Trying to plan a trip on a college student's salary!

[mdoll4]

Did I say salary? I mean no income at all! I'm a full time student, and I want to plan a trip for my boyfriend and my anniversary over winter break. I think the offer right now to get the free dining plan is great right now, since if we went during our anniversary, we'd probably be getting at least one expensive meal anyway. For about $1100 we can get lodging at one of the value resorts, 5 day tickets, free food, and free shuttle to the parks! The only other expense then would be driving there from Atlanta.

The problem is..... $1100 is a great deal for a week long vacation, however it's not a good deal for a poor college student. I have the money, but let's just say it would make a SERIOUS dent in my bank account. (But the bank account is for personal expenses--my college fund pays for rent and tuition, etc. so I guess I can also argue that I'm not really spending the money on much else right now!)

And then I think--once I graduate in May and get a real job, maybe have to move, I probably won't have the free time to take a week off and go to Disney world. It might be my last chance to do something like this while I'm still young and "free"!

Is it a stupid idea? :/

 

[WishAndDream]

I think it sounds like a lot of fun! I have a couple of thoughts. Since you're driving to Orlando anyway, might it be worth staying off-site? Or do you have to stay on-site to get free dining? I'm thinking probably you do, now as I'm typing this. If you don't, though, you might be able to get a better room price off-property and since you'll have a car, you won't have to rent one to get to and from WDW. Also, are you getting park hoppers? If you are but think you could live without the park hopper option, you would save $100 ($50 per person).

Would the plan be for you and him to split the expenses? Because then you'd only have to pay $550... which sounds much more manageable to me, lol.

I really hope you can find a way to make it happen. Best of luck!

 

[Iris]

Keep in mind that if you stay at a value resort you will only get the quick service dining plan free. If you want the basic plan, you would have to pay for the upgrade. The plan does not include tax or gratuity or any alcohol so that would be additional expenses you would need to add to your total.

At this time it is not possible to combine CS credits to pay for a TS meal.

 

[WishAndDream]

Keep in mind that if you stay at a value resort you will only get the quick service dining plan free. If you want the basic plan, you would have to pay for the upgrade. The plan does not include tax or gratuity or any alcohol so that would be additional expenses you would need to add to your total.

At this time it is not possible to combine CS credits to pay for a TS meal.

Yep, I forgot that too. Is there a room-only discount available during when you plan to go? If so, it might be better to take the room discount and pay for dining, since if you want to do some nicer meals they wouldn't be covered anyway. You could probably find little ways to decrease the food budget (bring breakfast - cereal, bagels, etc - from home, for example) if you're not on the dining plan. You'd have to run some numbers to see what would work out better, but it might be worth considering.

 

[cassidyh]

Hi!!! I'm a UGA student too!!!!



My DBF and I are going over Fall Break (for his first time!!! and for our anniversary too!), just for three nights/two days at All-Star Sports. The cost really isn't that much for a short trip. We aren't getting free dining, but we have some Disney Dollars from my Disney VISA. It's actually a great way to get Disney $$$ as long as you pay your balance right away and don't buy anything you can't afford.

I think the deal you have right now is a great one -- $1100 plus free dining?! If that still is a scary number, maybe you could reduce your nights and pay for dining out of pocket (since free dining would only be QS food anyway).

I really hope your trip works out!

P.S. I am so glad I found another UGA student on the boards! I feel like there aren't enough Disney fans around here. What's your major?

 

[mdoll4]

Well, I realize that only the QS is included for free, but to upgrade to regular dining, it's only about $100 more. And I'm not sure how, but I went to disneyworld.com and booked a package, with the same nights, and included a dining plan, and it was about $1400+, and then using the link from the free dining plan website, it was less than $1000 with the free quick service, and then $1100 with added dining plan. Maybe they subtract the cost of the quick service and you only pay the remainder?

I thought about staying off-site as well, but that would add about $70 in parking passes, and then I would have to pay for food. It might be worth it, but last time I went I stayed off-site and made the trip as cheap as possible (cereal in the room, brought PB&Js for lunch, etc.) and it really detracted from the Disney feel.

We would not be getting park hoppers, because that's another thing we did on the last trip since we were only there a couple of days. It was soooo rushed, that I wanted to get single park tickets this time so we could really take our time exploring the parks, and have time to go back to the hotel during the day to take a nap or go swimming. We're real big on naps.

As to splitting expenses.... I've thought about it, and I know my bf would chip in, probably pay for all the gas to get there, etc. but I'm the kind of person who feels really bad asking for things of people. So I would only let him pay for part of it if he offered.

One thing I hadn't thought of was gratuities and alcohol (yay, we're both 21!), so thank you Iris for pointing that out!

Maybe I will more closely look into the budget of staying off site and buying our own food. Staying in a $40/night hotel would certainly cut some costs, but I do think the dining plan is one of the best features of staying in a Disney resort. Last time breakfast was alright in the hotel, but we were always really hungry just eating sandwiches and peanuts for lunch. :/

Hi!!! I'm a UGA student too!!!!



My DBF and I are going over Fall Break (for his first time!!! and for our anniversary too!), just for three nights/two days at All-Star Sports. The cost really isn't that much for a short trip. We aren't getting free dining, but we have some Disney Dollars from my Disney VISA. It's actually a great way to get Disney $$$ as long as you pay your balance right away and don't buy anything you can't afford.

I think the deal you have right now is a great one -- $1100 plus free dining?! If that still is a scary number, maybe you could reduce your nights and pay for dining out of pocket (since free dining would only be QS food anyway).

I really hope your trip works out!

P.S. I am so glad I found another UGA student on the boards! I feel like there aren't enough Disney fans around here. What's your major?

Hi! *waves* I'm an Econ major, Spanish minor. What about you? And I've been thinking lately about getting the Disney Visa. Have you enjoyed the benefits from it much? I just got my first credit card about a month ago so I would feel bad getting another one so soon, but I thought, hmmm think about all the stuff I could get with the rewards from a $1100 trip!

 

[cassidyh]

GRR my internet is being ridiculous! I swear I replied to this like three hours ago....


Basically---

I don't have my very OWN personal one yet. I use my mom's and then just pay her back right away. I'm getting in the habit of doing that before I get my own. I plan on getting my own next semester when I can get a job. Right now I have an unpaid internship with some paid opportunities on the weekends. I want to wait until I have a job and money so I can rack up the points!!

But really, the Disney Dollars are the greatest. They're perfect for souvenirs because you don't really plan that into the cost of your trip. Right now I even think there is a promo where if you sign up you get a $40 credit on your account or something like that. I don't know much about credit cards, but if you don't feel comfortable having two, maybe you could cancel the other one and get the Disney one!!