Affordable Disney Vacations: Creating a Vacation Budget

I know that budgeting and saving for a Disney vacation is extremely important to all of us, so I thought I would take the next several weeks to discuss budgeting in detail. Specifically, I want to break down the different aspects of it, as I plan anyway, so to hopefully help you figure out the best way to afford your own trip to Walt Disney World.

So let’s start then at the beginning! If you are trying to plan an affordable Disney vacation,  creating a budget is pretty much the first step. You really need to know what you can afford before you do just about anything else.To do this, I think it’s really important to be honest with yourself and be realistic. And realize that not having an extravagant budget does not mean you can’t have a magical vacation! But having an idea at the beginning, of what you can truly afford to spend will help you greatly in your subsequent planning. No matter what the amount is that you can afford, knowing your budget right from the start will then help all the other pieces fall into place.

Now you can do it the other way around: figure out everything about your trip, see how much it will cost, and then save up until you can afford to go. This is certainly what we did for our first trip: we decided what we “thought” it would all cost (based on other people’s opinions I might add, not actual research), and then saved until we could afford to go.

Which is one reason why our daughter was 7 before we went to Disney World for the first time.

But once I realized that what you paid for a Disney vacation was actually variable, I changed my way of thinking. I now figure out what we can afford to spend, and then create a vacation to fit that budget. We still have to save, mind you…but we are able to go more frequently as a result….and I know that I am never spending more than what I am comfortable with.

Yes, it’s just a different way of looking at it, and of course, my way may not be right for everyone. But for our family….since we like to go as often as we can…..it works.

So if you agree with my way of thinking…then first make your budget, and then plan around it.

In fact, planning….and flexibility…..are really the two main ingredients here. The further you plan ahead, the more options you will have for finding ways to save money on your trip. And the more flexible you can be with the various aspects of your trip…..when you go, where you stay, how you will get there….the easier it will be to create your vacation to fit your budget.

So create your budget, plan as far ahead as you possibly can, and be as flexible as you can: these are the first steps in creating a truly affordable Disney vacation for your family. Next week we’ll talk about how that flexibility will enable you to move the different “pieces” of your trip around to fit your budget. It’s kind of like putting a puzzle together. Stay tuned to learn how!

Related posts:

1. Affordable Disney Vacations: Your Vacation Budget Puzzle
2. Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. Part Four: What is Your Budget?
3. Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. Part Fourteen: 10 Easy Tips to Reduce Your Food Budget
4. Affordable Disney Vacations: Making Your Savings Grow
5. Affordable Disney Vacations Step by Step. Part Five: Your Accommodation Options