As someone who goes to Disney once a month. Prep yourself for the heat. Having young kids and summer heat is rough. We only go in the morning or when the sun is starting to go down in the summer.
That’s our plan! Early rope drop, naps or pool, then go back later. Kinda works for their schedule that way best anyway! I am hoping it gets hot here soon so we can spend time outside and start adjusting.
Great tip for Souvenirs is to go to the Walmart closest to Disney. They have a HUGE Disney section. You can get the exact same things, sometimes even cooler items for a fraction of the cost. One of my friends got her kids a Disney bubble glow wand thing there and took it to the park and everyone was asking them where they got it. Walmart
I went to Disney as an adult, alone and I wish I had a stroller too 😂 you do get tired. Fast passes are worth it. Food is pricey, definitely bring snacks and water ❤ it is beautiful and I think you’re doing such a good job planning & using your rewards! 🎉
I’m a Disney pro and yes it’s expensive, but it’s so worth it. Your friends are amazing for scoring you that hotel deal. That’s an unheard of price for a deluxe for 8 nights. Enjoy every minute of it! It will be so special with a young family.
We live in Cali and my daughter was able to go the bippity boppity boutique to turn into a princess. I recommend this because they have pacakages that include hair, nail polish, the dress a backpack wand and crown plus a photo opt at the end for about $200. Its sound like alot but it a fun experience for a mommy and me time plus she walks away feeling so special! It is a memory I will forever cherish with my 5 year old. I just budget for it in advance and then i can enjoy the experience guilt free!❤
That's good to know and happy for us! I don't mind hot weather at all so I'll be fine. My husband might hate it lol but I'm hoping we still have fun. Since our friends could only go in the summer that's what we had to do!
Enjoy your holiday - definitely worth flying to not arrive tired with kranky kids before what is an exhausting holiday. We've been a few times. Each time we spend a bit less, but the first time we thought it would be our only time so we did have a big blow out. I have never regretted it after the fact. The next couple of trips we knew what was our non-negotiables and what we could do cheaper.
Love this! We are kinda going in with the mindset of it being our only time so spending a little more. If we end up like you and love it then future trips would definitely be on the cheaper side.
I’ve never been to Disney World but have always wanted to go. I love these Disney related videos because the costs are very eye opening! Great video Mary.
I save up to pay for all the bells and whistles for our Universal Orlando premier vacations and because I do that we have to go every two years which is fine. It will be the same for Disney World vacations again once they get their acts together and ditch the park ticket restrictions. I do not cheap out on Florida theme park vacations.
I LOVED this video Mary!!! ahhhh. I am SUPER excited for you guys. i feel like i'm living vicariously through you lol. It's cool hear that the friends you're going with are DVC members! (we are also DVC members now haha) i'm sure they have been helpful in the planning process. and i'm excited to eventually see where you guys stay! Also I may answer your last question with a video on my channel...i did a must-do video some years ago but it's def time to update it!
Highly recommend staying at Pop century.It’s reasonable for Disney and newly renovated. It also has the skyliner and buses. We love it! It is also way cheaper!
Also are you park hopping? If not make sure you check the schedule for which park had the extra hours at night for delux guest Also get there 1 hour before opening for the best rope drop experience!!!!
I have not read all the comments but when dining some restaurants ( mostly buffet or fixed price ) your 5 year old will be charged but the 2 year old is free That’s mainly the characters meals We do mainly quick service restaurants ( fast food)
Just a heads up that a lot of the rooms have beverage coolers and don't get as cold as normal fridges. Just to keep in mind when you go grocery shopping for lunches :)
I’ve never been to Disney and probably won’t ever take my daughter there but I always knew it was superrrrr expensive. It’s interesting to watch your journey and cost associated with this trip.
Disney can definitely be done on a budget and you’ll still have a great time. The All-Star resorts are great and kids love the theming far more than some of the deluxe resorts. Drive instead of fly! Depending on time of the year you can get rooms for $120-150 per night depending on current deals. Don’t do a bunch of table-service restaurants. Pack food. Eat quick service meals!
If we like it and decide to go back more often we will definitely be checking out those options. But we are currently only planning this trip so we wanted to make sure we did all the things we wanted rather than try to be more frugal.
I'm sure your friends are doing a great job of giving you all you need to know. Best way to go on your first trip. I too am a DVC member. Be careful, it is easy to catch the "DVC bug"!!! You may come home with points of your own! :) My only advice is to let your kids pace your day. It is very hot in the summer. I too am a teacher and go a lot in the summer. Definitely plan downtime and pool time. Have the best time!
So happy to hear this! We planned to have nap or pool time mid day and do early morning or late at the parks when it’s slightly cooler. Definitely already know we will not be “seeing it all” and plan to be more chill. Glad to hear it’s the way to go.
We just drive to FL and back 14 hours each way with 4 kids. Yes it helped save us a ton a money to not fly 6 people to FL. BUT I will never do it again! We are saving up now for our flights next year. Good call on flying! Great video. I have no interest in going to Disney but love hearing how you plan and save on traveling. TY!
I am so happy for you , you will have the most magical time, I did the first time, the 2nd time not so much & I had a lot of money to blow. The first time I was truly broke , I learned in retrospect that money didn't really make my trip. It was the ppl & experiences. 😊
@@PenniesNotPerfection OMG, those are AWESOME!!!! Boardwalk is undergoing a major refurbishment, so maybe you'll get the new rooms! We love their roller coaster pool and carousel bar. It's not as insane as Beach Club, and the location is amazing. Enjoy the street performers and the movies on the lawn while there! At AK, are you Jambo or Kidani? Both are cool, but if Jambo, make a point to eat dinner at Jiko. The food is DELICIOUS. If you can't snag a reservation, their little bar serves the whole menu. It's FC/FS, but so nice. Definitely ask at the front desk for the night vision goggles. IDK if they still offer them, but they used to let you use them out on the back veranda to see animals at night. The pools there are wonderful for the kids, too.
The stroller rental is so worth it!! I’ve seen way too many strollers accidentally damaged while flying. Super helpful video, and one (possibly silly) question. Does this mean you don’t need car seats for the trip?
We plan to Uber from the airport to the hotel and in the past you can request an Uber with car seats! It worked well with my daughter before in other big cities, though of course anxious mom brain thinks about the safety aspect but for two rides we feel comfortable enough with it. Since Orlando is Disney central and lots of other families go I feel comfortable enough with it. I haven't looked to far into it though but I've heard there are other transport options too.
$185/night for deluxe!!! Dang! We've rented DVC points! The only downside side is it's nonrefundable but we've stayed at most of the deluxe resorts because of rental point prices.
That’s cool! I’ve only seen the one girl on instagram who said she did it but I really like the idea of you want a nicer stay without the regular price tag.
That’s a crazy good price for those resorts, you probably know this or your friends know but make sure you plan your Epcot days around the boardwalk stay , you can walk!!!! And you will be at the back entrance close to the counties especially France
@@PenniesNotPerfection You're going to be soooo spoiled by that location, LOL. When you walk into Epcot by UK/France, La Creperie has delicious, affordable breakfast crepes while you wait in line for Ratatouille. Check out L'Chaim for awesome boozy slushy drinks in the heat. Actually, all their stuff is good; cookies, drinks, pastries, food.
Sounds like you will have a lot of fun! I've been to Disney twice. Once as a child (about age 7) and once as an adult. I remember one of the first things I did in the park as a kid was fall off a curb and skin my knee 😅 We were very lucky we had family we could stay with and just travel to the park. As an adult I went back with my parents in their RV and stayed in Fort Wilderness. That was great also because it was almost like 2 vacations...camping and theme parks! Of course I loved it all but as an adult I loved Epcot more!
I have a saying that I really hope will help you in your financial planning panic moments: You can make more money but you're can't make more time. I LOVE road trips but I would never make a 12 hour drive with a 5 and 2 year old either. IMO, you made the right decision. I hope you all have the best time. 😀
Great job travel hacking, Mary! We're doing some of that with a carnival cruise CC. My husband and I both got a $200 credit towards our cruise. Whoop whoop!🎉 Loved hearing more about your trip details!!
With two small children on 8 days of long, high-energy activity, you should carve out a full day of rest at the mid-point of your trip. I’ve done the Disney tour of duty with kids three times and am speaking from experience.
My suggestion for you is that you and your husband should start exercising before your trip. Besides Disney being expensive, it’s exhausting. Especially with little ones, you can’t carry the strollers in the lines so when my kids were young we had to carry/hold them in the line. Being physically fit helps, because when you are tired you start getting miserable and then that takes the fun out of the trip. Also since your kids are so young, let there first ride be something mild like Small World where you are all seated together. If you start on something too intense you may freak them out. I look forward to seeing you continue to plan for your trip and the trip itself. It will be a memory…and don’t forget to take lots of pics
Great tips! I workout 4-5 times a week and we’ve started doing family walks and hikes too. I think it will be a lot of fun! Great tip for the rides I hadn’t thought about that. Really helpful!
Its so insane that people spend so much money on disney. Imo its so much more valuable and drastically cheaper to take your kids to a different country
We will probably do that too! I love to travel and it’s something I prioritize spending on where I don’t spend money on other things like a big car payment. Sounds like you value one kind of travel over another but lots of people LOVE Disney. Personal preferences determine personal finance.
Do you have a Sam’s Club near you? I paid for my entire trip with gift cards. $200 gift cards are $192 and $500 gift cards are $484. So $40 in cash savings and $30 in cash savings for every $1000 you spend depending on which gift cards you purchase! I used the savings to just buy more gift cards for our food/souvenirs budget. 😊
12 hours in a car with kids is torture. Good 👍 idea to fly. Been to Disney back probably before you were born when it was cheap. But you will have fun, it’s an experience. My family and I was in Orlando last year, but we didn’t go to Disney. Girl, I forgot how hot it gets down there. Make sure you take sunscreen and hats. You may want to take one ☝️ of those handheld fans Also, make sure you have shoes you have broken in because you are going to be getting some serious steps in. Have fun and say hello to the birds in the Tiki Room😊❤
Yeah I feel like maybe when I was a kid it wasn't as expensive because other people I knew got to go (we didn't but I knew lots of kids that went). I am nervous about the heat and sun for sure! Hats are a good idea, I just got one as a gift for my birthday and I bought the kiddos a couple more! I willl!
As someone who goes to Disney once a month. Prep yourself for the heat. Having young kids and summer heat is rough. We only go in the morning or when the sun is starting to go down in the summer.
That’s our plan! Early rope drop, naps or pool, then go back later. Kinda works for their schedule that way best anyway! I am hoping it gets hot here soon so we can spend time outside and start adjusting.
Great tip for Souvenirs is to go to the Walmart closest to Disney. They have a HUGE Disney section. You can get the exact same things, sometimes even cooler items for a fraction of the cost. One of my friends got her kids a Disney bubble glow wand thing there and took it to the park and everyone was asking them where they got it. Walmart
Oh I love this! I didn’t know about the Walmart nearby! Great idea.
Yes. I was just there and this is so true.
Yessssssss great advice! WALMART saved us alot of money
They also have 2 Disney outlets close by. We went in december and I got halloween mickey ears for $1 for our trip in Sept. Spirit jerseys for $15
Oh wow, that's cool! I didn't even think of a Disney outlet.
I love how intentional you are :-) tnx for sharing. enyoj your trip!
I went to Disney as an adult, alone and I wish I had a stroller too 😂 you do get tired. Fast passes are worth it. Food is pricey, definitely bring snacks and water ❤ it is beautiful and I think you’re doing such a good job planning & using your rewards! 🎉
LOL they need adult strollers!
Thank you!
I’m a Disney pro and yes it’s expensive, but it’s so worth it. Your friends are amazing for scoring you that hotel deal. That’s an unheard of price for a deluxe for 8 nights. Enjoy every minute of it! It will be so special with a young family.
Thank you! I am so thrilled about it. They are also really great with money and getting deals so we lucked out having them help us so much!
I’m so excited for you all, Mary!! Wishing you all the best trip ever 🤗💗 yes to flying 🙌
flying is a great thing. can’t wait to hear about the trip when it’s over
We live in Cali and my daughter was able to go the bippity boppity boutique to turn into a princess. I recommend this because they have pacakages that include hair, nail polish, the dress a backpack wand and crown plus a photo opt at the end for about $200. Its sound like alot but it a fun experience for a mommy and me time plus she walks away feeling so special! It is a memory I will forever cherish with my 5 year old. I just budget for it in advance and then i can enjoy the experience guilt free!❤
That sounds so sweet!
Summer is actually Disney’s slow season because of the super hot weather! That’s why there’s a bunch of deals from June-August. 😊
That's good to know and happy for us! I don't mind hot weather at all so I'll be fine. My husband might hate it lol but I'm hoping we still have fun. Since our friends could only go in the summer that's what we had to do!
It's fun to see your goals come together for this year. Your blouse/top is beautiful! It looks so great on you and those earrings.
Thanks! It’s a dress actually but I love the color!
That trip sounds amazing. I haven't been to Disney but it sounds like you planned it well. Enjoy
Enjoy your holiday - definitely worth flying to not arrive tired with kranky kids before what is an exhausting holiday. We've been a few times. Each time we spend a bit less, but the first time we thought it would be our only time so we did have a big blow out. I have never regretted it after the fact. The next couple of trips we knew what was our non-negotiables and what we could do cheaper.
Love this! We are kinda going in with the mindset of it being our only time so spending a little more. If we end up like you and love it then future trips would definitely be on the cheaper side.
The bugged rental will be so convenient for you, my sister had one & it was great!
Very excited about it and so is penny lol
I’ve never been to Disney World but have always wanted to go. I love these Disney related videos because the costs are very eye opening! Great video Mary.
Thanks! I'll definitely do a few more too. Let me know if you have questions!
I save up to pay for all the bells and whistles for our Universal Orlando premier vacations and because I do that we have to go every two years which is fine. It will be the same for Disney World vacations again once they get their acts together and ditch the park ticket restrictions. I do not cheap out on Florida theme park vacations.
I LOVED this video Mary!!! ahhhh. I am SUPER excited for you guys. i feel like i'm living vicariously through you lol. It's cool hear that the friends you're going with are DVC members! (we are also DVC members now haha) i'm sure they have been helpful in the planning process. and i'm excited to eventually see where you guys stay! Also I may answer your last question with a video on my channel...i did a must-do video some years ago but it's def time to update it!
Ohhh please do! Remind me when you publish it in case I don't see it in subscriptions! I love hearing from people I feel like I know on this!
@@PenniesNotPerfection yessss! I most definitely will!
Highly recommend staying at Pop century.It’s reasonable for Disney and newly renovated. It also has the skyliner and buses. We love it! It is also way cheaper!
Also are you park hopping? If not make sure you check the schedule for which park had the extra hours at night for delux guest
Also get there 1 hour before opening for the best rope drop experience!!!!
We are not park hopping.
I have not read all the comments but when dining some restaurants ( mostly buffet or fixed price ) your 5 year old will be charged but the 2 year old is free
That’s mainly the characters meals
We do mainly quick service restaurants ( fast food)
Oh that’s good to know! I didn’t know how it worked with littles. One we want to do is a buffet style.
Chef Mickey is a must for breakfast
Just a heads up that a lot of the rooms have beverage coolers and don't get as cold as normal fridges. Just to keep in mind when you go grocery shopping for lunches :)
Good to know!! Thank you!
@@PenniesNotPerfection DVC rooms that are 1 bedroom or more that full kitchens :)
Honestly our kids mostly eat stuff like gogos, bananas, and pb&j so we probably don't even need a fridge for their stuff.
That was really interesting. I haven’t heard about renting points.
Happy birthday Mary 🎂 Thanks for sharing brings it together with Transfer Tuesday. Time and money deliberations make sense.
Thank you!!
I’ve never been to Disney and probably won’t ever take my daughter there but I always knew it was superrrrr expensive. It’s interesting to watch your journey and cost associated with this trip.
Right I’ve never been and know it’s super expensive as well
It’s def expensive! I’m so interested in people that go all the time… like how? We’ve definitely had to make it a huge thing for saving.
Disney can definitely be done on a budget and you’ll still have a great time. The All-Star resorts are great and kids love the theming far more than some of the deluxe resorts. Drive instead of fly! Depending on time of the year you can get rooms for $120-150 per night depending on current deals. Don’t do a bunch of table-service restaurants. Pack food. Eat quick service meals!
If we like it and decide to go back more often we will definitely be checking out those options. But we are currently only planning this trip so we wanted to make sure we did all the things we wanted rather than try to be more frugal.
I'm sure your friends are doing a great job of giving you all you need to know. Best way to go on your first trip. I too am a DVC member. Be careful, it is easy to catch the "DVC bug"!!! You may come home with points of your own! :) My only advice is to let your kids pace your day. It is very hot in the summer. I too am a teacher and go a lot in the summer. Definitely plan downtime and pool time. Have the best time!
So happy to hear this!
We planned to have nap or pool time mid day and do early morning or late at the parks when it’s slightly cooler. Definitely already know we will not be “seeing it all” and plan to be more chill. Glad to hear it’s the way to go.
Take advantage of the late hours for deluxe guests
Oooh late hours? I saw that resort guests got to go in early but didn’t see anything on late hours. My husband will love that!
When I went Epcot had late hours on Monday and MK on Wednesday.
Yes, late hours for deluxe resort guests are great. Less crowds!
We just drive to FL and back 14 hours each way with 4 kids. Yes it helped save us a ton a money to not fly 6 people to FL. BUT I will never do it again! We are saving up now for our flights next year. Good call on flying! Great video. I have no interest in going to Disney but love hearing how you plan and save on traveling. TY!
This really helps me solidify it was the right choice! I just didn’t think any of us would enjoy that long in a car.
@@PenniesNotPerfection You 100% made the right choice :)
I am so happy for you , you will have the most magical time, I did the first time, the 2nd time not so much & I had a lot of money to blow. The first time I was truly broke , I learned in retrospect that money didn't really make my trip. It was the ppl & experiences. 😊
That’s so nice to hear. I think going with friends will really help us enjoy it so much more.
I need to know the name of the deluxe resort! There are so many!
Boardwalk and Animal Kingdom Lodge!
@@PenniesNotPerfection OMG, those are AWESOME!!!! Boardwalk is undergoing a major refurbishment, so maybe you'll get the new rooms! We love their roller coaster pool and carousel bar. It's not as insane as Beach Club, and the location is amazing. Enjoy the street performers and the movies on the lawn while there!
At AK, are you Jambo or Kidani? Both are cool, but if Jambo, make a point to eat dinner at Jiko. The food is DELICIOUS. If you can't snag a reservation, their little bar serves the whole menu. It's FC/FS, but so nice. Definitely ask at the front desk for the night vision goggles. IDK if they still offer them, but they used to let you use them out on the back veranda to see animals at night. The pools there are wonderful for the kids, too.
Jambo! Thank you for those tips, really helpful!
The stroller rental is so worth it!! I’ve seen way too many strollers accidentally damaged while flying.
Super helpful video, and one (possibly silly) question. Does this mean you don’t need car seats for the trip?
We plan to Uber from the airport to the hotel and in the past you can request an Uber with car seats! It worked well with my daughter before in other big cities, though of course anxious mom brain thinks about the safety aspect but for two rides we feel comfortable enough with it. Since Orlando is Disney central and lots of other families go I feel comfortable enough with it. I haven't looked to far into it though but I've heard there are other transport options too.
$185/night for deluxe!!! Dang!
We've rented DVC points! The only downside side is it's nonrefundable but we've stayed at most of the deluxe resorts because of rental point prices.
That’s cool! I’ve only seen the one girl on instagram who said she did it but I really like the idea of you want a nicer stay without the regular price tag.
Definitely great y’all are flying. Fast pass 100% worth it. Hubby & I went In Summer drink lots of water. The break midday is a great idea. 😊❤
Good idea on the water! I need to bring us all water bottles! Gonna be hot lol
No more fast pass but 100% on Genie Plus!
Which resort? Also try taking rest days
We are planning to have some rest half days for sure and hang at the pool!
Boardwalk and Animal Kingdom Lodge!
That’s a crazy good price for those resorts, you probably know this or your friends know but make sure you plan your Epcot days around the boardwalk stay , you can walk!!!! And you will be at the back entrance close to the counties especially France
Yess boardwalk was one of our choices because we could walk!
@@PenniesNotPerfection You're going to be soooo spoiled by that location, LOL.
When you walk into Epcot by UK/France, La Creperie has delicious, affordable breakfast crepes while you wait in line for Ratatouille.
Check out L'Chaim for awesome boozy slushy drinks in the heat. Actually, all their stuff is good; cookies, drinks, pastries, food.
Sounds like you will have a lot of fun! I've been to Disney twice. Once as a child (about age 7) and once as an adult. I remember one of the first things I did in the park as a kid was fall off a curb and skin my knee 😅 We were very lucky we had family we could stay with and just travel to the park.
As an adult I went back with my parents in their RV and stayed in Fort Wilderness. That was great also because it was almost like 2 vacations...camping and theme parks! Of course I loved it all but as an adult I loved Epcot more!
That sounds so fun! I have a feeling I'm going to really like Epcot. :)
I have a saying that I really hope will help you in your financial planning panic moments: You can make more money but you're can't make more time.
I LOVE road trips but I would never make a 12 hour drive with a 5 and 2 year old either. IMO, you made the right decision. I hope you all have the best time. 😀
So true! Time and memories are SUPER valuable.
I watch a lady called Victoria in Disney. She is from the UK however gives so much information. Worth a look
I will! Haven’t come across her yet!
Great job travel hacking, Mary!
We're doing some of that with a carnival cruise CC. My husband and I both got a $200 credit towards our cruise. Whoop whoop!🎉
Loved hearing more about your trip details!!
Nice work!
With two small children on 8 days of long, high-energy activity, you should carve out a full day of rest at the mid-point of your trip. I’ve done the Disney tour of duty with kids three times and am speaking from experience.
Definitely a possible idea! We’ve planned some half days of rest/pool and honestly are really flexible with how the trip goes.
My suggestion for you is that you and your husband should start exercising before your trip. Besides Disney being expensive, it’s exhausting. Especially with little ones, you can’t carry the strollers in the lines so when my kids were young we had to carry/hold them in the line. Being physically fit helps, because when you are tired you start getting miserable and then that takes the fun out of the trip. Also since your kids are so young, let there first ride be something mild like Small World where you are all seated together. If you start on something too intense you may freak them out. I look forward to seeing you continue to plan for your trip and the trip itself. It will be a memory…and don’t forget to take lots of pics
Great tips! I workout 4-5 times a week and we’ve started doing family walks and hikes too. I think it will be a lot of fun!
Great tip for the rides I hadn’t thought about that. Really helpful!
Tip for when you’re there for groceries: get them delivered to your hotel!
That was our plan since we won't have a car!
Oh yeah budget for genie plus if you want to skip the lines
Don’t beat yourself up about flying! If you drove, where would you park your car? That would cost you hundreds.
Good point also we probably would have broken it up and got a hotel so in the end it’s not that crazy.
Its so insane that people spend so much money on disney. Imo its so much more valuable and drastically cheaper to take your kids to a different country
We will probably do that too! I love to travel and it’s something I prioritize spending on where I don’t spend money on other things like a big car payment. Sounds like you value one kind of travel over another but lots of people LOVE Disney. Personal preferences determine personal finance.
@@PenniesNotPerfection very true good point
Do you have a Sam’s Club near you? I paid for my entire trip with gift cards. $200 gift cards are $192 and $500 gift cards are $484. So $40 in cash savings and $30 in cash savings for every $1000 you spend depending on which gift cards you purchase! I used the savings to just buy more gift cards for our food/souvenirs budget. 😊
Oh nice! We do have one I just don't have a membership. I'll have to check this out!
12 hours in a car with kids is torture. Good 👍 idea to fly. Been to Disney back probably before you were born when it was cheap. But you will have fun, it’s an experience. My family and I was in Orlando last year, but we didn’t go to Disney. Girl, I forgot how hot it gets down there. Make sure you take sunscreen and hats. You may want to take one ☝️ of those handheld fans Also, make sure you have shoes you have broken in because you are going to be getting some serious steps in. Have fun and say hello to the birds in the Tiki Room😊❤
Yeah I feel like maybe when I was a kid it wasn't as expensive because other people I knew got to go (we didn't but I knew lots of kids that went).
I am nervous about the heat and sun for sure! Hats are a good idea, I just got one as a gift for my birthday and I bought the kiddos a couple more!
I willl!