WDW on a shoestring budget

[fabfundisney]

Any fun saving ideas either before or while on the trip? We are a family of 6(me, DH, DD13, DD11, DS8 and an infant) driving down from GA. I am thinking of visiting sometime around April or late August 2010. In the past, we have always elected the DP so my family has been spoiled with TS meals. I'm not so sure if we should go that route this time....unless I can save somewhere else. Your thoughts are greatly appreciated!

[Frog]

I am curious where you will choose to stay while on a budget... (on or off porperty) esp with six (we are fam of five...) Hope you guys get to pull it off!!!

[fabfundisney]

We will stay at POR. I prefer to be surrounded by Disney Magic....bad experience off site.

[thrillme]

Can't you stay in the Values with 4 and an infant? That will save a bundle right there.

If you're going on a "shoestring" and you're driving down...You might ask if you REALLY need that dining plan. (I'm asking myself that question now). Breakfasts can easily be cereal and/or Breakfast bars, lunch could be sandwhiches where you bring your own lunchmeat and then you can "treat" yall's selves to a NICE dinner at one of the hotels or parks.

Buy the kids T-Shirts and/or toys at the disney store back home or at one of the local discount stores. Determine if you're really going to use the waterpark and more option or if you're going to only go to perhaps ONE waterpark. If you DO go for the waterparks and more option you might consider cutting back on the number of days of "tickets" you may need. On your day of arrival would you REALLY go to the park and on your day of leaving would you REALLY go to the park...on a waterpark day...would you REALLY go to the park? It's really not a big cut but every little bit helps.

I'm debating Disney this year. I have a 14 year old who wants to bring a "friend" this time. The extra child is an extra expense but we're figuring we can make it up by not flying and driving instead...maybe visit New Orleans.

[yourmagicalguide]

If you choose to go in April (11th – 30th) and book your vacation by March 27th, you can get a $500 gift card for staying at POR for 5 nights/6 days + tickets. Think of all the meals that gift card could pay for! Just a thought if you are planning to stay that many days...

DH and I packed a bunch of granola bars and snack-size Goldfish crackers to eat for our breakfasts instead of paying for breakfasts at the food court or at the parks. Plus, they were great as after-park snacks – and healthier, too!

[Genie1953]

If you choose to go in April (11th – 30th) and book your vacation by March 27th, you can get a $500 gift card for staying at POR for 5 nights/6 days + tickets. Think of all the meals that gift card could pay for! Just a thought if you are planning to stay that many days...

Here is another thing to remember....there is another special offer right now.....stay 1-4 nights at a moderate and get 30% off of the room rate...stay 5 or more nights and get 35% off of the room rate. It is saving us around $630 on the cost of our trip. You can't get both of them so we decided to bypass the $500 gift card and take the room only discount instead

[Disneyatic]

We priced our vacation both ways, with the room only discount and with the $300 gift card package and surprisingly, the gift card package was exactly $300 more expensive. So in essence you are prepaying for a gift card if you do it that way.
Not a deal to me if you are looking to stay on a tight budget!

[BeccaO]

Yeah, I did the math for the discounts right now too and the room only discount is the best deal. The gift card deal is not really a deal, you are simply pre-paying for a gift-card, as stated above. I figured a couple different discounts out and the gift card always came up the same, not a deal in my mind.

[Mickey's 4Walls]

You know the DP is usually FREE in the Fall - So I'd wait until then! That's my plan this year! WE love to see it in the Halloween Decor! It's less crowed too!We Stay at POR and Free DP! Good LUCK! Roll TIDE

[mom2morgan]

Can't you stay in the Values with 4 and an infant? That will save a bundle right there.

They've got 5 plus an infant. So few standard rooms will allow 5, that POR actually is the cheapest option - beats out two room at a value, and the ASM family suites.

[thrillme]

Ahhh...I see now. That makes it rough.

Too bad you don't have a pop up camper. You could do the campsite really cheap and I don't think it's an issue how many you want to stuff in that camper.

I'm kinda wishing I had one right now. I'm not so sure we're going to be able to afford it.

[theyoungs07]

We have 6 young children and found that staying in a rental home in Emerald Island to be the best for us...two words LAUNDRY ROOM. I believe we paid a somewhat high price last November (only 5 kiddos then) at 1250 for 7 nights, with 4 bedrooms and our own pool. We didn't do the disney dining, since we drove I just made a few late-night runs to Wal-mart and stocked up on some food for breakfast and the occasional lunch at home. I think we saved a ton of money just by staying offsite (5-10 minute drive to the park) and eating some of our own food. We did eat in the parks but mostly for character meals to get in the park early or TS.

Good luck! We're looking to go in May with another family and the 7Br houses rent for around 1200/week, split that between two families and it's cheaper than a value resort...hard to beat if you don't mind being off property.

[Tink#64]

We too chose the % discount on the room only rather than the gift card, a much better deal! For our fam, I've done the math, after several trips I know how we eat while in WDW and none of the dining plans are in our best interest, at least not right now. My DS's 12 & 14, count as adults for everything, but certainly don't eat like adults, nor do I! We always spend less on food than I budget, we always do breakfast in the room, & snack from treats we carry with us. We always carry water bottles & only get cokes with meals. One meal is usually from the food court, so many great choices & we love to eat poolside during our daily breaks! Those drinks are free with the refillable mug purchase! We have done hopper option & without, I'd rather give up TS meals & spend the extra $'s on the hopper option, but that's just us. We're not really food people, we'd rather spend our time doing & less time in restaurants, but of course that could change as DS's get older. We set a limit for souvenears for each person, and we usually only choose 1 "extra" activity to enjoy, such as putt putt, DQ, etc., but have never paid for the water parks & more option. If you're only doing 1 extra, cheaper to pay for that one experience. Lot's of ways to cut corners without cutting the fun! We've cut lots of corners to make some trips happen (1 year DH had just lost his job!) but we've always felt like it was better to cut some corners than not go at all!

[BigRedDad]

It as been a long time since I camped at FW. My vote is there, but a little more difficult with an infant. I am perfectly happy to camp and only pay $40-$50 a night.

[magicofdisney]

We bring breakfast food. We eat lunch in the parks and then drive off site for dinner. This has worked well for us because we don't do EMH.

[thrillme]

I guess for me being able to stay LATE at Disney and the free parking/shuttle is the only reason to really stay at the hotels. Other than that...MOST of the more affordable Disney Hotels have those stupid double beds verses outside hotels that have queen for a LOT less. But still...I usually stay at the Disney hotels because of the "nights" (I really wish Disney would open 24 hours in the summer...you'd NEVER see my face in the daylight).

Many outside hotels have been known to offer free breakfast too or have kitchenettes. One year for seaworld we stayed in Westlake Villas (I think this was the name I'm not sure)...This place was an entire resort, putt putt, pools, and a lake with some water play (the water play was a nominal fee but putt putt was free). Huge room with a jaccuzi tub and I only paid $70 a night...

It all depends on what you want. I kinda like the camper idea...if I had a camper I'd do this in a heartbeat.

[diz_girl]

If you're looking to save money, then I'd recommend late August for you. You get Value season rates, plus there is normally free dining starting in mid-August. I've heard on other threads that they may be tiering the free dining, offering thequick-service plan to those staying in Values and the normal dining plan for those in Mods and Deluxes.

[LVT]

April's crowded, but has better weather. We often share meals, especially breakfast. We take along the family sized boxes of snacks in order to have some in each person's belly bag. The refillable mugs work for us. When we leave for a park we transfer beverages to covered disposable cups for the bus wait and leave the mugs in the room. This is primarily for the coffee
addicts.