The Numbers Are In...From Our Moderate Trip

[mcbj]

I always see threads on here about how much a trip costs, how much to do spend for souvenirs, etc. So three years ago I kept track to the penny on our "Deluxe" trip. Here are the details: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1997007

So I decided to see how we could do on a "Moderate" trip, here is how we did:

Vacation Package $3091.54 (Booked thru WD Travel Co. 8 Nights at POR with Park Hoppers and Water Fun and More Option, Free Dining, No Travel Insurance)

Airfare $158 (DH and I both opened a SW Visa, so this is the two annual fees and airport taxes)

Airport Bag Fee $50 (Bought to many Souvenirs and one of our bags was overweight)

PhotoPass Prepurchas $99.95

Chef Mickey's Photo Package $31.90

Hotel Arcade $30

Fishing at POR $13.32

Travel Expenses $107.55 (Food and Adult Beverages in Transit)

Food and Beverage $511.43 (Tips, Adult Bevarages, Additional Snacks)

Souvenirs $941.20 (This includes a 40th Anniversary Dooney Purse and about $170 in Pins)

Cash Tips $100

GRAND TOTAL $5134.89

So we did much better than the $8624.98 we spent on our "Deluxe" trip, although next time we will probably stay Deluxe again, unless we are feeling like a really cheap trip, maybe we will try out the new Art of Animation Resort, regardless, I hope our next trip is soon, already missing Disney.

 

[Marionnette]

Sounds like you had a nice time and managed to keep costs under control. Looks like you still managed quite a few splurges. Nice job!

 

[Soon2B4]

Wow! My deluxe trip would probably equal your moderate!

 

[bettymae1121]

Not bad! DH and I did our 1st value trip in May, for two adults for 5 nights it was $1570.

$200 air (tickets were free just paid $100 each to upgrade to 1st)
$1100 5 nights at POP, free dining package w/two day park passes
$471 for two day park ticket for DH (forgot his un-used pass from previous trip at home...d'oh! At least i had mine...), restaurant tips, one meal not included on free dining plan, and airport parking.

Our only souviner was me bringing home a bun in the oven!

 

[mcbj]

Our only souviner was me bringing home a bun in the oven!

Now that will be an EXPENSIVE souviner. Congrats and Good Luck!

 

[melser13]

Our only souviner was me bringing home a bun in the oven!

We have 1 of those! They last forever (at least I'm planning on it) but man, free at first and expensive later. She was born lovin Disney though...can already identify all the main characters! haha

OP Nice job on the Mod trip for you guys...we are trying to plan a 4 day inexpensive trip right now... airfare is driving me CRAZY!

 

[marmalade]

I'm afraid to add everything up. I don't want to know what we actually spend. I usually stick with what the package costs us. Like one year we went for 5 nights with 4 day park hoppers, we had free dining and flew out of buffalo and spent $1750 for room/tickets/flights. That was for me, dh, dd(3) and ds(2). I still "think" we only spent $1750 for that trip, my mind refuses to include the $1,000 spending money that we spent. Even now as I type I will continue to say that was our cheap $1750 WDW vacation.

 

[mcbj]

airfare is driving me CRAZY!

I'm from Ohio, Olmsted Falls now, but I grew up in Aurora!

Airtran out of Canton is usually the best deal I've found from our area. My son was happy we did the Southwest Visa thing this time, we didn't have to drive all the way to Canton. I keep reminding him when I was little we drove.

 

[mcbj]

I'm afraid to add everything up. I don't want to know what we actually spend. I usually stick with what the package costs us. Like one year we went for 5 nights with 4 day park hoppers, we had free dining and flew out of buffalo and spent $1750 for room/tickets/flights. That was for me, dh, dd(3) and ds(2). I still "think" we only spent $1750 for that trip, my mind refuses to include the $1,000 spending money that we spent. Even now as I type I will continue to say that was our cheap $1750 WDW vacation.

It is a little scary when you add it all up. I have actually done it for a couple other trips since I first did the Disney trip three years ago. I am pretty good at finding good travel deals, so I like to see how much we spent from trip to trip.

 

[scrapquitler]

We just came back last week. We stayed at ASMovies for three nights, we flew from Hartford, had 4 day park tickets, went to MNSSHP and did a Keys to the Kingdom Tour. We ate counterservice except for one TS lunch.

Airfare + Room = $800
Park Tickets = $500
MNSSHP + KTTK Tour= $300
Meals, snacks + Souveniers = $650

Total (approx) $2250

 

[goodeats]

OP was that for the 4 of you or just you and your DH? How fast did you earn the free flights on the SW cards?

When you add in EVERYTHING including airport food and the like it really adds up and is eye opening!

 

[mcbj]

OP was that for the 4 of you or just you and your DH? How fast did you earn the free flights on the SW cards?

When you add in EVERYTHING including airport food and the like it really adds up and is eye opening!

It was all four of us and DS is 12 so he is considered an "adult" by Disney, although I don't think that mattered since we got free dining, but maybe his ticket was more than DD's, not sure??

Regarding the flights, when we applied for the SW Visa cards back in about March, there was a special deal where you would get two round trip flights just for using the card one time, so DH and I both opened one, each had a $59 annual fee and we were able to get four flights for $10 each (the cost of the 9/11 security fee). Not sure if they still have this, I found out about it right here on the budget board!

It is eye opening, but I have to say, I do kind of like the fact that with Disney all the money is due 45 days in advance, so once you go it is just your spending money.

 

[RachelsMommie]

We have 1 of those! They last forever (at least I'm planning on it) but man, free at first and expensive later. She was born lovin Disney though...can already identify all the main characters! haha

OP Nice job on the Mod trip for you guys...we are trying to plan a 4 day inexpensive trip right now... airfare is driving me CRAZY!

Ha, I have two of those! First trip with just me and my DH at AKL, came home with my first bun in the oven. Took my DD to Disney for her first trip (Land and Sea) and came home with my second DD on board (hey, they have a great kid's club on the Disney cruises...we had a date night!).

I was actually a little nervous coming home from our last trip!

 

[melser13]

I'm from Ohio, Olmsted Falls now, but I grew up in Aurora!

Airtran out of Canton is usually the best deal I've found from our area. My son was happy we did the Southwest Visa thing this time, we didn't have to drive all the way to Canton. I keep reminding him when I was little we drove.

I'm kicking myself for throwing out 2 informational packets from Southwest that came in the mail a few weeks ago. Next time (hopefully soon) I think I'll open them! Part of that is we prefer CAK over CLE because of distance!

Airtran just dropped last week, but back up this weekend. I continue to stalk Yapta! If we can't find cheap tickets for a weekend getaway, we'll drive at Easter time for a longer trip!haha

 

[Donnainnj]

I always see threads on here about how much a trip costs, how much to do spend for souvenirs, etc. So three years ago I kept track to the penny on our "Deluxe" trip. Here are the details: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1997007

So I decided to see how we could do on a "Moderate" trip, here is how we did:

Vacation Package $3091.54 (Booked thru WD Travel Co. 8 Nights at POR with Park Hoppers and Water Fun and More Option, Free Dining, No Travel Insurance)

Airfare $158 (DH and I both opened a SW Visa, so this is the two annual fees and airport taxes)

Airport Bag Fee $50 (Bought to many Souvenirs and one of our bags was overweight)

PhotoPass Prepurchas $99.95

Chef Mickey's Photo Package $31.90

Hotel Arcade $30

Fishing at POR $13.32

Travel Expenses $107.55 (Food and Adult Beverages in Transit)

Food and Beverage $511.43 (Tips, Adult Bevarages, Additional Snacks)

Souvenirs $941.20 (This includes a 40th Anniversary Dooney Purse and about $170 in Pins)

Cash Tips $100

GRAND TOTAL $5134.89

So we did much better than the $8624.98 we spent on our "Deluxe" trip, although next time we will probably stay Deluxe again, unless we are feeling like a really cheap trip, maybe we will try out the new Art of Animation Resort, regardless, I hope our next trip is soon, already missing Disney.

Re the baggage fee. if you weren't over your allowed 2 bags per person I have read here that Southwest will sell you an additional duffel for $20, or another option is bringing an extra empty bag from home.
Donna

 

[GoofyMomInOhio]

I'm from Ohio, Olmsted Falls now, but I grew up in Aurora!

Airtran out of Canton is usually the best deal I've found from our area. My son was happy we did the Southwest Visa thing this time, we didn't have to drive all the way to Canton. I keep reminding him when I was little we drove.

We are from North Olmsted (right near Westlake and Fairview Park).

 

[mcbj]

Re the baggage fee. if you weren't over your allowed 2 bags per person I have read here that Southwest will sell you an additional duffel for $20, or another option is bringing an extra empty bag from home.
Donna

Good to know, this happened to me last year on a cruise, but I was able to redistribute. This time, it was pouring down rain (that tropical storm arrived the day we left) and we were on the curb at POR and didn't feel like dealing with it. I told DH just to pay, but I actually thought it would only be $25.

 

[mcbj]

We are from North Olmsted (right near Westlake and Fairview Park).

Hi neighbor! I like the west side better than the east. I started in Aurora for 25 years, then 5 in Seven Hills, we've been on Olmsted Falls 12. Hope my next move is to Orlando to retire and work at Disney.

 

[ChiCat]

Inspired by your post I want to also do an estimate of my trip in September, it's a rough estimate though:

5 nights at CBR in a pirate room with 5 days park hoppers with water park option and free dining for $1800
Airfare $474 (we could have easily gotten a better deal on this)
MNSSHP $112?
Souveniers & alcohol & misc. $350
Tips (we literally just left a $20 for every table service, none were over a hundred) so $100

$2836, not too shabby!

It was my first trip and our first anniversary so I spent more than I usually would on a 5 night vacation but considering it's Disney it doesn't seem like we did too bad.

 

[TheZenMaster]

Souvenirs $941.20 (This includes a 40th Anniversary Dooney Purse and about $170 in Pins)

Great job tracking the expenses and breaking it down, though!