Average Disnleyland trip costs for those non-locals that go often

[familyoffiveAZ]

As the kids get older (requiring APs), the gas prices soar, and our family size increases (requiring a more expensive hotel room type), the budget goes up. Still I think we do pretty well. The new budget looks like this:

Deluxe APs $229 ea x 5 = $1145 ---- only have to purchase for the first trip

gas (800 miles R/T) = 40 gallons (assuming 20mpg) x $3/gallon = $120
hotel (5 + infant) = around $100/nt (off-season) x 4 nts = $400
one meal in park $50 x 3 park days = $150
snacks in park = $50
breakfast/lunch out 2 days = $100

We choose a cheap walking-distance hotel with fridge/micro. We're not concerned with pools, nice grounds, or free breakfasts -- just a plain ol' clean room.

We bring our own groceries from home and eat breakfast and snacks in the room. Rarely do we do souvenirs. Never have done a character meal (don't really want to). Don't feel like we're missing out on anything by not doing tours, or Blue Bayou (ate there once and honestly wasn't impressed), or Fantasmic buffets, etc. Maybe some day for all that but right now, we've our hands full with the kiddos and just don't see the practicality or value in any of those things.

 

[darph nader]

Without getting down to nitty gritty ,our trip last May cost 'about' $2200. Of course went APE-CRAZY with suvies.Man I miss the camp grounds.Used to pull it off for less than a grand.

 

[JulieNMM]

We live 6 hours away (San Jose, CA) but my family lives an hour away (Pasadena) so we go often. We went at Christmas 2005 for 3 days (stayed at Carousel), in June 2005 for 4 days (stayed at HoJO -- GREAT pool!), Thanksgiving 2004 for 3 days (stayed at Paradise Pier), January 2004 for 3 days, and other trips including a day in May 2000, a day in February 2002, one day after Christmas 2002, 3 days in April 2003. I'm sure there are more in the past 6 years.

Anyway, if you stay offsite, there are a ton of hotels across the street that are very affordable. And there is a Denny's, McDonald's, Mimi's Cafe, and other restaurants offsite or to keep costs down, eat at counter service.

For our family, one way to keep costs down would be to stop buying so many souvenirs!!

So, average cost would be $100 for gas (to and from San Jose --- probably more nowadays!). $100 a night for lodging. $100 a day for food and souvenirs. $100 for park tickets on average. That is for me, DD4, and DS6. if I bring DH and his 2 girls aged 9 and 17 along, then the costs pretty much double.

We are going again in July and staying at the GCH ($400+ per night), and getting Southern California city passes ($200 for 3 of us, $160 for 3 of us). We'll eat at character dining and Blue Bayou and counter service. We'll buy souvenirs. We'll go broke. LOL!

JULIE

 

[momslave]

We go about 3 times a year. Drive from AZ, so that's not too bad. We have 2 kids and 2 adults. Stay at Grand Californian every time. I can't give up the location and convenience. This time, I have a spa treatment scheduled for the GC. Of course, that will add on to our final cost. the price runs about $3000 a time. That includes hotel, passes, food, trinkets, gas, etc.

 

[nursemelis374]

I go about every other week and rarely spend money there. We try to eat before we come or share something at WhiteWater Snacks. I also tend to not buy souveniers, which saves a lot of money.

 

[Shawn]

We don't go several times a year, so this may not help, but it's another data point.

We go about every 18 months. There are 2 adults and 2 kids (currently 9 & 10). We stay for 6 nights and visit the park 6 days. We stay onsite at the Disnelyand Hotel. The cost for our trips are right at $2000, excluding the air fare. That is, the $2000 covers hotel rooms and 6 day park hopper passes for the family.

So I guess that works out to about $333 per day/night for the family, with a big chunk of that going to the Disneyland Hotel.

If we were going several times a year and had Annual Passes to boot, we would definitely look to save money by staying off site, but with our frequency, I tend to splurge and enjoy the feeling of never leaving Disney property.

-shawn

 

[happyrebster]

We are DVC members and never intended to use our points for DL trips; but since we live on the west coast and haven't had a chance to make it all the way to Florida each year, it has just worked out that way. And with the points discounts that Disney offered this year at DL, we couldn't resist.

So we are planning our second trip down to stay at the Grand Californian on points. So that covers hotel. That just leaves park hoppers (2 or 3 days each trip for 2 adults -- baby is still free) and we do one character breakfast. Beyond that, we don't spend much on food or souvies. So, on the whole, we get by fairly cheaply.

 

[dornen]

If you have an AP that has days blacked out, can you pay extra and go on a blacked out day, or am I misreading this? We are buying Premium APs with plans to use them on only 3 Saturdays - this could save us money. More shopping .

my dear have no worries. since you have a premuim ap you dont get black out days. dont you feel lucky.

 

[Dobie]

Our trips are every other year, but we are talking about boosting to yearly because it makes us so happy:

For this year's trip: two adults, one teenager, 5 nights @GCH standard view + 6 day park hoppers (AAA) is $2000 (we saved $500 on the room by going in June vs. July.)

Airfare: RT from Tricities, Washington = $1100

Taxi: RT from John Wayne =100ish

Total prepaid costs $3200. I have just paid the credit card balances so I don't have to worry about a big bill when I return! I have $150 in Disney bucks on my Disney Visa and another $300 in uncashed mileage checks from my job (which I count as free money!!!) so I an anticipating about $4000 in "real" costs for this trip.