The cost of disney

[E.Jane]

Am I the only one who stops and shakes a head at the total expected cost of a trip to WDW? Since our first trip in '97, I reckon our cost will have doubled by the time our third trip comes along (hopefully, Dec/03). MInd you, I am planning on upgrading the hotel from moderate to deluxe. But still, when I think of all I could do around the house for that kind of $$$....

Am I nuts to try and "justify" the cost?!

 

[Frogdad]

I find the overall cost of a Disney trip extremely high. It is going to take us two years to save up enough to go and stay at the AS. Disney needs to put together packages and resorts that can be purchased by the masses. Of course, Disney would prefer to build deluxe resorts with empty rooms, which they sell for half price and still out of my price range, then build an affordable resort for families. I understand your concern. We looked at a honeymoon package ten years ago and it was under $800 for the everything except food. A similar package today runs about $1600. That's 100% inflation. Oh well, I just needed to blow off some steam.

 

[bev r.]

I would agree with you, some times I shake my head too at the cost.

In 2000 we spent $5000 on our trip. Factor in that we used aeroplan points for 5 tickets, and the accommodations we got offsite for $400 US for 2 weeks. 50% of our total expenses was park passes for WDW, Seaworld and the Kennedy Space Center.

This November, we are going on the Disney cruise, again we are using aeroplan points for the flights. I expect that at the end our costs will be around $10K for the 5 of us. After this, I think it will be a while before we go back to WDW.

 

[SandraC]

I hear you, our 2001 and 2002 trips combined cost 15K.

BUT! When I looked at other destinations, they are $$$$ too. We looked at flying to either BC or PEI this summer and it was cheaper to fly to Orlando! The accomodations on WDW property was also a better price than ANY decent room I was looking at in PEI or BC. The cost of renting a car was cheaper in Orlando too. The food is about the same. The only BIG BIG BIG expense was the WDW tickets. We like 7DHP so that's a good chunk of $$$$$.

A couple week ago, we were on vacation. I wanted a cheap vacation, but one that was a long drive, to see if I had 'car kids' so we might consider driving to WDW one day. We have Paramount Canada's Wonderland passes so we picked Cincinnati to visit Paramount King's Island amuesment park. About 8.5-9 hours in a car (I do have CAR KIDS!), Great priced hotel, free excellent breakky with an indoor pool, 4 miles to Paramount King's Island. We did 3 nights ($49 USF), only one meal a day (took a cooler filled with yummies), free admission of King's Island, and cheap gas in the states. The while trip cost $500.00 for 4 people.

I am budgeting the next trip to WDW. It's $$$$$$ but, it's so worth it! S

 

[E.Jane]

We live in Winnipeg. The cost of airfair kills us as there are no direct flights anymore. It seems the trip is broken down into four parts - air, hotel, tickets and food, and they are all approximately the same amount! I've researched and researched to death on the air fair - there's just no getting around it.

Either fortunately, or unfortunately, our family's favorite vacation is WDW. Now that the kids are getting older, it's important to me to have one or two really good "last flings" with them before they refuse to have anything to do with us anymore! I suppose I can justify the cost with that thinking, right?!

 

[DSNY FN]

We average probably 5K per trip canadian. Mind you I have no reason to worry about it after all it is going to something we love to do and after all it is just money. This is one of the resons we purchased our DVC membership it cost us 14K Canadian but now we don't have the expense of a hotel room every year or 2 when we go down and we get to stay in the deluxe resorts. In the long run it will be very much worth the 14K we spent especially when half your cost is your room at WDW so you figure 2500 a year compared to 14K for 42 years my math tells me I am way ahead of the game. Let me fix that and clarify it a bit we pay 14K and the DVC membership lasts for 42 years nit 14K for 42 years sorry.
Darren

 

[PoohBWV]

Since we have been 10 times in my childrens lifetimes, I have had this internal debate often. I often think of how far that money would go towards University educations for them etc., but....I still feel that the benefits of family closeness we derived not to mention the stress reduction for myself and my DH from our busy lives was worth it.

 

[SandraC]

You do know that we folks on these DIS boards have found not only the secret of life, but also the fountain of youth ~ and it is in Florida after all! I would never let myself get into debt over a WDW vacation, but I think they have a huge value in our lives. I have a lovely friend with a dd who is my dd's age. We all met in kindergarten when the dd's were in the same class. The girls have been together in the same class ever since! I beleive our families are in the same boat financially. We live in the same type house, drive the same type cars, dh's have similar jobs, my friend and I work PT only. The only big difference is I have ds, they have dd only. Since we meet, we all talked about WDW trips. We've been three times since kindergarten, they've never been. They saved the same amt of $$$$ for a WDW trip, but at the last minute, they re-did there townhouse. It looks great, but it looked great before too. We are still in the same financiall situation, but we've been to WDW 3x's and they have a new sofa. In 50 years, I won't remember my sofa, but I'll treasure my memories of monorail rides, Mickey Mouse, Main Street USA etc.,.

 

[DSNY FN]

That is so true Sandra. I always smile when I run into people who I have told all about WDW and they tell me WOW we went to Disney after talking to you about it and man it was everything you said and more. I just love that we even ran into some people I talked to while we were down there in 99. I had no idea they were going until I saw them there and they were just glowing with rave reviews of everything I love knowing I had a small part in getting them there. Now if Disney could offset my costs in some way for doing this that would be great hehehe.

 

[lfw]

I had planned on spending between $5-6K for our trip, money that could be better spent elsewhere if I was inclined to be practical, which I'm not! I have been waiting for 30 years to go to Disney, and for about 5 years we have been planning on "Disney 2003", but even then it was a kind of hopeful, someday, maybe kinda thing. It really kicked into high gear in January when I stumbled onto a DreamsUnlimited link while looking on the disney site. When I saw how inexpensive a no frills hotel was, I asked to other families to join us for Feb/2003 and I've been obsessed ever since. We are generally a fly by the seat of our pants kind of family, and I have not researched anything as hard in my life as I am researching this. Thanks to you fine folks, and all your advice, I found out about mousesavers, and reserved a great price with a code for a rental car. I am now planning on building my own trip instead of choosing a package from GoTravel Direct. There new winter prices were just announced this week,$3200 Cdn for airfare for 4, accomodations at Sierra Suites, and car rental. Air fare alone from Ottawa is $2200, so I've talked DH into driving to Syracuse (about 2-3 hrs away) to save $700 in airfare, and that is before any seat sales come up! By my calculations, this package is charging about $71.43 (US) per night for accomodations. I suspect hotelkingdom will beat that when Sierra Suites sets their winter prices, and if not, I plan to talk the others into the Oak Plantation for $54.90 per night, which after the exchange will save us another $200 for the week. My budget now is about $4900, and I'm sure between now and Feb I'll save even more. This started out as a "once in a lifetime trip", but now I know it's something we can afford to do every couple of years if we want to, by using Priceline, planning ahead for meals, and watching for seat sales. I appreciate all the help you folks have given me, I ask a lot of questions because it is our first trip, but I strongly suspect it won't be our last!

 

[damo]

The secret to our cheap Orlando vacations are the $99 annual passes at Universal Studios. My teens don't want to do disney any more and it has saved us a fortune.

 

[DSNY FN]

Well lfw if you are looking at 71.43 US a night why not check out mousesavers and try and get some codes we payed only 69 dollars a night at All Stars and then you are on property and honestly to experiance Dsney rght there is no other place to stay than with Dsney. Check it out www.mousesavers.com you will be suprised at the deals they have listed.
Darren

 

[lfw]

Frankly, DSNY FN, I just don't get the appeal of staying onsite, I don't think I would do it even for the $49 U.S that is sometimes offered! From the research I've done you just get your basic 2 double beds in a room, and the value resorts are still a 15 min bus ride away from the parks ( by the time it makes all it's stops).Add to that the fact that unless you want to pack everything but the kitchen sink you pretty much have to eat 3 meals onsite everyday and be held hostage by those prices. I have NO intention of paying $71.43 per night; if hotelkingdom's price is not significantly less for the same hotel than the amount per diem with the package, I will be staying elsewhere. My personal choice is the Oak Plantation, which gives me a full kitchen, private bedroom, and 3 pools (including interactive kiddie pool). For me it's all about value and getting more " bang for my buck". If the cheaper, bigger, better accomodation offsite means I can budget for a character meal or souvenier that I couldn't afford otherwise, I'd rather spend my money that way than by being cramped in a tiny room and having to eat expensive counter meals 3 times a day.

 

[DSNY FN]

Well we have never stayed off site except in 78 when we were at my grandparents in West Palm Beach. So I have never stayed in anything but Disney resorts and we now belong to the DVC which is saving us alot of money in the long run even if it did cost 14000 dollars Canadian we go enough that it will have paid for itself in about 7 years. All I can say is this congradulations onyour trip to Disney no matter where you stay you will love the place.

 

[SandraC]

WOW~ waiting 30 years for WDW! Even at $6000 price tag on your vacation, that's only 55 cents a day over 30 years! I think dreaming of Disney each day for 30 years is worth 55 cents don't you? I'll bet there are thousands of people who spent way more than 55 cents a day for lottery tickets and never win. I think $6000 is a bargain for 30 years of dreams!

S

 

[rcomputer]

Well Disney is never cheap but we maximise our $$ by:

1/
Fly from the US - we drive from Toronto to Buffalo. Our lowest round-trip fare was late September 2001 at C$110 each including tax. We leave tomorrow at C$182 inclusive. Airfares can change hourly - I check multiple sites again and again every day.

2/
Always fly the same airline. We always fly Continental or partner Northwest. Every four or five trips gives enough frequent flier miles for a free trip - for free trips we fly from Toronto as it is the same number of miles as Buffalo. We use the free trip for a more expensive ticket such as Disneyland or March Break.

3/
The Annual Pass - a large expense once a year but then so much is "free". By Labour Day we will have spent 45 nights in Orlando in the last 12 months - less than U$10/day.

4/
Due to insufficient vacation days we have to make use of weekends and long weekends to supplement our addiction. This does however allow us to experience "magic" that we would otherwise miss such as Flower & Garden, Food & Wine, Halloween, etc. Weekends are also carry-on only to minimise airport time. Fly in late on the Friday night - leave late on the Monday.

5/
Cheap hotels. If all else fails there is always the Comfort Inn Palm Parkway at U$33. I often book it as soon as the air tickets are confirmed in case we cannot get a deal elsewhere. Other options can include Priceline, Marriott deals (our "normal" hotel outside WDW), AP rates. Keep checking - if the price goes down cancel and rebook.

6/
Cheap car rental - no prizes for being loyal here. We usually use National as they have been cheapest for some time with the Disney Club discount and a free day. A compact is cheapest so that is what we take. The Emerald Choice program allows us to just get in a car and drive off - less than an hour from touchdown to the Adventurer's Club even with the toll-free route. This next visit is AVIS as they were U$30 cheaper and that is one night's hotel! If all else fails try Priceline for silly money - it might be accepted. Keep checking - the price can go down. If so cancel and rebook.

7/
Eat offsite - we frequent Goodings at the Crossroads but also the three local Publix. A supermarket supplemented by a buffet at about 2pm can be very filling for U$20/day. Akershus and Trails End are cheap buffets. AP lunch discounts Monday to Friday also help. Leaves more money for Boma or Macaroni Grill later in the week

Hope some of this is helpful to others - certainly keep repricing everything. You will not be notified if the price of something is less than your reservation! Just rebook it and cancel your original (in that order of course) - never book anything non-cancelable except ridiculous priceline deals

 

[lfw]

SandraC, I've been waiting for Disney since my best friend went when I was 7, that's why it's been 30 years! I wish I had realized how many childless couples go, I would have gone years ago, Instead we waited until the kids came along, and then decided that ages 6 & 8 were the best times for the first trip, so our DS will be big enough for most of the rides, most of them seem to have a 40" height restriction. From what I see our 5-6k budget seems to be about the norm, maybe even a little less but I have to admit that by nature I am a barganin hunter so if I can do the same trip for less by doing a little planning,I am all for it! I do the same thing when I shop for rates on loans, car repairs, etc and it has become something of a hobby of mine.

 

[DSNY FN]

Hey lfw not sure if you saw it but courtyard by Marriott is having room rate specials 25 dollars a night @ DTD just thought I would let you know. Check it out they may be offering it for the time you are there and heck that is on Disney property at a huge savings. I am sure you saw the special but just a heads up anyhow.

 

[SandraC]

rcomputer, I see you are in Mississauga, so am I. Our Canadian DIS community occasionally to chat about Disney. It's a lot of fun ~ fabulous group of people on-line and in person. We are meeting at Wonderland in August. We are also chatting about a September meet at the Shell Info Centre on the 401 just east of Winston Churchill Blvd. (some constuction in the area). I'll post that now. Hope you can make it! S

 

[DisneyFunFan]

Dh and I always thought WDW was so expensive until we went to Maui for our honeymoon this year. All week we kept saying "And people think WDW is expensive"
We always fly from Buffalo on either Southwest or Air Tran, it's no frills but the flight is not even 3 hours. Always go in off season when possible also we usually eat 1 big sit down meal a day and have counter service or snacks. And the ever popiular refillable mugs.