I've got Disney Fever!

[Bellerella]

So, I have recently been bitten by the Disney bug, and once again have Disney fever. We are planning a trip for Dec '11! However, finances will be a bit tight this year, and we do not want to sacrifice staying at AKL. Does anyone have saving/planning tips that you generally use to afford your Disney vacation?

[faline]

Cut back in other areas such as making your own coffee instead of stopping into the coffee shop and put that money into a jar, etc.

Open a savings account and have money deducted from your check specifically for your vacation.

Have a garage sale.

Every time you make a discretionary purchase - decide if you really want the item or would rather save for your Disney trip. If the Disney trip wins, put that same amount of money away towards your trip.

Good luck!

[Dulcee]

Growing up we always did a big garage sale and the funds went towards our WDW trip.

As kids this was how we got our spending money for the parks. Whatever we sold of items from our bedroom we got to keep the cash. In retrospect it was a great way for my parents to get us to clean out excess stuffed animals, toys we outgrew etc. It also meant we knew exactly how much money we had to spend on vacation for stuff, when it ran out so did the buying.

As far as cutting back in the parks, if your a fan of doing table service meals (and not using the dining plan) booking lunches instead of dinners at your favorite sit downs can save you. Also do breakfast in your room. DBF and I always use garden grocer. We order bagels, yogurts, juice etc and make coffee in the room. WDW breakfasts can add up fast.

Depending on other necessities passing up on the park hopper option and the water park and more options can save a family of four a fair bit of money.

As an adult on a budget now I'm a fan of booking in advance, breaking the amount due into a monthly payment and setting myself a due date. I put that money aside each month and it saves the big spending moment right before vacation. I also budget a spending amount for all the extras not pre-paid for, from tips for the bellhops to personal purchases, to snacks. That money also gets broken down into a monthly amount and saved.

[sara114]

Not knowing if all parties involved work, stay home, are children, etc......hard to give good advise. Here are some things that you could do:
-determine the amount that it will cost to go, divide that by 8....then that is how much each month you have to "find" from your income.

- have garage sale and all money goes toward trip

- pick up an extra shift at work (if possible)

- use coupons....put what you save into Disney account

- if you have direct deposit....open a second account just for disney trip, and have portion put into that account each pay period.

- eat out 1 less day a week....pack your lunch for work or outings....put what you save away for Disney

- sell unwanted items on Ebay or craigs list, save money for Disney trip

If I plan ahead, I can usually have the entire trip paid for by the 45 day deadline.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

We have cut out eating out...with the exception of once a month treat and have found we have some extra bucks at the end of the month to put away for our Disney trip...some tips to keep on track

1. Take your lunch to work
2. When you have extras freeze them so you have something for dinner when you are short of time
3. Plan weekly menus and shop ahead

Another way to save money...don't go on unnecessary shopping trips...shop for the necessaries once a month and stay out of the mall

[gauvin4]

We save our change. At the end of the day we put our change into a bowl so it does not get spent. Every so often I will take the bowl and roll the change. Then just before we go on vacation we cash it in. It can really add up over time.

[thumperbug]

we save our change and occasionally I will take a few $$ out of my wallet and put it in my cash stash for the trip. A few $$ here and there can add up quick and you really won't miss it.

[Bellerella]

Not knowing if all parties involved work, stay home, are children, etc......hard to give good advise.

Our party is my mom, my sister (20), and myself (22). My mom works full time, my sister part time, and I work part time as well (I'm a full time student).

And thank you everyone for all the great advice! I know as a college student I probably spend a lot more money on fast food and coffee than I should, so setting that money aside is something I had not thought of before.

[lovinmesomedisney]

I know you say you don't want to sacrifice staying at AKL, but if you could do that, you would save an incredible amount. We go to Disney 2 - 3 times a year, but the only way we can afford that is by staying at a value resort. I could care less what the resort is like, because we spend 99.9% of our time in the parks. My theory is, I would rather go more often than stay at a deluxe resort. Just sayin!

[katieandrob]

I have a Disney Visa card. The only credit card I use. By the time we go to Disney we have enough points for our spending money.

[TinkerbellT421]

Cut back in other areas such as making your own coffee instead of stopping into the coffee shop and put that money into a jar, etc.

Open a savings account and have money deducted from your check specifically for your vacation.

Have a garage sale.

Every time you make a discretionary purchase - decide if you really want the item or would rather save for your Disney trip. If the Disney trip wins, put that same amount of money away towards your trip.

Good luck!

Exactly! DBF and I have a seperate savings account for our DVC loan payment and Trip money. We both put a fixed amount in it directly out of our checks. Its easier for me that way, because once the money is gone its gone, I make other bill payment, etc around not having that money. I cant technically spend the money and think "Well I will pay it back next week" because I dont know about anyone else, but if I have it Ill spend it... So I get it taken right out of my check directly into the Vacation fund.

Also, DBF and I stopped going to Dunkin Donuts every morning. We make our own coffee at home and I take my own to work in a travel mug. If you calculate easily $3.00/morning, 5 days (counting a "typical" work week, it is actually quite significant in the end by the end of the year its almost $800.00!!!! So like faline said, maybe take something out you do everyday? Morning coffee out, morning breakfast out, instead of going out to dinner stay in? That always helps significantly! Once you count the pennies its unbelievable what you can save based on little things. Hope that helps Happy planning!!!

[VWL Mom]

We cut back on non-essential holiday gifts (valentines, easter, mom/dad day, etc) and put that money away for vacation. We now do a little something and homemade cards. Even Xmas this year was slim because DS15 & DS19 decided they wanted to each bring a friend in June as their gifts.

[ransam]

one thing i do is everytime i go anywhere, i budget what i'll spend...then try to go under what i want to spend....(for example. I'm going to dinner, i'll tell myself i can only spend 25 dollars...then try to get out of dinner as cheap as i can. and if i can get out and pay only 17 dollars, i put the 8 dollars in a bank at home. I also put any and all loose change in the jar. You'd bbe surprised over the course of a few months how much you'll save. I actually took that money and change to a bank the day before one vacation and it was almost 400 dollars....)

[SandmanGStefani24]

excited for you!

here are the tips I use, hopefully they can help you. and it some are doubles sorry!

1. garage sale-yes, you've seen it before but it does work. not only that it can really get rid of some clutter/junk in the house. it's a win-win!

2. ebay-competition has made ebay less profitable but it still can work. plus paypal makes it harder to spend your money than cash in hand. if you're not sure search for a few items you want to auction off and see what kind of money they are bringing in.

3. buying the vacation from WDW site and making payments on it.-i always do this because 20 bucks here and there is so much easier to handle than a grand or so at once. it's like vacation layaway! lol

4. consider resort change-yes, I know that sounds tough, but I love value resorts mostly because i would love extra spending money and gifts from the park. it's hard to imagine not staying at one of them.

[johnO]

Sounds like some good advice being shared here.

I would consider downgrading if your funds are tight.

[Dsnygirl]

We've got the Disney fever here, too... thankfully, our next trip is only 6 months away!!

I've done many of the things others have mentioned -- held a garage sale, sold clothes on e-Bay, put a dedicated amount straight out of each paycheck into a savings acct before I even see it... and as well, I'm a nurse, so I pick up as many extra OT shifts as I can.

I hear you on not wanting to give up AKL -- we stayed there last year for 5 nights as part of a "split stay". We were planning on heading back there this August for our entire trip - 10 wonderful AKL nights b/c of the free dining plan and it's savings -- but like you, found finances to be just a bit tight with all the things we'd like to do around our house, both necessary and just things we'd like to get done.

So, we downgraded... we love CBR, and are headed there instead. The savings was substantial, and more than offset the pain of leaving AKL for another trip. I just made my DH promise me dinner at Boma, with enough time to wander the resort checking out the animals, and a box of zebra domes from Mara to take back to our room.

Good luck with your decision -- and have fun planning!