2 weeks at WDW on the cheap possible?

[magyargirl]

We are planning a 2 week trip mid October this year for my DDs 16th bday. We qualify for SoG. But no matter how I crunch the numbers, I cant seem to get us under $6000 and thats not even counting spending money....for 3 of us.

SoG benefits are transportation whether using theirs or short walk to Poly. Early and late stay in the parks and bigger rooms with balcony.

The problem I run into is trying to find something cheaper off site. But then I have to add car rental and parking at the parks. Thats another $1200 or more.

I bought the 14 day magic ticket which is already linked to MDE and I like that it has the Memory Maker included.

I could use some help trying to chop some cost if possible. Maybe different accomodations?

The first time we went to WDW we soent iver $10k. Stayed onsite at PORS had the deluxed dining plan. The next year we spent about $6k With spending money and everything because I found a deal at Blue Tree resort for $44 a night and great deal on car rental. I even got the annual pass. But now everything is so much. Having to pay for GENIE+. I feel like Disney is nickling and diming us with everything.

 

[jo-jo]

If you stayed off site, don't you have to add parking to the total too?

What do you have for a food budget? I think that's where most people cut.

 

[rwdavis2]

Food seems to be your only way to cut Your expenses.

 

[scrappinginontario]

2 weeks at Disney is never 'cheap' now. Sorry.

Basically the best way to lower costs is to shorten your trip as you've already tapped into ways to save. Share meals? Eat in room?

We stay at a value resort and have been going yearly (minus 2020 and 2021) for 13 years. Our same trip has almost doubled since about 5 years ago. Disney is no longer a cheap vacation.

 

[magyargirl]

2 weeks at Disney is never 'cheap' now. Sorry.

Basically the best way to lower costs is to shorten your trip as you've already tapped into ways to save. Share meals? Eat in room?

We stay at a value resort and have been going yearly (minus 2020 and 2021) for 13 years. Our same trip has almost doubled since about 5 years ago. Disney is no longer a cheap vacation.

Thats how it seems for us as well. Last time we went was 2018.

 

[magyargirl]

If you stayed off site, don't you have to add parking to the total too?

What do you have for a food budget? I think that's where most people cut.

We wouldn't rent a car. We would uber to SoG and then use their transportation or walk to Poly.

If we stayed off site to save $1000 we would then need a car and pay for park parking bringing ua right back to where we are. Its sad but seems the only way to cut costs is to cut days off our trip.

 

[Mle8308]

We wouldn't rent a car. We would uber to SoG and then use their transportation or walk to Poly.

If we stayed off site to save $1000 we would then need a car and pay for park parking bringing ua right back to where we are. Its sad but seems the only way to cut costs is to cut days off our trip.

I agree. Two weeks is a lot of time at Disney, 10 days will most likely be more than plenty of time, especially if you are buying Genie+. Or don't buy Genie+ and take advantage of early morning hours and extended evenings. With 14 days of tickets, Genie+ is probably not even needed, definitely not every day.

 

[StarCruzer]

Shades of Green pricing is done by rank, so it's possible you could get a cheaper deal getting a value or moderate resort with the military discount (or if they don't have mil discounted rooms for that long, a split stay).

In fact, two weeks is a long time so a split stay might make more sense. One week at SoG will give you the benefits of extra hours for at least a week, then transfer somewhere a little less expensive for the second week.

Utilize credit card points, especially if you have a Chase Sapphire Preferred/Reserve. We use this to help us pay for car rentals, or hotels at Universal.

 

[RoseGold]

I wouldn't even want to stay at Disney that long. But yea, the choices are expensive hotels with transportation or renting a car. Or doing something in the middle like Bonnet Creek Wydham or the Disney Springs resorts and taking their shuttles and maybe a few Lyfts.

Staying anywhere for two weeks is going to be expensive.

You could take down some costs by packing some food with you.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

We are planning a 2 week trip mid October this year for my DDs 16th bday. We qualify for SoG. But no matter how I crunch the numbers, I cant seem to get us under $6000 and thats not even counting spending money....for 3 of us.

SoG benefits are transportation whether using theirs or short walk to Poly. Early and late stay in the parks and bigger rooms with balcony.

The problem I run into is trying to find something cheaper off site. But then I have to add car rental and parking at the parks. Thats another $1200 or more.

I bought the 14 day magic ticket which is already linked to MDE and I like that it has the Memory Maker included.

I could use some help trying to chop some cost if possible. Maybe different accomodations?

The first time we went to WDW we soent iver $10k. Stayed onsite at PORS had the deluxed dining plan. The next year we spent about $6k With spending money and everything because I found a deal at Blue Tree resort for $44 a night and great deal on car rental. I even got the annual pass. But now everything is so much. Having to pay for GENIE+. I feel like Disney is nickling and diming us with everything.

I have no idea but are the values less $ than SofG? I have no idea what the costs are staying at SoG. If it's only 3 of you, surely Pop would be just fine and you get the on site advantages at a value cost. The factors that will dictate your cost that we usually look at-

Accommodation selection
length of trip
meals/food exp
misc shopping
time of year

My top of mind recommendations would be shorten the trip or go another time of year given Oct can be high for the fall season. There are some specials that were released recently if you could switch your trip to fall under one of those deals it could be less $. Not sure but if you have character meals on your radar, dump them. Eat breakfast in and only eat QS, maybe 1 TS meal/day or one signature meal only for bday, etc. I have to say, if you could cut it to one week, you'd be at $3k and that's pretty darn good without spending $.

 

[RoseGold]

Yes, the way to save money would be to make the trip shorter.

 

[snikki]

6K for two weeks at Disney for 3 people is cheap IMO.

Shorten the trip and you will save tons. We did 9 days in November and for CSR and tickets for two people my package alone was over 4K. That's not including flights, transportation, food and spending money.

With 9 day tickets, even during a busy week and losing about a day of park time due to Hurricane Nicole, it was plenty of time to get everything done and more. I would've been content leaving after 8 days.

 

[UberClaire]

Not sure what your total budget is, but two weeks is a long time. I'm planning a 7-8 night December trip for 3 people, and tickets, estimated airfare, lodging, and ground transportation already takes us to 6k.

 

[lanejudy]

If we stayed off site to save $1000 we would then need a car and pay for park parking bringing ua right back to where we are.

There are offsite hotels that include park shuttles. The shuttles may not be as frequent or convenient as the WDW transportation, but you could cut the car rental. Check some Disney Springs area resorts; I think some even have the early-entry perk.