Saving for a Disney vacation? Don't forget about the extras!

[kahblue]

I've been reading a lot about how people are saving for a Disney trip or any vacation. Sometimes, when you buy a package you look at that number plus airfare or other travel costs and forget about the other little things that add up once you are there.

My dh sets up the budget for the vacation and anything over that I have to come up with (I'm a stay-at-home mom). This is actually really fun for me!

I make up my mousekeeping envelopes and put my spare dollars in there. When that's done, I feel like I've accomplished a lot and move on to the next thing. I figured out what baggage fees would be. I saved for that and was happy to feel like I'm contributing. The next thing was tips for table restaurants. I have that covered now thanks to my Disney VISA rewards card. Now, I'm working on spending money which i have been doing thru Sunshine rewards - $125 since November - YAY!

It's a great feeling to know that once we get home from our trip, there will be no other expenses and I can work on saving for the next year.

We're considering doing some different things like the hot air balloon ride and/or a horse and carriage ride. Those are on my list to save for just in case we decide to do them.

So, you can see my point! Make a list of all those extra things outside of airfare, hotel, tickets, meals, or whatever. Figure out the cost and start savings for each one individually and check it off as you reach each goal. it is really self-rewarding and for me, since I don't have a job outside the home, I really feel like I'm helping out with the cost of the trip.

KIM - Disney trip #5 August 2011

 

[DawnM]

It is all in there, including the dog sitter cost!

 

[kahblue]

I also have laundry, coin presses (my son collects those) and tips for the bus drivers.

KIM

 

[CouponCon]

About a year before we go, I make a very detailed list of things we will need for vacation...ex shampoo, conditioner, brushes, toothpaste...Then I take a plastic tub and start filling it up a little at a time. Usually by the time we go it has everything on my list and we don't have a couple hundred dollar walmart run before we leave.

Love Love Love the Planning!!

 

[Auntie Sherry]

I also stay at home. I Plan for every cost I can thiink of. Including Magical express tips, Mousekeeping, ride to the airport or parking garage. I even plan on the cost of printing photos or photo pass. I have all the money befoer I go. Last time I earned all the money by doing ebay, surveys, two yard sales, and I picked blueberries every day four to six hours for five weeks in the summer. It was a good felling to have everything coverd. I also went during the free meal plan. I did not pay one cent for food and took home leftover snack options.

 

[comicguy]

Don't forget tips for:

mousekeeping (extra pillows, towels, etc...)
Mousekeeping (daily room cleaning)
luggage handling, (airport checkin @ resort)

 

[tink&stitchmom]

I also went during the free meal plan. I did not pay one cent for food and took home leftover snack options.

Don't forget that if you have the dining plan tips are not included for the table service restaurants.

 

[myheartlivesatwdw]

Great tips. Thanks!

 

[momof1princess]

also, if you drive down, don't forget gas money and tolls!

 

[jgates]

I always factor in a few dollars for the ME bus driver & the bellman if they bring bags to the room. None of these add up exceptionally, but just keep them in mind.

 

[DisneyAndRedSox]

The budget buster for me is always airport parking! Boston can be well over $100, sometimes $200. When I went to WDW in Dec I saved a ton on parking by flying out of Hartford instead of Boston- still a direct flight on JetBlue.

Food and drinks at the airport. No matter how many snacks I bring I always get suckered into buying food and drinks.

Our last trip baggage fees (American) was a killer, totalled $150. They sent my bag to Guatemala- so I ended up spending another $115 in emergency supplies that I am still waiting for a reimbursement check. And I am still trying to get the $25 baggage fee returned for bag they lost! (Sorry- but shouldn't be an automatic refund when your bag is lost for 8 hours and then once it is found takes additional 25 hours to make it to your hotel?)

Other costs- we don't take ME- so I end up getting smart carts at the airport, $4 each way (sometimes I find a 'free' one outside as DH is waiting for the baggage to come out!)

One trip I flew in, then I had to pick up parents at MCO later that night, then drop them off at MCO a few days later, then I flew out a few days later- the tolls near the airport added up!

Someome mentioned pet sitting- my parents we going on a cruise with friends and they have several dogs (not sure if 2 or 3 at the time- one is HUGE)- it was going to be over $700! They almost cancelled the trip!

 

[MickeyP]

I was appalled at the number of people who did not tip their magical express driver! I felt terrible for him.

 

[fakereadhed]

I was appalled at the number of people who did not tip their magical express driver! I felt terrible for him.

ITA! But the same people are leaving tips for Mousekeeping, which isn't a tipped position. The DME driver IS a tipped position. Sure, he's not going to make you a towel animal, but he is going to drive you on your free ride to/from the airport and deal with your luggage. If he touches your bags, you need to pay up!

 

[Pembo]

Don't forget to budget for sunscreen! I just started buying some last night...as my kids get older we go through a lot more than when they were little. lol

Also don't forget to budget cash for airport food. We always seem to buy something at the airport before the plane home.

 

[NickNElliesMom]

I was appalled at the number of people who did not tip their magical express driver! I felt terrible for him.

OK, I have what might be a dumb question. We've always traveled to wdw with ex-h, and he's always taken care of tipping the driver. Have a trip planned end of August, and I have no idea what the appropriate tip is?

 

[GOOFY4DONALD]

I always tip about 1.00 a bag. I was the first one to tip after quite a few people so I made my tip a little more obvious, for the other passengers to see, and after more people were reaching into their pockets.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

I was appalled at the number of people who did not tip their magical express driver! I felt terrible for him.

Well I can honestly say that if I did not read the Disboards, I may not have even realized or known to tip everyone that handled our bags. We have only been on an airplane a handful of times and there was only 1 trip anyone helped us with our bags. We took a parking lot shuttle bus (driver loaded our bags), someone was waiting with a cart to move our bags when we got off shuttle, ME driver loaded and unloaded our bags, then we had to get someone to give us a ride on a little cart when we got to POR, because it was something like 1 am and our kids were sleeping in the lobby. So, 4 people handled our luggage! At $1/bag, 6 bags, 4 people ....$24 one way and I think we gave the guy at POR more because he transported us as well! It does add up. Another poster mentioned that he made his tip very obvious and then others followed. Perhaps those people didn't know until they saw someone else do it!

 

[tchrrx]

Baggage handlers at the airport:
ME driver:
Mousekeeping:
(We are staying DVC, so they don't come in every day. How much do we tip?)

Cruise ship-
Do we tip the driver that takes us to port?
Dining Room server:
Assistant server:
Head server:
statesroom keeper:
Do we tip the driver that takes us from the port back to WDW?


Who else do we need to tip?

 

[ekatiel]

Don't forget that if you have the dining plan tips are not included for the table service restaurants.

Great point, we budget about $20 per table service meal for tips (we have a family of four, two adults, two kids). That's always a little shocking to me, since we can eat at a sit-down place at home for about $20 (DH and I usually split and entree and the kids split a kid's meal). --Katie

 

[GraysMom]

Baggage handlers at the airport:
ME driver:
Mousekeeping:
(We are staying DVC, so they don't come in every day. How much do we tip?)

Cruise ship-
Do we tip the driver that takes us to port?
Dining Room server:
Assistant server:
Head server:
stateroom keeper:
Do we tip the driver that takes us from the port back to WDW?


Who else do we need to tip?

I'd like to know about the cruise tips as well. It's been 9 years since we've been on DCL and I'm guessing the amounts have increased a little since then