Need to cut costs

[BabyHabs]

I'm planning our March Break trip and am blown away at the prices. I really want to do 2 weeks - a 5 day cruise and a week at Disney. We've gone 2x before, but never stayed on site, so I really, really want to do it this time and have a fun, splurgy trip. I know we will probably never get to splurge like this again. I also have my heart set on a dining plan. There are 5 of us (3 kids under 9) and we do a lot of character meals. I want guilt free dining. Also, I'd like to stay at a monorail resort just for the ease of getting to and from the parks. Lugging 3 kids and a stroller around on buses just doesn't float my boat. We normally vacation as cheap as possible, but like I said, I want to get everything I want this time, just looking for ways not to break the bank.

Here's what I've got..

Depart Feb 25
Total flights- $2800
Spend night at MCO hotel - $150
morning transport to Miami - $150
5 Day Cruise Feb 26-March 2 - $4500
Extras on Cruise/Excursions - $300
transport back to disney - $150
6 nights at Poly, 6 day hopper pass, disney dining plan, memory maker- $7500
Souvenirs/extras - $1000

Total- $16550!

Ugh. Have I mentioned I'm Canadian.?? so that's like a million dollars Canadian.

I could stay in value or moderate and save 3-4k, but I really have my heart set on being close to the parks with easy transportation. How much better are the deluxe resorts?
I'm sure a package will come up and save me maybe 1k, but still.. so MUCH MONEY!

 

[DisneyMandC]

Have you considered an Epcot resort? They're all deluxes too, so not really sure if they'd save you. No monorail direct from the hotel, but you can walk or boat to Epcot and HS. And while you'd have to hike through the park, you could take the monorail from Epcot to MK.

 

[BabyHabs]

Great tip, I'll check them out!

 

[jedijill]

Have you considered renting a DVC reservation at the Poly, GF, or Bay Lake Towers?

Jill in CO

 

[BabyHabs]

Have you considered renting a DVC reservation at the Poly, GF, or Bay Lake Towers?

Jill in CO

No, I haven't looked into that. Can you still get a dining plan while renting dvc?

 

[jedijill]

No, I haven't looked into that. Can you still get a dining plan while renting dvc?

Yes, the owner can book it for you.

Jill in CO

 

[TwoMisfits]

I'm planning our March Break trip and am blown away at the prices. I really want to do 2 weeks - a 5 day cruise and a week at Disney. We've gone 2x before, but never stayed on site, so I really, really want to do it this time and have a fun, splurgy trip. I know we will probably never get to splurge like this again. I also have my heart set on a dining plan. There are 5 of us (3 kids under 9) and we do a lot of character meals. I want guilt free dining. Also, I'd like to stay at a monorail resort just for the ease of getting to and from the parks. Lugging 3 kids and a stroller around on buses just doesn't float my boat. We normally vacation as cheap as possible, but like I said, I want to get everything I want this time, just looking for ways not to break the bank.

Here's what I've got..

Depart Feb 25
Total flights- $2800
Spend night at MCO hotel - $150
morning transport to Miami - $150
5 Day Cruise Feb 26-March 2 - $4500
Extras on Cruise/Excursions - $300
transport back to disney - $150
6 nights at Poly, 6 day hopper pass, disney dining plan, memory maker- $7500
Souvenirs/extras - $1000

Total- $16550!

Ugh. Have I mentioned I'm Canadian.?? so that's like a million dollars Canadian.

I could stay in value or moderate and save 3-4k, but I really have my heart set on being close to the parks with easy transportation. How much better are the deluxe resorts?
I'm sure a package will come up and save me maybe 1k, but still.. so MUCH MONEY!

DCL and Disney Deluxe are both bank breakers...if you really want to be able to splurge, but not spend that much money, one of them should probably go. I'd suggest jettisoning the cruise - I think you're underestimating the cost of cruise extras (like tips, drinks, etc) and excursions and DCL is one of the highest price point cruise lines for families. Tossing out the cruise easily gives you $5K back to spend...

 

[cjnix29]

I was going to second the fact that you are completely underestimating the cost of the cruise. Did you figure in your tips? Is your heart set on a Disney cruise? We took a Disney cruise for our first one, and have had every bit as much fun on other lines for a fraction of the cost. I'd also caution you to really think about the dining plan. Really look at the menus and compare costs. Take the cost of the plan, and figure out your meals. It is SO MUCH FOOD, and then calculate the costs of what you would do. I generally take the cost of the dining plan and put it on a disney gift card, I always have lots of money leftover! Also...I'm curious as to how you came up with $150 for transport to Miami from Orlando. Seems a little low as well. Don't want to discourage you from an awesome vacation, but want you to not have any surprises!!

 

[Suzette5181]

Are you set on cruising out of Miami? Also, are your dates flexible at all? There have to be some creative travel agents on here that can save you a ton with a little creativity. I would look to do it, but I only dabble in trip planning.

 

[BabyHabs]

$300 is low for tips and excursions? We are not big drinkers and probably won't do much for excursions other than some shopping and beaching.

I don't have my heart set on a cruise, but thought it'd be nice. We are going for 2 weeks so if not a cruise, my other thought was to rent a pool home and do Universal, Sea World, relaxing, etc.. But then we'd need to rent a car, so when you factor in 500 for a car, 1500 for pool home, probably 1k, for park tickets, food, etc, I'm not saving much more than a cruise would cost, plus cruise would be more fun. Is a cruise really not worth it? A non-Disney cruise I don't think the kids would have as much to do..

 

[BabyHabs]

Are you set on cruising out of Miami? Also, are your dates flexible at all? There have to be some creative travel agents on here that can save you a ton with a little creativity. I would look to do it, but I only dabble in trip planning.

No, I'm not set on cruising out of Miami. I'd rather out of Port Canaveral, but they only have 7 day cruises that time of year and that's like 7500+, or a 3-4 day to the bahamas and that seems like a lot of work for a small cruise.

I'm flexible on my dates up to a point. Needs to be end of Feb, first couple weeks of March to incorporate March break (first full week in March) so the kids don't miss so much school.

 

[BabyHabs]

I was going to second the fact that you are completely underestimating the cost of the cruise. Did you figure in your tips? Is your heart set on a Disney cruise? We took a Disney cruise for our first one, and have had every bit as much fun on other lines for a fraction of the cost. I'd also caution you to really think about the dining plan. Really look at the menus and compare costs. Take the cost of the plan, and figure out your meals. It is SO MUCH FOOD, and then calculate the costs of what you would do. I generally take the cost of the dining plan and put it on a disney gift card, I always have lots of money leftover! Also...I'm curious as to how you came up with $150 for transport to Miami from Orlando. Seems a little low as well. Don't want to discourage you from an awesome vacation, but want you to not have any surprises!!

We went this past March and spent soooo much in food and we stayed off site with access to a kitchen! We did lots of character meals, fantasmic package, not many meals were under 100. Gift card is a great idea. Maybe I'll do that.

 

[cjnix29]

tips are $12 pp per day on the cruise ship. They add it automatically to your room. Excursions, if you want to do things, can add up quickly. There are only three of us, and we don't do expensive excursions, but I usually end up spending at least 350-400 on the things in ports. As for the gift card....just a thought, but compare costs to the reservations you want to make and the cost of the dining plan. It may work for you.

 

[cjnix29]

and remember that the dining plan does not include tips on your meals. So it's not completely an "all in".

 

[robinb]

(1) With 3 "Disney children" and character meals, the DDP is definitely the way to go. It will save you money since you are in the DDP sweet spot.
(2) Disney cruises are freaking expensive. Every cruise line has a kids club. You can book two connecting ocean view rooms on another cruise line for less than your Disney cruise.
(3) Even if you just do beach days, you'll have to pay for meals off the ship. Most ports do not allow you to take food off the ship so I do think your estimate of $300 is way too low. In general, you top $12 per person per day on a Disney cruise so your $300 covers tips and that's it.
(4) The Polynesian is ridiculously expensive. $1250 PER DAY? No amount of monorailing is worth that to me. If I peel out the fixed costs: 6-day park hopper for 5 = $2000 (assuming all kids 3 and over), DDP for 5 = $1120, Memory Maker = $170. So, that's $3290 before you look at your hotel room. That leave $4200 which means that you're looking to pay $700 per night for the Polynesian. Yikes! A DVC studio at the Poly is $2000-$2400 for 3/2-3/8 depending on the view and those studios do sleep 5.

 

[powellrj]

I think you are under on your cruise cost and over on your off-site trip costs. You can find a car and house for much less than you have figured in. Drop the dining plan and get gift cards. Check places like skyauction, vrbo, homeaway for pool houses and check the transportation board on the dis for car rentals.

 

[soonerfan2008]

$300 is way low for tips, excursions, and extras on the cruise. Just tips will be $300 for the 5 of you, and that is without tipping anything extra. If you cruise Carnival, some of their ships are configured so that 5 can stay in a room without upgrading to a suite, and that would save money. We've sailed Disney, Royal Caribbean, and Disney, and our kids have never lacked for fun things to do! Where does the cruise go? On our recent cruises, our cheapest port days were Montego Bay ($60) and Cozumel ($70), both for beach days with minimal drinks and food.

I'd save a bit by skipping park hoppers and memory maker. We never hop with kids if we have several days, and our photos are always sufficient. In your case, I would definitely do the dining plan, but remember to plan for tips. Also, I might compromise on staying onsite at a monorail hotel. Have you considered Port Orleans Riverside? It is my favorite! Or, I'd consider renting a house for the entire visit, and just driving to the parks, which is really not a big deal. I once went by myself with a 2, 4, and 8 year old while my husband was studying for the bar exam, and we stayed off site for the first 7 days of the trip. It was fine! For souvenirs, I give each child a budget, and that's it. I also buy them Disney Store shirts (one per child) before we go.

 

[Narnia_girl]

If you are cruising from Miami, why are you flying into Orlando? It's possible you could save on flights directly to Miami. (Maybe you've checked that?)

No, I'm not set on cruising out of Miami. I'd rather out of Port Canaveral, but they only have 7 day cruises that time of year and that's like 7500+, or a 3-4 day to the bahamas and that seems like a lot of work for a small cruise.

I'm flexible on my dates up to a point. Needs to be end of Feb, first couple weeks of March to incorporate March break (first full week in March) so the kids don't miss so much school.

Also, you might consider the four-night cruise from Port Canaveral--it is very nice and convenient from Orlando--but might not save a whole lot more.

 

[aprincessatlast]

I want to get everything I want this time,e bank.

0

Total- $16550!

.. so MUCH MONEY!

Wow that is a hefty price tag. I could think of so many vacations I would take with that budget.

We are family of 5 (3 kids 10 and under) who have done a trip similar but spent about a third of that. Things we did not go all out on. -

Went with a moderate.

Skipped the dining plan.

Stuck to beach days while on DCL.

Skipped Hoppers

Whatever you don't miss DCL!!!

 

[dvc at last !]

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