What was the cost of your trip to WDW

[minnieandmickey]

I did a budget for a trip in 2003 and it is almost $10,000! This includes everything(tickets,car rental,hotel,air,food,spending money, extra trips(titanic,and mini golf). What do your trips usually cost? Please note that I am going on what I think prices will be, no discounts. Any advice?

 

[CapHook]

Although I am king of the cheapscapes we did not have to fly so that saves a lot of money right there but. ... for six nights and five days in the parks for my family of 5 (one infant included) was $2000.

That was food, park hopper tickets, the trip over from Houston. You obviously dont have my kind of budget. You should have a really good trip.

 

[supercarrie]

In April, for 4 people (2 adults, 1 teen, 1 child) we did a 3 night Disney Wonder cruise w/ private veranda. ($2700) We also had Monday-Thursday morning before the cruise at WDW, as well as from 10:00 until 4:00 or so on the Sunday after our cruise. We stayed at the Swan (only $69 a night - Starwood employee discount from my wonderful aunt!) Total for EVERYTHING, including airfare, cruise, hotel for 3 nights, 5 day park hoppers, food, shopping, etc, was ~$6000.

In January, we are currently budgeting about $3500 for 7 nights. This will most likely be more, but we got airfare from San Diego - Orlando for $123.75 each including taxes, and are using the buy one night, get one night free deal from the HIFS for our hotel. So it will be a much cheaper trip than normal.

My advice for you is to use travelocity.com to book your airfare. We have found that from CA to Orlando or Tampa they consistently come up with the best airfares. Of course you won't have to book it for awhile though. Also, keep looking for discounts - you will most likely find some sort of discount for any type of year you go - so budget based on rack rate, and then expect it to be lowered.

Also, for $10,000 - how long are you staying, and where are you staying at the price? If you are staying for a long time, or with lots of people at a really expensive resort, that seems reasonable, but $10,000 seems like a lot of $$$!

 

[tink2dw]

Yes,watch here for cheap airfare,hotel discounts,go in a Value season and expect to pay alot for food. Others manage to do it cheaper,especailly if they live closer than the west coast where airfares are more than $200. each

Mar.23 - April 7,2001- Peak Season
$$way more than I wanted to pay due to the season,but only time High School Teen had to go
$$more because we paid to bring Married Dd and new Gdd to WDW for 5 days,too
$$because everything cost more than expected,even McDonalds!Pizza Hut delivered to hotel room$65.00 so,it cost
$7000.

But before you give up,since then Deep Discounts are to be had[paid $104. for All Stars now its $49.]

You need to read read read here, ask ask ask questions here,search search search the internet till you think you can write a WDW guide book, Then start booking your trip.

3 good places to start are [click these links to get to the info]
Ticket info
http://www.wdwig.com/ticket.htm
Disney Resort Discounts
http://www.mousesavers.com/disneyresorts.html
Non Disney resort Discounts
http://www.mousesavers.com/nondisney.html
To check out Disney Calander of times for shows and parades
http://www.themeparks.com/wdw/calendar/sep2001.htm

A must is to read a Couple of Guide Books Everyone has their favorite but most concur that the
Passporter is the one to have!!here is the website that goes with the Passporter
http://www.passporter.com/

Tickets should be your number one concern as they will go up at end of this year and next.
Annual pass- good for 1 year from the day of first use-also good for AP Discounts
Park Hoppers- good untill used up
Ultimate Park Hopper Ticket-Exclusively for Disney Resort hotel guests, these tickets do it all and are good for the length of your stay. and are the most expensive and only good for the time of your stay

Good Luck on Making Your Trip the Least Expensive YET- the prize YOUR wallet won't be whining long after you are home!!

 

[minnieandmickey]

Well we are planning on staying at POR for 10 nights (husband won't stay anywhere else) for that I am budgeting $1500(hoping for a discount though, and may try to convince him for Pop but waiting for the reviews on this)

For air I am budgeting $2000 (hoping for air specials,but want to be safe)

For food $2000 (this is $200 a day)

For car $300 (husband refuses to use WDW tranportation, and I am thinking that this is a bit high)

For AP's $1500 (all four of us will be considered adults DS will be 14 and DD will be 10)

Spending $2600 this includes all extras Titanic,Kennedy,DQ,MVMCP,and souveniers(which will include xmas gifts for family while we are there)

We do have DC,AAA,and AP's (by then) so I know that we should get some sort of discount on some things but who knows how much by then. I guess better safe then sorry. We will be skipping a vacation,christmas ,and saving whatever tax rebates we get for the next 2 years (which my kids have been informed and is very much willing to forgo for WDW) next year, and it will be our xmas present in 2003.( I guess I'm making excuses for the cost sorry)Oh and we are planning for Dec 13-23 which should be off season. I have learned that much

I know that these boards have great advice so I'll take what I can get. Thanks!:

 

[tink2dw]

For 3 of us, our teen counted as an Adult,We budgeted $100. per day some days it was more some days less so it evened out!!

 

[Barbruka]

We were just there last week. For 8 nights, we spent about $5,500.00. And that's not including all the clothes and misc. we bought before the trip. So, total, I'd say we spent $6000. But, we stayed in deluxes. And had four $92 round trip from Milwaukee to Orlando.

 

[J. Thornhill]

We've been particularly pleased with costs for our trip next week. Our airfare was more than reasonable at $117.00 RT (Delta), POFQ was secured at an AP rate of $89 per night (5 nights), and MNSSHP Tickets were $25.00 per person. We've also budgeted our usual $100 per person, per day for food and extras.

This may end up being our LEAST expensive trip so far. Admittedly, there is something satisfying about using the experience you've gained to save money at WDW. I cringe when I consider all the money that we wasted on package deals those first couple of years. I also remember how nervous I was the first time I called CRO trying to get a deal!

 

[DisTwix]

Minnie &.....

You should get a considerable discount on hotel by having an Annual Pass and it being off season (at least you'll be arriving off season). The trick with the season rates, is whatever day you check in's rate, is the rate you pay. So, while you are starting off, you'll be moving to on-season as the holiday closes in... but at any rate.... you should definitely get a better rate than $150 a night (paid less than that for Dixie in March (PRIME season))

As far as my budget? I am CHEAP.... went in Mar 2000 for 10 nights. Stayed six nights in a shared room at Dixie, and solo'd 4 nights at All Star Movies. Bought the 7 day park hopper and airfare for myself, and food....souveniers.... all in all, around $2500.

In Nov 2000, stayed in a trailer (our own) in Fort Wilderness for 4 nights - my cut of the lot rent and tickets (will I ever learn to get an ANNUAL pass???) food, and fun was about $500. (No airfare)

Goin' on Friday the 12th (WAH HOO) and after airfare ($141) and an ANNUAL Pass, $49 (shared) a night at Movies, parking (at my stinking airport), and possible shared Renta car, I am figuring about $800. I'll let ya know how that budget turns out.

 

[Kallison]

We just did a trip for a family of 5, oldest is 11 so he gets adult park hopper. We stayed at the Contemporary and used a Happy Limo, had frequent flyers and the cost was $2500 for 5 nights and 4 days in the parks. This included everything, souveneirs, food (one sit-down meal per day), dog kennel, airport parking, etc.

 

[curlyjbs]

Our family of 5 spent:

hotel: 9 nights $1,080 HIFS
air: $ 605 (priceline)
rental car: $ 163 National EA fullsize (got a convertible!)
gas $ 20
parking $ 24 (took the bus once)
food/drinks $ 600 (free breakfast and dinner at hotel)
souvies: $ 100
5 day php $ 970 (2 adult, 3 children)

grand total: $3362 ( if I added right?)

curly

 

[Mish]

We are leaving in a few weeks, For me, DH, DD (17) and DS almost 3 here is what we spent. Hotel staying at POR, and length of stay pases: $2183.00. Rent a car from National $172.50 thanks to these boards and Air fare was $172.00 x4 for a total of $3043.50 for 9 days. I am also taking $200 a day spending money. Michelle

 

[Jane E.]

We spent about $2200 for our 9 day trip. We used Priceline for 5 nites, a timeshare deal for 2 nites, and one night at AKL. We had ps's for three Disney park restaurants, ps's for two Disney resort restaurants, we ate breakfast in our room almost everyday, & we carried water bottles into the parks which we refilled at the fountains - & only bought drinks with our meals. Our teens disliked eating at restaurants and in the evening would ask us to get them fast food and dh and I would eat alone. Mostly for dinner we ate offsite. A few times we all ate fast food - usually subs or pizza. Dh and I also took the "Keys to the Kingdom" tour while our teens hit MK. We had no airline expenses. Dh and I bought no souvineers and our teens saved up their own money for what they wanted.

 

[Disney-Kim]

We just went in Sept 8-16.......2 adults, no kids

air - Phoenix to MCO $220 pp = $440

hotel - Carribean Beach w/ A/P rate $336 for 3 nights in waterview w/ tax
Beach Club w/ A/P rate $1068 for 5 nights in waterview w/tax
so total = $1404 for 8 nights

tickets - had annual passes from last year.....saved $600.....

trans to airport - Tiffany Town car $75 r/t w/ $20 tips total = $95

Mears to IOA - $12 each = $24

IOA for 1 day - $52 each = $104 plus about $30 food

spending money for food and souveniers about $700 (roughly)

so total $2797 for an awesome trip....we did what we wanted and ate where we wanted...

 

[SandraC]

Our April 2001 trip cost about $7000.00 CDN (that's about $4500.00 USF)
That's for a family of 4: me and hubby and 7 year old dd and ds was 15 months old, so he was FREE!

We flew from Toronto to Orlando, went to the beach for a couple days and then seven nights at CBR, which I ended up paying rack rate (did not know about codes). We rented a beautiful Ford Explorer, ate several character meals and lovely dinners, bought just about everything we wanted and enjoyed the trip enormously. I saved for three years for the trip and told my family to SPEND IT!

I thought that would be the TRIP OF A LIFETIME! BUT! We had so much fun that we hope to return annually. I have already saved enough for the next trip. We are scaling down a little with the car and the character meals (only planning on three char meals next trip), we'll only get a standard car next time too. We'll try and get a better rate using codes or staying at the ALL STARS. We like getting the tickets that let us come and go as we please. We loved visiting MK four times during last trip! My next budget is around $3000.00 USF, and that's still giving us a good chunk of spending money.

 

[disneefamily]

Disnee Dad Says..................................................... Our first trip for three from the west coast for seven days, just under $3000. Second trip for ten days, just under $3600. Next trip in November for ten days has an absolute limit of $3999.99. Four days at AKL is shooting the budget, but I'm lucky DW puts up with me, so its four days at a deluxe, with a savannah view!
If you can push the trip back a week to Dec.6-Dec16 for two reasons. First the entire trip will be off season and the parks will not get crowded during your entire stay. I'm changing some of your numbers, because a budget is used so you can try to "hit your numbers", not set them so high that you really have no budget.
Port Orleans ten nights $1100. You should be able to get an AP rate no higher than this, including tax. Airfare $1300. We have made three trips to the east coast and have never paid more than $310 per ticket. I should make this lower but don't you to work too hard! The car at $300 is probably close, if that includes, tolls and gas and your snacks at the airport.
Food. $1250. I must warn you here, do not eat thre meals a day at the parks or resorts or you will not fit on the plane home. Try to eat breakfast in the room, it doesn't save much, but does save time. WE can do our entire breakfast in 15 minutes, quicker than some take to even get to breakfast. On a ten day trip we may plan three sit down dinners and three sit down lunches centered around the parks or resorts. Too much is over kill. We always budget $80 per day, which means $50 one day and $110 the next, no one day limits. We have never gone over. I'm giving you $125 because you haven't developed your commando habits yet! AP $1500. Right. Spending $1300.Keep gifts separate, thats not travel. Total $6750, easily made. Take the money you just "saved" and plan a budget trip for your next one, it's already paid for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[loribell]

Our trip this summer was July 3rd thru July 13th. My DH, DS (9), DD (2-free), and myself stayed at CS for 8 nights then moved to CR garden view for 3 nights. Since this trip did not include my 2 older children, DS (16) couldn't go because of football and DD (17) had just graduated from high school and said it wouldn't be any fun, we splurged. We had 3 character breakfasts and 5 character dinners including Mickey's Backyard BBQ. Airfare from OKC to Orlando was $250 each times 4. Ate all our snacks and meals at the resort or parks. Bought park hopper tickets for 3. Didn't get a rental car, were going to but didn't realize Hertz won't take a check card and we don't use credit cards. Was a little woried about this at first but it turned out great. No worries about parking or waiting in long traffic lines to get out of the parks, just sit back and let somebody else do the driving and it is so much quicker then parking and going thru the TTC before you actually get to MK when you get dropped off right out front of the parks. All together we spent approximately $6000 but like I said we had 2 fewer kids so we just did what we wanted when we wanted and didn't worry about it. Had the best trip we have ever had and spent no where close to $10,000. I think you will be pleasantly surprised and will have a terrific time.

 

[minnieandmickey]

Thank You so much everyone I knew I was over budgeting, a very special thanks to you Disnee Dad for your budget, you live not to far from us (we are in Stockton), and it was nice to have a person to compare to that lived close to home. I haven't shown this to my husband yet but I'm sure he will love it. And who knows maybe I will be able to convince him to go the following year, or maybe take the savings and go on a Disney Cruise!

 

[jfulcer]

Here's my budget for December 1- December 9 trip:

$560 for airfare, roundtrip, non stop from Milwaukee. This was an awesome rate.
$195 National Emerald Aisle rental, hoping to get a van or SUV from the 'aisle
$550 park tickets for DW and I for 6 day hoppers. We already have a 7 day hopper for DD.
$0 for 9 nights at Old Key West - DVC.
$500 for food - bringing snacks, etc with us.
$100 MVMCP Tickets.

All and all for our 8 day stay we're spending $1900. I think it's a great deal, and the DVC certainly helps. For those of you spending so much money on onsite lodging while down there you should look into it. Yes, we're still 'paying' for it - monthly payments, but it's just like getting super deluxe accomodations for moderate prices.

 

[Poohbear123]

I guess I am LUCKY to live in the STATE of WDW! At the MOST I have spent is: 1,800.00! That was when my DD and DS went with me and we had 3 day Park hoppers! (long time ago!), anyway, now that I go ALONE, I save Mega-bucks! My trip for Nov.(in 22 days) will be a whopping $450.00 This includes Hotel(49.00 AStSports 3 nights) spending money(food/Souvies), and Amtrak there and back(46.00 RT 30%off Special). I have Seasonal Pass that I have to renew next year, so it doesn't count! I guess if the Kids went along, you could double/triple it! Next year will be a Little more: 4 nights CBR(337.00 discount), 350.00(Food/Souvies) 150.00(Seasonal Pass extended I hope)65.00 (amtrak) total:902.00-920.00 give or take a few $$! Whoppee! The best thing to do is go DURING OFF SEASON SO YOU GET GREAT RATES!