The cost of taking the kids to Disney World makes me want to cry. Like a year of preschool plus a year of gymnastics for 1 week at DW makes me cringe. But when we jokingly mentioned a Disney trip to the kids and they got sooo excited, it made us decide to go ahead and start planning. I know when we get to Disney, I am going to want to get my moneys worth, at the parks open to close, rushing around to hit every ride and all meet and greets the kids want to do. At the same time, I want to make this a magical trip. I know when all is said and done it will be the little things that make it magic and that they remember. I'm going to be telling myself this over and over for the next year but does anyone have any tricks on how to do a Disney trip and not just see dollar bills flying away every minute?
I think you need to define "money's worth " before you get there. You will never get your money's worth if you are costing it all out minute by minute, attraction by attraction, but if you look at the experience as a whole, you may feel differently.
We took the little family on our street to stay at the Grand. It was pricey. After we returned home my friend sent my DH a few videos of our beautiful Nola belting out all the Frozen songs at the sing-a-long. He told me that that experience alone for her was worth every penny.
As to planning, I look at the trip cost as a whole. Look at lodging. Do you need a fancy resort? Is a value going to make your family happy? They are highly themed, way less expensive, and kids love them. Then look at how you want to spend your time. The kids are going to want the pool. So I look at it as part of the trip. Plan it in.
Characters? Are they important? If they are, consider the dining plan. You can make that thing work for you if you plan carefully, and you will meet a lot of different characters.
Look at spending. My daughter made envelopes for my DGD. $20 per day in each envelope. Kady could spend it or add it to the next day. No fuss no whining. It was ll on her. She was given a new envelope daily, and that child came home with money. I would plan that. Give the kids a budget and leave it up to them. When its gone its gone, but now you do not need to hear it after every attraction that dumps into a shop.
Either pack food for the room or order it. Breakfast is a no brainer, milk and cereal, breakfast bars, whatever. Order water as well. It adds up buying drinks in the parks.
I would also not try to drag the kids all day long. You will have miserable kids, tired parents, and no one will go home happy.
WHen my oldest was 12 we took the family to WDW. There was only the MK and Future World. We saved and saved to take them on a ten day FL attractions vacation. My oldest, now 44, is still complaining that I scarred him for life, dragging him through WDW>He still has never gone back! I came home needing a vacation from the vacation. Please do not do this. Plan your vacation to enjoy the entire stay, not just an attraction based marathon.