Budget..... I'm in shock right now... (rant of an old person here)

[musika]

I have never gotten to WDW for less than at least $5K Canadian (and I stay offsite). And I have not been since 2019, so this was definitely pre-Covid prices.

Another Canuck here. We budgeted 8-10K for our last trip in 2020, including flights for a family of 4, staying onsite in a value. That same trip now would be closer to 12K, not including the ridiculous testing cost that we'd have to incur both ways.

 

[sarah4770]

We took a few national park vacations over the past few years, and the cost Of bare bones hotels in the national parks rivaled that of a Disney Resort. In addiction the same crappy food was similarly priced. So I think it’s everywhere you go.

 

[kathy884]

We took a few national park vacations over the past few years, and the cost Of bare bones hotels in the national parks rivaled that of a Disney Resort. In addiction the same crappy food was similarly priced. So I think it’s everywhere you go.

IMHO National park hotel quality and prices and food quality and prices make Disney's onsite lodging in terms of quality and price look great.

It's location, location, location for National Park lodging and those are only open a few months of the year in many cases. It's also in some cases, a lot of logistics to get supplies in.

We don't stay onsite at either place these days, but do enjoy both a lot for day trips lol.

 

[shawthorne44]

We took a few national park vacations over the past few years, and the cost Of bare bones hotels in the national parks rivaled that of a Disney Resort. In addiction the same crappy food was similarly priced. So I think it’s everywhere you go.

Just finding another example of an expense vacation, doesn't mean it is expensive "everywhere you go". Even National Park vacations don't have to be Disney expensive. You also don't have to stay IN a National Park, to have a national park vacation. For example, we have a Sequoia trip this summer where we stay inside a VRBO house just outside the entrance. I'll be working while the rest of the family hikes, so I needed internet.
You can even look down the street at Universal for a less expensive vacation. You can get an annual pass for less than $400 and the premier hotels are the price of Disney moderate and quality equal or better than Disney deluxe.

 

[sarah4770]

Well, we travel so far to get to these national parks, that it is worth it to us to stay inside of the park, as opposed to spending our vacation in the car.
I haven’t been to Universal in years, so I can’t speak to that. Last time I thought the food prices were the same as Disney, but don’t know if that’s changed.
I guess it depends on how far you want to travel and how much time you have. I think offsite in Anaheim is a good choice. Everything is very close together, you could even skip a rental car, unlike WDW where there is some travel required.

 

[Gatrcruzer]

Speaking of such things, has anyone checked out the prices for the new Star Wars hotel? Holy moly! Definitely not in my budget to spend that much money for 2 nights of hotel. However, it seems as though people are booking so I guess there are folks out there with that level of disposable income and a willingness to spend it on that hotel.

 

[L0tt037]

I understand what you’re saying and I feel it too . We’ve been going since 2008 and the increases have been astronomical. Our priorities have shifted too. I’ve got a daughter with a wedding in less than two years that we will help with, a son entering university next year, and we are focused on retiring earlier if we can. Dinner at the new Space 220 would be over $300 once I included tax and tip and exchange and that is ONE meal. There are so many areas of my life where that money is better spent

Sometimes I really wonder if the majority of people on the boards just make more money than we do. And it’s ok if that is the case .. I just can’t fathom $200-$300 a day for table service on top of those ticket costs on top of the astronomical hotel prices.

We are employing every trick in the book to keep our costs down , and while it helps it’s still so expensive I can barely justify it, and certainly won’t be going every year like we used to.

 

[PolyNeverGirl]

The prices are going up faster than wages. Eventually, most people will get priced out. Disney is now a better investment than vacation sadly.

I never thought a timeshare would be a good investment. But sadly DVC has prove me wrong. If you check how much a deluxe resort cost per night without DVC points, it’s just astonishingly high. who can throw down $1000 for a room for a night????

 

[HeatherC]

I never thought a timeshare would be a good investment. But sadly DVC has prove me wrong. If you check how much a deluxe resort cost per night without DVC points, it’s just astonishingly high. who can throw down $1000 for a room for a night????

Even if I could, I never would! Especially since you aren’t even in it that much.

 

[RamblingMad]

I never thought a timeshare would be a good investment. But sadly DVC has prove me wrong. If you check how much a deluxe resort cost per night without DVC points, it’s just astonishingly high. who can throw down $1000 for a room for a night????

It's nuts. I imagine a lot of people go into debt to stay at these resorts.

 

[Cynt]

I'm with you OP. We're on the fence and considering changing our 7 day Disney World Family vacation to one day at Magic Kingdom and then go to Port Canaveral and jump on Royal Caribbeans Harmony of the Seas.

7 night DVC rental, 2 bdrm $5000ish, tkts $4900 = $10K however we still haven't purchased food or anything else.

4 adults plus a 16, 14 and 7 yr old.

1 balcony and 2 inside cabins total $8800.

The 7 yr old has been waiting since she was 5 to go to WDW. Thx covid. That's the only reason we're still going. We would like to stay on site for Disney transportation. We're flying and will pay for lyft to get around unless rental cars drop below $700. SMH!

Yes we're looking at off site too but our favorite WBonnet Creek is blacked out on our vacation dates. We are lazy vacationers so on site with 4 different families just works better for us.

Sigh

Actually pricing it out this weekend had my head spinning. Plus all this crazy Genie+ and Lightning lane . I'm the planner and would need to figure it all out. And you know what, I don't want to figure it out, I would rather be watching the ocean on a lounger with an adult beverage. A cruise and One day at MK and heck with the money we're saving we can go VIP for the day so my niece will have a great experience, is sound better and better.

 

[Darcy03231]

I'm with you OP. We're on the fence and considering changing our 7 day Disney World Family vacation to one day at Magic Kingdom and then go to Port Canaveral and jump on Royal Caribbeans Harmony of the Seas.

7 night DVC rental, 2 bdrm $5000ish, tkts $4900 = $10K however we still haven't purchased food or anything else.

4 adults plus a 16, 14 and 7 yr old.

1 balcony and 2 inside cabins total $8800.

The 7 yr old has been waiting since she was 5 to go to WDW. Thx covid. That's the only reason we're still going. We would like to stay on site for Disney transportation. We're flying and will pay for lyft to get around unless rental cars drop below $700. SMH!

Yes we're looking at off site too but our favorite WBonnet Creek is blacked out on our vacation dates. We are lazy vacationers so on site with 4 different families just works better for us.

Sigh

Actually pricing it out this weekend had my head spinning. Plus all this crazy Genie+ and Lightning lane . I'm the planner and would need to figure it all out. And you know what, I don't want to figure it out, I would rather be watching the ocean on a lounger with an adult beverage. A cruise and One day at MK and heck with the money we're saving we can go VIP for the day so my niece will have a great experience, is sound better and better.

We've found that we've been able to do a lot of different trips that are just as much fun (or more) than WDW for less money. Once we broke the bubble it became easier and easier to not go back. I imagine I'll feel differently once grandchildren start to arrive, but I really don't see WDW as being a primary vacation destination for us anymore.

 

[kmsimone]

Dating myself. Trips in the early 2000's 2 adults and 2 children. $1000 for rooms (POR etc.) $1000 for flights, $1000 for tickets, and $1000 for food. 7 Night total $4000. Trip this spring tickets for 5 $3000 alone.

 

[loveswdw]

Well, we travel so far to get to these national parks, that it is worth it to us to stay inside of the park, as opposed to spending our vacation in the car.
I haven’t been to Universal in years, so I can’t speak to that. Last time I thought the food prices were the same as Disney, but don’t know if that’s changed.
I guess it depends on how far you want to travel and how much time you have. I think offsite in Anaheim is a good choice. Everything is very close together, you could even skip a rental car, unlike WDW where there is some travel required.

We like to stay in the parks as well. We stayed in Yosemite Valley and it was $250+/night five years ago for the "moderate" level. But if we'd stayed outside the park, it would've been almost an hour drive in to get to the Valley.

We did stay in Springdale when we went to Zion three years ago as it's right outside the park. But the prices were still HIGH there.

Paid almost $300/night to stay at El Tovar in GCNP but nothing beats stepping out the side door of the hotel and the Grand Canyon is RIGHT there!

I priced out Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone NP for next summer and it was $500/night.

 

[kathy884]

We like to stay in the parks as well. We stayed in Yosemite Valley and it was $250+/night five years ago for the "moderate" level. But if we'd stayed outside the park, it would've been almost an hour drive in to get to the Valley.

We did stay in Springdale when we went to Zion three years ago as it's right outside the park. But the prices were still HIGH there.

Paid almost $300/night to stay at El Tovar in GCNP but nothing beats stepping out the side door of the hotel and the Grand Canyon is RIGHT there!

I priced out Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone NP for next summer and it was $500/night.

sarah4770 and loveswdw, Sounds like both have you have probably already been everywhere and done everything National Park wise (and you've probably already been here), but wanted to mention our recent surprise and delight in staying at Custer State Park in South Dakota (accommodations, dining, wildlife were just amazing). The quality of the lodging and dining were of such great quality for the price compared to our National Parks and very much like our National Parks with beauty and wildlife all around. This state park is definitely on our list to return to. If you are ever in the area or are hitting other places around there, it's a great place to spend a few nights IMHO. They have the largest buffalo herd in the US behind Yellowstone and feeding the feral burros carrots was just a blast too. There all kinds of other wildlife to see too all over every time we drove from our housekeeping cabin near the game lodge to any of the lodges for dinner we'd see so much. We stayed in a super sweet two bedroom / two bath housekeeping cabin near the game lodge. Th lodges looked wonderful too, but with two couples I picked the cabin instead of two lodge rooms. What a delight. As I am often paying for two rooms or a condo now (bringing 20 somethings along and paying for them and wanting to stay within my reasonably modest vacation budget), I'm one to look for that National Park type experience at a more affordable price with a good value / high quality accommodations, and Custer State park sure fit the bill for me.

 

[Pink Partridge]

Is that $3 turkey a run of the mill crappy Butterball or are you talking organic, from the butcher, or from the farm turkey? The run of the mill crappy Butterball is I think $1.09 these days, it's the good stuff that is $3 and always has been $3 here. Might be more than $3 now. $3 for a Butterball is a WOW factor.

We ALWAYS got organic turkeys. Always.

Last year, we got a Butterball because it was 87 cents a pound. Our son had his first job and wanted so badly to buy us our turkey. He was so proud, but no way was I having him pay premium price.

I am not joking when I say it was the most delicious and juiciest turkey I have ever made. I am no longer an organic turkey snob. Butterball it is!

 

[QueenIsabella]

We ALWAYS got organic turkeys. Always.

Last year, we got a Butterball because it was 87 cents a pound. Our son had his first job and wanted so badly to buy us our turkey. He was so proud, but no way was I having him pay premium price.

I am not joking when I say it was the most delicious and juiciest turkey I have ever made. I am no longer an organic turkey snob. Butterball it is!

Good to hear! I usually get store-brand turkeys, but this year, Aldi's had Butterball for $0.87/lb. I'd heard rumors of shortages, so I got one. Of course, you know the punch line--the next week, Publix had $0.39/lb turkeys. I got one of them, too. But, the Butterball is what's thawing in the back fridge for next week. So, I'm looking forward to seeing if it's worth the price premium.

 

[sarah4770]

@loveswdw We stayed at Old Faithful Inn for 1 night this past summer, and then went down to stay in the Tetons. If I had to do it again, I would have definitely done 2 consecutive nights somewhere in Yellowstone .
Anyway, what I wanted to say is that Xanterra is having a black. Friday Sale Nov 23-30, with 25 % off rooms at Yellowstone. …
Just looked. It looks like it’s only for Lake Yellowstone Hotel in May.

 

[sarah4770]

Kathy884, I did look at Custer State Park last year, it just seemed like too much driving because we wanted to see Yellowstone and the Tetons. My Rushmore in on my husband‘s bucket list.
Is this Custer State Park Resort Cabins? I just checked them out, and they look nice!

 

[kathy884]

Kathy884, I did look at Custer State Park last year, it just seemed like too much driving because we wanted to see Yellowstone and the Tetons. My Rushmore in on my husband‘s bucket list.
Is this Custer State Park Resort Cabins? I just checked them out, and they look nice!

I would agree. There is so much to do and see in Yellowstone (geyser features are like another planet) and the Tetons (great area - so beautiful) and things are already really spread out there. South Dakota is way too far away from there IMHO for the same trip. I would save South Dakota for a different trip.

Custer State Park, though, FYI is a great base for seeing Mount Rushmore (scenic loop you can do to go up to Mount Rushmore from there). There are some National Park caves south of Custer State park too that if you were interested in seeing would be easy to see staying at Custer State park as a base. This is the site for Custer State Park lodging: https://custerresorts.com/lodges-and-cabins/

All of the lodges look great as a place to stay, and they have rustic cabins and new cabins also. We did one of the two bedroom / two bath newer housekeeping cabins near the game lodge which is really nice for two couples. Here is a link to the type of cabins where we stayed: https://custerresorts.com/lodges-an...ccommodations/cabins/housekeeping-cabin-b2b2/

Many will see the Badlands National Park on the same trip (a good hour and a 1/2 from Custer State Park) and possibly go up and hit the Spearfish area (about two hours away in a different direction) often combining exploring the Spearfish area with a drive over to see with Devils Tower. Each of those is a little farther away, and we typically if doing those with do an overnight closer to those combined with a few nights at Custer State Park.