Hawaii more expensive than WDW?

[DawnCt1]

The Kilauea Military Camp. http://www.kmc-volcano.com/default.asp

Now this is a place that looks like absolutely nothing on the outside but I love it here. It is at about 4000 ft elevation in Volcano National Park. The inside of the cabins have been totally redone, at least in the last few years. We had a 3 bedroom cabin with a jacuzzi, fireplace, two tvs, kitchen, corian counters, etc for a rate of $85 per night. I am sure it has gone up since we last stayed there but it would still be a bargain. They have a cafeteria on site or you can cook on the grill outside of your door. It has the best location of any accommodations in the park. Tours and hikes are offerred daily by KMC and the park service. The air is crisp and cool in the summer and it is easy to take a drive and see a moonbow. There is no pool, etc but there is a BIG HOLE not far from the camp.

 

[Oreo Cookie]

I think it really depends on where you stay in Hawaii. I've stayed mostly at resorts, but have also done condos. I have friends who go to Hawaii every year and stay for 1 month and they rent a house. Condo and house rentals really do save a ton of money on the cost to HI. The other main cost is food. It is less expensive to have a kitchen and be able to cook several meals, and go out occasionally, versus eating all meals out.

We're lucky that we have enough points through Continental to get free tickets for airfare, otherwise the flights to HI are much higher than it would cost to fly to Orlando.

Personally, I think if you set a realistic budget, you can do HI and it isn't expensive. But you have to want to spend the time planning and researching.

 

[Youarehere]

Our Hawaii vacation was cheaper because we did not pay airfare. I think if you include the whole vacation, Disney is cheaper. If you only consider destination expenses and not travel expenses, Hawaii is cheaper. I just checked flights to Hawaii on SW and it would be $1889.80 for 2 just to fly out/return. Our Whole Disney vacation (-souviniers) cost us $2400. So that would leave $500 for everything else in Hawaii- I suppose we could sleep on the beach.

On the other hand, considering just destination. Our stay at POFQ= $155 + tax per night. Our stay in a 1BR condo in Hawaii= $85 per night, no tax. Our cost to eat/drink soft drinks in Disney= $78 per day+ ~$10 in beverages. Our cost to eat/drink in Hawaii= $50-70 perday average depending on where we went. Park passes in Disney= $617.73 for 2 hoppers w/ + options. Our park passes in Hawaii= $10 Nat'l park pass, $10 Garden on Eden pass, $40 for 2 tix on snorkel cruise. The rest was free. Transportation in Disney = free, in Hawaii= $193 for economy rental car + ~$100 in gas. So... excluding airfare, Hawaii was cheaper,$1803 compared to $3238.
I did this comparison on a 10 day vacation to make math easier. Our Disney for $2400 was only a 6night/7 day.

But like we are all sayin' everyone has different preferences and bargain finds.

 

[DawnCt1]

Personally, I think if you set a realistic budget, you can do HI and it isn't expensive. But you have to want to spend the time planning and researching.

That is really what it comes down to. I have always enjoyed the planning and research part. I ran into my old TA (from years ago) who said he could get us a package for Hawaii cheaper than anything we could do ourselves. He couldn't. I ended up going with my own plan...again. The best time to book any hotel, car, etc is the moment you know you are going. If you are not sure of your interisland plans, book overlapping acommodation dates. For airfare, we plan 330 days ahead and have flexibility. Its a little work but well worth the effort.

 

[Mary2e]

I've been going to Hawaii at least once a year and alternate the second major vacation of the year with WDW and have done the comparison. We stay in Hawaii for at least 10 days and WDW for a week.

WDW is far more expensive if you stay in a comparable hotel. I'm not talking about the value resorts or even the mods, but most deluxes at WDW compare to a Hyatt or Hilton, though, IMHO, those brands are slightly nicer for the nicer rooms. I'm also not talking about using the DDP, as I generally pay OOP for the TS restaurants I like (CG, YSH) and do CS.

As a matter of fact, we've started staying at the Hyatt GC because I have status with the chain, and for less money, get treated royally there.

In general, in Hawaii for $300-$400 per night you're going to get a minimum of ocean view and either on the beach or really close to it. In disney, well, you're going to get a standard room in a deluxe.

Food in Hawaii costs less than the signature restaurants in WDW.

Cars cost more in MCO than in HNL for a longer rental.

The only major difference can be the airfare from the east coast. But if you plan correctly and have miles, you can get at least one seat using those miles.

Don't get me wrong. I love WDW and go often. It's just that anyone who thinks Hawaii is expensive is misinformed or just looking at travel agent sold packages.

 

[DawnCt1]

Don't get me wrong. I love WDW and go often. It's just that anyone who thinks Hawaii is expensive is misinformed or just looking at travel agent sold packages.

Mary, I agree with you. And I don't know if you remember, but you helped me plan our first (out of 4 trips) to Hawaii several years ago. I am thinking it had to be 9 or 10 years ago now. There a a dozen ways to do Hawaii and the destination is so beautiful that everything worth seeing is almost free.

 

[Mary2e]

Yes, I remember. You learned the ropes well. It was on Prodigy, I think, that you started planning.

 

[Mary2e]

One other thing.. at least from the East Coast, most people stay in Hawaii longer than a week. I'm comparing the cost per day as well as the total cost of the vacation.

Most times, I get at least 1 FF seat. Sometimes it's 2, but not that often because I try to pay for 1 seat so I can maintain FF status.

 

[pozey]

One other thing.. at least from the East Coast, most people stay in Hawaii longer than a week. I'm comparing the cost per day as well as the total cost of the vacation.

Most times, I get at least 1 FF seat. Sometimes it's 2, but not that often because I try to pay for 1 seat so I can maintain FF status.

I am not trying to argue the fact that one is more expensive than the other, however, you are still not comparing apples to apples when you throw out one very MAJOR part of the equation......airfare.

I'm not sure where you live in New Jersey, but I just did a quick search on expedia for airfare from Newark to Honolulu and from Newark to Orlando.

Newark to Honolulu is $697 per person.
Newark to Orlando is $163 per person.

A difference of $534 per person. You multiply that by 5 people (which is the size of my family), and that's a huge chunk of change.

 

[minnieandme]

For me, WDW is much cheaper. It helps that I'm only a 6 hour drive away. I remember putting some numbers in to figure out how much it will cost me and my 2 DS and for 1 week in Hawaii it came to around $5000. Airfare is a huge chunk of traveling. Also, most hotels in Hawaii is a lot more than a hotel near WDW. One of these days I will go, just no time soon.

 

[DawnCt1]

I am not trying to argue the fact that one is more expensive than the other, however, you are still not comparing apples to apples when you throw out one very MAJOR part of the equation......airfare.

I'm not sure where you live in New Jersey, but I just did a quick search on expedia for airfare from Newark to Honolulu and from Newark to Orlando.

Newark to Honolulu is $697 per person.
Newark to Orlando is $163 per person.

A difference of $534 per person. You multiply that by 5 people (which is the size of my family), and that's a huge chunk of change.

But subtract the cost of park entries for a week or longer, availability of condos, opportunities for cheaper meals, etc.

 

[DawnCt1]

Yes, I remember. You learned the ropes well. It was on Prodigy, I think, that you started planning.

I also hang onto my Safeway card. I have seen many times when the Safeway clerks have told tourists, "we are out of cards right now". I also had it linked to my phone number in case I lose it. It is easily worth 30% off on groceries. We hit Costco as well.

 

[Mary2e]

I don't dispute any of your issues regarding airfare. I know that my last several trips to WDW I paid near $300 for each ticket. IIRC, my tickets at the end of this month are nearly $400 each from EWR. I agree airfare CAN be inexpensive, but it never seems to be that way when I want to travel. The last inexpensive fare I got was Labor Day 2 years ago... when I had to cancel because of the hurricanes.

Hawaii airfares remain fairly constant in the $700 pp vicinity for coach.

If you do a cost per day comparison, or even total cost, Hawaii is less expensive in total.

You also have to compare like hotels to like hotels.

 

[inaminute]

We're going to WDW next week and HI in August. I'll let you know when I get back!

 

[disykat]

For us it's about the same. Airfare + park tickets at WDW would be a little more expensive than just airfare to Hawaii. However, in Hawaii we would add other admission fees etc. We seek out budget accomodations and meals anywhere we go.

I've been to both about an equal amount of times in my life. Both trips are considered a luxury from here.

 

[DISUNC]

One of my Best friends lives in Honolulu, so I stay at his house Makes it much cheaper!

I find the cost of food the same in Hawaii & NYC.....WDW is a BARGAIN compared to the 2!

Now the Jersey Shore & Maryland Beaches ARE EXPENSIVE!

 

[Skatermom23]

I think I get what you are saying. Two years ago we went to WDW for 12 days at a cost of $3500 and last summer we went to Honolulu for 12 days at a cost of $8000. Now on the trip to Hawaii we did get two rooms instead of one. If you take out the cost of airfare ($2500) and the cost of the extra room ($1100) you could say we spent $4400. So if you did have a way to get free or discounted airfare the two destinations wouldn't be so different.

Although I will say that in Hawaii we ate cheaper, not because the food was cheaper. We just didn't do the sit down type places. All in all, Hawaii can be affordable if you plan it out. We had lived there for 10 years prior to this trip and knew what to do and where to go.

 

[Mickeyluver37]

I don't think you can accurately compare two vacations by just throwing out the travel costs when the travel costs *are* so significant. I just checked our same exact dates for our WDW trip this year, and the flights for 4 are $2265.44. That is the absolute cheapest, and there are 2 stops! That is more than our WDW package of hotel, dining, and tickets, AND our flights ($475 non-stop) combined. I'm sure the hotel costs can be comparable if you are staying at a deluxe, and I'm not sure that I'd feel safe staying at something comparable to a value in HI, even though we are perfectly fine at a value in WDW.

We have found WDW to be one of the cheapest vacations around. Last year we skipped Disney and decided to do a "small" trip to NYC for 4 nights. It cost more than a week at Disney.

 

[Mary2e]

You have to compare like hotels.

There really aren't any motel type (value) hotels in Hawaii. Or at least, not in any of the places you would want to stay.

NYC is probably the most expensive vacation you can take - outside of going to Japan.

 

[Skatermom23]

You have to compare like hotels.

.

For me, I was comparing two like hotels...The Hale Koa in Hawaii and SOG at WDW!!!