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

[ndgqmiller]

Okay here's my break down of our trip Oct 2006
Family 5 me, dh, ds9, dd6, dd2(free)
POP 8nights perfered room - 600.00 (a 400 break an Oct code)
Tickets 7 days hopper - 850.00
Dining plan (totally worth it for us dinner and character dinners were soooo much fun) - 750.00
according to reciepts would have spent close to 1100.00
We did take extra water and froze it and took it to the park
We got insurance I can't remember I think we paid 115.00 or so, some people think it's a waste but we were going during hurricane season
200.00 for gas and food both ways 9 hr drive
350.00 souvinors and extra stuff
Total 2865.00
Now we are planning for a trip October 2008 so we are in the same boat as you with rates
I think the next trip will be around 5000.00
Room hopefully All star music family suite and son will be an adult and youngest won't be free so with all that add in our budget has expanded. Plus I want to bring more spending. Kids will have a certain amount and that's it once it's gone its gone, but my daughter kept wanting all these dresses that were 75.00-100.00 I hated having to say no at Disney. So I will let them get what they want with the money we give them and with what they save up. Hope this helps!

 

[DT83097]

Not sure I want to admit what we're paying after seeing what everyone else is getting for their dollars, but here goes:
We are going in April (Regular Season) with 3A, 2C (one under 2). Staying at the Poly for 5 nights, 4 day hoppers (no water parks and we couldn't get the free hopper upgrade which I'm really bummed about). I know we could go cheaper at other resorts, but really wanted the monorail access. Also the 3rd adult is our SIL who we invited because her husband is out to sea aboard the USS Eisenhower - we are paying for her park tickets and the extra adult fee ($25 night). Total for the room / tickets is $3,800 + airfare for 4 at $660 so we are at $4,460 without meals. We typically eat pretty cheaply because the kids eat like squirrels, but we're hoping to do one 'decent' meal for our SIL's birthday while we're there. We figure we'll be close to $5,500 once it's all said and done with food and Disney stuff. Luckily our tax return is covering it so I don't have to feel too guilty!! Besides, Disney is always worth it!

 

[bigbabyblues]

We're going May 25-June 2, driving down from Ohio. We're staying at Pop, have 9 days park hoppers with the dining plan (with the Water Park and More, got it when the discount was available for free hopping and water parks). Our package was $2500 and some change, I don't know the exact total. I have budgeted an extra $200 for table service meals over the dining plan because I couldn't decide which ones to leave out. Probably another $200 for spending money, and when that's gone, it's gone. We don't buy a lot of souveniers. I don't know what the drive will cost us, we're driving straight through on the way down, and spending one night on the way back.

I don't have to justify the cost. I work part time, and we save the money ahead of time or we won't go. Nothing for vacation gets charged on the credit card. We don't spend a lot of extra money during the year; we don't eat out except for special occasions, we don't go to the movies or anything like that. It's our choice, and we choose to save for WDW.

 

[U2_rocks!]

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.

Wow, our dates this year are almost exactly the same! We'll be at CP from April 20 - May 4!

 

[Groovee]

Because we are flying from the UK it is costing us $6965 on our 2 week stay. We then have $4000 spending money. But it is a holiday we've been saving for. Usually we do a holiday close to home which costs about $900 to $5000 depending on where we go and what sort of way we go such selfcatering, room only or all inclusive.

Our last holiday to Disneyland Paris cost us $3344 for 4 days!!!

 

[ILUVEyeore]

I may be in the minority here - but when compared to other vacations we take - Disney isn't that expensive - as said before here there are lots of ways to save money if you want to.

My theory of life is to budget the other 50 weeks a year and just enjoy vacation. My husband is a police officer and I just left banking - after being involved in a robbery - in our small town of 3500. So life is short enjoy!

Back to your question - we are going May 17th - 27th this year - myself, DH, DS11 and my mom - we are staying at WL for 6 nights and then 2 nights at Royal Pacific at Universal - with the meal plans at both stops our total is a little over $5200. We are driving - so that saves some money. I know that we spend way too much on t-shirts (my DH and DS have an addiction) and other soveniers - but then again I tend to buy for everyone - family, co-workers, the people feeding the cats etc. LOL - so we will probably bring another $2,000 in spending money - this is our first time doing the DDP so we may not need near that much - we also tend to over eat at nice sit down restaurants on vacations LOL

Wow! as a family we sure do have alot of issues.

Enjoy planning - as my new boss tells me my vacation isn't just a week - it is 6 months long since I do so much planning and organizing - so what if I have already printed by Mouskeeping envelopes and savings quarters and new shiny pennies in M&M containers for the penny press machine

 

[JamesMom]

12 day trip with family of 4 (dh, me, ds(5), ds (2) from DFW:

OKW 11 nights 2 bedroom Villa- points rented from DVC member $3800
Tickets (2 adults, 1 child, 2 yo free) Hopper w/ Water $ 900
Food ($100 day- groceries, drinks & park meals) $1100
Car rental (12 days - SUV) $ 600
Airfare $ 900
Babysitting (7 hrs/night for 6 nights) $ 800
Misc ($300 souveniers, $150 La Nouba Tickets,
($100 PhotoPass, $100 bike/boat rentals, $30 pirate cruise
$200 GF spa & tea, $100 other unplanned stuff) $1000

TOTAL $9,100 or $758 per day.

Most people wouldn't do the car and babysitting so we are splurging a bit. I haven't spent a night away from our house in FIVE years so I think we are due, LOL!

This represents a LOT of money (10% of our salary), but I using our tax return and some inheritence money to fund it of which a huge chunk is going into retirement savings.

We see this trip as our 'once-in-a-lifetime' trip. It'll be the only time we will be able to take a 2 week trip as a family during the off season - ever. We plan only 3-4 WDW trips before the kids are off to college, so we are pacing ourselves.

Our small money saving ideas are to bring a stroller and car seats (save about $300) and eat most meals in the unit and save the $ for our adult dinners (Cal Grill, Le Celler, etc) and char breakfasts.

At least it is less than our Disney Wedding which was $10,000!!! (and that's not counting the honeymoon, airfare or lodging!)

 

[digman6]

This is our first trip in 6 years, kids were always younger then we wanted them to be when we went or the funds were not there to go really.

we are going 12/18-12/26 and staying at POR with the first night at a Deluxe for fun

we have the dining package and hopper passes so far our total is at 3100.00 for the 6 of us. one of the kids does not count on the plan . I thought that was a good price. Aire fare is not bought yet but I am guessing 200.00 a tickets approx.

We will bring out own stroller , easier to spot it we may rent one if needed as well for the 5 yo .
i am getting grocery items from gardengrocer to have them delivered to our room about 100.00 for drinks, poptarts etc.

We usually wing it on souviners really. but I would think about 100.00 a day
we plan to do the princess Aurora tea bit $$$$, and Disney Quest for the boys ( dh and son 11) , and BBB Boutique for girls.

I justify this by the fact first of its been a long time since we took a vacation and secondly we watch were we spend our money.
IF we decide instead of goingout for breakfast every Sunday that we willmake it at home there is a extra 30$ a week saved toward a trip. the kids don't care at all. take the 30$ a week Xs 52 weeks=1560.00 thats part of a trip for some people!

BUDGET BUDGET BUDGET

 

[tiki23]

Just a warning for those who are thinking your trip will be a once-in-a-lifetime event: we thought the same thing last year....and now we're already booked for December of this year!

We're 6 this year: me, DH, DS16, DS15, DD13 and my Mom (she's so excited!)
2 rooms at Pop; first night room only then 7 nights with 8 day hoppers w/DDP.
Total cost of that with AAA (including travel insurance) $4,607
Budget for airfare (hoping for a better rate!) $1,800
Extra expenses for Mom (scooter, sundries) $300
Airport food, tips, etc $200
Soveniers/add'l snacks in parks x 6 people $800
Total cost $7,700

I should be able to get airfare for $1,500 or less...but better to budget high then low. Also hoping for a code or discount of some sort for December, but I'm not banking on it. Last year we saved $560 when our AAA TA applied the code that was available in November.

It's nice to see this thread! We could maybe save a little money by not having the DDP, but I love the convenience and last trip my teens never complained of being hungry.

I did price out renting a villa, eating a few meals in the kitchen and a rental van big enough for all of us plus the scooter, but the savings weren't enough to make me give up the convenience and excitement of staying onsite.

 

[bord1niowa]

We live about a 23 hour drive from WDW and it is much cheaper to drive than fly from here. So, if we're going, we're staying longer! We went last year for 10 days and this year plan on 13 nights and the total cost budgeted, and it should be fairly accurate will be about $4500. That's 4 of us going and staying at the All stars. I don't think that's too bad since the year before last we spent $2500 just going fishing up north in MN. There's not nearly as much to do up there but fish, which I do enjoy but I do like other things to do too. After trying to decide where to go this year, we found it to be just as expensive, if not more, to go to any number of other places we considered. Besides, we couldn't think of any place better to go than WDW.

 

[Grendalynn]

IF we decide instead of goingout for breakfast every Sunday that we willmake it at home there is a extra 30$ a week saved toward a trip. the kids don't care at all. take the 30$ a week Xs 52 weeks=1560.00 thats part of a trip for some people!

BUDGET BUDGET BUDGET

I SOOO Agree! I said the same thing to DH this weekend. The thing I like about Disney is that I canmake weekly payments of $20, $30 or $50+ a week or day when we have that extra money. Especially ebing online, its so easy!! I would skip a shopping trip at TJMaxx to save for Disney anyday!! Its easier to comeup with $40 here or there than $300 a month.

 

[AllesonWonderland]

this will be our first trip to WDW, so I don't know if it will be our 'normal' budget. 4 of us, 2 adults 2 kids.

$910 Staying 8 nights at a Windsor Hills Townhouse
$468 Airfare from KC to MCO
$760 7 day base tickets
$152 car rental
$150 gas/parking/etc
$500 food

That's about $3k there, though I'm sure there will be some misc. expenses. Paid for airfare and tickets last year, will have the townhouse paid off this week, so we're heading in with pretty much everything already absorbed into our regular budget. Plus, when I saw our end of the year interest statement from our Emigrant direct account I realized we can justify vacations by using interest $$ to help pay for them. LOL

Good luck with your planning!

 

[CJsMom]

Well, I started out cheap but now we're splurging a little!

Originally booked ASMo for 12/8 - 12/15, 2 A 2 C (5 and 7), 7 day base ticket, no dining, $1700.

Then, I started figuring out our dining costs. With HDDR, 2 character meals, and everything else PBJ and cereal from the room or counter service, I was still coming out within $150 of the cost of the DDP ($700 for the four of us). I figured, for the $150, I could get 5 character meals and counter service everyday and not worry so much about how to get a loaf of bread from MA to FL in a suitcase. So I added the DDP. $2400.

Then, I see some posts that recommend asking the CM if any discounts are available during my dates. I didn't do that when I booked! So I called back, and got the 40% off code. Changed my dates to 12/9 - 12/16. New quote: $2100. Great. But I had to ask for a quote for the AKL. Had to. I've never stayed deluxe before - only value - so I figured there was no way. But I saw some great pictures and fell in love with the place. So I asked. Pool view w/ bunk beds, same tix, dining plan....$2700. Hmm, really only $300 more than we planned on spending (remember, original quote with dining, $2400?). So I booked it. I'm psyched, but feeling a little guilty.

So the damage will total about $3700 with airfare (haven't booked but I'm budgeting $1000). Oh yeah, plus our MVMCP tix - another $150. I've got about $250 Disney Visa rewards and that will be our total souvenier money for the week (the boys will bring some of their own). A little cash for airport food and that's it. So probably $4000. Can we afford it? Well, we will use cash, and we've almost saved it up. We do have some cc debt that we probaby should use the money for. But the boys will only be 5 and 7 once, and we probably won't do such a big vacation again for a few years. So we're going for it.

 

[Grendalynn]

.

So the damage will total about $3700 with airfare (haven't booked but I'm budgeting $1000).

Check out airfair from PEASE Tradeport in Portsmouth NH for tickets through allegiant Air. www.allegiantair.com

I am not sure where you are exactly in Mass, but we just booked our trip to see my Dear Inlaws yesterday and got a hell of a deal... going 4/2-4/9 and got flights at $109 each way per person, direct flight to Orlando Sanford Airport!! AND parking is FREE! Small airport, great service and DIRECT flight!! Like I said, not sure where you are in MA, but a quick trip up 95N may pay off!!??

 

[awesomepinktink]

This is a once in a lifetime trip. Reason being our Daughter is getting married at the Swan and Dolphin this July. I have been saving for 2 years now!

We are 4 adults, me, DH , DS16, and DS 13
We are staying at the CR for 10 nihgts 11 days with 10 day park hoppers w/dpp. And airfare from oregon.
Total $8,000.00

Also I have a room at the Dolphin for 2 nights for $300.00

And I can finally say it is paid for. I can't say to the boys " sorry were broke blame your sister".

 

[Grendalynn]

All I can say is WOW! I never thought this thread would get so many hits or posts! I am glad to see that its helpful and useful to so many others! I find it very interesting where everyone fllas in their trips, money wise. It 's great to see if we are either right in track, a little exessive or under doing it all at once! Thanks so much and I hope others found it helpful as well!! Keep the posts coming, I can never get enough Disney! DH says I am OBSESSED!!

 

[DiznEeyore]

We're booked at POR for 7 nights in May. It will be dh, me and ds, age 14. We got a AAA rate on our room but are hoping against hope that an AP rate will come out for our dates and we can save a little more. Our costs break down like this:

220 - Gas (driving from MI)
200 - Hotel night to and from FL
140 - Food budget while driving
284 - Standard Room at Pop
707 - Waterview room at POR
244 - Ds' 6-Day Expiring PH (dh and I have APs from our last trip)
300 - Counter service meals
70 - Crystal Palace b'fast
50 - Sit-down restaurant for lunch
30 - Groceries/Water/Pop for room

Total: $2245

Plus, we have money set aside for mousekeeping, arcade, mini-golf, snacks and boat rental (we love to cruise the Sassagoula River!). We get the AP discount on the mini-golf and boat rental, too. That all totals less than $200 extra. Each person is responsible for their own souvenir money.

A large part of the trip has been paid for out of my mystery shopping, rewards programs, surveys and rebates. Since August of 2006, the total for those comes to $1035. Wow -- I hadn't realized it, but that's almost half of the trip!!

My dh has recently returned to college and ds will be entering a private high school program next year. So we've agreed that barring something like a lottery win (LOL!), this will be our last trip for probably 4 years.

 

[LandChildWorldAdult]

We spend a lot (like $10,000 a trip). But we "rationalize it" with:

Our house is paid off
Our kids are in elementary school with half funded college funds
We have no credit card debt
We have fully funded retirement accounts that we continue to fund
We have rainy day savings
We have two very good incomes

We have to spend the money on something - we don't earn it simply to save it.

I'm free for adoption, LOL! Let me guess, you don't live on either coast, right??

 

[CJsMom]

Check out airfair from PEASE Tradeport in Portsmouth NH for tickets through allegiant Air. www.allegiantair.com

I am not sure where you are exactly in Mass, but we just booked our trip to see my Dear Inlaws yesterday and got a hell of a deal... going 4/2-4/9 and got flights at $109 each way per person, direct flight to Orlando Sanford Airport!! AND parking is FREE! Small airport, great service and DIRECT flight!! Like I said, not sure where you are in MA, but a quick trip up 95N may pay off!!??

Thanks - I will definitely check this out! I'm in Marlboro MA, so a little less than an hour from Portsmouth. I'm also checking Manchester and Providence - they are both 45 mins away. Oh, wait a minute, is that a different airport in Orlando? Can we get Magical Express from there? We're not planning on renting a car at this point.

 

[Grendalynn]

Thanks - I will definitely check this out! I'm in Marlboro MA, so a little less than an hour from Portsmouth. I'm also checking Manchester and Providence - they are both 45 mins away. Oh, wait a minute, is that a different airport in Orlando? Can we get Magical Express from there? We're not planning on renting a car at this point.

Yeah, the Magical Express thing may be an issue. But soemthing to keep in mind!