Where are you willing to compromise...

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Here is a link to a recent Bonnett Creek trip report. This poster also stated that it was cheaper to stay there than at a WDW value. and man you will be shocked at the room they were able to get. I want to stay there!!!

http://disboards.com/showpost.php?p=45153845&postcount=35

 

[auralia]

Did you mean mean going to BB in December? it can get quite cold unless you are from canada. Also one of the water parks closes some time every winter not sure when or which this year but check into it.

 

[robinb]

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

In order:
1. Cut your food budget - I would completely skip paying for the DDP. The QSDP is not even break even any more and neither is the regular DDP unless you are planning to load up on buffets and character meals.

2. Downgrade your hotel - This is a no-brainer to me. Downgrade to a value in August or follow thelionqueen's advise and book at Bonnet Creek for significantly less than you will be paying at CSR. You could also look into renting DVC points for a Studio at SSR.

3. Cut transportation (drive instead of fly) - I originally thought: "You live in Toronto! Oh, hell no!" and then I realized that your drive is about the same as mine is from Wisconsin . We take 2 days to get to WDW and 2 days home. You will need to factor in food for 4 days, hotels for 2 nights and gas for 4,000 km. Once I run the numbers I usually find that the savings is not enough to spend 4 days driving instead of 2 days flying and a rental car. You will have to run your own numbers. I have heard that Canadian airfare is so expensive now that some folks drive across the border and fly from the US. You may want to consider that.

4. Cut a nt. or 2 from your usual vacation length - I would consider this one, but I think 7 days is just about the perfect length for a WDW trip.

5. Reduce number of park days - Last on my list. In fact, I would upgrade your August park passes to Annual Passes and then use an AP discount in December and go to the parks every day! You could also take advantage of any free dining and pocket the 2-day passes and use them on a later trip. Of course, that may create a cash flow issue.

 

[chimilady]

If I had money, I would buy AP passes, and keep your paid 7 night tickets for another trip later on down the line in a year or two. It will save you a TON of money both now AND later when those tickets have gone up another small fortune.

I would downgrade the hotel on both trips, because I would rather have the days and memories than the hotel.

And I would downgrade the food for sure, doing more CS than TS.

 

[#1hoosierfan]

without a doubt, I would downgrade the hotel first. Part of the fun of the vacation is eating at the restaurants and we drove once (16 hours) and we said that if we cannot afford to fly from now on, we wouldn't go again.

 

[2disneyboys]

My choices in order...

1. Downgrade hotel. I have stayed all levels, and enjoyed all equally.

2. Cut or downgrade DP. but then again, we don't really like much of the table service at WDW, so CS and eating offsite is fine to us.

3. Drive instead of flying..again, we are onl 12 hours away though...

I second the upgrade to AP on your trip. It will just cost you the diff between AP cost vs 7 day cost then u can def swing the dec trip and maybe one more (I'm. Little greedy, lol) before the passes expire.

 

[jimandami]

Did you mean mean going to BB in December? it can get quite cold unless you are from canada. Also one of the water parks closes some time every winter not sure when or which this year but check into it.

The OP IS from Canada

 

[smcabee]

...

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.

1. Nope I start with length and go from there.
2. I could cut some from this since I tend to snack with a nice ts dinner so I could theoretically do cs and skip the ts.
3. This is my main budget saver. Im not there to enjoy a hotel, Im there to enjoy the parks. So if im not using my DVC points which I normally only use in Oct, I pay cash. Now I dont stay in some $39.00 a night place but I have no issues with the Value resorts or a reasonably priced off site hotel if there are no good AP discount prices left.
4. I dont fly since it saves me no time. Sure the actual flight time is shorter but having to get to the airport early and then get to the hotel from the airport it would be about 6.5 hours total. My drive is about 7 hours.
5. We use annual passes with a DVC discount.

 

[TandEsMommy]

I would buy tkts for MVMCP which would allow us to enter after 4pm, so that's really another park day.

Just wanted to point out that MVMCP tickets are in addition to park admission, not in place of. So you wouldn't be able to get an "extra" park day by paying for those, you would still have to have a regular ticket as well.

I would upgrade the tickets from your first trip to an AP, and cut a night or two. I would skip the trip altogether before I would drive, and I'm in Wyoming. I once drove from Louisiana, and that was about all I could handle. No way would I drive from Canada

 

[eliza61]

...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.

So here goes it for me, remember though every family is different. In order of importance.

1) Reduce the number of park days. Disney at christmas is a mob scene. I hate all the jockying and uber planning just to ride some rides.

2) Drive instead of fly. This would be an added bonus for me. I generally don't get the ddp, my family doesn't think disney food is all that great so I would not want to be stuck eating it 6 nights straight. going offsite to eat for us (we do it easily) is routine. 2ndly, once again disney transportation at the end of the night during christmas is a mob scene (or so I've heard, I never use it), we always have our own transportation.

3) cut a day or two from your vacation

2 & 3 are non negotiable for my family. we can't do the values (too small) so no way would I ever downsize to one. Meals are a huge, huge part of our trip, that's why we are so disappointed in disney meals some times. Since we don't eat out a lot during my real life, having great meals during vacation is some thing we look forward to. if any thing I over estimate my food budget.
Same with resorts. Resorts are hugely important to us. maybe because we usually go in the hot months so we spend a lot of time there. I have to enjoy the resort. I'll stay offsite before 6 nights at a value. although I havent been to the new AofA

 

[happygirl]

I would cut food budget and stay off site. You can stay off site A LOT cheaper then staying on site

 

[mdsouth]

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.

Why not buy the extra three days on your seven day tickets (total 10 days) along with the no expiration. Then you can uuse the additional three days tickets in December. Make sure you calculate the cost of the no expiration in too, because with that it might not be a good idea.

I am assuming that you will need to buy so many park days for the FD pin deal, right?

I would drop the AoA. It is expensive. Could you do Little Mermaid instead or perhaps CSR or another moderate again? AoA is pricey and closer to the price of a room at WL or somewhere. So, definitely downgrade there to a moderate room.