Cheapest Disney trip without travel expense?

[disneydreamersx4]

Will you please share your cheapest Disney trip budget not including the cost to get there cause that would be different for everyone. So what did it wind up costing you for your lodging and food?

Last time we went wasn't so budget cause we stayed at POP and had the Dining Plan one Table Service per day. I think we paid $3,200 without traveling expense for 4 of us (1 was child) To clarify, that was for 9 nights, no park hopper, no water park.

 

[vicki_c]

How long were you there? Off the top of my head, your price sounds high for where you stayed and what you had. Maybe asking for a price per day would be a better approach for you, since everyone's trips might be different lengths, and of course people buy different tix, dining plans, etc.

The cheapest way to go is often a value with free dining, or a value with a room discount (or an off-site condo) and then purchase base tickets from a reseller, and eat off-property.

 

[HeatherC]

Our last trip was for ten days last Feb. We stayed at Bonnet Creek Resort in a two bedroom villa for $120 a night and spent $1500 for food/souvenirs. We are a family of five with kids who were 13, 11, and 9.

So...about $2700 for food and lodging for ten nights.

 

[torinsmom]

Last year, we spent $330 on 2 7 day hoppers through the YES program, and paid $500 for a week at an Emerald Island condo. Parking cost us $98 for 7 days. We spent around $50/day on food and souvenirs. Total was about $1300 for the 7 days at Disney. We also did Universal, but I didn't add in that cost.

 

[momto2inKC]

Our cheapest Disney trip was $1300 and included 10 day base tickets, free dining plan and we stayed at Pop 10 nights. This was me and the kids (9 and 7 at the time) several years ago.

 

[lurkernj]

DS11 and I went 9/09 and stayed 6 nights at Pop with 6 day base plus waterpark option. We had free dining. Cost was about $1100.

Oh, almost forgot, this past December went for 4 nights with BFF, so we split the cost of a Mod, and had free dining with 5 day base tkts. I think my part was about $585 plus xmas party ticket, and I had $520 in Disney dollars.

 

[disneydreamersx4]

OP here - thanks everyone! I edited my OP to include how many days we stayed. Looks like we have to try and go during free dining

 

[momto2inKC]

OP here - thanks everyone! I edited my OP to include how many days we stayed. Looks like we have to try and go during free dining

Free dining has always been the best discount for us. Even more so now that both kids are charged as adults. We save about $170 or so a night with the free dining promo.

 

[disneydreamersx4]

I can't wait to try free dining

Thinking about another trip is probably helping a lot of us in cold, snowy areas

 

[twoplustwins]

Because we have four children, staying offsite is the best deal for us. This year, we are staying at Bonnet Creek (that plus tickets from Undercover Tourist will be just over $2000.) We will save a lot in food since we will have a kitchen in the condo.

 

[disneydreamersx4]

$2,000 for the 6 of you at Bonnet Creek, for how many days?
Will you leave the park to go eat dinner? Do you use a crockpot? Sorry I have so many questions.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

We did 5 nights at the Wilderness Lodge with the regular dining plan, with military tickets (and we had some 1-day tickets we traded in to bring the price down), for around $1800. That was Nov 2009.

In May 2010, just my boys and I went for 5 nights, got Florida resident tickets, stayed at Pop with the QSDP, ate one sit-down meal OOP, for about $1000, maybe $1100.

We just went last month because my son's class was going to MK for a field trip, and stayed at AS-Sports for 3 nights, ate all our meals OOP, spent around $650-700, not including tickets. We got Florida resident seasonal passes, so those have a higher initial cost, but we have at least one more trip this year.

We never spend more than $2000 for a 5-day trip. Our next trip is 7 nights with a military discount and DDP, and that's pricier, but we're staying at Coronado Springs instead of a value.

 

[Marionnette]

Cheapest trip? Two adults, 4 nights at a Saratoga Springs studio, dining plan, 10 day park hoppers for $735 before tips and shopping. We used old tickets with a few days left on them and saved the park hoppers for another time. The price was an internet error but the company honored it.

Internet glitches are hard to find and the companies do not need to honor them even if you do book one. So I don't recommend putting too much effort into finding them. You'll do far better to keep your eye out for promotional deals and room only discounts codes.

And if you really want to try renting DVC points and can travel last minute, sign up for the newsletter from dvcrequest.com. They've had a lot of last minute rentals at Saratoga Springs for as little as $9 per point.

 

[twoplustwins]

$2,000 for the 6 of you at Bonnet Creek, for how many days?
Will you leave the park to go eat dinner? Do you use a crockpot? Sorry I have so many questions.

Six nights at Bonnet Creek with seven day tickets. We have budgeted for breakfast and one meal in the room and then one meal in the park each day. We eat rather healthy and it is easier to do so when I have a kitchen to wash and prepare fruits/veggies. We can stock the refrigerator and pantry with all kinds of healthy snacks and water. I'm really excited that we will have a table that we can eat at together too! We stayed at POR for our last trip and had to eat on the bed - not good!

 

[ceecee]

A few years we stayed at ASMo for $49 a nite and then had a 5 day hopper, that was the cheapest probably. We had an 8 day package at POP for 2 adults and 1 Junior with free dining and it was $1400.

 

[blondietink]

One year we camped ..... in a tent ......in August! Bought 4 day tickets that never expire for 2 people. With food I think we paid a little under $300.00. This was before the increase in ticket prices a few years ago.

Another year we stayed out on 192 in a regular hotel and paid $35.00 per night. When we were there last year and drove down 192, there were still hotels advertizing that rate, and som ehad free breakfast. One place had a rate of $145.00 for a week.

There are still ways to do WDW cheaply if you are willing to stay off-site.

 

[catgirl]

2 Adults, 1 Child stayed at Pop Century for 10days. We were on the dining plan (1 table svs per day) and park hopper, with water parks & more. We got a promotion for 30% off the room.

We paid about the same price when we went in 2008 for 10 days in February. I think we saved 25% of the room, but don't recall for sure.

We are planning a DCL trip April 2012, now thats expensive!!! 7 night cruise for 2 adults, 1 child in a balcony room is $3900 I have always wanted to do it so were are taking the plung!!!

 

[WDW Lover]

After reading all of these posts, just wondering how much everyone normally spends on food for their trip, because so many people are saying that they have saved so much money by taking advantage of the times with the free dining. For me, I find those "free dining" times to be outrageous! You spend way more for the room and you have to pay for the tickets as well.... So, my question is... how much do ya'll pay for food each day?????

 

[DisneyMomma81]

We visited WDW 10/09 stayed at POP with Free Dining *1 TS/1CS/1Snack per night* We had 3 Disney adults *my mom, DS *who was 9 but Disney thought he was 10 - so he could have the adult dining plan - he has/had a more mature appetite* & me + DD who was 6.
9 nights
2 A 9 day tix + 1 A 8 day ticket & 1 C 8 day ticket. *we did not hop and did not visit water parks - although it was certainly warm enough.

Price ~ $1933

ETA ~ In case you're interest in DLR *we go there much more often.

We drove for the 1st time for our most recent visit *but I"ve never spent more than $500 on airfare for the 3 of us. Driving definitely saved $$$ but we have taken trips where we've flown *again no more than $500* and had APs so that probably evens out *almost* We can get a room for as little as $50-60 *nice rooms ~ we love the HoJo and we've Pricelined a room twice - it wasn't within walking distance but was very nice and had a free shuttle. We could get by on $50 per day for food or less, I'd bump it up to $80 or less a day if we do a character or TS meal.

 

[ReneeA]

After reading all of these posts, just wondering how much everyone normally spends on food for their trip, because so many people are saying that they have saved so much money by taking advantage of the times with the free dining. For me, I find those "free dining" times to be outrageous! You spend way more for the room and you have to pay for the tickets as well.... So, my question is... how much do ya'll pay for food each day?????

I don't find that at all. Free dining is normally offered during the "value" season, so room prices are at their lowest. Free dining is by far the best discount offered for those staying in the value resorts, as it can be as much as $100+ a day discount while booking a $69 room. Obviously, this isn't a big percentage for those staying in the deluxe resorts, and it's a close call in the moderates when you run numbers using other discount codes.

To the OP: I just booked a vacation for my sister's family for their upcoming Feb. vacation. They are 2a, 2c staying 2/11-2/17 at POP with 7 day park tickets (no hoppers) and free dining. The cost was $1430 for that package with no travel expenses. She had tried booking an offsite trip, but by the time she added in the cost of a rental car, parking, restaurants, and tickets, her cost was significantly more than the package I found for her. Not only that, it's their first family trip to WDW, and I feel as if it's really easy to stay onsite and not have to navigate on property and off on their own.