Whats cheaper than Disney?

[Dznefreek]

Whats cheaper than Disney?

Everything. $179.00 per night during the holidays at a value resort is not a value . . . . . . .Yes there are people who say no one is forcing you to go and if it is too much then don't go but those are people who cannot come up with a rational argument as to why WDW should be so expensive . . .

 

[Mkebound]

Belize, Costa Rica and much of Europe can all be visited in style for less money than Disney

 

[jesswindsor]

I think it just depends on your destination, how long you are planning to stay, and what kind of entertainment that you have in mind. I do feel that Disney is worth the money, I like having Food, Hotel, and entertainment all in one place, and I like the fact that you can pay for it over time.

 

[DeaverTex]

Every time I read a thread like this, I begin to wonder why I'm here at all. For at least 30 years, I've believed that Disney -- WDW or DLR -- was too expensive for ordinary people. I'm trying hard to change my point of view, and it doesn't help seeing others on these boards feeding my inner Scrooge.

 

[jenrose66]

My family and I have gone on many cruises, rented cabins in Gatlinburg, rented a house boat on Lake Mead, house in Key West, MANY resort stays through out the islands,,,

I have to say I DON'T LIKE THEME parks but my son has talked me into Disney next summer. I grew up in Tampa and lived there until 18 months ago. Still don't like theme parks.

Long story short. This is going to be one of the cheapest vacations we have ever taken. LOL Yes I am paying rack rate also and no way am I going to lose money with the dining plan.

I don't get all the complaining about the price.

Please tell me a cheaper vacation. I would love to know.

I don't think there is a cheaper vacation. Disney gets expensive the larger your family gets....but so does everywhere else. Me and DH looked into renting a cabin on Lake George for a week and it was way more expensive than a room at a value resort and park tickets. Plus, besides the beach, there is no recreation, that and food would all be extra.

I think Disney is a very good value for the money. It's still a little out of reach for DH and I to take a whole family vacation. We are hoping next fall for DD's 2nd birthday we can take a trip together. For now my mom and I go every year (the majority of the cost her treat ) and I bring one child a long. This time younger DS is going on his first trip, as his older brother has already been twice.

 

[StitchSpawn]

My rent...and I rent a house. Slightly off topic, but I had to throw it in. I also think Disney can be reasonably priced if you know how to find discounts.

 

[MommytoaSweetie]

I find it difficult to find a true destination vacation thats comparable pricewise,for our family of 4-2 adults/2 children under 10. A week in Atlantis, Beach Turks/caicos , any Carribean all-inclusive or a week in Hawaii all trump the price of the total Disney package for our family. What I like about Disney is I know how much everything is going to cost me before I leave, flights booked, stay onsite so no need for a rental vehicle, we use the dining plan so the only extra is some spending $ for some odds/ends.

This is pretty much how we feel...

We haven't yet found a great vacation that's priced similarly where after ALL the costs, it would be cheaper than Disney - we live on the East Coast. Air isn't pricey for us to MCO and we can drive to save a little more. While there are other options like a week at the beach, it's hard to guesstimate how much food and any recreation will cost, and by my guesses it ends up being similar or more... and I'm not certain if I'd like a whole week at the beach. For us, Disney is pretty much all-inclusive (with a dining plan), and once we're there, there's pretty much nothing to think about, just have fun! We love it!

That said, we're trying to figure out a different idea so I'm loving all the ideas in this thread - we're thinking for 2012, we might try something else while Fantasyland is still finishing. But we do now have a Jan/Feb trip booked that we can cancel if we find something else. I'm loving all the ideas on here!! Our best find we discovered was a cruise (we could go out of Baltimore) on Carnival, but with them, our kids might not be big enough for their water slide, and on Royal Caribbean the ship out of Baltimore doesn't look very exciting for kids. So any ideas are appreciated!!

 

[LibrarianBecky]

This is pretty much how we feel...

That said, we're trying to figure out a different idea so I'm loving all the ideas in this thread - we're thinking for 2012, we might try something else while Fantasyland is still finishing. But we do now have a Jan/Feb trip booked that we can cancel if we find something else. I'm loving all the ideas on here!! Our best find we discovered was a cruise (we could go out of Baltimore) on Carnival, but with them, our kids might not be big enough for their water slide, and on Royal Caribbean the ship out of Baltimore doesn't look very exciting for kids. So any ideas are appreciated!!

I've done several cruises out of different places, the last one a 5 day out of Charleston when my son was 3, almost 4 years old. He LOVED "the big boat" and still asks (two years later!) when we can go back. He could not do the water slides, but had a great time at the splash pade area (sprayers, buckets that dump water, etc). He thought the kids club on the ship was great and actually begged us to take him there. I've cruised on RC, Carnival, and Celebrity. I think that the splash parks they are adding on Carnival ships are way fun for little ones. RC is a nice all around cruise line (but I haven't gone on it with kids), and Celebrity is great, but I think it would too boring for little ones.

If you want to hear from more cruisers, the DIS message board equivelant for crusing (IMO) is http://www.cruisecritic.com.

 

[rachel09985]

Disney may be more expensive than some vacations but for me it is about convenience. I don't have a credit card so I literally could not not go any other vacations unless by saving money months in advance. Disney is nice because i can book for $200 and then pay monthly installments, which is how Disney is affordable for me. I also don't have to worry about money when I get there besides tips which is great as well!

 

[raidermatt]

Please tell me a cheaper vacation. I would love to know.

Visting relatives. Though I'm sure for some that's not really a vacation.

National parks, like Yosemite, Yellowstone and The Grand Canyon.

Hawaii. Beaches are free, no park tickets. (Though you certainly CAN spend more, depending on where you stay, where you eat, what you do, etc., but that applies at WDW also.)

Lot's of places really.

Where the best VALUE is all depends on the individual.

 

[photo_chick]

Cheap or expensive is all a matter of point of view.

For a week long vacation Disney is actually pretty comparable in price to other vacations we've taken. It's not cheap to me, but it's not outrageously expensive. Now compared to the camping vacations that some of my family members take, Disney is high dollar. And it's well out of reach price wise for many people.

 

[MommytoaSweetie]

I've done several cruises out of different places, the last one a 5 day out of Charleston when my son was 3, almost 4 years old. He LOVED "the big boat" and still asks (two years later!) when we can go back. He could not do the water slides, but had a great time at the splash pade area (sprayers, buckets that dump water, etc). He thought the kids club on the ship was great and actually begged us to take him there. I've cruised on RC, Carnival, and Celebrity. I think that the splash parks they are adding on Carnival ships are way fun for little ones. RC is a nice all around cruise line (but I haven't gone on it with kids), and Celebrity is great, but I think it would too boring for little ones.

If you want to hear from more cruisers, the DIS message board equivelant for crusing (IMO) is http://www.cruisecritic.com.

Thanks for that great review! It does make me want to try a cruise. And cruise critic is actually where I discovered the height requirement for the slide - 42 inches, which my oldest could hit, but the younger one wouldn't be able to yet and I think would be jealous that she couldn't. But maybe I need to look into the splash area more... if it's fun enough, that may take over the jealousy issue. The Camp Carnival idea sounds AWESOME... the only alone time we get at Disney is when our kids go to bed (and they go to bed early there, so it's nice, but they're still with us).

 

[fizbobunny]

For us WDW is a pricier vacation. Every year we go to the beach in Alabama or Florida, which is just a short drive away. We share a condo with another family and cook our own meals. The only outing we do is ride go carts one day, which cost about $30 for that day. The rest is beach and pool.

We have been on vacations more expensive than Disney. A few years ago my FIL took us all to Beaver Creek, CO. Even without the airfare that was pricey. The food was expensive, the condo which had a ski lift right out the back door was pricey, ski equipment rental and classes are expensive, but for us that was a once in a lifetime vacation and not something we could afford for ourselves.

I agree with PPs that it is all a matter of perspective.

 

[brightvalleyjrts]

Disney may be more expensive than some vacations but for me it is about convenience. I don't have a credit card so I literally could not not go any other vacations unless by saving money months in advance. Disney is nice because i can book for $200 and then pay monthly installments, which is how Disney is affordable for me. I also don't have to worry about money when I get there besides tips which is great as well!

I could have written this. This is how we feel too. I love being able to put down a deposit and then pay it off a little at a time. It really helps us out since we live off of one income (I stay home with the kids). People think we are crazy for going to disney every year, but it is really pretty affordable for us.

 

[jpeppers]

If I went to the Washington coast for a week during the summer it would cost me about the same as a week in Disneyworld with airfare, if I went to the great Wolf Lodge it would be way more and If I went to Lake Chelan it would be more so I do think it is cheaper for me to spend a week in Disneyworld than my other options. When I go to Disney I have money saving options like air miles, buying tix to be used during multiple trips, priceline, etc...

 

[bcrook]

I think the tourist trap towns are around the same price. Not really cheaper but in the same price range.

I would pick Disney over a tourist trap town any day and I don't like theme parks. I am more of a sit on the beach with a frozen drink kind of guy. Maybe rent a boat and do some skiing or better yet jet skies.

This trip to Disney is next June for 7 nights at the CSR with park hoppers and water park tickets. I am going OOP with the food because I cant see the dining plan saving a thing and I don't want to force feed myself deserts I don't eat. I am also driving and even with gas I cant see this costing more than $4,500.

I do need to add my daughter was married this year and this is our first year with out her and all her spending. LOL SO maybe that is where I am seeing a big savings..

Another big difference in your cost is that you are trading a Cabin or Houseboat for a hotel room at CSR. My kids are older now, and I just can't stand listening to them fight over sleeping arrangements. So I get the larger rooms (Well I bought DVC). But if you were to get a Treehouse Villa or a 2 Bedroom Unit at Animal Kingdom Lodge (comparable to a cabin in Gatlinburg or Houseboat or Beach house), you would be spending $6300 or more for your 7 nights just for lodging.

 

[tina.tina]

Cheaper than 1 week at Disney (which was approx. $3500 with driving, hotel, dining, & only minimal souvenir purchases):

1 week in Myrtle Beach: $2500

1 week in Washington DC: $2200

1 week in Gatlinburg: $2400 (with a two bedroom, two bath house close to everything and season passes to Dollywood)

We usually do 5 nights in Myrtle Beach @ $1700 and the week at Disney was twice as much as that.

If you're saying that a payment plan is what makes Disney more affordable for you, get a savings account and put vacation money in that account each month- same thing (except less money)!

 

[smalltowngirl504]

I have a Jamaica trip coming this June, I booked an all inclusive resort for 2500 dollars, for5 nights, thats all my food and tips.. All I will need is air fare... and spending cash.... my last disney trip cost me wayyy more than that... but I am still going back I also went to the outer banks a week ago and it was cheaper than disney.... And its WAYYY more than "just a theme park" but if you go into with that attitude , thats exactly what you'll get out of it!!

 

[disneyfantotheend]

Disney is the most expensive place we ever travel. However, it is the only place we fly to, so right there is a big extra chunk of change. I have priced cruises, definitely cheaper. We have gone to Williamsburg, cheaper, but not as much fun for me. My kids prefer Williamsburg. Other than that we really don't go on big vacations, so all our other vacations are WAY cheaper, but you can't compare a small getaway to a trip to Disney.

I do not complain about the price, but I also don't claim it to be cheap.

 

[TIME2DISNEY]

It still comes down to what's best for your family.
I can still book a deluxe hotel with free dining at Disney cheaper than the Atlantis Bahamas resort (awesome, I must say), or a all-inclusive. Also those places are, to be honest, all about drinking and gambling 24/7! Hey, nothing wrong with that, but is this really what I want to do in front of my teenagers? I think not.
Disney, good clean family fun!