How can you afford to stay on-site?

[mikeymouse]

I've tried to compare apples to apples, but its just not possible. There are 6 adults in our party plus 1 infant. We pay $120/night for a 3bdr/3bath pool home for 10 days. King/queen/twin beds. All amenities. With park tickets, ground transportation, and food/souveniers, its about $3000 per couple. For us to stay on site, its at least $500/night and we are talking maybe 1 real bed, a murphy bed, and bunkbeds. Seriously? How do you do it?

 

[Tooning]

Saved up for 2 years, We need the convience of the buses, Bringing 2 babies and 6 adults so We need the buses so the grandparents and babies can go back in the middle of the afternoon or early night. We are paying the extra but feel it is worth it for the Disney Transportation

 

[vcstr]

I'll be staying in POFQ in May with my sister and parents (we all count as adults), we have one room two queen beds, the whole trip, including flight, dining, and a rental car, is costing around $4400. Once we figure in souvenirs and miscellaneous expenses, we can probably call it a round $5000.

That's actually cheaper than your $3000/couple, although to be fair we are staying four to a room, and adding a third pair of people would mean adding another room. The time of year you're traveling would also be a factor, as would the deals you can find.

 

[Uncle Lupe]

I work. It's how I afford anything.

Work is such a dirty word now days.

 

[ann0d]

Get a Disney Visa Card. .

That always help, we always end up with pretty many points! :sohappy:

 

[Disney05]

We have stayed on property for years. This year we're trying off property. All Star Vacation condo. It'll be different for us. First time renting a car too. We're a little nervous about not being immersed in the Disney magic 24/7 but we'll see.

 

[Tinkerbell 8]

We go to disney atleast once a year, sometimes every 9 months. We are 2 young adults, I'm 22, my DH is 24. We both work full time, and after we pay our bills, we put money aside to take vacations. We generally go on 2 vacations a year, one is always to disney, and we always stay on site. For me, it wouldn't feel like a Disney vacation if we stayed off site, because when I go to Disney, I want everything around me to be Disney. I feel that having to drive every day, and leaving the World would just ruin the experience for me, and it wouldnt' be a vacation. I escape the world when I go to disney, or go on any vacation for that matter, so having to drive, park, etc would just not work for us. Besides saving throughout the year, I have a Disney Visa that I put pretty much everything on to get points which I use to buy gifts/food/alcohol while we are there. As others have said, I do not go to Disney unless there is either Free Dining or a room discount. We usually stay at Pop, but sometimes we stay at POFQ, we have yet to try a deluxe. I always get the meal plan because it just works out for the two of us. We also drive instead of flying, and we bring our dog with us because it's actually cheaper to board her at Disney's pet hotel then it is to board her back home. Planning is key behind making a great Disney vacation, and it might take you a year to plan, but I feel like thats the best way to get the best deals and make the best out of the trip.

 

[Disneydreamer23]

i love staying on property and for what i get i don't think its expensive if you stay at a value you still get great perks free buses extra hours dining plans etc

 

[googilycub]

DVC. We go on two 10 day vacations a year at WDW. DVC has made it possible.

 

[Tomi-Rocket]

We use our income tax return and make our reservations a year ahead so we have time to pay it off. The earlier the better.

 

[Lisalyn]

I think it also depends on what you can afford and what your budget is...I'm helping a friend from work plan her vacation. There are 3 kids and 3 adults. Based on her budget there is no way she can stay on property. I found her a suitable option for offsite lodging and now she can enjoy what she wants to and stay within her budget!

 

[mikeymouse]

All excellent feedback, thank you!!!!

 

[dixiegirl]

DVC. We go on two 10 day vacations a year at WDW. DVC has made it possible.

Exactly!! To us its the best investment we ever made(for our family of four), only wish we did it in 96 when we went for our honeymoon....We go every year , sometimes twice, money wise over the past 15ys oh yeah could have paid fo DVC probably twice!! Only once did we stay offsite , never again, I like being totally emerged in the Magic..And the thought of driving...all set!!

 

[harryk]

I've tried to compare apples to apples, but its just not possible. There are 6 adults in our party plus 1 infant. We pay $120/night for a 3bdr/3bath pool home for 10 days. King/queen/twin beds. All amenities. With park tickets, ground transportation, and food/souveniers, its about $3000 per couple. For us to stay on site, its at least $500/night and we are talking maybe 1 real bed, a murphy bed, and bunkbeds. Seriously? How do you do it?

Have you ever looked at the DVC villas on property? This may be a less expensive option when you look at the amenities and convenience.

 

[dixiegirl]

Have you ever looked at the DVC villas on property? This may be a less expensive option when you look at the amenities and convenience.

You know I was gonna suggest that as well..I mean $500 a nite sounds insane! At least if a bunch of people are pitching in to stay at a DVC villa, having a kitchen alone and eating in, whether its breakfast , lunch or dinner will save you..The price of food alone is enough to kill your vacation..But we use Garden Grocer for our Grocery service, and they are great, prices and all!

 

[hiptwinmama]

Renting a DVC rental is a great way to save $ on a Deluxe resort. We initially booked a Budget level All Starts Resort Stay directly through Disney. Then I found out about the DVC rentals. I booked a DVC rental for Kidani Village for the exact same price and I had paid for the All Star Movies directly through Disney.


We were even able to add the dining plan to our room.


For 7 nights we paid $1160 for a studio, that's $165 per night. That's awesome considering that the room usually goes for $400-450 directly from Disney.

:ROFLOL:

 

[MaryJaneP]

Having stayed both on-property, and off, it has always been cheaper for us to be off. It has always been more hassle too. We prefer on-property and we save/plan to make it happen. But we would stay off-property if that was the only way we could visit.

We have two (2) change collection containers in the house with WDW pictures taped to the sides to remind us of what we are saving for.

Just a thought, have you looked at FW Campground? I don't know the specifics, but I would think you might be able to do better than $500/night.

 

[38053WDW]

Get a Disney Visa Card. We have over $1100 on our card in 2007, so we had four free tickets and a couple of hundred off of our room (we stayed at Pop Century). Just don't blow your budget so your paying fees. I charge groceries, gas, my cable bill and our house/car insurance. It really adds up. I have almost $1000 in Disney dollars now (we also went in '08 and '09 and used up whatever Disney dollars we had. But by next year I am hoping to have closer to $2000 Disney dollars, so staying on property won't be a problem. Plus I'll use the card while I'm there, so I'll start building the dollars up for the next trip.

Me like .. We have Disney Visa (Day 1 Card) .. may start putting everything on it (never thought of that) :lookaroun

 

[BeachClubMember]

Buy into DVC.... My wife purchased 200 DVC points at the Beach Club Villas back in 2002 prior to having children. Now we have 3 boys and have been able to stay atleast once a year if not twice since then.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Me like .. We have Disney Visa (Day 1 Card) .. may start putting everything on it (never thought of that) :lookaroun

We have the "day 1" printed on our cards, too. Hubby covets his like it's a trophy. :lol:

We actually do waaaay better getting rewards from our Discover card. We rarely, if ever, use Disney Visa. Discover gives you 5% on many common things vs just 1%. Disney Visa just rolled out their Premier card that gives you 5% but you have to pay an annual fee after the first year. No thanks. The percentage rate isn't as good either. Also, Discover will deposit my rewards $$$ directly into my bank account. No need to carry an extra rewards card. :wave:

 

[durangojim]

Work is such a dirty word now days.

I know. Many of my patients seem to agree, unfortunately.