[Fun] What's your plan of attack to save up money for a Disney vacation?

[cablubber]

With our family we usually rely heavily on our tax return to pay for our vacation. The way things are with life though, we end up using a lot of tax return money a lot of times on other bills and expenses. So because of this we still have to do the ol' fashioned thing of saving up money here and there whenever we can. Usually, our tickets and hotel are covered by the tax return then the only thing we have to save money for is gas and food. Sometimes though, those expenses are switched around.

How do you save for a Disneyland Resort vacation?

[BiggestDisneyFan]

Re: What's your plan of attack to save up money for a Disney vacation?

For me, it's wishing on a star, praying, and occasionally playing the lottery.

[Stormy]

Re: What's your plan of attack to save up money for a Disney vacation?

A 'monthly payment plan'. As in, I take what I spent on my most recent Disney vacation and add around 15% (I always assume there will be increases in costs), figure the amount of time I have before I'm going again and set that amount aside every month. I start saving for the next vacation as soon as the 'current' one is paid for, even if I haven't taken it yet. I compulsively check and recheck the prices on various package deals and adjust my savings accordingly. I also ask DH for cash for gift-giving occasions to add to my pot (that usually ends up as my spending money).

So far, so good. I've never had to (and would never) put anything on credit. If the time comes that I can't save up enough to do Disney 'my way', then that's when I'll have to reconsider the way I do Disney (onsite stays) and/or the frequency (currently once a year).

[jsmith11618]

Re: What's your plan of attack to save up money for a Disney vacation?

I don't save in the traditional sense for the most part. I plan a trip in the fall usually and start the planning and buying in January. Airline ticket first, then prepay hotel room, buy tickets, ground transport etc. I buy prepay something each month. By the time the trip comes only thing I need to pay for is food and my normal pay can cover the 200 or so I need for that. I find this the easiest and most logical way to do it and let's me go more frequent if I so choose.

Pretty much everything can be prepaid so no need to save large sums and pay for it all at once. I also don't buy package deals, I can usually beat anything offered by booking separately.

I don't make enough to get tax refunds and no kids so the small refunds I get won't cover much maybe a shuttle to the airport..... Lol

[Big D]

Re: What's your plan of attack to save up money for a Disney vacation?

Vegas.

[sbk1234]

Re: What's your plan of attack to save up money for a Disney vacation?

I'm not too good. I have to admit that I do put much on the credit card, but my wife - who's in charge of the finances - is really good about being sure to pay it down.
We also have our APs now, so that offsets much of the cost.
We've also packed our own food on occasion.

One time I sold some collectables I had and made $300. We already had the APs, but I was able to pay for a motel for my daughters and me and spend three days there. It even covered the cost of a nice dinner at Carthay Theatre restaurant.

[brendonb28]

Re: What's your plan of attack to save up money for a Disney vacation?

I get SSI for my disablilties and take out 200 dollars and deposit the rest for about year and that gives me 2,400 dollars for the flight and park hoppers and shopping. My parents payed for the hotel and food since we went for my bday.

[FreshBakedDisney]

Re: What's your plan of attack to save up money for a Disney vacation?

Buy nothing.

[brendonb28]

Re: What's your plan of attack to save up money for a Disney vacation?

Buy nothing.

Is that even remotely possible??

[mickeyfan42]

Re: What's your plan of attack to save up money for a Disney vacation?

well now having an AP it will help a LOT. But even prior to this most recent trip my method is to book anything I can early (shuttles, airfare, hotel, park admission, etc). In the case of the last trip I booked my flights about 3.5 months early when I had a large check come in and got a killer deal. Then in January I got the hotel booked with one of my large checks that came in and set aside the rest on Disney gift cards. My next check came in and I used it to buy the AP and again put money on gift cards. I get direct deposit at work so I make sure I have an additional cushion available when there but I also choose to set money aside. This time I had been given a 120 gift card for christmas which I used towards food first. I had also set aside about $450 in disney gift cards and again only was willing to buy the food first just in case, it was more than enough and on the last few days I didn't mind using it towards souvenirs. And as soon as I got home and EVERYTHING had been paid for that was post vacation (printing photos, framing artwork, etc) I have now started to save up for Memorial Day Weekend where I will essentially need the amount I make in a week for food/merch (a little over 200), and I'll also need to use the bonus check from one of my jobs that comes in next week which will not only cover airfare and hotel but also the shuttles and I may even have more of it left to use towards food.

Once that is paid for I will begin setting aside money for the anniversary of the park trip. Luckily I won't have to start prepping for November until after I get back from that one and I can pay for it also super easy because I work at 2 stores from August-October

[FreshBakedDisney]

Re: What's your plan of attack to save up money for a Disney vacation?

Is that even remotely possible??

Of course. Obviously you have to pay rent, buy gas, eat, drink and clothe yourself. But there are TONS of ways to NOT spend money.

I can save $20-$30 per trip to the grocery store by simply saying NO more than YES.

Don't really need those shoes.

Don't really need that Blu-Ray.

Don't need ALL those premium channels.

It goes on of course. Just basic stuff really. It's not fancy, and not complicated.

[kirstenh]

Re: What's your plan of attack to save up money for a Disney vacation?

We go once a year, and it's just the two of us and we each pay our own way so it's not too bad. I put aside a little each month and then a few months out we pull the trigger and buy a package with airfare, hotel and park hoppers. Then we spend the next few months saving a little for food, merch, shuttles, etc.

[mousedaddy]

Re: What's your plan of attack to save up money for a Disney vacation?

the big way i saved this last year is droping my dish $75.00 a month went to a netflix and hulu account $17.00 a month saved me $58.00 a month.

[brendonb28]

Re: What's your plan of attack to save up money for a Disney vacation?

Of course. Obviously you have to pay rent, buy gas, eat, drink and clothe yourself. But there are TONS of ways to NOT spend money.

I can save $20-$30 per trip to the grocery store by simply saying NO more than YES.

Don't really need those shoes.

Don't really need that Blu-Ray.

Don't need ALL those premium channels.

It goes on of course. Just basic stuff really. It's not fancy, and not complicated.

Sorry, I thought you meant not buying anything at the parks. Such as Souvenirs and such.

[whoever]

Re: What's your plan of attack to save up money for a Disney vacation?

Start cutting back with enough time so when that entire trip which goes on the credit card (disney visa don't you know) gets paid off in full upon the bill coming due. Don't really sock cash away specifically, just dial back where possible according to a plan.

[Jesser-pie]

Re: What's your plan of attack to save up money for a Disney vacation?

Everyone's expenditures are different of course, but try not eating out.

Even fast food trips add up to a significant chunk of $$$. When I went to Disney World last year, I would tell myself I couldn't go out because I could use that money to dine out all week on vacation.

[TFN5459]

Re: What's your plan of attack to save up money for a Disney vacation?

Two good ways that I usually save money are through using the "one park a day" park hopper that saves a little, also only eating at smaller counter service restaurants like Tangaroa Terrace and Golden Horseshoe once for breakfast and then for an "evening meal" (I typically skip lunch and then eat a somewhat early dinner around 5 or 6) can also save a good deal of money.

[Sambo]

Re: What's your plan of attack to save up money for a Disney vacation?

I put $20 of each check in my Disneyland box. In a few years I have enough for a two week stay.

[TheBirdsSingWords]

Re: What's your plan of attack to save up money for a Disney vacation?

I have a portion of my paycheck automatically deposited to my savings account, and then I never ever touch it except for emergencies (major car repairs, catastrophic veterinary bills ... And Disneyland).

[Beatle_johnny]

Re: What's your plan of attack to save up money for a Disney vacation?

MasterCard then bankruptcy... *sigh*