It cost us nearly $4000 to go to DL...

[Lynzer Torte]

and it was worth every penny! I'm trying to convince DH to go again before his AP is up (perhaps October for DS's 14th bday?).

So I decided to calculate all of our receipts from our Feb/Mar trip from this year. Here's the rundown:
-$720-airfare via SWA from PDX-LAX for 4 (baby flew free)
-$112 Disneyland Coach from LAX for 4
-$1963- 6 nights @ DLH upper pool view w/ three 6 day PH passes. (used AP5 code)
-$509 food & snacks (including a visit to Blue Bayou & Carnation Cafe)
-$445 souvenirs
-$130 bfast/snacks/water bottles purchased before trip & packed with us
______
$3879

This is for a family of 5 (see sig) w/ 1 AP holder that received 10% off souvenirs & 15% off food.

I was kind of amazed at the total. Although I'm not sure why- I bought everything I wanted (with the exception of the Mickeydoki bag- dangit! ).

Perhaps this could be helpful to people planning a trip in the near future when planning their budget.

 

[Queenbillabong]

and it was worth every penny! I'm trying to convince DH to go again before his AP is up (perhaps October for DS's 14th bday?).

So I decided to calculate all of our receipts from our Feb/Mar trip from this year. Here's the rundown:
-$720-airfare via SWA from PDX-LAX for 4 (baby flew free)
-$112 Disneyland Coach from LAX for 4
-$1963- 6 nights @ DLH upper pool view w/ three 6 day PH passes. (used AP5 code)
-$509 food & snacks (including a visit to Blue Bayou & Carnation Cafe)
-$445 souvenirs
-$130 bfast/snacks/water bottles purchased before trip & packed with us
______
$3879

This is for a family of 5 (see sig) w/ 1 AP holder that received 10% off souvenirs & 15% off food.

We are going with five people in October too - but you can save a LOT of money by staying at the Hojo. We are getting two rooms with the Entertainment rate and the total is less than $700 - that's not EACH, but in TOTAL. Apparently, distance wise, the Hojo is about the same distance as the DLH..... If only one of you has an AP, the others could still get the Magic Mornings with their Park Hoppers.

See, you can save a bit ($1200!!!)

 

[Lynzer Torte]

I don't think we could ever stay off-site. I just love having the Disney magic all throughout the trip- even when we head back to the room for a break or for the day!

 

[SANDIEGOFAN]

I don't think we could ever stay off-site. I just love having the Disney magic all throughout the trip- even when we head back to the room for a break or for the day!

Nothing wrong with that, glad you had a great time. We stay at DLH or PPH 4-5 times a year and love it. HoJo's is the second choice -for off season.

 

[heatherleigh]

I appreciate you giving the run-down of costs. The last time we went, we paid for two rooms (my mom came) so it wasn't a good indicator as to what our total cost would be. We are planning a trip for 5 this fall. I am wondering whether or not an AP would save us any money for just one trip.

 

[splash5]

The AP will save you 10% on all food purchases (for the deluxe), if you buy the premium, it will save you 15% on food and, I think 10% on souvenirs. We enjoyed getting the food discounts this time with our deluxe AP's. If you are staying onsite (there are some good deals on the hotels with the AP).

 

[Gisele]

If you have AAA, there are some vendors, (don't know how many right off) that will give you a discount, just ask at the CS or TS, if they do.

 

[Sy-]

Wow... that's not too bad. That's what I'm paying for 6 nights in GCH (TP view) with 4 5 day park hoppers. That doesn't include airfare (from Hawaii), San Diego hotel stays and park tickets, souvenirs and food...... I think when all is said and done my trip is gonna set me back at least $8000 (Depending on where the DW plans on shopping).

 

[trodrigue]

I figure that most of our past trips have cost about $4000-$5000 for our family of 4 from Seattle. One trip was 5 days at paradise pier as a AAA package, with airfare seperate. One trip was a driving trip with citipass, so we had 3 nights at Paradise Pier and 2 nights at Candy Cane inn and one night in Sandiego. We spend way more on food than your family did.

But all that was before the disboards. I have it all figured out so that in '08-'09 or '09-'10 we will make two trips for the same $5000. I am so excited about that. Travel smarter and more often, is my new mantra...

 

[victorandbellasmom]

Glad you had a great trip. I'd definirtely try to convince your dh to do another DL trip before his AP expires. We've had our APs for almost 3 years now and have been able to squeeze a few trips a year.

On our last trip, we drove down from Seattle ($250 in gas) last Oct and stayed 7 nights in a pool view room w/concierge in DLH ($1770 w/ special AP rates) and had a fantastic trip. Our kids still had valid APs but dh and I had to renew ours($458). We did Mickey's Halloween Treat ($100) did a few character meals ($300) and had my BIL treat us to Napa Rose. We also finally won our first in park dream (fastpasses). We spent about $200 on souveniers so our final tally was $3078.

We were planning another DL trip this Aug, but when free dining came up for WDW and we found a great airfare rate, we decided to head east and finally try it out. It'll cost roughly the same as our last trip to DL, but we'll be staying in a value resort instead. The kids have been begging us to go to WDW so we finally caved in. I'm excited to go, but am kinda bummed that we're not going back to DL before our APs expire in late Aug.

 

[nunzia]

I don't think we could ever stay off-site. I just love having the Disney magic all throughout the trip- even when we head back to the room for a break or for the day!

I know it's frivolous..but I agree with you. We stayed off site plenty of times when the kids were little. We are now spoiled and will do extra things to save more to stay on site.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

my budget is always about 3k becosue i get that yearly from dads airforce stuff when he died.
So i use that for my trips its the only way id be able to go. i was trying to go twice this year but just isnt gona happen but ill be happy with one visit and then next year christmas there.
If I were to stay in DLH id probley be ablout where you are
ty for the list tho i am relooking things of mine now just to check make sure i have enough for things and extra things.

(of course where i save money is taking bus in stead of plane)

 

[DL4my2kids]

For me, that's what it is all about. We stay on-site too. Our last trip for a family of 4 was about $3k.

We stayed 4 nights at the GCH, got tickets though the gay days site.

We did some souvi's but mostly just a few Xmas presents. Went to food 4 less and loaded up on water, soda and snacks. We had Thanksgiving Dinner at Ariels with the princesses.

It's all about having fun.

 

[RudemanRB]

You might want to consider a Disney Vacation Club membership. (you can even buy one from a member that might be selling their membership.)

Checkout the DVC timeshare stuff on wdwinfo.com

Or if you don't want to buy a DVC membership, you could always rent them people are always renting their nights. you could find a great saving on staying at the DLH

and $445 in souvenirs? wow.

Rudy

 

[honeymom]

Still better than the $6,000 - $7,000 that a week at WDW seems to always cost us.

If you have the money to pay for it, all the power to you. If you depend on credit and keep accruing these type of costs, it will catch up to you. Do what you can afford to do.

 

[mommyarewegoingback]

I was kind of amazed at the total. Although I'm not sure why- I bought everything I wanted (with the exception of the Mickeydoki bag- dangit! ).

Thanks for sharing... Quick question... Mickeydoki bag, did it cost too much or was it because you couldn't find it. I'm leaving on Saturday (doing the happy dance), and that was the one souvenir that I totally wanted.

-Virginia

 

[brenda1966]

Okay, have to ask, what's a Mickeydoki bag???

 

[nun69]

right now we are spending this:

1. trip booked through AAA with 6 day hoppers, 3 character meals and 6 nights @ Camelot Inn:$1990.10 (pd)
2. 4 tickets to Legoland: $152.00 (pd)
3. Hotel 2 Nights Legoland: $142.00 ($72.00 pd)
4. San Francisco Hotel : $42.00 (pd)
5. Hotel 1 night on the way back: $100.00 {guesstimate}
6. Gas: Roughly $600.00 {from Oak Harbor, WA -Anaheim and back}
7. Food for 11 days: roughly $1000.00
8. Souveniers: $??????

so really all we have left o pay for is gas, 1 night hotel, food and souveniers...plus I plan on taking food for the trip...got a good deal on 12 packs of soda at safeway for the trip {$23.96 for 10 which is rougly $0.20 a soda and $0.88 Sobe's awhile back and $0.88 waters}...

so roughly my total comes too $4026.10 without souveniers and extra food for road trip....

 

[nun69]

I found this picture of the bag, but not sure if it's it or not...but if it is, I think it is pretty cute and I might just havve to treat myself to one of those!
http://flickr.com/photos/giddygirlie/2261259396/

 

[Lynzer Torte]

Thanks for sharing... Quick question... Mickeydoki bag, did it cost too much or was it because you couldn't find it. I'm leaving on Saturday (doing the happy dance), and that was the one souvenir that I totally wanted.

-Virginia

I just didn't think I'd use it. I love my Coach swingpack for DL but this was just too cute! It was $40-$45.

I found this picture of the bag, but not sure if it's it or not...but if it is, I think it is pretty cute and I might just havve to treat myself to one of those!
http://flickr.com/photos/giddygirlie/2261259396/

That's it! They don't have them in the parks anymore....