Crazy budget Jan '18 FW trip

[MalkaR]

New plan! Disney trip without the parks! I know this seems obvious to others, I've read many posts about people doing this, but somehow it never occurred to me till now! We can go and I can get my Disney fix, and save $1500. I did a little research and it seems like there is plenty of stuff to keep us busy for 4 or 5 days. I just need to decide if I want to tent camp in January or spend a little more and stay in an All-Star. I got the "shrug" from DH again, but if I'm keeping it under a thousand dollars, I don't feel as held back by the financial side of it. I think I have a trip to plan!

Edited to add that you are all so great on this board! No judgement, and even the little lead-offs in the thread are interesting and kind. Thanks for all of the advice and cool info!

 

[bama_ed]

MalkaR,

Make sure you touch base with our poster amcc. She and her family 2-3 boys plus DH bring their popup from South Florida a couple times a year and do the parks very rarely. Even a water park is cheaper than a theme park day.

I know they frequently do Fort trips with no theme park days.

Bama Ed

 

[MalkaR]

MalkaR,

Make sure you touch base with our poster amcc. She and her family 2-3 boys plus DH bring their popup from South Florida a couple times a year and do the parks very rarely. Even a water park is cheaper than a theme park day.

I know they frequently do Fort trips with no theme park days.

Bama Ed

Cool, thanks! I'll contact her!

 

[ilovedisneymm]

January and tent camping is not as scary as you might think it to be. I was very very worried the first year we tent camped in January, but it was great. Then, we came back in January and tent camped again a few times over. I do highly suggest those electric blankets and or space heaters. We run one or both depending on the temps and have never woke up nor the kids nor the baby due to being cold.

Glad your trip is back on!!!

PS - we all have our best vacation memories at the Fort, not in the parks

 

[MalkaR]

Update, if anyone remembers this thread! DH is joining us and since we're now five people (one of whom doesn't camp), we're staying at CBR, for a resort only stay of three nights. I gave him a rundown of all of the fun things I found for us to do and asked "Are you sure you won't be able to come?" His reply shocked me "I'll ask my manager if I can get the time off". So here we are and I'm so excited!

 

[Disneypeach]

Congrats! If you have time, run by the Fort to see it live, go to the Chip & Dale campfire and movie (it's free)
you might make a Fort "convert" out of your DH.

 

[MalkaR]

Congrats! If you have time, run by the Fort to see it live, go to the Chip & Dale campfire and movie (it's free)
you might make a Fort "convert" out of your DH.

We will! And I sure hope so!

 

[13kittycats]

I have a crazy dream of doing a super budget trip in a tent at Fort Wilderness January 2018. I can do it for $2000 for four of us, since DH will still be in his busy season at work and refuses to camp anyway. I'm a little nervous to bring it up with him, financially and that it might be hurtful to say I want to go when he can't. He surprisingly had a great time but doesn't want to pay for another $5000 trip. I've taken the kids tent camping on my own twice (and had more trips planned for this summer but my 6 year old broke his arm on Saturday so we'll have to wait a bit before we try again) so I know we can handle it, although we've only camped for two nights and this would be five nights. I just have to figure out which food is packable and non-perishable since we'll be in a tent.

whether you stay in a tent with electric or a cheap hotel.... I would bring a crockpot and freeze a couple meals before hand, ie sloppy joes freeze well and will be thawed in a couple days in a cooler. Good luck

 

[13kittycats]

Yes, my backpacking tent is a cheap 3-person tent, but it is solid walls with one zip up window. It works wonderfully in cool weather, but most likely would be stifling in the summer heat and humidity. I would also advise sealing the heck out of your tent, just in case of any random rainy weather. I spent the time going over every seam before a trip to Canada and Alaska couple summers ago. It was time well spent, as my little cheapie tent withstood all the rain and weather the elements could throw out, while others with $$$ tents were collapsed and sopping.

The sleeping bag advice is great as well, that a previous poster mentioned. I have a cheap down sleeping bag purchased from a close-out store for about $20. I scoured the local thrift stores for down items like vests and jackets, then transferred the down from them to my sleeping bag and resewed the seams. It sleeps very warm now.

Wool socks are great too for cold weather. You might even find some on clearance. I've found plenty of wool socks at the local thrift store for about 50 cents to $1 a pair. Merino wool is very nice if you can find any items made from that.

Cashmere sweaters are fantastic for cool weather. I find those also at the thrift store for about a dollar. Layer that over a nice long sleeve top, and it instantly warms you.

I love your advice (and wool socks too) Love the down sleeping bag idea. you should post this on the budget wise forum

 

[13kittycats]

We are spending $1400 on 7 days in a cabin at the Fort. The tickets we plan to get for the parks for my wife and me are a little over $300 (Mom is buying her own tickets). Mom is giving us $400 (even though I told her not to) toward the cabin. Thing is every bit I am paying out is on Disney Gift cards that I paid for with free money basically. All the money I earned for the gift cards were done on Swagbucks ($1400 worth since June 1st), a research company survey site we use (about 4 surveys between the two of us since June for about $600) and then a little more on 2 or 3 other offer/survey sites (around $150). So after we pay for lodging and tickets we will still have about $700 to play with on the Disney Gift cards for food and other stuff. The only out of pocket for us will be gas to get there (5 hour drive), and renting a golf cart. Third time doing this but first time I didn't spend actual cash on the Swagbucks offers. If you can do WDW cheap as hell or by spending free time on the internet, go for it. To Hades with the haters. Enjoy your trip and long live us cheapos!!!

love it. thanks