Onsite in June for $3,000 or less??

[CaliforniaDreamin]

If you decide to do without the dining plan, right after you check in, go buy a refillable mug for each of you. Best money you can spend at Disney. It's only good for that trip, and only good in your hotel, but it makes a great souvenir.

 

[englishteacha]

It sounds doable to me. We usually stay offsite on our trips, so the DP isn't an option for us. We are able to eat well fairly frugally. I always pack some snacks and some of the drink mix packets to mix with water. We share some meals, usually eat counter service, and often have breakfast at our condo. I need to eat something in the morning, but I'm perfectly happy with cereal! (We splurge on the mini boxes with all the fun flavors when we're on vacation! Nothing says "Vacation" than eating Froot Loops for breakfast!)

 

[torinsmom]

If you'd be interested in your DD taking a class behind the scenes, you could get tickets through the YES(Youth Education Series) program at Disney. Tickets are close to 40% off rack rates and you would get them for all three of you. It would involve a class for 3-4 hours early one morning. Registration for summer classes should be open mid-February. 7 day hoppers through the program are 199.15 each, so around $600 for the 3 of you. There is a whole thread on it here
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2332767 It's a long thread, but if you read through the last few pages, you'll get a lot of info.

I would use the room only discount PPs have mentioned. I believe it lists value rooms at around $90/night, so 7 nights with tax around $750

Are you sure you want to drive? What is it, maybe a 14 hour drive? And the gas will cost you $300-$400 round trip on the low side. I bet you could get a good deal on airfare, and if you stay onsite, you get transportation to/from the airport and to/from everything Disney.

Food--I wouldn't get the dining plan. I would plan out what you want to eat. There is a site that lists all the dining places, but I don't know if I can post the link. DS and I split meals a lot until he was 13 or so. You can do character breakfasts, as they are cheaper than dinners, but have the same characters.

 

[Irin997]

If you'd be interested in your DD taking a class behind the scenes, you could get tickets through the YES(Youth Education Series) program at Disney. Tickets are close to 40% off rack rates and you would get them for all three of you. It would involve a class for 3-4 hours early one morning. Registration for summer classes should be open mid-February. 7 day hoppers through the program are 199.15 each, so around $600 for the 3 of you. There is a whole thread on it here
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2332767 It's a long thread, but if you read through the last few pages, you'll get a lot of info.

I would use the room only discount PPs have mentioned. I believe it lists value rooms at around $90/night, so 7 nights with tax around $750

Are you sure you want to drive? What is it, maybe a 14 hour drive? And the gas will cost you $300-$400 round trip on the low side. I bet you could get a good deal on airfare, and if you stay onsite, you get transportation to/from the airport and to/from everything Disney.

Food--I wouldn't get the dining plan. I would plan out what you want to eat. There is a site that lists all the dining places, but I don't know if I can post the link. DS and I split meals a lot until he was 13 or so. You can do character breakfasts, as they are cheaper than dinners, but have the same characters.

Thanks, I actually was thinking about the YES program yesterday! We would go with the $215 tickets to include the water parks and hoppers, which is a great value for a 7 day vacation.

We would like to drive because on the way home we will stop at my husband's cousin's house in SC. I priced the trip on AAA fuel cost calculator and it came to $280. Add in a hotel on the way down plus food and it's still better than flying (about $800).

I don't think we would do the dining plan after hearing from so many of you. I'd like to do one or two character dining meals (plus I love a good breakfast buffet) and have the freedom to eat offsite if we want too.

Now I just need to convince DH that this will work!

 

[budafam]

I know you wanted ONSITE but there is the option of Bonnet Creek... you can get a 2 bedroom condo with a full kitchen, living room & patio for $693 per week. It's much cheaper than a value AND you'd have a lot more room PLUS your own full kitchen where you could prepare meals and save TONS on food. The resort is inside Disney's gates so you're just as close and they offer bus service if you like using those.

I would also not choose to add the park hoppers... that'll save you lots.

Our first trip to WDW was in May of last year (2 adults, 2 children) and our total was under $2500 for everything (including gas from Wisconsin and back). It's totally possible

 

[Irin997]

I know you wanted ONSITE but there is the option of Bonnet Creek... you can get a 2 bedroom condo with a full kitchen, living room & patio for $693 per week. It's much cheaper than a value AND you'd have a lot more room PLUS your own full kitchen where you could prepare meals and save TONS on food. The resort is inside Disney's gates so you're just as close and they offer bus service if you like using those.

I would also not choose to add the park hoppers... that'll save you lots.

Our first trip to WDW was in May of last year (2 adults, 2 children) and our total was under $2500 for everything (including gas from Wisconsin and back). It's totally possible

Where did you find Bonnet Creek for $693 for the week? That is something we would be interested in for sure.

 

[budafam]

Where did you find Bonnet Creek for $693 for the week? That is something we would be interested in for sure.

I went through Ebay and found "Farrell" on there... if you wait till closer till your vacation time, you can get even a better deal but I booked ours 8 months out and that was the price I got. Can't beat it

 

[Irin997]

I went through Ebay and found "Farrell" on there... if you wait till closer till your vacation time, you can get even a better deal but I booked ours 8 months out and that was the price I got. Can't beat it

Thanks for the tip!!

 

[Macprincess]

This is so doable! Don’t be afraid to think outside the Mouse’s house. You have a car with you. That means even with staying on site you are not locked into every meal on property. Depending which resort you stay at or which park you leave you can find often find some much cheaper options to feed your family nearby. Some may argue that it’s a pain to drive off site but then many think wasting time in the hot sun waiting for Disney buses is a time killer. Every family is different. I’m all about giving info and letting each family decide what works best for them. You already have received great info on the Dining plan(s) so going to offer directions to some offsite places.

If you’re at Pop take a left as you exit the property onto Victory way. Go Left on Osceola Parkway. Right on International (Gaylord Palms is on the corner). This will dead end at highway 192 which is also called Irlo Bronson Memorial Parkway. There is a publix market on the corner. There are tons of restaurants on 192 in both directions. To the left is a Cracker Barrel, Red Lobster, Checkers, Taco Bell, McDonalds just to name a few. To the right there is a Chick flit A, Joe’s Crab Shack, Golden Corral, and IHOP.

If you would prefer the 535 side of town from Pop make a right on Victory way. Then make a right on Buena Vista. Follow this past Down Town Disney. Then veer right on to Hotel Plaza Blvd. This dead ends at 535 also known as Apopka Vineland Rd. If you go straight across into the shopping center you will find Sweet Tomatoes, Chevy’s, Taco Bell and McDonalds. (*don’t shop at the Godding’s market-It’s way over priced!) If you take a left at the light at 535 you will find a IHOP, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Steak and Shake, Olive Garden and Joe’s Crab Shack to list a few. If you make a right at the light on 535 you will find more restaurants and about 4 miles up is a super Wal-Mart.

If you stay at Bonnet Creek to get to 192 make a right out of Bonnet Creek. Left on Buena Vista. Right on Victory Way. From here follow Pop directions above.

From Bonnet Creek to 535 areas make a right out of the resort. Right on Buena Vista and then follow the above directions from Pop starting with veer right onto Hotel Plaza blvd.

If you stay at Bonnet Creek you will have a full kitchen and washer dryer. I would throw in my crock pot and start an easy meal to come home to for a day or two if I were on a tight budget. That way I could do a few table service meals in the parks or offsite depending on my budget. I’m not big on cooking and cleaning on vacation. It’s my vacation as well and when we do condo stays sometimes my family forgets this. I have found that by having a conversation at home with my husband about how we're all going to pitch in, even assigning jobs ahead of time, gives me a break as well. We have managed to find a nice balance of cooking and meals out on condo vacations and have saved a great deal this way allowing more trips. Again, this might not work for everyone but putting it out there as an option.

I hope we have been of help to you and you are able to get hubby on board for your June trip.

 

[sbmock]

You can always NOT get a park pass for each day you are there. For example you could not get a park pass for the day you leave and just do DTD.. we have a 7 day 6 night with only a 5 day park pass. day 1 and 7 will be at the pool and DTD..

 

[monkey30]

Hope you get to do your trip.

We have done Disney in $3500 for 4 of us airfare from Calgary Alberta included!

Keep watching deals, we like it when the kids stay and play free or free dining, we wont pay for the dining but hey if its a discount its worth it with my boys!

 

[natenapril]

Thanks for the tip!!

I also went through ebay and stayed at BC for a week in a 2 bedroom for $500 the first week of November. We loved it there!

 

[disneymagicgirl]

We went in Oct for 8 nights at POFQ under free dining and it was around $2500 for our package. That was with 2 adults, 1 junior, 1 child, and one under 3. So if you end up with a decent discount, it should be pretty easy for you.

 

[sdchickie]

If you add the water park fun and more to your tickets you won't need to get the full 7 days of tickets because you can go to the water park and DTD for a day instead of doing a park every day. So if you buy a 5 day park ticket with WPF&M you get 5 days in the parks plus 5 admissions to the water parks and Disney Quest and golf if that's your thing.

 

[LSUDis]

Our drive is 13 hrs. (around 1800 miles roundtrip). Our gas runs $450-$500 counting initial fillup for whole trip.

Hotel is around $100 night. Add in food and you are left $2250 for WDW.

Try leaving around midnight. That works for us after 13 trips or so of around the same length as yours. Leaving at midnight lets kids and other adult sleep past scenery they've already seen. Switch drivers near dawn and let the other driver sleep. Arrive in WDW around 1:00-2:00. Have time to go to parks, nap, if needed, and then go to the late park. This also saves a night in a hotel and a couple of meals. Every dollar counts!

Also, carry your own drinks in the car--enough for hotel, too. At drivethroughs and in your resort, carrying your favorite soda/water saves a lot of money. The markup on drinks is huge.

Plus, WDW doesn't have Dr. Pepper or diet Dr. Pepper, so I always take my own.