Offsite cost?

[maggs1035]

I'm just wondering if I am overlooking any costs? Condo $676 (complete total), Tickets $1817, Food $1000 (Me, DH, DD20, DS18, DS6) also we are not to concerned about having special meals due to the fact that we are going on a cruise after WDW! So maybe a couple special meals but mostly condo and Quick service? Parking $100 Am I missing any expenses? Rental car is a part even if we are on site so I'm not using that in the comparison.

Unless some super deal comes out, it will be $5645 for AoA family suite with dining? So a savings of $2052 by staying off site. We don't care too much about EMH and transportation, and Disney said our 2 older kids can still use the buses to park hop without us, so Im wondering what the negative is? Kttw card is no big deal and I can send purchases to front of park if needed (we are taking our stroller one last time)

Do I have it all covered?

 

[Crystal824]

I don't think so. We stayed offsite this year and saved a ton of money and had way more space. I did miss being in the magic all the time, but it was a nice change. I like eating at WDW, but we found it was easy to eat offsite. We ordered pizza one night, and had Wendy's another so food ended up being a little cheaper too.

 

[kirstenb1]

Looks good to me. We bought into DVC 19 yrs ago, pretty much before all the offsite deals on the internet. Nowadays, I'd stay offsite in a heartbeat. Having room to spread out is my number 1 priority.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Just got back from a similar setup & I think you've got a good plan going. We had breakfast at the cabin every morning & a late supper there most nights as well. So, really only lunch in the park most days - and hauled Subway sandwiches in for one of those days

 

[maggs1035]

Just got back from a similar setup & I think you've got a good plan going. We had breakfast at the cabin every morning & a late supper there most nights as well. So, really only lunch in the park most days - and hauled Subway sandwiches in for one of those days

Im glad you mentioned subway. I was wondering if we can bring sandwhiches into the parks? I thought that if we brought some snacks in and juice boxes, that we would be so busy and tour through lunch and have dinner somewhere else, or do a buffet or two? Im still thinking it will be cheaper than the package deal?

 

[ICF]

$1000 seems like a lot for food, assuming you are planning on eating most meals in the condo.

Otherwise, I'd say your compare seems about right.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Im glad you mentioned subway. I was wondering if we can bring sandwhiches into the parks? I thought that if we brought some snacks in and juice boxes, that we would be so busy and tour through lunch and have dinner somewhere else, or do a buffet or two? Im still thinking it will be cheaper than the package deal?

We brought in a cooler full of drinks & other snacks every day, but just once with the sandwiches. Sat down with them right in the middle of the CS area in The Land in Epcot and a Cast Member promptly high-fived us We could hear everyone around us murmuring either, "Where'd they get those?" or "Why didn't we think of that?"

Getting stuff from the locker was a bit of a pain at times in Animal Kingdom & Magic Kingdom (unless you use the train).

Looking back at my week, our food costs for the 4 of us were:

Day 1 (on the road) $45.00

Day 2 (on the road + groceries bought in Kissimmee) $70.00

Day 3 (Animal Kingdom) $22.00

Day 4 (Typhoon Lagoon & a nice supper offsite) $96.00

Day 5 (Magic Kingdom - princess lunch included) ~$256.00

Day 6 (Blizzard Beach) $22.00

Day 7 (Epcot - Subway day & a funnel cake) $19.75

Day 8 (DHS) $26.00

Day 9 (Split between TL & BB pizza offsite) $9.00

Day 10 (travel day) $67.00

Day 11 (travel day, plus a pizza for Supper at home) $61.00

 

[Cheshire Figment]

At the four major parks (AK, DHS, EC, MK) coolers are restricted to "small, soft-sided, which can fit in a locker". And they cannot be rolling bags.

The only restrictions that apply to all parks (theme and water) are nothing in glass containers (other than medicines and baby food) and no alcoholic beverages.

Some things people don't think about (which tend to be in glass) are pickles, salsa, Mayonnaise, Starbucks drinks, Snapple drinks, Tabasco.

At the water parks any type or size cooler is acceptable. I have seen people come through the gate (Typhoon Lagoon) hauling wheeled coolers about 4' x 3' x 2½'. Note that the cooler can be on two wheels or carried, but the way the rules are written you can not have it in a wagon and it cannot have four wheels.

If you show up at the gate with prohibited items we will give you three choices:
(1) Take prohibited items back to your car or resort.
(2) Put prohibited items in the nearby trash can.
(3) (Only for other than alcoholic beverages) If you have plastic bags or cups you can dump the items out of the glass containers and throw away the container.

 

[kwhite1022]

I think youve mentioned everything, maybe over estimating for food, but hey Id rather be over then under.

One thing we did was on the first day, while everyone was unpacking. I had brought my big top muffin pan and some cheap mix with water packets and made up 12 big muffins in various flavors. Those then became breakfast some days, and snacks in the parks on other days.

My kids were all 12 and under, so we brought lunchables and brought them into the parks for lunch one day....we also had people amazed that they hadnt thought of it.

My favorite new perk for the offsite stay was setting the coffee pot, and being able to wake up a 1/2 hour early, grab a muffin and some coffee and sit on the balcony.....unbelievably refreshing. Hope you have a great trip.