Where else can I cut cost?

[jsmla]

We are rope drop people and a couple of times we took teens who struggled to get up in the morning. I would make it clear that we were leaving at 8:15am and if you weren't ready, we would leave you behind. I am a person who keeps her word, and I did. It only happened one time and she went to bed at 11pm the next night instead of watching movies until 2am. I always laid down the ground rules before the trip so that everyone knew what was expected.

I kinda did it in reverse. When the troops began to grumble I said fine, we'll sleep in.

(The pro-late start crowd included:

DH who got a pass because he:
A) Had to get up early every day but Sunday in real life
B) Is not a theme park guy and only went along because he loves us
C) Had zero problems with our leaving him back at the camper
and most importantly
D) Had funded the whole shebang

and DD who, at 14, got no sympathy from anyone because her major complaint centered around the all important, life sustaining need to devote something like 2 1/2 hours to personal grooming every morning. To go to a theme park. In July.)

We arrived just before noon and spent hours in line, a lot of it in the midday heat, something my family wasn't used to. By the time it finally cooled off a bit we were a hot, bickering, exhausted mess. Everyone was up bright and early the next day.

 

[mjkacmom]

I am surprised no one said start a go fund me. See those all the time for people wanting to go on vacation. The difference between parking at downtown Disney and bringing food into the park is that your sandwiches, chicken nuggets, burgers, etc stink up the theatre and affect others just trying to watch a movie. Parking at downtown Disney affects no one and the service is even available for everyone, even if you are not staying at the resorts.

Not only are you depriving WDW of the parking fee by parking where you shouldn't (those spaces are only there for folks going to DTD), those spaces are limited, so you are taking a spot away from someone with a legitimate right to it. Definitely worse than bringing a box of good-n-plenty into a movie!

 

[KingofJapan]

Hahaha. Depriving Disney of parking fees. That's hilarious. Well then by bringing food into the parks you are depriving Disney of their food income. Also not referring to bring candy into theatres, I am referring to those who bring full meals. Ever sit next to someone in a theare/plane eating an Italian sandwich or tuna fish. Not very pleasant.

 

[Julylady]

The difference between parking at downtown Disney and bringing food into the park is that your sandwiches, chicken nuggets, burgers, etc stink up the theatre and affect others just trying to watch a movie. Parking at downtown Disney affects no one and the service is even available for everyone, even if you are not staying at the resorts.[/QUOTE]

I don't agree that off -site people parking at Downtown Disney doesn't affect anyone. Perhaps its changed with the opening of the new ramp, but I have driven around Downtown Disney parking lots looking for an open spot more often than I want to remember. When people who are staying offsite park there for the day to avoid paying parking fees and then I can't find a spot when visiting DD in the evening, it does affect me negatively.

 

[jsmla]

I am surprised no one said start a go fund me. See those all the time for people wanting to go on vacation. The difference between parking at downtown Disney and bringing food into the park is that your sandwiches, chicken nuggets, burgers, etc stink up the theatre and affect others just trying to watch a movie. Parking at downtown Disney affects no one and the service is even available for everyone, even if you are not staying at the resorts.

What? So stuff like smoked turkey legs and corn dogs are odor free when you buy them in the park? That's some kinda pixie dust, I'll tell you what!

I actually agree with you about movie theaters. IMHO, if you're over three years old and can't sit for a couple of hours without sustenance you might want to start watching movies en su casa. DH disagrees with me. He spends more one one Diet Coke than I do on a twenty pack and then spends part of the movie in the men's room unloading the aforementioned beverage.

 

[KingofJapan]

What? So stuff like smoked turkey legs and corn dogs are odor free when you buy them in the park? That's some kinda pixie dust, I'll tell you what!

I actually agree with you about movie theaters. IMHO, if you're over three years old and can't sit for a couple of hours without sustenance you might want to start watching movies en su casa. DH disagrees with me. He spends more one one Diet Coke than I do on a twenty pack and then spends part of the movie in the men's room unloading the aforementioned beverage.

Yea those turkey legs do stink but you are not consuming them in an enclosed area where people will have to smell it for a few hrs.

 

[emilayyx0]

I am taking my DD 15 and her 2 friends in July for a week. I am usually pretty budget savvy and am on a strict $3000 budget. Just looking for additional savings I may have overlooked. Friends are paying for Disney tickets and flights. Here's the budget so far:

townhouse 988 (this is a done deal after much research, I know there are some cheaper, but this one works for us)

car rental $250 (Dollar with a discount code, will keep attaching for price drops)
parking for 7 days $120
flight for me and DD (paid some with points on Southwest) $285
travel insurance $89
airport parking $35
Disney tickets $764 (will be slightly cheaper once I get the mousesavers newsletter)

that leaves us $469 for food for the week

I am hoping to give them each a $5 snack per day (it is July and I know I will want something cold to eat)=$140

We plan to eat all breakfasts and suppers at the townhouse so also looking for easy meal ideas

Townhouses are a good idea, but you know now you have to pay for parking every time you go into the park, right? Honestly, I recommend doing this: go park at a resort in the morning, such as Contemporary or something. Tell them you have reservations at Chef Mickey's or something for breakfast, and they'll let you go park. They don't confirm your reservation or anything, so they don't know that you don't actually have a reservation there. Resorts don't let you park unless you're a guest or you have a reservation, but they don't know that you dont have one so its ok. Then just take the monorail to magic kingdom, or to transportation and ticket center and get on the epcot monorail. That way you're not paying for parking. Only pay for parking for when you do animal kingdom or hollywood studios or anywhere that the monorail doesn't go. Downtown Disney's parking is free too. This saves parking money.

Order disney tix from either the target gift card thing as you said below or from Undercover Tourist. For breakfast, you can get a box of those frozen breakfast sandwiches. Maybe some fruit. Maybe some muffins. Some granola bars, or a few boxes of cereal and a gallon of milk. All are cheap. For dinner, do simple things: hotdogs, hamburgers, mac and cheese, sandwiches, grilled cheese, salad, maybe order a pizza one night. There's many grocery stores near disney property for easy convenience. also, re-usable water bottles and a couple boxes of cans of soda are easy and cheap.

Good luck and have fun

(trust me, I'm on a college student's budget, and this is my third trip on this small budget, and i've still always had fun. you'll find a way)

 

[jsmla]

But you definitely referenced the smell of food brought into the park

I am surprised no one said start a go fund me. See those all the time for people wanting to go on vacation. The difference between parking at downtown Disney and bringing food into the park is that your sandwiches, chicken nuggets, burgers, etc stink up the theatre and affect others just trying to watch a movie. Parking at downtown Disney affects no one and the service is even available for everyone, even if you are not staying at the resorts.

 

[mjkacmom]

Townhouses are a good idea, but you know now you have to pay for parking every time you go into the park, right? Honestly, I recommend doing this: go park at a resort in the morning, such as Contemporary or something. Tell them you have reservations at Chef Mickey's or something for breakfast, and they'll let you go park. They don't confirm your reservation or anything, so they don't know that you don't actually have a reservation there. Resorts don't let you park unless you're a guest or you have a reservation, but they don't know that you dont have one so its ok. Then just take the monorail to magic kingdom, or to transportation and ticket center and get on the epcot monorail. That way you're not paying for parking. Only pay for parking for when you do animal kingdom or hollywood studios or anywhere that the monorail doesn't go. Downtown Disney's parking is free too. This saves parking money.

Order disney tix from either the target gift card thing as you said below or from Undercover Tourist. For breakfast, you can get a box of those frozen breakfast sandwiches. Maybe some fruit. Maybe some muffins. Some granola bars, or a few boxes of cereal and a gallon of milk. All are cheap. For dinner, do simple things: hotdogs, hamburgers, mac and cheese, sandwiches, grilled cheese, salad, maybe order a pizza one night. There's many grocery stores near disney property for easy convenience. also, re-usable water bottles and a couple boxes of cans of soda are easy and cheap.

Good luck and have fun

(trust me, I'm on a college student's budget, and this is my third trip on this small budget, and i've still always had fun. you'll find a way)

I see you are new here, but it's against the rules of these boards to suggest doing things against WDW policy, such as parking at DTD or a resort to avoid paying parking fees.

 

[KingofJapan]

Townhouses are a good idea, but you know now you have to pay for parking every time you go into the park, right? Honestly, I recommend doing this: go park at a resort in the morning, such as Contemporary or something. Tell them you have reservations at Chef Mickey's or something for breakfast, and they'll let you go park. They don't confirm your reservation or anything, so they don't know that you don't actually have a reservation there. Resorts don't let you park unless you're a guest or you have a reservation, but they don't know that you dont have one so its ok. Then just take the monorail to magic kingdom, or to transportation and ticket center and get on the epcot monorail. That way you're not paying for parking. Only pay for parking for when you do animal kingdom or hollywood studios or anywhere that the monorail doesn't go. Downtown Disney's parking is free too. This saves parking money.

Order disney tix from either the target gift card thing as you said below or from Undercover Tourist. For breakfast, you can get a box of those frozen breakfast sandwiches. Maybe some fruit. Maybe some muffins. Some granola bars, or a few boxes of cereal and a gallon of milk. All are cheap. For dinner, do simple things: hotdogs, hamburgers, mac and cheese, sandwiches, grilled cheese, salad, maybe order a pizza one night. There's many grocery stores near disney property for easy convenience. also, re-usable water bottles and a couple boxes of cans of soda are easy and cheap.

Good luck and have fun

(trust me, I'm on a college student's budget, and this is my third trip on this small budget, and i've still always had fun. you'll find a way)

Doh!! You are going to be reported for giving away one of the ways to park for free. Disney will go broke because of visitors like you

 

[KingofJapan]

I see you are new here, but it's against the rules of these boards to suggest doing things against WDW policy, such as parking at DTD or a resort to avoid paying parking fees.

Not against the rules to park at DTD or the resorts. Maybe unethical but not illegal.

 

[amylevan]

Can we please get off the parking and bringing food into movies? Both are against policies, your willingness to do either is your call, but both ethically wrong.

I'm confused as to what tickets you budgeted for. I would skip park hopping to save a little money, and I'd seriously reconsider the water parks and more. Your townhome has a pool right? With the budget constraints, I think you'd get more bang for your buck just doing the main parks and skip the extras.

 

[Gracie09]

Not against the rules to park at DTD or the resorts. Maybe unethical but not illegal.

Disney can ticket and tow you if you choose. There are signs in many of the resort lots saying not for theme park parking. Illegal, no you won't get a ticket, but you could end up without a car.

 

[KingofJapan]

Disney can ticket and tow you if you choose. There are signs in many of the resort lots saying not for theme park parking. Illegal, no you won't get a ticket, but you could end up without a car.

Hmmm. I don't think it's ever been reported that a car was towed. There are signs but towing is not enforced. I have been parking at resorts for years. We would eat at a cafe in one of the resorts then head over to Disney. Can has always been there.

 

[MomBird]

OP, what a nice gift for your daughter that she's going to get to spend this time w/her friends (and you, of course)!

You mentioned the girls all looked at accommodations and decided. If that's still under consideration, I would suggest checking out the DVC boards here. You can often rent points and Animal Kingdom Villas is one of the most affordable DVC resorts - you could get a 1 BR at a very affordable rental rate. You could then take Magical Express, and not rent a car. That would save you on the car rental, the parking fees, plus all the driving back and forth and you'd still have a kitchen. Many grocery stores offer delivery to the resorts too. (But, of course, if would still be less room than a townhouse.)

Barring that, you've gotten some great suggestions on ways to save! Someone mentioned Publix... They have really great pre-made meals-there pork mojito can't be beat and it's around $6 for the meal w/2 sides plus a roll.

We take 1/2 empty water bottles to top off before our daily visits to the parks and that keeps the water cold for a good portion of the day. Buy glo sticks in advance at the dollar store, and bring things like extra hair bows, camera battery, phone charger...that sort of thing so that you don't have to spend big $ on things that were left behind.

 

[chicagoshannon]

I know you said your accommodations were arranged, can you change them? I've heard good things about Skyauction lately. Renting points for DVC will be out of your budget but you could get a nice 2 bedroom at Sheraton Vistana for example for probably around $600 or less. We've stayed there in the off season for $300 for a week.

As others have said, parking at the water parks is free so you'll save a little money there.

We usually bring our lunch in, in a small cooler. We bring water bottles in also.

 

[MomBird]

Can we please get off the parking and bringing food into movies? Both are against policies, your willingness to do either is your call, but both ethically wrong.

I'm confused as to what tickets you budgeted for. I would skip park hopping to save a little money, and I'd seriously reconsider the water parks and more. Your townhome has a pool right? With the budget constraints, I think you'd get more bang for your buck just doing the main parks and skip the extras.

-Agreed-The park hopper option would be the thing I would drop. Especially if you're not hopping in order to eat meals at the parks, it just takes up a lot of extra time hopping. I'd get the one day pass to the water park instead of the water parks and more option, if they wanted to do the water parks. In July, they may want to have that on the schedule.

 

[Judique]

Hmmm. I don't think it's ever been reported that a car was towed. There are signs but towing is not enforced. I have been parking at resorts for years. We would eat at a cafe in one of the resorts then head over to Disney. Can has always been there.

What kind of car do you drive, when are you going and where do you plan on parking? Oh wait - you said your can has always been there - that explains it!

 

[dminnie]

Some more random thoughts:
Bringing some lunches (or dinners) to the parks would be a great way to save some money. Perhaps buy a cheap styrofoam cooler and pack some pasta salads or sandwiches. If you do this, I'd leave it in the car (with LOTS of ice) and go out to get it when you're ready for the meal. It takes a while at Magic Kingdom to get to the car, so maybe buy lunch in the park on those days. If you can find any way to buy some meals, I do think that adds to the memories for the kids. I'm amazed by how kids always tell all about such and such a meal they had at WDW(even though it's not like it's the best food in the world).

Someone said they'd never go to Publix on vacation. My kids(teenagers) ASK to go there. They love getting sandwiches at the Publix deli! Do whatever makes this trip fun for the girls and you won't go wrong! It's great that you're including them in the planning...just that will make it more memorable and fun for them!

Pack protein rich snacks to help with energy levels.

I'm not sure what airline you're flying, but Southwest gives you the first 2 bags free. We've packed food from our own pantry in an extra suitcase and it really helps keep the cost down. Also, go see the condo before heading to the grocery store. Sometimes there are things in the condo that they didn't include on the list. Seeing what's really there will help you avoid buying stuff that you don't need.

Credit cards: Disney Visa gives a $50 Disney gift card after the first purchase. No annual fee for the regular card. Only you know if this makes sense for your finances, and it's only a good deal if you pay your full balance every month. We charge our groceries and gas on ours...you have time now to get some rewards by July(and for sure the $50). If you have a Target card, you can buy Disney gift cards and get 5% off on them.

All these work arounds to avoid paying the parking fee are not the greatest advice in my opinion. It's Disney property and they have the right to charge a parking fee or tow you if you park where you shouldn't. I wouldn't want to worry about that while in the parks. It does hurt others to take up spaces at resorts or DTD when they can't find a place to park. For yourself, it adds a LOT of valuable time for you in trying to get into and out of the parks.

There's one person that has responded many times to this thread. Just ignore the negativity and have fun planning your trip.

The waterparks and more option: I think you said you were getting that, and some have suggested skipping it in favor of more park days. That could save you money, but you have to balance that with what you want the trip to be. If the girls are into swimming and really looking forward to that aspect of it...keep it! You can use it for putt putt golf and Disney Quest too if they would like to do those things. If you get it, just make the most of it!

 

[Jajone]

Hey it's $120. She is on a tight budget already. There are other ways around parking for free in Disney but she will have to search google for that. I still don't understand the logic behind purchasing travel insurance for Disney. What could possibly happen that health insurance won't cover, unless they don't have health insurance. Baggage rarely gets lost on direct flights.

I think a poster explained this as I have already too. They all play volleyball and risk injury this summer during training. Also, any delays there or home are covered. if we have to cancel, the girls can recoup any charges they have already paid.

Didn't see it mentioned that they can order kids meals at CS. Cuts price of meals in 1/2

King of Japan - Do you see the irony of suggesting that someone park at DTD to avoid paying parking fees, but then get all upset about someone bringing food into a theatre? My local theatre has no signs about bringing in food and no one hides it. In fact, earlier this year I asked for a sugar free latte. I was told they had no sugar free syrups and suggested the Starbucks kiosk in the mall. And....gas at the Hess station near Disney is always less expensive than what I pay in my hometown.

OP - I have often stayed off -site with teens (boys and girls). We usually had a big breakfast at the condo available. I am an early riser, so I was willing to get up and make pancakes, eggs, French toast (not all the same day!). However, some of the girls decided sleep was more important than food. We fly Southwest so luggage is free. I always took an entire piece of luggage filled with food/snacks which included lots of single serving snacks that the teens could carry into the parks (granola bars, peanut butter crackers, cheese and pretzels, meat sticks, candy bars, trail mix, suckers, chips, peanuts, etc.). They were welcome to take as many as they needed each day with the stipulation that everyone carries their own snacks. (I am not a pack mule). Some kids took 5-6 per day and ate them all before 10am. Others just took 1-2 and came home with them at the end of the day. I bought soda in 2 liter bottles for the condo and strongly suggested that they drink water in the parks.

I also gave each teen a Disney gift card with $10 per day for food. They could choose to share meals and purchase a snack later, or get water rather than soda, or just order a side. It was up to them. If they had money left at the end of the trip, I kept the gift card and gave them cash. If they wanted to buy additional snacks, they had to use their own money. We usually returned to the condo about 3pm, had dinner and returned to the parks about 6pm. We would all pitch in the first night and prepare meals including spaghetti sauce, taco meat, chicken. We also used paper plates exclusively to limit clean up. I would plan 1-2 meals out in the evening, usually pizza at CiCis or Taco Bell. We also have a tradition of leftovers the last night so don't plan any meals for the last day.

We are rope drop people and a couple of times we took teens who struggled to get up in the morning. I would make it clear that we were leaving at 8:15am and if you weren't ready, we would leave you behind. I am a person who keeps her word, and I did. It only happened one time and she went to bed at 11pm the next night instead of watching movies until 2am. I always laid down the ground rules before the trip so that everyone knew what was expected.

I think the single most important way to save money on food is to take your own snacks from home. You can buy them on sale, plus you save money by not having to pay $4 per snack in the park. Bigger eaters can supplement their food budget by taking additional snacks.

I think touring the parks with teens is terrific. You will have so much fun!

Thank you, excellent advice! They will be up for rope drop if I can promise an afternoon in the pool or waterpark. lol. We will definitely pack snacks in our luggage. Also planning to have our own water bottles and fill at counter service.

If someone is hospitalized due to illness or injury, travel insurance will pay the hotel bills and change fees of those who have to stay to take care of her. If illness or injury prevents them from taking the trip at all, insurance will cover the cost. If someone at home get seriously ill and the trip gets cut short, travel insurance covers it. If luggage gets lost - travel insurance. In some cases, if work prevents you from taking the trip - travel insurance will cover it.

All things health insurance will not cover

Thank you!

I know you said your accommodations were arranged, can you change them? I've heard good things about Skyauction lately. Renting points for DVC will be out of your budget but you could get a nice 2 bedroom at Sheraton Vistana for example for probably around $600 or less. We've stayed there in the off season for $300 for a week.

As others have said, parking at the water parks is free so you'll save a little money there.

We usually bring our lunch in, in a small cooler. We bring water bottles in also.

I will recheck prices at DVC and check into Sheraton Vistana. Is that only on sky auction? I have never used them before.

I am planning a rummage sale for additional money and may even donate plasma. We will have our own water bottles and simple meals. We are planning 5 park days, but the girls have requested waterpark days. Was not aware that no parking fees there. So that is a plus. We don't go often in summer and haven't done the waterparks in a long time. With a 5 day pass, we will get 5 "options" including mini golf, waterparks and Disney Quest. I think we will get a lot of use out of it.