Some advice for a friend (doing Disney on a seriously tight budget)

[punkin]

My friend is dying to take her boys to Disney and asked me for advice. Now I have taken some pretty budget trips, but I have been able to drive, use old tickets, and frankly, since I am cheap, not poor, a vacation is always part of my budget expense and I have the money. Her situation is different so I am not sure how to help her.

She fairly recently had a baby, so I figure the first way to save money is to go before he is 3...so she has about 2 years to save for this trip. Her oldest will be 14; the middle one 8 (child's ticket) and the baby won't need a ticket. So she will need 3 adult tickets and one child's ticket. They can't really drive because she can't (life-long New Yorker) and her DH will not want to drive all the way from NY and back by himself so I think they'll be better off staying onsite so they don't have to rent a car. With a baby, can they stay in a value? I'm thinking during free dining in August assuming it's offered? She is pretty limited to school vacations given the ages of her children.

How much do you think she'll need to budget? I think if she can save about $150 per month, she should be able to swing it, right?

I need some input on ideas about how to save for people whose budgets are already fairly bare-bones.

 

[hsmamato2]

they could stay at a value resort with the baby under 3-it would be tight,but budget- IF they offer a % off code- they could tote lunches in for food-etc etc like pb&j sandwiches....
pick a YES youth program date and get student tickets for the kids
or possibly take a free dining offer if available
tell them to put a certain amount away weekly till they have an account they can use for vacation

 

[DawnM]

Well, I don't think she can go this summer if she is saving $150/mo. She might be able to go next summer, but even then, she will most likely only have enough for the Disney portion but not airfare.

$150 x 12 is only $1,800. From now until Aug. of 2012 is 17 months, so $2,550. I really don't think that will be enough.

 

[sjs314]

Perhaps check into the auto train, which might be cheaper than flying and they would also have access to their car while in Disney for offsite meals or pick up breakfast foods etc offsite where they will be cheaper.

 

[punkin]

Yeah, I was thinking in two years. OK, so let's say $2,550. Do you think that $200 per month is more doable? I am not sure she can swing that honestly. I suppose if she's actually going to do this, I could spring for a 6 or 7 day ticket for the oldest boy's Bar Mitzvah this year. That should take $250 off for her and I pretty much have to give at least that much anyway.

 

[Kay1]

It's just so hard to predict what airfare and room prices will be in two years, and whether or not they'll have free dining at all. I think they may want to consider renting the car (I don't know how to find a great price but some her do) and staying in a bigger, cheaper room offsite. That way they can get to the supermarket and save on food. Maybe they could find a room with a kitchenette and really save.

I hope they make it and have a great time.

 

[punkin]

OK, figure, no matter how they get there, it will run about $1K for the 5 of them (unless they drive). Tickets will run another $1K. So $2K without hotel and food. I think this trip could be done for under $3K if she's careful. Now she just has to come up with the money (and I have to come up with touring plans).

 

[HeatherC]

Maybe they could do the YES tickets when they go? Don't park hop, etc.

Not sure what a cab from the airport would be, but they could also consider Bonnet Creek. Would be in a villa with the shuttle so no rental car. They could order some groceries in to save a ton on food since they have a full kitchen. May also be nice to put the baby to sleep in a separate bedroom. I know it isn't a Disney resort, but it is pretty much onsite and the amenities are beautiful. It is the one next to the Caribbean Beach. We pay $120 a night for 2 bedroom usually.

We usually stay offsite which may not be what they want. But wanted to mention that I use my Amex card for eveything all year and earn points for restaurant gift cards which also helps. Last time we had over $500 in free gift cards to places like Longhorn, Olive Garden, Red Lobster, etc..

This may not be what they had in mind, but it may be another option to consider.

 

[carebee21]

OK, figure, no matter how they get there, it will run about $1K for the 5 of them (unless they drive). Tickets will run another $1K. So $2K without hotel and food. I think this trip could be done for under $3K if she's careful. Now she just has to come up with the money (and I have to come up with touring plans).

Honestly, I don't think they'll be able to make it work for even $3000. You don't say how long they're looking to go, but let's just assume they're looking to stay 7 days/6 nights, using 5 day base tickets with no park hopping. Those tickets alone will run them $1000 today, and the price is likely to go up at least one more time before they leave. Value hotels in August are $85/$95 per night plus taxes and fees. And in 2 years, they may be more. So I'd budget $120/for the hotel, making the hotel for 6 nights, $720. And I think you're really low on estimating flights. Of course no one knows for sure what the prices of flights are going to be doing in two years, the prices right now for New York to MCO flights in the summer is around $250/person. Of course, this is just an estimate and may vary based on which airport she's looking to fly out of, but I think $1500 estimate ($300/person) is going to be more realistic.

All of these things eat up the entire $3000 and leave no extra money for any drinks/snacks/unforseen extras (medicene, sunblock, sunglasses or hats you forgot to pack, etc)

 

[punkin]

Yeah...it's not looking good. I really don't think anything over 3K is doable for her at this point. I will talk to her and see what her thought are, but at this point I do think it's a pipe dream.

 

[dsnymomof4]

Don't give up hope - I think it is doable. We've done really budget trips many times. The tickets are the biggest expense. I don't know much about the YES program - but sounds like it would be worth looking into. That's very nice of you to offer to buy the one ticket - I'm sure that would help a lot. Do you think the DH would want to drive if they break it up into 2 days - staying somewhere overnight to break up the drive. That would still probably be cheaper than airfare. We usually spend $300-400 on gas when we drive from NJ. Right now you can get a value room for around $70/night. They usually have discounts the last 2 weeks in August. They could bring food to have breakfasts in the room and bring snacks into the parks and stick to CS meals - even sharing - to keep food costs down. Good luck to them!

 

[punkin]

Don't give up hope - I think it is doable. We've done really budget trips many times. The tickets are the biggest expense. I don't know much about the YES program - but sounds like it would be worth looking into. That's very nice of you to offer to buy the one ticket - I'm sure that would help a lot. Do you think the DH would want to drive if they break it up into 2 days - staying somewhere overnight to break up the drive. That would still probably be cheaper than airfare. We usually spend $300-400 on gas when we drive from NJ. Right now you can get a value room for around $70/night. They usually have discounts the last 2 weeks in August. They could bring food to have breakfasts in the room and bring snacks into the parks and stick to CS meals - even sharing - to keep food costs down. Good luck to them!

I could let them spend a night with me, but that still leaves 14 hours of driving by himself. Now, I've done it, but he really doesn't want to. If they go before the baby is 2 (which means next summer) they can have him as a lap child on a plane. I priced it out for this year and that's under $800.

Her DH is also retired military, so I think they can actually get their tickets cheaper. Am I right on this?

Still very tight to do under $3K. She's not the penny-pincher I am and frankly not as Disney crazy to give up other things for her trip.

I'll give her the money break down and see if she still wants to do it.

 

[hsmamato2]

if baby is not yet 2, he can ride on a lap on the plane-stay in room as 5th person in a crib-
either value resort or shades of green discount- I think there's a military discount too on tix for the family?

 

[ZehnJahren]

With that much time between now and a possible trip. there's also the option of asking family for holiday and birthday presents of disney gift cards. That could be applied to the balance of any tickets, food, or hotels. They could accumulate quite a stack if, instead of a gaudy birthday sweater, they got a $50 gift card!

 

[ilovemk76]

The only way for them to go for $3K is to drive. She has two years to learn to drive.

 

[torinsmom]

Since tickets go up every year, I would save and buy tickets one at a time, starting as soon as they save enough for one. I don't think you should count on the YES program still being in play in 2 years. The tickets are good forever until they are used. After they buy the tickets, they could start saving for the room, and maybe by that time even make a reservation. They can put one night's hotel rate down if it is a room only reservation. A lot of times, deals will come out that are more savings than free dining, especially if they are on a budget. Like right now, they have 25% off value rooms for August-October. Usually that time frame is good for discounts. A week for $800 is pretty likely with a discount like that.

If they don't have a Disney Visa, they could get one and start paying everything on that and then pay it off each month. They would earn rewards that they could use for anything at Disney. I would also suggest they ask friends and family to give them and their kids Disney gift cards for birthday and Christmas presents. The kids can start a Disney bank, and everyone can save their coins. I also save dollar bills a lot of the time. Small amounts will add up over two years.

I think it is definitely doable. If they have extra money come in, like tax refunds or something like that, they could designate it goes to the Disney fund.

 

[starann]

We went this past Oct, flew from Philly airport, (Air tran, one flight as I didn't want to do connecting flights)

Stayed at ASMo for 9nights
10day Park Hoppers (ages 5,6 and 2 adults)
Dining plan (we upgraded to standard as free QS was offered)

Total was 4500.....so I think is she slices down it might be do-able. Is she flexable when she can go (go during a value season)? Where she stays?

The military discount may help....as will a Disney VISA....maybe joining Sunshine Rewars....and asking for holidays and such for WDW Gift cards! In the past we have used our tax return, is that an option for her?

The only real variable I see is airfare prices...who knows how high they will climb in the next few years.

I know in my case, if I want to go bad enough...I save enough!

 

[punkin]

She's flexible as long as she doesn't have to pull the kids out of school, which basically means the last 2 weeks of August/First week of September for the cheapest prices.

I didn't think about Disney Visa. I will tell her that as well.

 

[kimmyann]

Tax Refund. If they have 3 children, they should be getting back atleast the $3000.00 for the child tax credit. They also would have the time to make adjustments to their exemptions throughout the year and may not notice much of a difference. Even if they only use half of the tax return, that would help alot.

 

[carebee21]

I just want to point out, that you said they were hoping for free dining, but then I've seen talk of military or YES discount tickets. Keep in mind, if you/they are shooting for free dining, you have to buy tickets at full price through Disney to get that free dining. If there's not free dining, you need to add food/dining into the budget, because that hasn't been accounted for at all on here....