Tell me HOW to make Disney affordable

[nugov2]

Sorry to hijack but I just don't get these!

Doesn't the murky swamp water negate the whole purpose of an overwater bungalow?

I'd have no problem shelling out that kind of cash for direct water access to crystal clear water but a runoff black swamp? Um no

Don't you know that Disney can stamp their trademark on anything and it makes it more valuable. I mean all of their hotels fall under this same logic IMO. Their "deluxe" is a decent Marriott at best and their concierge is a joke. When we stay concierge anywhere else there are major perks associated with it, but at WDW is is mediocre at best. It is why now that we are a family of 5 I won't drop money onsite for accommodations other than for a throwaway to get advanced booking, but they still sell so obviously a lot of people feel it is worth it. Plus people like the perceived image of luxury that saying staying onsite brings with it and I'd imagine the bungalows bring even more of that. I personally prefer real luxury

OP, I agree that offsite is your best bet. I would figure out what your budget is and deduct the items that won't really change pricewise and then figure out what you are left with. That will help you decide what add on's (CM, tours etc) that you have left. For me(and this isn't even just for money saving reasons) we chose to spend almost nothing on souvenirs and put more money into experiencing things. I don't know what time of year you are going, but a condo can be inexpensive and Wyndham Bonnett Creek and Windsor Hills are very close to the parks(closer than some onsite hotels) and you get a very nice resort with it.

 

[mjkacmom]

Since you are driving, tickets are going to be the biggest expense, and not really discounted. The longer you stay, the less it is per day. We rented DVC points for our last trip, but it was still expensive! I also suggest staying offsite, bringing in snacks, and eating as many meals as you can in your condo/house.

 

[robinb]

Your biggest saver will be staying and eating off-site. It doesn't make it "affordable" but it will make it less expensive. Don't even look into renting DVC points as you need a 2BR to fit your family and the cheapest 2BR is 287 points or approximately $3500 for a week.

I would look at VRBO or Home Away or Air B&B. You can get a 4-bedroom condo/house for about $125 per night.

 

[thr33boys]

I'm sure off-site would give you the biggest savings but I think you should also consider 2 rooms at POP. If you can time it right, and Disney follows suit and gives a discount, especially, the second half of August, it might be more convenient as your older teens can travel on Disney transportation on their own. You'd also not have to pay for parking at the parks.

Also follow these boards and Orbitz closely, Orbitz has been known to have their own promo codes that can be stakced with Disney discounts, from time to time. Finally, last February, Orbitz offered a 20% discount on activities which applied to Disney tickets. While there is no way to know if they'll do it again, it's worth continuing to check.

Price each possibility out and then consider the pros and cons.

Good luck and happy planning!!

 

[pmanko]

We stayed at BC a few years back and rented points from an owner -we stayed for 3 nights for a little over $100. We rented a one bedroom for ~$31/night - stayed in mid-Nov. She upgraded us to a 2 bedroom as there was availability at no extra charge. Also, BC has shuttle buses that should save you parking costs.
Key is to go during low season or off season - i know with kids that is tough.
Then get familiar with these types of sites w/ owners renting their points - you can really pick up some deals on points the closer it is to the time they expire - which, could put you in a bind if you can't find any suitable points to rent - so have a back up plan.
Eat in (obviously) and pack snacks/sammies. Take in drinks or get free water from QS.
Good luck!

 

[Pooh2]

We have driven down from NH with a pop-up camper when our kids were young and stayed at Fort Wilderness. We've stayed at cheap motels outside Disney and much preferred camping!
If you can do a couple of tents and find a discount at Fort Wilderness,it's a great way to experience being on property for cheap.
Not sure how many the cabins sleep, but that might be a way to stay on property as well at a reasonable price and be able to do meals at the site/cabin.
Good luck!

 

[ellochka]

Off-site is cheapest. Two rooms in a value hotel is the next cheapest. For example, if you get two rooms for $137/day on average, it's $275 a night less $18 parking fee, which you won't have to pay - that's still expensive. However, it is possible that a free dining deal will start in mid August 2015, so you might be able to save a bundle on that. Also, I see a $95/day rate at all star sports resorts the third week of August.

You also want to have breakfast in the room and bring your own sandwiches and water to the parks. Food is way overpriced there.

The only way to save a little on tickets is to ask everyone who works for a big company if they get company discounts. I work for a cable company (which obviously has to deal with Disney), and we get a slightly bigger discount than Undercover Tourist.

 

[avic77]

Everyone has made wonderful suggestions for you already so there isnt much to add. I do feel your pain, Disney did not take into account large families when building their hotels and packages. I really dislike the "Disney Adult" age of 10. I can understand 13+ but not 10!
Anyway for your large family I suggest much the same as others:
Offsite Condo or townhouse ( I got a 2 bedroom condo on priceline for like &55 a night one year and it was perfectly acceptable for us nothing fancy but it was clean and safe)
Buy your tickets over time (one a month or something like that)
If you can, and are disciplined enough, get and use a Disney Visa card for EVERYTHING then pay it off like you pay the normal bills you are putting on it. Use the points you earned to offset costs
Keep extras to a bare minimum. Dont add hoppers or waterparks or desert parties. All those extras add up fast ( I am fighting the add on monster right now!)
Plan everything in advance, make a spreadsheet. Look at menus to gauge meal costs, add gas, parking, snacks, dog/cat sitter. Know what your going to spend and stick to that budget!
With a large family 2 value rooms on free DDP could be a major savings. Watch the disney discount threads.

 

[Angrose]

Join Ebates and watch for the Orbitz 20% cash back on activities deal that has come out in February the last few years. Disney tickets are considered "activities" on Orbitz so you can get cash back for them through Ebates. The sight is great if you do a lot of online shopping. Before purchasing, make sure you go through Ebates first, search for Orbitz (or whatever store you want) and then click the "shopping" link to make sure your shopping trip is recorded in Ebates.

 

[Marionnette]

Others have mentioned rewards credit cards (Disney Visa, Southwest Rapid Rewards Visa, etc.). An excellent blog about rewards travel is thepointsguy .com. Other great websites that cover travel and rewards include flyertalk .com and millionmilesecrets .com. You might want to take a look at those websites if you're at all interested in churning credit cards for the bonus points and rewards.

 

[North of Mouse]

We are a family of 7. According to Disney's logic, 4 adults and 3 children. Tix to the park would cost over $2000. The cheapest hotel I can find (we would travel in July/Aug timeframe) which would uncomfortably fit 7 would be in the $1000 range (this is taking nothing into consideration, maybe proximity to the parks, just trying to fit 7 in 1 room).

Have you considered 'tenting'?? You can fit two tents on one site, cook your meals, and the cost would be considerably less than other accommodations.

We have a mh and stay at Fort Wilderness and wouldn't stay anywhere else - it's great with kids!

Someone mentioned your own water bottles, but you don't even need to do that! You can have free ice water at any of the CS places any time you want it - that's what we do - don't want to lug around bottles. Your tickets will be your biggest expense - not much to do about that. Wish you much

 

[danygirl]

The downtown Disney hotels are really convenient with their own bus system which is prett good. You can walk easily to downtown Disney. Two rooms in one if those hotels is cheaper than two rooms at a value. Their is one that is a duties hotel with free breakfast. We let our teens head to/from the parks without us because the transportation was so convenient. Unlike a value resort we walked straight out the door of the hotel to the bus. It was closer than walking to our car

 

[quiverofadams]

Hi there. Just adding my 2 cents. We are a family of 7 and we've been to Disney World 9 times. Sometimes we fly and other times we drive from NE Ohio. We always stay at the values with 2 connecting rooms in August or Sept during free dining. I my opinion this is the best option. Free food, free transportation from the airport and to the parks, exta magic hours and more. Work out the math and compare this option and I think you'll be happy!

 

[artemis4]

We took 7 to Disney last time and will do so again Sept (6 Disney adults, one child). I'll also say to stay and eat offsite as much as possible. Tickets through UT or Official Ticket Center save a bit, but that is peanuts compared to the savings of staying offsite or eating breakfast and dinner offsite and only having quick service lunch. YES tickets can also help, we did that program last time, but not this time.

Our budget for gas, road trip hotel for one night each way, seven nights lodging in Orlando, food, parking, memory maker, and 6 day base tickets works out to about $600 per person. We rent a times share condo (we don't own) to save significantly on lodging. I snagged us a 3 bedroom to sleep 10 for under $400 this time. I'll cook breakfast and most dinners (hello crockpot, my old friend). We've been using the Disney Visa for regular bills and expenses, paying immediately so no interest. The bonus dollars should cover the cost of all of our lunches, purchased snacks (we'll carry in most), and two quick service dinners. I haven't figured that discount into our budget yet. The savings from just that should be at least $60 per person, maybe more. I also over budget for gas. I always assume prices of $4 per gallon, and we are happy if we spend less. Most of our vacations come in under budget, and I already know that Disney in Sept will as well.

Our usual budget for vacation of 7 day plus drive time is $350-375 per person. Obviously a Disney vacation is more expensive due to the tickets price, but I feel that our budget is pretty reasonable for a group of 7 at WDW.

 

[Ginny Favers]

Well, you have trade-offs.

Make a list of what is important to you.

I insist on staying Deluxe on-site and consider eating out at the nice restaurants important to me. I also like to hop between the parks on any given day.

We used to stay there 10 days, and I actually found that to be a little long for us.

Over the years, I have discovered that 7 days is fine-- after that we end up rehashing the same things. Would it be nice to stay 10 days? Yes, but, budget.

We have also learned that driving instead of flying saves us a lot, and it's actually fun. Yes, getting down there in 2 hours would be nice, but we have a budget. We go at the end of the August, when some people think it's too hot, but it doesn't bother us, and it's cheaper and fits in our budget.

So my best thought would be to make a list of what you must have on your vacation, and see what you can live without. You can still have an awesome vacation, staying and eating off-site, doing everything budget... and those memories you'll have will last a lifetime. My husband still talks about the trips he took (with his family of 7), staying at Fort Wilderness when he was a kid.

 

[kymom99]

I don't know the ages of your kids, except that one is about to start college. I think you have time to help the kids save some of their own money for the trip. Even the youngest kids could participate in a garage sale or ask for money for birthdays. Put their money on a separate gift card for each of them. You may even want to add some to them and let them know that is all they get. Then when you are in the parks, if they want something you aren't willing to buy, they can buy it for themselves. I'm thinking of things like pop with their meal, dessert, etc. You can help them learn important skills by having them line up for a dessert after they have eaten their meals, and having them pay themselves. That way you can set a specific budget for your food and stick to it. For us, its those small things that add up, and there are only 3 of us! If your husband is anything like mine, he may need the same treatment. Mine can blow the budget with the best of them.

They can also use their "allowance" for souvenirs. People on here often suggest doing souvenir shopping on one of the last days to prevent impulse buys. You can take pics of what they like and they can review the pics to make a final decision. Many of the things they will see in the parks can be found in DTD, but not all. Also, you could take them to the area Walmart or Target and offer to get everyone something there if that will satisfy their wants.

 

[ldo]

either get the base tickets or do the YES program, which my kids really liked. Eat in the condo for the AM, pack lunches--or at least heavy snacks (cheese sticks, PBJ, salami, etc.) and eat dinner in the room. For a treat, let each kid pick a snack under $5 in the parks. My kids did not mind eating all meals in the room and packing lunch, if they could get a Mickey ice cream or other special treat each day.
I bought a lot of 25 pins online and let my kids pin trade vs. getting souvenirs. They really liked it. Then, when we got home, we made cork boards and put the pins on with photos from WDW for a great memory keepsake.

 

[DISNEYD14]

I don't know the ages of your kids, except that one is about to start college. I think you have time to help the kids save some of their own money for the trip. Even the youngest kids could participate in a garage sale or ask for money for birthdays. Put their money on a separate gift card for each of them. You may even want to add some to them and let them know that is all they get. Then when you are in the parks, if they want something you aren't willing to buy, they can buy it for themselves. I'm thinking of things like pop with their meal, dessert, etc. You can help them learn important skills by having them line up for a dessert after they have eaten their meals, and having them pay themselves. That way you can set a specific budget for your food and stick to it. For us, its those small things that add up, and there are only 3 of us! If your husband is anything like mine, he may need the same treatment. Mine can blow the budget with the best of them.

They can also use their "allowance" for souvenirs. People on here often suggest doing souvenir shopping on one of the last days to prevent impulse buys. You can take pics of what they like and they can review the pics to make a final decision. Many of the things they will see in the parks can be found in DTD, but not all. Also, you could take them to the area Walmart or Target and offer to get everyone something there if that will satisfy their wants.

** We always use our last day for shopping ** I also pre buy things on clearance from our local Disney Store and / or Target and give prizes each morning prior to leaving for the parks. My kids were 10-7-4 this past year and they love those surprises.

We also split QS meals all the time, they give you a ton of food anyway.

 

[kymom99]

** We always use our last day for shopping ** I also pre buy things on clearance from our local Disney Store and / or Target and give prizes each morning prior to leaving for the parks. My kids were 10-7-4 this past year and they love those surprises.

We also split QS meals all the time, they give you a ton of food anyway.

Yeah it seems like the kids don't even care about eating, at least mine anyway. Too excited. Soem special treats will make them as happy as a big meal in the heat.

 

[Mic]

It would take all day to list the ways to cut costs/save money on a Disney trip. We bought into the Disney Vacation Club in 1999 because we had 4 kids and options on property were limited and expensive, and we preferred being on-property. I agree that renting DVC points, staying off-site, or the campground are your best options. But consider all aspects of your choices; staying off-site will require a daily parking fee of $17 you need to factor into the cost of accommodations, and staying in regular rooms instead of condo/house will require eating all meals out. The absolute cheapest option would likely be Fort Wilderness campground, but only if you do not have to buy a camper or camping gear. I usually recommend Downtown Disney hotels for anyone wanting on-site without the price; you get free transportation, but not extra magic hours (except for the Hilton, which often has specials of $99-119 a night). But those are just rooms...no kitchens. An off-site condo or house would be a good option to cook, but factor in the cost of parking ($17 a day), and driving back and forth between there and the parks each day, maybe more than once a day if you take a mid-day break. Renting DVC is a great suggestion because you will be getting a Disney deluxe room for half of full cost, but it is still more expensive than the off-site option. You can always do a split stay with a few days on-site and a few days off...I haven't seen anyone suggest this yet. Tickets are your least-negotiable component of the trip...you can save a little with third-party resellers, but not generally more than a few dollars per ticket. Because you have a child going to college, you probably want to go before mid-August... not your least-expensive time of the year, but doable. If you end up going in the summer, maybe consider whether you want to spend long days in the park, or maybe want to add waterpark visits, even if you get base tickets. You can always upgrade your tickets once you get there, but you can't get a refund if you don't use all your days, so think carefully before you order. There are so many scenarios but this is what I would do to get the most out of my vacation (since you asked): Stay on-site for a few days to take advantage of free transportation, extra magic hours, and free magicbands. With a large family, that is a cost to consider right there at $12 each! Taking a mid-day break from the parks is a lot easier if you are a resort guest. Staying in 2 value rooms, renting DVC points, or camping at FW for a few days would be worth it in my opinion. You have access to all resort amenities on check-in and check-out dates, so maybe make those days non-park days to enjoy the pool or Downtown Disney (parking there can be crazy). DVC studios have a kitchenette (you can make breakfast each day); you will need 2 of them for your family. The 2-bedroom units sleep at least 8 (some 9) and has a full kitchen...you could easily make all meals. Fort Wilderness has electricity and water, a grill, and picnic table at each site. Driving down allows you to bring any small appliance you need to cook with at FW. Disney rooms are less expensive on weeknigts, so plan to spend weekends elsewhere to save money. It is free to park at Disney waterparks, so maybe visit them on the weekend if you split your stay. Just some suggestions. Feel free to PM me if you want me to specifically look up prices for you. Hopefully you can go this year!