If you were spending $5000 on a Disney vacation...

[PolyAddict]

How would you spend it? What time of year would you go? Where would you eat? How long would you stay?

That's below our budget for each trip. It's at least that for a family of five to stay a week and eat decently. It's worth EVERY penny.

 

[KCMiller]

OK, I'm assuming you meant a trip for YOURSELF for $5000 - not for the whole family . . .

What I would do is get a balcony cabin for a 7 day cruise on the Wonder or the Magic, then do a week at a DVC-point stay at the Boardwalk. I'd get park hopper tickets, make a TS for every afternoon at around 4:30, and just have the bestest time of all . . . buy what I like, eat what I like . . . .

sigh. Now, where am I going to find an extra $25000 (for the whole family . . .)


KC

 

[labdogs42]

By the time it is all said and done, my trip this May will probably top out at around $5,000. Here's what we're doing:

me, DH, and DS (15 months)
going May 13-19
Staying at the Beach Club (big splurge for me!) standard view (can't bring myself to splurge any more on a ROOM )
7 day MYW park hopper tickets
Dining Plan
airfare for three (yes, I'm getting DS a seat!)
rental car (I like to have my own wheels)

That takes us to a little over $4,000. By the time I finish buying souveniers, extra snacks for the room, new clothes for vacation, a Segway tour for DH, two extra meals, etc... I 'm sure I will have spent the rest of the $$!!

As for what I'd do if I was you it depends on if my dream was to stay for longer, have more "experiences", or go more "upscale". For me the Beach Club is upscale enough (I'm sooo excited about staying there!). I can't see splurging on concierge or something like that. I just don't see the point. I'd rather spend money on experiences like tours and cruises or more park days. Oh yeah, and dining.

 

[Grumpy's Wife]

$5,000 is the budget that I'm trying to say at for our next trip. If you are a family of five it is very hard to come in under that number. Especially when your ten year old is considered an adult. So I'll just suck it up and have a wonderfully expensive vacation.

 

[DisneyDotty]

For just one person, $5000 will buy a very nice trip. If I had that budgeted per person, I would try the Poly at CL. Eat at V&A's. Do some tours--maybe VIP. Get the super-dee-duper dining plan.
Even for a family of four, you can stay deluxe and do a lot with that kind of money.
We spent over $6000 for 10 nights at CR Tower, passes, dining plan, airfare and transfers for four of us last year in June. Worth every penny.
This year I'm actually trying to put together a "Budget Trip"--but am finding that to be very difficult...

 

[jimmalru80]

If I were spending $5000, I would be disappointed that we had to take a value trip. We usually spend much more than that.

I have to agree. We average about $8,000 per trip for the five of us and we eat whatever we want, wherever we want. We are able to make it work, and I guess we have gotten spoiled doing WDW the way we do it.

 

[DisFlan]

We've spent more than $5000 on a number of trips. That's why we joined DVC! On our last trip in October, we figured it saved us about $3500.


DisFlan

 

[DeeCee735]

Massages for the adults
Dinner at LeCellier, maybe twice
Segway Tour
Illuminations Cruise
Disney Quest

Just a few ideas......if money isn't an object.

I might save on the hotel and stay at Coronado Springs Resort or Port Orleans Riverside - both moderate's, big rooms, frig's in the room, beautiful beautiful resorts, good food courts.

Have an awesome time planning!

 

[liquid]

We spent more than that for our trip (10 days at CBR) and that was with Free Dining! Of course, we rented two rooms (6 people) so that does add up!

We'd really like to go back, so we're looking at either staying at a value or renting a home off property. We loved the CBR but we just don't want to spend more than last time.

Unless they do another Free Dining plan!!!

 

[BankBunny]

It's more like when I spend $5000.00. Here's the plane for May 2007.
This for DH and myself (that's our whole family)

10 nights/11 days at POR with a King size bed
10 Magic Your Way tickets with Park Hopper and Water Park options
-$2554.38
Gas to drive round trip-$275.00
Hotel stay onthe way down and back-$200.00
Food-$1800.00-$2250.00 ($100.00-$125.00 a day including travel days)
Souvaniers-up to $1000.00

Grand Total-$5829.38-$6278.38

We do not have children and only go to Disney every 3-4 years. This is our big treat to ourselves and always go a little overboard. I do tend to budget on the high side just to make sure I don't owe moneyin the end.

By the way-chrrycolalola:
It's your honeymoon go for it. I don't think it's crazy at all. If I had it to do all over again DH and I would have gone to WDW on our honeymoon too. Treat yourself...it's a special time and you deserve it (and don't let people who don't get the whole Disney thing tell you that you're crazy)

 

[funhouse8]

$5,000 is the budget that I'm trying to say at for our next trip. If you are a family of five it is very hard to come in under that number. Especially when your ten year old is considered an adult. So I'll just suck it up and have a wonderfully expensive vacation.

I agree we are a family of six and always spend around that. It's not that hard to do.

 

[Grammyof2]

I don't like to think about the numbers. It makes my head spin
DH would blow a cork, so he prefers not to know.

I am very, very cheap, or thrifty if you prefer. Except when it comes to WDW. That is my ONE splurge. Plus it never seems to be just the 2 of us. Kids, grandkids, parents, etc. The numbers seem to be big no matter where we stay, ASM or the Poly. But the gang is big too.

We had anniversary trip planned for Dec, had to cancel due to DH health issue. Even that trip included family the first week. Those kids are like glue when my rear heads to WDW.

$5000 sometimes covers it and sometimes it don't. But if someone gave me 5 grand I could make it work. Would try to turn it into 21 days for just me and DH. Week at value, week at moderate and week deluxe. Don't need to go to the parks everyday, but have AP so don't need tickets. Try to get AP rate on rooms and spend rest on my favorite thing, food.

Now, I would have to tell family I was going to a fat farm for 3 weeks cause otherwise they would be superglued to my backside.

 

[Perdie]

When I saw the title of this thread I thought...uh oh i must have spent way too much on my trip, but then I read it and I feel MUCH better....seems 4500 is about average!!

We are leaving in 8 days for my husband's 30th birthday trip-

6 nights at GF-garden-1970
6 nights at AKL-Savannah view-1472
Airfare-500
2/10 day park hoppers-550 thru ticketmania
we have AAA discounts
And this doesn't include food or souvenirs!!
we have reservations at La Cellier, Citricos, 1900 Park Fare, Cinderella's, Chef Mickeys, and a few others.....

5 grand is not enough! And we will spend more than that after food!! And there is only 2 of us! But we did want to splurge for his 30th birthday : ) so we don't mind that much....

As for the poster who is going on their honeymoon and the other poster who is saving up for Tahiti-my husband and I went to tahiti on our honeymoon in April and with FREE airfare and half our hotel paid for by my parents...it still cost us 8 grand!!!!! But worth absolutley EVERY penny-Bora Bora and Moorea are amazing! So don't feel bad about spending that much on your honeymoon!!!

 

[Nancyg56]

When I saw the title of this thread I thought...uh oh i must have spent way too much on my trip, but then I read it and I feel MUCH better....seems 4500 is about average!!

I am feeling better now too. My DH thought that thte trip was too much money. ( He could not get past the total amount) Now he agrees that it was worth it, but we need to find a way to get rid of the commercials advertising Disney for $1500. No way that our family can manage this, but he keeps saying "See it can be done."

 

[skent10]

I agree we are a family of six and always spend around that. It's not that hard to do.

We're a family of 6 and are spending a LOT more than that. To do our trip for $5,000 would mean leaving half the family at home or only going for half the time.

we've got 11 nights in a 2br villa at WL, 7-day park hoppers plus (or whatever they're calling those tickets this week), and Dining Plan. I still haven't added the souvenirs, DH's DiveQuest adventure, the Family Magic Tour or Illuminations Cruise. We haven't decided whether we're going to go offsite to SW one day yet or not. Our airfare alone was $1,200.

We went to Australia for 2 weeks last year--it was a once in a lifetime trip and we did everything we wanted to without regard to cost--for less than this Disney trip is costing us, including airfare!

Of course, this is the first time we've been to Disney in 5 years so are going big this time. If this were an annual vacation for us (and it may turn into one if I can talk DH into it), then we'd be much more strict with the budget and stay few nights at a cheaper resort (still have to get 2 rooms ) and do fewer of the "extras" each time.

But I think that's one of the best things about WDW vacations--there are so many ranges in cost, everyone can find something to fit their budget and have a great time there.

 

[DisneyDotty]

I don't like to think about the numbers. It makes my head spin
DH would blow a cork, so he prefers not to know.

Now, I would have to tell family I was going to a fat farm for 3 weeks cause otherwise they would be superglued to my backside.

You are too funny!

 

[chrrycolalola]

By the way-chrrycolalola:
It's your honeymoon go for it. I don't think it's crazy at all. If I had it to do all over again DH and I would have gone to WDW on our honeymoon too. Treat yourself...it's a special time and you deserve it (and don't let people who don't get the whole Disney thing tell you that you're crazy)

Thank you soo much BankBunny! It makes me so happy to see that someone understands. Honeymoons are important, and since our wedding is going to be extremely small, we figure why not give ourselves what we feel will be a "trip of a lifetime". Plus this will most likely be our last trip to WDW before having children, and I'd like to savor the childfree vacation before everything changes ( not for the worse of course, but I know vacationing with little ones will be completely different). Plus we always save on airfare by driving down!

 

[golden1]

If I had $5000 to spend I'd probably try a Savannah view at AKL for 7 nights.

 

[kimbac3]

I too read the thread title and thought WOW i'm spending way to much!! But there are 5 of us (2 real adults and 2 disney adults plus 1 child). My budget for this trip is $4500. We are staying 10 nights offsite for $85 per night for a 4 bedroom house - not bad!!, 7 day park hoppers, 1000 for food, 200 hotel down and back, 400 for gas and we are going to Sea World one day. That leaves a little extra for spending money. The kids will have their own spending money. I have tried and tried to do this cheaper but it's so hard!!
But...we went for the first time last year and now we are all hopelessly addicted!!! Even DH really wants to go back! So I'll be pinching pennies and clipping coupons..but we ARE going!!
Kimba

 

[mill4023]

If I had $5000 to spend on our trip, we'd have to stay off-site the whole time and sneak food into the parks. I'm surprised that so many of you can spend 5k or less even staying deluxe concierge.

We're spending somewhere around 8k-10k, although we are staying 14 nights during peak season and we have 4 kids (well, one of them is a Disney adult).

Airfare from the west coast: $1300 (pretty good deal for 6 tickets cross-country)
Airport parking: $280
Dog Kennel: $300
Our portion of rental van: $500 (total is $750, but my mom will be chipping in)
4 nights Fairfield: $240
6 nights ASMo: $540 (one room only because one of our kids will stay in my mom's room)
4 nights POR: $640
1 Annual Pass: $430
10-day MYW base tickets: $757
Universal 2 day tickets: $320
King Tut tickets: $100
Souvenirs: $600
Food and misc.: $3000

Total: $9007