When does Disney become too expensive?

[Stefjp]

I think cost is definitely subjective - you do what you can with your budget.

I'm 29 now and haven't been to WDW since I was a child so am thrilled to be going in April 2013. I have wanted to go back for years however we bought our house afew years back so the cost of 'grown up things' like the mortgage plus uncertainty over my partners job held us back.

We decided to bite the bullet and book our trip earlier this year. We went without a holiday in 2011 and have also sadly gone without this year which is why I am so excited! My first holiday for two years and we're going to Disney!!

We shopped around a little, comparing onsite/offsite options, tickets, DDP/No DDP, package holiday or separate flight/accommodation bookings etc.

In the end we realised that this will probably be the only time we will go 'just the two of us' - Next time we go we might have kids so on this occasion we want to soak up as much as possible with as little hassle as possible. As such we booked a package deal - 14 nights onsite for two adults plus all our tickets (Disney/Seaworld/universal etc) for a little under £3.5k. I didn't think that was too bad? My mum said she paid not a lot less back in 97 for two adults and a child.

Luckily we both get paid while we are away so don't have too worry too much about saving our spending money- we have also (when asked) requested dollars as Xmas gifts. I guess we'll just budget as we go - do you think $150 a day for two adults will be enough? We're not planning on buying a lot souvenir wise.....

 

[Laurafoster]

I count myself very lucky that we were able to buy into DVC several years ago when the exchange rate was $2 to £1. This has definitely been the reason why we are able to afford to go back each year. If we work out the cost of the 8 holidays we have had with DVC and the points we have sold our initial investment has now paid for itself. So now our annual dues of around $1100 pay for 17nights at SSR for us.

We usually buy annual passes and try to get 2 trips out of the, to save money. So we'll go late September one year, then early September the following year. This has worked out great but our DD starts school next year so things will change there.

The biggest cost for us is most definitely the flights. DD is now 2 so we have 3seats to pay for and currently they are £650pp full fare for our dates with VA. we have never paid more than £500pp by using miles plus money, reward flights and sales. I'm hoping for similar this year. Several years ago we had direct flights for well under £400pp. For us at the moment the cost is worth the small sacrifices we make at home but if prices keep going up and we have to go in school holidays this may well change.

 

[bex7583]

Delta - 1 stop each way (3 hour connections each way) - £417 plus cash back @ 1% so just over £412 each. In the school holidays. Good times too - leave the UK in the morning, arrive in Orlando at 6pm. On the way home, leave at 1pm and back in the UK around 11am the following day.

where did u book the flights to get cashback ?thanks

 

[bex7583]

I hate even thinking about how much this holiday is costing us...

I don't have the breakdown as we've booked as a package but here goes...

For me, my partner and our three nieces (15, 12 and 9):

- Disney 14 for 7 Ultimate Tickets
- Manchester - Orlando Flights, Economy
- Yacht Club Water View Room, 11 Nights
- Disney Dining Plan x 12 days

= a grand total of £7,900.

Plus:

- Villa off site, 6 nights, £450.00.
- Car hire, 18 days, approx. £400.00.
- Insurance, £50.00.
- ESTA's, £36.00.
- Discovery Cove, approx. £750.00 ($229 each).
- Wet 'n' Wild, approx. £150.00 ($45ish each).

Plus (and by this time, I'm pretty much in tears):

- Spending money, about $300 per child (ours is going on the credit card!)
- Money for food and eating out the week we're in the villa, approx. £500.00.

I'm not even going to add it up! I'm too afraid of the total

... Basically, we knew it was going to be expensive. However, as we're starting to save for grown up things (mortgage etc) next year, we wanted one big last holiday... and it was hard to say no to things once we got going!

Hollie x

who did u book the yacht club part with / i got the exact same quote but for 14 nights with car and insurance from thomas cook?? maybe i should have booked that now must have been a good deal !! oh dear we are also 5

 

[joolz1910]

We are 2 adults and 3 children aged 12, 8 and 5. Our trip cost £5750 for va flights from Manchester, 1 bed accommodation at OKW, 14 day ultimates and ddp. Our dates were 29th oct to 12th nov. I think that this represents excellent value for money as we are essentially 'all inclusive' with the ddp.

Having said that, we have had to save for 3 years to afford this and I also used an ISA of over £3000. I would not get into debt for a holiday but I was happy to forgo home improvements and small luxuries to be able to afford the trip. Next year we will be back to a caravan holiday paid for with Tesco Clubcard points.

But who knows...a return trip in 2015 might be on the cards!

 

[queendisney]

The cost of our holidays to Disney have certainly gone up. There is absolutely no way I would ever pay Virgin Holidays prices or any other package holiday price again as you can do it so much cheaper DIY. Having said that I will not go indirect to reduce the flight cost as think thats a total waste of time and I am knackered enough after a direct flight. So generally go VA or BA to MCO. We have nothing booked for the coming yearYET, but will be searching very frequently for flight offers and hope that they fall in to the free dining dates. We don't have children so can basically go whenever we want but tend to go for November time. Unfortunately we only want to stay on site and this has certainly gone up (well that free dining cost has to be found from somewhere!!). So our hols are just going up and up. We are willing to not do so much during the rest of the year (rarely go out) just so we can save and luckily do not drink or smoke. We would never go into the red for it. We may not be able to go next year and I am so dreading that but will make nearly all sacrifices going to make it happen.

 

[Gonz Of Lancashire]

I've never stayed on-site at WDW, the cost of accommodation is way overpriced, you can get superior rooms for a lot less money on I Drive South or Lake Buena Vista which are just as convenient (if not more convenient) to the parks as some on-site hotels. Traveling in low season saves money on flights and hotels and the parks much more crowd friendly. Money is also saved on park tickets if you only buy for the days you need. In January, Attraction Tickets were offering 14 days for Universal Studios for £99, which is a bargain, but we only intended to go for two days so it was cheaper to buy a two day pass direct from Universal for around £60 each, money saved was around £80 for the four tickets we needed. Same applied to WDW tickets, we only wanted five days and it was cheaper buy direct than pay for bonus days Attraction Tickets were offering which we were never going to use. We took out a travel friendly Credit Card with Halifax (no exchange fees and a great rate) and more money was saved for spending on restaurants. A bit of careful thought as to just what you want to do means a trip to Florida isn't as costly as you first think.

 

[higgy66]

This years trip

2Ad & 2CH aged 10 & 8 therefore 1 classed as an adult for park tickets etc

14 night Beach Club
DDP 14 nights
14 Day Ultimate Disney tickets
2 park 14 day Universal tickets
MNNSHP Tickets
1 night at the SAS Raddison with 15 days parking
$300 gift card

Total cost £7300.00

Next year's trip is the same but staying at OKW without Universal and a $200 gift card and is £1400 cheaper so £5900

We've made the most of going every year while the girls are at primary school but may have to miss 2014 as my eldest starts high school. I have already discovered the school allows up to 10 days authorised leave but as we usually go in October tagged onto half term I'm not sure how I could book it in advance and then only ask permission 6 weeks before we go


We could probably save ££'s staying in a villa but at the moment we're enjoying stopping on site and might consider a villa when the girls take an interest in other thing such as shopping etc

 

[Gonz Of Lancashire]

The cost of our holidays to Disney have certainly gone up. There is absolutely no way I would ever pay Virgin Holidays prices or any other package holiday price again as you can do it so much cheaper DIY. Having said that I will not go indirect to reduce the flight cost as think thats a total waste of time and I am knackered enough after a direct flight. So generally go VA or BA to MCO. We have nothing booked for the coming yearYET, but will be searching very frequently for flight offers and hope that they fall in to the free dining dates. We don't have children so can basically go whenever we want but tend to go for November time. Unfortunately we only want to stay on site and this has certainly gone up (well that free dining cost has to be found from somewhere!!). So our hols are just going up and up. We are willing to not do so much during the rest of the year (rarely go out) just so we can save and luckily do not drink or smoke. We would never go into the red for it. We may not be able to go next year and I am so dreading that but will make nearly all sacrifices going to make it happen.

In low season Virgin Holidays are generally cheaper than DIY holidays, we have just booked a cruise and stay through them and although at first they were more expensive than the DIY option, I was forearmed with hotel, flight and cruise costs when I called and they did call back later with a better price than I could muster independently. You're right about indirect flights though, I couldn't be bothered with the flight changes and the chance of connections being missed, and traveling in winter I feel the chance of getting snow bound in New York or Chicago isn't worth the risk.

 

[Kath2003]

where did u book the flights to get cashback ?thanks

Expedia but have never before found them the cheapest. Just happened to this year. It's only £4/flght though, nothing to get excited about.

 

[stkf]

I simply cannot find any flight prices under £600 for next summer. Going from Scotland seems to just ramp the price right up.

 

[Portugal1000]

Next July will be our 10th trip since 2005. We are very lucky. We now go for 3 weeks in summer school holidays but also love December. We have stayed at SSR 3 times but can't justify the cost anymore as even though only 3 of us a one bedroom not big enough and a 2 bedroom is just crazy when it comes to the cost. So we now stay at Wyndham Bonnet Creek in the summer where as previously we had only stayed there in winter. Next year will be our 5th stay there and I really believe it's the best offsite option. The resort is fantastic. 5 pools, 2 lazy rivers. The rooms go from 1 to 4 bedrooms and we opt for a 2 bedroom which works out £90 a night ( bargain) they sleep up to 8 in a 2 bed so a great deal if more of you.
Our flights for next year were £420 each on Delta on 22nd July till 13th August. Cheapest we have ever paid.
Car is a 4x4 and I booked using Hertz 30% off deal = £370 again cheaper than last year.
So far £3610. Last year just for flight same hotel and car we paid £5090 so looking good.
We will buy 21 day Disney tickets £810. Maybe Universal tickets £297 and one night in a Universal hotel which is about £180. Just to get the fast pass access. We always take $200 a day (£2800) but always come home with money. This pays for everything and we rarely use credit cards. My husband saves up all the spending money from the housekeeping money I give him each month. (he is a house husband and simply brilliant at budgeting, unlike me) So grand total
£7697
Scary when you write it down but it is the most fantastic holiday. I know we are lucky but I work really hard and and fortunate that my overtime pays for our holidays. I would never go in to debt for a holiday.

 

[stkf]

That is a great price for the Delta flights. Where did you get them so cheap?

 

[Portugal1000]

Last month there were loads of flights on lots of airlines for around £420. There was a big thread on here. I booked through Orbitz. I found out about them on here. would never have found them otherwise.

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

For me its not a case of how expensive, as long as it does not become ridiculous, but more about priority.

We last went in 2008, me, the wife, daughter and boyfriend. It cost me around 8K, and I thought then the next visit would be when I am 50, but my daughter is getting married, and going to POFQ for her honeymoon. I now want to go to WDW in 2014, and stay at the Contemporary with me and the wife, as we love the monorail etc, as her honeymoon has brought it all back about just how great being there was and is.

This is expensive, but I don't really mind that, I am good saving once I put my mind to it, but my problem is this, at home we need so many new things, like saucepans, a new carpet, decking fixing, clothes, new kitchen ! and yet I find it hard to buy those things cause I think its just delaying me going to WDW and the Contemporary, but then I think of the cost of the holiday and I could get all those things and not just keep making do.

I won't go on holiday in the UK anymore, as to me that's just wasted money that could be spent going to WDW, I really think that its not worth the cost, I would rather go without and go on a real holiday than waste cash on something that may be okay.

That's my dilemma, but I once read on here that life is not about carpets and saucepans but doing the things you really want, and when you look back those are thing you remember...

 

[Azza1987]

I definitly think its expensive, but I think its because I'm taking my boyfriend for his 30th Birthday as a surprise present. So its certainly going to cost alot paying for both me and him, however we don't have kids and he does only turn 30 once!

I've only paid deposits so far but this is mine;
2 Adults April 27th - May 12th 2013

Flying MAN - EWR (Newark) 27th, EWR - MCO 1st , MCO - MAN 12th - £1073 (Currently with United, they were at £987.50 so I'm waiting for them to go back down, if they don't I'll just book at that price but only 3/4 seats have been sold so I'm hoping they'll dip down a bit I might wait until Jan/Feb in the hope they start trying to sell them off!)

9 nights studio SSR (1st - 9th)
3 nights Disney Dream Bahama's Cruise Cat 5E Deck 8. (9th - 12th)
14 day ultimate ticket
DDP
ME
Port transfers
Came in at £2616.50

Plus Im taking $1000 for New York, and $2000 for Disney. (Approx £1900 currently)

So everything comes in about £5500 with spends which for two of us I think is expensive but as a first visit to USA and we will only do it once, it really is worth it.

We haven't yet had a holiday just us two, So it will be nice to get a 15 day break together

 

[Rach78]

Portugal1000 can I ask how you got Bonnet Creek for £90 per night for a two bed? I have tried pricing it and the cheapest I get for next October is £144 per night for a one bed.
Thanks

 

[Portugal1000]

Hi. You need to book through an owner. I use www.vactionupgrades.com which I highly recommend. There is a thread dedicated to Bonnet Creek on the Orlando hotels page. They have lots of owners recommended such as Vacation Strategy. The thread is really long but loads of great info. I honestly don't envisage staying anywhere else now.

 

[disneyfanlincoln]

Thanks everyone for making me feel a bit better. I've just paid the balance for my WDW holiday inJanuary. 12 nights POFQ plus tickets plus dining for 2 adults 1child. I wasn't sure I could really justify the cost but you've got to live for now I guess. I think the costs have really increased over the last few years. We used to be able to get a week on I drive for £1500 total including 4/5 days tickets and spending money. Now that would just about cover the flights. For the last few years we've booked a package with virgin but this time it actually turned out cheaper with WDW direct, need to stay on site due to DD age but this trip might be the last for a while......

 

[Kath2003]

Thanks everyone for making me feel a bit better. I've just paid the balance for my WDW holiday inJanuary. 12 nights POFQ plus tickets plus dining for 2 adults 1child. I wasn't sure I could really justify the cost but you've got to live for now I guess. I think the costs have really increased over the last few years. We used to be able to get a week on I drive for £1500 total including 4/5 days tickets and spending money. Now that would just about cover the flights. For the last few years we've booked a package with virgin but this time it actually turned out cheaper with WDW direct, need to stay on site due to DD age but this trip might be the last for a while......

We got 10 days all inclusive (even down to the petrol to/from the airport!) for £2000 for 2 adults this year...in the school holidays
(But, we don't do Disney, we prefer Universal...)