Hi Marissa, thanks for stopping by to get started on the planning of your first Walt Disney World trip! This will be an exciting process. Just remember to have fun along the way and not to stress yourself out so much that you don't enjoy the planning or vacation itself.
To get started planning your budget, I would first suggest going to www.disneyworld.com to price compare different rates versus different times of the year. If you are flexible in travel dates, try to choose a non-peak time of year to visit to take advantage of some of the less expensive deals. I would also suggest looking at the
Special Offers page. This will have the most up-to-date discounts and offers going on. There is a fantastic and very popular deal going on right now for FREE dining on select stays in September 2013. Since you have 3 boys that probably eat a lot, this could be a huge money saver for your family. To save a little money, I would suggest choosing from the Value resorts on property. The Art of Animation has family suites that can sleep up to 6 people and these rooms have a small kitchenette and 2 bathrooms. Many of the other resorts would require you reserving 2 separate rooms for a family of 5, which can sometimes increase the budget. Another great benefit to staying on property is the complimentary transportation to and from the airport on Disney's Magical Express, as well as buses, monorails, and boats on property. This would eliminate the need to take a taxi/shuttle or rent a car, unless you would rather have one.
I am almost out of room, but be sure to price compare flights on sites such as Travelocity or Expedia. I hesitate to give you dollar amounts as these can widely vary depending on where you are traveling from, when you are traveling and how long you are staying for. But, I hope these tips can get you started.
~Allison L