Need Help

[Rxchalk]

Just got back from spending 14 days at CBR. I am already depressed and want to go back. We are not planning another trip till 2005, however, I am thinking maybe we could do a budget trip in 2004! We would drive to save on airfare. Anyone got any ideas on how I could take a trip to WDW really cheap.

 

[crazelion]

1. Consider staying offsite used hotelkingdom.com or priceline.com to get a cheap room.

2. Go in off season the roooms are cheaper.

3. Lookout for Courtyard by Marroit 20.00 if they offer it next year.

4. Consider eating dinner offsite to save money

5. Go for a long weekend trip instead for a whole week

6. Drive instead of flying

7. Carry snacks into the parks. Just something simple like bottle water or peanut butter crackers.

8. Try buying one day tickets. I know don't get a discount but it will save money by not buying a park hopper.

 

[mad4themouse]

I would also add:

• Buy APs for 2004. Plan your 2005 visit to fall within less than 365 of the 2004 visit and get all the park visits you want from those APs. The initial cost may be high but you'll be getting 2 vacations from them! If not APs, consider the 7-day PHP from Paramount with the complimentary breakfast vouchers. Split the use of the passes between your two visits.
• Bring a cooler to use in your room. Fill it with lunchmeat, cheese, fruit, juice, soda and milk. Replace with ice from the ice machine every day. Eat breakfast in your room before heading off to the parks each morning.
• Eat a large, late lunch instead of dinner in the parks. Cheaper and less waste. Have a light dinner of sandwiches back in your room. If you bring a hotpot, you can also make soup or Cup 'O Noodles.
• Get a Disney VISA or any other cashback credit card and use it for every purchase you make. I use it for gasoline, groceries, the newspaper, heating oil, dentist and doctor visits, etc. Pay it off IN FULL AND ON TIME every month. Use the rewards to help fund your 2004 trip.
• Limit souvenirs to 1 per person and place a strict dollar amount on them. Just remind yourselves that you'll be back in a year.
• Start saving your change now. It may not seem like much when you start but I've saved over $300 per year in coins. That can for a few hotel nights.
• Visit the Rewards Programs boards and join a few RPs. You can earn gift certificates to the RainForest Café, cash, Disney Dollars, gas cards and webcertificates to use on your trip. I've been doing RPs for several years now, and while they are not as lucrative as they were during the "DOT-COM" era, they still help defray the costs of our trips.
• Make small cuts in your daily budget at home and dedicate that $$ to your Disney 2004 Trip. Something as simple as foregoing that daily cup of Starbucks can really add up over time. If you have trouble dipping into those saved $$, use them to buy Disney Dollars whenever you get the chance. They're a lot harder to spend than cold, hard cash.

Good luck in your quest for another Disney vacation. I know how hard withdrawal can be!

 

[nikitta28]

go to the boards here under DVC
in that section is a board
rent/trade points
rent somesones DVC points for your hotel room
they usually go for $10 per point or less (sometimes there are awesome deals when someones points are about to expire and they need to dump them quickly)
point schedule is also available there under points calculator
you can get a great room for a steal at the home away from home resorts (even the studios have a fridge and a microwave)
rent a 2 bedroom and go with another family and split the cost of the room
then follow the idea about the annual pass. buy in 2004 and use it again in 2005
eat in the room (alot) esp if you get a one bedroom or bigger, because they have a FULL kitchen
drive down
buy your souveniers befor you go. (very easy to do at 75% off specials at the disney store- watch for them or ask the store clerk when the next special will be)
start accumulating disney dollars (everytime you walk buy a disney store go in and trade $20 into disney dollars)
sell stuff on ebay
have a garage sale
check the site www.mousesavers.com
a well planned vacation will save you tons!!!!!!!!
also check out www.biddingfortravel.com - look under the orlando section on info for bidding for a room on priceline
good luck!!!!!!!

 

[house_of_princesses]

You could always bring a tent and stay at FW!! We don't do the tent, but there's a lot of people who do...just visit the camping board!

Good luck! There's nothing worse than the "I wanna go back" blues.