What can I expect for around $5200?

[Mle8308]

I have a secret savings account just for Disney trips. I’m hoping to have $7000CAD or $5200.00USD saved up by next April possibly May. What can I expect to spend? That’s my budget for resort and park passes.
We are 2 adults, 6 and 7 year old.
I prefer to stay at mod-value (although those prices don’t feel value anymore) we want to spend at least 6 or 7 days at the parks and a few days in between for pool and rest days. Arrival and departure days don’t count as park days. We don’t want park hoppers. Memory maker is a must.
Is this doable? What should I expect with that kind of budget?

For clarification, the budget does NOT include food, just resort and tickets for $5200?

 

[Jaletu2022]

With dining coming back and everything in flux at Disney, if I were you, I would stay onsite. The transportation alone is a great perk. Add the pools and things going on at the hotel, like making crafts, movie nights, etc, it's just so much more! You could try for a stay at Pop Century and have the use of that skyliner or just stay at All Stars. Those rooms look really nice and your kids are small enough to be impressed by the scenery. I'd shoot for those if nothing else. Who knows what discounts could be yours by next year? Food can be really pricey. You might want to bring snacks and breakfast items. It's doable! Good luck!

 

[tguz]

I'd check Pop Century. No quite as inexpensive as the All Stars but we love the skyliner for Epcot and DHS days. The lines move very quickly and it's a neat experience.

 

[zebrastreyepz]

Maybe. A lot of them have shuttles. You have to get to Disney from the airport too.

Dolphin and Swan are closer than most Disney hotels.

A lot of them do have shuttles. All the Disney Good Neighbor hotels are required to have them.

We use Tiffany Town Car for transportation from the airport.

Dolphin and Swan are not cheaper then All Stars and one of them has double beds rather than Queen sized, so that one is out for us.

 

[robinb]

April 15 - May 15 2023 was "Regular 2" season. "Fall 3", November 5-17, has very similar pricing. I priced out Nov 5 - Nov 15, 2023 at the All Stars.

Resort Only: $1816
Resort + 7-Day tickets: $4565
Resort + tix + memory maker: $4734

As someone mentioned upthread, parking is $30 per day so the All Stars saves you $210 over staying offsite. Tickets and the MM would be the same onsite and offsite. So, you're looking at $1606 as a breakeven offsite.

As a comparison, a 2-bedroom villa at Wyndham Bonnet Creek would be $1520 for 10 days:
https://vacationupgrades.com/pricing.html

So, for the same price you would get a much bigger place, a full kitchen, a washer/dryer, and a great pool. You would have to rent a car which will make it cost more, but you'll save money on food (breakfasts alone will probably break you even on the car).

 

[grapefruitjellybean]

Honestly, it just doesn’t make sense anymore to try to make Disney resorts work for that length of time.

Since you’re talking about at least 10 days, even at the lowest budget rates you’re at your budget limit. And I don’t hate the budgets, but the rooms are mostly very, very small. The only perk to being on property are the busses (not a small perk) and 30 minutes in the morning in the parks. I wouldn’t do it with two little ones. I’d look at off property hotels that have shuttles and fun stuff to do at your resort.

I’m starting to look into Good Neighbours because they have shuttles and early hours too. Do you have a place that you can recommend?

 

[grapefruitjellybean]

Before you consider off site make sure you check that resorts shuttle service. Some resorts charge. Some make you book your spot. Most will have drop off spots in the middle of the parking lots.

I would only look at hotels with complimentary bus service. However, if the schedules don’t align, we can always Uber.

 

[zebrastreyepz]

I would only look at hotels with complimentary bus service. However, if the schedules don’t align, we can always Uber.

This is what I meant by do ALL the Disney math. What you save staying offsite, you are now adding into a different part of the budget.

 

[juxtapose]

I would only look at hotels with complimentary bus service. However, if the schedules don’t align, we can always Uber.

With kids, we were unable to use Uber last time we were there because we could never find one that offered a booster when my kids were 6/7. Just something to consider as a lot of the off-site hotels have very limited bus service and sometimes only go to 1 location (like the transit center) instead of a shuttle to each park.

 

[juxtapose]

I'd stay at Pop (maybe All Stars but we love the skyliner) and get a grocery delivery that includes food you can eat in your room for breakfast. That's what we usually do as we don't like eating out 3 meals a day and it saves a bit of money plus makes the morning less rushed.

 

[grapefruitjellybean]

This is what I meant by do ALL the Disney math. What you save staying offsite, you are now adding into a different part of the budget.

That sneaky Disney math.

 

[lanejudy]

I’m starting to look into Good Neighbours because they have shuttles and early hours too. Do you have a place that you can recommend?

Be sure you are looking at the right category of hotels. I don't believe "Good Neighbor hotels" at WDW offer much more than a AAA rating and a WDW information table in the lobby. No early entry, and only some have park shuttles or some you must pay for the shuttle. I'm not knocking the Good Neighbor hotels, just want you to make an informed choice if some perks are important to your decision.

You might be thinking of the "Disney Springs Hotels" which do have some perks, including early entry and shuttles (though the shuttle may be limited times).

And you might want to check this forum for offsite suggestions if leaning that way: https://www.disboards.com/forums/orlando-hotels-and-attractions.15/

 

[Ghost Host 998]

Probably a used Dodge Neon?

 

[Upatnoon]

I have a secret savings account just for Disney trips. I’m hoping to have $7000CAD or $5200.00USD saved up by next April possibly May. What can I expect to spend? That’s my budget for resort and park passes.
We are 2 adults, 6 and 7 year old.
I prefer to stay at mod-value (although those prices don’t feel value anymore) we want to spend at least 6 or 7 days at the parks and a few days in between for pool and rest days. Arrival and departure days don’t count as park days. We don’t want park hoppers. Memory maker is a must.
Is this doable? What should I expect with that kind of budget?

For $2,000 you could likely rent a 2-bedroom timeshare with a full kitchen and a washer and dryer for two weeks.
Somewhere like Club Wyndham Bonnet Creek. There are many accommodations like this available at many price points in the Disney area. It will be much more comfortable than cramming into a tiny hotel room. Having a kitchen is also nice -- it gets old -- and expensive -- eating out every meal, sometimes you just want a bowl of cereal.
If you get tickets for $2500 and spend $2000 on a rental, that would leave you with $700 for transportation if you don't have a car. That would buy a lot of Uber rides.
You also could do a split stay with few days to start or end your trip in a Disney value or moderate and a week in a timeshare-style resort.

 

[TinkAgainU]

Just a budget option I like - Drury Hotel at Disney Springs. We fly in and often arrive late at night - so I like staying there rather than use a high-end $$$ resort night for a late arrival. Or to add a few days on a budget. https://www.druryhotels.com/locatio...VcQZ9Ch3ZmQ16EAAYASAAEgJ3t_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds They have an excellent (free) shuttle service every hour to each of the parks (I think two parks per shuttle bus) and you get "some" Disney Partner benefits (early entrance?). Free WiFi, free excellent hot breakfast, free dinner (rather ho-hum but free with a couple adult beverages included No resort fee. I believe a parking fee if you bring a car - but easy access parking at least. Nice pool. Very pretty lake views. The hotel has just been redone entirely, when I was there in January it was like new Might be walking distance to Disney Springs depending on the walker - the shuttle goes there too. We did allow a few Uber rides when we did not want to deal with a shuttle - but we've done that even staying onsite. I think Uber from the airport to Drury was about $35 each way. I've gotten some good discounts from the Mousesaver Newletter ( www.mousesavers.com ) for Drury too.

 

[Goseethemouse]

Honestly, with that budget, a longer stay, and kids that age I would go offsite or do a split stay IF you are willing to rent a car/drive. The cost may be about the same as staying at a value but you can save a lot by having a kitchen and you will likely get a nicer pool/resort activities etc.

This will depend a bit on the prices for the dining plan next year. Possibly, there could be good deals at some point - e.g. if they offer a free or reduced dining plan a Disney value resort would probably be best. Otherwise, dining prices are crazy high (take a look at some of the published rates). I know your budget was only for tickets and room but obviously food will also factor in. Staying somewhere with a kitchen you can easily save hundreds.

So the best option might be to stay three to five days at a Disney resort and then move offsite for a week offsite.

 

[BlancheNeige7]

As a canadian, I would highly suggest booking room and tickets separately... especially for a longer stay. Tickets through "Attraction Ticket" are worthwhile. For example, through Disney a 7 day basic tickets for a family of 4 in July is about $2700. Through Attraction Tickets, for $2600 you get 14 days + hoppers + water parks + photo pass + magic bands. We used them in March 2022.