Disney vacations are not cheap. And with four boys it can be a little tricky to keep those trips affordable. Ticket prices and resort room prices go up every year. But our Disney trips hold some of our best family memories and magical moments, so we continue to find ways to make them happen. These things are for a trip to WDW in Orlando, but some of them also apply to the Disney Cruise we have planned for the fall.
Travel - It's pretty much a no-brainer for us. We drive instead of fly. We are able to stop at hotel for the night on the way using points, so that costs us nothing out of pocket. Even if gas prices are high, it is always much cheaper than flying. And there is no need to rent a car when we get there.
Lodging - There are limited lodging choices on property at Walt Disney World for parties of more than four. Plus, they would be really cramped for us. On our last two trips we stayed off property at a 3-bedroom/2-bath condo. It was just off property. We were able to drive to each of the theme parks in less time than if we took a bus from a Disney resort. There was a ton of space, everyone had his own bed to sleep in, and we had a full kitchen and a washer and dryer. Our condo was also decked out in Disney decor, including a Toy Story bedroom, a Disney Princess bedroom, and Finding Nemo bathroom, and a Ratatouille kitchen. It worked out to about $100 a night - huge savings over staying on property.
On our next trip (hopefully fall 2016) we are looking into renting an RV and a campsite at Disney's Fort Wilderness. That will give us the sleeping space we need and still be cheaper than other on-site options.
Food - Staying at a condo or renting an RV with a kitchen gives us the ability to cook some of our own meals. We don't want to spend a lot of time cooking on vacation, but we will make a few simple meals. We still splurge on some table service meals, but we book them for breakfast or lunch when they are less expensive.
Tickets - There is not a way to save a lot on tickets. We have purchased from Undercover Tourist for a small savings. We are also looking into Disney's YES (Youth Education Series) where we can get discounted tickets by the kids attending a class. We normally buy Magic Your Way base tickets and don't find it worth the money to pay for the Park Hopper.
Timing - Because we homeschool we can travel during the off season when lodging prices are lower. Traveling in September can be thousands of dollars cheaper than in the summer or over a holiday.
How We Save - We put a certain amount of money into a vacation savings account each month. Here are some of the ways we save that money (some of these monthly figures are just my best estimate and some of these are things that most families do that we choose not to so that we can put that cost toward our vacations):
I coupon and shop sale ads. Some months are better than others. $200
I cut all the boys' hair (5x$15) $75
We do not have cable or satellite TV (but do use streaming services) $60
We rarely go out to eat or pick up fast food $150
I never get a mani/pedi $30
We rarely go see a movie in a theater $50
Swagbucks (we each earn about $25/month or more) $50
I shop at Kroger and use fuel point to save on gas $25
These simple things add up to $590 a month. We also have a Disney Visa card that we pay off each month and earn money towards a Disney gift card.
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