Strict Budget, two
toddlers, and 6 months pregnant....
sounds
like the perfect time for a Disney
trip!
Believe
me, I never considered going to Disney World with my family until the kids were
older and until we had plenty of extra cash. But, my 3-year-old daughter is captivated by Disney princesses, and
my 2-year-old is in love with Mickey & friends. I wanted them to enjoy the magic
of Disney World before they realized the magic wasn't...well...100% true. Plus,
my youngest was finally potty-trained, and 2-year-olds and under get in free at
Disney Parks… but with only one household income and long days in the theme
parks, I knew this trip would require a lot of planning.
First,
I had to pick the perfect time to go. I researched and found this
awesome tool called Disney World Crowd Calendar (link). I've heard that September, October, and February were the least busiest months to go. February was out of the
question for us because our baby is due in January, but the rumors were true
regarding September and October. Weekdays were even better. We picked October
hoping the weather would be cooler and decided to visit 3 parks instead of all
4. (Waterparks weren't an option. My kids can't swim great yet and no one wants
to see this pregnant mama in a bathing suit. My husband and I went to Disney
for our honeymoon and remembered Epcot being the least kid-friendly, so we decided
to skip it.) We decided to leave on Tuesday, enjoy Wednesday, Thursday, and
Friday in the parks, and come home on Saturday. We also invited the
grandparents. Listen parents, this is good advice:
Get off your high horse
and invite your parents and in-laws.
The
extra hands are a huge help. My father and my mother-in-law both came with us.
They had to pay their own way, but they were thrilled and enjoyed seeing their
grandchildren have a magical time.
Since
we live in Alabama, we decided to drive to Disney. If you live within 8 hours, you
can do it! It saved a ton of money, especially since everyone chipped in
for gas. We took our Mazda 5 which has a third row and a DVD player. I also had
several activities stashed in the car. Here are some ideas: Colorwonder markers and Colorwonder paper
(these markers only work on the special paper), sticker books, magnet activities,
Leapfrog computers, and fun snacks they don't eat often.
Since
we had every seat filled, we had no room for luggage. My handy husband built a
car rack by watching a YouTube video, which saved us a couple of hundred
dollars, and his grandfather loaned us a luggage box to go on top. We told
everyone to only pack one duffel bag. Thanks to Katie's great tips about
packing in one of her blogs (link here), I packed one large duffel bag for a family
of 4 (our villa had a washer and dryer which helped). We left for Florida at
5:30 in the morning (it sounds early, but everyone was too hyped up to sleep
anyway). We stopped for breakfast, lunch, and several potty breaks. The trip
down wasn't bad at all.
Now
about the villa.... A friend of mine who travels to Disney often gave me the
contact information to a nice villa about 3 miles from Disney. It was 4
bed/4bath in a gated community, and the best part: it was only $80 a night. We divided the cost and
felt like we were cheating the system for staying in such a large, decent place
for almost nothing (contact information
below). I know what you're thinking: staying at a Disney resort offers
great amenities. However, we didn't necessarily need those amenities or hopper
passes because 1 park a day would be plenty for two little girls and a 70-year-old
man (my dad). It also saved us a lot of money. We invested in renting a
stroller (believe me, younger kids definitely need a stroller). Orlando
Stroller Rentals was about 5 minutes from our villa and delivered strollers at
your front door. It was $75 for the entire time we were there, and they
delivered it and picked it up the day we left.
The
absolute best tip I could give anyone is to find Disney park maps in advance.
Luckily, my cousin and her family went a month before us and got several maps
from each park for me. People also sell them on eBay for cheap prices. I studied the maps and online information
like a student preparing for finals. I used different color markers to make
note of each ride/show the girls would enjoy and other rides that only the
adults would enjoy. I developed a route from ride to ride so that we could fit
in everything we wanted to experience, and I estimated when we would arrive in each
area of the park and made "FastPass" appointments based on those
times. FastPasses are appointments you can make on Disney World's website for
specific rides or character meetings and allow you to go to the front of the
lines. Each person can book 3 FastPasses at a time. We also made use of
Disney's "Rider Switch" program, which allows a parent with little
ones to take turns waiting while the other parent rides. The next parent gets a
direct pass to the front of the line and can take 1 guest. I made time for
lunch and highlighted every bathroom so that I could always find the nearest
one (two little ones and a pregnant lady require lots of bathroom breaks).
I attached a piece of paper to each map which outlined our entire day. It worked
like a charm! Also, your child might need to nap. My
2-year-old napped every day in her stroller. One adult would swap out to watch
her, and we continued to stay on schedule. She missed a few rides while she
slept, but she woke up refreshed and ready to jump in the fun again.
Developing a detailed schedule might sound crazy and OCD, but it
truly worked for us.
Another
money-saving tip is to purchase groceries when you arrive. We bought microwavable
breakfasts, lunch items, and waters, and packed a lunch each day to take into
the park. We ate dinner in the park each day, but managed to find cheaper
options than sit-down restaurants. You can save even more by purchasing Disney
attire in your hometown. My mother-in-law found kids' Disney hats on sale at
CVS for $2 each. My girls loved them and never even asked for a different hat
while we were there. Actually, my 2-year-old's hat blew off and down a ravine
while watching the Big Thunder Mountain Ride, and Disney replaced it for free
with a "Minnie ears" hat and even monogrammed it with her name. We
didn't ask for this; they insisted. Other times, one employee brought two free Mickey
pretzels to our table while we were eating lunch one day, and another gave my
youngest a free candied marshmallow. Little things like this make Disney World extra special!
Finally,
there may be one or two things you'll want to splurge on. Our splurge was the
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique where your little ones can be made-over into
princesses or knights. I can't describe how amazing it was. One location is
located inside the castle at Magic Kingdom, and the other is located at Disney
Springs. I booked 2 months in advance, and there was only one opening left at
Disney Springs. We brought our own princess dresses instead of buying them at
the boutique and purchased the smallest package to save money. They only
allowed me to book my 3-year-old, but I came prepared with an extra dress,
sparkly makeup, etc. so that my 2-year-old wouldn't feel left out. But, while
we were there, they had an open station and asked if I wanted to let my other daughter
participate. I was ecstatic! Both of my girls got to experience this special
occasion together! I tried my hardest not to cry, but the tears flowed while
watching my little girls be made into princesses.
In
conclusion, if you plan not to go to Disney because you think it's too
expensive or your kids are too young to enjoy and remember it, reconsider. We kept the entire trip
under $2000 for
our family of four, and my kids still talk about it. They might forget one day,
but I have pictures to remind them; plus, it's more about my memories anyway ;)
I’ll always remember their faces when they met their favorite characters, their
beautiful smiles while they enjoyed rides, and their speechless mouths when
their fairy god-mother turned them around to reveal their princess make-overs.
I'll cherish those memories forever!
Here’s
a recap of the tips mentioned above:
- 2-year-olds get in free. (Try to wait until they are potty-trained if possible.)
- Search for a Disney World Crowd Calendar online and go when the crowd is light.
- Go on weekdays.
- Skip a park or two, if needed, to stay in budget.
- Invite family or friends for extra helping hands.
- Drive if possible.
- Pack light and try to squeeze in one vehicle if possible.
- Bring travel activities and special snacks.
- Stay off campus. (www.walkerworlddirect.com)
- Bring or rent a stroller. (www.orlandostrollerrentals.com)
- Skip the hopper passes to save money.
- Find park maps in advance and create a route/plan using FastPasses.
- Find easy breakfasts ideas and lunches at the grocery store.
- Pack lunches and snacks each day.
- Purchase Disney attire outside of the park (or even in your hometown).
- Research and carefully decide if you want to splurge on something special.
- Watch your children's faces light up and treasure the memories.
With love,
Amanda Fincher
owner of Holy Grounds Coffee
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