This Couponing to Disney story comes from my reader Christie…
I’ve been a huge fan of Disney World since childhood, going every few years with my family. After we got married, I talked my husband into a trip for the two of us. He was on board with the plan, but not ecstatic like me. He’d been once as a child and barely remembered it. But, we went in December 2010 and that was all it took — he was hooked too, and we couldn’t wait to plan another trip.
Just before that trip I found your site, and I started couponing for the first time. Then in December 2011 we went back to Disney World, having scrimped and saved for the year (and with the help of a very generous gift of our hotel stay being paid for). Our second trip was even better than the first, and we had a magical trip. It was even more magical when we found out on our third day there that I was pregnant with our first child! We can’t wait to meet him or her this summer.
I immediately started day-dreaming of taking our child to Disney World and seeing it through their eyes. Of course, we’re already on a tight budget, so with a baby on the way, we’re trying to be more fiscally-responsible than ever. Thankfully, I have your website, and I know that we can make our dream come true. I’m budgeting and couponing now more than ever – I’ve adopted the envelope system and am shopping at multiple (close) stores to get the best deals. We’re planning our trip for October 2014 so that we can see the Food and Wine festival and Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween party for the first time, and our baby will be just over 2 so still FREE but old enough to take in some of the magic.
We started our Disney Fund last month. It’s a long way off, but I love reading your blog for encouragement that we can do it. And the Disney articles just get me even more excited and motivated to save! Thank you for all of your fantastic money-saving tips and deal match-ups that are helping me to add to our Fund. I can’t wait to take our little one to Disney World for the first time, and do have it all paid for in cash will make it so much sweeter!
What a sweet disney baby story! Good age to go at age 2, you can still bring a stroller for her to rest up in and she will know who all the characters are.
I agree Amanda! Just over 2 is a GREAT age for Disney!! The magic is so REAL at that age! When my daugher went for the first time at 2y 2 months, it was fantastic! It wasnt just an theme park to her, she really believed!! :) We went back when she was 3 1/2, and yes, it was still great, but she was more skeptical! So I will forever treasure the memories we made on that 2 year old trip!!
I can tell you from experience, that just over 2 is an AMAZING time to take them for the first time! I just got back from taking my 2 year old little girl and she was able to do SO much, and she LOVED meeting the characters! Everyone said, “why take her now, she wont even remember it when she’s older” and so I just told them-“we don’t hold off on doing OTHER fun things because of the fact she wont remember them, so why would we on this? And, my husband and I made plenty of memories over the last two years that she wont remember, but they are still something that he and I can treasure together and build our marriage on!”