How much do you REALLY spend???

[marivaid]

Oh gosh now I'm sorry I did the total

2 adults


4 nights Poly + 7-day Hoppers $2,015.36
Upgrade to AP $195
DDE Card $65
3 nights BWI with AP discount $654.75
1 night POP $122.64
Food $500
SWA from FLL $138

Total $3,690.75

We won't do much shopping at Disney because we've yet to use a single thing we bought in January.

Also I'm not counting our roundtrip from Paris since we'll be staying for several weeks (2 1/2 months in my case) in the US, but only 1 week at WDW.

 

[DisneyGirlie]

I don't really count because to me thats not what a vacation is about. Its about the magic and experiences, not the money spent to get those things. So I just pay it and let it roll off my shoulder.
But, I sure do spend a lot on souveneirs. I can't resist.

 

[LorilieMarie]

Last Year in Sept/Oct we spent $3200 plus the cost of souvenirs.

Airfare to and from the St Louis area
We had 3 adults and 1 ten year old
We stayed at Caribbean Beach 9 days, 8 nights, no preferred room
Free Dining Plan


This year we will spend $1877 plus the cost of souvenirs

Airfare to and from the St Louis area
We will have 1 adult, 1 eleven year old
Staying at All Star Movies with preferred room 8 days, 7 nights
Attending MNSSHP
Free Dining Plan

 

[SPJammer]

We spent around $10,000 for our trip.

$6800 for vacation package: 2 rooms Pop Century, Dining Plan and Park Hopper w/ Water Park for 7 people in late June. (2 adults, 5 kids - 17, 16, 14, 12 and 11)

We spent $2,000 on gifts, ice cream, water, pins, ride pictures and other assorted stuff while there and around $1200 driving down and back. (Total of 3 hotel stays, gas, food, gifts and junk.)

Doing it again this August and spending about $1,000 less with out giving up much.

 

[Worfiedoodles]

We generally spend $3,500 - $5,000 on a vacation (2 adults, one 9yr old) -- it varies depending on whether it is a trip to Orlando, a cruise leaving from our home port of Boston, or a cruise leaving from Florida (including airfare). These trips are generally a week long, but this year we are going to be gone 13 nights. We take one big trip per year.

We also do a smaller trip to the mountains of NH for a few days each summer, and that's about $700 including lodging, gas, admissions, food, etc.

I don't find the Orlando trips to be more expensive/less expensive than cruising. It all evens out. We save money whenever we can (free dining, cheap airfare, etc.), but we try not to nickle and dime ourselves. If I want a $3 bottle of water, I'm going to buy it.

 

[GoofyBaseballMom26]

More than I will ever, ever, ever let my DH know. I'm up to twice a year and I pay for it so.... what he doesn't know won't hurt ME!

 

[Jen66]

I am trying to keep our upcoming trip around $5,000. That includes airfare for 4, 5 nights at GF with a MK view, 6 day park hooper with dining, and souvenirs, extra stuff,etc. I probably spend about the same every year no matter where we go, but vacations are an absolute passion of mine. Luckily, my DH also loves to travel. We budget in different ways so we can go where we want in the summer!

 

[Kath2003]

OK so last year's trip....keep in mind that we already paid the $2000 for two air fare to/from Miami...

$200 - 2* plane from Miami to Orlando
$700 - 2* 14-day ultimate Disney tickets
$300 - 2* Discovery Cove + 7 days at Sea World
$49/night * 8 nights = $400 for hotel
$30/day * 8 days = $240 * 2 = $480 for food
$200 - spending money (mainly alcohol!)
----
$2280 for 2 people for 8 days, not including the transatlantic flights.

OUCH Not doing that again any time soon!

 

[Violet Crayon]

Two college kids, January 2007:

5 nights at ASMo - $463.30
plane tickets, non-stop flight - $451.22
MYW Base tickets (2day and a 5day)- $359.39 (I had 3 comp tickets)
CRT breakfast on my birthday - $63.98
Additional food (counter service)- $200ish
Souvies- $250ish

Total: $1,787.89

My plane ticket was covered by my parents, and we were gifted around $200 in Disney Dollars over the holidays, so $425ish was not ours spent.

 

[eliza61]

When you add up everything..... transportation, cash, disney dollars, credit cards, all the little things, all the big things......tips

All and all
How much do you think your family REALLY does spend on a single vacation, how long do you go, how many of you are there?????

Ok, we are splurgers when we go on vacation, probably because we really budget the rest of the year, so I'm probably going to catch a heart attack after adding up every thing. my family is Dh (50) me (40 ish) Ds's 16 & 13

10 nights @ BC ~ 200/night 2000 AP rate
airfare from Philly 800
food (our biggest budget buster) 2000
car rental 300
Tickets (1 AP, 3 PH + water park) 1300

So we average ~4000. We're dvc'ers now but we haven't changed our spending.

 

[hayanyujah847]

This vacation for the two of us it's going to end up being about $5000... 1 night @ Pop, 6 nights @ POFQ, and 6 nights @ Universal's RPR. I shop a lot though so my amount is probably higher then most will spend lol

 

[Treacle44]

Probably about £4,000 ($7-7,500 ish?). 3 week trip in Novemver, two adults, two kids.

T
x

 

[nooneshome]

Let’s see… Family of four, two adults, two pre-teens. 5 nights, four days at All Star Sports. We drove so gas was probably around $225. Brought about $125 worth of groceries. We bought a package with 5 nights at *** and a 10 day no expiration for about $1750. If you take away the cost of the 10 day NE pass the room cost us about $40/night. We breakfast in room, had counter service for lunch and ate off site every nite but one. Including drinks and such I would say we spent about $600 on food. Because we have a picky eater we shy away from TS. We cheapo it somewhat cause we try to go twice a year. We hardly bought any souvenirs, about $150, since this was our sixth trip in the last three years.

Our next trip in October will be a real cheapo as we have 6 days left on our passes. Our room is at Pop Century for 4 nights, I don’t know the exact amount but it is less than $400 – AAA discount. Gas will be about $225 and meals, drinks, snacks and groceries should be about $500.

 

[Melissamoo]

This is for DH and myself. There are a couple things we've never done before and looking forward to this time around (Halloween Horror Nights and Marineland).
13 nights at POP - $1700 + MYW/DDP
Airfare RT from Minneapolis - $400
Rental Car - NA (We haven't booked this yet)
MNSSHP for both - $98.00
Universal's Halloween Horror Nights - $130
Marineland Dolphin Quest - $550
We usually bring about $2000 for spending $$$.

 

[Mickeyluver37]

Our trips have all been different cost wise with lots of variables between them, it seems. I've added a lot of details because I've seen people talk about eating all CS meals for a week, and this would seriously cut over $1,000off of each of our trips.

1st trip 3/2002- DH was military and a deal was announced after 9/11/2001. His 7 day Ultimate PH was free, family members could get any ticket they wanted for 1/2 price. We got around $82/night at CBR at a special military rate for that promotion. We ate at least one TS every day, CS the other meals. This was also back when everyone was doing the Connection vouchers so we had pre-bought the vouchers for all of our CS meals, and TS breakfasts and lunches. DS was 2.5 so we did tons of buffets and he also didn't need a ticket. We drove around 1000 miles each way, and I have no idea how much gas cost back then. Universal was also doing something similar, so we had a 3 day package at Fairfield Marriott that included tickets and meal vouchers for one meal (we did Hard Rock) for around $300. Including souveniers, that trip was probably around $2,000.

2nd trip- 8/2003. Iraq War has started- 2nd military deal announced by Disney. Ticket options were different. I believe we all got 5 day UPH's for $99, except dh's who was free. SOG was under renovation, and we stayed at the CR Garden wing for around $100/night for 5 nights and ASSports for 3 nights (also under some military special rate- I think it was $59). Got a good deal on tickets on Southwest (I think around $100 p.p. rt) and also paid out of pocket for mostly table service meals (never less than 1 per day). DS is now old enough to need a ticket and we have to pay for his meals. We rented a compact car for around $150 for the week, as it was cheaper than the other options. We also went offsite to SeaWorld for one day, and all 4 of our tickets were free (military thing). This trip was around $3,000. (I really wish I knew exactly!)

3rd trip- 8/2005. Here come's the sticker shock! (We also had one extra person as my mom tagged along) DH is now a civilian (not that any more of those good military deals were ever announced, but still not even SOG is an option anymore!). I buy an AP to get the bargain of $305/night (includes extra adult charge, standard view, but we were upgraded to water view ) at the Yacht Club for 8 nights. With just my ticket and the hotel, we're already at close to $3,000! Everyone else had 8 day PH's. We did Southwest, again, around $100 p.p. r/t) No need for a rental car, as we did ME. We did mostly Epcot area restaurants, drank way more than before, and 1-2 table service a day because the YC had no food court. Sometimes we were too exhausted to find something to eat, and we'd just get room service. I bought the DDE card, but our food bill was still around $1,600. We also did the Gardens of the World Tour (mom and I only) and the Behind the Seeds tour (all 5 of us.) I think this trip came in at around $7,000.

9/2007- We're going way cheap!

7 nights at ASMU including Free dining and 5 day base tickets- I'm too lazy to check, but it's a hair under $1,500. (Also, now one of our kids qualifies as an "adult")

Southwest tickets (already paid for) $475. No rental car, using DME.

MNSSHP tickets- $150ish

DISMEET Dessert Party- $144

I told DH I could do it under $2,000. Looks like we're already over, but that's because it started as a long weekend and now is 7 nights because it's cheaper to fly on Tues/Weds (gotta love that Disney Math!) Obviously it's already the extras that are putting us over. Anyway, to be realistic, between OOP snacks and souveniers, I'd say we need to add at least $300 more to that, so grand total $2569 (ish, LOL)

 

[Flametamr]

Were going in late August. POR for 6 nights/ 7 days and 7 day park hopper tickets with the free dining plan. I moved my dates to get free food and save 950 dollars. With the cost of gas to drive and misc expenses I expect to spend around $2,500.00 total. Much less than last year. But I'll prob splurge more because of that.

 

[Nanabug02]

Well, its just me and DH, and we usually don't scale back on our Disney vacations, but this time we are really going all out. We are staying at the Polynesian for the first time! Yay!!!!

So, for me and DH with:
9 nights/10 days at the Polynesian, and
9 Day Park Hoppers, and
the Disney Dining Plan, and
Round trip airfare for two Non-stop, and
around $500.00 spending money (we don't buy many souveneirs)

It will be around $6,000.00. Both DH and I work really hard, don't have any kids, and our Disney trip every year is our big blow-out, so I don't feel too bad. It's always completed paid for by the time we leave.

Can't wait to go!!!!

 

[pooch]

We are taking our 2 nieces, ages 10 and 12, for their first trip. I have been working 7 days a week since March of '06, so we decided to blow the bank on this trip.

6 nights/ 7 days at AKL, concierge, savannah view
7 day MYW/ PH and WPM
Premium plan and dining
flight from BDL to MCO
______________________
total $8300

rental car: 350
Richard Petty Kings Experience: 700
pre trip clothes: 500
tips for mousekeeping and turndown: 100
goodies for nieces: 250 (new cameras, Mickey plushes, Epcot Passport, Autograph books, lanyards in special gift bags to be presented at check-in by concierge staff)
Laptop so nieces can e-mail their mom every day: 950
new luggage for all: 500
Petsitter for my "kids": 125
Each niece gets 500 to spend however they want. My DH and I are also allowing 500 each for spending for us.

We will be having so much fun, and will not be putting one red cent on a credit card, so the trip is not going to have any hidden costs! I am dying to leave (105 days!), and the girls have only the absolute bare bones about the trip. "Yea, we're going to Disney for a few days in September" kind of thing. They don't know they will be eating with Cinderella, the other Princesses, Lilo & Stitch, Donald, Mickey, and Pooh & friends. They will be going horseback riding for the first time ever! We are going to both water parks, Disneyquest, and Cirque du Soliel! We will be playing mini-golf and renting Sea Raycers! We are going to the Aloha show, and will see all fireworks shows from reserved seating! We are doing the Sunrise Safari, and they will be able to see animals every morning from our room balcony! We get 3 meals each day, anywhere we want!

So, total cost of the trip? Who gives a flying fart? We're going to Disney!!!!

Who's the best aunt and uncle in the world!?!?!?

for being a terrific aunt & uncle!! and I have a sneaking suspicion you'll be having some fun too!!!!

 

[MEK]

My DS (12) and I are going this August (8/24 -9/1). Our breakdown is:

2 nights room only (value): $144 (AAA rate)
6 nights with 7 day base and Free dining: $1006
RT air fare $259
Other food, misc. $150
parking at Airport $30 (splitting with friend)

$1560 total. $800 of the cost of this trip was given to me from a very generous uncle. In addition, my AAA credit card rebates should cut another $100 off the price.

 

[Praying Colonel]

Our trip last August:

7 nights at CSR for 4 (water-view room)
4 7-day Hoppers
MYW+Dining.......................................................$3150

Gas down and back
(90 gallons @approx. 2.90/gallon)............................$260

Breakfast/snacks on way to WDW.............................$55

Groceries at Publix for breakfast that week.................$50

Refillable mugs.......................................................$50

Spending money for 2 kids......................................$100

Spending money for 2 adults.....................................$50
(kids did better than us--how did that happen? )

Extra tips left for 3 TS meals.....................................$30

Tips for Mousekeeping..............................................$30

Laundry detergent and coin laundry............................$10

Hotel on return trip.................................................$140
(Horrible hotel, money not well-spent)

Dinner on return trip.................................................$80

Breakfast and snacks on return trip.............................$55

TOTAL:...............................................................$4060

We were pretty happy, considering we'd budgeted $4000 for the trip. We came in almost on the button.