What is the cheapest you've done?

[Tarzan]

Unfortunately for me the airfare takes up most of my budget. We fly from the UK and as a family of 5 (2Ad 2Ch and 1Inf) that costs $1900!! The cost of the actual vacation was not too bad.
9nights at ASMo $498
AP for me $404
Park hoppers $800
Cash $1700 this included airport transfers, meals and far too many souvenirs
Total $3402 ($5302 incl. flights)

We plan to return again this year but do not feel the need to fill almost 2 extra suitcases with souvenirs this time! Our vacation this year will cost just
Hotel 14 nights $700
Tickets $740
Cash $1220
Total $2660 ($4560 incl. flights) and it's for 14nights this time

 

[aec]

upcoming - 6 days /5 nights 2 adults and DD(10) DD(7)

Jan 20 - 25, 2005

Airfare - $368 (ndependence air from ulles to MCO
airport parking - $54
Hotel - $520 (shades of green)
rental car - 117 (full size national emerald reserve, priceless code, ent coupon0
Park tickets ~ 870 (6 day MYW 3 adults, 1 ch, with hopping through shades of green)

total 1947 (not including food costs)

 

[trisha62]

In 7 days...
230.rt air 2 adults
84.00 rental car taxes included
117.00 EmbassySuites Grand Beach 1 bedroom condo for 4 nights
=431.00 for 2 adults for 4/5days

 

[powellrj]

the very cheapest we have ever gone was several years ago when we did a marriott timeshare. We paid $159 for 4 days 3 nights plus 2 universal tickets and $50 cash for a weekday check-in. We drove down and spent 1 night each way in a cheapie motel and 1 night in a cheapie I -Drive motel. We had breakfast in our rooms, took snacks with us and had lunch at the parks and dinner off-site. The whole trip was around $1,000.

 

[gothmommie]

By no means a budget trip but we were pretty happy with our costs for our 2003 trip - 2 adults, 1 child age 4, for 8 days/7 nights:

$ 58.00 Airport Parking
$ 189.00 1 plane ticket (other 2 using air miles)
$ 1,416.98 Hotel, parktickets,meal vouchers*
$ 14.35 Gas and tolls for rental car
$ 166.66 8 day car rental
$ 53.00 groceries, phone card, beer, tips
$ 89.00 souveniers
$ 1,986.99 TOTAL

* Hotel charges for 7 nights at an Old Key West studio, 2 Adult 7 day Park Hoppers, 1 Child 7 day Park Hopper (2 days and all 4 pluses were unused, thank goodness they don't expire!), 18 Quick and Casual vouchers, 7 Adult Breakfast vouchers, 7 Child Breakfast vouchers, 2 Adult Premium Lunch Vouchers and 1 Child Premium Lunch Voucher. Obviously most of our savings came from this line.

We bought the package through Ebay (DVC member) and just lucked out I guess.

I do think that vouchers, used wisely, were an awesome deal. I hear that with MYW they won't be offered any more????

 

[turboshelbys]

You should definately pick up;
"the unofficial guide to walt disney world"

this book is great for newbi's and experienced vets. i have been to wdw over 200 times, yes that right, 200(wifes use to be a manager @ MGM studios) and i found this book very useful.

also visit:

www.mousesavers.com

excellant site for codes and updates

 

[CajunDixie]

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

Remember when you stay off-site to figure in parking costs. While you're on this trip tuck all your receipts into an envelope to help you budget the next trip. For example you go to a sitdown restaurant...your receipt will give you a good estimate of your typical meal costs. Or look here at the DIS at the menus for prices at restaurants you don't try this trip. At least in my family I can look at a menu for any given restaurant and pretty much guess what each of us will order. For fuel costs simply do the same thing...keep all gas receipts from this trip and add a bit for staying offsite. As for the shopping, again this trip will give you ideas on prices and you can take your overall shopping amount and divide by the number of days you are there. And don't forget the Belz Outlet since you'll have your own vehicle!
If you're driving this trip check out the Orlando Resort board for some great ideas of off-site resorts then take a couple hours this trip to check 1-2 of them out for your next trip.

 

[LilMamiBella]

Remember when you stay off-site to figure in parking costs. While you're on this trip tuck all your receipts into an envelope to help you budget the next trip. For example you go to a sitdown restaurant...your receipt will give you a good estimate of your typical meal costs. Or look here at the DIS at the menus for prices at restaurants you don't try this trip. At least in my family I can look at a menu for any given restaurant and pretty much guess what each of us will order. For fuel costs simply do the same thing...keep all gas receipts from this trip and add a bit for staying offsite. As for the shopping, again this trip will give you ideas on prices and you can take your overall shopping amount and divide by the number of days you are there. And don't forget the Belz Outlet since you'll have your own vehicle!
If you're driving this trip check out the Orlando Resort board for some great ideas of off-site resorts then take a couple hours this trip to check 1-2 of them out for your next trip.

Great ideas..will do!

 

[ScottOKW2K]

Our cheapest trip was a few weeks ago, when my wife and I went down for the marathon ( she did the half .) Here's the breakdown :

Didn't do the parks : $0
Company van, company gas : $0
BCV studio, 2 nights on points : $0
Food ( 2x beaches & cream, 1x Boma, and during the drive) :$160

Watching Illuminations from the BC/BW bridge : priceless

 

[Mishetta]

No matter how tight I cut corners, we never seem to be able to do a Disney trip for under $2500. But that's what each trip has cost us since 2000 & we do Disney at Christmas & Easter.

We drive from MI ~ stop for the night in Atlanta ($100 for Sheraton Suites)
food
gas
souvenirs
Value resort
2 character meals, some food court meals, some offsite meals, etc...
equals $2500 for 2 adults & 2 children.

Oh & I can't believe Summersfam4 spends $200 from Georgia to FL! We drive a van from MI & it cost us $200 R.T. Hmmm....we have an Explorer too but maybe we'll just continue taking the van FL if it makes that much diff in gas $$$!

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

I have worked so hard already to try and make this a great trip, but a relatively inexpensive trip(in Disney terms, that is ).

Condo: Two skyauction deals, 2 bedroom condos, two weeks= $530
Food: $415
Parking: $80
Spending Money: $200
Gas from NY: $330
Annual Passes for the 5 of us: $1978 (but we want to take three trips with these, so the adjusted price would be $659)
Tickets for Candlelight Proc.:$100
__________________________________________

Total: $3633 .............adjusted total...$2314

I don't think this is too bad considering we are staying 14 nights and traveling for two days.

 

[matdamom]

For our January 2005 Trip:

Airfare $540.80 (4 RT tickets)
Rental Car $145.00 (approx - mid-size Dollar - 2 drivers)
Lodging $0.00 (thanks to my mom's Sunterra Membership - 2BR)
Parking $32.00
Tickets $770.00 (approx - 2 ad/2ch 4day Park Hoppers)
Food $500.00 (approx. including 2 character meals)
Souveniers $225.00 (guestimate)


Total Cost was about $1,726.80 - and next time we want to go even cheaper. And my father gave us the food money, so we really we only spent about $1,200 out-of-pocket.