ML Interest Tag: save-up

How Much It Costs to Take a Family of 4 to Every Disney Park on the Planet

by Shahrzad Warkentin

When you have kids a Disney vacation is undoubtedly at the top of every bucket list, but what about a trip to every Disney destination in the world? A Disneyphile’s dream would be a global excursion to visit every Disney Park on Earth, but how much would that really cost?

If you’re considering a family vacation to every Disney theme park around the world, GoBankingRates.com has done the homework for you on how much you’ll need to save up to make it happen and you’re going to need a very big piggy bank. The website compiled the cost of visiting each of Disney’s six resorts based on admission to the parks and lodging. However, the totals don’t include airfare and food in most cases.

photo: Scott Brinegar/Disneyland

The grand total for just one adult based on peak season rates is $6,936.13, which breaks down per resort as follows:

  • Walt Disney World Resort in Florida: $2,157.87 (package includes meals and airport transfers)
  • Disneyland Resort in California: $1,181.55 (includes transportation to/from the park from your hotel)
  • Shanghai Disney Resort: $565.64
  • Tokyo Disney Resort: $441.36
  • Hong Kong Disneyland Resort: $639.54
  • Disneyland Resort Paris: $1,320.17

So what does that equate to for a family of four? With all four family members over the age of three, the grand total would be close to $28,000. Of course child admission is slightly less than an adult entry at most parks, but when you factor in all the extra candy and souvenirs that come with kids, it pretty much evens out. Time to start saving up!

—Shahrzad Warkentin

 

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I Was a Single Mom on Food Stamps. Now, I Own a Multi-Million Dollar Business

By Ashley Tyrner

Am I the only mother who dreams of being the glamorous image of the successful single mom who manages to get her child up, dressed and prepped for school with ease, while sporting her freshly highlighted blow-out and 4-inch stilettos after having already gone for her 6 a.m. Central Park run and sipped her green juice?

Or am I?

The reality looks more like trying to sit down and meditate for five minutes, only to be (cutely) interrupted by, “Mommy, I don’t want to go to school today. Some girls are being mean to me.” Or, walking into the kitchen wanting to make a healthy breakfast before I send my daughter off to a day of education, only to be disgusted by the dishes in the sink. And the most consistently, walking out the door in comfy clothes.

Sweats it is. Again.

The 6 a.m. Central Park run has yet to speed its way into my morning routine, however, running (no pun intended) a business has created the foundational example for my personal growth, along with my daughter’s. Here’s what happened to me about nine years ago…

My husband and I had just split and after all things were said and done, I was left with nothing. So there I was alone with my daughter and yet ambitious like never before.

After the divorce I was forced to move back home to live with my mother. I had about $6,000 dollars in savings and my mind was quick to conceive ideas for potential business ventures. I figured I needed to invest my money wisely, as this was my only backbone.

One day the idea sparked to buy an ice cream truck and be that pregnant mom selling sweet treats around town. I invested $4,000 of my savings into that business and bought a beautiful magenta and fuchsia ice cream truck. The business did well enough for me to save up money to make the move to New York City.

My beginnings were humble indeed; my primary food income source for the household was Electronic Benefits Transfer, also known as EBT, which is a much preferred euphemism to what are known as food stamps. 

As my daughter was blossoming into her toddler years, she began self-proclaiming veganism and her desire for fresh fruits and vegetables. I began scouring the city seeking the freshest produce I could find. When finding these produce sources online and wanting to place orders, I would be halted in my attempts due to the online space not accepting EBT as a form of online payments.

This struck the need for firstly, opening the conversation around why food stamps are not accepted online and how we can get them accepted so that our products can be affordable for all. And secondly, following my rigorous research efforts, I found that there was a need for fresh, local produce that could be easily delivered to one’s doorstep.

And thus, Farmbox Direct was born!

Rooted in Manhattan, we started small by shipping locally to New York City and Brooklyn. And flipping the pages forward now to five years later, we ship all across the country. I have been recognized by the White House under the Obama administration and when Sam Kass joined First Lady Michelle Obama as the Executive Director for the Let’s Move! Campaign, he and I collaborated to eradicate food deserts throughout the United States. Sam has since joined Farmbox Direct’s Advisory Board. With this company, I hope to give as many people as possible the right to eat healthfully.

My passion for people’s health has poured into my daughter Harlow’s set of creative outlets. Her love for yummy, cooking is blossoming into a business of her own. Harlow’s Harvest is my daughter’s and my company where we offer monthly cooking kits for kids.

The road of entrepreneurship is a journey of highs and lows, but the deep satisfaction in creating your own business is getting to write the end of your own book. You don’t always get to choose the chapters, however, through reverse engineering you can envision your end goal and begin to fill in the steps from there.

The entrepreneur spirit resides within us all, however it is up to us to act on the ideas and bring them into existence. It requires a leap of faith and the dose of courage to stamp your own destiny.

And yes, you can do it in sweats.

Ashley Tyrner is the founder of Farmbox Direct. She went from food stamps to the CEO of a national brand that aims to eradicate the food desert problem. She lives in New York City with her daughter Harlow, who recently launched Harlow’s Harvest.

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Carter’s Semi-Annual Big Baby Sale Is Here & These Deals Are Huge

by Karly Wood

It’s time for the Carter’s Semi-Annual Big Baby Sale! From now through Mar. 4, you can score tons of baby essentials for up to 60 percent off on items like bodysuits, Sleep and Play sets and character sets, too!

As if these sale prices weren’t enough, there will be even more doorbuster deals that change throughout the sale. It’s also a great time to earn your Fun Cash rewards and for every $25 you spend, you get $10 back both in-store or online.

Four and five-pack bodysuits are only $13 during the baby and toddler sale. There are some seriously adorable print packs in sleeveless, short-sleeved and long-sleeved which make them perfect for layering for the transition from winter to spring.

Sweet multi-set pieces include items like dresses and leggings, coordinating shirt and short sets and character sets start at just $9 and range up to $12. And news alert––these also include perfectly styled “take me home” outfits that are picture perfect for bringing baby home!

Keep your baby toasty at night and comfy during the day with Carter’s Sleep and Play one-piece outfits, especially during the crisp spring days and nights. Choose from cotton styles in whimsical prints, footed and non-footed that start at only $8! Rompers, three and four-piece pajamas for both toddler boys and girls are also up to 60 percent off and pricing starts at $8.

And if all those deals aren’t enough to send you running to Carters, you also get to save up to 60 percent on other seasonal styles, especially Easter outfits for baby and toddler boys and girls.  You can shop the sale from Feb. 19 through Mar. 4 both online and in stores.

––Karly Wood

All Photos: Courtesy of Carter’s

 

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These Are the Best Times to Book Your Family Vaycay Flights & Hotel This Year

by Karly Wood

With spring break on the horizon and summer not far behind, you may already be wondering when the best times to book hotels might be. Well, thanks to the new 2019 Pricing Outlook from Expedia and the Airlines Reporting Corporation, wonder no more.

The report provides info on the best deals for booking flights and hotels in 2019 by using flight data and hotel rates from Oct. 1, 2017, through Sept. 30, 2018. Keep reading to get all the details on the best times to book your upcoming vaycay.

photo: Chanikarn Thongsupa via Rawpixel

When Is the Best Time to Book Flights?

If you’re looking for the “sweet spot” on flight discounts, plan to book three weeks in advance, no matter your destination. Flights that leave on Thursdays or Fridays usually offer the lowest rates—expect around 10 percent off—while Sunday flights tend to be the most expensive.

To save even more, you may be able to snag up to 25 percent off on flights when you add a Saturday night stay to a mid-week trip. You can even save up to half on return fares when that extra Saturday is added to a trip that includes a popular business travel route, like London!

Plan to get the cheapest flights by logging on to your computer and booking on the weekends. The report found that booking on Sundays can snag savings of up to 36 percent for flights! Trips booked on Thursdays and Fridays ended up being the most expensive, the report found.

When Is the Best Time to Book Hotels?

And finally, the cheapest day to book hotels is Friday, while Sunday is the most expensive day of the weekend. It’s important to keep in mind that there are tons of options out there when it comes to booking hotels and flights, and many offer differing opinions on the best times and dates.

Keep your eyes peeled and happy booking!

––Karly Wood

 

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Walt Disney World’s Huge Room Sale Is Perfect for Your Summer Vacation Plans

by Erica Loop

Your post-holiday weariness may still be fresh, but it’s time to turn towards thoughts of 2019. Right now you can get a pretty amazing discount on Walt Disney World rooms. So it’s a great time to start planning your next family vacay!

So how much can you really save and how do you get these much-needed savings? Disney’s “Sun & Fun Room Offer” is on and it can save you up to an average of 30 percent on rooms at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels between Apr. 28 and Sep. 30 (some exclusions may apply). You’ll find the deepest discounts on stays between May 28 and Sep. 30.

Photo: Thomas Kelley via Unsplash

If you book your stay by Mar. 24, you can take advantage of these super-savings, giving you a chance to save money while having fun too. Yay!

The exact percent discount depends on when and where you stay. Save up to 30 percent at select Disney Deluxe Villas and Disney Deluxe Resorts, up to 25 percent at select Disney Moderate Resorts and up to 20 percent at select Disney Value Resort Hotels and campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort.

Reserve your room right now (or at least before Mar. 24) by calling (407) 939-5277 or by booking through your travel agent.

—Erica Loop

 

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12 Hidden Secrets of Six Flags You Probably Didn’t Know About

by Shahrzad Warkentin

If you’ve got a family of thrill seekers that love to hang upside down and barrel through the air at 80 m.p.h., then a trip to Six Flags is inevitably in your future. With 16 Six Flags theme parks in the United States, there are plenty of unique adventures to choose from. We’ve rounded up some fun facts and secret tips to help you make the most of your visit, no matter which Six Flags you take on.

photo: Nicolas Henderson via Flickr

1. What Is “Six Flags”?

If you’ve ever wondered where the name Six Flags comes from and why it’s not seven or eight, the answer is in the original park located in Texas. The first theme park to open under the name was Six Flags Over Texas, which debuted in 1961. The name refers to the six nations that have governed Texas since the 1600s, from Spain to the United States. When the park first opened it was divided into six lands that corresponded with those nations and the historical eras for the state.

2. Famous Faces

Even celebrities had to have a summer gig in high school before they became famous. Some of the Six Flags ride operators and food servers you’d definitely recognize today include, singer/songwriter Kelly Clarkson, comedian Jeff Dunham and singer/songwriter John Denver.

photo: Jeremy Thompson via Flickr

3. Record-Breaking Rides

If you want to get the most rides for your money, head to Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California where the park holds the record for most roller coasters in the United States. With 19 different rides, Magic Mountain is the reigning champion. All of the Six Flags theme parks combined (including those in Mexico and Canada) offer a record-breaking 120 roller coasters.

4. Year-Long Refills

Six Flags theme parks do not allow outside food and drinks, but if you have a season pass or plan to visit the park more than once a year, you might consider investing in one of the park’s plastic sports bottles. For $25.99 you can purchase an annual Season Drink Bottle that you can refill for free all year long. If you don’t want to invest that much, you can opt for the Refillable Drink Bottle for $14.99 that you can refill for free the same day, after that refills are 99 cents the rest of the year.

photo: Jeremy Thompson via Flickr

5. The Moose Outside Should Have Told You

Six Flags isn’t just home to a handful of celebrity employees, it’s also famous itself. Six Flags Magic Mountain specifically made its film debut in National Lampoon’s Vacation where it played a starring role as Wally World alongside Chevy Chase.

6. Share a Coke to Save

Sodas are best enjoyed as a sometimes treat, but if you do happen to crack open a Coke, save the empty can because it will score you a deal on park entry. Bring your can to any Six Flags park in the United States and you’ll save on the cost of admission, the savings vary by park, but you can save up to $20 depending on the park and day you plan to visit. You’ll save even more if you use the can to pre-purchase your tickets online.

7. Know When to Go

Just like Disneyland and other popular theme parks, Six Flags can get very crowded, which means even longer wait times for rides. To avoid the crowds and inevitable meltdowns that accompany long lines, plan to visit the parks during off-peak days. According to USA Today, you should avoid July and August, which are the peak times, and opt for visiting from April to June or in September when the crowds are the smallest. Going on a weekday versus a weekend is also helpful.

photo: Martin Lewison via Flickr

8. The Originals

While thrill seekers are generally attracted to the newest and biggest rides opening in the parks, there are some hidden gems that offer old-school charm because they are original rides that have been around since opening day. At Six Flags Over Texas hop aboard the Six Flags Railroad that has been chugging along since the park’s inaugural season in 1961. At Six Flags Over Georgia, which was originally a dairy farm, there are several rides that have been operating since opening day in 1967 including the Hanson Cars and the Dahlonega Mine Train. The real record-breaker, however, is at Six Flags New England where you can take a ride on the Thunderbolt, which has been operating since 1941 before the property was even in the Six Flags family.

9. Buy Tickets Online

The best way to score a deal on tickets is to buy them in advance online. Whether you use the Coke can coupon or not, you can save up to $25 off the cost of admission by buying online. Plus you’ll bypass the line for tickets at the park entrance, getting you in the park and on the rides faster.

photo: Bill Wilson via Flickr

10. Six Flags Disneyland

When Six Flags Over Texas opened it wasn’t just all about the coasters, the park featured some very Disneyland-like attractions, including canoe rides and Skull Island, which was a play space reminiscent of Tom Sawyer’s Island, La Salle’s River Adventure, which was a riverboat ride not unlike the Jungle Cruise, and Astrolift, which just like Disneyland’s former Skyway, gave visitors a birds-eye-view of the park from gondolas suspended on cables.

11. Start From the Back

There are many schools of thought on ride order strategy when it comes to trying to squeeze in as many rides as possible during your visit. While all of the parks feature different layouts and rides, the number one tip most seasoned visitors offer is to make your way to the back of the park and hop on the most popular attraction that’s furthest away from the entrance. Then make your way through the rides ending up back at the park entrance by the end of the day. Most people will do the opposite, heading to the rides in the front first.

photo: Jen via Flickr

12. Funnel Cakes and Pink Things

Roller coasters aren’t the only things Six Flags is famous for, they are also the best place to score a funnel cake outside of a county fair. According to the company, Six Flags sells over 15,000 funnel cakes daily. If you’re hoping to grab a tasty bite of one, theme park vets suggest getting it earlier in the day when the lines are shorter, many visitors tend to save dessert for last and the lines at the popular food stands grow longer as you near closing time. If you’ve never heard of Pink Things, then you haven’t yet visited Six Flags Over Texas, the only home of these unique treats that are cherry-flavored ice cream pops hiding a secret “buried treasure.” The treasure refers to a cartoon character hidden on the end of the stick inside the ice cream that’s only uncovered once you eat it.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured photo: Jeremy Thompson via Flickr

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