Ok, here is my budget...check it out and see if it is do-able....

[Pooh99]

STILL deciding on-site or off-site....so here is the breakdown.

On-site (CBR) Family of 4 (kids are 10 and 4)

Hotel and tickets ---------1641
Transportation ------------ 350 (1000miles each way plus 1 night each way in hotel)
Meals ------------------------700
Other-------------------------109
TOtal ------------------------2800



Tropical Palms

Hotel --------------------------460
Tickets-------------------------900
Transportation---------------350
Meals--------------------------500**
Other--------------------------110

Total---------------------------2320


The meals are lower at the Tropical Palms because we would be able to eat more at "home".

Meals are the wild card for me here. My husband is a BIG eater. He can really put away food. I don't know how much to budget for that at all.

 

[tar heel]

When are you going?
How many nights?
What kind of passes? You can usually save a good bit by getting park hopper pluses instead of the unlimited magic passes.

 

[Pooh99]

The CBR is Fairytale package (unlimited)
and the Tropical palms is 4 day park hopper, plus one day at one of the water parks.

 

[mad4themouse]

It looks like the major difference in price will be the admission media that you choose. If you are staying onsite and going for 7 nights, will you visit the parks everyday? If you think that you'll make good use of that UPH, it may be worth the cost.

On the other hand, if you are off-site, do you feel that 4 days in the parks will be enough? What would you plan for the "off" days? You would need to factor in any activities that you would need to pay for (like USF/IOA, Sea World, etc.).

I am assuming that you are driving to Orlando and will have the use of a car. If you drive to the parks from off-site, you will have to pay for parking. With 5 visits to the parks, it can really add up! Onsite guests can either use the WDW transportation from their resort or can park for free.

Since you will have a car, you will not be limited to dining at WDW restaurants even if you decide to stay onsite. There are many family restaurants that you can choose from outside of WDW itself. You may want to stop at a grocery store and stock up on some of your favorite snacks to have handy in your room. If your DH is a BIG eater, consider eating buffet meals when in the parks. He can eat as much as he wants for the same price that you woulld pay. The 10 yo would still be able to eat for a child's price.

My personal choice would be to stay onsite with the UPH. There's something about having just 4 days to visit the parks that would not be enough for me. I know that we would not be satisfied spending half of our time in Orlando just enjoying the pool, no matter how nice it is. We would end up hopping over to USF/IOA and spending a couple of days there as well. That would pretty much eat up anything we would save by staying offsite.

Whatever you decide, you're sure to have a good time.

 

[HM]

I agree with the above poster as to reasons to choose your on-site choice. The Fairytale package may never come along again and this is a wonderful deal. Also, I think your food and others budget is right on track. Our family of four usually spends about $100 day for food and souveniers (we don't get a whole lot of those). The heat/humidity and our busy days in the parks lead to smaller appetites than we usually have at home as well.
-HM