Budget for WDW: Can it really be this much?

[fairytinkerbell]

I am figuring this:

Car rental: $500-600 (from NY and back) pick up Friday before we leave on Sat., return on Monday? or Sunday - what if we dont get back in time?

Hotel: $3000

TIcket $400

Insurance: $140

Food: $100 a day x 8 days = $800

Gas: $200 ?

Shopping: $400?
TOTAL: $4950 ?? , whoah - we can go to Paris w/ this money. .... ??


Is this what people spend for one week?? or am I figuring wrong???
__________________
Disney at night is so much f

 

[Eeyore's Girl]

We usually budget $2,000 - $2,500 for a week at WDW. I'd have a big problem with $3,000 for hotel for the week. Where are you staying?

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Hotel sounds high, gas sounds low. Ticket??? How many people?

 

[disneyofcourse]

The hotel expenses can be much less if you want it to be. Are you staying at a deluxe hotel? If so, consider renting out points for DVC. We have a sponsor on here who charges either $12 or $13 per point. It can actually come out a ton cheaper in the end! Google DVC point charts and see how many points it would cost a night to get the type of room you prefer. If its short notice or during high demand season expect Saratoga to be available.

Gas-It depends what kind of car you will be renting. Our friends stayed with us on one trip and rented an SUV. I think they spent more than that on gas back and forth and they live in VA.

 

[mrsltg]

I drive an Explorer and live outside of DC in Northern Virginia. Disney is about 800 miles away from me (1600 round trip). At the MINIMUM - gas would cost $320 - that's if we drove it on property and parked and didn't move again until we left. When I drive to LI (550 miles), I go through between 30-40 gallons based on traffic. That's somewhere in the neighborhood if $150. Basically, unless you're renting a hybrid with way better than average fuel economy, you're on the hook for at least $500 in gas. Likely a good bit more if prices keep heading north.

Just some food for thought.

 

[HayGan]

I drive an Explorer and live outside of DC in Northern Virginia. Disney is about 800 miles away from me (1600 round trip). At the MINIMUM - gas would cost $320 - that's if we drove it on property and parked and didn't move again until we left. When I drive to LI (550 miles), I go through between 30-40 gallons based on traffic. That's somewhere in the neighborhood if $150. Basically, unless you're renting a hybrid with way better than average fuel economy, you're on the hook for at least $500 in gas. Likely a good bit more if prices keep heading north.

Just some food for thought.

It doesn't have to be a hybrid to come in less than $500 (using today's prices.) I just plugged a 2012 Toyota Camry into the AAA fuel calculator http://fuelcostcalculator.aaa.com/ and the total cost for NYC to Orlando is $349. Granted more than the OP had in the budget but significantly less than $500.

There is no way I would pay $3,000 for accommodations. There are so many options for any size group for less than $1,000 a week.

No doubt Disney is expensive but there are ways to get the costs down to under $2,500 for a family of 4 for a week.

 

[Judique]

I am figuring this:

Car rental: $500-600 (from NY and back) pick up Friday before we leave on Sat., return on Monday? or Sunday - what if we dont get back in time?

Hotel: $3000

TIcket $400

Insurance: $140

Food: $100 a day x 8 days = $800

Gas: $200 ?

Shopping: $400?
TOTAL: $4950 ?? , whoah - we can go to Paris w/ this money. .... ??


Is this what people spend for one week?? or am I figuring wrong???
__________________
Disney at night is so much f

Your hotel is 3-400 a night.

First, where are you staying?

Second, when are you going?

Have you looked for discounts, AAA? Disney code under your name? Passholder?

It may be possible to get the same room significantly cheaper, but no one will know till we hear the hotel and the time frame.

The car - not interested in flying? Not sure you can get the car cheaper, I rarely rent a car so not up on prices. The gas sounds low, unless you are renting something really tiny and great mileage. You've got at least (more) a 2000 mile round trip depending on where in NY. That means $200 will buy you about 50 gallons. You'd need 40 mpg to make that work.....

Ticket - $400 - for 2? or just one?

You could go to Paris also. But ..... it would be a cheap 8 day trip.

I can do two trips of 8 days driving from Maryland and staying DVC(owner) for 5K.

Shopping? You got me there. I would not spend $400 on souvenirs, but I have been known to easily spend that just buying clothing and things outside Disney, but usually stuff that falls in my regular budget, not my vacation budget.

 

[torinsmom]

How are you getting tickets for $400? I am assuming there is more than just you.

And how do you possibly think gas will only be $200 round trip from NY to Orlando?

And $3000 for a weeks accommodations? That is like $400/night

So, to answer your question, yes, it can really be that much. Or you can stay at a Disney value hotel and reduce your hotel costs by at least 2/3. Or you can stay in a condo offsite and reduce it by at least 3/4. I am doing 8 nights at WDW, 2 adults and 2 teens. We got YES tickets for $800, condo for $500, $100 for parking, $250 gas(overestimating here) and are budgeting $500 for food(most meals at the condo or offsite) So, around $2200 for us.

 

[disney1990]

I am figuring this:

Car rental: $500-600 (from NY and back) pick up Friday before we leave on Sat., return on Monday? or Sunday - what if we dont get back in time?

Hotel: $3000

TIcket $400

Insurance: $140

Food: $100 a day x 8 days = $800

Gas: $200 ?

Shopping: $400?
TOTAL: $4950 ?? , whoah - we can go to Paris w/ this money. .... ??


Is this what people spend for one week?? or am I figuring wrong???
__________________
Disney at night is so much f

I need to know how many people are going to make a better judgement call. How many days are you going to the parks; are you getting hoppers? I agree that you are spending too much on a hotel.

 

[4HppyCamprs]

Im sorry but this budget doesnt seem accurate. Ball park will probably be around the same total but shifted.

3000. for hotel seems high.
800.00 for food is low unless there is just 2 of you.
400.00 seems low for tickets unless it is 2-3 day tickets
600.00 for a car rental seems high.
140 is for trip insurance through disney??

200.00 for gas seems low. But I am not sure of your mileage.

You might want to investigate these numbers a bit more.

 

[budafam]

I am figuring this:

Car rental: $500-600 (from NY and back) pick up Friday before we leave on Sat., return on Monday? or Sunday - what if we dont get back in time?

Hotel: $3000

TIcket $400

Insurance: $140

Food: $100 a day x 8 days = $800

Gas: $200 ?

Shopping: $400?
TOTAL: $4950 ?? , whoah - we can go to Paris w/ this money. .... ??


Is this what people spend for one week?? or am I figuring wrong???

This all completely depends on how many people you are traveling with and where you want to stay. Personally, I would fly and save on the car rental/gas costs. Eliminate insurance (we paid it once and never again). You can cut down costs on food if you really want to go cheap.

We're a family of 4 and our first trip costed us less than $2000.

My second trip was just my son & I and we had the free dining plan... it costed us right around $2000 for the entire week (that also included MNSSHP).

Our third trip is coming up and it's going to be the biggest of all costing us $2800 but we're flying down, renting a car, staying offsite for 8 days & doing a lot of extras (BBB, Pirates League, parasailing & 12 ADR's)...

If you really want to make it happen for cheaper, there are ways

 

[bumbershoot]

For hotel-only on a driving trip, why the insurance? What, exactly, will it cover for you?

 

[Marionnette]

TOTAL: $4950 ?? , whoah - we can go to Paris w/ this money. .... ??


Is this what people spend for one week?? or am I figuring wrong???

Yes, people can and do spend that much for a week at Disney. That doesn't mean that you have to.

If you can get airfare to Paris and a decent hotel in the heart of the city, plus food, ground transportation and museum passes for under $5K for the week, then I think you should go for it instead.

 

[Mom23Disneybelievers]

It sure can! But, it can be less, too.

Information needed to compare:how many adults/children, is flying an option, dates for trip, how many day for the parks,

It sounds like...
your gas budget is too low
your hotel budget is on the higher side

 

[sissy_ib]

I agree more details are needed. Where did you get those numbers? No offence, but it looks like you just made them up. Is the $140 insurance for the rental? Does your regular car insurance cover a renal?

 

[chimilady]

If you can get airfare to Paris and a decent hotel in the heart of the city, plus food, ground transportation and museum passes for under $5K for the week, then I think you should go for it instead.

I honeymooned in Paris for 8 days and spent less than 5K.

That being said, there is no way any of us can help the OP unless we know how many people are going on this trip. Family of 2, family of 4, Family of 6, they're all going to have different answers. If the OP can let us know that, and perhaps how much they were looking to spend, we can surely find alternatives for their budget.

Out of curiosity, what was the price of the gas estimated for the AAA calculation?

 

[delmar411]

How many people are you talking about? Why not drive your own car? Why not fly if you are going to pay $600 for a rental? Your hotel costs are very high and your food/tix/gas costs are low.

Much more information is needed to give you realistic help.

 

[ccgirl]

I am figuring this:

Car rental: $500-600 (from NY and back) pick up Friday before we leave on Sat., return on Monday? or Sunday - what if we dont get back in time?

Hotel: $3000

TIcket $400

Insurance: $140

Food: $100 a day x 8 days = $800

Gas: $200 ?

Shopping: $400?
TOTAL: $4950 ?? , whoah - we can go to Paris w/ this money. .... ??


Is this what people spend for one week?? or am I figuring wrong???
__________________
Disney at night is so much f

I have known people to pay more than that (my friends that stayed CL at the BC). But, mose people (including me) spend less.

We would need to know how many people, what dates and where are you staying for more accurate answers.

 

[Marionnette]

I honeymooned in Paris for 8 days and spent less than 5K.

That being said, there is no way any of us can help the OP unless we know how many people are going on this trip. Family of 2, family of 4, Family of 6, they're all going to have different answers. If the OP can let us know that, and perhaps how much they were looking to spend, we can surely find alternatives for their budget.

Out of curiosity, what was the price of the gas estimated for the AAA calculation?

Have you priced airfare to Europe lately? You can easily spend $2500 on RT coach seats for 2 people, and will only increase as fuel rises and the EU imposes emissions fees on aircraft landing in their airports. And then there's the exchange rate for euros which has not been favorable to the USD lately (today's rate is $1.363 UDS per euro).

However, I don't think that the OP is looking for help with trip planning. It appears that someone who has been a member since 2004 would be familiar with Disney's pricing. I think the purpose of the thread was to create a discussion about alternative vacations that can be taken for what people spend on a Disney trip.

 

[HayGan]

I honeymooned in Paris for 8 days and spent less than 5K.

That being said, there is no way any of us can help the OP unless we know how many people are going on this trip. Family of 2, family of 4, Family of 6, they're all going to have different answers. If the OP can let us know that, and perhaps how much they were looking to spend, we can surely find alternatives for their budget.

Out of curiosity, what was the price of the gas estimated for the AAA calculation?

AAA uses regional averages to calculate the total fuel costs. From my understanding, they use mileage in each region @ the regional average to calculate the costs. I have used it several times in the past and found it to be very accurate (within 5-10%)

Agree that there needs to be many more facts given to give any real input on budget