Help going back to Disney?

[dolphinswimmer]

Hi! We are a family of five (two adults, one 14 yo, one 10 yo, and one 6 yo) and we just went to Disney last year for the first time in 7 years. However, we caught the Disney bug

and can't wait to go back. Last time we went, we went for 2 weeks and did 7 day Disney parkhopper, Universal, Busch Gardens, and Sea World. We went with extended family for the first week, staying in a large rented house, and for the second week we stayed in a hotel. This rather extravagant trip left us with very little cash for future trips, so this year we can't go back. When I found this board, though, I thought some money-saving tips might help us be able to go back before another 7 years is up!

We usually drive, although we have quite a few frequent flier miles to work with, as well as Hilton reward points. We can only go in the summer (because of school and work), so off-season trips are not an option. Any suggestions? I don't think I can stand the begging to go back to Disney for much longer!

 

[sbkline]

If you have trouble saving back money, maybe you can have more taken out in witholding, giving you a bigger tax refund check to use towards a vacation.

Or, same principle but different method...you could have a certain amount direct deposited into a savings account or something. Again, the same principle applies, being that you won't "miss" it as much if it's not on your paycheck to begin with.

 

[DisneyMarg]

This might not help so much for your next trip, but will be a big help on the one after that. Next time you go, get 10 day, no expiry tickets. You will be surprised at how little more it costs to add the full 10 days with no expiry. Use 4 or 5 days from the tickets, and then you'll have 5 or 6 days left over for the NEXT trip. We manage to "justify" a trip by how much money we'll save next time :lol: Last time, now that our kids are getting older, we used this line: "Well, we'll get the 10 day tickets, use 5 and then the kids will have 5 days left to use for a future trip when they become adults." But, oops, we're using up those 5 days on a Christmas trip!

 

[ThinkTink721]

Hi! We are a family of five (two adults, one 14 yo, one 10 yo, and one 6 yo) and we just went to Disney last year for the first time in 7 years. However, we caught the Disney bug

and can't wait to go back. Last time we went, we went for 2 weeks and did 7 day Disney parkhopper, Universal, Busch Gardens, and Sea World. We went with extended family for the first week, staying in a large rented house, and for the second week we stayed in a hotel. This rather extravagant trip left us with very little cash for future trips, so this year we can't go back. When I found this board, though, I thought some money-saving tips might help us be able to go back before another 7 years is up!

We usually drive, although we have quite a few frequent flier miles to work with, as well as Hilton reward points. We can only go in the summer (because of school and work), so off-season trips are not an option. Any suggestions? I don't think I can stand the begging to go back to Disney for much longer!

If you can, get a part-time job to pay for your WDW trip!
:wave:

 

[jiminy.cricket]

If you can, get a part-time job to pay for your WDW trip!
:wave:

Or maybe if one of you is old enough, you can apply for a job or College Program; then you can just stay seasonal and work there during the summers! You get a free pass to the parks, discounts on hotels (although not much in the summer), and some spending money. Although working there in the summer might make you disillusioned...

 

[ypcat]

One thing I recommend is getting a Disney Visa and start earning points. We pay almost everythingusing ours, and then pay off the bill every month. The points can add up quickly. Yes, other cards offer better rewards, but this way the only thing you can spend them on is Disney. This year, for example, we are paying for MNSSHP tix and part of our package using rewards points.

Also, I recently got a raise at work. After adding a little more to my 401k, we decided to set aside half of the remaining increase each paycheck. We should have enough by next summer to go again

I would not recommend having extra money withheld for taxes, unless you like giving out intrest free loans. Instead, just keep the money aside in a savings account or short term CDs and get a little bit extra.

 

[jjgoo]

Here are some suggestions.

1. Go in August as late as you possibly can. The parks get less crowded later in the Summer.
2. If you don't have enough Hilton points see if you can rent someone's Vacation Club points. You may find for the cost it is much less expensive for a nicer room(s). Plus you get to stay on-site.
3. I don't know where you are flying from but look for an alternate airport. You may find a discount airline flying out of there with cut rate fares to break into the market.
4. Check out mousesavers.com. They have a lot of tips and discount codes.
5. Consider calling a travel agent that specializes in Disney. They will try to work with your budget.

Good luck. I feel your pain, my DW and I have the Disney bug too.