Hi. I am new here but have been lurking about trying to get information. I am planning a family trip to Disney next summer and I am trying to get and idea of what it will cost. Maybe someone could show me how to figure it all out. I am interested in approximately how much it will cost to stay in side at one of the resorts. It will be my husband, myself, and four children ages (at the time of the trip) 20, 13, 12 and 7. I think getting 2 connecting rooms in a Moderate Resort will be cheaper than staying in a villa. I would like to have a package plan. I would love the Gold plan but will settle for the Silver plan if the savings is worth it. I would like to stay for 6 nights. I tried to get a price from someone and they said it would be $8,800 dollars!!!!! I had one less child and stayed at the Beach Club (7 years ago) and it cost us half of that! I can't believe that it will cost me double with one extra person. Any help, suggestions would be appreciated.
Need Help Figuring Cost$$$$$
- Thread starter BarbaraMB
- Start date
Maistre Gracey
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2002
Hi Barbara!
Disney is not known to be the most economical of vacations, but I feel you get what you pay for and therefore it is one of the best vacations.
What will it cost you? Well, there is a variety of accomodations and food choices that will determine this. I have never had good luck (before we bought DVC) with package plans, and have always done better piecing the trip together myself. Joining Disney Club is one way to get good savings on accomodations. I would suggest going to the Disney site to gather some price info.
Not to worry...you can do better than $8,800 unless you want premium everything.
Have Fun!
Disney is not known to be the most economical of vacations, but I feel you get what you pay for and therefore it is one of the best vacations.
What will it cost you? Well, there is a variety of accomodations and food choices that will determine this. I have never had good luck (before we bought DVC) with package plans, and have always done better piecing the trip together myself. Joining Disney Club is one way to get good savings on accomodations. I would suggest going to the Disney site to gather some price info.
Not to worry...you can do better than $8,800 unless you want premium everything.
Have Fun!
fortwilderness
FW Bobcat Bend Resident
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2002
Hi Barbara -
First of all if cost is a concern then you should really skip the idea of being on a plan. They generally offer no cost savings at all and you can save money by just paying as you go. Some people have saved money using plans but in general savings do not exist with the plans.
Walt Disney World has really seemed to have raised its prices in the past few years. One way to help save on rates for rooms is by looking for discount codes at mousesavers.com We used a code we found there and saved $100 a night off of the Yacht Club this past June.
Your family of 6 could stay in a Fort Wilderness Cabin for a reasonable price and you would have a full kitchen that could help save some money on food. The cabins are very nice and more roomier than a regular hotel room. But it might be a little bit cramped since some of your kids are older. The idea of 2 rooms at a moderate might be a better idea since you would have 2 bathrooms.
I am sure other people will have lots of good advice to help you plan your WDW vacation
First of all if cost is a concern then you should really skip the idea of being on a plan. They generally offer no cost savings at all and you can save money by just paying as you go. Some people have saved money using plans but in general savings do not exist with the plans.
Walt Disney World has really seemed to have raised its prices in the past few years. One way to help save on rates for rooms is by looking for discount codes at mousesavers.com We used a code we found there and saved $100 a night off of the Yacht Club this past June.
Your family of 6 could stay in a Fort Wilderness Cabin for a reasonable price and you would have a full kitchen that could help save some money on food. The cabins are very nice and more roomier than a regular hotel room. But it might be a little bit cramped since some of your kids are older. The idea of 2 rooms at a moderate might be a better idea since you would have 2 bathrooms.
I am sure other people will have lots of good advice to help you plan your WDW vacation
I would say that 2 rooms at a moderate would be the way to go. Also, I would avoid the package plans. They tend to add too many things that you don't use.(Just mho) I would start by checking out mousesavers and looking for discounts on the rooms. If you are a DC member, you can also get a small discount on WDW passes.(with the ages af your kids, it would be a decent savings and worth the money to join the DC). I think you will find that you can book your trip for under the $8800 you were originally told. Also, try the budget board here for some more cost cutting tips. Happy planning. I always find it to be one of the highlights of the trip!
I second all the suggestions people have already given, especially that you should avoid a package(!) - that's almost never a good deal. You should definitely spend some time checking out MouseSavers and the Budget Board, but to give you a ballpark idea, here's my best guesstimate:
2 Moderate rooms @ $150 (this is likely the most you would pay - you could do much better than this) x 6 nights = $1800
6 day Park Hopper Plus passes (again, you have other options) - 5 adult @ $300, 1 child @ $250 = $1750
Food (can vary by a LOT - check out the menus on WDWIG ) 7 days @ $250 = $1750
Souveniers/Misc = $500
Total before airfare, rental car, etc (because you didn't mention where you're coming from) = $5800
Happy hunting, and if you want help from an obsessive-compulsive planner, feel free to email me!
2 Moderate rooms @ $150 (this is likely the most you would pay - you could do much better than this) x 6 nights = $1800
6 day Park Hopper Plus passes (again, you have other options) - 5 adult @ $300, 1 child @ $250 = $1750
Food (can vary by a LOT - check out the menus on WDWIG ) 7 days @ $250 = $1750
Souveniers/Misc = $500
Total before airfare, rental car, etc (because you didn't mention where you're coming from) = $5800
Happy hunting, and if you want help from an obsessive-compulsive planner, feel free to email me!
sharoncity
Mom of 2; Wishing I was in WDW; I WILL conquer the
- Joined
- Sep 26, 1999
Another vote for avoiding the package. You can definitely do better on your own. I would go for the two connecting rooms. The two bathrooms will be very welcome for your group.
The villas are nice also. If you plan 11 months out, look into renting points from a DVC owner on the rent/trade points board here. You can get points for about $10 each and sometimes only need 22 points per night. Weekends require more points than weekdays. The advantage here is the full kitchen, washer/dryer and lovely jacuzzi in the room. When we stayed at the villas, we had muffins, toast, etc. for breakfast, which saved us a ton of money. Sometimes we would just grab it and eat while waiting for the boat/bus. In other words, I didn't spend my vacation cooking and doing dishes, but still saved money. One night we brought pizza from one of the boardwalk restaurants back to the room. It was nice not having to deal with sit down service sometimes. We also had plenty of cold water, soda, iced tea in the room. This saves lots too. Also, if you are somewhat flexible about when you go, this could save you money by taking advantage of off season. For the villas, I think rates go down as of July 4th. By renting the points, you could be in a deluxe resort for the price of two roome at the moderates. Definitely worth looking into. A post on the rent/trade points board can garner you LOTS of info. Give them potential dates and they'll tell you how many points you would need.
As you can see, there are lots of ideas for saving money. The benefits of planning ahead can't be overestimated at WDW!!!
Have fun! (I think the planning is half the fun for me!)
The villas are nice also. If you plan 11 months out, look into renting points from a DVC owner on the rent/trade points board here. You can get points for about $10 each and sometimes only need 22 points per night. Weekends require more points than weekdays. The advantage here is the full kitchen, washer/dryer and lovely jacuzzi in the room. When we stayed at the villas, we had muffins, toast, etc. for breakfast, which saved us a ton of money. Sometimes we would just grab it and eat while waiting for the boat/bus. In other words, I didn't spend my vacation cooking and doing dishes, but still saved money. One night we brought pizza from one of the boardwalk restaurants back to the room. It was nice not having to deal with sit down service sometimes. We also had plenty of cold water, soda, iced tea in the room. This saves lots too. Also, if you are somewhat flexible about when you go, this could save you money by taking advantage of off season. For the villas, I think rates go down as of July 4th. By renting the points, you could be in a deluxe resort for the price of two roome at the moderates. Definitely worth looking into. A post on the rent/trade points board can garner you LOTS of info. Give them potential dates and they'll tell you how many points you would need.
As you can see, there are lots of ideas for saving money. The benefits of planning ahead can't be overestimated at WDW!!!
Have fun! (I think the planning is half the fun for me!)
jeleebeene
<font color=9999CC>Has a caffeine-free Stitch!<br>
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2002
Everyone here is correct, the packages are almost always a rip off. We had priced a package for just the two of us going to a moderate resort with tickets, and it was $1700. We did this again on our own, and now are paying $1100 - we saved 600 dollars just planning a little harder on our own. Now, that extra money can go toward special items we may not have been able to do.
If you aren't a member, the Disney Club is a great money saver. It cost me $29 to join, and I saved $700 alone in hotel discounts. You can use it to get a discount at a few rental car companies, you can use the card to get discounts at certain WDW eateries, and shops at DTD. It is a great investment, and you basically make your $29 back by how much you save on everything else.
If you are flying, look for airlines offering companions or friends fly free. This would be a HUGE savings for you!
If where you eat is not something you are worried about, you could probably get by on 100-150 dollars a day while you are there. Have breakfast in your room, then have lunch or dinner at a few counter service eateries, or at your hotel food court. We budgeted a little more this year for food so we could try a couple of places we haven't been, but last time, we budgeted about $50.00 a day for both of us (not a piece) and still had money left over. Just depends on where you would like to eat.
Planning is all the fun, so enjoy it and save money in the process!!
If you aren't a member, the Disney Club is a great money saver. It cost me $29 to join, and I saved $700 alone in hotel discounts. You can use it to get a discount at a few rental car companies, you can use the card to get discounts at certain WDW eateries, and shops at DTD. It is a great investment, and you basically make your $29 back by how much you save on everything else.
If you are flying, look for airlines offering companions or friends fly free. This would be a HUGE savings for you!
If where you eat is not something you are worried about, you could probably get by on 100-150 dollars a day while you are there. Have breakfast in your room, then have lunch or dinner at a few counter service eateries, or at your hotel food court. We budgeted a little more this year for food so we could try a couple of places we haven't been, but last time, we budgeted about $50.00 a day for both of us (not a piece) and still had money left over. Just depends on where you would like to eat.
Planning is all the fun, so enjoy it and save money in the process!!
Bstanley
DisNoid
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2001
There are several websites that offer a lot of good information about prices. My favorite is MouseSavers. This will give you the best information about the best prices available (including packages).
The available discounts for next summer would typically not be announced for a number of months yet - but by using pricing from the above website for this summer you will be able to get good ballbark numbers to plan with.
Edited to remove link to a commercial site.
The available discounts for next summer would typically not be announced for a number of months yet - but by using pricing from the above website for this summer you will be able to get good ballbark numbers to plan with.
Edited to remove link to a commercial site.
Trekker
I've gone to find myself, If I return make me stay
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2001
You will find tons of invaluable information right here on the DIS! In the DI$count Section of the site.
VickiVM
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 3, 2001
Another vote for renting points from a DVC'er. We made the decision to rent in April for our trip this fall. This is the breakdown.
Family of 5 (3 small children) and my mom:
2 Bedroom Villa @ Beach Club Villas (full kitchen, stove, micro, 2 baths - one with a jacuzzi tub - sleeps 8 total. Lots of space)
for 5 nights - $1248
6 4-day PH passes (I'm forcing us to take a day off by only getting passes for 4 days. We can upgrade if we feel we must)
3 Adults - $588
3 Kids - $470
Total passes which includes Disney Club disc. & tax: $1058
We're driving, so fuel and 2 nights on the road (+ one night @ AllStars): $500
Food expense including Hoop De Doo Revue, one character breakfast and a couple of meals in parks (we'll grocery shop and have majority of meals in our villa): $575
Extras: $200
Total budget for us: $3581!! This for a total of 6 nights, 5 of which are in deluxe accomodations. I'm just thrilled to get this kind of value.
Good luck whichever route you decide to take.
Family of 5 (3 small children) and my mom:
2 Bedroom Villa @ Beach Club Villas (full kitchen, stove, micro, 2 baths - one with a jacuzzi tub - sleeps 8 total. Lots of space)
for 5 nights - $1248
6 4-day PH passes (I'm forcing us to take a day off by only getting passes for 4 days. We can upgrade if we feel we must)
3 Adults - $588
3 Kids - $470
Total passes which includes Disney Club disc. & tax: $1058
We're driving, so fuel and 2 nights on the road (+ one night @ AllStars): $500
Food expense including Hoop De Doo Revue, one character breakfast and a couple of meals in parks (we'll grocery shop and have majority of meals in our villa): $575
Extras: $200
Total budget for us: $3581!! This for a total of 6 nights, 5 of which are in deluxe accomodations. I'm just thrilled to get this kind of value.
Good luck whichever route you decide to take.
Welcome to the DIS!
Lots of great information here The only thing I would add is not to feel pressured to make arrangements right now. Keep reading & figure out the best thing for your family. Discounts for this summer were out in the spring. I found out about them on this board first, but they were also in my local newspaper & the new york times (& lots of others). There is usually a limited amount of time to book them, and then you are out of luck.
Renting DVC points is a great option, but it will still cost you more than 2 moderate rooms, especially if you can get a good discount!
Happy planning
Lots of great information here
The only thing I would add is not to feel pressured to make arrangements right now. Keep reading & figure out the best thing for your family. Discounts for this summer were out in the spring. I found out about them on this board first, but they were also in my local newspaper & the new york times (& lots of others). There is usually a limited amount of time to book them, and then you are out of luck. Renting DVC points is a great option, but it will still cost you more than 2 moderate rooms, especially if you can get a good discount!
Happy planning
suevee
<font color=red>I am in a frenzy!<br><font color=r
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2000
If you really don't want to cook, go for the 2 moderate or even 2 value rooms. Having 2 rooms will give your and your husband some private time. Also the on-site buses will be great for your 20 yr old to get around in. Plan some of your meals outside of WDW on 192.
Also build in a day just to relax at the pool or visit Fort Wilderness or DD or some of the other resorts. Or spend he day at one of the water parks. I would suggest a 4 or 5 day park hopper plus. On the packages you do get access to everything, but believe me, you won't be able to fit everything in. You will also drive yourself crazy "getting your money's worth" because if you don't use it you lose it. With the Park Hoppers, if you don't use a day you can save it for your next trip! The third day there always is a good down day for us to regroup. By then my feet are really tired!!! Remember if you get to tired or cranky it won't be a good vacation. And remember the moleskin!!!!
Are your older kids thrill riders? If so you may want to build one day in at IOA. WDW is great atmosphere but pretty tame rides for the thrill seekers. One more thing, I always gear my vacation around the youngest member. They are the most likely to tire out. If you can keep your youngest happy, then all will have a better time.
Also build in a day just to relax at the pool or visit Fort Wilderness or DD or some of the other resorts. Or spend he day at one of the water parks. I would suggest a 4 or 5 day park hopper plus. On the packages you do get access to everything, but believe me, you won't be able to fit everything in. You will also drive yourself crazy "getting your money's worth" because if you don't use it you lose it. With the Park Hoppers, if you don't use a day you can save it for your next trip! The third day there always is a good down day for us to regroup. By then my feet are really tired!!! Remember if you get to tired or cranky it won't be a good vacation. And remember the moleskin!!!!
Are your older kids thrill riders? If so you may want to build one day in at IOA. WDW is great atmosphere but pretty tame rides for the thrill seekers. One more thing, I always gear my vacation around the youngest member. They are the most likely to tire out. If you can keep your youngest happy, then all will have a better time.
GoofysPrincess
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2001
If there's anyway you can go in Value Season rather than Regular Season, you'll probably save another 10-15% on lodging -- don't know if that's an option for you. Also, you can use the DISavers option and save another 15%.
Dana_Buckley
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Feb 20, 2002
We were able to apply a discount code (from mousesavers) to an existing reservation this year. We upgraded our room at Poly to concierge & still saved $200. Have a great time planning!
S
susy
Guest
LOTS of ways to save money!!!!
If you can do value season, I have seen the mods as cheap as $79-$84 and the values at $49-$59. We had 4 adults and 1 child at the ASMo and it was VERY roomy. The two bathrooms really came in handy! Food court was great and buses MUCH better than CBR (too many stops int he resort)
If you or the kids are not big eaters, you can split meals at counter service or sit-down rest. You can order off the child's menu at counter service restaurants. You can plan big meals for lunch time and character breakfasts are cheaper than lunches or dinners. You can bring from home or stop at the market on your way from the airport and get water, juice, milk, snacks, breakfast items, etc.
tickets are a little tougher, but if you plan out how many park days you will really need, there is no need for length of stay.
Don't know about airfare, but I imagine off season is a great time for deals. My dad has flown Blue Jet and loves it (and he is VERY picky) . He says you get to talk to a live person right away when you call!
If you can do value season, I have seen the mods as cheap as $79-$84 and the values at $49-$59. We had 4 adults and 1 child at the ASMo and it was VERY roomy. The two bathrooms really came in handy! Food court was great and buses MUCH better than CBR (too many stops int he resort)
If you or the kids are not big eaters, you can split meals at counter service or sit-down rest. You can order off the child's menu at counter service restaurants. You can plan big meals for lunch time and character breakfasts are cheaper than lunches or dinners. You can bring from home or stop at the market on your way from the airport and get water, juice, milk, snacks, breakfast items, etc.
tickets are a little tougher, but if you plan out how many park days you will really need, there is no need for length of stay.
Don't know about airfare, but I imagine off season is a great time for deals. My dad has flown Blue Jet and loves it (and he is VERY picky) . He says you get to talk to a live person right away when you call!
Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. I have to learn more about renting points. I don't understand that one yet. Do you think it would cost me more or less if I decide to take most of my meals out (breakfast and dinner) and pay as I go or to have a meal plan? I definitly plan on going out to dinner everynight a couple of character breakfasts. It was so many years ago that we went and I really enjoyed the fun and food plan they had. We stayed at the Beach Club and I am wondering if I will be disappointed in staying in a different resort.
sharoncity
Mom of 2; Wishing I was in WDW; I WILL conquer the
- Joined
- Sep 26, 1999
Barbara - I think you will end up paying more with the meal plan. I would do the pay as you go. Once you are on the plan, you are paying for the meals whether or not you eat. If you get any really hot days or aren't feeling 100%, you may not want a big meal. What you could do to take some of the pressure off is prepay on your room reservation. Once I had my room reserved, I kept sending money down to WDW. I had the room all paid for, plus an extra $1,000 on the account for room charging priviledges. This way I used the room key to charge meals and souveniers back to the room. I didn't feel like I was overindulging because I knew it was all paid for. Plus I didn't come home to large credit card statements!
And check out the rent/trade DVC pionts board. You can learn alot just lurking over there. Or post a question regarding how many points you would need for your dates to get an idea of what it might cost. They have the new villas at BC, so you needn't miss that resort. Or BWV is close by and very nice also. Good luck!
And check out the rent/trade DVC pionts board. You can learn alot just lurking over there. Or post a question regarding how many points you would need for your dates to get an idea of what it might cost. They have the new villas at BC, so you needn't miss that resort. Or BWV is close by and very nice also. Good luck!
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