Magic Disney Math

[HaleyB]

I thought I was the only one doing this. I'm still having trouble with the justifying part since this is my first trip and I'm not the one doing the planning.

See if this is close (general figures for a week):
Hotel: $560
Tickets: $875 (+ $500 if we do Universal)
Mickey's thingie in Oct: $121
Food: $800
Transportion: Flying $1,000 (come on, cheap fares!) + parking fee $60
or 14 hr trip Driving $175 (did the AAA fuel calculator) + tolls

What else have I forgotten here?

$2,900-3,900 sound about right for family of 4, 2 1/2 adults (11 yr old!) and 6 yr old?

That looks about right, I am such an enabler . You might be a bit low on hotel with all the tax and everything. Food is possible on $100 or so a day but not with too many sit downs. We spent $150 on dinner in Epcot twice on our last trip and Chef Mickeys for breakfast was around $80... so you might be low on food but it is doable we have had trips where we do no sit down meals and kept food well under that.

Skip Universal a week is ok for Disney but not enough for both. Stay on-site at WDW (I think October is Value season) and hurry up and book it because it fills up fast. Buy your MYW tickets for a bit less at Ticketmania (Sign up for newsletter from Mousesavers.com and use the link in it to Ticketmania for best price). Think about staying a little longer if possible, as the way Disney math works longer stays are a better value (based on cost per night).

Here is what we have booked (we got in on the free food deal)

9 nights at Pop Century
10 day premium MYW tickets 2 adults and two kids
MYW dining length of stay (free)
$1700

MNSSHP (Haloween Party) $120

I am a suker for the photos so $100 for that.

Pins/Hats/Tee shirts/ stuff $200 ($50 each)

Breakfast and extra meals $200

Stroller rental $80 (double stroller 5 days)

Transportation costs (17 hour drive) Gas/hotel/food $400

(or Fly with SW discount fares $1000 plus parking $75- not worth it as we have lots of vacation time at work so that is not an issue and love to stop in New Orleans on the way home)

$2800

($3000 with that extra $200 expense that always seems to come up on these trips, last time it was 2 extra nights at AKL and dinner at Boma for $350)

 

[dudedisney]

HaleyB

It's the flying/driving thing that's getting me. Can't see spending $1,000 plus parking when we're driving 2 hrs to the airport! But don't know about the driving for 14 hrs either!

The hotel is Pop Century, already booked with organizer's AP which we don't konw yet but I have AAA so that's the guessing part there. We don't get the dining option. We also don't plan on a lot of sitdowns, hoping to do the snacks/bringing own stuff and we're not heavy eaters. Again, told by the organizer...

We're the only ones doing Univeral so it's a one day thing as we are told to squeeze it in on our time

Can't think of anything else but I'm really needing some reassurance here. I'm not a Mouse person so I'm trying real hard to get into this but my practical side keeps getting in the way! Tell me this is worth it!

 

[HaleyB]

It is well worth it, but only if you make the most of it.

One thing that I highly recommend is joining www.tourguidemike.com

It is about $20 and the best money I spend on these trips. Who is the organizer? They are the one that really NEEDS Mike.

We take a lot of road trips with our kids. I find it much more relaxing than being trapped in an airport and on a plane with them. When we fly we all zone out and listen to our ipods or play our gameboys. When we drive we talk. I have learned so much about my kids lives on long drives. Priceless stuff like my 8 year old giving dating advice to my 17 year old (Girls like gifts and never mean what they say).

So I have grown to enjoy our drive, and it is so exciting those last few hours. Plus flying adds 25% or worse to the budget.

 

[DisFlan]

angeleigh -

Looks like your DisMath is coming right along! You only have one more step to the top, the next logical progression - when DVC starts looking like a really good idea.

DisFlan

 

[HaleyB]

angeleigh -

Looks like your DisMath is coming right along! You only have one more step to the top, the next logical progression - when DVC starts looking like a really good idea.

DisFlan

Everytime I look at those numbers I try to make them work. But we tend to only stay in Values unless we get a really good code. I can't make any DVC equal $100 a night no matter how much I try to Disney the numbers

But I have not given up yet either. Maybe we will rent points next year so I can see what I am missing...

 

[mom2alix]

angeleigh -

Looks like your DisMath is coming right along! You only have one more step to the top, the next logical progression - when DVC starts looking like a really good idea.

DisFlan

This is EXACTLY what I was thinking! The next logical step is: "Well, this trip is about $6000 and the kids are going to love it so much that we're going to want to do this again every year or every other year, so $15,000 for DVC will pay for itself in 3 trips! " Dh says I've obviously mastered Disney calculus.

 

[dizcrazy]

Wonderful post - nothing like spending money to save money!

This reminds me of when I convinced DH that we "needed" Annual Passes "to save money". We did save money on our room, but we ended up going two more times on that pass!

Cha - ching! Cha - ching!

 

[DisFlan]

Everytime I look at those numbers I try to make them work. But we tend to only stay in Values unless we get a really good code. I can't make any DVC equal $100 a night no matter how much I try to Disney the numbers

But I have not given up yet either. Maybe we will rent points next year so I can see what I am missing...

If you go every year, and especially if you go with more than four people, DVC begins to make sense. Last time we went, it was seven people. For our Oct. trip, it'll just be four, so we're getting a 1-bedroom at BWV. The trip after that, it'll be eight people.

For us, DVC is so much better than worrying about getting two or three separate hotel rooms. Or getting rooms at a "good price", or rooms somewhere that everyone wants to stay. You aren't likely to hear anyone say they don't like the DVC resorts.

We rented points. Once. We came home and bought into DVC the next month. (Be sure to check the DVC Resales page here on the Dis.) You need to look at it long-term. All our future DVC accommodations are pre-paid. In a few years, when the $100 a night value resorts are $200 a night and the deluxes are astronomical WITH a code, our DVC will still be pre-paid. Every year until 2042.

With the number of people we often travel with, our DVC purchase will pay for itself in about three trips. Not counting the yearly maintenance fees, which we think are very reasonable, the rest is gravy. But your mileage may vary. It's not right for everyone.


DisFlan

 

[DisFlan]

This is EXACTLY what I was thinking! The next logical step is: "Well, this trip is about $6000 and the kids are going to love it so much that we're going to want to do this again every year or every other year, so $15,000 for DVC will pay for itself in 3 trips! " Dh says I've obviously mastered Disney calculus.

Ha! And you thought I was kidding! We've already been down the Disney Magic Math road - many, many times. Twenty-eight years and muchos trips of it.

My DH (a golfer who likes nice hotels) finally asked, "WHY are we spending all this money every time? And all that 'hotel drama' that goes with it? Huh? Huh?" That's when I hit him with DVC. And mentioned the high probability of grandchildren in the near future. He whipped out the checkbook, and we haven't looked back. Yup, I'd say I've pretty much mastered DisMath.

DisFlan

 

[MommyPoppins]

Edited....lol. I posted on the wrong board.

 

[Planner999]

One thing you might consider checking is if you all might have a pin code with your name in the system. We had booked a package at a value resort. I decided it couldn't hurt to check for a code, knowing it's a very random thing. We did have a code waiting for us!! With the savings, we were able to get a moderate at less than what we were paying at the value. The savings is only on the resort, so we didn't do a full package. We still get the savings on tickets like they're doing for all right now. In the end, we've saved $500!!

OK, I give up ! What is a pin code with your name on it ? It sounds great !

 

[Planner999]

I'm a math major and went through the same logic ! It got us 6 days instead of 3 in a Disney resort thanks to free dining. I wonder if we can afford to save so much money !!! I couldn't quite work out the logic for Discovery Cove, though - it got cut from the budget.