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[Lisa06468]

Pirates Rock: We're going that same week!
What is UCT and how did you get the park hoppers for $840?
THANKS!

 

[torinsmom]

At this point I'm taking myself +DH, DD8, DD9, Grandma & DSis to Disney in October. My BIL did similar last year and cost was >$10,000. He couldn't believe I could afford this...

1450sqft 3br/3ba Townhouse w/public & priv pools .... $858/wk (incl tax)
airfare for Grandma & 2 kids on SouthWest ...approx... $500
Gas to drive my SUV w/ me, DH & Dsis to Orlando...appr..$300
10 day Park Hoppers for DH, Gma, DSis (thru UCT) $840
I bought 10d PH+NExp for me & kids last time..this time $0

So before souvineers and meals, I'm out $2498 for 4 adults and 2 kids. I could make everyone ride in the car both ways and save that $500, but what's your price for sanity?!

We eat a late breakfast, a mid-afternoon snack which I will bring in with me, and some evenings meals will be prepared in our kitchen at the townhouse (or cheap takeout if I'm exhausted). Meals eaten at Disney will be places I really love or have heard great things about on these boards. I'm willing to splurge if it's really worth it!

My children will be given a specific amount of money for souvineers. I buy them each 1 t-shirt any time we vacation. They will use their money for any additional souvineers or snacks.

My "Real Mom" montra is "All things are possible thru Him + extensive research & planning"!

Cool deal, and you will LOVE October! Wish we would go in October instead of August, but no fall break this year.

Don't forget to add in $12 parking for each day you visit WDW, since you are staying off-site. When you eat CS, remember that anyone can buy the "kids" meal and it is plenty of food for about 40% less than an "adult" meal. Saved us a lot last time.

Marsha

 

[PiratesRock]

"UTC" is UnderCover Tourist. I think I remember right that they buy up tix at end of year so in '08 they're selling at '07 prices. (Sorry, but I'm not in the mood to doublecheck my facts right now.) Anyway, don't buy direct from UTC either. Go to www.mousesavers.com and sign up for the newsletter (if you have time to wait before you buy tix). Mousesavers periodically gets you further discounts on the UTC prices which are already a little less than Disney direct prices. If you really want to stay onsite then you may often be better off buying package deals, but my needs are for space and affordability.
Mouse Savers is a great place to check before buying anything Disney. They can get an additional discount an many Disney items and also at ebags!

 

[PiratesRock]

Don't forget also, if you are going to rent a car, to click on Budget rentals here on the Dis boards. I checked on getting my Mom a small car for a few days and it was a better price than I saw anywhere else. Oh, and don't forget that there's Alamo in Disney near the Dolphin and I think in DTD also. I debated renting a car for my Mom for the week at Budget ($227 for a full size for 10/4-10/11 as of when I checked it) just to give her more freedom while she's there. Just for kicks, I put in for a convertible for 10/9-10/11 from Alamo/Dolphin and it was $109.80. Might just have to do that!! I recently realized my kids have never been in a convertible! Since Hubby and I are driving down, it let's us be very flexible about renting/flying etc with other family.

 

[michellem1118]

Don't take offense. Everyone on both sides of my family are teachers for two generations...well, either teachers of administrators...sisters, aunts, grandparents, etc. My husband as a doctor is the odd man out. My grandparents were both teachers and saved and paid for all three children to go to college. That said, I was taught to be debt free before I ever used money for a fun thing...so I guess I would have paid off my loans and car payment before I went to Disney.

Chrisitne

So again, it comes down to priorities. I assume I'll always have *some* debt, whether its a mortgage, a car payment, etc. If I waited to be completely debt free, I'd likely not be able to take a vacation until after I retire. For me, the priority is to make memories with those important to me, and if that means the car gets paid off on schedule instead of early, so be it. And we plan to continue the tradition of at least one trip to Disney (or somewhere) a year once we have kids. We'll never go into debt to do so, and we won't travel at the expense of college savings for the kids, or paying our bills, or saving for retirement, but we will take our kids on as many trips as we possibly can.

 

[PiratesRock]

Thanks for reminding me about the parking fees!! Everything has to be figured in. I've decided that I prepare for Disney in much the same way as I would prepare for nuclear threat! No stone unturned, no crack unsealed.

 

[xoprincessmomxo]

If you are so frugal don't you want to see more of the world than WDW? Don't get me wrong the last 12 months I was there 5 times but vacationed other places as well........As much as I love WDW I couldn't imagine that being the only place we go.

Excuse me? This is the first time I've taken my family...What sort of a comment is that? You are very lucky that you get to vacation there 5 times a year and go other places as well. The title of this thread is "How do real people afford Disney" and I was just giving my two cents. It was not a thread titled "Let's judge others on their vacation preferences".

 

[momtoBrandon&Jacob]

Excuse me? This is the first time I've taken my family...What sort of a comment is that? You are very lucky that you get to vacation there 5 times a year and go other places as well. The title of this thread is "How do real people afford Disney" and I was just giving my two cents. It was not a thread titled "Let's judge others on their vacation preferences".

So true. It's a shame that people come on here to judge others and throw their values and vacation styles in others' faces. Just ignore that poster (as many do) and hopefully it will go away!

 

[xoprincessmomxo]

So true. It's a shame that people come on here to judge others and throw their values and vacation styles in others' faces. Just ignore that poster (as many do) and hopefully it will go away!

Thank you!!! I shouldn't let a silly quote over the computer hurt my feelings so bad....But I love most of the people on the Dis and so much enjoy being able to share the excitement of Disney with others like me!

 

[HelenePA]

oh god disney 5 times a year at a deluxe? Uh I'm wayyyyyyyy too underpaid to do that. that's almost what we get paid a year, yeah not going to happen, I dont know about the rest of you.

 

[PiratesRock]

SOME people SERIOUSLY need some fairy dust!!! (I think you know who you are!!!)
Nothing but love and puppies coming from me, people!!

 

[RNtheRN]

I agree with a lot of people here. Your children grow up so fast and we're trying to enjoy Disney World as many times as we can before they hit adulthood. With a little help from God, they will catch the Disney bug. That's one major reason we joined DVC, so my family can have a beautiful place to vacation for decades to come.
Are there other things that I could toss money at, sure. A new car, bigger house, gagets and gizmos. But my explorer runs great and is almost paid for, my house is small but adequate, and even if I had that kind of loot, I wouldn't get a bigger house, I'd get another small house down the beach or in the mountains. Or better yet, buy another 100 or so points and stay at WDW more often or other DVC destinations.

 

[lovetoscrap]

This topic is more appropriate for the Budget Board so I am moving it there. Please remember to keep it on topic and keep your responses respectful of the other posters.

 

[mickeyfan2]

Don't take offense. Everyone on both sides of my family are teachers for two generations...well, either teachers of administrators...sisters, aunts, grandparents, etc. My husband as a doctor is the odd man out. My grandparents were both teachers and saved and paid for all three children to go to college. That said, I was taught to be debt free before I ever used money for a fun thing...so I guess I would have paid off my loans and car payment before I went to Disney.

Chrisitne

So did you pay off all of your bills, home, car, fully fund your retirement and your kids college funds before you ever took a vacation?

If no, then why not? So other places is OK but just not Disney?

 

[Shelly D.]

I haven't read the entire thread and could possibly be missing the entire point, but to the OP - We booked last December on the 40% off deal and it was a great deal. We got a moderate for under $100/night including tax and a free photopass DVD movie ($74 value) per room. Add in free transportation through ME for staying on property. I think it's hard to stay anywhere in the country for under $100 these days, so we felt we did well.

 

[wardfamily1]

Life is too short to wait until everything is paid off. By the time my house is paid off my kids will be grown. If we did wait for that, when the kids are
reminiscing when they are older what are they going to say, "Hey mom, remember when we went to the bank to make the mortgage payment, those were good times". No thanks not for me, I want to have fun on vacation with my kids while they are young.

Sure we do things close to home, but if I can swing it, why not share WDW with them? The mortgage can wait, it will still be there after they have moved out.

It's all about choices and this is what I choose.

 

[littleshamrock]

Life is too short to wait until everything is paid off. By the time my house is paid off my kids will be grown. If we did wait for that, when the kids are
reminiscing when they are older what are they going to say, "Hey mom, remember when we went to the bank to make the mortgage payment, those were good times". No thanks not for me, I want to have fun on vacation with my kids while they are young.

Sure we do things close to home, but if I can swing it, why not share WDW with them? The mortgage can wait, it will still be there after they have moved out.

It's all about choices and this is what I choose.

I TOTALLY AGREE!!!

You can't wait until everything is paid off...it will be too late.

 

[douglisa]

It really helps to do alot of research. We are going for 7 days and figured out that base tickets are $620 for the three of us. And then the villa I found will be $636.75. Plus $1,050 for airfare from Iowa. Grand total $2306.25
The villa is almost $300 cheaper than staying @ Pop. It comes w/ full kitchen, 3 bedrooms, two baths, living room, garage, washer and dryer, dishwasher and pool w/ jacuzzi. It is 10 minutes from WDW. I have not figured out what it will cost for car rental. I purchased a AAA membership and I will get discounts on tickets airfare and car rental.I will also be able to park in one of the lots closest to the gate because we are renting a car through AAA. We will also save $$ by eating @ the rental. Ya know that commercial on T.V. that says you can purchase vacations starting @ $16,000? Well to stay @ the value resorts it is almost $900! So you see it pays to spend lots of time on the computor searching for deals.

 

[torinsmom]

It really helps to do alot of research. We are going for 7 days and figured out that base tickets are $620 for the three of us. And then the villa I found will be $636.75. Plus $1,050 for airfare from Iowa. Grand total $2306.25
The villa is almost $300 cheaper than staying @ Pop. It comes w/ full kitchen, 3 bedrooms, two baths, living room, garage, washer and dryer, dishwasher and pool w/ jacuzzi. It is 10 minutes from WDW. I have not figured out what it will cost for car rental. I purchased a AAA membership and I will get discounts on tickets airfare and car rental.I will also be able to park in one of the lots closest to the gate because we are renting a car through AAA. We will also save $$ by eating @ the rental. Ya know that commercial on T.V. that says you can purchase vacations starting @ $16,000? Well to stay @ the value resorts it is almost $900! So you see it pays to spend lots of time on the computor searching for deals.

Don't forget to plan for the WDW parking fee every day. It adds up quick!

 

[delmar411]

Ya know that commercial on T.V. that says you can purchase vacations starting @ $16,000? Well to stay @ the value resorts it is almost $900! So you see it pays to spend lots of time on the computor searching for deals.

Dang I must be watching the poor people channels cause I've never seen WDW advertise $16,000 as a starting price point!


sorry I just couldn't resist!