Whats cheaper than Disney?

[rawley2]

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.

 

[Brian Noble]

Having also been to Gatlinburg, I suspect you grossly over-paid for your cabin. We spend a good chunk less there than we do at WDW, even after a horseback ride, annual passes to Dollywood/Splash Country, a couple rounds of mini golf, and a couple visits to MagiQuest.

We've also spent less in the Wisconsin Dells and Williamsburg. Williamsburg was a particularly good deal; the "bounce pass" covers a week at the Busch theme park and water park, plus the Colonial area, all for about $100.

Granted, there are also vacations that have cost more. But still.

 

[rawley2]

I only go to Dolly Wood one day and spent another day in the park. Your forgetting all the go-cart rides, bungy jumping, all the over priced Ripley attractions and dinner shows. I was over $6,000 for a week.

I will check out the other place you mentioned.

 

[Brian Noble]

Six large? You either have quite a few more people in your travel party than I do, or you really did overpay for that cabin!

That said, for the value you get, WDW can be pretty affordable. It's particularly affordable if you avoid paying Disney's lodging prices or can make do with a Value-category resort.

 

[jecskc]

We always go to Gatlinburg for Thanksgiving and just this year we decided to do Disney and found it to be cheaper. Soooo excited about that trip !!

 

[aurorae]

Hawaii is cheaper for us.

Lodging is cheaper (Condo on the Big Island versus Disney Hotel), free snorkling and site seeing versus theme park tickets, food is probably about the same cost, flight cost is about the same for us from the West Coast.

 

[carebee21]

I think you're going to see A LOT of variation on the question. A lot of it has to do with where you live and what travel deals you get & what you do where you travel to.

For us, we can do Hawaii for cheaper than we can do Disney World. But we usually priceline the hotel or stay with my mom in the military hotel, whereas Disney we stay onsite. Also in Hawaii, we've been so many times that we really don't do any of the tours, just spend our time relaxing on the beach. The airfare for us to go to Hawaii is about the same for us as flying to Florida.

Within driving distance of us, we can do San Diego for cheaper than Disney World. Without including the airfare savings, the cost is still much cheaper. The hotel we prefer is cheaper than a moderate Disney resort, the food is cheaper and the price of Sea World and the Zoo is comparable to Disney World tickets (or cheaper when they run specials/coupons)

 

[bcrook]

I would say a week in Maine (Freeport, Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park) is more affordable. Williamsburg and the Black Hill S.D. were much cheaper. I spent a week 10 days in Gatlinburg and Greenville S.C. this summer and spent much less. If you get the City Passes available in the major cities you can do a lot vacation on a reasonable rate: Chicago and Los Angeles both offer great deals.

Traverse City Michigan area is awesome, so is Minneapolis in the Summer - both much cheaper. Boulder and Rocky Mountain National Park in Estes Park are among our favorite trips and we don't spend near as much.

When I go to Hilton Head/Savannah - I spend considerably less than WDW.

Disney is the most expensive vacation I take, but I like it. I just wouldn't call it economical.

 

[Dizneydaz]

I figure that we actually get a pretty good deal when we go to WDW. If you add up everything. That's why when someone asks me why I don't go somewhere else, like say Hawaii (and this is from someone who takes all their vacations in HI) I say I hate to spend the same, or more money, to go someplace else besides WDW. Airfare alone to HI from CA is pricey. I can fly to WDW for about $250-$350 RT, most of the time. And when my room is around $90-$100 a night and includes free meals for 3 people (up to four) I consider that a great deal as well.

In fact, my DSis's inlaws were going to go to HI for a week (again) and it was going to cost them about $5-6,000 for everything. She showed them that they could go to WDW for less than 1/2 that, for everything, inc. a rental car. They decided to go to WDW (in fact they will be there at the same time we are, at the same resort.)

 

[flicx]

Disney isn't cheap for me, I think it has to do with income level.I will say this I can go to vegas and see a show and stay for 3 nights alot cheaper than I can go to disney for.If you like gambling and can control yourself you can get super deals there.I mean when your room is comped and you get airfare for 147.00 round trip from PA you can't beat that deal.Now when you add in the variety of reasonable food in vegas cost wise it isn't even close! I love disney but cost wise I can go many many other places for less!

 

[laceemouse]

I think the OP has a point. People see the total price for Disney and think it is a ton of money. But with hotel, tickets, and dining you really have everything you need outside of getting there and getting home. When we go to Gatlinburg or Branson we go to the theme park, and Ripley's, and the wax museum, and mini golf, etc. etc. So you have lodging to pay for, and then meals, and then you pay for each and every thing you do every day. I think it adds up to more than people realize.

We spend a ton at Williamsburg, we don't just walk around the historic district, we buy tickets to the special presentations like music and dancing exhibitions, etc. We spend a lot of money on that stuff.

I still think Disney is more expensive for most people than other vacations, but not as much as people think.

 

[rawley2]

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..

 

[rawley2]

Disney isn't cheap for me, I think it has to do with income level.I will say this I can go to vegas and see a show and stay for 3 nights alot cheaper than I can go to disney for.If you like gambling and can control yourself you can get super deals there.I mean when your room is comped and you get airfare for 147.00 round trip from PA you can't beat that deal.Now when you add in the variety of reasonable food in vegas cost wise it isn't even close! I love disney but cost wise I can go many many other places for less!

Our last trip to Vegas was close to $10,000 for just my wife and I. We only lost $400 gambling. We did fly first class and stay at the Wynn but it was a special trip for just us. I would NEVER take my kids to Vegas. Shows there cost WAY more and I think food there was pretty high priced. This was the year of the meltdown right before the real estate market crashed. So prices may be better now.

 

[flicx]

Our last trip to Vegas was close to $10,000 for just my wife and I. We only lost $400 gambling. We did fly first class and stay at the Winn but it was a special trip for just us. I would NEVER take my kids to Vegas. Shows there cost WAY more and I think food there was pretty high priced. This was the year of the meltdown right before the real estate market crashed. So prices may be better now.

Well I just got back and we lost a similar amount gambling.Now the room was comped at luxor.The food was way cheaper, had a buffet at freemont for 8.00 each and it was fantastic!The counter service food in vegas is half as much as disney too.My son is 22 now so vegas is alright for him too,so it is kinda different for us.I also got airfare for about the same cost as it would be to go to orlando so no difference there.I couldn't begin to go to disney for the same price.

 

[mkel34]

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.

 

[KorieDWnut]

People think I am nuts too, but we go to to WDW for just about every vacation too because it is affordable for us and we feel we get a lot for our money. Now, its all subjective and all that I guess. I know people who wouldn't dream of "doing" Disney without staying at a Deluxe. I know people who are big drinkers, and spend a lot on alcohal at Disney. I know some people are huge eaters, and food is a big part of their budget.

I have a cousin who never spends a dime less than 10 grand every time he goes to WDW and then complains that it is soooo expensive. But that is because he HAS to stay at a deluxe. Nothing else will do for him, nothing else is even an option.

We stay at a moderate and my kids are very very light eaters, so we share a lot of cs meals, even on the DDP so we can really stretch the CS credits out to cover 2 meals a day.
We never leave WDW property, so no need for a rental car, no need to spend money at other attractions in Orlando, etc.

Its just all in how you do it but for us it is worth it to go to WDW instead of anywhere else right now.

 

[Tiger926]

It really depends where you live and when you can travel. I'm a teacher, so peak season for me for all vacations, which greatly adds to cost.

Hawaii is over $1,000/pp just for airfare, so that's out of the question.

Cruises out of Florida aren't too bad, with driving to Florida, we are either cheaper than Disney or about the same price, for a 7 day, and less for a 4 day cruise. Our 7 day Western Caribbean on Disney Fantasy for the 4 of us in an oceanview suite is $4875.

Las Vegas was way cheap - 5 nights at Monte Carlo with air and transfers was like $400/pp.

Chicago, New York and Toronoto, really add up due to hotel, eating out, parking and activities.

We are DVC, so when you count our buy in, plus dues, and all associated costs (transportation, Annual Passes and food), our 2 week summer trips are between $3800-$5300, depending upon dining. We have decided to cut out all in-park dining and just cook in our villa, so we are looking at $3800 for 2 weeks in a DVC 1 bedroom villa. That's great!

Tiger

 

[KellyNY]

It all depends. I can do islands with all inclusive option for much less or cruise right from NY, so I am saving on a flight, or any major city and saving on tickets, too many otpions. It is all about where you live, when you travel and what are your needs. In case with Disney, you spend a lot on tickets alone, food would be same like any other destination, hotel can be as cheap or as expensive as you wish, again true for any other vacation.

 

[Twinklee]

Disney is always our most expensive vacation. We have rented a condo at the beach in NC, hotel several times in Myrtle Beach, rented a house on the gulf of Florida, and cabins in Gatlinburg.

When we go to the beach, I now search online for the cheapest beach....and have always ended up renting nice places. We rent from the same company every time we go to Gatlinburg....always a different cabin, but not that expensive. The only way to go cheaper at WDW is to stay off property, but we never do that. We like staying a Disney resort better, although we usually stay at one of the value resorts.

The only vacation we have ever gone on that was more expensive than Disney was our trip to California last spring. Of course we spent two days at Disneyland during that trip. lol

 

[eliza61]

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 went to Paris this May. Stay in a true 4 star hotel (not these overpriced deluxes that are not really deluxes). for $700 bucks less than Beach club. Got rt airfare for 789 bucks and ate for less than bucks a night per personand had fabulous dinners.

So my 6 day trip to paris ran me $2700 bucks. My trip to disney now is well over 3000K. Now I'm comparing apples to apples. Yes I could have gone cheaper and stayed at a value but thats' not how I travel.

There are tons of places that are a lot cheaper than disney. Don't even get me started on Vegas.

Oh and by the way, I just had lunch at Via Napoli. $100 bucks for 2 pizza. ouch. granted they were great but come on, you're telling me this is cheap?