Concern for my wallet??

[juliebug1997]

The one thing that keeps us coming back to Disney is the ability to pay off the vacation/cruise over a longer period of time. We are fortunate enough to be in a position to use my pay check for vacation; however, I am a lowly teacher and I have to spread it out over several months.

 

[ToddyLu]

I agree that you find a way to pay for things that are important to you. We only have basic cable /internet. We live in a modest home. We do not own a boat, jet ski, golf, hunt or fish. We only do Disney. That is our yearly vacation so we have invested in it. We own DVC, have APs and a TIW card. We pay good money for these options and feel we get what we pay for when we go. We consistantly have a great time at WDW. It is clean, friendly, pretty good food, etc. DH does not like to travel but I can get him to WDW very easily 1-2 x a year for at least 7 days each trip. At WDW I can ride a train, bus, elephant and boat, I can visit Europe and Asia. They even have an area that looks and feels like NYC and San Fransico.

So while people splurge on HBO and a weekend in their boat at the island--we go to Disney-stay in a top notch studio or larger villa, get park hopping passes for both trips on one ticket and get 20% off food and alcohol with the TIW card. It's all in how look at it and what is imortant to you.

We do not have children and both have good steady jobs and are in our 40s. It is how we spend our money.

 

[ToddyLu]

Before DVC we went once a year for 9 nights and paid for the trip over the year on-line. We always stayed value and never rented a car relying only on Disney transportation. I would never stay off site at Disney, just isnt us. We have also never left the Disney bubble once there. I have never been to Universal or other attractions.

 

[homer2210]

I have gone to disney 2 times before but never stayed on the resort. I am looking at going with a family of 4, 2 adults and 2 children, ages 3 and 5 for 5 days/4 nights. I am wondering how do so many people afford to stay at deluxe, moderate or even value resorts? The prices are so much $$$. I see alot of reviews from people saying how their favorite is resort is WL, they have been there many times and will only go back? I have priced it out and oh man, for my family with flight included it is over $3500. That is crazy to spend for 4 nights and 5 days, yet I see people who stay for 1-2 weeks at the resort and then also go to the park the whole time they are there. What am I doing wrong? I have even priced out value resorts and with flight it still comes to $2500+, to me it just seems like alot of money for the short amount of time that I am going to be there. I guess I have to bite the bullet and "do it for the kids", save my money for in the future when they are older and then stay at WL when they would appreciate it more. Sorry just wanted to rant for a bit.

I am a member of mousesavers and these prices are with free dining but it still seems like alot, the mouse is getting fat off our $$ but thats the price we pay for fun.

 

[homer2210]

Why do you have to bite the bullet and stay at Wilderness Lodge? Stay at the new Art of Animation or my favorite, Pop Century? I am sure they would love that just as much considering their age. If you are going to be spending a lot of time in the parks- which it sounds like you will for only 4 nights, why would you spend the money for a nicer hotel if you can't utilize the amenities? I say go for Value. It is worth it.

I have been looking at AOA and I think that is where we are going to stay, price for 5 days with 4 tickets with dining upgrade is $2700, still alot but is what it is.

 

[LilyWDW]

I am a member of mousesavers and these prices are with free dining but it still seems like alot, the mouse is getting fat off our $$ but thats the price we pay for fun.

I don't feel the way you do. I don't see it as expensive. I look at the cost based off of the VALUE I get from the trip. So far, I can't find a better value for my dollar when it comes to vacations. Are there "cheaper" vacations? Yes, but they don't have the value that Disney gives me. If you focus only on the money, then you are missing a large chunk of the equation.

 

[reiella]

Airfare is a big cost that's really different from person to person.

For our two-person trip, around 900$ of the cost is from airfare. While there is a bit we could do to save that cost [drive 4 hours to a larger airport], it isn't worth it for us [4hr drive both ways, long term parking @ airport, dealing with larger airport's tsa], so we just have to bear that cost.

As others mention, the discounts are where to look.

 

[homer2210]

I don't feel the way you do. I don't see it as expensive. I look at the cost based off of the VALUE I get from the trip. So far, I can't find a better value for my dollar when it comes to vacations. Are there "cheaper" vacations? Yes, but they don't have the value that Disney gives me. If you focus only on the money, then you are missing a large chunk of the equation.

I never lookedx at it that way but I guess youre right, the value and the quality of the product that disney puts out is far better than most other vacation experiences. Thanks for the new perspective.

 

[ChristineOH]

I have been looking at AOA and I think that is where we are going to stay, price for 5 days with 4 tickets with dining upgrade is $2700, still alot but is what it is.

Have you priced out flying to another city, paying for food, transportation, and activities? Vacations are just expensive. Period. But we do it to have fun with our families and create memories.
I think the only way you can get cheaper is to find a location you can drive to and then split the rent on a house with friends or family. And cook your own food. But then you have to share a house with friends and family and cook your own food. And unless you live close enough to drive to WDW (I know that distance is debatable,) you're not at the happiest place on earth! I wish we could afford to go every year.
And the people who go to WL every year for 14 days? Some people are rich. End of story. That's a lot of money no matter what your discount or how frugal you are at home.

 

[Kim1964]

I've tried to book other vacations when DH gets cranky about how much it costs to go to WDW. However, and I hate to admit this, my family and I aren't all that great at entertaining ourselves. So, even though we could drive to Cape Cod and stay in a nice resort or rent a house for less than a Disney vacation, we'd be left to find ways to entertain ourselves, and I don't think it would be a successful endeavor. We are willing to pay the premium that goes with a WDW vacation to guarantee that we'll have fun and not have to work too hard to be entertained.

 

[fla4fun]

And the people who go to WL every year for 14 days? Some people are rich. End of story. That's a lot of money no matter what your discount or how frugal you are at home.

Not necessarily. My longest stay ever was at WL (17 nights) and I'm no where close to rich. If I were, I'd be living in WDW instead of just visiting, lol! But I make my vacations a priority. Any extra cash (overtime, etc.) goes in the vacation fund. And I am very frugal at home as well. I'm sure there are SOME rich people at WL - but not all of us.

One advantage I have is I don't have to pay for transportation to WDW. It actually costs me less than driving to work. That is a big chunk of most people's vacation budget - whether you drive and stop overnight or you fly, it's expensive.

I never pay rack rate at Disney. I check the AP discounts, resident discounts, AAA discounts, general public discounts, etc., and book whatever is the best rate. Sometimes it's the AP discount, but not always. Lately, the bounceback deals have been the highest percentage, but you really have to do the work and figure out the cheapest time of year and then look for a discount on top of that.

As far as food goes, I eat breakfast in the room to save time and $$, and I find I prefer QS dining because it doesn't take up as much time in the parks as TS dining does. Food is the easiest expense for me to control on the trip - if I run out of money for the day, I don't buy any more food that day.

There are ways to work around most of the monetary issues - even if it means you only visit every two or three (or more) years because you want to stay in a particular resort.

 

[kmb584]

For cost efficient trips to see the Mouse it's all about planning, saving, and taking advantage of those discounts made available to you. As others have mentioned, visiting during the off-peak seasons is going to benefit your wallet the most; resorts are eager to fill their rooms and it's reflected in the price tag.

Value, Mod, Deluxe, Deluxe Villa? Choosing among the resort levels can often be difficult as, on one hand, the bottom of that pyramid has the most palatable price tag; on the other hand, each step up offers guests more square footage, amenities and dining options, all highlighted with the increase in price.

Then there's always the option of (no flames, please! ) selecting an off-site resort. Our last 2 vacations were spent at Sheraton Vistana Villas, our upcoming trip in October is booked at Wyndham Bonnet Creek. For ME, it's what made the most economical sense - 5 extra family members have joined DD and I on the aforementioned vacations and extra space was in high demand. As a "for example", in October we are paying $120/night for a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom suite at WBC. It's over 1,200 sq ft and also includes a full kitchen, living room, dining room and patio.

We don't need to rent a car as my aunt lives in Florida and we utilize her SUV. As AP holders we're able to park for free, and while we don't qualify for the dining plan my TiW affords us a 20% dining discount. I've actually been coming out ahead with off-site stays while reaping more benefits, though I will absolutely admit that I miss the "magic" of staying on-site!

All in all, it's about figuring out what price point works best for you and yours and formulating decisions based upon that.

 

[Nancyg56]

II have even priced out value resorts and with flight it still comes to $2500+, to me it just seems like alot of money for the short amount of time that I am going to be there. I guess I have to bite the bullet and "do it for the kids", save my money for in the future when they are older and then stay at WL when they would appreciate it more. Sorry just wanted to rant for a bit.

I think that part of the problem is that you are factoring in airfare. I realize that it is part of a budget but I wonder how much your transportation is contributing to the total cost of your trip. My family is arriving at Disney on Thanksgiving Day so we were able to score a great price of 1300 for 5 of us. That is the best prices we have seem in a long time.

I was pricing a trip into Daytona Beach or Myrtle Beach and my airfare for 3 was almost 1800! And we had no lodging, food, entertainment or rental vehicle yet.

I am the first to say that I love the Deluxe Resorts but we seldom stay Deluxe. We always check for codes, travel during value seasons and generally stay in moderates.

I would check to see what your total budget is, what dates that you can travel and then start checking to see which date is the best value for you. Never pay full price! There are discounts available for many dates throughout the year.

This is a sample of a very good discount rate at a moderate resort. I included the quick service dining plan in order to give you an idea for your food budget.

The total price with tax is 2333.30 and includes park tickets for each day you are there. If your family was careful you could manage to use this plan for the lion share of all your meals minimizing your OOP costs for additional food. Once you land there are no transportation costs, Magical Express picks you up and returns you to the airport. Disney provides bus service within their resortsand parks.


Package Offer

Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside Staying for 5 nights, 6 days

Check In August 06, 2012
Check Out August 11, 2012

Adults2Children2
Room Type:Garden View
6-Day Magic Your Way Base Ticket
Package Magic Your Way Package Plus Quick-Service Dining
Special RateSummer Offer - Magic Your Way plus Quick Service Dining Plan

 

[tekoa]

Have you considered renting DVC points. I just got back 2 weeks ago from 7 nights in an OKW studio. I rented points. 99 points at $12 per or $1,188. What a deal the same week rented from Disney directly was $1,600 MORE!!
I rented from The Timeshare Store (a sponsor on these boards) The process was painless and smooth. E mail them with what you would like and when and they will try to match you up. I rented 3 months out not 7 or 11!!
I highly recommend it.

 

[Phatoomch]

I have gone to disney 2 times before but never stayed on the resort. I am looking at going with a family of 4, 2 adults and 2 children, ages 3 and 5 for 5 days/4 nights. I am wondering how do so many people afford to stay at deluxe, moderate or even value resorts? The prices are so much $$$. I see alot of reviews from people saying how their favorite is resort is WL, they have been there many times and will only go back? I have priced it out and oh man, for my family with flight included it is over $3500. That is crazy to spend for 4 nights and 5 days, yet I see people who stay for 1-2 weeks at the resort and then also go to the park the whole time they are there. What am I doing wrong? I have even priced out value resorts and with flight it still comes to $2500+, to me it just seems like alot of money for the short amount of time that I am going to be there. I guess I have to bite the bullet and "do it for the kids", save my money for in the future when they are older and then stay at WL when they would appreciate it more. Sorry just wanted to rant for a bit.

It does seem a bit scary but, imo, it really is your moneys worth and after staying on site for the first time last year, I couldn't ever stay offsite.

We stayed at All Star Movies - I was concerned about a value but it was awesome, no complaints! 2 x adults, 1 x 10yrold 6 nights off-peak (3rd week of Sept), value resort and had a discount of free dining (room only wasn't worth it on value) so we didn't have the cost of food. 5 day Park Hopper tickets. Disney Travel insurance at $40 per person. Totalled $2032 and remember, that included meals (that would have been a budget of around $700 that we didn't need to find). All we had to take was spending money.

We did not have flights - we are in Atlanta GA so we drive.

 

[ktmo]

I agree with a lot of the posters. I don't think Disney is that much more expensive than other vacations. We are spending Father's Day weekend at the Myrtle Beach and it is over $200 a night. Yes, I could find cheaper hotels, not on the beach with smaller pools, but it is the same with Disney.

I save all year. I put money each week into a vacation savings account. Last year we stayed Deluxe, this year we are stay at a Mod. Keep an eye on the Special Offers page. They have a lot of great sales. This summer I was able to book using a discount. I book according to how much I have saved.

I am not one who has to stay Deluxe or can only stay at one place. I just want to be at Disney, I don't care where. We loved our first stay at ASMu. I think that will always be our favorite. Even my DH still talks about it.

 

[carrie1626]

to the original Poster:

I"m going to just put my 2 cents out there:

Your children are so young and money seems like a major drawback, then why are you going?

 

[KELLY]

Well we stay in a value and go during FD. Our package for 11 days with free QSDP and 7 day MYW with WP&F is 2450.00. That is for 4 of us. Break that down per a day per a person and it is 61.00 or so a night. Not bad to stay play and eat.

Our airfare is another 1076.00 for the 4 of us. We have priced out many other vacations and disney is still among the chepaest.

Staying in a deluxe would make my wallet . We use to splurge on the room but know with kids that have activites we choose to save it for another vacation.

 

[shalom]

Agreeing with many others that it's usually less a matter of having lots of money, and more a matter of prioritizing. Yeah, there are some people who're really rich who stay onsite, but for the most part, it isn't that they're really rich but that staying onsite is really important to them. Important to the adults, at any rate.

I guess I have to bite the bullet and "do it for the kids", save my money for in the future when they are older and then stay at WL when they would appreciate it more.

Be aware that a lot of kids don't care. There are many angry parents who kick out the cash for onsite, and "the kids don't appreciate it." In one of my Timeshare groups, whenever someone's going to one of the Orlando resorts the first time with kids the age of yours, they're advised to not buy their tickets ahead of time if the vacation is "for the kids," because so many kids who go there just want to hang out at the really cool pool and do the onsite activities. And it's not even one of the coolest offsite choices!

Same with some kids and the Disney resorts -- they'd just as soon stay at the resort, play in the brilliantly themed pool, do the onsite activities, maybe do a character meal at one of the other resorts, or visit the other resorts for fishing (Riverside) or riding water mice (bunch of them) or a Pirate cruise (different bunch of them). If we stay in the Animal Kingdom Lodge in 2015, that's what we'll be doing. And your kids are the ideal age for that. The challenge, of course, is for the adults to be that close to the parks, and not go.

But if you want to do it "for the kids," skipping the parks and doing other stuff onsite is a possibility. Depending on what you do (the magician and juggler at Boardwalk cost nothing, for instance) and when you go (off season there can be some great deals on room reservations), staying onsite without doing the parks could be cheaper than an offsite resort with the parks. My kids at those ages would have found the parks overwhelming, but would have loved the fantasy of some of the resorts, and it wouldn't have been a hardship for hubby and I to avoid the parks; only you know how that'd work for your family.

 

[sharadoc]

The best value is in a longer stay, IMO. If you are paying airfare, then why not stay longer, in a lower cost room option. Don't get the dining plan. With little ones, you may not get your full money's worth.

Get cereal and milk from the gift shop, get paper bowls, spoons, etc. from the food court and have breakfast in your room. If you come back for a mid-day break and nap, make sandwiches in the room, or pick up a few items from the food court to share in the room. A large pizza usually runs around $14-15 from the food court too.

Don't do park hoppers or water parks either. With little ones, it would be exhausting.

Stay at Art of Animation in a Little Mermaid room. The Big Blue pool looks awesome and the landscaping, etc. will be so magical for them.

Just a few ideas.