How much do you spend?

[wmackleit]

I was wondering how much I should budget for my family of 5 for 7 nights at WDW/Universal. I am figuring about $1000 for air, $1000 for hotel?, passes around $1500 and food and sov. $2000.
I have three girls 14, 12 & 8. We usually eat breakfast in our hotel and have one nice meal a day. What else am I forgetting?

What do you spend for a week?

Thanks

 

[mudnuri]

well, lemme see

$1000 for air

Can you really find tickets from Washington State to Florida for $200.00 per person? Wow, I can't even find that from Vermont.

Where are you planning on staying- onsite or off? 1000.00 for 7 nights would put you at a hotel for approx 125 per night plus tax (either 11 or 12% down there).. Looks like the price of a Disney moderate.

How many days at each location? WDW and Universal? That will decide what types of passes and their price

If your planning on a free breakfast in your hotel room, dont plan on staying on-site..none of the disney hotels offer free breakfast of any kind.

Most people here figure $100 per day for food for a family of 4, so I'd figure 125-150 a day for you, given the ages of your kids...

If your not staying on-site, add in the $7 per day to park...I'm not sure what Universal charges, as I've never been there.

Good luck I'm sure more people will be here tonight to add to this post.

Brandy

 

[powellrj]

last year we went in June and spent $480 per person for RT air from Indy, 4 nights CBR, mid-size rental car and 5 day hoppers from AAA. We spent about another $125 a day on food and that was 2 character breakfasts, Fantasmic dinner package H&V, Cindys dinner and ice cream social. We ate all of our evening meals off-site and spent about $50 on pop and snacks and breakfast items at the grocery. The only reason I know that was the cost per person was that the chess club was going in March and just for air-fare, and off-site hotel (kissimmee) with 4 to a room it was going to be $460 per person and when I said that was really expensive they dared me to do it cheaper, so I did!!! I was so pleased with the prices (with the help of mousesaver.com) I found that I booked the trip!!

 

[wmackleit]

Last time we went 12/01 I spent about $1000 on airfare.... I am hoping that I can find another deal like that, but I might end up spending a little more. We stayed at the Swan last time for part of our stay and really enjoyed that. However, it is not really important that we stay onsite unless I find a great deal. I was looking at the Hotel Royal Plaza this time?
I am planning on 2 nights and 2 days at Universal/IOA.
And for breakfast I usually just pack that or stop at the store.

Thanks

 

[kilee]

I woud defintely give wiggle room in the airfare part. In 12/01 deals were to be had in the aftermath of 9/11. I have found it very difficult to find decent airfares lately. We paid almost $600.00 RT for 3 tickets Buffalo-Orlando for our next trip. That is on Jetblue too (a budget carrier). The passes will definetly depend on the type you are getting. By the looks of it you'll be good along the lines of a prepurchased 4day hopper to WDW and the 2day park pass to US/IOA. I think the food/souvineer and hotel budget looks fine. Depending on what type of hotel room you want. If you aren't opposed to staying offsite I would possibly check into a pool home or a villa/condo rental on hotelkingdom.com you may actually save a little money. Just remember you won't find the deals you did in 12/01. You need to plan in your budget for incidentals too. Things like tipping, transportation to and from the airport, or a rental car. Things like that.

 

[Dismom63]

I think your air is low and for the amount you have budgeted for hotel you would probabaly have to stay off site which leads to how much you have alloted for ground transport?
At least to and from airport...
Overall, I think your food looks on the money but a little low on the other stuff plus what's missing.

 

[Aisling]

Check out the Universal site here on the Dis. That's where I found out that I could stay onsite at the beautiful Royal Pacific Resort in a $199 room for $110 using the Entertainment Card. The 3 Universal resorts are of the Disney deluxe quality.