Final tally for our vacation last month

[milwaukeemommy]

I have no clue when it comes to vacation costs. Never went on one until my in laws took us to Disney 4 years ago - & they paid for everything. So I still had no clue.

We went with them again this year, but told them we would pay our own way. They paid for everything up front, then my MIL did all the math & just sent me all the costs. It was wayyy less than I thought it would be. What do you think?

Understand though, we stayed at Shades of Green which I know is way cheaper than all the other Disney resorts. That plan also included breakfast & lunch buffet so we only had to pay for lunch at the parks which was probably no more than $50 per day for 4 of us.

Flight for 4: $1035
Room & food for 4: $1673
Disney park hopper/ Universal 2 day passes for 4: $1050

for a GRAND TOTAL of $3758

They did pick up a few things like transport to & from the airport & such. Just curious how this compares to others vacations. So I guess I know for future visits IF we go with our in laws (since only military/ retired military can stay at Shades of Green) we should budget about $5000 for everything including meals. I dont think that's bad at all, for a whole week of the most fun ever

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

That's awesome! I know it's not popular on these boards, but I actually find Disney to be a good value, compared to our other vacations. On our beach vacations, we have to pay for constant entertainment, so that can really add up.

So, the real question is, when is your next trip?

 

[milwaukeemommy]

haha, we have already started saving so I guess, whenever we've saved $5000 Our son is going to Germany next summer with the school exchange program & that will be about $2000..... so there's next years vacation lol. Thrilled for him though, it's a super opportunity. Even if it means waiting another 4 years till our next Disney vaca!

 

[KKB]

We often cruise as we find it to be a tremendous value.
I don't usually find WDW to be a good value but we are doing the best we can for the next trip--DH, me, 3 teens, plus DM.
VRBO $865 9 nights (Mom will contribute)
Gas $350 (Mom will contribute)
Parking $180? (Mom will contribute)
(flights are running $600-700 pp so we are making the 20 hour drive--everyone can drive for at least a while)
WDW 6 day park hoppers/Universal 3 day park hopper ~ $3K for 5 (plus Mom)
Meals--hard to say at this point BUT $4K plus meals for 11 day trip--pretty good deal!
But we will likely eat breakfast at house, lunch at parks & dinner probably a couple at parks, a couple offsite, a couple at house.

 

[100AcreWood]

Sounds like a good budget to me. I normally spend around $3k, no flights and staying offsite in a condo for our family of 5. Universal tickets are crazy expensive for a 1 or 2 day ticket so we haven't gone in a few years.

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

We often cruise as we find it to be a tremendous value.
I don't usually find WDW to be a good value but we are doing the best we can for the next trip--DH, me, 3 teens, plus DM.
VRBO $865 9 nights (Mom will contribute)
Gas $350 (Mom will contribute)
Parking $180? (Mom will contribute)
(flights are running $600-700 pp so we are making the 20 hour drive--everyone can drive for at least a while)
WDW 6 day park hoppers/Universal 3 day park hopper ~ $3K for 5 (plus Mom)
Meals--hard to say at this point BUT $4K plus meals for 11 day trip--pretty good deal!
But we will likely eat breakfast at house, lunch at parks & dinner probably a couple at parks, a couple offsite, a couple at house.

I just priced 7 day tickets for WDW for 11 people (8 adults, 3 kids) and got about $4000. So if you're spending $4K for 5-6 people, those Universal tickets must be really expensive! Overall, sounds like you'll have a great trip.

We aren't much for driving, but maybe when our lils are older. It seems doable with so many teens though! If you can keep your foot off that imaginary break on the passenger side!

 

[milwaukeemommy]

I don't think I could ever cruise ... my stomach is soooo sensitive that even flying isn't my favorite. Heck, I even still get car sick if I'm in the back seat.

 

[milwaukeemommy]

Sounds like a good budget to me. I normally spend around $3k, no flights and staying offsite in a condo for our family of 5. Universal tickets are crazy expensive for a 1 or 2 day ticket so we haven't gone in a few years.

Friends of ours have gone to Disney this way a few times .... drove (we are in WI so a looong drive) & stayed in an off site condo. We might go this route in the future.

 

[crazylady]

If you won't qualify for discounted military tickets without your ILs, I would budget more for tickets on your next trip. 4 days of Disney tickets without the hopper are about $1200 plus the cost of the Uni tickets. It sounds like you did 4 days at Dis and 2 at Uni so you got a great deal on the tickets.

 

[jhoannam]

Were any of your kids under 3? Those ticket prices are really low... we just bought 4 military park hoppers and it was almost $800.

 

[milwaukeemommy]

Were any of your kids under 3? Those ticket prices are really low... we just bought 4 military park hoppers and it was almost $800.

No, my kids are 14 & 17. They were having a deal on the Universal tickets, 3 days for the cost of 1 so maybe that's why they were cheaper?

 

[FoxC63]

If you know for sure you're going to WDW in 2017 I highly recommend purchasing base tickets before they go up next year: park saver, undercovertourist or wherever you can. Tickets never expire and in case you change your date to 2018 you can still use them.
There is also something called Bounce Back (BB) offers that you should look into. I'm not sure if you qualify since you're staying at Shades of Green but the savings on Room Only is between 25% - 30% and then there is the Free Dining BB offer which might be of better value. Here's a link for that:
http://www.disboards.com/threads/bounce-back-2017.3491542/

 

[Marionnette]

If you know for sure you're going to WDW in 2017 I highly recommend purchasing base tickets before they go up next year: park saver, undercovertourist or wherever you can. Tickets never expire and in case you change your date to 2018 you can still use them.
There is also something called Bounce Back (BB) offers that you should look into. I'm not sure if you qualify since you're staying at Shades of Green but the savings on Room Only is between 25% - 30% and then there is the Free Dining BB offer which might be of better value. Here's a link for that:
http://www.disboards.com/threads/bounce-back-2017.3491542/

BB offers are not left in SoG rooms. But if the OP were to book a Disney resort room for one night using the military discount, then she would qualify for a BB offer. However, she is probably better off with the SoG room, Military Salute tickets and the free buffets that she mentioned.

 

[FoxC63]

BB offers are not left in SoG rooms. But if the OP were to book a Disney resort room for one night using the military discount, then she would qualify for a BB offer. However, she is probably better off with the SoG room, Military Salute tickets and the free buffets that she mentioned.

Do the Military Salute tickets go up in cost annually? If so is she able to buy them in advance?

Also OP is asking: Just curious how this compares to others vacations. So I guess I know for future visits IF we go with our in laws (since only military/ retired military can stay at Shades of Green) we should budget about $5000 for everything including meals.

My take is she plan on going to WDW without the in laws and would have access to the Military discounts.

 

[Marionnette]

Do the Military Salute tickets go up in cost annually? If so is she able to buy them in advance?

Also OP is asking: Just curious how this compares to others vacations. So I guess I know for future visits IF we go with our in laws (since only military/ retired military can stay at Shades of Green) we should budget about $5000 for everything including meals.

My take is she plan on going to WDW without the in laws and would have access to the Military discounts.

Yes. Military Salute tickets go up in price just like everything else at Disney. And like all other special offers, they have an expiration date. So, you can't stockpile them for use a year or two from now.

And while she would qualify for a BB IF she stayed at a Disney resort on her next visit, she would have to do a "next visit" in order to snag one. The BB offer would be good for the following visit.

As to how $5K for the next trip would stretch, there are too many factors that would influence whether that savings goal would be sufficient...time of year, age of the guests in the room, which resort they choose, how they dine, and ticket prices.

 

[FoxC63]

Yes. Military Salute tickets go up in price just like everything else at Disney. And like all other special offers, they have an expiration date. So, you can't stockpile them for use a year or two from now.

And while she would qualify for a BB IF she stayed at a Disney resort on her next visit, she would have to do a "next visit" in order to snag one. The BB offer would be good for the following visit.

As to how $5K for the next trip would stretch, there are too many factors that would influence whether that savings goal would be sufficient...time of year, age of the guests in the room, which resort they choose, how they dine, and ticket prices.

Military Salute tickets have an expiration date? That's news to me. I purchased base tickets this year to be used during my 2018 vacation.

Yes, I know how a BB offer works, but again from what I gather based off her remarks, is what a WDW vacation would cost her without the military discounts. Her in laws have the military benefit NOt her.

 

[Marionnette]

Military Salute tickets have an expiration date? That's news to me. I purchased base tickets this year to be used during my 2018 vacation.

Yes, I know how a BB offer works, but again from what I gather based off her remarks, is what a WDW vacation would cost her without the military discounts. Her in laws have the military benefit NOt her.

Military Salute are not the same as MYW tickets that you purchase on base. Are you sure that we are talking about the same thing? Military Salute tickets for 2016 can only be used thru Dec 19, 2016. And they had black out dates.

And like I said before, and you don't seem to grasp, SHE CANNOT GET A BOUNCEBACK OFFER FOR HER NEXT VACATION!!!!!! She has to first stay in a Disney resort to be able to book one for the subequent visit. So, the very fact that BB exists is a moot point as far as budgeting for her next vacation is concerned.

 

[FoxC63]

Military Salute are not the same as MYW tickets that you purchase on base. Are you sure that we are talking about the same thing? Military Salute tickets for 2016 can only be used thru Dec 19, 2016. And they had black out dates.

That's my point, we are not talking about the same thing. OP was specifically asking how much SHE should save for a trip for her family WITHOUT her military in laws. If OP goes without them she does NOT qualify for military ANYTHING. This I'm sure we can agree on.
So what now, how much would she need to save for a WDW vacation, she assumes $5000 which is just about right. But I suggested she purchase her base tickets in advance prior to them increasing - like I did.
Also even if she stayed at Shades of Green with her military in laws, I posed the question can she (without her in laws) book a BB for her next trip? Can she book this new reservation at any resort - other than Shades of Green while during her stay? I think she can. And I suggested she call to confirm.

 

[jhoannam]

No, my kids are 14 & 17. They were having a deal on the Universal tickets, 3 days for the cost of 1 so maybe that's why they were cheaper?

We looked at US and they are $150 each.

Our October trip, 2A/2C is costing us $4.5k. That's 1k for Coronado Springs (military discount), $1k for plane tickets, $1,300 for food and souvenirs, $1,200 for tickets (4 day hoppers & MNSSHP). That's a 6 night trip.

 

[Marionnette]

That's my point, we are not talking about the same thing. OP was specifically asking how much SHE should save for a trip for her family WITHOUT her military in laws. If OP goes without them she does NOT qualify for military ANYTHING. This I'm sure we can agree on.
So what now, how much would she need to save for a WDW vacation, she assumes $5000 which is just about right. But I suggested she purchase her base tickets in advance prior to them increasing - like I did.
Also even if she stayed at Shades of Green with her military in laws, I posed the question can she (without her in laws) book a BB for her next trip? Can she book this new reservation at any resort - other than Shades of Green while during her stay? I think she can. And I suggested she call to confirm.

If she's not at Disney NOW, she cannot book a BB, even if it is available to SoG guests (which I do not believe it is). If she was staying in a Disney Resort, such as ASMu, on a military discount right now, then she would be able to. Once you check out, you cannot book a bounceback.

So, the BB offer is really not even a consideration in her case. She's not there. She would have to travel there again to qualify for a BB on a subsequent trip. She's not asking about two trips from now. She's asking about her next one.

As for stockpiling tickets for future trips, I find that to be a gamble that not everyone should take.

• You're tying up money - sometimes thousands of dollars! - that you cannot get back in the event of an emergency because tickets are non-refundable.
  
• Once you commit to buying your tickets ahead of time, you have excluded yourself from any package discounts that Disney will offer.