How much is your 2016 Disney vacation going to cost you?

[Clumsy_Chica]

Two Adults
Cheap hotel on outskirts of WDW on 4/21 just so we can catch rope drop @ AK 4/22 : $65
2 nights (4/22, 4/23) at Animal Kingdom Villas, Kidani Village, 1 bedroom villa savannah view : $1148
3 day single park tickets, x2: $378
Tank of gas to get there and back: approx. $30
Bringing $500 for food, hopefully we won't use it all

Total $2121

Go big or go home We won't be back for at least a decade after this. It's a LOT of money for us, but husband is spoiling me.

I had planned a MUCH cheaper trip for the same timeframe, for around $900 including food, but he asked me what my dream wdw trip would be. I said staying in AKL and getting to spend a full day in each park (minus DHS because of construction and other ish). And then he made it happen. Amazing.

 

[focusondisney]

$8723 for my upcoming trip Jan. 30-Feb. 3...2 adults staying in the 2-bedroom club level suite at Animal Kingdom Lodge, deluxe dining, park hopper tickets and memory maker. Doesn't include any flights or ground transportation.

$39,456 for our trip in May...2 adults and 3 kids, spending 3 nights in the Royal Asante Presidential Suite at Animal Kingdom Lodge (does not include park tickets or dining, since this room cannot be booked as a package) and then the Roy Disney Concierge Suite on Disney Magic for a 4-night Disney cruise.

$17,314 for our trip in September, 2 adults and 3 kids staying in a 2-bedroom theme park view suite at Grand Floridian with deluxe dining, park hopper tickets and memory maker.

$12,314 for our trip on New Year's Eve for 2 adults and 3 kids, staying in a 2-bedroom bayview suite at the Contemporary (deluxe dining, park hopper tickets and memory again lol)

.....and we are also renewing our vows at Aulani in April. I should buy some stock in Disney, I think.

guess winning is subjective term. Not one to question how a person spends their disposable income, however, unless I inherited big bucks or won the lottery wouldn't be able to sleep knowing i spent nearly $100K on travel in one year.

I can't imagine what your income would need to be to spend that kind of money on vacations. But no matter what my income, I would need to make smart decisions about my spending. Buying park hoppers instead of annual passes is just throwing money out the window. Also all these stays include club level access, so the deluxe dining plan is overkill imho. Getting APs & a Tables in Wonderland card makes so much more sense financially. Even if you want some meals that TIW won't apply to, it will still cost less than the current plan.

 

[Nami]

This is the biggest vacation my family has even done which seems so basic compared to some of the expenses.

For a family of 3 (DH, me and DS6), my family is paying $3780.

This includes 6 nights/7 days in a standard room at All-star sports, 5 single park day passes for each of us, Regular Dining Package, Memory Maker, and RT airfare from NH to FL.

I'm thrilled. To us, this is a HUGE family treat!

 

[Kimberly9701]

I can't imagine what your income would need to be to spend that kind of money on vacations. But no matter what my income, I would need to make smart decisions about my spending. Buying park hoppers instead of annual passes is just throwing money out the window. Also all these stays include club level access, so the deluxe dining plan is overkill imho. Getting APs & a Tables in Wonderland card makes so much more sense financially. Even if you want some meals that TIW won't apply to, it will still cost less than the current plan.

I'm a travel junkie so I won't say anything about someone's budget...I do think there is a lot of fantastic destinations, especially international, besides just DW..but that's just personal preference.

What I do want to say---PLEASE PURCHASE ANNUAL PASSES! Have a fabulous time on your trips!!!!!!

 

[Kimberly9701]

This is the biggest vacation my family has even done which seems so basic compared to some of the expenses.

For a family of 3 (DH, me and DS6), my family is paying $3780.

This includes 6 nights/7 days in a standard room at All-star sports, 5 single park day passes for each of us, Regular Dining Package, Memory Maker, and RT airfare from NH to FL.

I'm thrilled. To us, this is a HUGE family treat!

There is no "basic" for Disney..it's all ridiculous!! That is a huge treat!! Last year was the first time that I took my 5 year old son, first time that I did character meals, and the first time that I was so stressed over the planning of a DW trip..all others were as an adult and centered around food and wine fest. After it was all said and done, the 8 nights we stayed equaled in cost to 28 days that I spent in Turkey..lol. What Disney does better than anyone else? Make you spend insane amounts of money with a smile on your face the entire time.lol.

Have a magical trip!!!!

 

[mefordis]

Yes, pretty much a lot of people can.... Southwest issues a credit card with incredible bonus points attached to it.... info is all over these boards - If you use credit cards and pay your bills on time it's a great option for 'average' spenders! (almost everyone I know uses cc's to pay for everyday things anyway)

True - I got the Polar Patio rental at Blizzard Beach for free -- I just used Amex points to pay for the charge on my credit card.

 

[mefordis]

Here's my early August trip - total 14 nights, family of 4:

CBR -Queen room w/ 4 5 day tickets (7 nights) $2,885
cbr Queen (hopefully connecting) room 8 nights $1,958
Cocoa Beachl (1 nights) Hilton $300
Hard Rock Universal (4 nights) $2,011
Universal 3 day ticket $800
Misc 1000
Car rental $645
Food $3,360
Flight $1,284
$14,243

 

[Kimberly9701]

August 13-20th 2016 at the grand Floridian with 6 day park-hoppers for 2 adults and 3 kids ages 3,6,7.....$3527, not bad!

That's a fantastic deal! Was there any specials at that time?

 

[Regan117]

I can't imagine what your income would need to be to spend that kind of money on vacations. But no matter what my income, I would need to make smart decisions about my spending. Buying park hoppers instead of annual passes is just throwing money out the window. Also all these stays include club level access, so the deluxe dining plan is overkill imho. Getting APs & a Tables in Wonderland card makes so much more sense financially. Even if you want some meals that TIW won't apply to, it will still cost less than the current plan.

Luckily for me, it isn't really up to you to decide what is overkill and what is not. We like options and we are willing to pay for our options. And you don't really don't know what we consider "smart" decisions as they pertain to spending. Convenience, for us, is worth a tradeoff for paying a bit more. End of discussion.

The deluxe dining plan, even with club level stays, also is not overkill when we do adults-only trips. We like to eat at all signature restaurants for lunches and dinners. We don't use the club level for meals. We grab coffee and oatmeal there in the morning, but that's pretty much the only time we ever set foot in the lounge.

 

[rg35]

2 adults 3 children
4 day + 1 free day magic your way tickets from UT - $1551
Staying in a 1 BR using DVC points at either OKW or AKL (waitlist). Let's say approx $1500 for the annual dues for the points.
Driving down not flying, so about $140 for overnight hotel each way, so $280.
Gas - let's call it $240 at around $2/gallon (although likely to be a bit more once they switch to the summer blend).

Don't have any specific budget for meals and souvenirs. We usually do breakfast in-room + one breakfast out on a non-park day (Boma this time) and TS for both lunch and dinner, although right now I don't have a TS lunch booked for every day so we might do some CS this time. We'll see.

 

[Regan117]

I'm a travel junkie so I won't say anything about someone's budget...I do think there is a lot of fantastic destinations, especially international, besides just DW..but that's just personal preference.

What I do want to say---PLEASE PURCHASE ANNUAL PASSES! Have a fabulous time on your trips!!!!!!

I agree with you. There are lots of fantastic destinations. We've traveled all over Europe, South America, China, India, Australia and the US. We don't JUST go to Disney World. It's why we won't commit to annual passes. They are not worth it to us. If I buy an annual pass for all 5 members of my family (myself, husband and 3 kids) but then I take two trips to WDW with my mom, I just wasted money on their passes. We don't go as a full family every year and we like to travel other places. So I don't mind paying a bit more to know I am only paying for what I am actually using.

 

[rg35]

.

 

[PaintsWindColors]

2 adults, September 16-23
Contemporary Resort Deluxe Garden Room for 7 nights: $1800 (travel agent discount)
Roundtrip airfare SGF to SFB x2: $480 - $190 Disney Visa Rewards = $290
Rental car via Dollar @ SFB: $215 (special city rate on website)
5-day single park ticket + MNSSHP x2: $850 (used TouringPlans ticket calculator for discount)
Dining and Drinks @ $150/day: $1200
Souvenirs and Miscellaneous: $300

Total: $4,655 but planning to use more Disney Visa Rewards to offset some of the cost

We also have 3 days at the end of this trip for Universal which will add about $1,250 to the total.

 

[Kimberly9701]

oops..replied to wrong person..see below

 

[Kimberly9701]

I agree with you. There are lots of fantastic destinations. We've traveled all over Europe, South America, China, India, Australia and the US. We don't JUST go to Disney World. It's why we won't commit to annual passes. They are not worth it to us. If I buy an annual pass for all 5 members of my family (myself, husband and 3 kids) but then I take two trips to WDW with my mom, I just wasted money on their passes. We don't go as a full family every year and we like to travel other places. So I don't mind paying a bit more to know I am only paying for what I am actually using.

That's great! As I said, I love to travel- but 4 weeks per year is all I can do work wise/kid school wise..besides weekend trips of course.

The reason I said annual passes is this- just on your 9/16-5/17 trips alone you would definitely save money. If your kids are only going on 1 trip with you, then only buy for yourself, if they are going twice- I think it would probably still benefit you to purchase for them as well. I did an ap several years ago..am not considering it now bc it isn't worth it to us... But with your schedule, you could look in to it.
I would hope someone would give me a tip if they noticed I could do something another way and save a dollar or two! That's why I like reading these posts, maybe I see something that could give me an idea for next time...maybe I see there is a better way to do something, etc etc

 

[keishashadow]

I can't imagine what your income would need to be to spend that kind of money on vacations. But no matter what my income, I would need to make smart decisions about my spending. Buying park hoppers instead of annual passes is just throwing money out the window. Also all these stays include club level access, so the deluxe dining plan is overkill imho. Getting APs & a Tables in Wonderland card makes so much more sense financially. Even if you want some meals that TIW won't apply to, it will still cost less than the current plan.

just making sure you caught I thought that amount of money was way over the top

There is no "basic" for Disney..it's all ridiculous!! That is a huge treat!! Last year was the first time that I took my 5 year old son, first time that I did character meals, and the first time that I was so stressed over the planning of a DW trip..all others were as an adult and centered around food and wine fest. After it was all said and done, the 8 nights we stayed equaled in cost to 28 days that I spent in Turkey..lol. What Disney does better than anyone else? Make you spend insane amounts of money with a smile on your face the entire time.lol.

Have a magical trip!!!!

IDK, imo we usually do 'basic' disney trips. I do like to throw in something special now & again. However, if my GD is with me we spend more on character meals/her ticket/gifts....still, nowhere near what many here have stated.

Otherwise, thanks to having APs, cheap airfare from our market, rental car less than $15/day, eating most meals offsite (not much of a bigger expense that feeding ourselves at home really) and staying either on one of our DVCs or digging to find a heavily discounted room, the final tally is less than a trip to the beach for the two of us.

re WDW - APH rates have been good over last 10 months or so, orbitz often has a code that is even lower total, hotwire or even hilton rewards consistently produce very reasonable rates too.

Honestly, it's a trade off. Do you want one big blow-out trip every year (or two) or do you want to be able to squeeeeeeze your AP tightly along with the budget for repeat visits. You don't have to hit all the bells & whistles every trip to WDW.

 

[willwork4cruise]

At the Poly now. 6 nights, family of 5, garden view club level, park tickets, and dining plan. Total cost $6653.

Loving this resort!!!

 

[Kimberly9701]

just making sure you caught I thought that amount of money was way over the top



IDK, imo we usually do 'basic' disney trips. I do like to throw in something special now & again. However, if my GD is with me we spend more on character meals/her ticket/gifts....still, nowhere near what many here have stated.

Otherwise, thanks to having APs, cheap airfare from our market, rental car less than $15/day, eating most meals offsite (not much of a bigger expense that feeding ourselves at home really) and staying either on one of our DVCs or digging to find a heavily discounted room, the final tally is less than a trip to the beach for the two of us.

re WDW - APH rates have been good over last 10 months or so, orbitz often has a code that is even lower total, hotwire or even hilton rewards consistently produce very reasonable rates too.

Honestly, it's a trade off. Do you want one big blow-out trip every year (or two) or do you want to be able to squeeeeeeze your AP tightly along with the budget for repeat visits. You don't have to hit all the bells & whistles every trip to WDW.

We can't fit 2 within a year...Our 2015 trip was 8 nights Poly..and then we rented a car and went to Boca Raton for 1 night..then Key West @ the Casa Marina for 7 nights..drove back to Orlando for flight home- and stayed one extra night to hit up Old Town Orlando...my son loves the slingshot. That was a longer than usual for us trip, and I think it was actually too much at once for him..we had a few weekend/3-4-5 night trips in '15..but that was our 'big' one.
2016- Doing a 7 night Eastern Caribbean out of San Juan in June..We have a 7 night Westerb Carib DCL very merrytime end of November out of PC..4 nights post cruise at the Contemporary tpv tower.. and then again- quite a few 3-4 night trips to Chicago..Tenn..local at the Great Wolf Lodge (Easter break), and our new thing- 5 nights of glamping in KY.

I don't have any more time to take any other trips..and I'm not willing to use up the limited time that I have to go to Disney World twice... So for us, it would be a waste..but the poster with 3 trips...if that was my schedule I would definitely do it!

 

[Kimberly9701]

At the Poly now. 6 nights, family of 5, garden view club level, park tickets, and dining plan. Total cost $6653.

Loving this resort!!!

Fun!!!! Have a Dole Whip float for me please!!!! ...and some tonga toast.... Have a wonderful time!

 

[mefordis]

Luckily for me, it isn't really up to you to decide what is overkill and what is not. We like options and we are willing to pay for our options. And you don't really don't know what we consider "smart" decisions as they pertain to spending. Convenience, for us, is worth a tradeoff for paying a bit more. End of discussion.

The deluxe dining plan, even with club level stays, also is not overkill when we do adults-only trips. We like to eat at all signature restaurants for lunches and dinners. We don't use the club level for meals. We grab coffee and oatmeal there in the morning, but that's pretty much the only time we ever set foot in the lounge.

Thanks for sharing. if I had the means I'd do the same as you!