We start our vacation at a value for the first 5-6 days while we are hitting the parks heavily, meaning we are using the room mostly just to shower and sleep. Then we switch over to a deluxe so that we are able to relax, enjoy the pool, and jump into the parks just for FP use and occasional meals. We do purchase APs, and tend to make 1-2 short trips, during which time I book bouncebacks to lock in discounts (usually 30% for deluxe). And to be able to afford all this on a single parent professor's salary, we don't spend much money on other activities. So little to no movies, waterparks, local amusement parks, high end restaurant eating, etc. My kids know this is a trade off and they are happy to eschew those things in order to maximize our days and ability to upgrade to deluxe at WDW. Also, once there, I tend to eat kid's meals and pack a ton of snacks, plus lately we've also been booking CL, all which reduces our food costs.