An average budget for an average family?

[hopskip]

In this era of deals deals deals @ Disney, I'm wandering what other average families are budgeting for eat/sleep/play for 6 nights (excluding extras like souvenirs, shows, extras etc.). I am not trying to be extremely stingy but I can't spend a week at a deluxe either .. just very middle of the road, middle income, middle America average person. I want to be thrifty, but realistic as well, as I plan out our spending. Thanks for sharing!

 

[peimikes]

For 12 days we're paying around $3400 total including flights with Delta. We have free dining and are staying at the POFQ. We don't rent a car because we never need one. ME and shuttles take care of our travel needs. We have the park hopper on our tickets. There are 3 of us going Myself, my wife and our 3 year old daughter. Last year we took $1200 cash with us and only spent about half. Stayed at POP with free dining for 12 days it cost us about $2600 last fall.
I'll take about $1500 cash this year but likely won't spend half of it, but I like to take it incase we decide to change our plans or want to do something we hadn't expected. Hope this helps some.

 

[markbarbf]

i am staying for free for 8 nights at the sheraton in lake buena vista for only 29000 points in the starwood program.

this will save my family about $1000 on the lodging.

 

[enchantingodin]

Our family of 4 is going for 8 days at around $1500. That is tickets, hotel (POP) and free DP. But please note - we are FLR's.

 

[pmaurer74]

we are average people too with a child and infant. We are doing 6 nights at the WL bunkbed woodsview with Plus dining and 7 day tickets for $2800. I am hoping for a 40% off code to add another day for the same price. We got an awesome tax return and are going on our first family vacation in 3 years!

 

[Amy&Dan]

We area family of four with two kids who are teenagers and therefore "adults" on the Disney price scale. We fly from Colorado but do not rent a car.

I am hoping we can come in October and here is what I have priced so far:

Airfare: $1200 on Southwest

Magic Your Way Package at Port Orleans Riverside for ten nights with 10 day park hoppers: $3200.

Food budget for the ten days: $1200

So that brings me to a total of: $5600

Now I know that if I come, I'll pay less than that for my hotel. I am hoping to either get 30% off the hotel which would bring it down around $550 or get free dining which would leave the hotel the same but have me eating for free. That $1200 for meals would be for us to eat mostly counter service and maybe one or two sit down meals. I have budgeted that out by looking at menus. We do quite a bit of meal sharing when we pay out of pocket. The only way I'll do the regular dining plan is if I get it for free.

If I stay value, my price goes down about $500 on the hotel part and if nothing good comes out in the way of a deal, that's what I'll probably have to do.

I will also need to tack on at least $300 for tips, souveneirs, and other expenses like laundry, locker rentals etc. We buy very little in the way of souveneirs, my daughter likes to buy quite a bit but she saves her allowance and buys her own stuff now!

So I am looking at somwhere between $4800 and $6000.

I miss the days when my kids were younger and ate for $10 a day on the DDP!

 

[megwilliams]

We are a "normal" family. DH is a project manager, I'm a SAHM, and we have 4yo b/g twins. We are definitely middle middle-class.

We budgeted $3000 for this upcoming trip. At first, we had a PIN for 4 days for the price of 3 at a deluxe + $300 GC. It seemed like a good PIN for we booked it. Then, as FD was released, I started questioning our 4 days at YC. I've always wanted to stay there, but I'm also a bargain hunter. I have to feel like I'm getting a good deal in order to have a good time. Sadly, $3000for 4 nights (w/ DxDDP) is not a good deal, IMO. Maybe one day, I'll be able to stay at one of the higher priced deluxes and not have sticker shock and buyer's remorse.

So, I changed the ressie to 6 nights at CSR and upgraded the free dining to DxDP. With the twins, it's nice to have the freedom that the DxDP gives you. Our total package at CSR was $2700 and we got a great deal on flights through Delta, so we get to fly down rather than drive, as we would have if we'd stayed at the YC. Our flights were $350 (and that was using some Delta points). We live in a smaller market, so that's a great price for airfare.

As we are on the DxDP and staying on-property, there really isn't too much need for extra cash. I plan on allotting $500-600 in spending money, but we probably won't use much of that. I already have $130 in Disney Visa Reward Dollars that I can apply towards tips (we'll probably use a bit more than that, though).

That said, if we were willing to stay at a value and do reg dining plan (which we are, my husband just wanted to try CSR), we'd be looking at around $1800 for 6 days. So for us, average vacation cost is between $2000 and $3000.

 

[mrssuppo]

In this era of deals deals deals @ Disney, I'm wandering what other average families are budgeting for eat/sleep/play for 6 nights (excluding extras like souvenirs, shows, extras etc.). I am not trying to be extremely stingy but I can't spend a week at a deluxe either .. just very middle of the road, middle income, middle America average person. I want to be thrifty, but realistic as well, as I plan out our spending. Thanks for sharing!

We are a family of 4, (2 teens) drove to Orlando from south Texas July 09, 11 nights, 5 day hopper plus, gas, 4 nights hotel (2 there, 2 back) total budget souvenirs and all under $5000. We took a med-lg ice chest (fridge too small in room & no microwave) went to walmart and bought easy to make foods for lunch and breakfast. Gps is great for helping find cheap eats off property. Pizza hut, taco bell within 5 miles of Downtown disney. Mc Donalds on property (no dollar menu). You can take own food and drinks in parks (no glass or alcohol). We took camelback which was also a backpack. Most drink places will give free cups of ice. Carried snacks with us.

 

[HollVoll]

I notice that, like us, you have 3 kids and the youngest will soon be over age 2. Things change when that happen for prices on site. No value rooms. The least expensive rooms on site w/3 kids are Port Orleans Riverside. Thankfully, we really like it there.

We only go during free dining as our older boys are now paying adult prices and free dining cuts out bill down by 1/3.

Last year we went during free dining the week after Thanksgiving. Our oldest was the only "adult" then. It ran around 2200. 7 nights. 6 days of tickets--no park hopper. Free dining. We drive.

This year we are going in October and it is closer to 2600. 7 nights. 6 days of tickets--no park hopper. Free dining. We drive.

The best thing to do is to play around on the Disney site with dates, packages, and prices and get a ball park idea....then hope you get a discount to really help!

 

[VAN]

WDW vacations are some of the easiest to figure out in advance.

Price out a room/tickets/meal on the WDW website. Add your transportation costs. Then some money for tips. There you have for your family with the exception of any souveniers.

The past two years, my DH and I have spent about $2,500 for each of our 8 night trips to WDW. That includes room, food, tickets, airfare, airport parking, rental car, 2 rounds of golf, and a small amount of souveniers (about $100). We stay at a value resort and also (because we choose to get a rental car) stop at a grocery to stock up on beer/wine.

The big ticket items for your trip that you won't have much control over will be transportation, lodging, and park tickets. You can spend a lot or a little on food, based upon what you decide as well as how much you spend in the gift shops.

My family went on the cheap for many, many years and never felt deprived. We didn't go to a TS restaurant until the kids were older because we just didn't have the money ... we would just go back to the campsite for sandwiches and then would carry snacks into the parks with us.

So, don't think you have to do everything that you read about here on the Dis in order to have a good time. Many families go on tight budgets and have just as much fun as those who spend a boat-load of $$$.

 

[DizDaD7]

We like most others, are a middle class fam. of 4. Disney Twins too B/G age 6
We have always stayed in a Value Resort, (Preferred section) to save the most amount for the $$. We figure Its only a place to sleep for us, being we leave early and come back late.

This year we wanted to try something different, but didn't want to break the bank. So we've booked CSR for 9 days 8 nights.

Leaving NJ right after work at 4:00 P.M. on a Thurs., driving a little over 1000 miles & arriving somewhere around 11:00 or 11:30 Friday morning. Once there the Disney van *( as we call it) will stay put at the resort. Total gas round trip =roughly $500 - $525. Splitting between 2 families.

Next: 8 Nights at CSR *(35% off room rate - currently ) Still hoping for F.D>
w/ Hoppers, and reg. dining plan= $3054

Bringing roughly $1600 spending money & for tips. the kids dont ask for the souveniers as much anymore, plus they've been saving some $$ for the trip too. All in all I think we're looking at roughly $4400 to say $4800.

I would love to fly & be there within 3 hours but to me spending $1000 on tickets as opposed to $250 for gas, driving....No brainer right?? Unless any of you smart, witty, DISers have any tricks or suggestions on how to go about getting cheap plan fares??? Help me OBI-WAN....You're my only Hope LoL.

 

[Priorityonecb]

We drive from NC so we save on airfare. It only takes us two tanks of gas each way. This October we are staying at POP 7 nights. One day each of Epcot, Sea World, Busch Gardens, Aquatica, Universal Studios (the only park tickets we had to pay for). The other days will be relaxing, Downtown Disney etc.

$700 Room (have 20% off, hoping for a better one)
$250 Gas
$700 Food/Souveniers (we go often, we don't need a lot of "stuff")
$300 Universal Tickets

So, under $2,000 for the week.

 

[KELLY]

Here is are breakdown.
Akl for 9 nights with the QSDP and a 1 day ticket for 2 adults one child and a infant. 2500.00
We will need to upgrade one of the tickest this year to a 7 day so that will be another 175.00 or so.

But we are seriously looking into pop century right now with the free qsdp. It is only 1675.00 and we get a 10 myw base tickets.

Are airfare is 800.00. I will bring another 600.00 for whatever. It just seems like 1400.00 more just for a room seems silly.

 

[love__goofy]

We are going the end of November w/ free QSDP and upgrading to regular dining plan. Our crew consists of 2A and 4C with one child considered a Disney adult. Since we are a total of 6 we will have 2 rooms at the POP. The grand total with 8 nights at the POP, upgrade to dining plan, 2 day tickets for all is $2800.00.

Living in NC, it's only a 9 hour drive for us, so no flights needed. We plan for about $250 in gas round trip. We will need to bring money for gratuity for the meals which is about $150. Other than that, we will probably spend no more than $350.

 

[vicceja]

Ok - We are a family of 5 but my husband will not be joining me and the boys . Our September trip consist of 3 Adults (2 boys are considered Adults ) and 1 Child. 9 Days at the Beach Club Pool View . Tix, Water, Parkhopper and Dining Included = $4200

JetBlue - $720

Spending $ - $1500 (?)

Grand Total $6400

Don't tell my husband!

 

[yenanh00]

family of 6. 2 adult, little bro (13), kids (6,3,2)

Air fare - 1900
Magic your way with DDP, 7 days ticket - 2300

Dont tell DH. He will freak if he find outs.

 

[twoplustwins]

family of 6 (2 adults, 4 kids ages 3-9)

Kids stay free promo (6 nights) - 2 rooms, tickets, dining $2262

 

[mom2val]

Last trip was $1900 for our family of 3 - 2 adults and 1 child age 9 - Dec 10-16 2009

• Free Dining
• Pop Century- preferred room
• 6 day magic your way tickets
• 3 round trip from dfw
  And Travel Insurance
  

This trip Dec 11-17 2010 $3800 - 2 adults and dd will be 10 when we leave so she gets priced as an adult

• Wilderness Lodge standard view- using 40% bounce back offer
• 7 day magic your way tickets
• deluxe dining plan
• 3 roundtrip from dfw
• travel insurance

 

[RachChamb]

Family of 4, 2 adults, 2 kids going for 8 nights 10/10-10/18

POFQ, DDP, 8 day park hopper tickets = $3300 and change with 15% AAA discount
Traveling by auto train = $1560

So, we're at just under $5000. Hoping for free dining extension, if not, I'm sitting on a 30% off hotel code.