” A Disney World vacation is too expensive,” is what I hear from people all the time. But is it really??
It depends on what you expect out of your vacation and what is important to you. Yes, if you want deluxe accommodations, with Disney character dining, and park hopper ticket with water park access, it can add up. But let’s take a step back…. do you really just want to immerse yourself in Disney magic and make memories that will last a lifetime? There are plenty of ways to do just that without breaking the bank.
When I have a budget-minded client (like myself), I start with staying on property versus off property. In Mondays with Mickey, Issue 2, I explained why you’re really better off staying on property. So staying on property, let’s begin with the 5 value resorts: All-Star Music, All-Star Movies, All-Star Sports, Pop Century, and Art of Animation. The All-Star Resorts are usually the least expensive. I stayed at the All-Star Music Resort with my family and we had the most memorable vacation ever! It has several pools, no slides, but do we need slides? The rooms were Disney themed and clean – that’s all I needed. After all, it was just a place for us to sleep, cool off, get refreshed, and then head out again. The last thing you want to do on your Disney vacation is spend it in your hotel room!
Park tickets are expensive if you are going for a short amount of time, but once you get past 3 days, the price per day drops significantly, especially if you plan to purchase a 10 day ticket. That’s what we did because I’m all about getting the most for my money. Plus we drove from Philly to Florida (to save on airfare) and I wasn’t about to turn around in a few days to drive 16 hours home again, too soon. The price for a value resort hotel ranges from about $100 – $150 a night depending on when you are traveling. We paid a mere $69/night because of a special, so you never know!
Let’s say the hotel is $125/night, so $875 for a 7 night stay. You add 7 day park tickets for 2 adults and 2 children at $1600. (By the way, upgrade to 10 day tickets and the cost is just $120 more – for the 3 extra days for all 4 family members – at $1720 instead of the $1600! See what I mean?? It’s worth it to add a few more nights to your hotel stay if you can.)
Back to our 7 night vacation: $875 + $1600 = $2475 for the hotel and the tickets. Not bad!
Okay, now there is the cost of getting there and the cost of meals. You could drive like we did, so we had a car to buy groceries, pick up cases of water at Walmart, visit deli’s and pizza places, etc. We kept it cheap, mostly eating breakfast and lunch in our hotel room. Those meals didn’t cost anymore than eating at home. It was just for dinner when we would order food or use coupons at a nearby restaurant. As far as getting to Disney, driving is super convenient but not for everyone. My husband drives for a living so 10-12 hours behind the wheel is a normal work day. If the thought of driving makes your head spin, I recently discovered the $59 flights on Frontier Airlines! *Hello airfare!!* Yes, you wouldn’t have the convenience of a car unless you rented one, but you could add a Disney quick service dining plan if you wanted. You can even have groceries delivered to your hotel room for a nominal fee… $14! Disney has their own pizza delivery service too! It’s all about making it work for you, you do what you gotta do.
The best advice I can give someone who says they can’t afford Disney, is just TRY. No harm in pricing it out. See if you can make it work? As time gets closer to your vacation and you find that you’re struggling with it, as long as it is 31 days before you check-in, cancel and get your $200 deposit back. (Just keep it a secret from your kids until you’re sure you can do it!) People spend thousands and thousands on a week down the shore. But it’s funny when those same people say they wish they could afford Disney.
If you want to price out a Disney vacation just to see if it’s in your budget, you know what to do. I’m here… no pressure, no worries, if you decide not to book or even if you cancel. (I’ve canceled two Disney vacations over the years because it just wasn’t working for my family at the time. It’s sad to cancel but it’s still on my mind each year to go back before the girls grow up!) I’m ready to plan with you and see if we can make it happen! If so, then we will CHEER and I will make all your fast pass reservations, Disney dining plans if you choose, grocery delivery plans, anything you want with 100% no fee involved. It’s about sending you and your loved ones on a much deserved magical vacation!
Happy travels! – Laurie
Contact me for a free travel consultation today!
215-435-4151 LaurieFiveStarTravel@gmail.com
Laurie at Five Star Travel Group 