Tell me HOW to make Disney affordable

[ilovefh]

I don't know if the OP is still reading but I figured I would chime in. Of course some costs are fixed, but others aren't. You can really save money on where you stay. I know a lot of people on here like Windsor Hills but if you are truly looking to go cheap try going about 10 minutes further out to Davenport. Just using a quick search you can get a 4 bedroom place for under $600 for a week in late July.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

Another way to get affordable lodging - check with friends or family to see if any of them own a timeshare and have an RCI membership. RCI offers Extra Vacation Getaways and Last Call vacations for really cheap cash prices, and they often have extra sales. Your friends or family can purchase a week for you (may have to also purchase a guest certificate for an extra $59) and won't have to give up their own timeshare points/weeks.

I just checked for Vacation Village at Parkway which is right next door to Arabian Nights on I-4, just minutes from the Disney gates.

Extra Vacations are on sale for $229 for a week for a 1 bedroom (sleeps 4) during May through July 17th.

Mid July the price is $324 for a 1 bedroom. $378 for a 2 bedroom (sleeps 8) in August.

 

[Bubblegum1286]

Okay, here's my saving tips that I've been doing so far for a trip to DLR June 18-26th. Party of SEVEN. 4 adults, 3 children.

-We leave the 18th from Texas, driving (to save $$).

-Stopping for the night in Williams, AZ to make a stop by the Grand Canyon. We're staying at the Motel 6 West. It's newly remodeled and all Trip Advisor reviews say it's clean and in a safe neighborhood. For one night, that's all I need to know. I got a deal on Priceline for $85.

-Eating picnic lunches on the way down there. Hot lunches on day one (burritos made the day before and kept warm with a hot brick wrapped in a tea towel and put in a thermal bag, and then cold sandwiches the next day).

-I booked a 2 room, 4 queen suite at the Anaheim Islander for $170 a night. We called and spoke with a manager and asked if we could get ANY more discounts, and buttered him up by saying his hotel looked nice online, and he gave us the AAA discount even though we aren't members. It's nothing too flashy- I think it's a 5% discount, but hey- $$ saved! Calling and asking is always better than sending an email. It NEVER hurts to ask!

-I bought our DLR tickets through Get Away Today. We saved $70 total doing this. I did NOT get park hopper tickets. This saved $300 or so. Got the 3 day park tickets which comes with one Magic Morning entry. We plan on spending 2 full days in DL and 1 full day in CA.

-My youngest aren't big eaters so we will be splitting most if not all of their meals. This is something we already do when we go out to eat.

-I signed up at Earl of Sandwich for the free sandwich on your birthday. Coincidentally, it's my daughter's birthday week when we go, so that works out fine!

-I bought a set of trading pins and lanyards in a lot on Ebay for $30 (25 pins) for my kids to pin trade.

-I bought a special pin for my son from Ebay for Star Tours (last time we went in 2013, he desperately wanted to ride ST but was 2 inches too short. So this time we're riding it and he's getting a souvenir pin to remember it!) On the Disney Store website, the pin is $14.99. On Ebay, I submitted a "Best Offer" to a seller and paid $8.99 (shipping included) for the pin. It's still on the DP card, so I know it's legitimate.

-I bought all 3 of my kids Disney plush toys online. They all have the Disneyland tag on them, and are just souvies that people purchased and then turned around to resell when their kids lost interest. DS(6) gets Jedi Mickey, DD(4) gets Minnie, and DS(3) gets Donald. They're all 10'' tall, Disneyland made plush toys, and I paid a total of $29 for all three (shipping included). These little guys will surprise my kiddos in the hotel when we first arrive.

-Bought glow necklaces and bracelets from Dollar Tree for the night shows. $1 for 2 necklaces.

-Bought some special little souvenirs to surprise them with throughout our stay at Party City in the party favor aisle. Got DD some Disney princess gear ($1 for crown, $1 for Sophia bubbles, $1 for a Cinderella pen). Got sons Toy Story and Cars items (pens, bubbles, etc.)

-Asked family for special things before our trip. We're taking a beach day, so the kids' grandmother has a surprise for them of beach toys, her treat. Since DD's 5th birthday lands during our vacation, we're splurging a bit to do a BBB trip with her (the cheapest package). I can't afford the dresses in the park, so again, we turned to grandparents and asked if they'd like to get her a dress for her birthday. Grandparents ordered a beautiful $20 Belle dress from Amazon for her to open on her birthday morning and then we'll head for our BBB makeover.

Since our trip is just a bit over a month away now, we're really tightening our belts at home. We're eating a LOT of egg salad sandwiches, tuna salad sandwiches, PBJ's, chicken salad, etc. I know- a lot of salads. BUT they're really yummy and our grocery budget is shrinking like crazy! Every penny saved goes into our Disneyland account.

Oh! I also bought us Disney shirts and gear from Walmart. Kiddos and adults will be outfitted with Disney t-shirts and Disney gear before we leave to save in the park. I also visited Etsy and found a beautiful Big Hero 6 (my fave) mug for $13 that will be my special souvie for the trip. (I always get mugs when I got to DLR or WDW- I just bought this one ahead of time!)

:Edit: Forgot a few!

I frequent Groupon like crazy. I even had a dream about Groupon last night! Ha! I'm always on the lookout for dining deals in the areas where we'll be- right now there is a deal for Johnny Rockets in Anaheim if you don't mind eating offsite!

Also- If you're interested in visiting the Santa Monica Pier (something we are doing), there is a discount available if you google it. It saves you on pier tickets and you can purchase up to 6.

And lastly- The week we will be at DLR, the newest Disney Pixar film, "Inside Out" will premier. We are SO excited to see this movie!!! So as a special treat, we're going to see it at the AMC in DTD. I've been collecting Disney Movie Reward codes for the past year like a crazy person and begging from friends and family members every time they purchase a Disney movie. For 600 points, you can get a Disney movie voucher that's good for up to $10 ticket. Right now we have 3 vouchers. Yes, the AMC in DTD is pricey (I think it's $13 for adult, $11 for kids), but that saves us $30 for the movie!! Worth it! I'm still collecting codes of course, and hoping to get more vouchers before we leave.

Hope this helps someone.
-Kat

 

[Sunshine25]

There are several communities in Davenport and its only about 15 minutes from Disney (we own a property there) Try VRBO/Homeaway - Regal Palms is very affordable.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I have a friend who stayed in Orlando with Air B & B last week & found it to be a lovely experience. We've personally stayed at a lovely Marriott Grande Vista in a 2 bedroom Villa for 3 nights for about $250 in exchange for my time to sit though the sales pitch, as long as you have your own car and can disengage after the contractually obligated time it was worth it to us, I just did it on a non park/pool day so no loss to me. They wanted to put us in a small room but when I explained that I would never buy that size due to our young adult mixed gender children's ages they gave us the bigger one albeit for more $, still it was nice to have all the space and a washer dryer in our room after the first few days. It seems that when I call to book a room at a Marriott hotel they will ask interested in hearing about a deal and if you agree they will hand you off to their timeshare people- works for me. Anyway, I've found the timeshare is best to grab for the higher $ weekend dates and then shift to WDW on site mid week.

 

[savannie]

I'd sign your kids up for the Y.E.S. program if they're the right ages. We actually created a blog to help families like yours go to Disney World without mortgaging their home. The link to it is in my signature. We are adding ideas all the time, too.

 

[FINFAN]

OP, I didn't read all the replies but we loved our off site stay at Windsor Hills. We lucked out with a rate of $199 for a 2/2 condo. They have 3 bedroom townhomes too. Here's a link. They run specials from time to time.

http://www.vacationcentralflorida.com/

 

[luvdisney00]

I haven't read everything but I do like to try and save money for our trips. We are a family of 5 Disney adults so costs can add up quickly especially food. We use the Disney Visa and charge a lot of things that we pay off monthly. We skipped going last year so we have close to $1000 in points to use for this year. I also have the paypal visa that I use for eBay purchases and that one has pts that can be cashed out for Disney GC. I don't have the Target Visa, but I do buy GC at Sam's to save money ($300 in Disney GC costs $284.95) at 4% back through ebates. If you have Target you can save more but there are tons of threads on that. We also use Discover points to get Landry's GC and can plan a meal at Yak and Yetti or RFC for free. We charge EVERYTHING on a CC including utilities , cable, insurance and pay all off at the end of the month.

We got an awesome deal for the BC this August and we can squish into that room, but if I had 5 kids, I'd stay offsite in a condo and cook a few meals for the week. As far as what we do for food. I plan one sit down meal a day (some as less expensive like WPE in DTD and some are more expensive like Ohana and Be our Guest) and then we snack. We'll get things like 2 flat bread pizzas at Pinochiccos Village House to share and then ice cream while walking around and know we are having a big dinner later. Breakfast we bring granola bars and maybe buy a couple of muffins or fruit to share. I usually buy bottled water , pretzels granola bars, goldfish and nuts to keep in the room if anyone wants a snack . In 2013 we spent $1500 on food and felt like we ate really well.

Friends of ours have stayed at Bonnet Creek, Sheraton Vistana and Winsor hills and Loved it. Good Luck with budgeting and planning ! I really hope you can make it work. I feel like family Disney memories are priceless!

 

[Nicki S]

We have a family of 7 as well (did have 9 total). We are blessed that because of my husband's military service, we use AFVC to get a 2 BR Condo for $349 for the week--you have to be a Veteran to get this deal--and I booked during BOGO so got two weeks for $349! We are DVC members and have the discounted Annual Passes because we stay longer and go more often that the 4-day discounted Military Park Hoppers no longer make sense. We give each of our teens a $50 Disney Gift Card for use the 10 days we will be in the park ($5/day avg) and have a competition to see who can use that money the wisest (subjective)--that child will get a $20 souvenir. Any child can choose to forego eating in the parks and just use the money for souvenirs on the last day. We went to Sam's Club and bought mostly healthy snacks and divided them up so that each of us gets two snack bags for a total of 28 snacks--the one day on the road and 13 days down there two snacks per day. Then we label the snack bags, and it is up to that child (or adult--we get one too) to ration his or her own snacks. We take three days off from the parks and eat one meal out in town--an amazing brunch much cheaper than Disney. We eat all but two dinners and all breakfasts plus lunches the two other days at the room. We take a crockpot and put dinner on in the morning and have it ready when we go back to the room for dinner! Breakfast choices include cereal, bagels, oatmeal, and pop tarts except two days where we cook breakfast.

We are spending $500 on food (all groceries and dining out), $349 on room, $50 per child gift card (which we bought over time), plus $100 spending money on 13 days! Now, this doesn't take into account tickets, which were about $565 each for DVC annual passes, but the adults have gone three times and will go one more (total of 30 days in parks) and the children have gone 17 days (in parks, 20 days not in parks), so that comes out to just over $33 per child per day and under $19 per day per adult for tickets! Plus we get free parking and discounts! I realize some of the way we save money is by being military or DVC members, but there are plenty of things we do that others can do, too! Have fun!

 

[Nicki S]

Oh, when we do eat out--one brunch and one dinner with family--we either share or have a budget. This is something we do whether we are on vacation or not, and the adults get one splurge dinner out. Our children always have a budget when going out, as do we. We drink I've water and definitely take advantage of the free ice water in Disney, too. We sold our 3600 sq ft house and live in 1800 sq ft. We have paid for cars and won't buy new cars. Budgeting so that we can have more experiences is a way of life for us!

 

[Nicki S]

Oh, when we do eat out--one brunch and one dinner with family--we either share or have a budget. This is something we do whether we are on vacation or not, and the adults get one splurge dinner out. Our children always have a budget when going out, as do we. We sold our 3600 sq ft house and live in 1800 sq ft. We have paid for cars and won't buy new cars. Budgeting so that we can have more experiences is a way of life for us!

I have a friend who stayed in Orlando with Air B & B last week & found it to be a lovely experience. We've personally stayed at a lovely Marriott Grande Vista in a 2 bedroom Villa for 3 nights for about $250 in exchange for my time to sit though the sales pitch, as long as you have your own car and can disengage after the contractually obligated time it was worth it to us, I just did it on a non park/pool day so no loss to me. They wanted to put us in a small room but when I explained that I would never buy that size due to our young adult mixed gender children's ages they gave us the bigger one albeit for more $, still it was nice to have all the space and a washer dryer in our room after the first few days. It seems that when I call to book a room at a Marriott hotel they will ask interested in hearing about a deal and if you agree they will hand you off to their timeshare people- works for me. Anyway, I've found the timeshare is best to grab for the higher $ weekend dates and then shift to WDW on site mid week.

This is how my mother used to take us.

 

[momtosam]

I didn't read everything, but my advice is stay off site (we love Sheraton Vistana -- it's so close to the parks). Don't buy the dining plan. Eat most breakfasts in the room. Budget out your trip by buying Disney gift cards in advance. When in ore-trip mode I pick up one or two every time I'm at Target. I'm sure these are all things others have said.

 

[StitchBuddy]

I didn't read through the whole thread, so this might have aready been mentioned, my parents have purchased the tickets as gifts to the granchildern for either birthdays or Christmas when we were planning large family trips. That's the only wa yone of my sisters would have ever been able to take her family. Not sure howmch tie you have before you leave.

 

[MotherRunner]

We have stayed at Wyndham Bonnet Creek and it is amazing! I went through www.sunorsnowvacationrental.com to get the room. She has last minute deals (45 days out) that are incredible. I got a Sunday through Thursday in May, 2 bedroom/2 bath for $375!! Total for the trip. Full kitchen, grills, laundry in your room, 6 pools, etc. The resort is closer to the parks than some of the Disney properties.

I pre-made lasagna, meatballs, etc. and brought them frozen with us for no-hassle dinners. We made sandwiches for lunch and took them into the park. We made breakfast at the hotel every morning. We did 3 character meals and that was the only time we did Disney food other than Dole Whips and Mickey ice cream bars So to me I spent the same amount of money for food as I would have on my weekly grocery trip at home. Therefore it came out of my monthly household budget, not my vacation one.

We also drove down so we had a car. Don't forget to add parking fees to your budget! Although the day we went to HS for our breakfast ADR we were so early (bc we didn't realize we were next door) that we beat the parking attendants and didn't have to pay!

My kids get to pick one $15 item and that's it. I brought Disney stuff from the dollar store, etc.

Also, if you are campers and have camping equipment (or can borrow it) Fort Wilderness is a cheap option.

Good luck!!

 

[Sgt Mickey]

We are a family 0f 6. The last time we went dd brought a friend so it was 7. We are military so that saves us. BUT we always stay on property too. We has two rooms at animal kingdom during the summer when it was cheaper. I know I see lots of deals around that time like 30% off rooms. I bring our food since we drive. So when it is too hot at the park we go back to the room to eat and enjoy the pool.
SO like someone else said earlier you have to know what you want and what you will give up. We like the luxury of staying on Disney and think we use that to our fullest advantage.

 

[henry lutz]

Fly on wednesday

 

[quagmire0]

In my experience, here's how costs break down in order of most to least:

Airfare
Tickets
Food
Lodging
Rentals (car, stroller, etc)

For airfare, we usually go Southwest and take advantage of their bonus point deals for signing up for their credit card. You can reapply for the card every two years. The most obvious way to save on airfare is to drive. But, depending on your family and distance, that may be more pain than you're willing to deal with.

For tickets, we buy relatively early before our trip via Undercover Tourist. We usually buy our tickets more than a year in advance, so we avoid a couple of the price hikes by the time we actually go. You can also look to buy a smaller ticket package and use your off days as pool days or an opportunity to see less expensive attractions.

Our food is tied into our lodging. For pretty much the same price as a value resort, you can rent a car and a condo and make most your meals at the condo. That will save you a ton of money and also build in some down time in the afternoon when it is the hottest and people can really start to get cranky. We usually do as many breakfasts and lunches at the condo as we can, and then splurge on a few table service meals. But you can save even more with some more discipline. If you're staying at Windsor Hills, there are a ton of local carry out/delivery places in the area.

With car rentals, the key is to look very early and get the best price. Then, continually check until 'go time' for a better price. I've found that the earlier you reserve, the better though. There's lots of travel forums that have rental code threads as well.

But I highly recommend looking for a place in Windsor Hills. Very close, very affordable, very quiet. Pool, playground, and lots of space to unwind.

 

[Lotziix]

We stay in lake buena vista resort and spa they are good prices for 7 people

 

[KJMAX1]

We are a family of 10, and absolutely staying offsite is the way to go. I too am kind of surprised what Disney considers luxury. We have stayed at hotels in Palm Springs, and Puerto Rico that were luxury. We have stayed at value, all the way to luxury, and its just not worth it, especially if youre bringing your own car. Shoot, we rent two cars, and drive the 5 mins to the park each day and its still cheaper. We love having our own pool and Jacuzzi. If the kids want a water park, we live by Great Wolf Lodge, or we buy a day at Blizzard Beach. The best part about renting offsite is that we stay two weeks at 89.00 a night, and have break days where we get to explore and wind down. With a family that large, everyone needs some down time, and time to regroup from the go go go. My personal favorite thing about offsite, washer and dryer! No going home with dirty clothes, and we only pack 5 days worth of clothing! If someone gets sick, you have space, and quiet to rest and heal. Not to mention, you can cook some meals yourself! I get worn out from eating so much fast food at Disney, and getting to cook something at the house, is really nice, especially breakfast.

 

[momtosam]

We are a family of 10, and absolutely staying offsite is the way to go. I too am kind of surprised what Disney considers luxury. We have stayed at hotels in Palm Springs, and Puerto Rico that were luxury. We have stayed at value, all the way to luxury, and its just not worth it, especially if youre bringing your own car. Shoot, we rent two cars, and drive the 5 mins to the park each day and its still cheaper. We love having our own pool and Jacuzzi. If the kids want a water park, we live by Great Wolf Lodge, or we buy a day at Blizzard Beach. The best part about renting offsite is that we stay two weeks at 89.00 a night, and have break days where we get to explore and wind down. With a family that large, everyone needs some down time, and time to regroup from the go go go. My personal favorite thing about offsite, washer and dryer! No going home with dirty clothes, and we only pack 5 days worth of clothing! If someone gets sick, you have space, and quiet to rest and heal. Not to mention, you can cook some meals yourself! I get worn out from eating so much fast food at Disney, and getting to cook something at the house, is really nice, especially breakfast.

I ditto this a million times over.