This might be a weird question...

[Shadowgate]

Been going to Disney World since 1975 with my family but since 2005 I have been taking my wife and daughter every other year and we stay at FQ as that is the resort I have found to be the "sweet spot" as the most we can usually afford and with everything we most like about Disney and it has the best bus waits I have found and seems to not have issues with noise keeping our daughter up at night. Next year will be my daughter's 5th trip at age 13, so I think she is fairly lucky as I didn't get to go the first time until I was 10. We usually book early and then look for deals if there isn't already one being offered when we book.

I should add we also always try to go at an off time so it is less crowded and cheaper even if it takes our daughter out of school for a week. We have gone the week after Thanksgiving once and three time between NY schools two breaks in late March and hope to go again in late March next year.

 

[whitney37354]

First family trip we went all out: stayed atrium club level,MK view at Contemporary, deluxe dining plan, every character meal except Cape May, park hopper tickets with waterpark option. DH said it was a once in a lifetime trip. Now we are going back: pulling camper to Fort Wilderness, park hoppers, no meal plan. A friend has made a few dinner reservations for all of us, but otherwise, we are slowing down & enjoying the little things this time. DD will have two friends in the group of 12 that is going, so we're making it about her having fun with them.

 

[Missymoe4]

Not "the world". The WORLD, as in WDW. The wife says that she most certainly does need everything there!

Hahaha. At that point: go for a deluxe and forgot the knick-knacks in 'the world'.

 

[KCheatle]

We have tried all 3 levels of hotel (Value, Mod, and Deluxe) and having given them all a shot, we decided that Deluxe was for us. That extra bit of magic you get at a deluxe turns it into a relaxing vacation for us instead of what we felt like at the mod/value (which was part of a rat-race). It's usually my DH, DD (7), and DS (3) that go, although we have gone with my parents and my brother's family before. I'm not sure we'll do that again just because it was so chaotic to get us all organized.

We usually go once a year and that means I have to work a lot to make the money we need to pay for the trip. In fact, I usually have to work an extra 10-15 hours a week (work at night when the kids go to bed and on the weekends) to make it happen and continue to live comfortably. Some people would and have told me it's not worth it, but there's nothing I enjoy more than going to WDW with my family.

When we go we stay at WL for 8 days and we get the dining plan. I figure out which parks we will go to on what days and then at 180 days out I make reservations for dining accordingly.We like WL because of its proximity to MK. However, when the kids get older I wouldn't be surprised if we switched to one of the Epcot hotels since they'll be a lot more into the HS/Epcot rides and water parks by that point.

We don't go crazy shopping at WDW, but we definitely spend ~ 100-150/day on shopping/drinks and tips for meals. We have a pretty hefty bill by the end.

I haven't done this in the past, but I think before we go this time I'm going to get a gift card from Disney that has $1000 on it and have it linked to my room key so that we can spend knowing we've already allocated the money. That way we'll feel a little more "free" to get a glass of wine or a drink around the world showcase or some other little trinket instead of always worrying about the bill.

 

[tracyandalex]

Our family is the same as yours. The last few years we have done 1 all out trip per year and 1 or 2 smaller trips. The smaller trips are at moderate or value resorts. We always use room only discounts, be we are Florida residents so there are more deals available to us. In the fall DD will be starting pre-k so we won't be able to do an all out, but we will do a short trip in a deluxe probably. Without the Florida resident deals we probably wouldn't go as often.

 

[MomofKatie]

We have done almost all levels of Disney vacationing (as much as we can afford)- budget offsite motel, non-hopper tickets and offsite fast food meals all the way up to onsite Moderate resort, hoppers with waterparks add on, and Dining plan. We have enjoyed every one of our vacations for different reasons- the 5 day, less than $1000 trips as well as the 10 day, $2500 trips. We would rather not go into debt for a vacation, so we spend what we have saved when we feel we need a WDW fix.

Our ideal Disney vacation at this stage in our lives is to stay onsite at a Value (or Mod if we can get a deal), hoppers, and either QS dining plan or OOP prepaid with Disney gift cards. DD is in her teens and likes to bring a friend, so offsite isn't workable- the girls need to be able to come and go as they please and Disney transportation is important.

 

[bubbles1812]

Our family trips have evolved a bit through the years... As in especially my brothers lost interest, no surprise, in their teen years, but that's ok. For a trips now, they are usually just me and one other person... We are save up and stay where you really want kind of people. I'm also a proponent of trying new things so WDW vacations are spaced out. Maybe 2-3 times a decade so we can try other vacations. But anyways... I've never stayed in a value, always moderate or deluxe but we don't have a "home resort" we return to (again that try new things thing ). This past February we were at the Dolphin for the first time, which was very enjoyable . Usually we like to stay down in Florida a week but that has varied too between 5 and 10 days. We never have and never will buy the dining plan. For our family, we'd have to eat too much food even to break even. Simply isn't worth it though if it were free, I would maybe consider it, but it's not something we look for. TS is not a must for every trip though we had a few good meals in February (We made reservations a week in advance and still got good reservations so I'm not all that big of a *must book 180 days out or can't have good vacation* person. I do go through and look at the regular park hours, and EMH before each trip and plan which parks I want to go to each day. When I was smaller, we had a bigger souvenir budget but I find I buy less and less with the generic merchandise so spending money isn't usually a huge issue.

 

[Zipadeelady]

We are leaving in 3 days and this thread got me thinking...what does all out really mean? Its going to be myself, wifey and 2 boys (6 & 2). We are not on the DDP, we are staying at Pop. We are not big on TS meals as it just doesn't work well with 2 little ones. We may do one meal at the Crystal Palace, but besides that its going to be QS meals at Pop and in the parks. With that being said, I have roughly $1800 in spending cash for food and souvenirs for a 7 day trip. I've been told by some people that's more than enough and some say its not going to cut it.

$1800 better be enough, I'm budgeting $1200 for our family of 5 for food for our 6 day trip and my kids are 17, 14 and 10....I'm sure they will eat more than your boys!!

Let me know how goes.

 

[DaddyDisneyMan]

$1800 better be enough, I'm budgeting $1200 for our family of 5 for food for our 6 day trip and my kids are 17, 14 and 10....I'm sure they will eat more than your boys!!

Let me know how goes.

I will let you know when we get back.

 

[bethymouse]

2 adults 2 kids age 8. We go every year, but that's getting harder to do. We love to go every year, but my husband has been spoiled, and only wants a deluxe resort now. We save throughout the year, usually about 5,000$. We try differnt places each time, but know we just can't afford the GF or Contemporary unless we do go every other year. We're going to try to save for the BC December 2014? We look for discounts. We always book resort, tickets, and the dining plan. We never stay off site. If we have to stay off site due to $, then we just won't go. We don't do Park Hopper or Water Parks & More option. In other words, we don't go "all out". We usually drive, but this time we booked a flight. It's a bit more, but my hubby is tired of the 14 hour drive.

 

[jmorri26]

Every time is different, but for my family growing up and for me now with my own family, Disney is a special place that I want to go to as much or more than most kids, so I want to enjoy it. We save up and that's our big vacation. Next trip is a Deluxe. Trip before that was moderate. I grew up staying at Poly one time, an offsite Holiday Inn next. If we have the means, we do. If not, make do.

 

[moonwishes2013]

Save,Save,& Save!!! We went this past Febuary, we saved for the trip, booked the Stay,Play & Dine Package, everything & I mean everything, rental car, (1540 miles d&B-family car is pd for but we do not feel it is safe enough for that distance), gas, photo-pass, photo-pass memories book, new clothes, dog boarding, ect. ect. - cost was around $5400.00 for a family of 4, 3 adults & one 4yr old, stay in a suite at AOA, for 7 nights & 6-day park tickets. We do not go out to eat, or to the movies, mostly do things that do not cost anything, so we save for vacations this way. Birthday & Christmas money, change, anything extra goes in the vacation bank.
We took $1200.00 with us, for gas & anything extra, came back with $600.00.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

We bought into DVC. We get a studio every time (there's only four of us) instead of a one bedroom and will usually do the standard view rooms (except at Animal Kingdom, and that we only do for a few nights anyway). We never get the dining plan, but we do enjoy eating sit down rather than counter service. We'll do some of the more expensive meals but also some less expensive ones. We purchased Tables in Wonderland. We spend a lot of time down there, and it becomes worth it. The dining plan isn't worth it since my younger brother still orders off the kids menu even though he's 11, and most of us in our group prefer appetizers to dessert. We usually go without dessert. Plus we would have to pay for it, so no dining plan. Too restrictive. We also are annual pass holders, which offers us discounts and such. Since we're staying for a while and going at least twice a year, it's worth it. In the summer when we hang around the pool most of the day, refillable mugs are the biggest budget controller. That, and cereal in the room rather than going down and getting something (though I'll get a pastry sometimes, especially towards the end when cereal starts running low). We bring the cereal ourselves. We don't rent a car. No reason to with staying on property. We fly, but we fly Southwest and wait to find the lowest fairs possible.

At home we do stuff to save up. We don't go out to eat much at home (I mean, maybe once or twice a year to lunch. Maybe). We check for deals rather than just blindly buying stuff. We don't have expensive cell phone plans (what my father considers to be the biggest rip off ever, actually, my mother and I are the only ones with cell phones, and they're pay as you go!), we try not to spend money unless we have to. I don't go and just wander the mall with friends, otherwise I'd blow a ton of money. I'll see a movie or go bowling so I can control how much I'm going to spend. Basically, we try not to waste. The only thing at home we spend our money on is sporting events. I chose to stay at home and commute for college rather than live in a dorm, not just because my poor asthmatic lungs can't handle it, but because it's several thousand dollars that does not have to be spent. So ya know, waste not want not.

 

[DisneyBeatles]

My family of 5 ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS stay on disney property, and have not ONCE stayed at a value resort. We buy like 7 day park hopper non expiring and then will take 2-3 day trips over a yr or two. We NEVER take the dining plan because it is wayyyyy too expensive and we are not foodies so we eat cheap anyway. We drive the 17 hrs there non stop and don't leave the property. We make sure we always stay at some moderate or deluxe resort each time. We figure it to be cheap too.

 

[disneyfan1995]

Usually we will book the dining plan (5 people) which is great since you don't have to worry about carrying around money and you get desert out of it at table services! We also stay at a DVC resort (it's been Bay Lake Tower recently) and we use our points to get the room. We go every two years so we can accumulate our set of points from BLT and from Beach Club.

 

[James Clifton]

Outstanding question!! As you can see.....answers get a little confusing......each one is a little different...., few do the same... due to families, finances likes & dislikes being different.I am retired & single,I go once a yr.in Dec.Sometimes I take a Lady,sometimes i go single.I go deluxe & pay cash for anything & everything.Sometimes i eat twice a day ,sometimes I eat 3 times a day.i got burned out on the Poly...now I like the WL.I usually stay 3-5 days,that's usually enough for me. Could I stay longer?? Yep but 5 days is enough for me....if not....I live in Miami & can visit at any time i'm only 3 hrs.away.Forgive me....if I sound flippent about $$$ don't mean to be ...I manage my $$$ & use it to enjoy wharever I do.
Wishing you nothing but the best at wdw.
Jim

 

[DfromATX]

There are 6 of us. This June will be our 4th trip since 2006. Never say never, but the three things I'm pretty sure we'll always do are fly instead of drive, stay onsite, and do the dining plan. Resorts vary - we've done 2 deluxe and one value, next is a moderate. I'd like to do a different resort each time, altho probably never GF, which would be way too expensive for us. I have to draw the line somewhere...

 

[All Disney All The Time]

I'm going to have to agree with you here. $257 is going to be perfect for my family. DISNEY HERE WE COME!

Go git 'em Big Daddy!! Leave a mere husband and Dad and come back a Legend and HERO!! I'm rootin' for ya!

 

[wdisney9000]

While their carefree mention of their spending, ("Yes, we thought about saving 85% of our room costs by downgrading to a Mod, but I just can't LIVE without my $1,000 per night club level room at the Poly, you know!") may give the impression that just about everyone here is lounging around in silk smoking jackets with a teacup poodle in one hand and a diamond-encrusted iPhone in the other, let me reassure you that this is not the case! Most of us here are looking to save where we can, and consider even a bare-bones a Disney vacation a "splurge" all by itself.

We do a middle-of-the-road approach. In the past, we generally stayed in moderate resorts, in standard rooms, during times when there was a discount offer (usually around 20%) in place. We only get the dining plan if it's going to save us money, depending on where we're eating. There are four of us: 2 adults, 2 children, and we go for 6-7 days, 5-6 nights, and go during an average or lower pricing season. Total vacation cost (tickets, food and room) without airfare is $3,000 or less. We plan to go about once every 18 months.

F.Y.I, DW and I just stayed Club Level for 7 nights for $2,400, which includes food and spending money($3,000 or less). We do not have diamond-encrusted iPhones and we have a pit bull, not a teacup poodle. However...I am familiar with economics and I use this knowledge to plan our Disney trips. We sacrifice in other areas of our lives to be able to do Disney the way WE prefer to. I have as much respect for someone staying at a Value Resort as I do for someone staying in the Presidential suite at the Grand Floridian. You have just as much fun at the parks, regardless the size of your pocketbook. My wife and I save as much as we can before a Disney trip and save as much as we can when we are at Disney. To each his own. The OP asked, "how do you do it"? If a response to the post explains how someone finances a club level trip without breaking the bank, and that offends you, perhaps you should hold your tongue. If @coleandrachel needs help planning a trip, we should all be able to respond without criticism, as we all here to help each other. I hope you get to experience Club Level one day. It IS possible to do it for a fair price with proper planning and saving. As someone else in this thread mentioned, "That extra bit of magic you get at a deluxe turns it into a relaxing vacation..." May your next trip be magical and I look forward to seeing you at the Regatta Club!

 

[Gabe1]

But I was wondering.... How do you do it? When we go to WDW it is usually myself, my wife and our daughter (4). We usually always look for free dining plans and stay at value resorts because we want to have as much money as possible for inside the parks. I am curious as to how everyone else does their trips. Do you try to go "all out" each time? Do you only stay at certain resorts? Do you always get a dining plan? Please include how many people are in your party and if that plays a factor in your decisions. The thing is, I would LOVE to do an "all out" best of the best of everything vacation, but I would also like to go numerous times as opposed to waiting til I have the money to do this dream vacation. Plus with my daughter only being 4, she is just happy to be there. What are your thoughts?

We have racked up so many stays at POR, generally 2 weeks, 2nd FQ and shorter trips staying at Deluxe. We do moderates so we could stay longer. Dining plans were not a thing for the vast majority of our trips and am not a fan of them when I am paying for them, just doesn't $$ out for us, we are not dessert with meals and that seems to be the thing that makes the $$ favor getting the dining plan. Also with evening meals we tend to get an adult beverage so we don't get the free beverage.

But my last several trips DS being a CM, great discounts on rooms and dining plan. Think for the 1 CS, 1 TS dining plan and snack version, it cost us $25/pp per day. I can't match that out of pocket. So for now DP it is.