I run my own business, and there are years that are fat and years that are lean. I enjoy staying at a fancy resort, buying AP's or UPH's, eating two PS's per day, dropping an entire paycheck at PI, and paying some guy to park my car for me so I don't have to walk a hundred feet to the resort.
More often than not, business doesn't allow for such splash. A year and a half ago, we dropped over $4k for a six night trip. We did everything and were in nirvana. In 2000, we did a trip on under $900 (note: we had PAP's from a previous trip, so that figure is deceptive), and STILL lived it up. As mentioned often above, your food costs can be cut WAY back. And your gas figures are unrealistically high.
Still, I can get your plan down to around $1,650 without trying hard:
The 1650$ Trip
Airfare: Your figure of $290
Airport Parking: Your figure of $46
Priceline hotel: Approximately $260 ($30 per night bid plus taxes and fees).
Rental Car: $100 (It CAN be done)
Gas: $20
Tickets: Five day Hopper + 4 x 2 (514$, Ticketmanina)
Food: Breakfast in room daily, $40 for the week (I'll be glad to break that out upon request, but basically a jug of juice, some cereal, fruit, and some danish).
Lunch: In park, $15 ($7.50 per person) x 5 per day (counter service) plus two nice priority seatings (lunch is cheaper than dinner, but still you get the experience) allowing a generous $120 for two days = $195.
Dinner: $20 ($10 each) x 7 for counter service, $140.
Snacks: Take about $25 and buy a pile of snack's at
Walmart(granola bars, cheese crackers) and take them into the parks.
$16 for a pair of Brita water bottles before going. Makes Florida water tasty.
I threw the Brita bottles in just because I like them. But soda and water cost money, and it can add up.
The rental car is only a touch more than two-way transportation. We're talking a sub-compact, electric roller skate from a low-end rental company here, but hey: it's a car. By having a car, you can put yourself slightly off-site, have access to grocery stores, etc., and still be a comfortable drive from everything.
Regarding Priceline hotels: The on-site/off-site debate can get hairy. I do both. I'd be lying through my teeth if I said I wouldn't rather stay at the Swan or YC and have a five minute walk to Epcot. Who wouldn't? On the other hand, I find the Courtyard Marriott Village, the BW Lake Buena Vista, and others to be excellent places to stay. And at an average of $30 a night (I've paid anywhere from $24 to $35 for a 2.5* Disney Zone, never been let down yet), the price can't be beat. You may even luck out and get a continental breakfast, but I'd get healthy breakfast food anyway. Continental usually means sugar out the yo-yo. You can get so bad by the end of the week you're seeing lettuce fields in your sleep.
I still think my meal figures are high. $30 each for PS lunch may be low, depending on the sit down restaurant (way low for some, plenty for others). Pick and choose. Share an entree, they're huge. Or allow a hundred bucks and have just one day where you live it up. $15 for counter-service lunch buys you a decent meal (burgers, dogs, sandwishes, etc). Just research and know where you're going. Don't get stuck in a long line and find out at the end you'll blow your budget by eating there. And don't be afraid to bring sandwiches and chips, etc into the parks. Just lay off the mayo. P&J works well here. As for dinner, I defy anyone to claim you can't get good, filling counter service for ten bucks a head.
As for the park tickets, I just took the current Ticketmania special. They differ all the time. This is a great deal, though. You could save about $50 by getting 4 day hoppers from the same outfit, but heck, for fifty bucks you're getting an extra day in the park, two days at a waterpark (there's your seven days) and two nights at PI. Or four nights at PI. But by hunting and striking when the iron is hot, you can get a three day hopper plus (periodically available from convention discounters such as Ticketmania, or from folks like
AAA) for around $350 for two. Enjoyo the parks for three days, take in a waterpark or a night at PI, then use that rental car and see other stuff (Citiwalk is good for half a day), get cheaper meals (eat at Mickey D's for lunch, use the extra to take in a steakhouse at night). And there's plenty to do on Disney property besides the parks. Free stuff for those who just enjoy being there. I can kill two hours just walking the grounds at the AS resorts. And an afternoon riding the monorail resorts is a MUST.
I've just personally found my desire to be there twice a year outweighs my desire to be treated like a king. Some folks don't feel that way, but to each his own. I think I read above it's no fun when you cut corners, I respectfully disagree. What's no fun is sitting in my living room in June watching old video of past trips when I really want to be there. Note: I have to be doing that this week, so I'm a little jaded.
One year when $$$ was really tight, we did a "budget trip," which I think was the under-$1000 year. Before we left Pennsylvania, we went to a local restaurant and treated ourselves like kings. Got that out of the way, and went to Orlando. We agreed we had more fun eating soggy $1 BK burgers on the hotel porch in Orlando than prime rib in State College, PA.
That's my two cents. I'll give my two cents when asked, for the moment. But if I can ever figure out how to do a trip on two cents, I'm keeping it!
Pat
