How Much Is It Costing You To Go To Orlando In 2011?

[Band mom!]

We are going next month - DS's marching band is performing before lights parade in MK!

Marching Band cost - $1100

Airline tickets (4 from PHL) - $600
Airline ticket for son to return w/us - $80
3 nts Kids Stay and Play at ASM w/ tickets & deluxe dining - $1600
4 nts at LBV Embassy Suites - $450
Week car rental - $250
Souvenir/spending money - $500
Restaurants for 4 days - $600 (+$100 Outback & $50 Applebees GC we might use)
Tips - $200
Luggage & airport parking - $200

I'm sure I've forgotten things but it adds up to $5,580 Last time was a lot less....but a lot of that extra cost is by choice - marching band, deluxe dining for princess dinners...so I can't complain too much!

HI Juliebean!! Same here with ds16 high school marching band also marching before parade - We go in June. This is our second time to go the the band. Our ds18 got to do it 3 years ago! Very emotional but like nothing else! We are driving from middle of Arkansas and our cost is $540 per child. (chaperones are $650) This includes transportation -charter bus, hotel-All-Star Sports and tickets (4-day Hopper plus Water ticket) **does not include food** (we stayed at Music last time, but got a better deal this year with sports??) Anyway, we'll be there for 5 1/2 days and will hit all 4 parks and Blizzard Beach. woohoo 96 days left!

 

[eyor44]

I am hoping to take my DD8 on a surprise trip the end of May. Here are the figures I have come up with. We have APs. We are driving only half way the first night. We will eat breakfast in the room each morning, take snacks and drinks and share meals. I am hoping another AP discount will come out before we go, but if not, I am rather happy with this one.

Hotel 50.58
POP 468.30
Gas 120
Food 220
Spending 100
Est. Total 958.88

 

[juliebean]

HI Juliebean!! Same here with ds16 high school marching band also marching before parade - We go in June. This is our second time to go the the band. Our ds18 got to do it 3 years ago! Very emotional but like nothing else! We are driving from middle of Arkansas and our cost is $540 per child. (chaperones are $650) This includes transportation -charter bus, hotel-All-Star Sports and tickets (4-day Hopper plus Water ticket) **does not include food** (we stayed at Music last time, but got a better deal this year with sports??) Anyway, we'll be there for 5 1/2 days and will hit all 4 parks and Blizzard Beach. woohoo 96 days left!

Have a great time! I wish ours was less expensive - but ours does include flights, since we are near NYC, and (hopefully) food. Our directors are young and we really have no info - there's a meeting a couple of weeks before.... Oh well! We aren't chaperoning, too hard with the little sisters. They only go once every 4 years - so it was now or never for our freshman. They wear "toy soldier" uniforms - red and black with puffy things on their heads - so it fits in well with the MK "old" look - should be great pic and I know he's looking forward to the trip. We are excited to see him and plan to do lots of princess stuff that he never would want to do, while he's off with the band buddies. He's obsessed with music, a great kid, and doesn't ask for much - unless you count musical instruments... Thanks for posting - I'd posted something about band trips a couple of months ago and got almost no response, guess it's not as common as I'd expected.

 

[bettymae1121]

Just me and DH this May.

Airline = $0 (I get free airline tickets cuz of my job! )
Left over 3 day ticket from '05 trip = $0
Transport to/from home/airport/hotel = $0 (friend will drive us to/from ORD, DME from/to MCO)
5 nights Pop w/DDP and 2 days of park tickets = $1443
Misc. spending money (food/drinks beyond DDP, tips, souvies etc.) = $200

So grand total for 5 nights with air, hotel, park tickets, food, ground transportation, and misc. expenses is $1643 for two adults. Not too shaby!

Sorry I'm quoting myself but I have revised numbers. I got that free dining pin and upgraded our flights to 1st class. Our new totals are:

$200 = 1st class airline tickets, includes free checked bags
$1085 = 5 night POP w/DDP and 2 day base park tickets
$0 = 3 day non exp. park hopper tix left over from our last trip
$100 = parking at O'Hare (turns out our friend can't drive us...oh well!)
$200 = tips and misc. expenses
$100 = dinner at Fultons (not included in dinning plan)

So $1685 is our new total. I think this is a pretty good deal!

 

[Band mom!]

Have a great time! I wish ours was less expensive - but ours does include flights, since we are near NYC, and (hopefully) food. Our directors are young and we really have no info - there's a meeting a couple of weeks before.... Oh well! We aren't chaperoning, too hard with the little sisters. They only go once every 4 years - so it was now or never for our freshman. They wear "toy soldier" uniforms - red and black with puffy things on their heads - so it fits in well with the MK "old" look - should be great pic and I know he's looking forward to the trip. We are excited to see him and plan to do lots of princess stuff that he never would want to do, while he's off with the band buddies. He's obsessed with music, a great kid, and doesn't ask for much - unless you count musical instruments... Thanks for posting - I'd posted something about band trips a couple of months ago and got almost no response, guess it's not as common as I'd expected.

HI!! Flying for us is out! Too expensive. The kids have to pay for it themselves as all our fundraising go towards our other fall contest trips (lots). Truthfully, I'm not really looking forward to the 17-18 hours on a bus with all these teens, even though I know and love all of them!!

We go every 3 years here... (our high shcool is only 9-12 grades) works for me!! All 3 of my boys are in band so I know about instrument costs. but we really love seeing them march, and now ds18 is in college and still marching! (Next school year we will be going to games on Thursdays-Jr.High, Fridays -High school and Saturdays- with collage boy being 2 hours away!) We didn't chaperone last time, just went along, and this time dh and ds18 aren't able to make this trip, and we hope to go back later this fall for family trip. Anyway, I know you will have huge fun!! If I knew how to post pics on here I would. ~Linda

 

[Ava]

I'm figuring around $3000 for two adults & a 2-year-old.

Airfare = $556
Hotel = $645 for 7 nights @ POP (25% off PIN)
Park tickets = $484 (2 adult 6-day base tickets from UT)
Photopass Pre-order = $100
Total set expenses = $1,785

Other budgeted expenses:
Food = $800
Souvenirs = $100
Car to airport = $100

Hopefully we'll spend less on food/souvenirs, but I'm bringing extra just in case.

 

[Band mom!]

At this point I'm trying to figure how much food will be... figuring on average about $40 per person/per day.

 

[Ava]

At this point I'm trying to figure how much food will be... figuring on average about $40 per person/per day.

I used the menus on allears.net to get an idea of food costs. I'm budgeting $15/adult for a CS meal; the few TS we're doing I just looked at the menus & figured what we might order.

 

[velrox]

...to justify buying the annual passes a couple of weeks ago.

February 2011 (4 nites)
$1140 for airfare (2 adults, 2 kids)
Used magical express, so no car rental
Used DVC points for AKL studio, savannah view
DVC annual passes and TIW card, with tax $1691
food and purchases $600

August 2011 (5 nites)
DVC points studio, savannah view
Only need to purchase airfare and have food money
Budgeting $1600-$1700 for the trip

December 2011 (4 nites)
DVC points, standard view
Once again only need to purchase airfare and have food money
Since it is the week after Xmas, I know I will have to budget about $2000

So three trips for the family for about $7000. Not too bad.

 

[quagmire0]

At this point I'm trying to figure how much food will be... figuring on average about $40 per person/per day.

Depends on if you are going to have some meals at the place you're staying, or if you're going out for all of them. For breakfast and lunch, you can probably save a ton of money with simple meals in. For dinners, we'll probably be eating on property for every one. Our budget is $800. We've got two adults and two kids, I'm giving us an $100 allowance for our initial grocery trip, which will cover breakfasts, lunches, snacks and some 'adult beverages' . The remainder of the budget ($700) come down to about $100/day for the four of us at a sit-down dinner. Really, we'll just be paying for three (DS will be 1yo), so it's $33/pp for dinner, which includes DD who will be 4.

 

[njsweetP]

Date of trip: mid June for 8 days.

RT airfare for 4 including taxes from Newark - 717.60
2 Bedroom/2 Bath condo offsite - 579.88
Compact rental car for 8 days - 191.46 (hope to get this lower as we get closer to trip)
Tickets (purchased in 2007)
Tickets for Universal - haven't purchased yet - but I'll estimate $400.00 for a one day ticket for 4 people.

Food - average $100-125 a day for 4 = 800.00-1000.00 (this is probably more than we will spend)

Gas for rental car - $50

 

[princess aleya]

I think we will be paying around $3,000 total for our trip.

 

[2disneyboys]

...to justify buying the annual passes a couple of weeks ago.February 2011 (4 nites)
$1140 for airfare (2 adults, 2 kids)
Used magical express, so no car rental
Used DVC points for AKL studio, savannah view
DVC annual passes and TIW card, with tax $1691
food and purchases $600

August 2011 (5 nites)
DVC points studio, savannah view
Only need to purchase airfare and have food money
Budgeting $1600-$1700 for the trip

December 2011 (4 nites)
DVC points, standard view
Once again only need to purchase airfare and have food money
Since it is the week after Xmas, I know I will have to budget about $2000

So three trips for the family for about $7000. Not too bad.

LOL -- (bolded) Same Here.. we went the week between 12-26-10 - 1-3-11 and bought AP's... we have another trip in less than 30 days (4.2-4.9.11) and then we know we are planning a late Sept 2011 Trip and a very early Dec 2011 trip... We will drive all of those trips unless someone can point me to where I can get airfare and 2 bags each for 4 people for less than $500.00 total...

our april trip is ready to go and is ~$1,500 ($400 our share of a windsor hills house for the week, $1,000 for Food, Gas,add $100 for souvies for me & DH. the kids have thier own money for souvies..) round that up to $2,000 due to gas prices raising, however, either way, I have that already set aside in the bank...

our Sept & Dec trips we haven't picked dates yet and have't deceided if we are staying on or off site yet so we have to work with that before we make a decison.

 

[Bkk40in2011]

12 nights at Wyndham Bonnet Creek - $1440 - may end up cheaper when we finish
8 day Water Park and More Hopper Tickets through YES program and Cirque tickets - $1000
Gas for driving there and back - $600 on safe side
Food for resort - $300
Hoop De Doo, Rainforest, Biergarten, 50s Prime Time - $500
Incidentals - $200

Total for 12 night 13 day trip - $4040

 

[AnninIowa]

Just booked our stay for October: 2 adults staying 5 nights at the Animal Kingdom Lodge Deluxe Savannah View, 4 day passes with park hopper, travel insurance, round trip airfare from Waterloo, IA with insurance: $3200. Airfare was the killer at $1300! The rest was a great deal that my AAA agent got me that beat the 40% off pin code I had.

 

[Jaden'smommy]

my 8 year old and me. 7 nights at all star sports. tickets with waterparks option. free quick dining. and airfare from ny. total: 1880 oh about 300 for extra and souvenirs

 

[disneysmiles]

in May 2010 for 5 nights 6 days at AKL it cost DH and I, it cost us about 1500. We broke down our exact expenses in our trip report blog.

 

[lucigo]

in May 2010 for 5 nights 6 days at AKL it cost DH and I, it cost us about 1500. We broke down our exact expenses in our trip report blog.

Awesome price on AKL...does that actually happen often or was it a once in a lifetime find?

 

[Band mom!]

Ava - Oh yes, I know about the menus! hahaha been reading them and jotting down where to eat. love that site and have given it to a few of the other moms going on this trip.

quagmire0 - We will be providing breakfast type foods at hotel (fruit/breakfast bars etc), lunch and dinner will be in parks. I have to say it's a lot easier to go as a family, that way I can really buget better. However, with this trip, I will only have ds13 with me at all times, I will not have ds16 with me most of the day, and it is his buget that concerns me. Am debating on getting him a card to use instead of cash/per day. Also have to take into account where others I may be with at any point of the day want to eat. (150 adult and teens on this trip) I have no problem saying "no" if I truly don't want to go where they do though. I'm bugeting around $800 for me and 2 teens. in 95 days

 

[pArKsFaN]

for 2 adults, celebrating 20th anniversary a few months late ...

$1232 - AKL - 4 day/3night in late May (pool view room + deluxe dining plan)
$ 314 - round trip airfare for 2 (1 way on 1 ticket was free)
$ 288 - 1 four-day PH (I bought AP on last trip)
total = $1834 + tips and possible souvenirs

*might* also need to pay to kennel 2 XL dogs, depending on whether the in laws feel like dealing with them along with the kids