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

[caylene44]

DATES: 8/29-9/5
HOTEL: Caribbean Beach, Preferred
WHO: Family trip celebrating 2 birthdays (about 11 of us) but my BF and I are paying for our own trip/staying in our own room

COSTS:

• FLIGHTS: $611.23 (SEA --> MCO on Alaska Air, used companion fare)
• HOTEL: $2583.48 (Includes standard DDP, used my parents' military discount)
• MNSSHP TICKETS: $168.28
• DISNEY TICKETS: $570.50 (4-day park hopper plus, also getting military discount on these)
• UNIVERSAL TICKETS: ~$370 (Planning on getting a one-day PTP ticket, also getting military discount)

TOTAL FOR TWO: $4,303.49

The only thing I'm not sure how much to budget for is souvenirs, gratuity (I know it will be 18% since we have a party over 8), and OOP costs for meals not covered on the DDP. If we can keep it ~$700 or less, our trip will be $5K total for two which isn't bad at all!

 

[JK World]

Updated, since I've changed our dates and plans since I first posted!

DATES: 11/11-11/15
HOTEL: Pop Century
WHO: Myself and my son, celebrating his 5th birthday

COSTS:

• Travel: $100 (Flying on points, pay taxes/fees and airport parking)
• Hotel & Tickets: $1,230 (Standard room, 3 day base tickets)
• Memory Maker: $169
• Meals: $350 (Grocery delivery for breakfast/snacks, QS meals and a birthday TS meal)
• Event Add-Ons: $210-260 (Fantasmic! Dessert Party and one of the following: HS EMM/MK EMM/MVMCP)
• Extras: $130 (Dog sitter, souvenirs)

Total: $2,189-2,239

*We spend $2,183 for a 7 day trip in fall 2018 including 5 day base tickets and HS EMM, so it's sad to see the cost go up for a shorter trip this year!

 

[AuntJamelle]

DATES: 9/17/19 - 9/24/19 --- 7 Nights!!!
HOTEL: Wilderness Lodge (Nature View Bunkbed Room)
WHO: Myself, DH and DS (9yr)

COSTS:

- Airfare = Just under $1000
- Estimated Baggage Fees = $200
- Estimated Airport Parking = $50
- 5 Single Day Park Tickets/Hotel/Deluxe Dining Plan/Memory Maker = $6370 (Room Only Discount "Fun in the Sun")
- MNSSHP Tickets = $248
- Estimated Gratuities for Table Service Meals (15%) = $300
- Estimated Misc. Food not on DDP while at Disney = $150 (I'm budgeting high and hoping for extra left over!)
- Estimated Food in Airports = $60 (Hoping less but airport food is nuts. Who do they think they are? Disney???)
- Souvineers = $200
- Travel Insurance = $160.50
- Water Park Tickets (1 Day) = $202
- Uber/Lyft Budget = $150
- Dog Kennel (9 nights for 2) = $360

Buying $500 Disney GCs at Sam's at 3% discount - $485 OOP
Estimate about $7500 of the above will lend itself to Disney GC use so that is $225 in savings (Not much - but hey that is our souvineer budget and a Landry's card!! LOL)
Will use our Discover to buy the gift cards at Sam's and earn another 2% cash back as well


Total Budget = $9490
GC Savings = $225
Discover Reward Points = $150

Final Cost = $9115

This, of course, does not include costs for clothing, footwear and other misc. items we might purchase for the trip. Let's just call those "hidden" costs!

 

[monica9]

Ok I'm in. We just got back from Disney last weekend and we (2 adults) are going again in March, September & next December again before or annual passes expire.

March 12-17 staying at Polly for 5 nights on rented DVC points. $1,722 (123 points @ 14 a point)

Park tickets- $0 we upgraded to annual passes last trip

Food & more importantly cocktails $700. We are not huge eaters. I will purchase gift cards at 8% off. $644.00

Airport Parking $100

Flight $0 for flight, $22 for taxes (if I remember that correctly)

Dog sitter $200

Souvenirs $150

Soda, beer, & snacks delivered from prime now $40

Random tips for baggage people, maids, grocery delivery $50

Misc- $100

Total budget $3,028. Wow, that added up to more than I thought it would be.
I convinced my boyfriend last year that if we did annual passes, our first trip (the 1 from last week) would be expensive but the rest would be fairly reasonable. I was apparently mistaken.

where do you get the gift cards for 8% off?

 

[monica9]

me, DH DD(9) DD (2)
7 night poly DVC with rented points $2268
2 night AoA $206
Food and souveniur budget $1000 (buying gift cards at 5% off or hopefully more)
Airfare- looks like around 1500
groceries from prime now $100
8 day park hopper pass ($1500 from tickets at work website March deal)

total
around 6500

 

[yeahdisney]

Well I just asked DD if she wanted to go to Disney while she was home for spring break. She said NO ~her friend called and I yelled out did she want to go with me, Yep! So now I’m taking Dd and 2 college friends.
Flights me : points 5.60 x2
DD companion pass 5.60 x2
2 nights scored poly - I had enough points for one night and other night will cost me $189.
Tickets me AP, DD 2 day ticket $100 from Meijer gift card deal and Rest Disney rewards. Breakfast we will take with us. Quick service for all other meals. I’ll buy all food, I think I got around $200 rewards and gift cards. The other girls are going to come work for DH and with DD for a day to earn money towards their park tickets, which I got with Meijer gift cards - I passed the savings to them.
And money maker free.

 

[hsmamato2]

Ok that was my post from a while back..... so far for 2019 I have planned Feb 2019 -5 days SW Florida to meet extended family-
Hyatt Hotel=$0 (Ultimate rewards points)
SWA flights= 11.60 pp=34.80 (swa points)
airport parking=approx.$60?
dogsitter-=approx $50
Food..... =????
Overall cost approx $150+ food bills

April/May- 7 Night Trip to Page AZ-
SWA flights+11.60 pp=46.40 (points)
Ihg two nights=$0 (IHG points)
Hilton 5 nights=0 (Hilton points)
Dogsitter =$75(?)
Parking =$75 (?)
Food costs=?
so approx. $196.00+ food costs (taken from grocery budget)

August- Trip to visit family-
SWA= 34.80(points)
3 nights hotel cost $310
Rental car approx $500 or use UR points(undecided)
Food-?
Airport parking approx $75
dogsitter approx $75
approx cost planned=$1k. (so much pricier to visit family than a tourist destination!)
Prob something in December,undecided.
Current total planned 2019 cost is about $1350.00 (food unknown) for three trips. I love points and rewards.

Wow. Ok my plans have changed for the year!
Trip in Feb/March done,priced as expected
Trip to AZ canceled due to many factors-
NOW......
April 2019- weekend overnight NYC with some friends- Train cost about $70(?) Hotel $0 on points- then just food and whatever I buy at Brooklyn Flea
May 2019- weekend trip to drive up Mt Washington.... gas $???
Hotel for 2 nights $0 on points- plus food and dogsitter (?50?)
June 2019 *surprise* trip to WDW (non park) with a fam member to stay DVC and just hang out and soak up the atmosphere....
so $11.60 for flights-$0 hotel- plus food costs (using gc purchased at 10-20% discount in past)
June 2019- girlfriends weekend trip to do some sightseeing-
hotel suite is $0 on points- gas is $???- tour admission,maybe $60(?) and food cost.
August- trip to family-same as before.
December- trip to Palm coast with other fam members-
so $36.00 for airfare- $100 for shared condo- approx $200(?) rental car
-plus gas and food (???) plus dogsitting $350
.......SOOOO..... new total for upcoming plans is about $1850 (plus some food etc kind of costs) and I *think* this is set now and not likely to change.... Trying to keep it under budget in a very busy year!

 

[Arkansas Disney Girl]

May 2019
2 Adults & 3 Kids (17, 15 & 13)
Port Orleans Riverside - Garden View
14 Nights
10 days of park tickets (No hopper)
Package Total $6,333.91

Additional OOP Expected Costs:

GAS $400

1 NIGHT HOTEL(we stop on the way there and drive straight through on the way back): $200.00

DISNEY FOOD / SOUVENIRS: $3000.00

DISNEY PARKING : $266.00

UNIVERSAL SUDIOS ( 2 DAYS): $1500.00

FOOD ON THE WAY THERE / BACK: $200

MISC. (WalMart, ect.): $250.00

 

[virge]

Updated amounts, as plans become finalized.

Where: June 2019 - 6 nights, standard room at AKL $1860 ($200 deposit paid)

Tickets: Tickets through UT (3 - 5 day tickets & 1 - 4 day tickets, no PH) $1688.16 paid

Transportation: Service fee for SW flights (service fee for flights down using points, return flights are covered with husband’s “travel eraser” credit card) $16.80 paid

Parking fee at airport: $98

Food: estimate using Disney Dining Calculator $1600 ($402 paid for HDDR)

Memory Maker: $169

Souvenirs: $200 (I also have a small amount of Disney gift cards & 2 Disney popcorn buckets filled with change that I have earmarked for souvenirs. Those amounts are just extra bonuses so I’m not counting them in my budget totals.)

Dog Boarding: 200???

Goal = $5834
I have saved up a total of $5045 (actual amount in account reduced by some of the amounts listed above as paid)

 

[Mrs Daisy]

Family of 4 (two adults, two children)
4 nights off property and 5 nights on property Copper Creek and AKL may 2019. Regular dining plan for portion of stay.

Flights and parking: (used points) $145 plus $69 annual credit card fee

Rental car for 5 days: $190

4 nights holiday inn express: (used points, resort fee only) $76

Tickets: (8 day park hopper plus for my 1 child and the 3 of us already have platinum APs via DVC discount which I'll apply a percentage of cost to this trip) $500 plus $700

Souvenir: I'll use my annual $25 Landry birthday coupon to let me daughter pick something and $25 for my son to pick something from Lego store, so $25

Food: $1500

Pet sitter for small critter: $60

DVC points: 77. I value them at $10 per point so let's say $770

Total: $4,035

Credits: $350 daycare savings for week, $270 save on regular groceries, $50 gas/commute

Net total: $3,365

Seems like a lot less though because most of this has been prepaid

 

[RamblingMad]

I’m starting to put together my budget for DL/DCA in Oct.

Flights: $500-600 x2
Meals: $100 a day x2
Hotel: $200-250 a night (off property)
Park Tickets: ?

I’m thinking 3-4 nights.

Look reasonable?

 

[justlook3]

And here we go again cuz a couple of things changed. (My estimate was way under for American for various reasons and we decided that the Frontier fares looked better)
2 adults mid September:
Changes are in red
All Star Movies, 1 night: $155.50
Villas at Animal Kingdom Lodge, Kidani, 1 night, Studio Savanna view, points rental: $252
Villas at Animal Kingdom Lodge, Jambo House, 2 nights, Studio, Priceline Express Deal: $396.98
Tickets for 2: 3 day passes (1 park, 1 day) plus MNSSHP tickets: $737.06
Airfare on Frontier for 2 (with stretch seats and sharing one checked bag): $548
Transport from home to airport: $126
Transport to Disney World from airport: Magical Express
Food Estimate Goal: $500

Total: $2589.54 (1162.31 to go).
I'm not really counting on that All Star rate to go down but it is rack, so you never know, I'll keep an eye out on it for the next few months.

 

[neatokimmo]

My family has absolutely killed me this year. I’ve planned 8 trips, down to the day, then they “didn’t want to do that”. Or I’d get my husbands generic “that’s nice”. I was very close to going on vacation all by myself.

I’m the only one who likes Disney so I booked a cruise. My mom is going too.
$1934 - our portion in a deluxe ocean view
$236 - our portion of parking, pre cruise hotel, and gas
$336 - tips
——
$2506

I get a little bit back in commission, and a $100 stockholder credit.

Carnival has a $200 bonus right now that we will probably get. Actually all three adults might apply to pay for tips.

I am hoping to find a gift card deal somewhere. If anyone knows any please let me know.

We don’t buy souvenir junk, and we don’t drink, so our sail and sign accounts are usually very very low. We are going on an 8 day southern Caribbean to Curacao, la romana, grand Turk, and Aruba on the Carnival Horizon.

 

[RamblingMad]

My family has absolutely killed me this year. I’ve planned 8 trips, down to the day, then they “didn’t want to do that”. Or I’d get my husbands generic “that’s nice”. I was very close to going on vacation all by myself.

I’d go by myself.

Why do you have to plan everything? That’s totally not fair.

I’m doing a camping trip with some of my friends next month. It’s good to have some time alone. My significant other did DL one year by herself. If you like Disney, then just go.

 

[LavishWig]

Hi everyone! Here's my budget plan for our August trip - to save the confusion of American / English date formatting we are going from the 9th August - 20th August, following a work trip in Orlando from the 2nd - 8th.

Who:
Me and my husband!

Where:
5 nights at the Boardwalk on DVC points from a family member (thank you!)
4 nights off site for our Universal portion of the stay: approx £400 / $522
Sub total: £400 / $522

Tickets:
Disney: £790 / $1030
Universal: £470 / $610
Sub total: £1260 / $1640

Transportation:
Taxis: $150

Flights:
Covered by work

Food:
Getting the Dining Plan for our onsite stay: £580 / $764
Dining plan tips: £85 / $110
Universal Dining Plan for three days: £60 / $77 (we're just getting for one adult, we can share)
Other food: TBC
Sub total:

Souvenirs:
$150

Contingency: £300 / $400


Total = £2,915 / $3,810 + food for 2 rest / other park days + food not inc in dining plans (TBC)

 

[DisneyMandC]

So I posted this way back on the first page of this thread and I just booked the trip for next year! Here's what I have booked:

Who: 6 Disney adults

Where: Pop Century. I booked three rooms for us. I would still like to upgrade to a moderate, but I wanted to have Pop booked so that we had good value option in case we don't have the budget to upgrade. We've stayed at Pop before and really enjoyed it, so I definitely won't complain if we stay there again!

When: September 21-28, 2019

Tickets: 5 day parkhoppers +1 water park day for everyone

Food: Booked the Disney dining plan for now. I will likely keep it as DH and I often share meals and we would like to save some of the table service credits to do California Grill one night. We normally eat breakfast in our room and pack some light snacks, so we try to use our snack credits for bigger snack items that can substitute as small meals too.

Transportation: Still up in the air. If I can get the miles to fly everyone for free, I'll do it. Or if everyone says they'd rather fly and are okay paying their own way, that's fine too. Otherwise, I'll have the points to rent a van and drive us down. DH and I are driving down for our trip in 3 weeks and it's a straight shot from our location, so it's not bad.

Souvenirs: Everyone on their own.

The total cost of our trip is $8,638.58. I went ahead and just paid the deposits on a credit card I'm working on a spending requirement for. I'm hoping that will be the only portion of the trip I pay for with "non-discounted" money! I currently have half of the remaining balance saved in credit card cashback and discounted Disney GCs. So I think the remaining $4000 should be very doable over the next 10 months with accruing more cashback and discounted GCs!

Update to the update!

I was scrolling through Facebook when my alarm went off this morning and couldn’t believe when I saw free dining had been released. I booked our trip through a TA so I sent her an email immediately to ask about getting the discount applied. I got an auto reply email that she was on vacation. I thought about it and decided I was just going to go ahead and rebook everything myself on the Disney website and then I could cancel the trip I booked with her (don’t worry, there’s still a happy ending for this TA).

Miraculously, I got the Disney website to work long enough at 7 AM EST to book three separate free dining packages.

Who: 6 Disney adults
When: September 21-18
Where: Pop Century, 3 standard rooms
Tickets: 5 day parkhoppers, will probably add a 6th day since it’s so cheap
Dining: Upgraded from free quick service to Disney Dining Plan
Transportation: Rent a van and drive. We told our family about the trip at Christmas and they were all fine with driving. We drove in November and found it to be very easy drive. Working on getting enough Hertz points to cover this.

My original price was $8,638.

My new price with free dining is $7751, for a savings of $887!!

I currently have $4,400 in credit card points saved up towards this. I have another $500 pending. I also have $450 in discounted Disney gift cards accumulated.

Our whole family is so excited for this trip!

So interesting to look back and see how my trip has changed! Here's the plan now:

Who: 6 Disney adults
When: September 21-18
Where: Pop Century, 3 standard rooms
Tickets: 6 day parkhoppers
Dining: Upgraded from free quick service to Disney Dining Plan
Transportation: We've now changed from driving to flying! Flights are very hit or miss from our airport, but in August,Southwest will start doing direct flights from our airport on Saturdays only, so it worked out exactly perfect for our trip! The flights are $160 pp. Everyone paid their own way.

My original price for the Disney portion alone was $8,638. My price with free dining was originally $7751. I added another day of tickets to every person making them 6 day parkhoppers. My new total is $7823. I used points for mine and DH's flights so we only paid $11.20 in taxes on that.

I've paid some on my trip and now owe $5723. Once the points from my newest credit card post, I will have $3680 in points to put towards the trip. I also have $1825 in discounted Disney GCs. So getting very close to being paid!

I do plan to add memory maker as I think it will be worth it to get some nice pictures of our family together that's not just us trying to hand them multiple iphones.

 

[amalone1013]

So interesting to look back and see how my trip has changed! Here's the plan now:

Who: 6 Disney adults
When: September 21-18
Where: Pop Century, 3 standard rooms
Tickets: 6 day parkhoppers
Dining: Upgraded from free quick service to Disney Dining Plan
Transportation: We've now changed from driving to flying! Flights are very hit or miss from our airport, but in August,Southwest will start doing direct flights from our airport on Saturdays only, so it worked out exactly perfect for our trip! The flights are $160 pp. Everyone paid their own way.

My original price for the Disney portion alone was $8,638. My price with free dining was originally $7751. I added another day of tickets to every person making them 6 day parkhoppers. My new total is $7823. I used points for mine and DH's flights so we only paid $11.20 in taxes on that.

I've paid some on my trip and now owe $5723. Once the points from my newest credit card post, I will have $3680 in points to put towards the trip. I also have $1825 in discounted Disney GCs. So getting very close to being paid!

I do plan to add memory maker as I think it will be worth it to get some nice pictures of our family together that's not just us trying to hand them multiple iphones.

This is so cool

 

[neatokimmo]

I’d go by myself.

Why do you have to plan everything? That’s totally not fair.

I’m doing a camping trip with some of my friends next month. It’s good to have some time alone. My significant other did DL one year by herself. If you like Disney, then just go.

It defeats the purpose of a family trip if you don’t go with your family.

 

[RamblingMad]

It defeats the purpose of a family trip if you don’t go with your family.

Better than a divorce due to different interests.

 

[TwoMisfits]

So, I've bought a lot for my summer 2019 Columbus Game Convention/Pigeon Forge, TN trip (with overnight stops for college visits and family in Pittsburgh and SW VA). I've pretty much stayed in my planned budget, while making sure my mom got to do everything she wanted in TN (since it's her 1st trip here, ever...and she wanted shows and attractions...and a little outdoor mountain time...emphasis on little)...here's where I'm at budget-wise for our 13 night trip...

Gas/Parking/Tolls - $470 (including valet hotel parking in Columbus and all TN parking fees)
Hotels - Residence Inn 2 bedroom Columbus (6 nights $1500), Sunrise Ridge Resort PF, TN (my mom used her timeshare here - I'm using mine to take her to Williamsburg in August - 5 nights), Home2 Suites Pittsburgh studio (1 night hotel points), Homewood Suites 1 bedroom SW VA (1 night $130) = $1630

Total Travel Costs $2100

Entertainment Costs
Columbus
Game Convention Badges (4 5 day badges bought + 1 free for child, 1 free for volunteer) = $200
Game Event Tickets (still need to buy) = budget = $300
Trampoline Xtreme Park 1 hour jump for 4 = $18 (Groupon with Groupon Select Discount) (for our arrival day before Con starts to get kids a fun activity before groceries, check in, swim)
Total Columbus $518

Tennessee
Hatfield McCoy dinner and show tickets for 6 (our splurge) = $325 (my mom said this was the one show she wanted, and I've seen it, and my family did love it, so we're doing it again)
Smoky Mountain Opry show tickets for 6 (I told my mom she will love this, and I think she will - since it changes every year, I don't mind the repeat) = $91
Comedy Barn show tickets for 6 = $91 (new for all of us)
Impossibilities Magic Mind Reading and Mayhem show tickets for 6 (new for all of us) = $72
Ripley's Aquarium tickets (repeat for us, but for my mom), Ripley's Believe It or Not tickets (new for all of us), and Ripley's Haunted Adventure tickets (new for all of us) for 6 = $135
Anakeesta for 6 (new for all of us) = $68
Titanic attraction for 6 (new for all of us) = $64
Morning in the Smoky Mountains = free
One-two outdoor activities (carriage/horse back ride/caverns) = TBD (budget here $236)
Mini golf and swimming at the resort = free
Total TN $1082

Total Entertainment budget for both areas $1600

Food
Trip to Columbus $50 food (probably less b/c I have a free Cracker Barrel $25 from MyPoints)
Trip to TN $50 fast food (probably less b/c I have a free Starbucks $25 from MyPoints)
Trip to SW VA $50 fast food
Trip home $50 fast food
Pittsburgh food (free - paid by grandparents)
Total travel food $200

Columbus
Breakfasts - Paid (hotel)
Groceries (Cover 1 meal/day) $125
2nd meals
North Market Belgian Waffle Restaurant $30 (we got a free restaurant.com deal)
Fresh Fish Poke Bowls $40 (deal with Con badge)
4 other take out meals $160 (One Subway, one Pizza, One Vietnamese Bahn Mis, and one Indian)
Total Columbus Food $355 (low here b/c we don't spend a lot of time eating during the con b/c we are there to game)

Tennessee
Groceries (Cover about 1.75 meals/day - mostly dinners - and all breakfasts) $200
Lunches
Old Mill $100
Anakeesta BBQ $80
Severveille Donut $30 (got a local flavor)
Apple Barn $100
Dinner at Hatfield McCoy (Paid in entertainment budget)
Miscellaneous Fast Food Dinner Meal Out $50
Ice Cream $20
Total TN Food $580

Buffer Budget $65

Total Food Budget $1200

Miscellaneous Budget (Souvernirs, Oopsies) $100

Total Budget $5K for 6
(With my $1K Williamsburg 5 night vacation in August, I'm right on track for my $6K 2019 yearly vacation budget for 6 - anything I don't spend here will plus up that trip...