Budget vacation

[WVMomof3]

We are trying to plan a last minute trip for the week of Thanksgiving. We are a family of 5. Right now I have a quote of $3000 for Free dining, 7 day base tickets, airfare and staying at PO-Riverside. Would really love to go, but $3000, right before Christmas seems like a lot of money.

Looking into possibly going to NYC. Can we do this for cheaper than $3000 total? We will be able to drive, it is about a 6.5 hour drive, according to mapquest. But I have no idea where to begin to look for hotels. Stay inside city or outside? How much to budget for Taxis/Subways/parking? How much for food? We have never been, so would like to see the basic sights. I really know nothing about NYC, so not sure how much to budget for anything! Any help is appreciated!

Which is busier NYC at Thanksgiving or WDW?? We will probably leave before Thanksgiving, I am thinking Friday through Wednesday. Free dining offer is going away soon, so I need to decide ASAP.

Or if you have any other ideas for a family friendly budget vacation at that time of year, let me hear it! We are 1 hour south of Pittsburgh, so looking at places we can drive in 6 hours or less.

 

[jacksmomma]

A week or so ago I posted asking about taking my DS to NYC. The responses I got all said that NYC is very expensive. A weekend in NYC is comparable to a week at WDW.

What about Hilton Head Island? That is a favorite vacation for us!

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

A lot of the cost is going to depend on where you stay in NYC, what kind of tourist-y things you plan to do and where you end up eating. You will also have to pay for parking at the hotel which can be a killer.

A family of 5 could easily spend $3K over a 5-night period, especially if you want to do any guided tours or get show tickets. You might want to check a few websites like Expedia and Orbitz for NYC packages.

 

[horseshowmom]

I don't know whether this helps or not, but Ken Price (http://www.vacationupgrades.com/) has Wyndham Bonnet Creek for Thanksgiving week for $840 (2BR/2BA). We stayed there at Christmas and watched the fireworks (both Epcot and MK) from our balcony every night (building 5). You actually have to drive onto Disney property to get there.

 

[laurafergie]

We always go to Washington DC over Thanksgiving. Now I have a family of 7, so we always get a condo, but I have stayed at many of the Suite type hotels in the area. You could stay in one with a full kitchen, and save on meals out. All the museums and stuff are free.

I just checked the Washington Suites Alexandria (which is near the King St Metro)
1 BEDROOM DELUXE SUITE (NON-SMOKING)-S2Q
11/20 ~ 11/22 USD 129.00
11/23 ~ 11/24 USD 179.00
1 Bedroom Deluxe Suite- 2 Queen Beds-1 QN Sofa Bed-Full Kitchen. 42" HD Flat Screen TV

This about 850.00
Plus travel costs, Metro, parking, food

You could have a vacation for about $1500

 

[AntePrincess]

Budget trips to NYC are absolutely doable, after all people live there full time paying less per day than most people spend on a vacation. Granted, most of those natives don't bother with a car. If you look up budget+NYC+lodging, you'll find plenty of "bed and coffee," hotels, motels, hostels, rentals, and guesthouses for around $80/night, nor are they dives. As far as driving in goes, I recommend driving most of the way, but taking advantage of a Park & Ride outside of the city to drop your car off for much cheaper parking, taking a train into the city, and really enjoy the NYC experience while you're there (ie by walking and taking the subway).

As far as budgeting goes, you can eat as cheap or as expensively as you like while in the city, so budget what you're comfortable with. When we head into the city we readily get a day's entertainment and food for under $25 for two adults.

For cheap eats, entertainment, and local flavor, hit the ethnic neighborhoods and spend at least an afternoon wandering around. Little Italy (what's left of it) and Chinatown are right on top of one another, making them particularly convenient. If you head down in the morning you can stop at a traditional Chinese bakery and grab moon cakes or mung bean "pies" for $1 or 3/$2 or something similar, being adventurous pays off. Any of the Chinese noodle shops will stuff your table for a few dollars. You can identify the noodle shops by the ducks hanging from their necks in the window. Granted, the best places are not going to have an English menu. This is great fun. For dinner, either retreat to the somewhat more expensive Little Italy area for a fantastic pasta dinner, or if you're still feeling adventurous, find yourself a dim sum palace. A dim sum restaurant operates like a mobile ala carte buffet with little old ladies racing among the tables pushing huge steam carts of little plates holding appetizer size buns, dumplings, and other oddities. Again, they don't tend to speak English, and things aren't labeled, just flag them down (be aggressive, it's not rude to wave or snap or beckon here, and if you don't you'll go hungry) and point at what you'd like. Just be careful, you pay per plate and it can add up while you're having fun. Perhaps the best part of the ethnic neighborhoods for budget travelers are the unique souvenirs you can pick up there. Check out the Pearl River Mart or any of the little hole in the wall shops you pass by.

The next two steals in NYC are Central Park and the Museum of Natural History. The Museum is pay what you can for admission, while Central Park is free to walk around in. You can easily spend a day in the Museum, picnic in the park, and wrap up with a planetarium or laser show (which is terrific fun and much cheaper than Broadway). Do set a careful budget on the day of your visit, it's easy to OD on souvenirs in the museum or all the nifty little things to do in the park, such as the carriage rides. I'd do either a show at the Museum or a carriage ride in the park for a quintessential NYC experience.

I could go on, but there are whole websites devoted to this topic and there's no point in reinventing the wheel. If you think your family would enjoy a city vacation, I wholeheartedly encourage you to go without stressing that it can't be done on a budget. It can. Most of the things I enjoy are free (visiting Macy's, Fairway, architecture spotting in Rockefeller Center...) or cheap (taking the ferry). What I would do is avoid the tourist-y attractions like the plague, and probably gear up for the trip with a bunch of classic NYC setting movies.

 

[loveysbydesign]

You can definately got to WDW and spend less than $3000 if you stay off-site at a condo at Windsor Hills and buy groceries to eat breakfast at the condo! Our last trip only cost $2200 and that was for 10 days!
Best of luck wherever you decide to go!

 

[ChrisinNJ]

The next two steals in NYC are Central Park and the Museum of Natural History. The Museum is pay what you can for admission, while Central Park is free to walk around in. You can easily spend a day in the Museum, picnic in the park, and wrap up with a planetarium or laser show (which is terrific fun and much cheaper than Broadway).

Ditto all of this. Also the Metropolitan Museum of art is a great one to see and also pay what you can, also known as suggested donation. We were there a few weeks ago.

I took some out of town guests on a little sight seeing tour. They had already done Chinatown/Little Italy & Coney Island with my DH. I took them to S.I. I parked there & we took a train to the ferry, and then a subway up to 59th & Lexington. We walked from there to 5th ave to see all the great stores. We played on the giant piano in FAO Schwartz, browsed at the diamonds at Tiffany, walked down to Rockefellar center & St. Patricks Cathedral, and stoped in AMerican Girls Place. Then we went to 42nd street & across to Broadway to see Time Square. Then we took a bus back to our car.

Fun day, saw alot & not alot of money!

 

[shelemm]

The Finger Lakes region of NY features incredible gorges, among the most spectacular parts of the USA, for some amazing hiking/walking. Boat rides on a lake. Corning Glass Museum, and you can even do make-your-own-glass activities.

This is a lot cheaper than NYC and makes for a great vacation. Robert Treman State Park features Watkins Glen, a fantastic area. Google it!

 

[shortbun]

I've been both places over Thanksgiving and although I had fun, both were horribly chaotic. I will never do either at that time again. Let me repeat, we DID have fun. The streets and sidewalks of NYC were packed - it was impossible NOT to move with the crowd. WDW was in the same condition although we could have fun at our resort. We were way over cranky, rude people by the end of the weekend. We can look back and say, 'can you believe we did THAT?'

 

[WVMomof3]

Thanks for your replies. I am afraid Disney will be busy, I always said as much as I love Disney, you could not pay me to go the week of Christmas or Easter, was hoping Thanksgiving week would not be as bad. I thought since we would leave by Thanksgiving, the beginning of the week would not be as bad.

From that $3000, about $1000 is airfare (we do usually take 10 days and drive, but since this is a shorter time, did not want to waste 2 days driving) and about $1000 is 7 day base tickets (no hopping, which will be hard for me). So the other $1000 is room plus free dining. So I don't think we could get away with the Bonnet Creek or Windsor Hills, while a little cheaper, it does not include the free dining. I wish we could go for $2200! But tickets and airfare are that alone, so that would mean free hotel and free dining!!

We went to Washington DC over the spring. I really enjoyed it, and could go again and get to some of the things we missed last time, but the kids complained the whole time. "All we are doing is walking and looking at stuff, it is so boring" Which is probably what they would say about NYC too!! (They did enjoy some of it, especially the older one)

I will look more into the Finger Lakes suggestion, but sounds like it would be more of a place I would like in the summer, not when it is possibly cold.

Thanks for all the advice, I will have to do more research and make a decision soon.

 

[shelemm]

My very favorite vacation spots in the Eastern US are the Finger Lakes (like I said), the Springs of Central Florida (Cheap!!!, though you do need airfare and a car), Williamsburg, and Gettysburg.

It is always getting harder and harder to be the Entertainment Director for the whole gang and find a wide variety of activities to keep everyone happy.

 

[HeatherC]

What about Williamsburg or if you are willing to drive further....Myrtle Beach or Hilton Head?

 

[Judy0304]

Morning! Which company did you use to stay at Windsor Hills? We have stayed there before through All Star Vacation Homes, but there were a bit high. thanks!!

You can definately got to WDW and spend less than $3000 if you stay off-site at a condo at Windsor Hills and buy groceries to eat breakfast at the condo! Our last trip only cost $2200 and that was for 10 days!
Best of luck wherever you decide to go!

 

[blanq]

I know you have gotten several suggestions to go to WDW and stay offsite. I personally would NEVER do that during a busy holiday period. The parking hassles increase, the crowds are very large, and sometimes the parks are closed to those staying offsite because they reach their capacities.

I think that staying at WDW during a holiday and budget trip in the same sentence = oxymoron. That said, I think that $3000 for a family of 5, including dining is not so bad.

As others have already said, NYC is expensive as well.

 

[Disneyliscious]

If you want to budget well for WDW, stay off site. We have a 3BR home for 7 days for $500 inclusive of pool/spa heat and taxes - 5 miles from WDW. Also, do consider driving. If you really want to save money....you have to cut back in other areas. So what if you lose 2 days.....you'll save $750 if you have your own vehicle (allowing $250 for gas).

Plus.....saying offsite you could save another $500. You can eat for less than $500 (the cost of your room and dining plan if I read right was $1000). Thats a savings of $1250 to $1750 or more right there, depending on your meals. BY staying at a house, you can prepare your own meals.....quick ones like pizza, chili dogs, grill some burgers, or yu can even order in for less than buying at Disney.

Again, if you want to go budget......you will have to sacrifice in other areas......and IMO, its smart to do so.

Cant recommend anything about NYC. Never been.

 

[rdevine10]

For NYC:

I just looked for arriving Sat leaving Wed you can stay the Embassy Suites in downtown (lower) manhattan for a total of $850 for a suite with 2 beds in the bedroom and a sleep sofa in the living room. Micro and fridge and 2 tvs.

Looks like it comes with a complimentary cooked to order breakfast daily as well!

Parking is best found with a site like this:

http://nyc.bestparking.com/index.php

I found parking for $160 for your dates close to the hotel.

So, you need lunch, dinner, maybe a show.

Great FREE attractions:

World of Disney Store (I think its still open??). Characters to meet for free.

Staten Island Ferry- great way to see the Statue of Liberty.

FAO Schwartz Toy Store

Toys R US in Times Square (dont forget the ferris wheel!)

Lunch can be "cheap" with hot dog vendors or even McDonalds (there is one overlooking Times Sqaure, in addition to about 100 others)

Buy metro passes.

Central Park free

Central Park Zoo

Anyways, I would price it out.... great experience. We like an hour away and our kids love it.

 

[leoandme]

I strongly recommend against going to the Finger Lakes at that time. I lived in Ithaca (right on Cayuga Lake) for 3 years while in law school and winter is a miserable time to be there. I grew up in a north central state, so I am used to snow and cold. I just found the Finger Lakes area could be uniquely unpleasant in the winter. You really can't hike then - in fact, Ithaca sometimes staked posts with rope like a banister along hilly sidewalks just so people could walk up without falling on ice or frozen snow/slush. The wind blowing off the lakes can be frigid, too, so the appeal then was really lost for me.

Also, snow/ice can make roads very dangerous (and sometimes impassable). I once got stuck in a roadside motel for two days when Highway 13 was blocked with snow - and this is not a lesser used road, which is where many of the area's best attractions are found. You just can't count on the weather being nice enough in late Nov. to risk a vacation there, in my opinion.

Anyway, the Finger Lakes region is beautiful and a great vacation area from about May through Sept., but I'd avoid it otherwise - unless you want to extend your vacation a few days! Being stranded gave me a great excuse to miss classes!

 

[micheleq]

Could you move your vacation up a week or back a week? Then you'd fall into Value season for the Disney resorts and the prices drop dramatically vs. Thanksgiving week (Holiday season, the most expensive time of year to go!). We went Dec. 7-12 of last year and loved it. Low crowds and we got a great deal.

NYC will be mobbed Thanksgiving week, but that's part of being in a City, right?