Is this too personal? Sharing about costs

[DisneylandGuy22]

Going January 17-24th, Staying at DLH for 7 nights.

Total Cost without Souveniers and food is $398 Canadian

 

[aussiemum]

Sorry I might have confused some of you but that budget is an approximate for our 'whole' USA holiday not just for Disneyland, although I am sure I could cope with a 1 month holiday at the GCH!!

Our itinerary is 8 days at the Grand Californian (first time ever staying onsite and we can't wait) then New York for 2 weeks for Christmas and the New Year, then to San Francisco for 1 week and then we have hired a car to drive down the coast on Highway 1 for 1 week stopping off at Monterey, Santa Barbara etc. It is a dream holiday and we can't wait to get back to DL and see it all dressed up for the 50th and Christmas.

aussie

 

[Albertan mom]

Going January 17-24th, Staying at DLH for 7 nights.

Total Cost without Souveniers and food is $398 Canadian

HUH??!!!! $398.00????

 

[Dobie]

. . .then we have hired a car to drive down the coast on Highway 1 for 1 week stopping off at Monterey, Santa Barbara etc. . ..
aussie

Watch out for cows.

 

[gjw89]

Monterey is gorgeous and the drive up is beautiful too.I love Monterey and will try and make 3rd trip up before we move from this part of the country
NY in the winter can be like a currier and ives postcard I love my homestate of NY!Well heck I guess I love everywhere I've been here in the sates!-Enjoy and chersih your special holiday!

 

[spazzyjazzy]

The total for us is about 2000. We stay at the HoJo for a 8 days and souvenirs. The hotel plus tickets is about 1200 and I take about 800 for me and my son to eat and souvenirs. We eat only once at the park the rest of the time it is either at Millies or Mimi's Cafe. We also take snacks in to munch on between meals. We drive and that is only about 60 bucks back and forth from Phx to Anaheim.
How can I get my ticker to show. I am having issues with it.

 

[LucyKate]

If you add an extra zero to most of those budgets you'd just about have ours (though not as much as Aussiemum).

It sort of went like this:
"Let's go for a week to the Gold Coast" (Australian holiday area, like a small scale Florida).
"Hey, for almost the same price Qantas has a special deal to Disneyland"
"Ok, let's go to Disneyland for a week instead.
"But if we go all that way, we can't just see Disneyland"
"Ok, let's make it 2 weeks, and we can see San Francisco, Vegas, Yosemite and the Grand Canyon as well"
"What about Seaworld in San Diego, and the Zoo, they're very close to Disneyland?"
"Ok, let's make it 2.5 weeks"
"My friend in Seattle says we have to see her if we go to the states, and you have a cousin there too"
"ok, let's make it 3 weeks"

So, 3 weeks, and about $US20,000 later we've been to Disneyland! (and never regretted a cent of it, it was the best holiday of our lives)

 

[disneylvr2]

We are 2 adults and a DS11. We are spending 18 days in Calif. We will be in San Diego for 5 nights (Legoland, Sea World & the Zoo or Wild Animal Park); 7 nights in Anaheim - 4 will be at PPH & 3 at off site hotel - (5 day park hopper through AAA with Enhanced Fast Pass & 1 day at Knotts); 5 nights in Los Angeles (2 days at Universal & 1 day at Six Flags.) We will rent a Midsize car through Alamo for the entire time for $344. and our airfare is $695. Tickets for everything mentioned and all the hotels, car & airfare is running right at $4,000. We haven't even estimated gas, food or souveniers because we only budgeted the $4000. I guess we would be eating and using gas if we were at home, so if we can just be careful, we should be okay for the trip. (We do have a Disney rewards card we can do some shopping and eating with there at DLR, and all of the hotels have a Cont Breakfast or at least a refrigerator, which will help with one meal a day.) I probably shouldn't have done the PPH because of our tight budget, but I really wanted the perks since we will be there near Christmas!

Any ideas out there for things we shouldn't miss in LA or San Diego that are not too expensive? We'd love to do a show taping but are having a hard time finding one during that time that would allow a 11 yr old. We also have thought of a harbor cruise or whale watching in SD area but can't find too much info on them. HELP please!

 

[spazzyjazzy]

Try walking down Hollywood Blvd and you may get tickets to see shows or even get to pre-screen movies that are coming out. You get cool stuff when you pre-screen movies.

 

[Albertan mom]

Try walking down Hollywood Blvd and you may get tickets to see shows or even get to pre-screen movies that are coming out. You get cool stuff when you pre-screen movies.

More details please!!

Can kids go to the shows too? (ages 7 and 10)

 

[spazzyjazzy]

It's kind of a hit or miss. We actually got to pre-screen Last action hero back in the day and we all got leather jackets with the movies logo on it. We also got to watch Jimmy Kimmel Live at the El Capitan. No children there, luckily my brother lives like 5 mins. away from there so he watched my boy. You can also get coupons and stuff for Universal there. But, like I said it's more like a hit or miss.

 

[disneychrista]

check out jampackedtv.com for TV taping info. I think in most cases kids have to be at least 16, sometimes 18, other times 13/14

 

[RADOPT]

I feel better after reading all of your budgets. I am planning a special birthday trip for my daughter which will cost between $1500 & $2000.

3 day pass for 3 (GRma, daughter, me)
La Brea Tar pits 0ne day
gas from San Jose & around LA
Dinner at Goofy's for 4
4 nights at GCH or DLH
meals
Sov.
basket

 

[Amy&Dan]

Okay for our June trip here is the proposed budget:

Airfare to LAX from Denver for 4 people: $758.00
6 Nights at the Candy Cane Inn: $738.00
Deluxe AP's: Already bought those in September so no cost there
Food for 4 people for 5 days: $500
Souveneirs: $400 ($100 each probably a bit high)
Taxi one way only (fil picks us up but outgoing flight home leaves too early so we're on our own) $75.

Total: $2471 And that's for a budget trip staying offsite with passes already paid for. And I didn't even add parking my car at DIA and the pet sitting costs.

 

[karylrocks]

Last week of August for 5 "adults" (youngest 13):

Airfare $975
CityPasses $835
AP Upgrade (1) $70
Magic Mountain $125
Universal Studios $225
Staybridge Suites-SD (2 nights) $420
Disneyland Hotel (5 nights) $750
Car Rental/Gas/Parking $300
Food $1500
Souveniers etc. $300
TOTAL $5500

It would have been about $1000 more but I got discounts on almost everything, so yes overplanning does pay off! (at about $1 per hour )

 

[karylrocks]

I just wanted to add that the first time I took my kids (just 3 of us) to DL in 1986, I spend a total of $200 for the trip (single mom with no child support). We drove from Phoenix, spent 2 days and 2 nights, and ate cereal and egg salad sandwiches (we went right after Easter), and for souvenirs the kids each got a coloring book and a sticker. We had a blast! Those are the memories that last forever.

 

[dis-happy]

I arrive this coming Sunday night--

first class plane ticket from NC to San Diego: $0. (used ff miles)

lodging in aunt's guest room: $0.

admission to DL next Monday: $0. (cousin who works there is getting me in for free)

single ticket to Fantasmic Dessert: $56.

souvenir: $0. (I plan to ask for a birthday button at guest services, since I'll be celebrating that day)

there is a car rental, but I would have that anyway since I'm spending Thanksgiving week visiting friends and relatives--the day at DL is an extra!

 

[Jaina]

My last trip was definitely the least expensive. I went with friends instead of family, so we all paid our own way:
$80 round trip ticket
$0 for lodging (one friend is from So-Cal)
$37 for admission (one friend had a free ticket, so we split the cost of the other two tickets)
$15 on food (ate a fabulous lunch then churros for dinner, plus Taco Bell at about 9 o'clock that night )
$3.50 on parking (split 3 ways)

Not counting the airfare, I spent about $56 for an incredible day of memories!

 

[disneylvr2]

More details please!!

Can kids go to the shows too? (ages 7 and 10)

I know that Wheel of Fortune allows kids that are 8 yrs old, but they only tape on certain days. Jeopardy takes them at 10 yrs old. Suite Life of Zach & Cody also allows kids and tapes some Tuesdays. (Found this on www.tvtix.com)

Because we are there over the holidays, we haven't found anything that is scheduled to tape during that time, but we will be sure to walk Hollywood Blvd and see what is there. Is there a certain day of the week that is more likely to have screenings or some days to avoid?

Sorry, I just realized that this is getting off the thread topic.

 

[Princess Tink]

4 nights/5 days-1 Adult, 1 Child (8)
Surprise Birthday trip for my 8 yr old DS.
Airfare RT from KC to LAX: 76.00 (using 280.80 SW credit left from last vaca)
SuperShuttle RT: 60.00
Hotel off site (Embassy-Buena Park): 471.00
Tix: 214.00 (using a one day tix that we got free, to upgrade to a PH)
Meals/Snacks: 200.00
Sourvies: 100.00

TOTAL $1121.00