Trip for a family of 5 (4 of which need tickets)
7 night, 8 day trip
(It will cost us approx 10% less due to hitting up everyone and their mother (literally) for the 10% off Disney GC at Costco, but I’m not taking that into consideration for this illustration)
Lodging: $3165 (7 nights in a wilderness cabin)
Tickets: $2073 (2 10+, 2 3-9, 5 day base tickets)
Food: $1500
Memory Maker share: $30
Genie+ and ILL: $320
Souvenirs: $500
Total: $7588
I have paid for the tickets, and then potentially have an additional $4074 in Disney GC. Let’s say I decide to stay for 6 nights and 7 days at a condo 20 minutes from WDW for $250 (that includes cleaning fees and everything).
All of a sudden my lodging price is $250, saving $2945.
I have $4,074 in Disney gift cards, but all of a sudden all I need is $2050 to cover the rest of the trip costs that I planned for.
What do I do with the remaining $2,024? Given my choice, I would tag on some days at a Disney resort after the condo with some extra park days, to make up for being 20 minutes away which is likely cutting in to my park time quite a bit. How many park days could I add? Where would I stay? I still thinking a cabin would be great. It would cost about $1125 for 3 extra nights. Maybe with the money we could even stay in a Nemo suite, which the kids would love. Idk. I’m mostly just having fun entertaining the idea
I guess the real question is:
What is staying on site worth to you? We have stayed offsite only once and landed definitively in “not a fan.” But also, extremely economical in comparison. But we can afford onsite right now. And we are a growing family that likely, one day, will outgrow staying onsite. And the $250 condo opportunity theoretically isn’t going away…. So yeah. We’ll probably stick with our original plan. But it’s fun to think and imagine. I was inspired by the other “wwyd with $300” and “wwyd with an extra day” posts. And thought it might be fun to share our budget. It’s always interesting to see others’ budgets.
You will use some of it to pay for getting to the theme parks. If you have a vehicle, you will have to pay to park at the theme parks each day. If you don’t have a vehicle, you have to pay for rideshare, etc (assuming the condo does not include transportation).
With the ages of your children, if you are off-site you will probably need to stay together, no splitting up for naps, etc. If you’re on-site, it’s much easier to do split groups as needed because of the WDW transportation (no one gets stranded).
Were you planning on cooking most of your meals in the cabin? Can you do that in the condo? You were estimating $40 a day in food per person (estimate)?
I’m an onsite snob It’s just how it is. It physically feels different to me inside that bubble. Might be real. Might be imagined. But it’s my experience.
I will stay offiste only as a gateway - the night before my trip really begins or at the end, the night before an early flight.
$1200 for food seems really, really low. DD20 and I just went and we spent at least that much for 8 days. We shared an app and meal at skipper Canteen and San Angel Inn. Other TS were Ohana, Round Up Rodeo, and Topolino breakfast. Otherwise we shared snacks and 3 QS meals. Would two rooms at Pop or an All Stars save money for onsite lodging? I’ve done off property once in 15+ trips and won’t do it again. The hassle of driving to parks, huge parking lots, traffic, etc. were not magical.
That cost is mostly for my spouse and I. Our kids are 5, 4, and 1. The 4 year old and 1 year old will eat off our plates. The 5 year old probably won’t touch any food in a restaurant and will exclusively eat food that we bring with us
This right here is why I’d stick to on property. You are losing convenience AND it will cost you an additional $2050. If it’s going to cost more, I’d stick with my plans since you already have it paid for.
After some more inspection, I’m bumping food to $1500.
We spent $1200 as a family of 4 in 2020 for a longer trip (by two nights) while staying in yacht club where we couldn’t cook any of our own food.
This time we have an extra family member, but a shorter trip, staying in a place where we can cook our own food, with fewer table service planned (only rainforest cafe, Sanaa, and Topolino’s), adjusting for inflation, $1500 will be sufficient.
Out of curiosity, I looked into two rooms at all stars which would save us $149. The kitchen/fridge in a cabin definitely make up for that cost difference with the opportunity for saving money on food costs.
No, for sure not! @JenniferB1975 asked if I had looked at double rooms at a value to see if I could save money on lodging.
It’s been so long since I looked at lodging that I didn’t remember if I looked at two rooms or what the price difference was, so out of curiosity, I investigated. It would have to be significant savings for me to even consider it! Definitely not for $150
It’s just how it is. It physically feels different to me inside that bubble. Might be real. Might be imagined. But it’s my experience.
