What are you spending on vacation next year..

We budget about 10k a trip a year. Disney 5K and other trips are random!
This is my ideal budget for vacation but I find I'm not actually spending that much. Disney, yearly is a about $ 3500, just for me. I also do a cruise which is always about $ 2500 with plane tickets. This year I'm doing California but staying with a friend and doing the National Park. That will be about $ 1500. I want to do Washington DC by train. And I want to do NYC by train and go to a broadway play. Those will be about $ 2000.00 total. And my dream vacation, aside from Disney is to do a Viking River Cruise...that will not be till 2019. But to spend $ 10,000 a year on vacation is a somewhat steep for my income, so we shall see. I retired 4 years ago, and I still have $ for vacations so far. But as the cost of things go up, and my income does not....I may have to plan a bit more carefully. So far I'm happy with what I've been able to do.
 
well....lets see..... I'm counting a mid December 2017 trip to start.... 3 people-8 days in a Fl coast timeshare($100,1/2 the fee) a rental minivan ($0,cc credit) Flights ($0,just taxes-SWA) 3 nights onsite at WDW (cc points-$0) one day to visit Avatarland ($227,used one old ticket I had for me) so maybe $350 for this trip, plus food costs (at WDW will use discounted gc's for food,otherwise grocery budget for that) not bad for 10 days for 3 people-
April 2018, big family trip with extended group- staying onsite at WDW (cc points,$224 fees) Flights ($0 just taxes,SWA) tickets (can't remember,bought a couple of years back with a UT sale using amex discount,so maybe $1000 for 3 6 day tix?) and plan to spend about $100 per day on food for the 3 of us,so approx. $900-$1k using discounted gc's (so about 7-15% discount on food cost) plus misc. costs of dog care,airport parking etc.... so on the outside will spend around $2500 for this trip (?) It's all purchased over time with discounts,so all paid for ahead of time which makes it easier.
Between these two trips I'm at about $3k I guess (give or take) And anything more we plan ,well,we shall see what pops up. Our issue isn't getting trips for cheap,it's finding time to take all the trips I'd like to take! I'd like to maybe do a cruise Fall 2018, but that remains to be seen. I like to jump onto whatever good deals pop up. Reality is with ticket price hikes I don't think we'll be visiting WDW as much after our big spring trip, though we will want to see some of the new stuff when it comes out eventually.
Also editing my year plans:cool1: So planning a Trip to Hawaii in Dec 2018- so far I have planned... flights from east-west coast $0(plus taxes) One night at LAX hotel $0(cc points) Flights to Maui $0 (cc points plus taxes) 5 nights hotel $130 resort fee,$0 cc points, 1-2 nights LAX hotel on way home $0 (cc points) rental car on Maui 5 days $0 (cc points) so technically just paying taxes and fees for 3-4 people,total trip time is about 9 days. SO excited!!! planned cost for this one is WAY cheaper than our WDW trip,I'm guessing less than $1k total. (plan to hit costco for food in Maui too)
 
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Next year we plan to go to Disney and I have mentally budgeted $5K (going Deluxe, but during August when things are a little cheaper and using miles/rewards).

We also bought ski passes last spring that are good through the end of this ski season so we will rent a condo a few times. We usually bring a lot of groceries and only eat out a few times, but the ski lessons for the kids add up.

So to answer the OP - I have no intention of adding it up!
 
No, never been there. Someday, but if we did go out that way the more I think about it I'd rather spend the time in Arizona. Your road trip sounds fun!

You could do quite a bit of tourist stuff in just a couple of days. We don't gamble and drink very little. We aren't cool enough to club
 


We currently have a 3 night Disney cruise booked for Sept 2018. It'll cost us about $1600 for the cruise itself for DH, DS (10 months), and myself. Since we're sailing during hurricane season, we'll need to add on trip insurance, so I need to factor in the cost of that. I'm also currently saving for DH and I to have dinner at Remy one night and send DS to the nursery for an hour or two during that. I think the trip will be around $2000 total since we can drive down, and we'll use cc rewards and gift cards from birthdays/ Christmas to cover some of this cost. I'm also using ibotta/ Checkout 51/ shopkicks/ eBates to help!
 
This is a very good question as I've been thinking about it myself! Will we go on vacation and can we? We've had some unexpected expenditures happen this year which will last through to about April or May, so I'm not certain if we'll still vacation.

Ideally, though, we'd like to go to Disney. I would like to go to Disneyland, and the boys would rather go to Disney World. Budget would include airfare for four, park tickets for four to six (if some family comes I'm willing to purchase their park tickets), on-site hotel, and rental car for at least a portion of the stay. Length of stay 3 or 4 days Disney, and then do a few other things in the area for the other few days for a total of 7 day vacation. Rough guess I'd bet is about 5k, and I haven't even ran any numbers yet!
 
DH really wants to go to a tank museum in Bovington, England. Talking about going in June next year for some special "tank fest," and we'd add several days before and after.

This is dependent on whether my bonus comes through in December, and how much DD's school costs come out to be next semester.

Likely would pay about $6,000 all total, for flight, hotel, meals, and day trip tickets.

But then again, we may need to adult and save the money for a new car. Sigh.
 


Well, we are moving all the way across the country.......so, probably just that.
 
I would like to make the shift to trips for Christmas presents. The kid never wants anything, and doesn't use what she does get.


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For the past several years, we've done stockings for our kids, and 3 gifts each. They get plenty of things from relatives, and don't NEED anything. They're starting to get old enough now that we can give them a trip/something intangible, and they can understand it. Honestly, I'd rather spend my $ on an experience for the entire family rather than junk I have to step over or fuss at them about picking up. We've asked for zoo memberships, etc. from family members before, and when we go, I can remind the kids "Hey, so-and-so gave our zoo passes to us for Christmas, remember? It's like we get to have Christmas all over again!" So they're used to that kind of stuff. I'm definitely not against them getting gifts, but it can quickly get to be too much - especially when a lot of the things they receive aren't necessarily in their "sweet spot" of things they love.
 
We normally budget $4,000-$5,000 but this year we are budgeting $7,000 for a California/Hawaii trip. Flying from east coast, air fare to California and back is covered by points, two out of four flights to Hawaii are covered by points. Planning $1600 for two flights and upgrades. Need hotel in LA, Waikiki, and Disneyland. Staying at Aulani with our DVC points. Then need $ for food, activities, car rentals, and Disneyland tickets. It's my parents 40th anniversary and my husband and I's 15th anniversary so we are planning big!
 
I want to Disney with you. We are values all the way :)

We are a little spoiled! But our kids are grown, no grandkids to spend on, stayed in our little house which we payed off years ago & we don't spend a lot on going out at home. My DH is in a 24/7 management position & vacation is the only time he relaxes. Unfortunately I can't talk him into Europe so Disney it is. We're enjoying while we can. Hopefully we'll be retiring in about 5 years & I'm not sure retirement can support club level stays every trip! :laughing:
 
I've enjoyed reading what everyone is doing! I can't get either of them to commit to anything.
 
Short answer: we're spending A LOT!!! There's a reason, though. Here's the story:

This past June, I went to Italy with my DD's (ages 21 and 14 at the time). It was 12 days, the trip was a graduation/birthday trip for my older DD. We had a glorious time, but DS11 felt quite miffed that he was left home--I felt he didn't possess the maturity to handle the trip, with its strange foods and different language and all that history and walking and so forth. I promised him a future trip to Italy.

Earlier this month, we came into some money. Our family values are such that education and travel are two big expenses. Looking into travel options, I found a tour Europe that includes London, Paris, and Rome. It's geared towards kids, so in London, for example, there's a Harry Potter tour. Plenty of other kid-oriented stuff, meant for family travel. OTOH, it's a very pricey trip--everything's 5-star, which generally isn't our style, but this particular tour really spoke to our family. So, bottom line, 5 of us will be flying to Europe next June. DS20 will stay home--he'll be taking a summer class. Including airfare all around, you're probably talking close to $50k for this trip. We have no intention of travelling like this every year, but I'm looking forward to the experience.

On a normal year, a travel budget of maybe $10k for the 5-6 of us is much more common. Sometimes DD22 doesn't come along--she lives in another state--and sometimes DS20 stays home (he's always invited, just not much of a traveller).
Wow....I guess a lot...but it sounds like a blast! Sometimes splurging is necessary...we only go around once.
 
I want to do a Hawaii trip...maybe a cruise to all the Islands. It would be great to combine a Disneyland trip and then a cruise to the Islands, all in the same trip. I already have a 12 day repositioning cruise for October 2018 from Boston to Ft. Lauderdale...so we shall see what I can afford. Maybe a summer trip.
 
I have a $12K travel budget for next year and am doing three trips. Two are mini four night/three days stays and one is a seven night/six day stay (no Orlando for me next year), but 2017 did have both Anaheim and Orlando lol.

Things we considered, but decided against.
(1) Ohau, HI -- DH thought that sounded fun to go again, till I crunched the numbers and let him know what he was interested in would be about 10K for the three of us staying where he was interested in and be fine to do, but would be for the most part our main trip. DS and DH both voted for more trips that were more modest than one expensive one. (In the end DH said it was really just seeing his friend Lane who we all adore and visiting seed shops (candy store for natives)) and 10K he said really seemed to be a lot just to do those two things and fit in other stuff to make a week out of that. It's not on our list for future either -- but we have been to HI twice before.
(2) We aren't getting any younger and I told DH I didn't have the money for it annually, but could do a big trip more expensive than our normal budget (one) if he had anything on his bucket list. Anyway, he thought about Germany. I looked at lots of options (he wasn't interested in independent travel there which is almost always the least expensive way to go, we saw decent group tours, but in the end what appealed to DH most would be doing a private tour -- three of us with Viatorius Tour). Crunching all the numbers that would have set us back about 16K for three of us to go. DH said he wasn't going to discount it entirely, but thought that sounded pretty expensive for his ultimate thoughts about having a few German Beers and Brats. And for what we'd be doing, he said that was pretty expensive to go to German Disneyland -- he's talking about the Romantic Road and seeing historic towns and castles. // And me maybe I'm getting old -- I'd go if DH wants to OK, but those long flights to Europe don't sound appealing to me. Have already been over to Europe three times -- 76 when I was 16 as an exchange student in France, London and England with DH before kids, Russia with DH to adopt DS, but was too tired to really enjoy tourist stuff with all the other stuff. And I did two years ago send DS over on a study abroad -- Italy for that part followed by some independent travel - hostel stay in London. // I really and truly don't think DH and I will be back, but I'd do it if DH wants to. In the end I think his budget sensibilities are similar to mine and neither of us really has the travel bug.

So here is what we decided to do -- the fun/frivolous part -- spending our 12 K travel budget for 2018:

Key West -- end of Feb./into March four nights three days -- budget for three people (me, DH, and our 22 year old) -- $4500
-- Key West FYI is a really expensive place for accommodations winter - high season, but I'd really like to check it out and it sounds like a really fun place for DH, DS, and me to go on a mini trip. We are not beach people FYI and that's a good thing as it's not a place to go for the beach. We decided to fly down direct and back, so that's about 500 a person. And we are staying at a clean, basic, well located Best Western Motel and that lol is setting us back about $350 a night -- ouch. We can walk everywhere we want to go from there. It's well located and includes breakfast.

Sedona, AZ May (four people -- $4200 -- full week) // We have an extended family group coming here and celebrating my parent's 60th wedding anniversary. This was a really good choice as it is exotic enough for all to enjoy and want to go, but not that terribly expensive (good value for what it offers). We will have three condos. I'm paying for one -- DH and I get the master, DS and friend get the second bedroom, and my niece and her husband get the common area pull out -- freebie stay for them. The condo unit is 1500 square feet and has two and 1/2 baths -- I got a rental from a timeshare owner on TUG2.net for $1200 for the week. Sedona is beautiful. We will be out for lots of walks/some easy hiking -- DS who is into photography will love it. We'll do a day trip to the Grand Canyon, as my niece's husband has never been and I'm happy to visit again, be a driver. We'll have a rental car. We will be flying in and out of Phoenix two hours away. Cost will probably be less than $4200, as I have points for some freebie airfare, but my budget doesn't assume that I'll use those. There are some great day trips you can do from Sedona too, but really and truly Sedona is the gem in the area for its' beauty and amenities. We'll probably do a day trip though to see one of the nearby Indian Ruin places on top of our very full Grand Canyon day trip. Our condo is walking distance to restaurants and shops, has an indoor and outdoor pool and Jacuzzi, club house, tennis courts, etc. Air will be about $350-$400 pp round trip. Also -- very very cool - were were able to reserve all three condos at the same place and they are all right next to each other. There will be 16 of us all together.

New Jersey/NYC -- to visit relatives and then do a city stay to see Christmas stuff and do some Broadway shows -- $3000 (for three of us). Again this may be less than this due to some freebie air points. My expensive part will be show tickets. I'll be spending maybe $800 on tickets. I would like to get tickets for all three of us to see Dear Evan Hansen. I'll also get a ticket for DS to see Lion King (We've all seen that before, but he has always wanted to see it in Broadway in NYC -- and it's just the traveling show we've seen in our home town). He has no problem going my himself. DS has always wanted to see NYC decked out for Christmas, so we will go in December. I prefer NYC in warmer weather. May is my favorite time to go. We will just stay two nights in New Jersey to visit relative and just stay two nights in Manhattan. I can usually get pretty reasonable air -- like $200 pp round trip. Note for a budget NYC stay, Long Island City is a short subway ride away and way cheaper. I like staying in Manhattan way more though if I can swing it budget wise and usually opt for a shorter trip with a Manhattan stay.

My budgets include $s to friend for keeping our dog on short stays and kennel with Doggie day camp and extras for longer stays too, all incidentals, food, entertainment / admissions for all the stuff we'd like to do, etc.
 
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April- Ft. Myers...hopefully my sister has power by then! Air just over $500 for each of us (DH, me and 3 kids). Rental $900 thru BJs for 10 days a Yukon XL. Food will be similar to what we have at home- eat breakfast at my sisters and pack lunch for the beach. We are hoping to head to the keys for a few days, give them some tourism money to rebuild! We will try snorkeling/scuba again (this past April waves were too big for us) to pennecamp in key largo and the lighthouse out of marathon. Eat at the keys fisheries in Marathon and this other place in key largo next to Mrs. Macs. So a relatively cheap trip since we are really just pairing for air and car rental.

August-Disney for 12 days, kids will all be Disney adults! 5 nights at the BC and 6 nights at the Poly. My sister is trying to convince my DH to come down a day early to scuba dive. I can cut a day from the Disney trip if he wants to do that. We will be flying, not renting a car unless they scuba but it will only be for 2-3 days and I have all my "free" Disney money for food-Disney visa and various rewards sites. So yeah $$$$$
 
Earlier this month, we came into some money. Our family values are such that education and travel are two big expenses. Looking into travel options, I found a tour Europe that includes London, Paris, and Rome. It's geared towards kids, so in London, for example, there's a Harry Potter tour. Plenty of other kid-oriented stuff, meant for family travel. OTOH, it's a very pricey trip--everything's 5-star, which generally isn't our style, but this particular tour really spoke to our family. So, bottom line, 5 of us will be flying to Europe next June. DS20 will stay home--he'll be taking a summer class. Including airfare all around, you're probably talking close to $50k for this trip. We have no intention of travelling like this every year, but I'm looking forward to the experience.


I have looked at this trip (used the same tour company for Italy and going on a different tour with them next June) and I think it looks wonderful! I hope you have an awesome time truffle hunting, touring the Louvre and of course, the Sistine Chapel after hours is just awe-inspiring. I actually wanted to take my mother on this trip but we ended up going on a DCL trip from Dover to Barcelona which meant London and Paris were covered (she loved Paris, London not so much) so now at some point guess it's another Italy trip for me (hurt me!). I know lots of people can and like to DIY but honestly part of vacation for me is to not have to worry about every single detail! As for the "5 star" aspect, a lot of that is not having to lug luggage, scramble for tickets, enthusiastic guides and having hotels close to the action. Hopefully you will have a fabulous time and let us know how it was upon return :)
 
I've enjoyed reading what everyone is doing! I can't get either of them to commit to anything.

My family thinks I'm crazy for scheduling so far out. This summer I was on my phone in a London hotel checking flight prices for next year (sigh...). Honestly, though, everyone is happy if we can do more with less so I was trying to get the lowest seats with miles.

For our Big Summer Trip, DH and I are flying to Toronto then Edinburgh (see above crazy itineraries with miles) for a few days before a 7 day tour. I've been to Scotland 4 summers in a row so could do this on my own, but don't enjoy micromanaging every detail when DH travels. He likes every single thing taken care of and while I'm fine doing that for myself adding him in just takes away the vacation aspect. So we're spending about $9000 for the tour, plus about $3000 for extras including extra days, spa time in Edinburgh and kennel costs.

Another trip is a 4 day trip to Orlando to take advantage of a companion fare (free) ticket. Airfare was $400 for two of us (like in the good old days, sigh), then we'll stay either at the Swan/Dolphin, BWI/YC or Ritz, depending on my mood when I book rooms. Then it's just eat, spa, golf for three nights. This could run us anywhere between $1000-4000 depending on where we stay and how much we play and eat. I'm waiting on some house renovation quotes before I commit us to the amount of expense for this trip :)
 
I have looked at this trip (used the same tour company for Italy and going on a different tour with them next June) and I think it looks wonderful! I hope you have an awesome time truffle hunting, touring the Louvre and of course, the Sistine Chapel after hours is just awe-inspiring. I actually wanted to take my mother on this trip but we ended up going on a DCL trip from Dover to Barcelona which meant London and Paris were covered (she loved Paris, London not so much) so now at some point guess it's another Italy trip for me (hurt me!). I know lots of people can and like to DIY but honestly part of vacation for me is to not have to worry about every single detail! As for the "5 star" aspect, a lot of that is not having to lug luggage, scramble for tickets, enthusiastic guides and having hotels close to the action. Hopefully you will have a fabulous time and let us know how it was upon return :)


I will definitely let you know how it goes! Your take on the planning is spot on--if it were a trip to Disney World, I would love every aspect of the planning. A trip to Europe? Not so much. Although I've spent a whopping 12 days in Italy this past June, I don't feel like I know any of the destinations well enough to plan properly. So, it wouldn't be fun for me to plan, and I'd spend the entire trip (and pre-trip), anxious that I missed something. Plus, this trip really spoke to our family--we love games and puzzles, we're big Harry Potter fans, my older DD loves alpacas, my younger DD loves truffles--you get the idea. The whole itinerary screamed "QueenIsabella's family"!

I may have mentioned, our trip to Italy was also a tour, but with a different company(Insights). It was considered 4-star, but still very nice--no complaints at all. I would do another tour with them in a heartbeat.

Reading everyone else's vacation plans makes me want to plan additional trips--Hawaii? The Carribbean? Sigh! So many lovely places to visit!
 
We are going to universal and Disney April 2018 for a family of 4 for 9 nights and I am budgeting about $8000.

Airfare after points was $600.

1 night sapphire falls and 3 royal pacific $1100

5 nights at Disney at AKL $2000

Spending money for food and souvenirs $1500

Airport parking, stroller rental, car service from airport to universal and universal to Disney $350

We want 3 day park to park tickets at universal and 5 day non park hoppers to Disney that I still need to buy.
 

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