My budget trip doesnt feel like a budget trip...

[escapeartist]

When I add it all up! This was supposed to be a budget 5 night trip to Universal Orlando. We are going next month (aug 2018) I have been planning since September of 2017. It is not a package. I have purchased or reserved parts of this trip seperately and paid for or put deposits down as time has marched forward so it didnt really seem like that much as I have gone along....until I recently started adding it all up! Ugh. We are still going, and it is mostly all paid off, but the total number is alot. It just seems high especially considering the free stuff we got. Or is it? What do you all think about my so called budget trip? This trip is for 3 adult and 3 kids age 10, 10, 7.

Tickets:
(5) 5day day 3 park to park tix
I got one free...long story.
I bought these over Black Friday 2017 and used a reward credit card and total cost is my cost minus reward earned.
$1450

Uni 5 day photo package, bought on Black Friday
$69

Airfare for 6 plus luggage fees, rounded up
$1500

Souveniers. 2 of the kids need a wand which we will buy. We will prob go above budget on this, as they are kids and we want to splurge on them but this is the minimum be will spend
$200

Airport parking and ubers to from airport and parks estimate etc
$200

Evc reserved at Uni parks for 4 days. It's $50 a day but I am adding tax
$230

1 massage 1 facial for me and dh at Mandara spa via prepaid groupons plus gratuity to be paid after services. This is my little splurge for me.
$280

2 rooms for 5 nights at Doubletree at Universal Entrance using Hilton points
$0

6 breakfasts per day 5 mornings at Doubletree. 4 are free due to status. We will pay for 2 kids plus gratuity i am guessing $35 per day? We will definately eat there every morning due to the convienance factor which is priceless
$175.

Remaining food for 6 days for us, estimating $170 a day. This may be way to high and actual number may be lower, I just dont know!
$1020

2 nights at rpr for express passes, free using AA miles
$0

Holy Moly, I am over 5k here!

That amount does not feel very bugety. But seriously we arent staying onsite and we dont have any pricey meals planned, just counter service. And it's only 5 nights as apposed to a typical 7 night wdw trip. Yikes! To put in perspective, my 8 night Pop w 6 day hopper plus and qs dining for 4 disney adults was only $3500 plus air and spending money.

We will upgrade to ap's if it is free or just a few dollars when we are there after using tickets one day. But like I said, hotels, air, theme park tickets and massage are prepaid, plus I have $500 in Uni gc and prepaid our airport parking so we only need about $1300 more once we are really there, which we have. But I never added it up before and over 5k is a big number for me!

There really is nowhere to cut budget wise! I hope we can show our gkids an amazing time and make great memories. We have already taken them to Wdw and they requested Uni.
I can never tell dh what this ended up costing. I think he tjinks this is a 2k trip lol. He has no idea! He just wants them happy and so do I.

 

[MEM]

I think it is reasonable. Last December DH, DS23 and I spent one day at US/IOA - as Harry Potter fans we decided we finally HAD to bite the bullet and just do the one day two-park ticket. It was just over $1000 for a 6 hour day! For three people! It turned out the parks closed at 5:00 p.m. that day for Graduation Night or some such thing so our time was limited. We are still glad we did it but DH and I could not experience most of the HP rides due to neck and back problems (me) and motion sickness (DH). It was fun to walk around and looking back, I should have invested in a wand for DS and maybe a robe. We did buy an awesome Dobbie and use him as our Christmas Elf-on-the-Shelf. Also some really great tee-shirts. The. Most. Expensive. Theme. Park. Day. Ever.

 

[mommajo143]

Airfare & food are always the budget busters for us. Anywhere besides Orlando we will pack some food & eat to save $ but the parks are so $$ and so large compared to other amusement parks that we dont feel like we can / should leave to save $ on food.

I can tell you that we have always spent $2-3K on a week long vacay & we only spend this “little” because we have driven. This next week we (DH, self, DS11 &DS7) are going to San Antonio for 5 days. Drive over Thursday - gas, $100.
Friday - $400 food, tours/Museums, On-off bus pass, IMAX.
Saturday $400 food, parking & SeaWorld / Aquatica flex tickets
Sunday $300 - food, natural bridge, zip line adventure
Monday - $300 food, Doseum, pearl brewery, parking & return to SeaWorld Aquatica
Tuesday - $100 - gas / food to drive home
Hotel: $1000
Total- $2600 plus spending $$ & not counting groceries for snacks, lunch on the road each way, etc)

Every time I put pen to paper on paper for vacay costs I think “we should just go to Disney” - I truly believe people Beach vacations because they are cheap... I mean get a condo, buy groceries, calm it a day.

 

[Shanti]

It's expensive, but it is a trip for 6 people. With airfare & food for each one, that is always going to add up no matter where you travel.

The ECV & massage are $510 worth of extra expense that most families don't incur, so that edges your trip's price up, too.

Is only one person paying? If so, that's why the trip feels so expensive. But if each of the adults pays 1/3, it's a reasonable deal.

 

[Firsttimer15]

If you really want it to be a budget trip there are still things you can save on.

The breakfast is way too expensive for what you’ll get. You could order at garden grocer or buy something outside the hotel that is always cheaper.
No child „needs“ a wand, it is a useless expensive stick basically. I would buy one online for 5 $ the expensive ones are no better and give it to them there.
Cut the ecv and get a wheelchair, a lot cheaper. You can take turns pushing and the pavement makes it very easy to use.
Cut the massages and get them at home they will definitely be cheaper there.
Eat dinner outside of the parks, also cheaper.
The only questions remains is if you really want to save or not. The way you wrote the thread sounds more like you dont

 

[quandrea]

I find Universal pricier than Disney. Way less value for dollar too.

 

[kathy884]

Bunking up at a condo or house, beach or hiking as major activities that are free, being able to drive vs. fly, and eating some meals in seems to be the only way to have much of a budget trip with five people or more, so I feel your pain.

I am doing a mini budget Orlando trip with DS 22 (just four nights/three days). DH is staying home (not that into theme parks). And that will cost me around 2K, so make that five people instead of 2 and your are right in the same ball park as the trip we are doing. There are lots of fun things to do in Orlando, but they all cost $s for sure. We're flying (using some freebie miles), staying at the Marriott Residence Inn SeaWorld (includes breakfast and has a kitchen for eating left overs/heating up snacks, doing one day at SeaWorld, visiting the Titanic attraction one day, as well as Disney Springs and having dinner with out of town relatives (taking them to Maggianos -- our one expensive non counter service meal for four -- no more expensive than Disney table service dining and DS likes Maggianos more), and then doing the MK (one day Disney tickets are pricey). I've included boarding our dog in that price too, as DH would prefer that vs. doing extra dog stuff. We are doing uber and lyft instead of renting a car. Price wise not much difference actually even taking parking savings, so not a huge savings there either.

 

[Hiitsme]

Dollar Stores and place like it have Disney merch. They have little puzzles, small figurines and those magic mini face clothes. You can also buy rain ponchos. These are almost always needed items. I hope these ideas will help.

 

[StacyStrong]

You're around 3500 not including the flight. That's equal to your Disney trip. You also added extras with the massage, ECV, and photo package. You also included the pricey wands. For 5 people? This sounds like a budget trip to me. Heck, I'm going to Disney in December and expecting to spend 2k on just myself at a value.

Traveling with 5 people is never cheap.

 

[StacyStrong]

If you really want it to be a budget trip there are still things you can save on.

The breakfast is way too expensive for what you’ll get. You could order at garden grocer or buy something outside the hotel that is always cheaper.
No child „needs“ a wand, it is a useless expensive stick basically. I would buy one online for 5 $ the expensive ones are no better and give it to them there.
Cut the ecv and get a wheelchair, a lot cheaper. You can take turns pushing and the pavement makes it very easy to use.
Cut the massages and get them at home they will definitely be cheaper there.
Eat dinner outside of the parks, also cheaper.
The only questions remains is if you really want to save or not. The way you wrote the thread sounds more like you dont

While I agree that no one "needs" a wand, there is a HUGE difference in buying a 5 dollar wand and a wand at the park. Like huge.

I'm 29 and love mine. It's not a stick. It's a replica of an item from a franchise I love. It also lets me interact with spots within the park. That's awesome for a kid. Part of the wizarding world experience.

 

[Monykalyn]

Well if you add in the airfare (assuming it's about the same) to your WDW trip then you are close to $5k there too. Plus you added the massage... I really don't think it's that bad and you obviously found the bargains where you could. And for 5-6 people it's actually pretty darn good! Might be worth upgrading to a slightly higher level ap for the discount in merchandise as well.

Our most budget trip was probably over thanksgiving to Disney- stayed in our timeshare at Marriott ($465 mf + 199 trading fee- this was paid for in February)for a week (2bed/2bath). Had APs so no Parking or tickets to buy. We did splurge in more TS meals (Think food costs for the week were in $$2500 range-that includes an already made turkey dinner from public). Also gas, food and hotel there and back ~$500 (includes extra night at B Resort- I find great deals on Orbitz for our road hotels and I'm platinum member so I get extra perks or upgrades).

Our upcoming week in August will be ~1K in lodging (5 nights Pop, I splurged for 2 nights at AKL for anniversary- and I got DD CM discount rates). Airfare down for 3 and 2 back ~$400 (using points on a couple SW tickets). We have park tickets, free water park tickets (DD got a couple from a volunteer thing she did), and we bought Uni passes on June trip that have the after 4 EP so we will go there in evenings. Prob eat more offsite (tired of Disney food, and universals isn't great unless on city walk). Up to 1400 before food! And that's for 3 of us for most of the time. Middle kid isn't coming this trip.


Go and enjoy- you've got most of it prepaid already and a really great splurge for you!

 

[Dsny4fun]

While I agree that no one "needs" a wand, there is a HUGE difference in buying a 5 dollar wand and a wand at the park. Like huge.

I'm 29 and love mine. It's not a stick. It's a replica of an item from a franchise I love. It also lets me interact with spots within the park. That's awesome for a kid. Part of the wizarding world experience.

Totally agree with you, the ones in the park or not like any $5 wand. They are actually pretty cool and kids will love interacting with them in the wizarding world !!

 

[Happyinwonerland]

I think any trip for six people will seem expesnive on paper. We spend about $1200/per person on our trips. If you divide your total by the number of people on our trip, it sounds reasonable.

 

[StacyStrong]

I just realized that was three adults! Even better!

 

[StacyStrong]

Totally agree with you, the ones in the park or not like any $5 wand. They are actually pretty cool and kids will love interacting with them in the wizarding world !!

Yep! They are a lot of fun. The maps that come with them are a great souvenir on their own too.

I would never tell someone to purchase them for their kids if they truly can't afford the extra expense. No one should be going into debt over a wand at a theme park no matter how much their kids want it.

However, if someone is just trying to stay in a budget because they don't want to overspend, I wouldn't worry too much about an extra 200 on wands. Are they a bit over priced? Absolutely. But they are also a great souvenir, a lot of fun, display nicely at home, and are worth the cost imo. I would just not go out a weekend or two at home to account for the expense.

 

[verleniahall]

i would say you are doing pretty good overall!

we are looking at roughly 5K just for two adults in October/November

That is using our timeshare

Paying OOP for food

Getting AP's

Flights


I would be totally happy with that price breakdown, espcially since you were paying it over time!

 

[yeahdisney]

OP I feel your pain. I'm at $4,150 for Disney trip and I always look for ways to save. 4 Disney adults.

5 nights using our DVC points. Rented 108 points from another member at the highest point needed season.
Flights are little over $1200 again holiday travel. Pd out
DH had a 6 day ticket left.
Bought 2 5 day. With extra 2 free day. $950ish Pd out
Had a 3 day ticket here upgraded it to a 6 days; all pd 4 w Disney rewards.

We want to give up our universal 2 days that we normally go to in the middle of our DVC trip (prob $1500 one night 4 park to park 2 day ticket) to do private Disney tour.

no rental car (gads it's over $800 without the fees) and no food cost yet.

But spread the paying out and then it does not seem so much.

 

[jujubiee4]

I find Universal expensive and hard to pay for. My kids enjoy it alot and im including
it on a 10 trip in January. We are staying in a condo for more room andto cut costs.
Our airfare is free (miles). Disney tickets are taken care of. When it comes to Universal
costs/food/parking etc i always pause ***sigh***. There is a huge Harry Potter fan
in the family though.

I have no idea why i will spend thousands on Disney but when it comes to Universal
i try to nickel and dime it.

 

[QueenIsabella]

We're going in March, and paying ~$7k. Would love to do cheaper, but we need 2 rooms--my youngest is taller than I am, no putting him on a cot or a small bed any longer. We're driving, except for my oldest (joining us from Boston). The second room is the killer for us. Plus, we're staying onsite to get the perks--I feel we owe DS12 this,as the last time we went, he was too young to ride the HP stuff, plus I have rabid fans in the house.

On the good side, we'll be getting $2000 credit on our AAA credit card to defray the cost of the trip, so there's that.

 

[afan]

I have no idea why i will spend thousands on Disney but when it comes to Universal i try to nickel and dime it.

I think it's partly because to me while it's fun, it's not the same as Disney and not as immersive. The waits and the days seem longer even if spending less time there. I'm not an HP fan, so while the areas are nice it doesn't do anything for me. Sitting and people watching or just soaking up the atmosphere just isn't the same. We did two days at Universal on our trip Nov 16 and used uber to get there from Pop. We were there when they opened and one of the days had lunch at Toothsome but both days we were ready and done and ended up having dinner at Disney Springs. We didn't want to cut any of our Disney days short to have dinner at DS. We'd only planned on going on our arrival day. Even City Walk doesn't hold much appeal to me. I'm looking forward to my Nov trip this year with no Universal days.