Boxley Family Does Disney at a Discount
Howdy partners! My family of five, and sometime six when my college daughter is with us, absolutely loves family vacations. Of course our favorite destination is Walt Disney World, but with a larger family visiting this magical place comes with a high price tag.
After our last visit to Walt Disney World, I was surprised to see we had spent over $8,000. It was at that moment I realized we either had to stop going to Disney (which was not an option), or find a way to go cheaper without incurring debt.
When I found the Couponing to Disney site I was so excited to start my journey. It was great to see there were other people like me looking to save money, plan Disney trips and enjoy vacations without financial strain.
I started cutting coupons and used the site to quickly find deals in my hometown. I had clipped coupons before, however; using the site and Kristin’s pre-worked scenarios, made it easy and allowed me to speed things up.
So armed with coupons and knowledge, I took my first trip to the store. The result was awesome. I was able to buy over $150 of product for only $46.23. Wow! What a feeling of accomplishment.
I took the difference and immediately put that amount in my Disney Vacation savings account. All in all, I was able to save a little over $500 just from couponing.
But I needed more, so I took to the web in research of deals. After much thought, I opened a Disney Visa Rewards credit card account and scored a $50 Disney gift card right from the start. The Visa card offered 1% back on every purchase which then transferred to a Disney rewards card for use at all Disney stores and Parks.
I made the decision to use the card for paying all of my bills and purchases, then paying off the bill each month. It was only 1% back but you would be surprised how quickly you earn rewards. By the time I booked my Disney Vacation, I had already earned over $85.00 in Disney reward dollars. I also purchased my Disney vacation using Visa card, which earned me additional reward dollars.
I received an offer from Disney Vacation Clubs to contact them and visit with a DVC cast member, on the phone, to discuss the magical opportunities of a DVC membership for a $25 Disney gift card. I was not pressure and I was given lots if information. No purchase was necessary. So that was another $25. Yea!
My next savings adventure was joining ebates.com. Anytime I purchase things on line, I go through ebates first. I do a lot of on line shopping because taking 3 boys to the mall is not very productive. I don’t always get big checks from ebates, but every little bit counts.
In the past I have trolled the internet for Disney vacation deals, but usually ended up booking straight with Disney themselves, until I found I could rent DVC points from legitimate companies that buy and rent points for DVC members. I found two great websites David’s Vacation Club Rentals and the DVC Rental Store. I spoke with representatives from both and was impressed with their professionalism and service. In the end, I booked through David’s Vacation Club Rental and was able to snag a week stay at the Villas at Wilderness Lodge for $1400 compared to booking the same villa through Disney at $2706, or booking a room large enough for 5 at Wilderness Lodge for $5100. This saved me a ton.
Booking flights for 5 (or 6) from the Midwest to Orlando is not a cheap endeavor. I found you can save more if you purchase tickets about 6 months before, and purchase the tickets on a Tuesday afternoon. Airlines post their fares on Monday, so by Tuesday afternoon all the other airlines have a price war. You have to be quick to snatch the lower rates up because only so many seats are available at certain discounted rates.
In addition, pay attention to baggage fees for the airlines. People sometimes by a cheaper ticket only to realize at departure they have to pay baggage fees, which for my family roundtrip can together cost the price of another airline ticket. Though you shouldn’t always assume airlines without baggage fees are cheaper either. I found many airlines with baggage fees tend to wave their fees if you have one of their credit cards, like a Delta American Express. I signed up for an airline credit card and now my whole family gets free baggage check. More savings, woohoo!
Thanks to a little saving and a lot of help from Couponing to Disney, I am happy to report that we have booked our next trip to Disney for this summer and everything is paid in full. I was able to book our trip for less than half the price of our last trip, and having the money to pay off the trip before we even leave is a great feeling.
Well that is a little bit about my family’s method for doing Disney at a discount. Happy savings and may all of your wishes come true!
Arlene M. Boxley
Norman, OK
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