Many families are finding that “creating a vacation budget” now sounds like “leprechaun picnic planning” this year.  While it isn’t magical to talk about layoffs, loss of health insurance, increase in child care expenses or the price of gasoline these realities can chip away at your dreams for the ultimate family vacation.  When we add an expense, we think about it as temporary, like there is an asterisk next to it, and it could go away in the event of some financial conflict. Music lessons, robotics class after school, or a new sport requiring padding, mouth guards, or a helmet-all are activities which are at-risk to a red pen or a spreadsheet.

When you have a child with special needs, some budget items can’t be cut.  Glasses, gluten-free cereal, hearing aid batteries, occupational therapy, and/or socks without seams are not cheap. They also are not optional. Many, many expenses fall under the category of “food” or “clothing” that other parents also have on their list, but it is hard to explain why you can only buy one brand of spaghetti sauce, no matter what a coupon says, or why you have to get your shampoo at Whole Foods instead of Target when you make less per hour than the person cutting the meats at the deli counter. While tee-ball costs less than pizza delivery, thanks to great parents who volunteer, we can’t roll that way.  We need sports or activities that are consistent and taught by educators or professionals who won’t say, “Suck it up, Buttercup,” or the like. I wish I had a nickel for how many parents ask if I know sign language when I tell them I work with the visually impaired. It only makes sense if you are the one keeping a child home with a rash when you choose the wrong product, drying tears when someone places sarcasm in the wrong place, or cleaning up the vomit off the couch when someone made helicopters in the outfield for 30 minutes. (Side note: indoor/outdoor fabric is also more expensive than slipcovers, but I digress…).

If you still want to share Disney with your children, focus on what is included at every level, and when you plan, look for constant costs vs. variable expenses.  One is the cost of entry, the other kind of cost is more within your control.

To save money, focus cocktail, dinner and lunch plans on counter service options, and just schedule a few sit down meals.

Here is what will be the same price:

• Your accommodations are a constant expense, plus or minus about 15% if you are staying into a weekend or holiday.  This means that if you stay Monday-Friday, you will pay less than if you were staying Thursday-Sunday (and it feels like a week, instead of a long weekend).
• While you can get the dining plan to budget what you are paying for meals, you might be better off planning about 3 special meals and pre-paying for those (you’ll have to pay in advance for special meals like Hoop De Do Review) and the bonus is that the gratuity is included in these events.  If it is a repeat trip, maybe you don’t need to do $100 worth of character meals a day.
• Park tickets are an expense you can plan on.  While purchasing them in advance is a convenience, the only real perk to buying them early, wallet-wise, is that you won’t have to worry about a price increase (which often happens over the summer). A basic-level trip tip is that you may not need a park ticket for your arrival and departure days. Choose one or the other. In fact, going to the park on your last day could lead to an “I don’t want to leave” meltdown, of which I am personally guilty. The last day is great for swimming at your hotel or using the gift card you haven’t spent yet at Downtown Disney. Strip off extra perks like water parks and more or parkhopper options to save hundreds of dollars. It isn’t that families don’t use these perks, but it is possible to have a great time without them. If you really want to use a water park or Disney Quest while you are there, you can always pay the admission fee, which might be less than the difference between the the basic ticket and the add-on.
• Have groceries sent you to your room. While cooking on vacation is one of my mother-in-law’s “never-dos” if you pay a flat fee for bottled water, pretzels, doughnuts and microwave popcorn, you may find you are not dropping spontaneous $10 bills on snacks every time you step onto Main Street. If you drive, visit the Walmart just off-property, or contact www.gardengrocer.com to have groceries delivered. Remember that there are additional fees for delivery of groceries, but it is probably worth it.
• It you are staying on property, fast passes, the Magical Express to and from the airport, and Extra Magic Hours are a constant price-$0.  Remember that even a tent-sized site at Fort Wilderness Campground is considered on-property, for around $50/night.
• Photopass CD.  While photopass is a free service, if you pre-order a CD of your own photos, you can often get a discount.  This means you can print photos at home after cropping them online, for around $100.  You can also ask photopass photographers to take shots with your camera, for free.

Prices that vary:

• What you spend on souvenirs is up to you.  This can range from $5 to thousands of dollars.  People who make return trips have said that a nice part is you know you are coming back so there is less “pressure” to remember the trip. You can also control the cost by bringing souvenirs from your last trip, like ears or lanyards.
• Meals cost money. Alcohol, tips, and extra courses (desserts at table meals, for example) can add up.  A trick to work around this is if a kid’s meal offers 2 sides, make one side a cookie or scoop of ice cream.  I never advocate swapping soda for water to save money, because I love soda, but you can skip the cocktails, or transfer your margarita money to a budget later in the day, like pool time.  The more you plan on counter meals, or snacks at meals (coffee and muffin combos with a piece of fruit) the less you have to worry about adding 15-20% to your bill.
• Special experiences, like the Pirate’s League, Bibbity Bobbity Boutique, and even face painting add up. Consider trading down.  Go to the barbershop for a funky hairstyle for under $20 instead or a pricey makeover that could run $60 or more.  It is also fine to say, “We loved that last trip, but this time, let’s go find Tinkerbell, instead.” Distraction is your best friend. Your child is saying, “This is amazing. I wonder how will you entertain me next,” not “Drop a C note on me.”
• If you are staying at a less expensive hotel, like POP, you may feel less pressure to rent a boat or ride a horse-drawn carriage.  It is nice to have these choices at moderate or deluxe hotels, but if you can’t see it (or need to take a bus to it) you won’t be as tempted to spend $30-$150 to do it when there are pools, playgrounds, arcades and Mickey bars.

To save money, remember that you are at a resort where the whole experience is amazing.  Cast members at all levels of accommodation are out to make sure you have a great stay. Pin trading is free. DVC kiosks give away stickers, and your child may be as enthralled by the bendy straws as they are by the “make your own light saber stand.” This may be the year to teach your children to enjoy what they have, especially the fact that they have a family who has made so many sacrifices to get them to Walt Disney World in the first place.