WDW w/$3000 budget, can it be done?

[Grendalynn]

Well, so I think. I recently looked into a package of similar size and found one room at PORS non-water view for just shy of $3000 included 6 day tix, no park hopper or water park, and WITH DDP! Even cheaper with Quick Service dining option. It was during the $500 Gift Card promo, which we figured would be our spending $$ and incidentals. Granted the travel expenses from NH were not figured into this as we were driving to Fl regardless of if we went to Disney.

Our scenario is:
2 Adults, 3 Kids (11, 7 and 3). In your case, the 2 year old "dosen't count". But that being said, I am not sure if you will still fit at POR, as it is the only Mod resport that will allow 5 in a room. I hear Port Orlean River side is by far the best mod and a greta location - having 2 modes of WDW transportation - water taxi and bus.

Run the #s on the disney website and call the cast members at 1 407 w disney - they are great and super helpful!! Good Luck!!

 

[trainingupmy4princes]

Not knowing what the future holds is one reason we thought of this trip....I've had some health issues recently that scared me silly. My husband and I figured we should quit talking about Disney and just do it, to create some really special memories for the kids.

$3000 would be our total budget for everything, it will be tight for sure. Having four kids also makes things a little harder...the world is designed for families of 4

We are a family of 6 soon to be 7. We were able to do a fun weeklong trip during free dining for under $3000. We were able to do lots of fun meals like character dining and SciFi. We enjoyed the magic hours and the fun pool at POR. I would wait for a good discount like free dining. You can stay in one room at POR as your little one is under 3. We have done this and it's a great value, 1 room at POR with free dining for 5. (under 3 doesn't count as he's free at all buffets which are most character meals.) You can have a more frills trip if you look for good discounts.

 

[TnTWalter]

3 bedroom condo! Fabulous.

We ate at Logan Steak on Tuesday night 2 for $13.99 and kids eat for $2.99 12 and under.

We did Olive Garden Carry-out sauces and breadsticks and I made the pasta one night. Fabulous.

We splurged on Crystal palace breakfast one morning [to get in MK early] and see characters.

Under $2k total with 3 kids [1 considered an adult at 10]. And each kid got a souvy.

Here's link to my blog about it and how we saved money. I break out where we ate and how much we spent, etc. On the bottom right you can click on the other info links to check out my info about windsor hills, etc.

http://tntwalterdisneyworld.blogspot.com/

We had a BLAST! And this is after staying at the POLY the previous trip [which was also FAB but less time and more crowded for more money!]

Enjoy!

 

[growinupdisney]

We have always done it for less than $3000. I find excitement trying to figure out how to do it and make sure its done!
We have a family of 5, we stay during spring break, stay on site,and eat at the parks(except breakfast)
Rm=$850 week
Tickets=$923.80 (no park hopper) or $1119.80(w/park hopper)
Food=$600 ( we bring snacks, but still have icecream each @park and popcorn to share) we bring bottled water usually never buy any drinks at parks this saves alot of $. we eat at Counter Service I go ahead of time look at the menus at the parks, pick where we would like to eat those days...I already know what everyone would prob. order so I know how much each will cost before we leave. This year we will prob share some meals because we ended up throwing away food because we couldn't eat it all

Souv=$200.00(sometimes the kids have more $ if they have saved their B-day $. If we go during spring break my ds and dd and myself will have just had our b-days so we have alittle extra to spend on souviees.

That leaves us with $231.00 sometimes we use it sometimes we don't.
We drive down and its 12 hours, we don't eat fast food in the car on ride down I make sandwiches, cold chicken, chips, fruit etc. Then we have the snacks for the week for the park. We do eat on the ride home but that never costs more than $30(taco bell)

We eat breakfast in the room before we go down I buy cereal, muffins, poptarts, fruit,etc. I usually start 2 months out and buy along with my weekly budget for groceries and just put aside(look for coupns and specials)

As for gas on the way down...We have a money jar that we put change in or a dollar or two in daily this usually covers our gas. We have an SUV and a van but husband likes to drive the SUV he says its more comfortable to drive the van would be less in gas but whatever makes dh happy. When gas are higher we have had to put about $60 into the gas fund.
We have eaten at TS at least 1 time each visit too we have the extra left over ($231) So as a family we decide if w want to or use it for dinner or more disny stuff!

When we have been during the less peak times this has been about $600-$800 cheaper but w/ the kids in hs its too hard to take them out of school.

We actually like going during spring break...if you are there at rope drop you can get everything done you want..We were there last year when the parks closed when they reached capacity and we never waited more than 15. Thanks to my disney planning and RIDEMAX! The kids don't really mind getting if they were at school they would getting up earlier.

I could prob save alot more money throughout the year but we always tend to decide to go about 3 months before hand so it doesn;t leave alot of time.

my kids love to shop but have always managed to stay w/in their budget and be perfectly happy, they dont know that they are missing out on some of the ts meals because they have never done it. My oldest dd is very picky and wouldn't enjoy those meals and it would be wasted $. My husband and I prob would but he is a chef already and can make wonderful already so we eat well when we are home. We don't go to WDW for the food!

 

[taximomfor4]

W
Rm=$850 week
Tickets=$923.80 (no park hopper) or $1119.80(w/park hopper)
Food=$600

Souv=$200.00

When we have been during the less peak times this has been about $600-$800 cheaper but w/ the kids in hs its too hard to take them out of school.

Wait, where do you get 5 tickets for $923.80? The cheapest I can find is like $1100.

 

[diamondpixienc]

It can be done...I recently changed our family's travel dates fr Sept to Nov and have a friend and her family who will be able to join us over the same dates and I just helped her book 6d/5n POR, MYMw/Hopper + Dining for 2658 w/o ins and a pin code via disneyparks.com on Fri.

 

[DawnM]

No, there are a variety of condos. You have to look when you are ready to book to find availability.

Sign up for an account with SkyAuction to be sent their updates and they will email you when blowout offers are.

Dawn

It used to be that all of their condos were $199/wk, but now they are typically $299/wk.

BUT, if you pre-purchase them during the BLOWOUT offers (you buy weeks and then book later) they are $179 plus a $20 service fee. The service fee is for the entire purchase, so if you purchase more than one week it is actually cheaper.

Dawn



When do they have the Blowout offers? Are all of the condos in the same complex or are they different ones?

 

[growinupdisney]

Mouse savers when they sent the secret link ( ticket price $923.80)

 

[WDmommyof4]

I think you could do it, but you would need to be very frugal. My mom and I are taking my four children all under 10 for five nights in a few weeks. My two oldest and I already have seasonal passes, but I still have to purchase tickets for my mom and two youngest.

The price for the family suite at all star music, (4) 4 day park hoppers (the will already have their free volunteer one day tickets), deluxe dining, $350 for tips, $250 for souvies, and $70 for gas will be about $3500, but we are staying on property and doing deluxe dining.

I would say that with you staying off property and perhaps taking advantage of a place that has free breakfast, you could meet your desired goal. Maybe bring sandwiches and stuff into the park for lunch and only each out dinner either at a counter service or table service outside the parks. It may not be the dream vacation, but if you have your heart set on it I think it could be done.

We also buy souvies from places locally or Ebay before we leave so we spend less once there. Pins can be had for as little as $1.12 on Ebay and are good for trading, versus a $10-$15 pin in the park.

 

[torinsmom]

I think you could do it, but you would need to be very frugal. My mom and I are taking my four children all under 10 for five nights in a few weeks. My two oldest and I already have seasonal passes, but I still have to purchase tickets for my mom and two youngest.

The price for the family suite at all star music, (4) 4 day park hoppers (the will already have their free volunteer one day tickets), deluxe dining, $350 for tips, $250 for souvies, and $70 for gas will be about $3500, but we are staying on property and doing deluxe dining.

I would say that with you staying off property and perhaps taking advantage of a place that has free breakfast, you could meet your desired goal. Maybe bring sandwiches and stuff into the park for lunch and only each out dinner either at a counter service or table service outside the parks. It may not be the dream vacation, but if you have your heart set on it I think it could be done.

We also buy souvies from places locally or Ebay before we leave so we spend less once there. Pins can be had for as little as $1.12 on Ebay and are good for trading, versus a $10-$15 pin in the park.

Do you mean you are buying 4 day hoppers to use in addition to the voucher tickets? You can actually upgrade those tickets. I was planning on doing the same thing until someone told me about upgrading.

An adult 4 day hopper is $277 before tax. A 5 day hopper is $280 and Disney would give you a $79 credit for the voucher ticker, so $201.

I believe the kids voucher will take off $68, so that would go from $244 for a 4 day hopper to $179 before tax for a 5 day hopper.

Marsha

 

[WDmommyof4]

Do you mean you are buying 4 day hoppers to use in addition to the voucher tickets? You can actually upgrade those tickets. I was planning on doing the same thing until someone told me about upgrading.

An adult 4 day hopper is $277 before tax. A 5 day hopper is $280 and Disney would give you a $79 credit for the voucher ticker, so $201.

I believe the kids voucher will take off $68, so that would go from $244 for a 4 day hopper to $179 before tax for a 5 day hopper.

Marsha

Yes, but my mom can order the military salute four day park hoppers for herself and my two oldest which are only $124 for 4 day hoppers, so it is cheaper just to get those and let them use their one day tickets for the 5th day we are there.

 

[codimouse]

Howdy!

We are from Texas and go every year on a budget of $2000-$3000.
we drive also. We have 2 DD's.

We do one character meal and then the rest just regular quick service meals.

We are not big eaters and the meals served at the counter service places are big enough for 2 so we usually share.

We also take our soft sided cooler for snacks in between meals.

I have booked off site suites and rooms from www.orlandovacation.com
All needed is $50 to hold. You can currently find 3 bd condos for $89 night. They also sell discounted tickets.

We have never had a problem with the agency. they work great.

We usually go at Spring Break for us because it seems cheaper because our spring breaks are early march compared to other districts over there.

You can do it. Save enough for one souvenir. Our kids ask for Disney cards for Christmas and birthdays. That way they can get whatever they want while at the parks. At christmas time it makes their day seeing Disney cards and they know our vacation will be here soon.

Again you can do it and it can be done and you will have a good time. Disney magic is wherever you look for it and whereever you make it.

We also have our Free Volunteer Vouchers too which helped and we loved making blankets for the Linus Project.

Safe travels!!

 

[torinsmom]

Yes, but my mom can order the military salute four day park hoppers for herself and my two oldest which are only $124 for 4 day hoppers, so it is cheaper just to get those and let them use their one day tickets for the 5th day we are there.

Gotcha

 

[rangermom]

Our first trip we went late May-early June and stayed at CBR. We are a family of 5 (DS was 1.5 yr at time). Our total trip was $4200, but $2000 was air fare. So that really left the WDW part only $2200. This included 8 days/7 nights with 8 day park hoppers and the dining plan. Had we driven, it would of only cost us about $600 for gas, food and hotels from Texas.

If you stay in a hotel on the way down, use Priceline.com. My DH has gotten us some awesome deals for some really nice hotels.

We also give the kids a set amount for spending money and get Disney gift cards or Disney Dollars and Tinkerbell brings it to the the first night we are there. We notice this helps us keep excess spending down, but still allows the kids to get some souviners.

I have been to WDW in early June and at Spring Break and would definitely chose June to go. Less crowds.

 

[kellia]

Our first trip we went late May-early June and stayed at CBR. We are a family of 5 (DS was 1.5 yr at time). Our total trip was $4200, but $2000 was air fare. So that really left the WDW part only $2200. This included 8 days/7 nights with 8 day park hoppers and the dining plan. Had we driven, it would of only cost us about $600 for gas, food and hotels from Texas.

If you stay in a hotel on the way down, use Priceline.com. My DH has gotten us some awesome deals for some really nice hotels.

We also give the kids a set amount for spending money and get Disney gift cards or Disney Dollars and Tinkerbell brings it to the the first night we are there. We notice this helps us keep excess spending down, but still allows the kids to get some souviners.

I have been to WDW in early June and at Spring Break and would definitely chose June to go. Less crowds.

Can you please explain how you can do 8 days at Disney including tickets and dining plan for $2200 for 5 people?? I must be doing something wrong, I'd figure more than half of that was just for tickets.

 

[tnkrbell13]

Don't know if anyone else has posted this, but Orbitz has a ticket deal here:
http://www.orbitz.com/App/PerformMD...mc_au=20100125_DLS_02X&strf=3&umt_un_ca=ri_em

It may save a bit of money.

I took my family of 5 for 3500 4 years ago with air from California! This included all of our food expenses, rental car, tickets, everything! We rented from VRBO.
and we all still have a non-expiring ticket and 2 water parks left over.

 

[CowboyCO]

I'd wait and go during Free dining. We don't spend $200 while we're there because we milk the dining plan for all it is worth. Either book two rooms at a value or a family suite for 4-5 nights. That would cost $1000, plus $1100 for tickets, leaves $900 for gas and incidentals. Buying food for 6 is expensive, so if Disney picks up that tab, it will save you big $$.