Hi, Becky!
Great question!
First, take a look at package prices that you can find on WDW's website. Do NOT add Water Parks and More Fun Option; skip the Park Hopper Option as well. Consider planning your trip in any combination from Sunday through Thursday, as Friday and Saturday nights are sometimes more expensive. Next, call some local travel agents and go online to national companies to get a quote for the exact same package / dates as from Disney. Don't forget to contact AAA, as they often have rates which are really great, too.
Right now, WDW is offering a great special for select stays in January and early February, 2013. Check out the
Play, Stay, Dine and Save offer which would cost your family $1,453.73 for 5 nights / 6 day Magic Your Way package, including tickets, a Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan and a standard room at Disney's All-Star Music Resort. If you fly to Orlando, you'll receive complimentary roundtrip transportation between your Resort and the airport...another money saver.
To help supplement the two meals-a-day plans, we always bring items with us, such as packs of peanut butter crackers, bags of fruit snacks, granola bars and even jars of peanut butter and jelly. We purchase bread or donuts at the resort store and always eat breakfast in our room or on the go, saving our meal credits for lunch and dinner. There's a fridge in your room, so fill up your complimentary resort-refillable mug (included in the DP) at night and have a cool beverage in the morning, no charge.
Send more questions about traveling to WDW on a budget. I LOVE to squeeze as much as we can out of our vacation dollar. And let me suggest the BEST QS restaurants for you, too. There are some GREAT ones!