Next MouseSavers Budget Plan - How Long?

[FoodLover]

Since I published the bare-bones "How Low Can You Go?" plan, a lot of people have written to me asking for a more realistic / moderate plan for a longer trip, so I am planning to develop such a plan. This time it will be for a family with two adults and two kids ages 3-9 who have to fly to Orlando.

What's your vote on how long the trip should be? I'd like to make sure there's time to do all four parks and one "extra" like a water park or DisneyQuest.

I'd also love to hear your suggestions for the most important "extras" you think should be part of a "moderate" WDW trip. What do you always budget for, beyond the absolute basics like tickets, hotel and transportation?

- A character meal?
- Souvenirs?
- Hot breakfasts?
- A nice sit-down meal?
- Snacks?
- Something else?

Thanks for your input!

Mary
MouseSavers.com

 

[Lewisc]

Mary--Your family will be flying in. Since they'll probably be renting a car you really have to make sure they qualify for the weekly rate, at least 5 full days if not 6. I find travelnow.com usually gives me rates equal to the best codes.

For a hotel the trade off is either using PL to save $$ or booking conventionally to get a place with a free breakfast. I'd say a 2* hotel with PL and then going to Ponderosa or GC would come out cheaper. For a slightly higher budget book a place with a free breakfast and a mini-kitchen.

At age 3-9 I'd go with a character meal over a nice sit down meal.

 

[crazyforgoofy]

7 days, 6 nights. To my family it's not a vacation if we're so rushed we can't stop and enjoy the little touches. On a moderate budget (which is pretty much how we always do Disney and we've done it MANY times) I would stay onsite with one of the codes I find on MouseSavers (thanks, Mary) and I wouldn't rent a car because for a Disney only vacation we don't leave Disney property enough to make it worth our while. We try to make use of every minute and hate to leave "the world". Most rental cars big enough for a family of 4 plus luggage are going to cost more than a car service, I think.

I think your "moderate" family budget might include one character meal and perhaps one or two sit down dinners. Hot breakfasts are a tradeoff for my family, we don't usually take time for them because they take early morning park time. The day we go to DQ or the water park we usually stoke up with one though. Otherwise we use the grocery stop from our transportation company (we use FLTOURS, of course, cause they're a sponsor of the DIS) and bring along some food for breakfast or we get something quick in the parks. I'd also buy some of our snacks at the grocery stop so I could justify a few more $$ spent on meals or souvenirs.

I loved the "How Low Can You Go?" report. I'll be interested to see how your moderate plan works out.

And thanks for everything I've learned from MouseSavers

 

[4greatboys]

I also picked 7 nights/6 days because I think most make a week of it. Our family normally skips hot breakfasts--mainly because I have 2 teenagers who have difficulty getting out of bed. We take pop tarts and cereal bowls for our toddlers. We try to have one nice meal a day, a character lunch or dinner or some place like Planet Hollywood, etc. We do buy some souvenirs but not a lot.
Definately budget in some park snacks.

 

[Disney Debbie]

I consider us a "moderate" vacationing family. We always have a sit-down lunch and then a quick or food court dinner. Last time and this time we've also planned one BIG treat - last time it was an Illuminations cruise and this time it will be a Keys to the Kingdom tour. We don't care about hot breakfast - we eat cereal or pastries in the room and then have a snack sometime in the park. We also do a water park and each get one souveneir! We like to buy ice cream whenever we want for snacks. So I guess our "moderate" part comes in with eating the big meal for lunch, staying in a moderate with a code and buying 7 day park hoppers with pluses at a discount and making those last for 2 trips at least.

I picked 7 nights 6 days since it's someone who's flying in. We usually do 5 nights and 6 days - but we drive and spend the night before our first day in Ocala at my parents! If I was flying I'd spend the whole week if possible.

Thank you SO much for all you do Mary. You have a terrific site and I refer people to you all the time. Your site, this one and the Unofficial Guide are the "trinity" of WDW lovers!!

 

[disney4us2002]

Can I volunteer to be the family??? LOL! I don't care how long the trip is or what time of the year. I also have three kids but I can leave one home. Just kidding of course. Really I'd leave hubby home. Jeesh, better sign off now!

Carla

 

[Local_Girl]

First of all, thank you so much Mary, for your wonderful site and newsletter! Both have been very helpful in planning our WDW trips. I'm interested in this moderate budget trip plan you're putting together.

I would schedule one character meal, preferably a big breakfast. This could be mid-trip on a non-park, rest day if you choose a resort restaurant instead of one inside a park. Breakfasts on the other days could be quick...in the hotel room (cereal, yogurt, etc.) or on the go (bakery). I would also schedule 2-3 other sit-down meals, maybe one of them a late lunch to cut costs.

We definitely plan for snacks too...an ice cream treat every day in the parks, and maybe something else like pop corn or a funnel cake (to share) for munching later in the evening.

Souvenirs...that's tough. Some people are avid shoppers and others are not. In our family, the kids have some spending money ($50?) and we "guide" them into some reasonable purchases. As adults, we don't shop much...maybe a CD, hat, or a t-shirt and that's about it. One thing your moderate budget may want to include...a couple of pictures taken on a ride or by a WDW photographer.

 

[zurgswife]

What's your vote on how long the trip should be?

I voted 7days, 6 nights

I vote for a water park.

- A character meal? We do at least one
- Souvenirs? Kids are budgeted $25 per kid
- Hot breakfasts? Not much, usually cereal or
- A nice sit-down meal? Whispering Canyon would be fun
- Snacks? I budget one snack per day per Kid
- Something else? mini golf or illuminations cruise would be nice.


Airfare $200 X 4 = 800 (could save a little here)
Limo $80-$5 = $75
Limo tip $20 (?)

Hotel Moderate hotel spring/summer code BBY
$94 X 6= $564 plus tax 62.04 =626.04

Tickets 5day hopper w/ 2 plus options Ticketmania advance purchase $944

Chef Mickey's Dinner $73.96
Souvenior Budget kids $ 50.00
Souvenior Budget Parents 60.00
Mini golf $38.34
Snacks $10 per day = 6 x $10= $60
Food Budget
Breakfasts cold breakfast in room 4 days
counter service 2 days $50
Lunch counter service $30 per day x6 $180
Dinner counter service $40 per day x 5 $200

Misc $23

Moderate trip $3200 for 7days 6 nights....gives 5 days at the parks 2 water park days, mini golf, character meal, souveniors, not eating breakfast everyday in the room, snacks at the parks. Lots of counter service but there is some variety if you look....besides the kids only eat chicken nuggets and pizza any way

What do you think Mary should it be higher or could we get away with lower...????

 

[bobcat]

I voted for at least 5 days/6 nights. One thing I would like to see is a few small luxuries that can be done on a budget. I definately travel on a budget, sometimes so tight it squeaks, but I always try to give my family one special extra. Many times it is a character meal, two on longer trips one for each child. The one trip that we flew was a short trip of four days and our splurge that trip was a towncar. Even on a budget I want a little vacation splurge. Maybe your family can have $50-$75 mad money and they get to decide what frivolous thing they get to spend it on.

Our summer Budget for 10 nights is $3209.22. This is probably the most I have budgeted for a trip yet and it includes everything. We drive so no air fare included.

Travel down and back:
Hotel $80 (2 nights)
Gas roundtrip $125
Food $40
Hotel:
Pop century 10 nights in July - hoping for AP rates - $700 budgeted but rack rate is $1000
Food:
$70/day for one adult and two kids x 11 days = $770
Souvineers:
Outlet shopping $100
Kids $50 a piece
Tickets:
APs $1176 (2 adults and 1 child)
Water parks with AP discount $81.22
E-night (If it returns) $37

This is all based on what we have spent in the past. I am positive that a family can do a moderate trip for a lot less.

 

[Cindy B]

We are not snack or souvenier shoppers. For souveniers we go to the Belz outlet and do it that way.

We only do one character meal the entire 7 day trip. (usually Chef Mickey's breakfast so we don't have to do lunch!) The rest of the trip we don't do hot breakfast, a quick cereal bar, is fine with us! We actually don't even do that many long time sit down meals either (thats wasting valuable ride time!) We also have two small children, so some more "gourmet" places would not work with my active children!

Our last seven day trip in August we did one sit down lunch 50's prime time (used a $50 AMX rewards certificate), two breakfasts at Whispering Canyon (one ok, one really good!). We would do a quick dinner using a Q & C voucher.

I would guess that ride photos or a main street photo would be nice.


I would personally stay onsite, value season using a code. Then I would bring a snack in (granola bars,etc. not a 9 x 12 casserole I saw last August ). I would stack up on Q & C vouchers and share them -- using them not to "get as more as possible" but more of a "prepayment" option. I would also not buy anything that didn't appeal to me.. why buy a $20 lightchaser in the parks when I can buy the same thing at the Disney Store for $12? I would prebuy souveniers, and stash them!

I would aslo make use of offsite restaurants. There are so many wonderful option just within a 10 minute drive.

As for a family of four, you can adopt me Mary... I have a nine year old, and a six year old. I can stretch a dollar until it screams... send me!!!!

 

[Cindy B]

We did a seven day trip at WL last August for about $2100. This was Aug 23-30. This include hotel stay (approx $`1500) , food, tickets, gas, tolls, and all meals.

This was for four people 2 adults and 2 kids (aged 8 and 5)

 

[bcti]

We went on a budget over christmas for 11 days.

Our first hotel was $22 a night for 5 nights
Our second hotel was $28 a night for 6 nights
We rented a van for $500

We went to:

Animal kingdom 1 day
Epcot 1 day
mgm 1 day
magic kingdom 1 day
blizzard beach 1 day

seaworld 2 days (4 til close both times)

Universal studios/ioa 1 day (4 til close wish we had spent more time there

Total cost for this was $800 for 5 of us.

We ate most days at uno's and mcd's most of the time.

 

[FoodLover]

Originally posted by Cindy B
We did a seven day trip at WL last August for about $2100. This was Aug 23-30. This include hotel stay (approx $`1500) , food, tickets, gas, tolls, and all meals.

This was for four people 2 adults and 2 kids (aged 8 and 5)

I'd love to hear more about how you did this. If your hotel stay was $1500, how did the remaining $600 cover even your tickets? 3-Day Hopper Plus tickets for 2 adults, 2 kids would cost $643.32.

Or were you perhaps on the FairyTale package that included tickets? That was probably a once-in-a-lifetime deal...

Just puzzled!

Mary
MouseSavers.com

 

[FoodLover]

Originally posted by bcti
We went on a budget over christmas for 11 days.

Our first hotel was $22 a night for 5 nights
Our second hotel was $28 a night for 6 nights
We rented a van for $500

We went to:

Animal kingdom 1 day
Epcot 1 day
mgm 1 day
magic kingdom 1 day
blizzard beach 1 day

seaworld 2 days (4 til close both times)

Universal studios/ioa 1 day (4 til close wish we had spent more time there

Total cost for this was $800 for 5 of us.

We ate most days at uno's and mcd's most of the time.

Similar question: how could you possibly have paid for tickets to all four Disney parks, SeaWorld and Universal and kept your total budget to $800? Inquiring minds want to know!

Mary
MouseSavers.com

 

[FoodLover]

Thanks for all the kind words and great ideas. Keep 'em coming!

Mary
MouseSavers.com

 

[FoodLover]

Originally posted by zurgswife
Airfare $200 X 4 = 800 (could save a little here)
Limo $80-$5 = $75
Limo tip $20 (?)

Hotel Moderate hotel spring/summer code BBY
$94 X 6= $564 plus tax 62.04 =626.04

Tickets 5day hopper w/ 2 plus options Ticketmania advance purchase $944

Chef Mickey's Dinner $73.96
Souvenior Budget kids $ 50.00
Souvenior Budget Parents 60.00
Mini golf $38.2=34
Snacks $10 per day = 6 x $10= $60
Food Budget
Breakfasts cold breakfast in room 4 days
counter service 2 days $50
Lunch counter service $30 per day x6 $180
Dinner counter service $40 per day x 5 $200

Misc $23

Moderate trip $3200 for 7days 6 nights....gives 5 days at the parks 2 water park days, mini golf, character meal, souveniors, not eating breakfast everyday in the room, snacks at the parks. Lots of counter service but there is some variety if you look....besides the kids only eat chicken nuggets and pizza any way

What do you think Mary should it be higher or could we get away with lower...????

I think this is a very good budget. My only comments would be:

Limo budget might be a little low. By the time they add on all the extra fees and gratuities, it's more typically around $110 total.

Snacks at $10 a day might be a tiny bit low since two ice creams will run you $6 these days. Depends what you're going to get, but $12 might be safer.

Lunch and dinner counter service cost the same. I think $30 per meal is ample unless your kids are big eaters. So you could shave a little off the dinner budget.

I suppose you could substitute a character breakfast for the character dinner and save a bit. But overall, this seems about right!

Mary
MouseSavers.com

 

[bcti]

Ok, I know some won't agree with this but this is how I did 8 days in orlando parks for $800 cdn for 5 of us.

I bought:

3X 3 Day universal tickets for $77 USD
2X 3 Day universal tickets for $66 USD

3X 7 Day Park Hopper Plus passes for $301 USD
2X 7 Day Park Hopper Plus passes for $245 USD

3X 2 Day Seaworld Ticket for $40 USD
2X 2 Day Seaworld Ticket for $33 USD

Anyways I think the total for the tickets was $2800 cdn

When I got back I had 3 days plus 3 pluses left on the park hoppers and 2 days left on the universal plus some free breakfast coupons. I sold them on ebay for $2000 CDN.

Total cost for 8 days was 800 CDN about $600 US.

Now I know some people will disagree with this but this is how I could afford to take my family to disney and have a great time.

 

[Disney Debbie]

So it was $800 for the TICKETS - not the whole trip!

Don't think you need to include this one as part of your plan Mary!! I'm not judging you bcti - but I doubt if Mary would have a very good relationship with WDW if she recommended people selling their leftover days on EBay!

 

[disneyjunkie]

I voted for staying at least 7 nights.

How about using a family that has a 12 year old? Children that age cost more and are interested in different things.

My son would love to go to DQ each night. That's the main reason I decided to get the FITS passes for our trip. PHP passes wouldn't meet our needs, PAP were out of my price range, and the 30 day pass are cheaper than the UPH pass, plus they include a free character breakfast.


Have you every done a budget plan using a single parent family?

 

[Mermaid02]

I voted for 7 nights- with 2 children that young they may need to do some half days at parks so the extra time would be good. I think a character meal is a must (just one though- boy are they expensive!) One souvenir picture- I wish we had bought one.

We live in Maine so flying is a must for us (my dh and I can't drive across town without arguing - driving to WDW is OUT!) I am anxious to see how low you can go for this trip! I'm itching to go again, dh doesn't want to spend the $$- I can't wait to see how "cheap" you can do it! BTW- absolutlely LOVE MouseSavers!!! -Loreli