I bought a set of boots from a magazine (Sportsman's Guide, I think) for $59. They're not quite identical to the 'Mickey Mouse' military boots, but they're similar. Very wide. They have 2,000 grams of Thinsulate and I made sure to order them at least a size too big.

I haven't had any problems with my feet getting cold in them at all and I only wear one pair of socks. Haven't used heat packets or anything special for socks at all. IMO, having plenty of room in the boots makes a huge difference; I compare it to wearing mittens as opposed to gloves.

Of course, the one drawback is that they aren't great for doing a lot of walking, but they get me to the stand and back just fine.