Final trip costs...

[ElizaB39]

Family of four
Me, DH, DD11, DS8

Amounts are rounded up...
Airfare total $400 (397 something) (free rewards on SW to Orlando, $400 return on AirTran)
Hotel total 6 nights at ASSports $637.00 AAA discount
Souvies for us and one item for each kid $160
Souvies purchased by DD and DS, each kid brought $50x2 = $100
Christmas gifts for kids $66
Food total $565 brought one large suitcase full of food, and one rolling backpack full of water and apples.
Water park $140
Park tickets 6 day parkhoppers, expiry $900
Transportation, cabs and airport parking and tips $130

Trip Total $2932, $68 under budget of $3000. Did not include Christmas gift and kids money amounts. This is just about what I figured. $2000 before food and souvies and water park.

I should let you know that I bought kid meals for myself on 3 different occasions and we bought the AK meal vouchers (3A 4C) and saved $8.50 for that days food in the park. The real savings using the AK voucher was on the kids meal vouchers, we only saved .50 on the adult meal and extras when comparing actual prices to the voucher price.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Beth

 

[dianaphi]

Wow, your budget was fantastic! I'm most interested in the fact that you packed a large suitcase full of food and a rolling backpack full of water! I'm thinking of doing the same thing. I assume you checked the large food suitcase, correct? How much did it weigh? Did you have to pay extra? Also, I'd really like to pack my rolling cooler bag full of Poland Spring water bottles, but I'm afraid it will be too heavy to lift into the overhead compartment. How many bottles of water did you bring and was it exceedingly heavy to lift into the overhead?

We leave on Tuesday, July 19th for 8 wonderful days. Can't wait and I need all the last minute tips I can get!

Thanks,
Diana

 

[disneyfan61]

I booked a package today thru AAA. Family of 4-8 nights at POP, dining plan,
8 day hopper, & trip ins. = $3,182.00. (does not include air fare).

 

[PhoohWhoWho]

Yes do tell about the water i was woundering the same thing! Did it cost extra?

 

[ElizaB39]

The rolling backpack was my carryon and I filled it with about 12 16 oz bottles of water. I taped 8 of these together to create a stable rectangle and so they would be easier to transport. I also stuck 6 bottles in the outside pockets. Each of the kids carried two bottles in their backpacks, I carried 4 in my backpack/purse and DH carried 4 in his carryon. Also in my water backpack I had a large bag of apples.

As for the suitcase full of food, it was mostly cans of food like pringlees, cheetos, doritos, granola bars, crackers, two cans of peaches, peanut butter, nutella (didn;t use), fruit snacks, cereal, and other lighter foods. I was conscious of the weight of the bag and we weighed it before we left home. I also packed a neat sheet and two beach towels in this suitcase to cushion the food and prevent lots of extra breakage.

Both of these items worked great and saved us a ton of money on snacks and breakfast and water. Glad we did it and we came back with the rolling backpack packed inside the food suitcase and filled with souvies.

Hope this helps.

 

[ElizaB39]

Disneyfan, Is this during the free dining promo? How did you get the costs down to such a good level?

dianaphi,

No the water bag wasn't too heavy to lift into the overhead compartment. However, I did not lift it, DH did. Keep in mind the really heavy flats of water are at least 24 bottles. I think most people can lift 12 on their own (half a flat).

Yes we checked the food suitcase. DH remembers it weighed about 37 pounds. No extra payments necessary on any baggage. Also my two kids and I shared our other large suitcase, DH packed into one small suitcase and I also brought a small duffle that I use as my toiletries bag. In our carryons we had swimsuits and clean underwear (just in case...).

 

[dianaphi]

ElizaB39 -- Thank you sooo much for the detailed info! I really appreciate it. Dumb of me, but I never even thought of distributing the water bottles the way you did (rolling backpack, kids' bags, hubby's bag, etc)! That's why I LOVE these boards -- excellent advice and quick replies.

On another note, did you bring your rolling backpack into the park? I have a rolling cooler bag and also my DKs have rolling backpacks. I'm wondering if maybe I shouldn't use one of these instead of my backpack/totebag in the parks. Do you think they'd allow that?

Thanks again!
Diana

 

[ElizaB39]

dianaphi, no rolling backpack into the park, only my fannypack and the smaller daypack that DH carried. The roller was just for transport on the plane. Good luck! I love this board too. We already started our change banks for our next trip.

 

[PoohHappens]

For those of you looking for the water issue. Wegoshop.com is a place that will deliver grocieries to you and you can choose where they go (like wal-mart) I think if you grocery bill is under 100 they will shop it and deliver it to you for $15. To me that is a great deal to not have to hassle with the water in-route. We are planning on doing this on our upcomming trip though I have not used the service before I have read and heard great reports.

 

[ElizaB39]

Excellent point about the wegoshop idea. I hadn't really thought about that, but did wonder if Staples would deliver two cases of water to the hotel for me! LOL I never did check that one out though...