Planning a Trip in 2019? Let's Share Our Budgets!

[lookame]

We changed packages again. We added the stay play dine package for pop century. So heres the new stuff

Pop standard view, standard dining, 5 day base tickets-4364.16
flights-947.84
memory maker-169
ride share-500
1 day universal tickets-710
spending money-1000
tips-(I think 100-150 we're thinking we'll opt out of mousekeeping so this would be for dining and rideshares)
total without tips-7691

savings
package paid-500 (plus 1440 after previous package refund)
flights paid-947.84
memory maker paid-169
gift cards-135
cash-3389
paypal pending-25
Dis rewards-31.55
change-40.75

total saved/paid-6678.14
total left to be saved-1012.86
Totmorrow my husband will donate plasma and I'll get an additional $40 so we'll be under 1 grand needed to be saved. Overall the package with the dining plan wasn't that much more expensive than what we budgeted before. With the plan we won't have to worry to much about paying for food either.

 

[virge]

Added $225 (52 week savings challenge, Ebates, Ibotta, Achievement, etc.) to my vacation savings account. I now have $2802 in the account. I need $2898 to reach my current goal of $5700.

Added $225 (52 week savings challenge, Ibotta, Walmart Savings Catcher, etc.) to my vacation savings account. I now have $3028 in the account. I need $2672 to reach my current goal of $5700.

 

[neatokimmo]

I am super excited, I booked our apartment in Palermo and Siracusa in Sicily. I have our flights picked out to Rome, and I am just waiting on the dates to appear in the calendar for the return trip before buying them. My estimates are pretty on target, I am at $3900 ish for flights, apartments, ferries, and trains.

 

[Countrywife45]

Just beginning our planning for July 2019, will just be me and the 2 grandsons this time

 

[firefly_ris]

WDW, Feb 2019, Family of 5

Pop, 1 night (husband comes day before the rest of party) - $154
CBR, 7 nights - Originally $1530, applied Magic Room Offer, now $1318
6 Day Tickets for 2 Adults & 3 Children (non hoppers) - $1946.19
Transportation to Airport - Will probably get dropped off by family member - $0
Flights, Southwest - "Free" (Rapid Rewards Points), just tax $44.00

Total So far (without food/souvenirs/etc yet) - $3462.19

Currently saving for food/hotel payoff balance...
eBay - $700
Cash - $300

No dining plan. Currently have 4 ADRs booked, might go down to 2. 1 of the ADRs is a character breakfast. Eat all other breakfasts in room, carry in a few snacks, everything else Quick Service/stuff in parks.

Hoping I can make an additional $500 on eBay by then, plus whatever else I can stash away in cash, or possibly buy some Disney gift cards with Target RedCard. Have to get back into iBotta, I usually don't make much there anymore because I buy mostly store brands and fresh stuff, but I can usually accumulate $20 or $30 bucks and treat myself to Starbucks at the parks with it.

Kids have been doing chores as well as helping dad return bottles and cans, to have extra money for crap... uh, I mean souvenirs. We also typically buy a Christmas ornament for each vacation so we'll get one of those, and I'm sure we will probably get each kid a shirt or some toy. So I guess $100 or so for that. Maybe I'll splurge on a new mug for myself too.

When my parents ask what I want for Christmas, I may ask them for money to purchase Memory Maker.

 

[mich311e]

Update for August!

I added $125 for the month. $50 from Swagbucks, $25 from Receipt Pal, and $50 from Earning Station.

Current gift card balance is $725 out of $1630, 7 months to go!

I cashed out $175 in Disney Gift Cards this month!

$75 from Swagbucks, $35 from Perk, $5 from Fetch, $10 from ShopKick, and $50 from Ibotta.

Current gift card balance is $900 out of $1630, 6 months to go!

And just last week I realized we would be at Disneyland for Easter! We have never been on Easter before!

I also found out that our favorite budget hotel near Disneyland will be closed for a year for remodeling! We usually have at least 1-night hotel free with our Choice Privileges rewards, so that helps with the budget. SO we are looking for another hotel, leaning toward Desert Inn & Suites because it's close, has free breakfast, and is a reasonable price. I need to get my tickets purchased ASAP so I can then start saving some extra toward the hotel total, since it's a little more than what we are used to.

 

[bigeyedfish]

We are planning our first ever WDW trip January 26th - 31st. Staying at Caribbean Beach Resort with Stay, Play, Dine. So far my budget is:

* Airport Parking $83.10 RESERVED!
* (5) RT tickets to MCO - $13.76 after using CC points RESERVED!
* Seat assignments/bags - $210 RESERVED!
* SPD Package - $3852.41 (includes DDP and 5 day base tickets)
* Frozen Dessert Party - $331 (dates haven't opened up yet)
* DAH - $665.65 RESERVED!
* DHS EMM $391? RESERVED!
* HEA After Dessert Party $289? RESERVED!
* Memory Maker Photo Package - $169 (need to reserve)
* Stroller purchase ~$70 - cheaper than renting!
* Festival of the Lion King Tier 1 - $ MADE ADR!

I am so excited! Instead of traditional Christmas gifts this year we are going to give them this trip (and of course Santa will get them a stocking and gift ). They are going to be SO EXCITED on Christmas morning.

The package is completely paid off! Woot!

 

[DisneyDogFan]

Just booked our January 2019 trip, Hurray!!!!!

We are two adults, forty somethings, generally willing to splash out a bit when the occasion calls for it, but pretty frugal on other things.

The budget....

Transportation
-rental car............$309
——down from $313
-plane tickets........$496 (paid)
-airport parking.....$64
-resort parking......$78 (paid)

Hotel & Tickets
- Pop Century 6 nights..$746 ($121 paid)
——down from $878
- 7 day park hoppers....$950 (paid)
- TSL EMM..................$168 (paid)

Food/Miscellaneous
- Food and souvenirs...$1057 ($66 paid)
- Dog boarding............$360

The total: $4231 ($929 paid)
——down from $4367

 

[kandb]

We are planning for Spring 2019, dates still up in the air. Traveling with 5 people (3 adults and 2 kids), 7 nights.

Flights - 5 x $250 = $1250**
Hotel - 7 nights x $700 = $4900
Park Tickets - 5 x 7 day tickets w/ PH = $2400
Food Budget = $1500*
Souvenirs = $500*

Dog Boarding = $400
Airport Parking = $75
Supplies and extras = $50


Total expense - $11075
**Savings from miles - $1250
*Projected Savings from SB - $2300

Total out of pocket - $7525

What hotel are you staying in for $700 per night? Perhaps, you can bring down that amount.

 

[neatokimmo]

I know this is a Disney group, but I wanted to post these numbers for those who think Italy might be out of their price range. This is a three week adventure for three people. DD is an adult everywhere except a train, where she is half off. One b&b, one studio apartment, three regular apartments. All transportation except local buses ($50ish). We are carry on only, all the apartments have washing machines, so we don’t have luggage fees. We will have some entrance fees, but it looks like those will be under $100. Pompeii is our most expensive ticket.


$0 Amtrak to NYC 9,000 points

$864 three flights with layover in Lisbon

$211 Three nights in Lisbon

$0 flight to Rome included in TAP ticket

$122 overnight private berth on Ferry to Sicily

$160 three nights in Palermo

$46 train to Siracusa

$209 four nights Isole di Ortigia

$93 Train to Selerno

$278 three nights Selerno

$52 Train to Rome

$504 Four nights Rome

$705 Flights home

$139 Newark room

$0 Amtrak to home 9,000 points

——-

$3383

 

[kandb]

We are doing a WDW/Eastern Caribbean Disney Cruise
2 adults, 2 kids 12 and 15

Airfare: $1190 (paid)
Cruise: $8700 (975 paid)
Ground transportation: not exactly sure $120?
5 nights at either Animal Kingdom or Beach Club Villas w tickets: estimating 4000
grocery delivery $100
dining: $300
souvenirs: $150
universal 1 day passes: 460

Anything I'm missing?
total of $15,200

Wow, I didn't know Disney cruises were so expensive. Almost $9K. Are you getting the top room on the cruise? I know there are different packages for cruises.

 

[neatokimmo]

Wow, I didn't know Disney cruises were so expensive. Almost $9K. Are you getting the top room on the cruise? I know there are different packages for cruises.

In the summer time they can run pretty high especially a balcony cabin. You can get an inside off season cabin for about half that.

 

[ZoeBell]

4 Adults
1 child under 3

2 Rooms at Pop, room only for 6 Nights $1067x2=$2134 May 15th- May 21th
4 Base Tickets for 5 days from UT- ~$1600
Airfare paid with points on SW. But I got a little nervous thinking everyone and their little brother under 5 would be on the same plane so I booked Early Boarding for all 5 of us R/T. So ~$300

I’m trying to budget for food? Where do you even begin? If I booked a package adding dining would have increased the cost by $2000. That seemed way high. But is it?
Should I be considering booking a package? We plan on doing at least one character meal(hopefully breakfast) and we will probably pick a TS restaurant on each day.

 

[DisneyDogFan]

4 Adults
1 child under 3

2 Rooms at Pop, room only for 6 Nights $1067x2=$2134 May 15th- May 21th
4 Base Tickets for 5 days from UT- ~$1600
Airfare paid with points on SW. But I got a little nervous thinking everyone and their little brother under 5 would be on the same plane so I booked Early Boarding for all 5 of us R/T. So ~$300

I’m trying to budget for food? Where do you even begin? If I booked a package adding dining would have increased the cost by $2000. That seemed way high. But is it?
Should I be considering booking a package? We plan on doing at least one character meal(hopefully breakfast) and we will probably pick a TS restaurant on each day.

For budgeting purposes, we always start with the cost of the standard dining plan. Sometimes I put that amount on gift cards, sometimes we just pay the bill when we get home. We order what we want, snack often, drink lightly, and tip generously and have NEVER actually spent more than the cost of dining plan and often have quite a bit leftover. We also usually go for 1-2 character meals and a table service most days. If you do go with a dining plan (it does work for some people and looking at menus now can help you decide) remember that it does not include gratuities.

 

[cmorrison87]

Planning a trip for Sept/Oct 2019 and doing a couple things to help shave costs: 1.) (hopefully) renting DVC points 2.)ordering groceries and eating 1-2 meals in the hotel room.3.) Starting a few months ago, putting any "extra" cash into a Disney fund & using my Disney Visa for everything (and stockpiling Disney Giftcards)! Would love to hear other budget saving tips!

 

[Yarbogash]

2 adults, 2 kids. Traveling with my parents. 13 nights. Coming from Vancouver.

Airfare from Canada all on points. Fees = about $600.

4 nights Rosen Shingle Creek including breakfast. = $125 total, mistake rate that they have honoured.

7 nights Sheraton Vistana Resort 2 br = gift from my folks who have more timeshares than they know what to do with. Bless em both. I paid the fees, about $400.

2 nights Courtyard Cocoa Beach = Marriott points.

4 water park annual passes and 2 day park passes (or 5 day) = next trip should be inside 12 months and we love the water parks so passes make sense. Am saving air miles points and depending on how that goes may get 5 day passes on points. Or if cash just 2 day. 2 day most likely (Epcot and AK are our favourites) so $1450.

Rental car = currently $680 for a van. Hopefully will get better rate.

Food = Will buy groceries at SVR. Reserved Tusker House, O’Hana’s, Rose and Crown. Likely $1400.

So about $4500.

 

[torinsmom]

Our budget is definitely on the low side compared to many here. It is me, hubby and 16 yo stepdaughter right now, possibly adding my 24 year old son if the dates work.

Going: March 24-31(Yes, I know it’s spring break, but it’s that or summer and I don’t want to melt)
Lodging: 5 bed/4 br house in Indian Creek for 7 nights $1360(we’ve stayed here before and love this pool home)
Disney 7 day Park hoppers- $480x3= $1440
4 day Universal Park to park tickets- $279x3= $837
Gas to/from Orlando and around town—$150.00
Groceries for house—$120
Food in parks—$250
Merchandise- $0(kids have their own money)

Total: $4157

I think I’ve overestimated food in parks, as we drink free ice water and tend to eat meals at the house(take a break around lunch, eat lunch, relax and eat dinner before returning). Plus $250 of the house is a refundable security deposit we will get back.

 

[Disney2019]

Planned a trip in March for our family. Plan to stay at Port Orleans and Pop Century. Payed for the fining plan as well. Didn’t budget very well this time

 

[Kowwie]

Hi! First time poster here!

I am planning my first trip on my own for February.

It took me several years on a basically minimum wage job but I would buy a $25 Disney gift card every paycheck. I saved up about $1000 in gift cards and then went ahead and booked.

I had a yard sale. Sold books and DVDs. Painted things for money.

We're also staying off season at All Star Music to try and save money, and instead of eating in the parks constantly-- we're having groceries delivered to our room from Publix!

 

[NKHarris329]

What hotel are you staying in for $700 per night? Perhaps, you can bring down that amount.

Definitely will reduce that cost but for savings purposes until we have firm plans in place I wanted the "go big" number.