you and DH. For us, having a bedroom all to ourselves is worth additional money. That is why we stay off site. We rarely go back to the resorts at night time either. We are rope drop people and when we go back to the rental home we are done.

You do not need park hoppers. Just choose one park per day. You don't need the water parks and more option. Save that for when the children are older. Enjoy the resort pool instead. Eat breakfast in your room (bring instant oatmeal, granola bars, canned fruit.....).

My biggest advice is to keep popping back on here. The more specific question you ask in your title, the better chance you'll have of getting your question answered.

 

[DawnM]

My budget is around $1,500 for one week, $2,000 for two weeks. We do the Disney YES tickets, however, I don't think you can if your children are not yet school age, and things are changing with prices on those anyway.

BUT, tickets for us ran about $1,000. That may go up this year. This was for an 8 day hopper with waterparks option. For fewer days it was around $800.

SkyAuction condo is typically $250/week for a 2 bedroom with taxes.

We eat 90% of our own food and I just use my regular grocery budget for that.

I have a backpack cooler we take into the parks with lunch.

We have Disney Dollars from Disney Visa and/or gift cards we have collected and use those for any eating out at Disney.

Gas is usually covered by Dh's work as we co-ordinate his seminars in Orlando with our trip, BUT, it would be around $250 for gas if we didn't have that option.

We buy Disney souvies all year long at yard sales and thrift stores. Last year we found 3 brand new Pirates shirts. They still had the $22 Park tags on them! I paid $2.50 each at Goodwill. The kids were thrilled.

Yes, I am a cheapskate, but honestly, Disney is about the parks for us, and the only way we can justify going each and every year is to do it on a stricter budget than most. We are ok with that.

We are NOT broke......we just think that if there is a way to do it for less, we will do it!

Now, if the kids really want something......typically a Lego set at DTD, I will let them get it within reason or use their own $$.

Dawn

 

[cheerky]

I think DawnM offers some great tips!

We have also booked condos using skyauction certificates, bookit.com, condodirect and hotwire. Great savings!

 

[TnTWalter]

the tickets are the main expense of the trip $1k or more....

OP you've gotten lots of good info. Good luck.

Trish

 

[hsmamato2]

with little tiny kids like OP, I'd personally find a discount for onsite at a value,like Pop.... no hoppers,no waterparks, just hang at the pools,the kids will love it! Buy a box of cereal for the a.m.,and eat in the room, bringing lunch and snacks into the parks is easy with a stroller,you can pack enough for all day long...at restaurants, the baby probably won't eat a meal, at that age mine would just get bits from our dinners anyway, OP if your kids aren't yet 3,that's the best savings tip I know...they don't need a ticket to get into the park! best case scenario is an almost 3 year old,free to get in, but old enough to enjoy lots of the fun.... try to plan a trip before your oldest hits 3!
in all the mods there is a mini fridge to keep stuff cold,can you rent them in the values,or do value rooms have a fridge? I find that it's enough room for milk for breakfast,plus snacks and drinks.... drive overnight with the kids,like after dinner so they sleep most of the way