Ex-pat has some questions?

[DjdBrit]

As an ex-pat living in the US I love to read the UK threads to see what advice I can offer and what the current trends etc... are.

Our family has currently been taking week long trips to WDW every year but I am unsure how long this will continue. I often read the trip reports from Brits who have travelled to the US for 3 weeks at a time and wonder... How do you do it? Is this something that you manage every year and if so how much do you usually spend not only on your trip but while you are here? As a Mom of 3 I am starting to see our vacationing habits to be more and more costly.... Looking for any tips etc...

 

[JohnnySharp2]

It's something you can only answer based upon your own circumstances.
We have been going to Florida most years since we got married in 1990, and feel very lucky to have gone as often as we have.
Normally for between 2 & 3 weeks, and have been all over the state not just Orlando.

We have little social life at home, so the holiday is something we feel we deserve and look forward to. I suppose also with our child being Autistic we are trying to enjoy his youth as much as we can (for many reasons).

The increased cost does mean we are doubtful how much longer we can keep going for, especially on a regular basis. You can by shopping around save money on park tickets, car hire and other things too. Generally we do do a lot of shopping whilst on holiday, to be honest if we felt we had to spend as little as possible out there we probably wouldn't go.
In addition we do like to relax too as we rarely get chance to at home.

 

[DjdBrit]

I hear you there! I truely feel that if we are going to go, I want to be able to enjoy it as much as we can. I remember when I 1st went to Florida I was 17 and we went for 3 weeks I couldn't imagine doing that now. I know that part of it is that if you are travelling that far you should stay as long as you can. I have the same idea when I travel to England, it takes me a week before I am settled from the jetlag so I want to stay longer

We have been lucky enough to stay on site Deluxe (usually villas) and have been using the dining plan etc to our best advantages. I am starting to wonder if there are other options to make this easier on our family budget

 

[JohnnySharp2]

There is no way we could go for less than a fortnight, like you say it's too far to go for less (in my opinion).

We have gone from budget upwards in terms of hotel accomodation, our early holidays were in motels or cheap hotels we wouldn't dream of staying in now. Though since Joshua was born we mainly stay in a private villa.

Having travelled all over Florida we feel very lucky to have been able to do so, and been to Naples, Sarasota, Key West, Miami, Fort Laderdale, Boca Raton and Palm Beach.
It's just very difficult to see pass the next holiday, fortunatley that is this August so we have that to look forward to, when we go after that I really don't know, however whatever happens we have been very fortunate to go so many times. I can't see us going every year anyway, cannot justify the high cost year after year.

 

[UKDEB]

We've been lucky enough to visit for 3 weeks at a time on several occasions, and up to 3 times a year at times, too. But we've pretty much thrown all our disposable income at it, so I guess it's all about priorities - our house is starting to pay the price!

If your priority right now is to get your fix at a lower cost, have you considered staying in a villa? We've quite literally done it all ways over the years, and are now DVC owners, but if I was forced to pick a favourite option, I'd probably plump for a villa stay.

 

[UKDEB]

Generally we do do a lot of shopping whilst on holiday, to be honest if we felt we had to spend as little as possible out there we probably wouldn't go.

I can totally identify with this. We're happy to go without at home, but it's a total blow-out for us when we're on holiday. We're very extravagant in terms of accommodation, dining and treating ourselves to things we don't have during the rest of the year. I'd be embarrassed to admit how much we spend on our Orlando trips.

 

[DjdBrit]

I have acctually looked at private villas, then I add on car rental and I wonder what a better deal. We have been very lucky with disney offers as of late this year we are actually renting DVC points so maybe thats the way to go. I do find as a family of 5 it makes visiting WDW world even harder

 

[JohnnySharp2]

I can totally identify with this. We're happy to go without at home, but it's a total blow-out for us when we're on holiday. We're very extravagant in terms of accommodation, dining and treating ourselves to things we don't have during the rest of the year. I'd be embarrassed to admit how much we spend on our Orlando trips.

Same here. I daren't calculate it, or try to , as it would probably make me ill. We justify it by saying we rarely go out, don't smoke & drink etc, which eases the pain slightly as it's perfectly true, I am sure people go out and spend £100 easily on a night out these days but we never have.
To go on holiday and not be able to buy a shirt I like, or Julie to buy yet another handbag, I would rather stay at home.

Having said that we have probably had 2 holidays in the past for the price of 1 these days.
In addition only being able to go during school holidays and only using Premium Economy, for Joshua's benefit, hikes the cost up considerably.

 

[howlongtillsummer?]

I save all year for them too, it is an expensive but rewarding hobby. Many people spend their whole disposable wage every week, nights out, drink, cigs, taxis and clothes shopping. I know which one I'd rather do!!

 

[Ware Bears]

We've been three times now ~ our first visit was for 14 nights, the second was for 21 nights and our last was for 17 nights. I much preferred going for 21 nights ~ as far as I'm concerned the longer the better!

Whilst my DDs are still all in full-time education we can only afford to visit every three years ~ although I would prefer to go every other year I would rather wait that extra year and then be able to buy/spend whatever I want. I don't mind going without at home if it's going in the holiday fund but couldn't stand to scrimp and save on holiday.

Roll on the next three years!!

 

[wayneg]

We have found many trips we have done 21-25 nights have not cost much more than a 14 night trip.
We have AP's for the parks, hotels we like only cost about £20-30/night, food we are more than happy eating at places like Sweet Tomatoe at about $25 for evening meal for all 3 of us. We all hate shopping so rarely buy anything.
Last year I think we spent about 9 weeks there over 4 trips, this year cut down to 2 with increase costs involved and investments not as strong as they were.
For us the last 6 years trips have mainly been funded by money left to me by my Mum, she passed away age 59 with no retirement, we decided her money was to enjoy life while DS was at home with us to share.
Not smoking, drinking or much social life must be a big help to fund a trip.

 

[2Tiggies]

We have found many trips we have done 21-25 nights have not cost much more than a 14 night trip.

Totally agree. A few years ago I considered cutting costs by doing 7 days instead of 14. The price difference was so nominal it was a joke.

I NEVER go out. I don't even get invited anymore because I can't. I am a single mum with a full time job and laugh along with everyone else about my "annual night out". Yep, I go out every December for dinner with the staff at the firm I work for. That's it. I figure the money I save by not going out pays in more that its face value. I get to spend some time with my daughter and what it doesn't cost me to spend a night at home goes to the Disney fund for super quality time together. I don't exactly go every calendar year.

If I lived in the US we would probably go for a shorter period. But from the UK factoring in the cost and time of a 9+ hour flight, plus domestic connections a lot of the time, plus the park tickets where 7, 14 and 21 days are relatively similar in price ..... I say make it worthwhile. If I have the choice of going 1 week once a year or 2 weeks every 18 months, I take the latter option.

 

[DjdBrit]

What I am now wondering is what the average cost of your trip is, we have been shelling out around $7,000 for hotel/villa, tickets and dining. Adding on another $1,500 for airfare and another $1,500 to spend during our week. We have been a party of 6 and have been REALLY enjoying our trips

We also do other trips here thoughoout the year

 

[DjdBrit]

The cost of our WDW trips has also toned down our trips to Blighty, I am now at the point where we have been asking the kids what they would rather do... When airfare to England is pricing out around $1,000 a person before we spend 2x what we would here for everything we have been opting to go to WDW.

 

[wayneg]

Difficult to give an average cost as every trip varies from 9 nights to 25 nights, onsite/offsite, free DDP or dining offsite.
For 3 of us least we have paid was Oct 08(9 nights), cost us about £1,500 for flight, hotel & car hire & food already had AP's so no tix.
Most expensive about £6,000 August 09(25 nights) Biz class flights, 16 nights OKW free DDP, 21 day tix, 7 nights Disney cruise, 2 nights Regal Sun, car hire but spent almost nothing, just tips.
This August will be more but still booking things again 25 nights biz class flights, 21 nights OKW & tix, 4 nights RPR, car hire, expecting about £7,000. but half of that is for flights.

 

[chocolateMinnie]

I work in a school so to visit for our favourite time of year (October) we can only go for one week. This is therefore what we do. The one year we were lucky enough to go for three weeks we only spent £600 more than for one week. Partly because on this occasion we didn't travel in school holidays which substantially reduced the flight costs. Still cheaper in USA than Europe once you arrive so you also save the money there.

Also completely with UK deb our house and car are taking a back seat until our children are older. Enough time for home improvements once they don't want to join us on our trip.

 

[disneyholic family]

my kids are living on their own now, but until two years ago, we went for 3 weeks every summer..

the cost of getting all 4 of us to the US was so much money and the amount of time it takes for us to travel there, i felt i couldn't justify a trip of any shorter length than that...

 

[buzz for boys]

We are a family of 6 and our planned trip for December will cost us £5000. Thats villa,car hire, tickets for wdw and US,flights but not spending money.
I love the freedom a villa gives us over a hotel and for us anyway we ususally find its much cheaper than 2 rooms at a budget hotel.
Hope that helps x

 

[UKDEB]

Also completely with UK deb our house and car are taking a back seat until our children are older. Enough time for home improvements once they don't want to join us on our trip.

Don't hold your breath! Ours are now 25 and 22 and although we no longer take them, they aint happy about it . The stair carpet situation has now become critical.

 

[disneyholic family]

Don't hold your breath! Ours are now 25 and 22 and although we no longer take them, they aint happy about it . The stair carpet situation has now become critical.

ours are also 25 and 22, and somehow require more of my time and money than before (having nothing to do with our disney trips)...i haven't figured it out, but the new living set will have to wait for our next lifetime....it's not really important anyway