How much do you spend on a WDW vaca? Hoto validate/rationalize spending so much $

[Harvest02]

We went this past June. We are a family of 4(me, my DH, my DS9, and my DS5). We spent about a total of $3000. We stayed as ASMo, paid airfare of about $750, paid OOP for food, and bought our park tickets through Ticketmania. We are going again this October. My older son is going to be an "adult" this time! BUMMER!!! But, I am budgeting about $3500 for this next trip. We are staying at a moderate this time(POR), our airfare was a little more(about $834), and we are going to try a few nicer TS restaurants(like Le Cellier). My DH says Disney costs too much money, but to be honest, it is not much more expensive than any other vacation! We went to the beach a few years ago, and spent around $2000 and all we did was lay on the beach!!! I justify the cost by the fact that it is the only major vacation we take each year, and we don't spend lots of money elsewhere. We live pretty simple. We are using part of our tax refund, and I also substitute teach part time so most of that money is going towards our trip. I know as the kids grow older, they may not want to do Disney anymore, but places like Washington DC, or even Yellowstone National Park. I want to enjoy the time while they are younger. I LOVED going to Disney with my family when I was younger and I want them to remember these times!!! IMHO, it is money well spent!!!

 

[nurse.darcy]

We are a party of 5 (one is a teenager) adults by WDW standards. I just booked a vacation for us at ASM in a family suite, DDP, and took advantage of the promo with Park Hopper and Water Park Option on the tickets - 7 nights, 8 days. My costs for the WDW portion is $4,300, airfare for all of us is a little over $1000. A little high but this will be the first time in many years that my DH gets to see his adult DD and that is priceless to me.

We will always budget a vacation every year. It is good to get away for a week and enjoy.

 

[kileybeth]

I love this thread. makes me not feel so out of whack money wise. We are a above normal by most standards income family. However we live in a very nice house (tax break and room for all of us 24/7!) and are very good at bargain hunting and saving money on the necessisties of life (clothes, food).

That said we would love to get to Disney once a year. Usually doesn't happen more out of committment of time than anything else. Last year we went to the midwest for 14 days as we had to be out there anyway for a graduation. . .

2 family trips ago, we flew down (1st time for kids, usually drive) but r/t was $100 a person and baby was still free. Bought 10 day hoppers with pluses for 3 aduts (DH, myself, and 12 yr old son) 1 child (9 yr old DD) $1200+/-and only used roughly half of ticket for each. Actually less since we were also using up some left over old non expiring hoppers (wow, this gets confusing!) However, DS was only 2 yrs, 10 months so he was unticketed.

roughly 125-150 a day on food for all 6 of us. $250-$300 souvies. stayed at downtown Disney property (Doubletree in a suite, we have to have the room) for roughly $100 a night, breakfast included. rented a van which we rarely used but was nice to have to/from airport, off site dining a couple of times, visited family in area for a day or so , $250 a week . . .

roughly $4000-$5000 a trip since we have a total of 6 kids and although 2 are grown we still have 4 kids most trips (we just keep changing which 4!)

back in the day. . .we could do disney for $1000-1500 a trip, off site for $25-$50 a night w/ nice breakfast, drving w/ decent gas prices, fas food and one meal a day in park. . .etc! I think someone else on here said "but that was when I was young. . ." yup.

I still bring snacks to appease the little ones, still look for best deals and still can't stay on site easily as we are to big to fit anyplace reasonablly priced.

Have done Saratoga Srings with just hubby. loved. it. but it would easily be a$10,000 vacation with kids, not that I wouldn't enjoy that but just not worth that much $$$$$ to me right now.

 

[Freyja]

This week we´re doing a 3 week roadtrip/Disney combo (starting with 4 nights in NYC). It will cost our family of 6 (2 adults and 4 kids) around $12000!!!

Our Disney trips usually cost us $8-10 000.

We have a 8 hour flight to get to WDW and a 10 hours flight to DL so flights are a big bite of the cost.

 

[ZanyToes]

We are going to be paying $3,150 for our total vacation and will probably add $500 on to that for "stuff" LOL.

That includes our airfair, stay at a value resort, 5 day hopper tickets, and the dining plan... So, we just need some spending money when we go, everything important is paid for

 

[BrotherJohn]

We are taking our pop-up camper to Fort Wilderness ($50 per night) for 5 nights plust 5day tickets for two children/two adults and we are budgeting $1,500 for the trip. Driving down from Atlanta and bringing our own food. It will be our first trip to WDW.

 

[Grendalynn]

We are taking our pop-up camper to Fort Wilderness ($50 per night) for 5 nights plust 5day tickets for two children/two adults and we are budgeting $1,500 for the trip. Driving down from Atlanta and bringing our own food. It will be our first trip to WDW.

We have done Fort Wilderness before, a few years back. Had lots of fun and just a short boat ride to MK and TC. DH and I even considered borrowing my inlaws winnebego, but decided it wouldntbe much less with gas prices from NH. Soon we hope to buy a motorhome or Camper of our own and do the Ft wilderness thing as our own family!! I have many fond memories of staying there as a kid with my parents. It was also during the time of Water Country and that was great! You musttry to do Hoop Dee Doo Review if possible. Lots of Old West fun!

 

[MALE*RN*777]

We drove from Maryland at night stayed at Value Resort (Saturday to Saturday) 2 adult 1 child 1 infant. 1 days at MK for 2 adult and 1 child ticket (infant free), 1 day at MK for wife and child, 1 day at AK for 2 adult 1 child (infant free), 1 day at Universal 1 park only 2 adult 1 child (infant free), took own refrig and microwave, one meal at rainforest, one at ruby tuesday, and little things here and there $2200. And we brought home the extra $$.

 

[desertbloom]

Our family of 3 is spending 2500 for the disney portion of our vaca. That includes 1 night at a Hojo, 4 nights CBR, 5 day hoppers w water parks, dining plan, rental car for 10 days (staying with family in palm beach after the diney leg of our trip) and airfare. We don't buy souveniers. I refuse to give Disney any more of my money for the crap they push down our throats every time you turn around or when you have to exit a ride into a gift shop. It actually kind of ruins the disney experience for me. I feel more like a walking cash cow than a valued guest sometimes.

 

[joiev98]

We have a 5 day park passes with the free upgraded hoppers and water park and more option. We will be staying at POP in 2 rooms. We have the dining plan. Our Disney cost is $2800. I am trying to find a good deal on flights, otherwise we will drive. And then we will be at Universal orlando for 2 days which will cost us about $1000 with the passes, offsite hotel and food. Plus spending money...We will probably have spent about $5500-$6000 for our family of 6. Can we REALLY afford it? No. But this is our first ever trip to Disney, and actually it is our first REAL family trip without visiting other family! We just cut back on other things and work some extra hours. We are in no way worried about spending the money on this trip. Our house and other bills are getting paid and will still be there when we get back!!! Can't wait!!!!!!

 

[five_lil_monkeys]

See, I dont have a hard time justifying the cost at all (Dh is a different issue, but he humors me.)
We are a family of 7- considered 3 adults and 4 kids. I have budgeted $5k for our trip, and that includes staying in P-cola one night on the way there and 2 nights on the way back. We are staying off-site in a 5 bedroom villa and its costing us about $1100. Tickets are going to be our most expensive thing....we will be going either 5 or 6 days to the parks. I have my budget written down somewhere but am in the process of cleaning my room so not sure where right this moment.
For me, this is a once in a lifetime trip (at least thats how Im looking at it) We are considering moving to Florida, so it may not be our only trip, BUT our oldest dd will be 13 this summer so I feel like we need to go before she gets to the age where the *magic* is gone. She's still pretty child-like so I think we're safe going now. We went for our honeymoon and I loved it so much I want to share it w/ my kids IMO vacations are one thing that deserves a splurge! Memories last a lifetime!!!

 

[Grendalynn]

So, I think we have decided to stay at the Contemporary for our trip in March 08. With DS#s almost 18 months at that time, convenience will be key for us. Right now a 8 night stay with 7 days park hopper passes is looking to be about $5300+ . WL came in at $5500. Thats will the Dining option. Granted those are this years March prices and I am not sure what this August will hold when prices and pacjages are released. I am up in the air as weather or not to add water parks. The weather is so hit or miss, I am not sure if it'll be a waste!? Add $1300 for airfair for the 5 of us and our total will be $6600!!! Yikes! Dear Hubby says its so worth it and memories that our boys will have forever. Now I just have to wait til August to officially Book it!!??

 

[JoyG]

We have a pretty modest income so our disney vacations tend to be on the cheaper side.

Our first real WDW vacation as a family was when the youngest was still free, and we could all fit into a value room. We went during free dining and it was about $2300 total including air fare, souveniers, and stuff for 8 nights/7 day tickets.

Our next WDW vacation included USO and Seaworld and we stayed off site.
Again the total came to about $2300 for 7nights. We packed our lunch for all parks that trip.

 

[Atchley]

We got for 2 adults 2 kids:
7 nights at CBR
5 day passes (no park hopper, water parks, expiration dates apply)
DDP

with AAA discount

Just under $2700

 

[Every_other_year]

Let's see...I am not sure if I want to write this all down. We are a family of 5 (me, dh, ds(7), ds(3), and dd (4 months) so she will be free in all of this.

We got in that 40% off room rates so we have 6 nights booked at POFQ $669
Tickets will be about $700 5 days, no hopping.
We will add DDP about $700
Airfare should be about $900 for us (from Chicago).
Extras...I would say about $500.

So our grand total should be about $3400

 

[almburr]

we payed around $4,000 for 3 nightd 4days PH, DDP, at WL and air. 2A & 2C

I think this is pretty good than alot of vacations out there.

 

[A&CsMom]

This thread is really interesting. It just goes to show that everyone is different.

We went for 7 nights last April, and these were our costs:
-$900 for 4 bed villa offsite (included taxes and pool heat)
-about $1000 for 7 day non-expiry park hoppers (only used 4 days)
-about $1200 for gas (we drove), two nights on the road (one each way), food (had table service 4 times, counter service a few times, the rest at the villa from the grocery store), souvenirs, Sea World (pay for one day, get one free) and anything else we needed
Total about $3100 for 1 week

The year, going for 14 nights, and these are our projected costs:
-$1700 for 4 bed villa (including taxes and pool heat)
-using 3 days at Disney from last time
-buying Orlando 4 park FlexTicket $700 (unlimited access for 14 days to Universal, IoA, Sea World and Wet'n'Wild - trying something new)
-will probably bring $2000 for gas (driving again), food, nights on the road (may drive straight through on the way there), souvenirs, anything else
(hopefully won't spend it all, but we will have more time and plan to hit the malls this time)
Total about $4400 for 2 weeks

These vacations take pretty much all of our extra money every year - we could do things to our home or something like that, but we feel that while our kids are young and enjoy spending time with us, we are going to do it. We have the best time together and the best memories from our vacations.

 

[Tess'smom]

We go every year. Last year was a great deal because of free dining. We stay at the values- preferred room for 10 days, w/ park hoppers and free dining was $1800 for three of us DD is 11. We spent $600 round trip from PHL to MCO. Parking close to the airport is about $80.00 Pet sitting is about $20.00 a day. We spend way too much in the parks on pins and other fun things. So I guess we spend about $3700 on our trip.

 

[TAKitty]

You can get a good idea of what you will spend by pricing out your vacation for the 07 or 08 year.

We own DVC so our prices are not as high as some. I also am able to get air for 49/59 each way.

This summer my sister and I are staying at WL with dining for 1075.00. We are only doing the one day base ticket because I have a CM friend who is getting us in for free. It is a around a 400 + savings because his tickets are hopper tickets too!

If you pay for parts as you go, it doesn't seem like a lot of money.

 

[Grendalynn]

If you pay for parts as you go, it doesn't seem like a lot of money.

Well thats just it! I figure the further out we ook, the easier on the ole pocket book it will be. A good down payment from our Tax Return and a payment each week or month, a little extra when we have good weeks at work. Its easier to afford if its a little at a time rather than saving and saving for the one lump sum. Not to mention having next years tax return for our trip.

When will I be able to book March 08 anyway? Right now I am only able to go to Dec 31st.