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Orbitz is not always the cheapest way to get flights. A Southwest flight from Seattle to Orlando will cost you $1366 round trip for four people. If you're doing a strictly Disney vacation and thus staying on Disney property, there is no need to rent a car. Most hotels off property also have airport and theme park shuttles, but yes typically if you stay off property, it makes more sense to rent a car.
Also, from Seattle its about a 45 hour drive. No way are you making that in 3 days, even if you drive 12 hours a day, which most families with kids would not want to do. It will typically take 4 days with a total of 6 nights in a hotel. Besides, even in your example you show that you can pay just $80 more and be there in 6 or 7 hours instead of 4 days (8 total round trip) in the car.
I'm just saying yes there are definitely cases where driving in can be cheaper, but for many people, especially those with kids, flying is cheaper and getting there in 3 or 4 hours instead of 3 or 4 days on the road is worth it.
I don't want to stray too far off topic but also a lot of people don't want to put that much wear and tear on a vehicle they depend on every day. Plus you have to plan for breakdowns, which can easily add hundreds of dollars to the trip. I enjoy a good road trip, but I can certainly understand flying or other transport if that's not your thing.
Having just made a 6300 mile cross-country trip, the numbers presented are ridiculous.
We spent $800 on fuel, averaging 29 mpg.
We had two hotel nights in each direction which I used points for, but they would have run an average of $90 per night, including breakfast at Hampton Inn or similar.
Prior to leaving I had the oil and some filters changed, and replaced the tires which were due anyhow with 45K miles on them, but I don't consider the tires are part of the trip costs.
We had an included breakfast every morning. For lunch we packed a cooler before we left home with fresh fruit, yogurt, cheese, crackers, etc. We did this to save time more than money. We finished that fruit before getting to California, and restocked before we left to drive back to Florida. My husband also brought a jar of peanut butter, jelly, and a loaf of bread which he used for lunches or late night snacks. We had dinner out every night which averaged about $30. (Chipotle, Whole Foods salad bar, that sort of thing)
So total cost of driving was about $1500. Had we had two children along it would have been $1600 to account for extra food.
Disney World is reasonable and affordable to the average middle income family if it's done with some common sense.
Like everything else in life, it's a matter of priorities. I'm sure that family has any number of things they spend money on that they don't need that could instead be applied towards a Disney vacation.
Orbitz is not always the cheapest way to get flights. A Southwest flight from Seattle to Orlando will cost you $1366 round trip for four people. If you're doing a strictly Disney vacation and thus staying on Disney property, there is no need to rent a car. Most hotels off property also have airport and theme park shuttles, but yes typically if you stay off property, it makes more sense to rent a car.
Also, from Seattle its about a 45 hour drive. No way are you making that in 3 days, even if you drive 12 hours a day, which most families with kids would not want to do. It will typically take 4 days with a total of 6 nights in a hotel. Besides, even in your example you show that you can pay just $80 more and be there in 6 or 7 hours instead of 4 days (8 total round trip) in the car.
I'm just saying yes there are definitely cases where driving in can be cheaper, but for many people, especially those with kids, flying is cheaper and getting there in 3 or 4 hours instead of 3 or 4 days on the road is worth it.
I hope you're not looking at September or October flights to Orlando for a Disney vacation.
Regardless, this is an extreme case of farthest flight and farthest drive to point out how much savings can be even in the farthest stretch with the lowest amount of savings. Bringing that closer like middle of the country, and you're talking a one day drive.
Point is, driving can be more cost effective, maybe not always time-effective.
If a middle class family wants to plan a Disney vacation, they need to plan accordingly and it can be done. Driving there gives them more flexibility on the way there to make stops at interesting places and it also gives them more flexibility to explore around Orlando, maybe even do a half Universal half Disney. And saves them having to get a rental car.
People who think going to Disney on a "middle class" income is impossible or very tough are probably not financially savvy enough to afford it. Wanting to spend the money on that type of vacation is another thing entirely and should be disregarded entirely since this thread is about the affordability of the vacation, not "should I go"
Having just made a 6300 mile cross-country trip, the numbers presented are ridiculous.
We spent $800 on fuel, averaging 29 mpg.
We had two hotel nights in each direction which I used points for, but they would have run an average of $90 per night, including breakfast at Hampton Inn or similar.
Prior to leaving I had the oil and some filters changed, and replaced the tires which were due anyhow with 45K miles on them, but I don't consider the tires are part of the trip costs.
We had an included breakfast every morning. For lunch we packed a cooler before we left home with fresh fruit, yogurt, cheese, crackers, etc. We did this to save time more than money. We finished that fruit before getting to California, and restocked before we left to drive back to Florida. My husband also brought a jar of peanut butter, jelly, and a loaf of bread which he used for lunches or late night snacks. We had dinner out every night which averaged about $30. (Chipotle, Whole Foods salad bar, that sort of thing)
So total cost of driving was about $1500. Had we had two children along it would have been $1600 to account for extra food.
Disney World is reasonable and affordable to the average middle income family if it's done with some common sense.
Like everything else in life, it's a matter of priorities. I'm sure that family has any number of things they spend money on that they don't need that could instead be applied towards a Disney vacation.
Actually you're right, the numbers I gave were ridiculous as I gave bias towards the flight to make a point. I do all my traveling by car and I save money that way. I've driven to Miami from Chicago on my own with 500-600 in my pocket on a 5 day weekend roundtrip in a car that gave me 37-40 mpg highway.
Planning and common sense is important. Budgeting is not something for poor people only. Anyone who can afford to live in a house and own a newish car (i.e. middle class) can afford to go on vacation. Whether they choose to save for it or not, is another thing.
Having just made a 6300 mile cross-country trip, the numbers presented are ridiculous.
We spent $800 on fuel, averaging 29 mpg.
We had two hotel nights in each direction which I used points for, but they would have run an average of $90 per night, including breakfast at Hampton Inn or similar.
Prior to leaving I had the oil and some filters changed, and replaced the tires which were due anyhow with 45K miles on them, but I don't consider the tires are part of the trip costs.
We had an included breakfast every morning. For lunch we packed a cooler before we left home with fresh fruit, yogurt, cheese, crackers, etc. We did this to save time more than money. We finished that fruit before getting to California, and restocked before we left to drive back to Florida. My husband also brought a jar of peanut butter, jelly, and a loaf of bread which he used for lunches or late night snacks. We had dinner out every night which averaged about $30. (Chipotle, Whole Foods salad bar, that sort of thing)
So total cost of driving was about $1500. Had we had two children along it would have been $1600 to account for extra food.
Disney World is reasonable and affordable to the average middle income family if it's done with some common sense.
Like everything else in life, it's a matter of priorities. I'm sure that family has any number of things they spend money on that they don't need that could instead be applied towards a Disney vacation.
Many people tend to not have a clue on how to cut costs down when traveling (maybe even daily life), so they end up not traveling or do it very seldom. Along with that, many of these same people have some strange, twisted concept of what traveling is and should be which inflates the costs even more.
I hope you're not looking at September or October flights to Orlando for a Disney vacation.
Regardless, this is an extreme case of farthest flight and farthest drive to point out how much savings can be even in the farthest stretch with the lowest amount of savings. Bringing that closer like middle of the country, and you're talking a one day drive.
Point is, driving can be more cost effective, maybe not always time-effective.
If a middle class family wants to plan a Disney vacation, they need to plan accordingly and it can be done. Driving there gives them more flexibility on the way there to make stops at interesting places and it also gives them more flexibility to explore around Orlando, maybe even do a half Universal half Disney. And saves them having to get a rental car.
People who think going to Disney on a "middle class" income is impossible or very tough are probably not financially savvy enough to afford it. Wanting to spend the money on that type of vacation is another thing entirely and should be disregarded entirely since this thread is about the affordability of the vacation, not "should I go"
Actually I looked in September. That's the closest I can look and still be a reasonable comparison. If I looked for next week, of course tickets will be sky high because last minute tickets always are.
I agree it's not out of the price range of middle class families. It just requires other sacrifices and savings of a year or two. Disney is not a vacation you take on the spur of the moment. You have to start planning well ahead of time.
Disney's whole ticket scheme is to get you to stay at Disney for longer. It gets much cheaper the longer you stay. If you stay for 10 days, theme park tickets are only $33 a day instead of $90 for a one park pass. Universal has gotten the same way. One day ticket to Universal is $92. Buying a 4 day pass drops the price to $38 per day. There is so much in central Florida now that both Universal and Disney have created plans to make you want to stay with them longer and not leave to go somewhere else by making it cheaper the longer you stay.
Also, another point is that some people may prefer to fly in because they can get there before noon and spend at least 7 or 8 hours in one of the theme parks that first day. Then their last day spend 7 or 8 hours in one of the theme parks and take a late evening flight home. That would save 2 nights in a hotel. It certainly doesn't make up up for a possibly expensive flight vs driving, but it could if you can find a cheap flight and you're staying at a $100 per night hotel.
Dentists don't really make good money. That is why a lot request unnecessary procedures to patients to make more money.
Quote:
Originally Posted by in_newengland
My dentist, who makes good money, just returned from Disneyworld and she was complaining about the prices. I've always thought a trip to something "real" like a national park would be better anyway. Maybe kids are brainwashed into thinking they need to go to Disney. Save the money and do something meaningful.
Disney can be less expensive if you look on deal sites, months where airfare and hotel are cheaper, friends and family discounts, rewards discounts, car discounts, a ton online. Just look, plan, and schedule. If you're not far from your Disney just drive there, save on airfare. Buy your tickets from Costco. Etc.
Disney can be less expensive if you look on deal sites, months where airfare and hotel are cheaper, friends and family discounts, rewards discounts, car discounts, a ton online. Just look, plan, and schedule. If you're not far from your Disney just drive there, save on airfare. Buy your tickets from Costco. Etc.
All these ideas are wonderful, but some are overlooking a few issues: 1-traveling long distances with a couple of kids can be very frustrating and you can't drive as many hours. So what some can do in 2 nights, other will take 3..2- months where rates are lower: those are low season when families can not travel or if they can, they certainly can't take the extra time to drive. 3- even buying tickets from Costco (if they have Costco where you live, not all places do) will save, but the costs are still very expensive. There are always ways to save and I am sure, most families traveling to Disney resorts know who to take advantage of the savings, still it is an expensive vacation for most families. Anyone who thinks it isn't has never done it with a couple of kids. So many are talking about the basic costs and forgetting the extra money that we all spend. That is like saying: gee, if you check you can go on a week cruise for just about $1500 for four if you go off season. That $1500 is just the start of the cost.
So many are talking about the basic costs and forgetting the extra money that we all spend. That is like saying: gee, if you check you can go on a week cruise for just about $1500 for four if you go off season. That $1500 is just the start of the cost.
But Disney doesn't require you to pay a lot of other costs if you are staying at one of their resorts. So to me there is less beyond the "starting cost" than other vacations.
Parking? Included if you stay at a Disney owned resort. No per day parking at the port like on a cruise. Daily $10-15 pp (or whatever it is these days) tips like most cruise lines require in addition to your cabin? No. I like to tip housekeeping, and of course if I eat in a sit-down restaurant there is a tip expected. But otherwise, nothing I can think of since I carry my bags into my room, unless someone goes above & beyond. Fastpasses for rides? No, Disney uses a system that is free to all guests. Souvenirs? Yes, I usually buy myself a little something (I spent about $20 on myself for a Disney beach towel and some coasters this time), and DD gets a couple of toys. But if I had to go without a souvenir myself to go, I could.
So there's (a) admission tickets, which we've already established are pricey but less per day if you stay longer. You can get discounts on these, but no substantial discounts unless you have something like a "kids stay and play free" discount from Disney. And (b) a place to stay, which can range from reasonable to over the moon. And (c) parking fees, but only if you are not staying "at" Disney, (d) food, which is certainly more expensive than eating at home, but I didn't find it all that much more expensive than eating out anywhere. If you want, you can bring your own snacks & sandwiches into the parks instead because Disney does not prohibit outside food & drinks. Or a lot of Disney meals are big enough to split if you would rather take that approach to saving money. And (e) transportation from home to Disney. Yes, you got me there. But is that really the cost of "going to Disney" or just the cost of being able to fly or drive anywhere you might want to vacation? If we lived more than a day's drive away and had to fly, we'd probably not be able to go as often. If we lived in Seattle, we'd probably drive the 2 days down to Disneyland and not even think of going to Disney World. (Living in S.C., I haven't seriously considered a Grand Canyon or European trip, much as I would like to, due to the transportation cost.) But one could look for the air deals mentioned above. Then there is (f) souvenirs. You could get a $20 souvie like me. Or spend $0. or $3000. But as much as Disney would like to sell everyone $3000 worth of goods, it's a place where there is much, much more to do than shop. So imho, it can be easy not to spend "extra" money.
I usually add in (g) Photopass, but it really isn't necessary if you bring along a camera or picture taking device or just don't want pictures.
And at this point I can't think of any other "extras" I might buy on a Disney World trip.
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but also a lot of people don't want to put that much wear and tear on a vehicle they depend on every day. Plus you have to plan for breakdowns, which can easily add hundreds of dollars to the trip. I enjoy a good road trip, but I can certainly understand flying or other transport if that's not your thing.
