Just How Much Does That Free Trip Cost?

[Lyndarella]

THE PREMISE

I consider my trips to WDW to be free. I own a timeshare near the parks and some DVC points, and pay my maintenance fees each month with my regular bills. They go in the category of ESSENTIAL HOUSEHOLD EXPENSES. I usually travel with my cousin, and since I have the lodging, she buys the plane tickets. For most everything else, each month I buy Disney gift cards at Target.

I had timeshare weeks that were about to expire, so with a few DVC points, I made reservations for almost 3 weeks, the longest trip ever! After I had made the reservations, my cousin said she didn't want to go until May. (??) So I thought I should go by myself. I decided to forfeit the first week, since maybe 3 weeks at WDW would be too much to do alone. Then I bought a plane ticket.

 

[Lyndarella]

THE AIRPORTS

I have to fly to Minneapolis to catch a direct flight to MCO, and have had several delays with the smaller planes. This time the "bridge" to the plane was broken. As we walked outdoors toward the plane, it started to snow. HARD. Most of us were flying to warmer places, so had left our coats in the car. We sat in the plane for half an hour while they de-iced it. That was OK with me, because I already had a message that my flight to Orlando was delayed 2 hours...

After the 2 hour delay, they decided the plane to MCO was not fixable, and we were sent to another gate to wait for a plane that was coming in from Japan...

I have to insert here that I like to get to MSP as early as possible when flying on a Saturday, because they always over-book those early flights to Orlando, and will pay you to take a later flight. One time they gave me $800 to do that! This hadn't been an early flight even when it was on time, but I asked anyway if they wanted to pay me to give up my seat. They said no, but I had to ask.

I try to sleep on the plane, as I get a little anxious being tied to a chair for over three hours, but the flight was uneventful, and we arrived just before midnight. I have always taken Mears to my resort, even when staying at the timeshare, because it is on the way to the Disney properties, and they have always made other stops along the way. I know other people complain about the stops, but I like to see what other resorts are out there, and have stayed places the bus stopped, that I wouldn't have known about otherwise. Well, Mears ONLY goes to Disney resorts now, and the people working there didn't believe me when I told them I had ridden this way fairly recently. They steered me over to the nearby Mears Taxi, and even though I knew it would cost more than it needed to, I was so tired of dragging my luggage around that I took the taxi to my resort. It cost around $75.

 

[leebee]

I hear ya. We are taking DD/SIL/resident 8 year old to Disney in May. We have "free" airfare on SW (except the taxes, so it really is a good deal), non-stop from Manchester NH. Of course, this involves a hotel in southern Maine the night before, so the free airfare is now $180 plus gas and tolls to get to the hotel, and then airport parking. I have 2 rooms at AllStarMovies. Deposits paid on my Disney VISA. I bought Disney gift cards at discount (10% or a bit more off) from Sam's, using my DIsney VISA, and have enough to pay the balance on one room. I'm hoping another "sale" hits at Sam's, otherwise I'll get gift cards at Target and save 5%. I have $550 on reserve at Disney for park tickets from a trip that was "cancelled" due to Covid, and about $1200 in Disney points to pay for more tickets. I'll get gift cards to pay the balance here, too. Then it'll just be transportation from/back to MCO, grocery stop, and meals. "JUST" the food, hahaha!

 

[Lyndarella]

THE GROCERIES

Yes, the food is expensive everywhere. My cousin and I bring things we can cook or call breakfast, and we carry sandwiches. Here I can complain again about going alone, because I didn't have anyone else to bring food items or to prepare or help eat it. I got so tired of eating the same boxed pasta the two weeks of my trip, that I ended up throwing out much of it. By the way, the resort I started at had HIGHER prices at their store than when I got to Old Key West. I paid almost $40 for milk, bread, butter, cheese, and chips.

 

[Lyndarella]

THE PARK TRANSPORTATION

The resort no longer had a bus going to the parks. This was one more thing that I tried to explain to people working there, who said they never heard of it.... So I used Uber without anyone to share the cost with me. This added quite a bit of expense to my "free" trip.

On my very first Uber ride, the driver must have been new, because she took me to the Magic Kingdom parking lot instead of the TTC. There she got into a heated discussion with cast members about whether or not she should park her car. They told her that in order to drop me off, she would have to drive to the far end of the row and let me out there. A tram pulled up, and while they were arguing, I hopped out and got on it!

I only had to ride to the parks from off-site a few times, and I always returned from the parks by going to a WDW resort to catch my ride. My goal for my solo trip was to slow down and enjoy more of the area, so I walked or took a boat (I'm afraid of the Skyliner) each time I left a park. The rides back were always considerably cheaper than the rides to the parks.

 

[Lyndarella]

THE TIPPING

I carry $5 bills for when I need someone to help me wrestle my luggage. I only have the two bags I'm allowed for flying, but whenever I stay where there is no elevator, you can usually find me on an upper floor! At the first resort, they took me to my building, and dropped me at the curb. I had to make my way to a large empty suite on the 4th floor after midnight, and I would have liked to have someone help scout it out before I went in. That driver I did not tip. At OKW, I appreciated the help getting up the stairs, but didn't need it coming back down. The last driver, who took me to the airport, helped everyone with their bags, and no one but me gave him a tip. I was surprised.