How many steps will you take to save money?

[FLA]

disneySteve, where do you stay usually? And I have to ask were you and your wife Disney fans before you met? What's your favorite Disney stuff?

for me, I still find it fun, my kids will outgrow it before I do! And my fav thing is Soarin'.

it's weird that I ended up liking going to a place that is just another huge company and profit drives all. I only like maybe 2 Pixar movies. It is not something even my friends can understand, it's so not me. DD and I like to visit friends in big cities and do art, history, most any kind of museums. We love trying the local cuisine. I hate our 6 Flags, I would happily pay for someone who likes it to take my kids, but they don't seem to care much about it. It's dirty, gross, way over priced really bad food. It's just not and never will be, Disney. I feel the same about Universal, but that may be because it was so unbelievably crowded for HP which had just opened.

Disney hooked me! or maybe they hoodwinked me, lol.

[disneysteve]

disneySteve, where do you stay usually? And I have to ask were you and your wife Disney fans before you met? What's your favorite Disney stuff?

We usually rent a condo/townhome/house in Windsor Palms. Either that or we rent a timeshare unit. In November, we're renting at Orbit One Vacation Villas. We've stayed there a few times before. We get a 2-bedroom, 2-bath unit for $45/night. It has a full kitchen, washer and dryer, and plenty of space. Even though it is just my wife and I going this time and we don't need all the space, you can't beat the price. And it is only 5 minutes from Disney. I actually timed the drive last time we were there and it took me 4-1/2 minutes from Animal Kingdom to our unit.

I've been a big Disney fan since childhood. I started collecting Disney memorabilia in 1975 and made my first trip to Disney World in 1978. My wife was not a big fan. Her first trip was with me in 1990 and she was hooked immediately. We've continued to travel and collect together ever since.

for me, I still find it fun, my kids will outgrow it before I do!

Our daughter, who turns 20 next month, still loves it. She shows no signs of outgrowing it.

it's weird that I ended up liking going to a place that is just another huge company and profit drives all. I only like maybe 2 Pixar movies. It is not something even my friends can understand, it's so not me. DD and I like to visit friends in big cities and do art, history, most any kind of museums. We love trying the local cuisine. I hate our 6 Flags

All of that describes us, too, except the part about the Pixar movies. We love to travel to different cities and spend time seeing local sights and taking in local food and culture. I don't think any of that means you can't also enjoy Disney World. Disney and 6 Flags are apples and oranges. One is a crappy amusement park with lousy overpriced food and apathetic employees. The other is one of the most popular vacation destinations in the world with something to do for all ages and all interests with destination dining featuring everything from comfort food to Michelin 5-star chefs at relatively reasonable prices, Broadway-caliber shows, some of the best fireworks displays you'll see anywhere, cutting edge use of technology in their attractions, and employees who love their jobs and live to share the magic.

[disneysteve]

I only like maybe 2 Pixar movies.

Have you see Inside Out? I think it is the best movie they've ever made. Of course, Toy Story 3 is great as well but I think Inside Out tops it.

[FLA]

Have you see Inside Out? I think it is the best movie they've ever made. Of course, Toy Story 3 is great as well but I think Inside Out tops it.

no, but I heard that was good and I want to see Up. Toy Story 3, my mom and I took the kids, we were crying and they were mortified, my mom was loud, lol

We stay in Windsor Hills and once in Windsor Palms. I love having so much space and a car. I was so excited the time we stayed onsite, everyone kept telling me how much better it was. I didn't think so at all.

that's great you converted your wife!

[disneysteve]

that's great you converted your wife!

It wasn't a conversion. She wasn't opposed to Disney. She liked the movies and TV shows just like everyone else, but that was about the extent of her involvement. She had never been to WDW. Her family didn't travel as her father owned a retail store and worked 6-day weeks year-round.

Her first trip was with me in 1990. As soon as she entered Magic Kingdom, she "got it" and instantly understood my love of Disney. We've gone about 2 dozen times since and have 3 trips planned in the next year. Our daughter is 19 and has been there 21 or 22 times (I forget). And we have a huge collection of Disney memorabilia dating back to the 1930s. She has been fully involved in accumulating that collection over the past 25 years.

[FLA]

you are a good match!

I took my ex-husband in the 90s in October, cool and no lines. He hated it from the get go, if 10 people were in line, he'd want to move on. He hated the "crowds?", the goofy fun stuff, every restaurant. My ex had a trick when he was totally over something, like buying HIS clothes at the store. He would lie down in Macy's and refuse to get up until we left. In the beginning, I would cave and we would go home without his own stupid clothes. After a while, I'd take the car keys out of his pocket and walk over his body and do my own thing. Nothing embarrasses this man!

He did that in Disney, which was more embarrassing because cast members flocked over and asked if he needed medical attention, "nope, but do you have psychiatric services?" FTR, the Happiest Place on Earth will not hand out prozac to help attain this happiness.

when we had kids, he loved every movie as much as the kids, watched them over and over, we had a child who, in his 3rd year, only answered if called Buzz. So I thought he would want to take them there, see it through their eyes. He didn't. I still love watching their reactions.

everyone's different, but if you hate Soarin' I'll probably judge you.

[GREENBACK]

Where do you get coupons for gas? I've never seen that. Maybe it isn't a thing in NJ.

I get coupons from Kroger for discounts on gas from Kroger gas stations and Shell. It's based on how much I spend monthly at Kroger. Since they are 5 minutes away it's usually a lot. Sometimes adds up to .30 cents off a gallon. I really don't pay attention to how it works but it's a good deal. Not sure if this is available from Kroger everywhere or if Kroger is even in N.J..

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Various family members need to see what Don will do to his daughter to "save " $44 on a meal that somehow still cost $93 with tip and I offered to pay and THAT made his night! So I had the waiter take pictures of dear old dad and me in my new headgear. He has reached a new low, that is somehow an expensive low, when his point was to save money. He has the hugest smile on his face!

I read this and nearly peed my pants. I laughed so hard I can picture every moment of it. It reminds me of my in-laws. They used to take my DH to go eat buffets and he'd eat until he threw up as a kid at Bonanza, and then they'd tell him he'd better eat more for his money's worth.

Second every time they do something to "save" money it ends up costing DH and I more to deal with it. Case and point not renting a car when we visited them. They insisted on picking us up from the airport but were an hour late. We were about to rent a car but they were insulted. Then we had to drive the 1996 Minivan which wasn't a big deal except they wouldn't replace the battery or let us replace the battery which kept on dying. No, no instead we had to carry around jumper cables and ask people to jump us because it didn't make sense to drive the car with a new battery. And instead we had to wait 3+ hours for CAA and then when we were on our own we asked 2x at a gas station for a jump, and once friend we were meeting at a restaurant. Again to be "cheap" they wouldn't let us rent a car or replace a battery.

Oh the other stories I have. But at least you find humor with your dad. I find I have to laugh since my mom sometimes does the same to me.

[FLA]

I read this and nearly peed my pants. I laughed so hard I can picture every moment of it. It reminds me of my in-laws. .

He is one of the funniest men I know but has no clue he is being funny. The next day, the gauze had risen and it looked like a fez. I had to go to a family meeting about my mom, she is my doctor, too. She does not mince words, "WtH is going on? Did you fall? If you need that much gauze, ER now." I explained.

My brother is 10x funnier (warning, long):

After the meeting, I had it removed. You are left with all these glue spots on your head and in my hair, I looked homeless. I had no hat. My brother and I were going to lunch. He said he was not going unless I had a hat, runs in CVS. Comes out with a 3 pack of hot pink shower caps with BUNNIES all over them, and a wire in it that makes it look like a saucer. I never see my brother so screw it, I went into the very casual restaurant. The cashier openly stared, could not tear her eyes away to put the order in. I go around the corner to sit. I hear, "you really should not stare at the mentally challenged, that is her favorite hat!" Cashier gave him ginormous cookie for me, lol.

We have a 3 pk, so my brother puts one on and we go see my dad in the LR, who is looking at us like we are lunatics. I go where I can see and hear. My dad, "WTH is going on here?" My brother deadpans that no matter how hard he tried, I had to buy these hats and I'll have one and one each for mom and him. Tells him to put it on, he had called the doc, who said just do this and eventually I'll stop. My dad is complaining/refusing. My brother leans over and puts it on him, "if you want her to get well, you need to do this one little thing when we are in the house, well she will wear hers out of the house, too. It is critical for her recovery. Do you not care if she ever gets well when all she is asking is for everyone to wear the shower caps?"

I come out and there is my tough old dad wearing a hot pink shower cap with bunnies. I can't stop laughing, my brother loses it and my dad calls us a-holes, but even he had to admit, it was funny.

[dawnwes]

For saving AT Disney World:

We moved from SoCal years ago. When we lived in CA, we were less than an hour to Disneyland. I would pop down for an afternoon or day here and there and always had annual passes for the family.

When we moved to the East Coast one of my conditions was that my husband would agree to go to Disney at least once per year. So we do.

We have bought tickets several different ways:

Group sales (with large group it has been about half price.)
Annual pass (if we do the math and it makes sense for that particular year.)
Buying from a friend who decided not to go
I have even done eBay and it worked, but I won't do that anymore as I hear horror stories

As far as lodging, we simply cannot and will not pay for a Disney hotel. At least not while we have a family of 5. We prefer a condo with at least 2 bedrooms. We don't mind staying a little further out either, which helps. The last 4 trips we have stayed at Regal Palms in a 4 bedroom for between $35-$43 per night, including all taxes and fees. I have teens, so it is nice to have the space.

This last Florida trip we were looking at a 3 bedroom at Windsor Hills with a private pool. I almost pulled the trigger for $122/night (7 nights) but then at the last minute found a 4 bedroom at Regal Palms for $43/night for 7 nights. $850 vs. $300. I just couldn't pay the extra $550.

We eat a lot of our own food, find any food/restaurant coupons we can, buy gift cards online (a $100 Landry's gift card for $80 got us dinner at T-Rex for example.)

Dawn

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Oh FLA again it's too much reading your posts. You should blog about them more. It's too much fun to laugh.