Someone help me crunch the numbers

[TinkandAriel]

Alright...I've got ressies on hold at AS mu ( I really want Pop and cm told me to keep trying and they could switch me to Pop if it became available), for the FD from Sept 20-26. For me, dh and the kidlet $1497. Which boils down to $249 a day appx. In laws is $1254, or $209 a day. Now....if we stay off site, it's going to be appx $1500 offsite for just tix and room for all of us. That doesn't include food. I am trying to convince myself that its a better deal to stay onsite....but my head is spinning trying to figure out how and why. I mean, offsite is $1500 w/out food, and I have to rent a car and pay for gas and so on and so forth....on site is $2751, which is everything we'll need, we won't need a rental car. The diff is appx $208 a day. Am I confusing anyone as much as I'm confusing myself??? Help.

 

[TifffanyD]

If you stay offsite you would have about $200 a day to feed/etc 5 people. If you do a sitdown each day (assuming you are eating the same as the dining plan) that sitdown meal alone will probably cost at least $100 (probably more but I am being conservative). Then if you each get a counterservice each day this will easily run you about $65 (conservative again). A snack is an average of about $3 so you get $15 worth of those each day too. Now you have to pay to park each day... around $10 I think? So you have $10 a day left for the rental car and gas assuming you eat conservatively. Plus you have to schlep yourself around (not sure if you are familiar with the area) AND you lose out on extra magic hours.

Not sure if the offsite accomodations are more deluxe than ASMu... that could be a deciding factor. But for me I would just stay onsite so that everything is paid for ahead of time and you could order more expensive things on the dining plan, if you choose.

 

[TinkandAriel]

Thank you! I didn't even figure in the parking. So, the diff is about $860...I know it cost more to eat for us 5 for the week than that...I hadn't really even thought about the ts lunch we all ate, and yeah, for the 5 of us I'm betting it was over $65 per meal. You know what I'm going to do, is go through our receipts from last year and tally up what we spent on food.
Plus, I really want the inlaws to experience on site...how easy it is, how much fun it is to hop a bus from the resort to the park and back again....all the experiences of on site they haven't had....yeah...I'm thinkin on site.

 

[TifffanyD]

Thank you! I didn't even figure in the parking. So, the diff is about $860...I know it cost more to eat for us 5 for the week than that...I hadn't really even thought about the ts lunch we all ate, and yeah, for the 5 of us I'm betting it was over $65 per meal. You know what I'm going to do, is go through our receipts from last year and tally up what we spent on food.
Plus, I really want the inlaws to experience on site...how easy it is, how much fun it is to hop a bus from the resort to the park and back again....all the experiences of on site they haven't had....yeah...I'm thinkin on site.

You can also look at the menus online got a roundabout guess of how much you would spend for food on site! I think for free dining when talking about a value hotel it's pretty tough to find a better deal!!

 

[Rylee]

Alright...I've got ressies on hold at AS mu ( I really want Pop and cm told me to keep trying and they could switch me to Pop if it became available), for the FD from Sept 20-26. For me, dh and the kidlet $1497. Which boils down to $249 a day appx. In laws is $1254, or $209 a day. Now....if we stay off site, it's going to be appx $1500 offsite for just tix and room for all of us. That doesn't include food. I am trying to convince myself that its a better deal to stay onsite....but my head is spinning trying to figure out how and why. I mean, offsite is $1500 w/out food, and I have to rent a car and pay for gas and so on and so forth....on site is $2751, which is everything we'll need, we won't need a rental car. The diff is appx $208 a day. Am I confusing anyone as much as I'm confusing myself??? Help.

Did you want Hoppers and Water Park options on your tickets? The prices you are quoting sounds as if the options have be added... just want to make sure you wanted those features, because it brings the cost up.

I get a price of $1219.72 for 2A and 1C(3-9) and $1024.74 for the 2A... no hoppers or waterparks, standard room location, and before any trip insurance is added.

 

[TinkandAriel]

Yup Rylee...I noticed that PH had been added to the park tickets, so when I called back, added a day (original was 20-26, extended to the 27), removing the PH and adding a day brought the cost down. So, it was $1319 for the three of us and $1200 for the inlaws.

 

[justplaingoofy]

If you are off time you will also have to pay to park at theme parks.
Plus your time... we like to take a mid day break and found that hard to do when staying off property.

Time is money...

 

[justplaingoofy]

Yup Rylee...I noticed that PH had been added to the park tickets, so when I called back, added a day (original was 20-26, extended to the 27), removing the PH and adding a day brought the cost down. So, it was $1319 for the three of us and $1200 for the inlaws.

$1200 for the inlaws? We are two adult, value resort, 7 days w/ base tx and it was just over $1,000.

 

[Herewecomeagain]

Do not stay off property! As you can see below, I have made many visits on and off property. We have decided that any further trips to WDW, will be staying on the property only unless it is a day trip from another location in Florida. Take the hit and pay the additional $$ especially if the meal plan is included. Our trip in 2006 included the meal plan. Back then we paid $922 for a family of 4. I kept all of my receipts and it totaled almost $1,400. We were able to dine at restaurants that we never thought we would go to. Trust me, stay on property. Good luck and remember, HAVE A GREAT TIME NO MATTER WHAT YOU CHOOSE!!
______________________

2008 POFQ, 2008 ASMo, 2007 Off Site, 2007 Off Site, 2006 PC, 2005 CBR, 2005 Off Site, 2004 Off Site, 2003 WL, 2002 ASMo, 2002 Off Site, 2001 AKL, 2000 Off Site, 1999 AS Sport, 1998 POR, 1997 Off Site, 1995 ASM, 1991 Off Site, 1990 Off Site, 1988 Off Site, 1985 Off Site, 1983 Off Site, 1982 Off Site, 1981 Off Site, 1980 Off Site, 1974 FW, 1972 Off Site.

 

[JLKennedy]

I'm sure you can stay offsite cheaper, and even eat (McD's, etc) and spend a lot less money, but why? Why are you traveling to Florida, for the Disney experience or to site see? If for the experience, stay on site...if not, off site.