Welcoming Home Daddy...

[gijoetodisney]

We are a military family of four. We have two little girls -- ages 5 and 2. My husband is currently serving in the National Guard and stationed overseas for the year. It's his second deployment in three years and we're all a little sick of them. We wanted to celebrate his homecoming with a trip to Disney but budgets are always tight and Disney ain't cheap.

Goal: $3,800
Hotel,tickets, Dining plan: 1,800
Air: 800
Extras: 1,200 (souveniers, last minute "surprise"expenses.)

Surprise expenses seems high but the last time we went, we ended up shelling out over $400 to rent a car from Grand Rapids, MI to the Detroit airport because our neighbor accidentially set our SUV on fire about an hour before we were leaving for the airport. (No, I'm not kidding...)

Here's hoping...

[gijoetodisney]

Forgot to mention -- we have $138 in the fund...

If there are any military folks out there, I decided just to start asking every place I shopped if they offered a military discount. I saved $40 on an auto repair and $45 on a plumbing repair -- just by asking. :-)

[photomom74]

Yay! A trip to WDW is an Awesome way to welcome your husband home! Does Disney have an on going military discount or do they only run military specials at certain times of the year? We're not a military family but I'm just wondering.

A friend of mine about 2 years ago got an awesome deal at one of the Disney owned hotels (Doubletree Guest Suites in the WDW Resort) but that one was a special only available during certain dates but I think he got a ticket discount of some kind.

Your SUV on fire "surprise" expense sounds like something that would happen to me!! (Knocking on wood.....) But I bet everything goes great this time!

Good Luck!! ;D

[tanya]

Going to the WDW is the absolute best way to celebrate a homecoming. Do check with Disney on discounts. I know that they have been known to offer some discounts for military including the service person getting into the parks free.

[kim]

Good luck on your goal! Sounds like an awesome thing to work towards.