What is the cheapest you've done?

[LilMamiBella]

Just wondering-- maybe for a future trip, I wanted to know what's the cheapest you've paid on hotel,food, gas, souvenirs, and tickets? Especially interested in people that have 2 adults and 2 kids. Thanks!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Columbus Day Weekend in 1991. (Left work early Friday, returned home late Monday.) Judy and I paid $513 for (1) Parking at Dulles Airport, (2) Roundtrip for both of us on Delta Express, (3) Rental Car from National, and (4) Three nights in the Marriott Courtyard (now Holiday Inn) on property. Since we had APs our admission was covered and we never track meal costs as we would often eat out anyway.

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

My next trip will probably be the cheapest that I will have ever taken to WDW. The actual cost can be deceiving because it includes leftover vouchers, an AP from July and a PHP that's been gathering dust for a couple of years. I didn't factor those costs into the trip.

• airfare: $10 (2 RT tickets using FF miles, the $10 is the processing fee)
• ground transp.: $60 intermed. car for 4 days; tolls $4
• room: $264 for 3 nights @POR w/AP discount ; $15 mousekeeping tips
• tickets: 1 AP & 1 5-day PHP (had both from a previous trip)
• food: 6 breakfast vouchers, 8 VKLs & 9 Q&C vouchers (leftover from a previous trip, probably won't use all of them) an additional $100 for snacks and airport food
• souvenirs:maybe another $100.

total cost:about $555 for 1 adult & 1 teen

Of that, I will be using $110 in Disney Rewards Dollars and $103 in Webcertificates from rewards programs to pay for things. I also have about $350 in rebates from Christmas purchases that I'm expecting either before I leave or just after I return. The forms were sent in around the beginning of December for most of them.

Total Rewards + Rebate Money = $563

So, it's not going to cost me anything "out-of-pocket" for this trip. In actuality, I should pro-rate the cost of the AP & the PHP, and factor in the cost of the vouchers. But I look at them as things that I paid for a long time ago. They cannot be "returned" for credit so I'd better use them or lose them. AT least, that's how I'm presenting it to DH, since he doesn't always see trips to WDW as a priority like I do.

 

[LilMamiBella]

That's awesome!

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

My cheapest trip will probably be later this year or next year.

It'll be based on the AP from my current trip and I don't have any plans to add on days for more monet: Current trip is as follows:

3 nights at AsM $166.
DVC PAP about $403
2 to 4 nights at BCV amt undetermined
Food probably $40 a day (or less).
Gas $40

DVC maintenance is $660(??) not sure.

Could I have done it cheaper? Sure...I could have stayed at Westgate which has about the same maintenance fee saving me about $50 (because I'd have to trade for it).

I think cheap is easy to do... The main issue is to get an affordable hotel you will like (it IS a vacation), cheap rentacar if you need one and cheap transit to Orlando. You can save a lot of money on food if you eat good wholesome meals with protein especially for breakfast. Eat a big but late lunch. Keep dinner light. If you want a dinner out then go light at lunch. Avoid snacking. Drink water & carry a water bottle. Tackle each item independently.

 

[K & D Mickey]

For this next trip our bill will be -----
700 for airlines on United for 2 adults/1child from Omaha
631 for 10 days in hotel - Pop Century got $55 a night - off mousesaver
codes...
250 for 6 day pass with hopper previlages. ( have 6 days left from last
years trip & son just turned 3 - 2 weeks ago )
695 -- 75 dollars - 8 full days of food/souvineers
50- airport parking
100 - town car

total - $2376 for a 10 day trip to warm Florida ---- 3 degrees here in Nebraska now....with snow...........and more snow............

 

[CajunDixie]

For 2 adults and 2 children I'd say $3,000 is a very good workable number.
The other quotes above are not showing you the original costs of the APs, same number of people and some used miles for their airline tickets.

For a more accurate number you could give us a few details.
1. Ages of children...remember WDW considers our teens to be adults
2. Onsite or offsite resort
3. Price range of resort Value vs Deluxe / Offsite room vs Offsite condo
4. Car or Airplane (you listed gas so we'll assume you're driving from SC)
5. Type of vehicle you're driving (SUV vs economical car) Gas prices
6. Type of eaters...for example the type to skip breakfast or the type to eat 3 full sit down meals per day.
7. For souvenirs it helps to know what type...such as a family member that collects something like pressed pennies vs hatpins. Or maybe you buy clothing or you're buying for family/friends at home

Everyone is so different!

BTW see you're leaving on your first trip in 27 days...already planning your next trip?

 

[LilMamiBella]

For 2 adults and 2 children I'd say $3,000 is a very good workable number.
The other quotes above are not showing you the original costs of the APs, same number of people and some used miles for their airline tickets.

For a more accurate number you could give us a few details.
1. Ages of children...remember WDW considers our teens to be adults
2. Onsite or offsite resort
3. Price range of resort Value vs Deluxe / Offsite room vs Offsite condo
4. Car or Airplane (you listed gas so we'll assume you're driving from SC)
5. Type of vehicle you're driving (SUV vs economical car) Gas prices
6. Type of eaters...for example the type to skip breakfast or the type to eat 3 full sit down meals per day.
7. For souvenirs it helps to know what type...such as a family member that collects something like pressed pennies vs hatpins. Or maybe you buy clothing or you're buying for family/friends at home

Everyone is so different!

BTW see you're leaving on your first trip in 27 days...already planning your next trip?

Well, I have this trip coming up taken care of. lol I've never been to WDW but I have a feeling we're not going to want to leave! So, I'd like to stay for 7 days or so. And hopefully, it only be my dh, 2 kids, and I. I'm staying onsite this time but might not mind staying offsite as long as its not too far away. We drive an Expedition. WDW is 9 and some odd hours away. I'd love to eat at a sitdown restaurant everyday, and would be okay with eating something small or fast food during the day. My kids are 5 and 3 right now..not sure when we'd go. Maybe April of next year so they'd be 6 and 4. I love to shop! lol

 

[Soupermom]

Our first Disney World trip this summer had a budget as follows....I was thrilled! Family includes me, DH, DD10 and DS7..

4 nights at ASMu/5 days ultimate park hopper tickets: $980
airfare from Indy: $520 (we had friends drive us to airport)
Free use of sister's car from airport to Disney
$350 Free Disney dollars (from VISA and Disney package perk)plus $200+ cash from garage sale: used for all meals, lots of suveniors, snacks, etc. Had enough money left over to pay for film developing when we returned.

So, our total for 5 day trip with lots of souveniers, Mickey bars, and even the Ice Cream Social was only $1500 out of pocket. I hope to do it for less in a year or so when we earn free travel vouchers!

 

[Disneyof3]

From what I have read it was our first trip last year. We are a family of 5 but last year our youngest son was 2 1/2 so he basically was free. With the Visa at par in Canada the trip for 3 nights and 4 days including park hoppers and staying at the ASM is was just over 1000 for the 5 of us in CAN money. That is about 750.00 US. I took 200.00 in travellers cheques and 100.00 in cash. Including the trip, gas there and back, meals everyday except breakfast (we ate in the rooms) souveniers, clothes shopping and spending money on just goofy stuff cause this was our first trip and one PS at Chef Mickey's. The GRAND total was about 2000 CAN money which would be about 1500 US.

This Feb we will be way over that because the little guy is no longer FREE.

 

[Rebeccapaige!]

Hi, not sure ours is a "cheap" trip. but it is affordable! We are staying at the port orleans riverside. I got a GREAT code for our room rate, 7 nights including tax and all for $660!! Our parkhoppers are the 10 days ones but half are for a second trip. so figure a 5 day for a week, if you are only going this once don't waste your money on no expiration this will cost you $ 714 for the no thrills basic 5 day ones.
We are flying cuz were in WI too long to drive for me! our flights were $670 for three of us. but sounds like if your only going 9 hours that would be a doable drive! which would save you tons of $$ . We are bringing a $1,000 for food and souveniers. I have 5 restaurants sit down dinners planned, and the luau, luau for us was $100. My little one saves me some money being free. But I was only bringing the $1000 for food and souveniers if dh was able to come either. So that's about $3,000 with flights! Now there were a few costs I didn't plan on being summer clothes and an expensive stroller (i'm taking two little ones by myself needed something that will work) so my trip is costing more like $3500 but I think for all that were getting so much for this, nice sit down meals, the extra 5 days on our hoppers! the moderate hotel etc.!! I'm so excited! good luck! be patient if you want to get a room code! its a thrill when they come out!
Becky, paige and hailey

 

[Rebeccapaige!]

oh one more thing I wouldn't order your youngest their own meal between the three of you , you'll have too much food anway! at the sit down meals, share and save a few $$ there. drinking water will save you tons!
Becky

 

[LilMamiBella]

oh one more thing I wouldn't order your youngest their own meal between the three of you , you'll have too much food anway! at the sit down meals, share and save a few $$ there. drinking water will save you tons!
Becky

Right now, we're paying for the myw plus dining and park hoppers from Feb 2-8 with 3 adults and 2 kids. I'm paying $3,000 and mom is paying $500.
That includes our souvenirs and gas as well.

 

[ebarj1098]

In 2002, I went with a total of 4 adults and 2 children (1 under 3). Here was our cost breakdown:
Gas to drive from WI-$500(RT- and split 4 ways)
hotel down and back-$60(a cheapie and split 4 ways)
Ramada southgate 4 nights-$120(my mom found a SUITE for this $! and split 4 ways)
Park passes, 10 purchased total-$520(we only spent two days in the parks)
Food; snacks/brkfst-$40, dinners/lunch-$400ish(we only ate counter service at WDW once/day)
souveniers-$200

So total price on trip was around $1850, then it was split between the 4 adults. That was pretty cheap! I would never do it that way again either! It wasn't alot of fun!

 

[summersfam4]

Ok, we are 2 adults and 2 children. Last year we went for 10 days and we did it cheap!

Resort (offsite) $790 We didn't pay this much but this is what it would cost if we had not exchanged our timeshare. (we only paid $100 to exchange and about $245 for the extra nights)

Passes: ouch $645

Driving from Georgia: about $200 round trip we have an Explorer

Breakfast: in room same cost as at home (we had a full kitchen)
Lunch: Packed lunch (wraps) everyday variety of ingredients except arrival and leaving day where we had fast food.
Dinner: Sit down outside of Disney, we eat late anyway so we would watch the fireworks/parades and then go have dinner elsewhere for about $45
Snacks: Packed so same cost as home.

Total eating: $450 dinner out (we even ordered pizza in our resort one night)
BK, Lunch, Snacks: I'm not sure as we brought alot in the car and only purchased things we would have bought at home.

Parking: $40 (4 park days)
extra water park: $85

Souviners: Each child: 1 med. stuffed animal $20.00
One other souv. $30 or less/child
Total: $100 (Dh and I don't need souv. the trip is enough also this money was from our Disney change jar so it didn't seem out of pocket)

Digital Camera : for digital slideshow pics
Advantax camera for prints: $$ probably $60 in film developing but we did one roll/week to extend our joy after coming home!

Ice Cream Social: Yummy great for the price! I think it was around $45+tip but it was also a character exp so fun, fun, fun & priceless

Total: around $1970 for us with timeshare
without timeshare: around $2760

We also had rebates, gift cards (to target used for snacks, suntan lotion), small rewards checks, and survey checks so for us it wasn't even as big as it looks!

Good Luck planning yours! Also, I second letting the kids share a meal with parts of DH & your meals supplimenting each of theirs, it gives them variety plus for ours it helps out nutritionally as they always want to order Chicken strips and fries but they also eat some of my salad (insert evil mad scientist laugh here )

Kelly

 

[Alice28]

Both of my most recent trips have been very affordable, but it thanks to the military discounts, which most cannot take advantage of.

For our 10 day Feb/March trip in 2003, we were able to snag $82 each way tickets from Portland, OR to Orlando! With taxes it still ended up under $800 to fly cross country and back for our family of 4.

Used Tiffany Town car with a $10 off coupon for $82 round trip + tip.

Both times we were able to stay at the Contemporary Resort for $66 a night + taxes because Shades of Green was renovating and were putting their guests there for the SoG rate! AWESOME deal!

For our Feb/March trip we bought tickets via Shades of Green- slight discount, but still over $240 per ticket for adults..I think the child one was $190?? Younger child was under 3 so he was free. This was for a 7 day plus 4 option hopper tickets. When I went in October, I was able to get the Military salute tickets for $99 each!!! 5 days of hopping! And we got into SeaWorld for FREE! DH got into WDW for FREE! (as he was military member).

Food is where we spent some serious money..I did bring all breakfast items from home, so we bought milk and had either cereal or breakfast bars every AM. We had one counter service meal per day, which almost always was $25-28 and mostly sit down meals in the evening, although for 3 of those meals we did not pay; our parents were with us and they treated sometimes. (This was the Feb/March trip). When I went in October, it was just my mom and I, (DH went to WDW for free a few weeks later on a business trip) and we had a deal where I bought lunches and she bought dinners. Our biggest splurge on our Feb.March trip was dinner for two at Shula's and that was over $120.

 

[lemondog]

Well, I am nowhere near the planning stage others are at, but my goal is to get my family of 5 to Disney as cheaply as possible!!! Some things working in our favor...

1. We're driving -- 12 hours from our house to Disney, but it's worth it to save airfare on 5 people! (Added bonus: we can drive to most parks, which I hear is quicker than relying on the buses).
2. Two of our group are under 3, so they are FREE! Will have 2 adults and one 4yo to pay for
3. Going in January 2006. Less crowded = less expensive
4. Most likely will stay in the FW Cabins. The full kitchen will allow us to do many meals in the cabin. (Added bonus: with a separate bedroom, it will be much easier to allow the kids to nap)
5. Will book room separately with discount, and buy tix separately. The only downside to this is we'll miss out on the Dining Package, but we most likely won't be doing that many meals out anyway.

My goal is to do this trip for $2000 - $2500.

Angela

 

[tidoublegger]

For our May 2003 trip, we booked RT, nonstop on Delta from Boston, stayed in a Comfort Suites in Lake Buena Vista, rented a intermediate sized car for about $950 total for 2 adults 1 child. We got 4 day park hoppers for about $600 so without food it was $1500.

For our upcoming 2005 trip, we got RT, nonstop on Jet Blue for $768 4 tickets, an intermediate rental car from Dollar for $150, a four bedroom house for $600, and our (4) 4 day Park hoppers for $812 (3 adults 1 child) through AAA. So far that's about $2300 for a week for four. I anticipate around another $1000 in food/expenses.

 

[floridagirrl2]

Cheapest hotel: we did a Priceline bid of $26/night for a 2.5 star hotel and stayed at the Clarion Maingate (another time we Pricelined the same hotel for $31). We were very pleased as we stayed 3 nights for less than $100 including taxes. Clarion Maingate is a clean, safe (but older and rather threadbare) hotel very close to WDW on 192.

HOWEVER...I have to say if I can get an AP rate of $49 for a Value Resort, it's well worth the extra money. Free parking at WDW ($8.00 if you stay offsite!), free transportation, festive resorts, and a reasonably-priced food court--worth every penny!

Relatively cheap "special occasion" deluxe resort hotel: $129/night at the Dolphin during a time when the other Epcot resorts are priced starting in the $200s and $300s!

We drive and have Florida Residents Annual Passes, so we can do pretty inexpensive trips (I consider our Annual Passes as Christmas gifts to each other).

 

[PoohBearLovinMama]

My next trip will be the cheapest yet. I'm going with 4 other friends so we're splitting some of the cost and I have an AP so I won't need tickets.

$115 RT airfare
$50 2 nights at POP
$20 SUV rental
$200 for food and souvies.
$385 total