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[choirfarm]

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[denman007]

When are you going?

 

[choirfarm]

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[denman007]

Is your 40% off just for a value resort? That would be a nice discount at one of the mods.

Also, you may want an 8 day park pass. It only cost a few extra dollars.

11/30 - 12/18 is value season

 

[esdras]

It would be tight, but possible - I think.

Remember that the Family Suite has a small kitchenette - although that means only a microwave, coffee maker and small fridge.

Since you are driving, you can stop at a supermarket and do some shopping - and remember to be creative!

First creative idea - you can buy Spaghetti makers that look like a plastic spaghetti storage container. However, when you fill these with boiling water (which you can boil in the microware), it will cook the pasta in about 10 minutes. Buy some sauce at the market and you can have a spaghetti dinner in your room - and that can be done on the cheap!

Again, since you are driving - pack a cooler and prepare some food at home - also (for this to work) try to bring a toaster.

If you can pre-make pancakes at home - the ones from a mix are just fine - put some plastic wrap on them once they have fully cooled, stick them in some sort of Tupperware, and bring them along. Buy some syrup at the grocery store when you arrive - and in the morning, stick the pancakes in the toaster - IT WORKS REALLY WELL! Again, a good, cheap breakfast that you didn't have to pay a lot for upon arrival.

Also, invest the roughly $70 it will cost to get the refillable resort mugs - at least that way you can send someone down for beverages for each meal you have in the room. It will save you from buying drinks at the supermarket, although you'll likely need to at least get your milk from there.

Those were just a couple of ideas - and they should keep your food costs low.

Just brainstorm with your family - think of what you have to work with in the room, and what you can bring from home. You might be surprised with what you come up with!

 

[choirfarm]

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[denman007]

If you are getting 40% off the room rate. POR would be...

149 - 40% = 90

90 * 7 nights = 630

630 * 13% tax = $711

Just something to consider. Only 1 shower though. Not sure what the All-Star Music suites have.

 

[VickiVM]

This is just me, but we haven't park-hopped in years. We have a (now) 14 yr. old, 11 yr. old, and 9 yr. old. Park-hopping takes a lot of time out of the dayand if your trip is in the fall, you'll find shorter hours at the park.

We've just very carefully planned each day using TGM, UG, etc. plus all the resources here on these boards, and stuck with our plan. We've never felt like we've missed out on anything and got to do/see everything we planned. Eliminating p/hopping looks like it will save you $300 or so.

 

[Dazer22]

It's the price of the 7 day hopper that really adds to the expense. I know that many will disagree with this advice but..... how about cutting it down to a 2 or 3 day hopper with waterparks. You could hit all the parks and with two waterpark options have enough to do with some rest days by the pool.

Just an idea.

 

[esdras]

If you are getting 40% off the room rate. POR would be...

149 - 40% = 90

90 * 7 nights = 630

630 * 13% tax = $711

Just something to consider. Only 1 shower though. Not sure what the All-Star Music suites have.

Family Suites would give you two full bathrooms, and the kitchenette would allow for some more "creative" meals as I suggested above.

 

[denman007]

Family Suites would give you two full bathrooms, and the kitchenette would allow for some more "creative" meals as I suggested above.

That's probably a better option for what she needs. I just hate to see a 40% used on a value.

When you try, you can really eat for cheap and the extra bathroom is a huge plus with kids.

 

[Dazer22]

Another thought about the park hopping... We have always had park hopping on our tickets and I have to admit , we rarely use it.( got it as a free upgrade) We tend to stay with one park for the day.

I think no park hopping is worth the extra 300 you could spend on your dining budget.

 

[esdras]

That's probably a better option for what she needs. I just hate to see a 40% used on a value.

When you try, you can really eat for cheap and the extra bathroom is a huge plus with kids.

Yeah, I see what you mean about the 40% being used at a value - but this is being used on a suite with a rack-rate of 207.92/night (tax incl.). That's starting to approch standard room in a deluxe pricing.

Often, many can't get the family suites on discounted prices, they get snapped up quickly. If you can get the 40% on the Suite, and want the Suite, take advantage of the deal!

 

[Bete]

the park hopper. We've done this on our last two trips which were Dec. 2007 and Sept. 2006 and we never missed not having a park hopper. I don't think we will ever get park hopping again; unless, it's a free upgrade. There might be one exception to this rule and I may get park hopping if we went during Christmas week or some other busy time. Because of the crowds, it may be safer to have park hopper for those times; so, you can move from a crowded park to a less crowded park.

I would also consider eating outside of Disney for any meal. Since you have a car available it wouldn't be too hard for you to go off premises. Chains will have coupons; so, start collecting them before your trip. Orlando has all the chains; so, you should be able to take advantage of some coupons. I would eat a late lunch; it should be cheaper that way whether you eat at Disney or not. Order tap water with your meal and save money on drinks that way. Use instant powders to flavor the water if you have to. Take snacks to the parks and even drinks. Make use of Epcot's Club Cool to get free soda. If your kids are not big eaters consider splitting meals. Bring a cooler and take a lot of food from home. Eat from the cooler as you drive there and back. Make grocery stores off premises your friend while you are there.

Don't give in to souvenir buying. If you want give everyone a small allowance for souvies and once that's gone there's no more to be had. Let this be understood before the trip. Let the children bring their own money that's been saved for the trip.

 

[disney-super-mom]

I would get the tickets without hopping. At this point you don't even know if you'll need the hopping option, and once you get there, if you decide that you must hop, you can always add on the hopping option to your tickets.

Don't spend the money on something before you know you'll need it, you know what I mean?.

 

[cheerforchelsea]

We like to go to WDW several times a year so we always try to keep our food budget to a minimum. And most of the time thare are 5 of us traveling together. I invested in a cooler that plugs into the cigarette lighter plug in the car and then plugs into the wall in the room. We take it avoid renting a fridge when we stay in a value resort - it holds approximately the same amount as a rented fridge. We normally eat sandwiches for one meal, a quick in room breakfast such as cereal or granola bars, and one meal out a day. My family would much rather "park hop" and eat cheap. We normally book connecting rooms at a value or moderate resort and forget about having a microwave - connecting rooms at a value are a little bit cheaper than a suite at ASM and are much more plentiful. (Of all the value resorts we like the POP the best.) Have a great trip!!

 

[SuperTink]

"We normally eat sandwiches for one meal, a quick in room breakfast such as cereal or granola bars, and one meal out a day. My family would much rather "park hop" and eat cheap."

Us too. We figure, we can eat anywhere/anytime. The flexibility of park-hopping maximizes our time and fun at the parks.

 

[G8r4evr]

This is just me, but we haven't park-hopped in years. We have a (now) 14 yr. old, 11 yr. old, and 9 yr. old. Park-hopping takes a lot of time out of the dayand if your trip is in the fall, you'll find shorter hours at the park.

We've just very carefully planned each day using TGM, UG, etc. plus all the resources here on these boards, and stuck with our plan. We've never felt like we've missed out on anything and got to do/see everything we planned. Eliminating p/hopping looks like it will save you $300 or so.

I would drop the hopper option. If money were not a concern, I could see leaving it, but since you are trying to stay on a budget, that would be the first thing I drop. Hopping can be incredibly exhausting anyways.

 

[wannabprincess]

We never get hoppers, it just seems to be a waste of money. there is plently to do in each park without having to leave. You can also go to DTD or BW and hangout like your hopping with having to pay if you want to break up the day.

 

[bartleby1]

We are a family of 5 but two kids count as adults (13, 11, and 6) Ok...so far I have figured out driving our minivan $300. 7 nights at All-Star Music suite with my 40 percent off is 874. A Park Hopper for 7 days for all of us is 1305.75 (It can be 1060.75 if I make it no park hopper, but I'm thinking we might want to hop.) So that is a total of 2479.75 with Park Hopper or 2234.75 without hopping. I really wanted the trip to cost less than 3000 if possible, but I don't know if we would be able to eat for less than 500 dollars even if we only ate one meal out a day as a family and ate cold breakfast in room and brought sandwhiches and snacks for the other meal. That just seems like a lot of money. Any way to do it cheaper?

Christine

Well, if I had extra time that I could take from work/school, etc, which I don't know if you do, I would stay at POR and extend the trip to 10 days. You wouldn't need the park hoppers if you had 10 days to see it all.

Room at POR: 90 x 10 = $900 plus tax = roughly $1017
10 day nonhopping tickets thru mousesavers link: $1122.75

Total room and tickets: $2139.75

Leaves you with $860.25 for food/other but it would be a 10 day trip.

Of course you do have more days that you must eat but remember that you would have some eating expenses even at home and this way you get more time at the world!

Of course, this only works if you can afford the extra time off!

If this doesn't work for you, I would consider dropping off the hoppers if money is tight. Plan carefully and spend each day in one park. There is plenty to do in each park to keep you busy.