How much do you spend on your vacation?

[tink'smom2B]

OK, so I purchased DVC in the hopes of having a wonderful resort, great room, and great vacations. I thought we could afford to go once a year. But, this last vacation cost $4700 We even had groceries delivered. Now I'm trying to look ahead again for next year, but the airline prices have doubled. With tickets, airfare, and food, I can see we will again spend way more than I hope to. Believe me, it wasn't an extravagent vacation at all. The airfare for all of us and tickets for our two girls were $1500 alone (we had purchased AP's last year). I'm just wondering if everyone is spending this kind of money or if I'm not cutting back on something. I hear about people coming more than once a year and I don't know how you can do it!

 

[Mtnman44]

we go to FL every other year normally. I usually get two of four airfare tickets for free from Credit Card/misc rewards (not hard for anyone to do). So airfare is normally around $400 give or take.

We plan $100 a day for food on average and normally the trip is around 12 days. So that is about $1,200.

Disney 10 day hoppers are around, guessing, $1,100 for all of us.

So, we can do a basic trip for around $3,100 to $3,600 once you factor in fun spending, possible car rental, Universal, etc.

None of that includes the DVC costs of course, but I just consider that a "sunk" cost.

 

[KPH500]

To cut back for our upcoming trip at the end of June we're driving (from MA)instead of flying which will save us on airfare as well as the cost of a rental car.

 

[robandkelly13]

We drive down and still spend around $3,000 for the three of us.

 

[Inkmahm]

Depends on who is all going and how long we are staying. If it is just my DH and me, we spend about $350 to $400 on airfare, $200 on car rental, and at least $160 per day on food (easy). We don’t eat at CS, we eat lunch and dinner at TS each day. We have annual passes. And we seem to buy a lot of stuff to take home each trip! That stuff is what really adds up but a lot of it is for birthday and Christmas gifts.

 

[disneyfan2kids]

We spend @ $750 on airfare.
Annuals cost 1200 but we purposefully get 3 trips, so I"ll say that's $400 for tix.
Usually about $600 - $800 on meals.
About $150 on groceries.
Souvenirs @ $100

Lets see that is about $2100 per trip.

I guess it's alot when you add it up.

I'm still going back!

 

[Rock'n Robin]

Our airfare was about $1300 for the 5 of us, purchased last July. Tickets were $1228 for the 5 of us. Dining was $1400, plus tips and $65 to garden grocer. Our rental car was $200. It's nice having the room paid for, but it's still nowhere near free. Driving for us would add 2 nights in a hotel (one each way) OR a major hassle driving straight through from NW Ohio.
Of course it's the only vacation I go on unless DH's company sends us somewhere (ORlando this summer, LOL). I don't even go to Cedar Point anymore unless I'm forced.
Robin M.

 

[hellerjw]

We are lucky in that we are close enough to drive there in roughly 9 hours, total fuel cost around $200 round trip.

We have been doing the APs the last few years since we go at least twice per year. Usual cost around $1500 (so around $750 per trip) for the 4 of us.

We have also done some form of the DDP the last 3 years and our average cost for that over the last 3 years has been around $1000 for the 4 of us for 1 week. Even the times we have gone without using the DDP our food cost is well over $1000 each time.

Then there is the random shopping that is done and usually ends up about $400 for the trip.

So, our average per trip cost is somewhere in the $2500 range even when driving. With airfare & rental car I could easily see it being in the $3500 range.

I think that's the big paradox with DVC: Its draw is that you can save money on deluxe accomodations but you tend to travel more often. You travel more often so you need more points and here comes the add-on. Wow, now we have more points so we can go again this year, and the whole cycle repeats itself. I think if you asked most DVC members they would say their average yearly vacation expenses have actually increased since becoming members.

Now if we could ever get to the point where we weren't doing any theme parks one year, it would cut our costs in half.

 

[MLK-RI]

You don't say how long your trip was, but yes it can add up VERY fast!

Our trips are generally 5 -7 nights. We use Magical Express and do not rent a car, using Disney transportation for everything (unless we have to leave property). This can take some planning and a bit more time depending, but it seems to work well for us.

We have had groceries delivered but found that we often didn't use it all and it was costing more than it was worth - again depending on how long you are there.

We generally eat breakfast in the room and we enjoy eating at various places in Disney, but much of it is counter service with a few great meals here and there - we also use the Tables in Wonderland discount card (the old DDE). We have been able to use the "food suitcase" approach. Depending on baggage charges and how much you bring this might work for you. Pack, cereals, bread, english muffins (in a shoe box to keep from crushing), granola bars, PB & J, snacks etc. and then purchase milk etc. in the resort store. The prices aren't as inflated as you might think, especially for just a few things.

We also have an Owner's locker. We have a brita pitcher in there along with other packaged things. (Drink mixes, etc.) we take a water bottle with us in the morning when heading to the parks so we don't need to buy one.

After airfare and tickets, it is the food that is our large charge. We don't buy much in the way of souvenirs etc. and if we do we try to use any discount available (DVC, AP, etc.)

We also make use of the Disney Visa Rewards card through the year and get at least enough for an AP and some defraying of food charges etc. Just charge it to the room, then use the rewards card to pay it off before you check out, leaving anything over your rewards for your usual payment method.

I don't know if any of these ideas help, but it seems to help us.

 

[Disneyhappy]

We save money because we don't always go to the parks. We just enjoy the resort and other options on property. We buy non-expiring 10 day tickets. We will have made at least three trips to WDW/DVC by the end of the year and will only enter the parks on two days. This July we will be staying for three nights at BCV and won't be visiting a single park. DS wants to visit next summer for one last big family trip before he goes to college so we do plan on getting park hoppers and to some major park touring. While that is a money saver, we always also pay to stay at Universal resorts usually on the same trips. We have $100 annual passes there but go more for the resorts and CityWalk. Airfare is a tough one, although I was just able to book SW to MCo for $59 (plus taxes) each way. Big sale for summer and fall. That is up $10 each way from two summers ago which I don't think is too bad at all considering gas prices and the economy. Another cost saving feature that we hate to do (but have done when we are on a tighter budget) is cooking/eating in our villa. Yuk!!

 

[thepowellslovedisney]

For our upcoming trip in May we are spending
$876.80 total for four plane tickets
$237 for my 4 yr olds ticket purchased through the link in mousesavers for discounted tickets (other son is 2 and we have AP's left from last trip)
$275.88 on the quick service dining plan
And we are packing all our light up toys and souvenirs from our last trip in Nov. I plan to allow each child to have $50 for additional souvenirs but that is it.

Should run us around $1500 total for a 5 day 4 night trip. (Exactly $1489.68). I suppose there will be a few incidentals but I like to keep the extras to a limit.

Hope this break down helps.

 

[El&Asmom]

You should look into airfare from Southwest out of Midway. We are leaving Friday and coming home May 2nd. One way was $59, and the other was $81 per person. If you book your flight and the price decreases, SW will give you a credit. Because of this we had a credit from our Sept trip, and our fare for this trip decreased a few times so we now have a $250 credit to use towards our next trip. It may be worth it as it is only a little over an hours drive from Milwaukee.

To answer your original question, I try not to add it up. Denial is bliss.

 

[twinklebug]

Nothing will kill the cost of the vacation faster than buying airfare & passes. Hence, I don't include those but have budgeted for them in advance. They are what they are & I knew this going into DVC. LOL

Room - paid for
Transfers/parking - paid for/included (would be $90)
Food... I plan one reservation for each day we're there, and we hit maybe half of those. I bring a lot of food with us and supplement with items from the store.

Budget for the 3 of us for this upcoming 9 day trip... $500. Includes food beyond our home budget & a few small souvies (essentials such as refillable mugs, hats, light saber ).

 

[HayGan]

Our upcoming trip (12 nights in Orlando - 10 of which are at DVC and 2 nights in North Carolina) has a budget of $3,500. That includes our US/IOA tickets, 4 hotel nights, food for 4, gas for the drive & driving around Orlando, and some other fun things we have planned. It only includes Disney admission for one of us as the other 3 have APs. While having our own car adds to the gas total, it also saves us as we can do grocery runs ourselves as well as eat off-site whenever we feel like it.

In order to minimize costs, we don't spend much on souvineers or other junk and we plan our park passes very carefully to spread them out over several trips. Most of our trips cost under $2,000.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

Dh and I did a 4 day weekend get a way last year with airfare and the dining plan for $1200.

We did 8 days for my birthday...this year and...I don't want to know.

You might want to consider investing in 10 day non-expiring passes. That way you will have 10 park days and 10 WATERPARK days. Then make sure you do something like Boardwalk or dining or DTD or Ft. Wilderness bbq or Beach Club movies on the nights that you were in the water parks. At some point you may choose to go to other area attractions. Orlando busses leave the TTC headed to other parks. Ive heard they are clean, safe, efficient, and cheap. You may also want to rest and spend some days at the pool. Even though expensive, these passes could last for years.

Of course, using your passes like this means that you are a bit less commando. That means you can easily eat bagels or cereal in the morning. I've not done it...but I see a lot of people in frontierland in the MK, looking over the Rivers of America with bologna sandwiches. Salad, frozen lasagna, and bread sticks can make a pretty good meal too. Otherwise, 4 regular adult DDPs will set you back $160/day plus tips.

As for souvies, give everybody a $$ amount going in, and stick to it.

Strictly eating from the room may not be practical, but I do believe using the 10 day non-expiring tickets for many years is extremely do-able.

 

[sandieb]

Easy question. Too much!!!!!!!!!!

 

[starbox]

APs are 1500 per year for us (family of 4). We can drive, but will often rent a car if I can get it cheap via. hotwire or priceline - 250$ including gas. Arrival night offsite - 50$ (priceline).

Beyond that, no matter how I break it down, DDP, TIW - seems like I always end up spending 200$ a day on food/drinks/recreation/incidentals.

Tax Refund pays for the APs. Beyond that, I have a seperate checking account just for vacation. I can do automatic transfers online, so any additional work I pick up or money I've saved at the end of each month gets trnasferred for vacation. It's alot easier to forego eating out or other non-essentials when I get to move that money right into my vacation fund.

 

[littlestar]

Here's our average for a DVC trip (2 adults) as our kids are grown and pay for their own airfare/food costs/rental cars:

Airfare for 2 from Indy: $135 to $150 round trip for two = $300
Groceries: $100
Table Service Meals: $200
2 Annual Passes Divided by at least 3 trips: $147
(We use Disney Visa rewards of $200 a year to offset the annual pass cost)

So roughly $750 a trip not including DVC dues or buy-in costs.

Now, my other trips to Orlando are higher because we trade our timeshares or buy a Getaway cash week at Marriott or Vistana Villages so you can add $500 to $650 to the cost above, but still not bad. We can do 3 trips to Orlando for about $3,500 a year. But I'm a major tightwad and Indy has super cheap airfares and we travel off season.

 

[TIGGERmetoo]

I'm not sure of our costs. The last 3 yrs we've had some type of DDP and this year we are going to buy the TIW card and see how that works. I'm very nervous about the amount of $ we're going to spend on food since DH doesn't care for CS meals. We usually have TS a day. We going for F&W so I don't know if we'll spend more or less on meals.

We're also using our Disney VISA rewards to purchase AP's and the TIW card and plan on using those 4 times within a 12 month period.

 

[DVC Mike]

Since we drive, our biggest expenditure is on meals, and since we do mostly Signature Dining, it does add up.