Six grand!

[Spook50]

Well I did a quick budget figure, and being liberal with my numbers (better to have money and not need it than vice-versa), I figure six grand for a ten night honeymoon in DL in Sept. of 07. This is allowing for an expected $600 for airfare (and allowing for it to be even more by then, yech), $3500 to stay at the GCH (park view of course, since future DW has never been to a Disney park), and $1900 to cover food, souvineers, and a day to go to Catalina, Universal or maybe even San Diego to see the zoo and wild animal park.

So does this sound about right to you guys? I haven't figured any discounts in at all, since I know they can vary easily, and any discount can just be seen as bonus money saved. I've probably already got enough air miles to completely cover both round trip tickets too

 

[Judy from Boise]

Did you figure passes into the costs?

 

[samkj]

I just did a quick check using Sept 9-19 2006 for reference. For a GC theme park view room plus 8 day passes is $4598. This is without any discounts booking through Disney Travel. Judging form your location though you are may be eligible for military discounts. Plus in the past they have offered free nights with stay. Universal and Sea World do offer military rates as well. The 2006 fall packages should be out in the next month or so, which may give you an idea what to expect. 2007 hotel rates will not be out till late summer, early fall.

Have you checked out disneyweddings.com? They have a special line for honeymoon planning at Disneyland. Your travel agent could help with this as well. I highly recommend finding a good travel agent, it won't cost you to use a TA, but they can help ensure you find the best deal possible and take care of all the details(Fantasmic reservations, dining reservations, etc...), so you can relax and enjoy your honeymoon.

 

[Michelle2]

We are planning to be there in September of 2007 too for a big family get together!

I used a TA through AAA and she didn't do diddly squat except to make me wish that I didn't go through a TA at all. I do not know about other TA's, but most will not make reservations for you, especially the hard to get Fantasmic Dessert Buffet, or dining, etc. I had to do all of that myself, and I was glad to because I like being in control...I have no idea what the honeymoon line will do, but there are the vacation planners that will do the reservations for you if you are staying at a Disney property. I think on the general information thread you can find the phone number....

Have a great time planning! September is a wonderful time to go!

 

[MATTERHORN]

Well you didn't ask but this is what I would do! I priced out the room for 10 nights with 8 day tickets, since you said you were going to do other things for a few days. (You can upgrade for $20 a piece to an annual pass if you wanted the other 2 days or if you think you might want to come back and sneak another trip in for your 1st anniversary!)

Now granted this is for a standard room, but for myself, I would take a chance at being able to upgrade to a view when you get there (for a charge of course, but maybe not if you note that it's your honeymoon, but I wouldn't count on that if a view is super super important) but the total for room and tickets is $3334.00. That's with tickets since I noticed you didn't include that in your budget. If that was included in your $3500 quote, then I guess we're pretty right on.

Good luck and Congratulations!


Andrea

 

[samkj]

Michelle, sorry you had such a experience using a TA. I am a travel agent and will get up at before 4am to get WDW reservations(Illuminiations cruise for example) for clients and do everything possible to get Fantasmic reservations. A good travel agent should be willing to go the extra mile to make sure everything is perfect for your trip. Unfortunately there are many who don't make the effort and it sounds like you had one of those.

 

[Pir8girl]

If you're going to go to Catalina & San Diego, you may want to look at staying in San Diego for a couple of nights. It'll bring down the cost of the hotel. Vacation planning may be your best bet if you want to book through Disney. I'd call the hotel directly first and see what price they can give you.

 

[Spook50]

Did you figure passes into the costs?

Aye, unfortunately I didn't realize I still had standard room selected and not theme park view (d'oh). I'll probably still go standard and see if we're able to upgrade once we check in. She says she's fine with just a standard room, but I know she'd love the theme park view.

I'm not really sure if we'll go to San Diego or Catalina while we're there. We'll do one, but I don't think we can afford both. I'd like to see Catalina again and take her to see the Queen Mary (is it the Queen Mary again or is it still painted as the Grey Ghost?), but she LOVES big cats, so San Diego could be a fun day trip if we can make it a day trip. I can't remember how long of a drive it is from Anaheim to SD. Neither of us have a real burning desire to go to Universal Studios.

Given the current pricing for annual passes, if there aren't any blackout days during our stay I might go that route for our park admission and then do the hotel seperately. I'll most likely start making reservations six months in advance (maybe more) and see if it'll be cheaper to go that way or do the hotel and park admission together.

 

[Lrrysgrl]

I tried to find a military discount through Disney but they didn't have one for now, maybe by next year it will change. I did get one in 2003 and when I called to ask if they still did it, I was told no. =o( But by '07 it may change again. =o) I do know that Sea World has a free pass for 1 day for you and your direct dependents though. Hubby and I are planning on doing this next month during our trip to DL. Sea World has had it for the last 2 years I think and from what I understand they are going to continue. They do have that discount on several websites (try herestotheheroes). The one thing is that you will have to have an ID card for her for that so don't know if you'll have time to do that between wedding and HM. Congrats on getting married and enjoy your trip! =o)

 

[Lostgirlz]

heh 6 grand is cheap especially for GC. We just came back from DL about 3 weeks ago. Entire trip BEFORE we got there cost 10 grand and that's not including what we spent when we got there and we sayed at DL Hotel.

 

[Pir8girl]

Oh my. Where did you travel from?

 

[Lostgirlz]

Oahu, but air rates from here to there arent bad at all (JUST BOOKED AIR TO AUSTRALIA 655 ROUNDTRIP SO VERY CHEAP AIR NOT REALATED TO DISNEY JUST AN EXAMPLE). I booked through walt disney travel. Overall trip before we even left to come came out to 10 grand with air, hotel, tickets to th park and all. All in all about the of a car lol bye the time it was all over with lol.

 

[Spook50]

heh 6 grand is cheap especially for GC. We just came back from DL about 3 weeks ago. Entire trip BEFORE we got there cost 10 grand and that's not including what we spent when we got there and we sayed at DL Hotel.

Were you traveling with a family? This trip is just the wife and myself.

 

[Lostgirlz]

Yes, but only had to pay for 2 people. Kids are still at the age where they were not charged.

 

[ploeb]

My nephew proposed to his girlfriend last year, and asked for a standered room at the PPH. It was AP nights , so the rooms were like $99.00 per night-then he asked for the couples massage and the chef to bring them a special dinner, the girlfriend Loves TinkerBell,sooo.. he ordered a Tinker Bell themed basket with gold earrings--this way she would think this was the "big gift" . Anyhow, all of this ended up costing an additional $1000.00. He went thru Disney vaca. Planning and when he checked in he was surprised to find out that the staff(knowinging he was going to pop the question ) upgraded him to one of there "Pres" suites. These rooms are like $2,000.00 a night! The DVP also called him and told him they could arrange for the ring to be delivered by a waiter in a Glass slipper! This was a night to remember! CALL Vacation Planning... Have fun!

 

[Spook50]

My nephew proposed to his girlfriend last year, and asked for a standered room at the PPH. It was AP nights , so the rooms were like $99.00 per night-then he asked for the couples massage and the chef to bring them a special dinner, the girlfriend Loves TinkerBell,sooo.. he ordered a Tinker Bell themed basket with gold earrings--this way she would think this was the "big gift" . Anyhow, all of this ended up costing an additional $1000.00. He went thru Disney vaca. Planning and when he checked in he was surprised to find out that the staff(knowinging he was going to pop the question ) upgraded him to one of there "Pres" suites. These rooms are like $2,000.00 a night! The DVP also called him and told him they could arrange for the ring to be delivered by a waiter in a Glass slipper! This was a night to remember! CALL Vacation Planning... Have fun!

Holy moly, talk about getting lucky with the presidential suite! I can't really propose in DL since that's our honeymoon trip, but I'll definately be calling DVP to see what they can hook us up with. Sounds like it was a fun trip for both of 'em.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

WOW, what an awesome proposal and stay!