Best strategies for an inexpensive Disney family trip??

[SaintsManiac]

lol. same. I would rather pay for an inexpensive hotel on the way and arrive rested than to drive for 20 hours and start my WDW vacation feeling like the undead.

Yeah 20 hours is a hard no. I can barely handle 10. We stop every hour and it drives my husband and daughter insane.

 

[Unvoiced_Apollo]

Thanks!


uh, I asked as a reply to a post. Not sure what you are implying as I've not seen it asked in this thread. It was answered immediately by two posters.

I certainly appreciated @SaintsManiac answering it for me.

My bad on my part. Just typed that up in a fog. Just meant others answered before I had a chance to

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I did the drive to Florida 3 times in my 20s. I won't be doing it again.

We drive from NJ. We make it in about 16ish hours, with stops, if we drive straight through.

Once we drove overnight (my XH insisted) and didn't stop. It was torture for me. Our then 3 year old slept right through. I don't feel that driving overnight is safe. My XH insisted I drive for two hours overnight to give him a break and I could feel myself dozing off. Never again.

We did another time of leaving around 5 pm, stopping around midnight and finishing the next day. Arriving around 4 pm. By this point DS was 8 and DD was 2 and there was NO WAY she will sleep for long periods of time in a car. She loves her sleep. Still to this day she loves her sleep.

Then we've done the leave at 4 am, drive straight through and arrive around 9 pm. Not as bad but still bad.

The worst part about driving to WDW is driving home. I'm already tired from a WDW vacation, then to drive 16 hours back home. Complete and utter torture. It's a buzzkill to the trip.

I will save and delay the trip if we can't afford plane tickets or just go somewhere else. I'm getting too old to sit in a car for 16 hours or more.

 

[kylenne]

Yeah 20 hours is a hard no. I can barely handle 10. We stop every hour and it drives my husband and daughter insane.

When I was a little kid, my family would drive down to FL from NYC for our Disney trips. At the time we had relatives in Tampa and would see them before going to Orlando. It was torturous, lol.

There are ways to make flights affordable, mostly through playing the credit card game. It's just me and my gf, but the signup bonus I earned from my JetBlue Plus card last year paid for our May flights. A lot of people with families on the i love credit cards thread swear by the Southwest cards for the companion passes (parents each have a card, the kids are their companions).

 

[SaintsManiac]

When I was a little kid, my family would drive down to FL from NYC for our Disney trips. At the time we had relatives in Tampa and would see them before going to Orlando. It was torturous, lol.

There are ways to make flights affordable, mostly through playing the credit card game. It's just me and my gf, but the signup bonus I earned from my JetBlue Plus card last year paid for our May flights. A lot of people with families on the i love credit cards thread swear by the Southwest cards for the companion passes (parents each have a card, the kids are their companions).

I usually get great flight prices from NOLA to MCO, but man they were HIGH over Thanksgiving. I finally got them down and got some credits but woah. It will make me hesitate to fly that time of year again.

 

[Disneyfan754321]

On average, how much time per day did you spend on swag bucks to earn that? And we’re you able to choose Disney gift cards as your swag bucks reward?

I do it about an hour a day, they have a checklist that i do with one survey on it and i try for all the big offers. There are some really easy ones, if you read the budget board/swagbucks forum they will tell you the good ones. I get visa giftcards..... the first $25 one went right back in to offers.

 

[kylenne]

I usually get great flight prices from NOLA to MCO, but man they were HIGH over Thanksgiving. I finally got them down and got some credits but woah. It will make me hesitate to fly that time of year again.

Yeah, I think last year they said Thanksgiving was the busiest flying time of the year, even more than Christmas? At least it was at JFK, ay yi yi. I can only imagine how high prices were. Even over Veterans Day weekend a couple weeks earlier, JFK-MCO was uglier than usual pricewise. I keep Airfarewatchdog alerts on prices for that route though so I was able to get an okayish deal.

 

[Splat10]

I would be willing to devote one day to transport, but not a night and a day or two days.

well this thread is about the best way to save money. There is no other thing you can do to save more money than drive if possible. Everyone had a different threshold on what they are willing to do to save money. With two drivers a 10-20 hour drive is not that difficult if you are willing to do it. My kids will sit in one spot and stare at youtube or xbox for 10 hours straight on a weekend day, i think they'll be fine.

 

[jofthelieb]

For flying, time a credit card application with a Southwest deal. They just had a 75,000 point offer which could pay for your roundtrip tickets.

Personally, I found the idea of staying offsite to much of a hassle. I like the magical Express. Gets you to the hotel with no rental car or fees. If you do stay offsite and rent a car, consider using a credit card that offers primary insurance like the Chase Sapphire Reserve. That can save some money. In addition, you will have to factor in either renting a car seat or bringing your own. But I have seen too many dropped by airport employees to check it. Silvercar ( rentals by audi) offers free car seats. If you dont bring yours, sometimes the cost of Hertz, Dollar, etc. Will end up being the same.

 

[5kidsmommy]

We used to drive. We would tow our trailer down and stay at the campground. No hotels needed on the way down because we towed our hotel. It was the most cost effective way to travel with a family of 7. Now that the kids are mostly grown and most don't live here or vacation with us we fly. The drive from Cleveland is brutal but a 2.5 hour flight is lovely. I miss vacationing with all my kids at Disney but I don't miss the 2 day drive.

 

[LAS2AMS]

The OP is asking for tips and strategies for big cost savings that will lead toward an inexpensive trip. Tips like purchasing tickets without the park hopper option, or having just one drink instead of two with your dinner, are great... but while they'll save a few bucks, they definitely don't lead toward big cost savings let alone an inexpensive trip.

Driving to WDW may not seem sexy, but in the past, the average savings for a family of four was nearly $2,000 (flight+rental car vs. driving). Modern entertainment (including cellular data) makes the trip more bearable for kids than ever before, but there's plenty of ways to keep kids engaged, such as stopping at points of interest to the family. But the good news is... if you begin planning your trip early, you're sure to find a low-cost flight (with a few exceptions) ... even on Saturdays during July. Frontier Airlines is currently selling flights into Orlando from around the entire country for $100-$200 per round-trip (a round-trip is required for the lowest fare; additionally, a bag will add $60-$70 to the fare, but I would encourage anybody to minimize the amount of baggage they bring; buying the stuff you didn't bring can save you a lot of money). Many airlines have matched, including from secondary markets not served by Frontier. Southwest, for example, is selling flights from Indianapolis for $79 each way, and has recently been selling markets like Chicago, Baltimore and Pittsburgh for less than $100 each way (keep checking, fares fluctuate). It's a good time to be traveling -- throughout much of the 2010s, it wasn't uncommon for a "cheap" airfare on a Saturday during July to be $400 or more round-trip.

Note that you should research airfares from airports within several hours driving distance... a five-hour drive to Indianapolis, for example, could save you hundreds of dollars (just remember you need to return to that airport if you drive... and factor the cost of parking and gas into your comparison). Also note that most of the cheapest flights generally have subpar times... some of Frontier's flights in the East depart as late as 10:30PM and get into Orlando as late as 2AM, for example.

And yes, staying off-site will save you a lot of money. In the summer, one week at the All-Star Resort is going for about $1,000 (prices I'm listing include taxes and fees). The Comfort Inn Maingate is going for about $500, which includes a decent breakfast. The Maingate Lakeside Resort is only $250. I've stayed at the Maingate Lakeside many times through the years (under the LaQuinta, Best Western, etc. banners, also as an independent). "Back in the day," when you bid for Priceline hotels and bonus cash was frequent, this place was basically free. At $250/week during July in 2020... it's still a steal. You get a lot for your money -- rooms are dated -- they resemble that of a Moderate Resort during the 1990s, with a flat screen -- but generally clean. You get daily housekeeping service, toiletries, in-room coffee, fridge, WiFi, and a safe. Parking is free, and there's a free shuttle to Universal/SeaWorld and the Transportation & Ticket Center (generally 1-2 departures to the former, 2-3 to the latter, depending on the season; they sometimes do other parks like Epcot seasonally). The hotel grounds are beautiful and include a nicely landscaped pool and kids area. The last time I was here, there was an old school arcade and a building that showed kids' cartoons and movies. There was also a restaurant that served a fairly cheap breakfast and dinner buffet, as well as a snack bar and Pizza Hut. Poolside drinks were on the low side, too. They use to give every guest one free breakfast and a couple free drinks, but I don't think they do that anymore.

But if you drove and stayed at the Maingate Lakeside Resort, you'd be spending around $500. You don't have to spend a lot of money, to have a great family vacation.

 

[LAS2AMS]

Looks like the OP inadvertently double posted this topic:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/best-strategies-for-an-inexpensive-disney-family-trip.3791326/
Also: I strongly recommend against the advice of signing up for various credit cards, to redeem the points toward travel. You have to remember... credit card companies pay the airlines lots of money for the points; the points they offer themselves ultimately result in a write off of various charges you make. If the banks weren't making lots of money off these deals... they wouldn't exist. Some people just can't resist temptation.

 

[maxiesmom]

well this thread is about the best way to save money. There is no other thing you can do to save more money than drive if possible. Everyone had a different threshold on what they are willing to do to save money. With two drivers a 10-20 hour drive is not that difficult if you are willing to do it. My kids will sit in one spot and stare at youtube or xbox for 10 hours straight on a weekend day, i think they'll be fine.

Saving money while driving also depends on how much vacation time you get (are those extra days spent driving paid for unpaid) and how much you are spending on food, gas, and wear on your car.

I also agree that driving non stop is unsafe, even if some are willing to do so. But then, I've been in a car where we had 3 drivers, but the one at the wheel dozed off.

 

[MrsPete]

Sometimes driving is so much cheaper, though. Just depends on airlines and airports.

Driving is always cheaper for us -- even if we find a $99/person deal on plane tickets .

But, for us, it's an 8 hour drive. We get up early, get an early start, and arrive mid-afternoon just in time to check into our hotel. Then we have the evening to check out our place and enjoy a nice dinner (our tradition is to eat dinner, then enjoy a Kitchen Sink at Beaches & Cream).

Driving is also cheaper in that you're able to bring a couple cases of sodas, water bottles and breakfast foods, which save money at the parks. Sure, you CAN do these things in Orlando (through delivery or whatever), but you're probably going to spend least if you buy them at home when they're on sale. Driving means you can bring enough clothes that you don't need to wash clothes mid-week. Driving means you can bring the kids' pool floaties.

On average, how much time per day did you spend on swag bucks to earn that? And we’re you able to choose Disney gift cards as your swag bucks reward?

The short answer to your question: LOTS.

No, you can't choose Disney gift cards as your SW rewards, but you can choose Walmart gift cards ... use those Walmart gift cards to buy your everyday groceries ... then withdraw the money and set it aside for Disney. One small hoop through which to jump.

Different question: I read somewhere that if you go over $600 in SW in one year, you have to pay taxes on "earnings"?

Good god no, I would never drive 20 hours in a row.

Yeah, that's too much. When our kids were small, we ONCE did a drive -- I'm going to say it was 15 hours, but it's been two decades, so maybe I'm wrong -- and what we didn't anticipate was that Mom and Dad arrived exhausted and wanted to sleep for 24 hours, whereas the kids were ready to play and hit the beach.

 

[LAS2AMS]

Saving money while driving also depends on how much vacation time you get (are those extra days spent driving paid for unpaid) and how much you are spending on food, gas, and wear on your car.

Fair points, but the decision should include the totality of the situation. For example, flying gives you additional time, but maybe that eighth night at WDW costs your family $600 (including lodging, meals and attractions). Perhaps it's best to forgo that extra night -- ultimately, one of the main points of a family vacation is the time spent with each other, and driving provides as intimate experience as you can get. Kids will remember and appreciate the scenery, and you can always schedule stops at points of interest. When I was a kid, my parents frequently drove the 1,300 miles to WDW. My sole entertainment was reading books, then playing my Gameboy once the sun went down... until the batteries in my Lightboy died, then my entertainment became a perpetual 'are we there yet' chant. During Christmas/New Year's, when our vacations were longer, we'd stop at Cumberland Falls for two nights - a tactic my parents used to save money. As much as I whined about all the hillbillies in the area... I enjoyed those stops as much as being in WDW, especially as my siblings and parents went separate ways as we got older. And as I got older, I realized how much I appreciated the drive and the scenery more than I thought.

That's what we did, but there's literally oodles of ideas for stopover points, including some that aren't nearly as time consuming.

I also agree that driving non stop is unsafe, even if some are willing to do so. But then, I've been in a car where we had 3 drivers, but the one at the wheel dozed off.

That's a big YMMV. Some people handle driving much better than others. For over 30 years, my uncle was a trucker and drove 5,000 miles every single week from Los Angeles to the Midwest then back. I've done the trip (in my own vehicle, not as a trucker) a few times, usually over two days with just one overnight. I survived but hopefully I'll never do it again. The passing scenery is much more beautiful from an Amtrak lounge car...

 

[jofthelieb]

Someone posted with concerns about opening credit cards for bonuses. This is only viable if you pay off the entire balance each month. If you are carrying balances, then all the benefits are offset.

 

[LAS2AMS]

Someone posted with concerns about opening credit cards for bonuses. This is only viable if you pay off the entire balance each month. If you are carrying balances, then all the benefits are offset.

It's a lot more complicated than that.

- The strategy involves closing the credit card within a year, given that travel reward cards carry steep annual fees (starting at $100). For the average person, there's credit card kickback programs that offer better value. (Keeping one or more of these cards for the long-term make sense for a limited number of people, such as those who travel a specific airline for work, a family that regularly travels a specific airline whose credit card offers the first checked bag for free, etc.)

- The strategy involves signing up for a different credit card each year for the bonus. Lenders may frown upon this, so depending on where you're at in life, this could be a really bad idea.

- In order to collect the large bonus, you generally have to spend a specific amount within a specific time period. Some of the 70K Southwest offers require spending $5,000 in three months. For some people, that level of spend is beyond reach (as rent/mortgage payments, utilities, taxes, etc. are usually direct bank drafts). For many/most others, it isn't.

- For some people... having that extra credit card is just too much temptation. "Ohana is only $200, it's a once in a lifetime thing right? And we have that credit card. ... Come on, let's get the kids that gift. It's only $50, and we have that credit card" The next thing you know... that $4,000 vacation you aggressively budgeted for is now $6,000, and you're paying ~20% interest on the excess.

 

[tinkerjo]

We always drive!! Our kids actually love the drive from Ohio to Florida and look forward to that part of the trip. ( we even drove 3 days to California a few years ago). We are very budget conscious people. I save loose change in our “Disney jar” and roll before we go, earn points for free gas at our Duke and Duchess, I use Ibotta and saved enough for 1 ticket and to splurge on the hoop dee doo for 5 people. We have stayed onsite, and offsite (really cheap and nice places too) but find our favorite spot to be Fort Wilderness. We haul down the tent and food and have a wonderful time ( but we are camping people) there is free parking with this option too!!! Tickets are usually UT and we do not get hoppers. We build non park days in for RandR. DS pin trades and we do not buy many souvenirs. The fun is in the experience. Since we bring most of our food we don’t eat out much but usually eat QS in the parks and we buy a few snacks too. I don’t do $10,000 vacations (not even close) but we enjoy it like we do!!!

 

[ClapYourHands]

Drowsy driving is dangerous driving.

With two drivers a 10-20 hour drive is not that difficult if you are willing to do it.

I also agree that driving non stop is unsafe, even if some are willing to do so. But then, I've been in a car where we had 3 drivers, but the one at the wheel dozed off.

That's a big YMMV. Some people handle driving much better than others. For over 30 years, my uncle was a trucker and drove 5,000 miles every single week from Los Angeles to the Midwest then back. I've done the trip (in my own vehicle, not as a trucker) a few times, usually over two days with just one overnight. I survived but hopefully I'll never do it again.

Driving while drowsy is as dangerous as driving while drunk. This is not my personal opinion. This has been shown through sleep studies looking at the effects of sleep deprivation on driving. Obviously, falling asleep at the wheel is dangerous, but even if you don't fall asleep, being drowsy affects your ability to make good decisions and slows your reaction time if you have to brake or swerve suddenly.

And the tricky thing about having impaired judgment is that people don't realize they are not safe to drive precisely because their judgment is impaired. According to the National Safety Council, "A driver might not even know when he or she is fatigued because signs of fatigue are hard to identify. Some people may also experience micro-sleep – short, involuntary periods of inattention. In the 4 or 5 seconds a driver experiences micro-sleep, at highway speed, the vehicle will travel the length of a football field."

Do most drowsy drivers make it to their destinations without incident? Yes. The same is true of drivers impaired by alcohol or other drugs. Most of us are lucky to be driving and not encounter a situation where we need to make split second decisions when impaired, whether by a chemical substance or by sleep deprivation, but that doesn't mean we are safe drivers. In the early 80s, I rode around in the waybacks of station wagons with other kids, completely unsecured. Did we all survive? Yes. Were we safe? No, we were lucky.

There is a reason commercial truck drivers are limited to 11 hours of driving, following 10 hours off to rest. Additionally, once a driver comes on duty, s/he cannot drive past the 14th consecutive hour of being on duty. If the trucker spends time on other duties prior to starting the drive, takes a break - even a nap - during that time, s/he can't drive past hour 14, even if the actual drive is under the 11-hour rule.

So if you have extra vacation days, and you can make a multi-day drive with a rotation of drivers, and get proper sleep during the journey, driving might be a money-saving option, even a fun way to spend a road-trip. But if you're looking to drive 20 hours straight through, you are driving while impaired, even if you don't feel impaired. Driving after being awake for 20 hours is the equivalent of having a BAC of 0.08, which is the legal limit for intoxication in the US.

References:
https://www.nsc.org/road-safety/safety-topics/fatigued-drivinghttps://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/best-cars-blog/2016/12/drowsy-driving-worse-than-drunk-drivinghttps://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/sites/fmcsa.dot.gov/files/docs/Drivers Guide to HOS 2015_508.pdf

 

[SaintsManiac]

I had a close friend fall asleep while driving. She woke up, over corrected and flipped the car. She died instantly and my 2 friends with her were seriously injured.

Please do not ever drive when you are that tired.