What I paid for my trip

[mefordis]

I thought I would share what my upcoming trip costs since I am always interested in knowing what others spend.

6 nights / 2 rooms at Beach Club, 1 club, 1 resort view (3 ppl - 2 adults, 1 - 16 yr old)
7 day park hopper
Dining plan (regular)
Lightening Lane Multipass 6 days, 2 Indiv LL

= $8938.00

I still need to arrange transport to/from MCO. Should I use Mears? Any recommendations?

*Lightening lanes were around $500 total, not reflected in the amount above)

 

[LAS2AMS]

Since you’re CL, you’re eligible to take the Minnie Van to/from tha airport for $199 each way. I’d go that route!

 

[mefordis]

Since you’re CL, you’re eligible to take the Minnie Van to/from tha airport for $199 each way. I’d go that route!

That's great! Thanks so much! The other two I'm traveling with are not in CL. Can they ride with me? How do I arrange it?

 

[NYCgrrl]

Right this moment, I have an AKL Savannah, 2 adults, 2 children, 12/23/24 - 01/02/25 with DP at a cost of $10,017.92. Everybody has AP.

Looking for a DVC room with same or similar attributes and no DP or CL (kiddos will not wake up in time to use so why bother?).

The more I look and crunch the numbers of the new dining plan, the less appealing it is for us. Rather cook some meals and splurge dine on others. My “air” budget for meals is $50.00 per day, DVC; $200.00 per day, restaurants. No idea what the mix is on eating yet.


Transport MCO to hotel is $16 adult, $13 child, one way for a total of $116.00 round trip via Mears Connect. We travel light (1carryon per person) so this suits us.

 

[LAS2AMS]

That's great! Thanks so much! The other two I'm traveling with are not in CL. Can they ride with me? How do I arrange it?

I can’t imagine them telling you no - you qualify, it’s a flat rate for the capacity of the van.

You can book it by contacting Signature Services. Contact information is here.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/signature-services/

 

[mefordis]

I can’t imagine them telling you no - you qualify, it’s a flat rate for the capacity of the van.

You can book it by contacting Signature Services. Contact information is here.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/signature-services/

Thank you! I'm going to compare the cost to Mears and one other transport service. What should I tip? I never really know how much is appropriate.

 

[Eastern]

Thank you! I'm going to compare the cost to Mears and one other transport service. What should I tip? I never really know how much is appropriate.

Mears cost is bound to be cheaper. I tip for baggage handling.

For Minnie Van or other private car service I would tip 20%.

Ride share (Lyft or Uber, I check both) is good pricewise and avoids waiting for the Mears bus to fill. For up to 3 people I've spent about $36-44 dollar plus tip going from MCO to resorts, each way. If you have more people and need a bigger vehicle, it would be more like $60 plus tip. Still much cheaper than Minnie Van. If you need car seats you might prefer the Minnie Van.

I just checked 2:30pm and a Lyft XL for up to 6 people is $45. Add tip.

Also about 6 minutes later, after checking the price and not booking, Lyft sent me a 10% off flash sale coupon for my airport ride.

 

[WDW_fan_in_TX]

Mears should cost cheaper. It's around $32 round trip per person. At least that's the case for our Novemeber trip. The only down side is having to wait on it to fill up to leave. So it might be worth the extra cost to do mini van to be able to leave earlier. However, we're in no rush. We're not doing a park on arrival day (only doing the Christmas party this trip and staying 2 nights). So we don't have anything to hurry to the world for.

Thank you! I'm going to compare the cost to Mears and one other transport service. What should I tip? I never really know how much is appropriate.

 

[halfpintpeggy]

Why 2 rooms when there are only 2 adults & 1 minor?

 

[Willow Ufgood]

Why 2 rooms when there are only 2 adults & 1 minor?

Maybe they are 2 different families that don't want to share a room?

 

[pweyl36]

I would skip park hopper

 

[Chili327]

Why 2 rooms when there are only 2 adults & 1 minor?

Maybe they are 2 different families that don't want to share a room?

I was curious too, but I usually travel with friends.. a couple and their kid, so I get it.



What would you anyone guestimate for a standard room/studio (or preferred view, but not club or value), for a week, with food, hoppers, etc. About $2k-$3k per person?

 

[Willow Ufgood]

What would you anyone guestimate for a standard room/studio (or preferred view, but not club or value), for a week, with food, hoppers, etc. About $2k-$3k per person?

With DVC, just like regular resort rooms, it depends on the season and the resort. DVC "seasons" do not particularly coincide with the hotel room seasons. September is the least expensive time of year but early May and early December are also times when the required number of points is low.

As far as resorts are concerned, if you exclude value studios at AKV and standard view studios at BWV, the most reasonable studios point-wise would be at the older DVC resorts: OKW, BWV, BCV and BRV. CCV has pretty much the same points chart as BRV and can also be reasonably priced. If you're renting from an agency, then OKW and BRV are your best bets because agencies charge less $/pt for those resorts and they are more likely to be available than BWV or BCV. One week in an OKW studio, mid-September would run about $1420 at a rental agency.

I use the dining plan as a measurement for food costs. I don't buy it and don't particularly recommend it but it can give you a ceiling for your budget. Currently, it's $94+ per night for adults and ~$30 per night for children under 10 for the regular DDP. It costs $57 per night per adult and ~$24 per night per child for the quick service plan. DVC does not get a discount on the dining plan. For a family of 4, 2 adults, 2 children under 10 that would run $1750 for the DDP and $1134 for the QSDP. I find that we can eat on our own for less, especially since there's a kitchenette in the studios and a full kitchen in the 1BR and 2BR villas.

So that's $2555- $3200 right there, depending on dining plan chosen, and the family hasn't even purchased tickets. Looking at undercovertourist.com for pricing, it appears that 7 day base tickets for that family during the same week in September would cost $2312. Hoppers add on about $300 more.

You're right at $5170 -$5800 and change for a family of 4 for a week during the cheapest season in the cheapest DVC rental, tickets and food included.

It could be done cheaper with fewer park days, no hopping and not eating Disney food (order groceries, pack lunches, microwave dinners in the room, etc) but that's a ballpark figure for the cheapest time to visit and what you might consider the floor for a weeklong stay for a family of 4.