Where are you willing to compromise...

[we3travellers]

...to shave off a few bucks? We are staying at CSR 7 nts. in Aug., but I am trying to talk DH in to a Dec. trip to AoA with FD. Need to shave the budget a little and not sure where to do it. I want to upgrade from QSDP to DDP, but maybe I shouldn't bother. Also thinking of 6 nts. and only 2 days park tickets since we are doing parks every day in Aug. I would buy tkts for MVMCP which would allow us to enter after 4pm, so that's really another park day. We will also go to BB since DS5 LOVES water parks and we have never been. If I upgrade to DDP, we can include a dinner package for CP on Epcot day. I really want to make this trip about Christmas, attending the events and seeing the decorations. Maybe 5 nts?

Okay, tried to post a poll, but can't figure it out. So I'll just ask:

1. Cut a nt. or 2 from your usual vacation length
2. Cut your food budget
3. Downgrade your hotel
4. Cut transportation (drive instead of fly)
5. Reduce number of park days

I know these don't all necessarily pertain to THIS trip, but I'm curious where others would cut the budget.

 

[HM]

I'd get APs for your August trip and use them for a week in December. I'd try for an AP discount on the rooms when they become available and stay in a value or moderate resort. I'd go without a dining plan and plan mostly QS meals with two or three special TS meals during the trip. Seeing as how your are in Ontario....I'd fly and use DME for transfer to WDW.

 

[thelionqueen]

The biggest $ saver would be to switch resorts (mod to value) and/or to not buy the dining plan.

I have found that renting from Vacation Strategy or Vacation Upgrades & staying @ Bonnet Creek (still on Disney property) is 3X the room with a full kitchen and LESS than the cost of a value room. If you did this you would have a full kitchen thus could order groceries and save a ton of money on both accommodations & food. Then stay onsite for your Christmas trip or if you like BC, stay there again.

Annual passes and the room/TiW discount would also save money over both trips.

 

[marmalade]

The only way we are able to comfortably afford to go this year is stay at a Value with free dining.

We aren't getting park hoppers, which we get every time and we aren't upgrading our dining to the regular dining plan this time either.

We are also driving from Buffalo, NY for the first time.

Get a dollar amount that you can spend and start playing with package prices online. I would however if I were going at Xmas make sure I got tickets to the MVMCP.

 

[Terkina]

I would cut the food budget and downgrade the hotel.
I would be more than happy to only eat CS. I would also stay at the cheapest hotel onsite if necessary. I would not rent a car and use DME and Disney transport when there.

 

[cluvsdisney]

I would cut days from the trip, cut the food budget or reduce park days before I would stay at a value. I would never consider driving so that's not an option for me.

I'd get APs for your August trip and use them for a week in December. I'd try for an AP discount on the rooms when they become available and stay in a value or moderate resort. I'd go without a dining plan and plan mostly QS meals with two or three special TS meals during the trip. Seeing as how your are in Ontario....I'd fly and use DME for transfer to WDW.

I think this is an excellent suggestion.

 

[luvmy3]

Of the things in your list, I would downgrade my resort and cut my food budget. Since I live in NY, driving would never be an option for me. I would give up a rental car and rely on Disney transporation. I also wouldn't get park hoppers, unless I had to cut the number of days there and I would miss going to a park because of it.

 

[DSNY4ever]

We never get any sort of dining plan. It is way too much $$$ in my opinion. I would do breakfast in your room, do one special meal a day. Drink water, split meals, bring snacks.

Driving is not an option for us (but we do that to save money for the DLR when necessary). With multiple trips I would be willing to do less park days. But if this was a once every 5 years trip (like it usually is for us- then no, parks are big for us).

 

[eyor44]

Seriously look into getting AP's if you are doing two trips. If you do 7 days and then 2 days, it can't be that much more for APs.

Then with the APs you can get room discounts, plus 10% discount on anything you buy (no minimum required) and you get a discount off of certain TS restaurants.

I would also price out driving vs. flying if you have the time to add in to drive.

What about switching from CSR to another mod? When I price them out CSR is usually the most expensive. Of course we love POP and AS Music. Or maybe rent points for DVC?

 

[mickeymaker2003]

Is Free Dining being offered at AOA for December?

 

[sk!mom]

...to shave off a few bucks? We are staying at CSR 7 nts. in Aug., but I am trying to talk DH in to a Dec. trip to AoA with FD. Need to shave the budget a little and not sure where to do it. I want to upgrade from QSDP to DDP, but maybe I shouldn't bother. Also thinking of 6 nts. and only 2 days park tickets since we are doing parks every day in Aug. I would buy tkts for MVMCP which would allow us to enter after 4pm, so that's really another park day. We will also go to BB since DS5 LOVES water parks and we have never been. If I upgrade to DDP, we can include a dinner package for CP on Epcot day. I really want to make this trip about Christmas, attending the events and seeing the decorations. Maybe 5 nts?

Okay, tried to post a poll, but can't figure it out. So I'll just ask:

1. Cut a nt. or 2 from your usual vacation length. I could cut back to a 5 day vacation. I would likely shorten the August trip though since it will be so hot then. Or make them both 5 nights if that is what fits your budget.
2. Cut your food budget Nope, we really like character meals and a daily sit down meal. It's a big part of the trip for us so we'd save longer to afford it.
3. Downgrade your hotel I could do this if it was value or stay home.
4. Cut transportation (drive instead of fly)Nope, not at my age. We did drive once in our 20's.
5. Reduce number of park daysprobably not, if we're at Disney then we want to be able to go to the parks but might be able to spend a day sleeping in, lounging at the pool- probably only one day. Also, once you buy a 3 day ticket each additional day is less than we would probably spend just hanging out.

I know these don't all necessarily pertain to THIS trip, but I'm curious where others would cut the budget.

If I'm understanding your current plans correctly, I would downgrade the August trip from CSR to a value. That would be my first cut. I love to stay deluxe but I do not see much difference between a mod and a value.

If that wasn't enough of a cut then I would reduce the length of the trip.

 

[MAD4EEYORE]

Is Free Dining being offered at AOA for December?

That is highly unlikely. They aren't on even offering room discounts.

 

[marmalade]

Is Free Dining being offered at AOA for December?

Not as of right now. When they put out the Free Dining offer for Aug-Sept they didn't include it at first but then added AoA on later. Who knows what they will do come Dec.

 

[KELLY]

I would stick with a value and the QSDP for both trips. We have done the QSDP the last 2 years. We actually prefer it.

 

[Marionnette]

1. Cut a nt. or 2 from your usual vacation length
Probably the most likely choice for me. I really don't like to compromise in the other areas because, to me, that's what makes my vacation more enjoyable.
2. Cut your food budget
I could see cutting back in some areas. For instance, instead of a tableservice meal every day, I could probably cut out one or two during a 7-night stay. In all honesty, at the end of any week-long vacation, I'm tired of eating out and just want a home-cooked meal.
3. Downgrade your hotel
I will only compromise so far in this area. I will downgrade from a deluxe to "deluxe light" (WL, AKL or even CSR) but I prefer not to stay at the other moderates, a value or offsite.
4. Cut transportation (drive instead of fly)
Wouldn't happen in my world. I hate driving long distances and would have a very difficult time motivating myself to get back in the car to drive the second day even when I know that Mickey is waiting at the end of that long trip.
5. Reduce number of park days
After the first couple of park days, the price savings on the fewer days is pretty low. I might consider dropping the hopping option in order to visit the parks on more days instead.

To be honest, unless there were some pressing reason for visiting Disney a second time this year, I would just begin saving for another trip that includes everything I want rather than settle for two skimpy trips. The time between trips wouldn't matter to me. When I'm on vacation, I want to be able to enjoy it with all of the things that I value in a Disney vacation.

 

[Marionnette]

That is highly unlikely. They aren't on even offering room discounts.

That's not entirely true. I'm not sure about the bounceback offers or the current room-only discount that is available to the public but I did get a PIN code that was specifically directed at AoA stays.

 

[kirstenb1]

I would cut the food budget and downgrade the hotel.
I would be more than happy to only eat CS. I would also stay at the cheapest hotel onsite if necessary. I would not rent a car and use DME and Disney transport when there.

This sums up my feelings perfectly!

 

[secretpantssam]

I'm always willing to compromise on the hotel. I don't need to pay a ton for a room I'm mostly going to be sleeping in. But I love to spend pretty much all day in the parks.

 

[we3travellers]

Thank you for all the replies. It is interesting to see what is more important to some people (TS, hotel, park days, etc.) I probably didn't explain this too well, but the Aug. trip is set in stone. We already have 7 day tkts., airline tkts bought and I did NOT purchase a DP. It is whether or not I can cut the Dec. trip enough to convince DH to go again!

I have a PIN for FD if I check in between Dec. 10 and 13. This would totally work as I would like to go the 10th to the 16th. We could attend MVMCP the 14th.

I love the AP idea, but I'm afraid we would not be able to confirm the Dec. trip until AFTER the Aug. trip, so I would really be taking a chance with that.

We have only stayed deluxe in the past, so CSR is a downgrade already, but I am very excited about our choice. DH said he would never stay value, but with AoA being new, I think he would do it, especially if the price was right and we had FD.

We wouldn't drive either. Much too far! I was just curious if others would do it to cut the cost down.

 

[AntePrincess]

The biggest $ saver would be to switch resorts (mod to value) and/or to not buy the dining plan.

I have found that renting from Vacation Strategy or Vacation Upgrades & staying @ Bonnet Creek (still on Disney property) is 3X the room with a full kitchen and LESS than the cost of a value room. If you did this you would have a full kitchen thus could order groceries and save a ton of money on both accommodations & food. Then stay onsite for your Christmas trip or if you like BC, stay there again.

Annual passes and the room/TiW discount would also save money over both trips.

OT but I'm really interested in this bit about Bonnet Creek. I keep hearing about them! What sort of room/suite are you getting for less than the cost of a Value? If it's on Disney property do you get EMH and use Disney transport from the hotel to the parks? Is there transportation to Universal?