Is it worth ? (Holiday season)

[MDB12]

Hello

I need your opinion!

1: FIRST DW trip !! 2 adult 2 high schooler from California
2: planning to go during school winter break this year.
3: 7days to spend at parks

Total coast for Air tickets, official hotels, park tickets will be about $15,000. ( not includes foods and shopping )

I guess end up I costs $20,000 total.

Question!!
Is it worth to spend that much ?

( we don't want to go when weather is hot, we can't go when kids have school)

 

[MDB12]

I'd try OKW multi-floor suite which sleeps at least 8. Also, do you really need to be onsite ? When we stay about 20 minutes from the parks we pay 1/4 of what we pay for a Disney resort. Of course you'll need a rental car, and they're really damn expensive now.

we are not familia with DW area so I would like to stay on property and trying to stay CLOSEST to each parks ( I know this is a problem and making trip cost so high )

 

[Dave B]

No IT IS NOT wait until they offer a discount, they have taken away so much right now and to go without any discount or special would be crazy, now with that said if that is expendable income and its not going to dent the bank account then go for it, but you asking the question, I am assuming it is not, do you have the Disney Visa Card? They just sent out a 20% offer

 

[CaptainAmerica]

AM lodge 2rooms for 7 nights will be nearly $10,000. so I might just go one standard room and like someone said bring an air bed for my son. I feel already tired though

Thank you so much for your help ! I'm gonna have a nightmare tonight about DW maps and hotels

It's worth pointing out that you picked the most expensive time of the year to go. The two weeks around Christmas are as much as 50% higher than other times of the year.

 

[Hcalvert]

wish we can get to DW by car but we are from California so no choice to pay a lot for air fare. Also we are not pass holder
I am not sure what OKW means (sorry lol) but I feel like moving to FL and get AP !!

Enjoy your trip !!

OKW=Old Key West. I live in Ohio, so my AP was one of the most expensive at the time.

I do understand not having the extra time to drive. We only drive when we have the extra time to do so. I am a teacher and my husband is a school bus driver, so we can only travel during Christmas and summer. I teach 4 weeks of summer school to cover most of our vacation expenses.

I don't know how set you are on Christmastime, but I would recommend that you visit at another time. My most costly vacations at Disney were during Christmas and spring break due to airfare and resort prices. (However, we were lucky to book Animal Kingdom Lodge-Kidani for $180/night last December because a DVC member had expiring points and couldn't bank them either). Even my June 2022 trip, which is for 15 nights at the Boardwalk Villas, tickets, food, and all three of us flying is not even half of the $20,000 cost that you referred to in your original post. If I were to add my husband's approximated share ($2500) of the 2 night Star Wars hotel package, we are still around half of that cost. However, if Christmastime is the only time you can go, I would follow some of the other people's advice about the hotel.

 

[MDB12]

No IT IS NOT wait until they offer a discount, they have taken away so much right now and to go without any discount or special would be crazy, now with that said if that is expendable income and its not going to dent the bank account then go for it, but you asking the question, I am assuming it is not, do you have the Disney Visa Card? They just sent out a 20% offer

No we don't have the Disney Visa card

If Florida isn't hot in April then I would think to visit during kid's spring break but temperature is too hot for us and
spring break is only a week !

My son will be out of house next year for college, so I think this winter break might be the first and last chance to go to DW
together. I know he would prefer to go to Disney with friends or a girlfriend ... not with dad and mom anymore.

The budget is not going to dent the bank but since it's such a big amount, I was wondering if I am doing ridiculous thing and wonder this is what people pay to stay at DW hotel during holidays .

Thank you for your reply !

 

[Club Cooloholic]

It will be my first and probably last time to go to DW so I am very curious about those 3 hotels !! and also closer to each parks is important for me to spend max time but I have to think again..

I saw Animal kingdom lodge (not villa) but I would like 2 beds plus one pull out for my HS senior who doesn't want to share a bed.
Standard room has only 2 queen beds. I know this makes thing difficult... I need to tell him to just take it, but other reason I choose villa is I prefer to sleep peacefully separate from kids lol . Thank you !

I totally get wanting to try out many different hotels. Thank said....I would take out either Boardwalk or Grand Floridian. And stay at 2 places longer, do the hotel, maybe AKL then move to a villa at BWV OR GFV so you can do your laundry then.
Changing rooms can be a pain, and you always worry about leaving something, and you can't check right I to the next place and worry that your bags get there ok.
AKL is a very unique place to stay so I would keep that. BW is ok, and GF is a place I never stayed. I wonder if the TV Murphy bed could accommodate a teenager?

 

[MDB12]

OKW=Old Key West. I live in Ohio, so my AP was one of the most expensive at the time.

I do understand not having the extra time to drive. We only drive when we have the extra time to do so. I am a teacher and my husband is a school bus driver, so we can only travel during Christmas and summer. I teach 4 weeks of summer school to cover most of our vacation expenses.

I don't know how set you are on Christmastime, but I would recommend that you visit at another time. My most costly vacations at Disney were during Christmas and spring break due to airfare and resort prices. (However, we were lucky to book Animal Kingdom Lodge-Kidani for $180/night last December because a DVC member had expiring points and couldn't bank them either). Even my June 2022 trip, which is for 15 nights at the Boardwalk Villas, tickets, food, and all three of us flying is not even half of the $20,000 cost that you referred to in your original post. If I were to add my husband's approximated share ($2500) of the 2 night Star Wars hotel package, we are still around half of that cost. However, if Christmastime is the only time you can go, I would follow some of the other people's advice about the hotel.

we really don't like high temperature Spring break will be only a week and It seems like Florida is already hot !!

My son will be out of house for college next year so he won't be going to Disney with dad and mom anymore.
He would go with friends aftertime.
I think I want to go this time more than kids
I need to re think about hotel like you and others say if it's not too late. Rooms get full quickly.

Thank you for the info and help!

 

[MDB12]

I totally get wanting to try out many different hotels. Thank said....I would take out either Boardwalk or Grand Floridian. And stay at 2 places longer, do the hotel, maybe AKL then move to a villa at BWV OR GFV so you can do your laundry then.
Changing rooms can be a pain, and you always worry about leaving something, and you can't check right I to the next place and worry that your bags get there ok.
AKL is a very unique place to stay so I would keep that. BW is ok, and GF is a place I never stayed. I wonder if the TV Murphy bed could accommodate a teenager?

I just checked if I can stay at AK villa Kidani 2 more nights longer than I booked but it was all booked.
Savanna view's more expensive room was available though it's $1215/night plus tax !!

I might be able to stay longer at BW inn until last day but this is not villa so no laundry facility .
Then I can save $534 x 3 nights compare to GFV.
BW villa has only 2 queen beds and it's all booked.

I am not sure what TV Murphy bed is .

Thank you for taking time for me !

 

[Hcalvert]

I just checked if I can stay at AK villa Kidani 2 more nights longer than I booked but it was all booked.
Savanna view's more expensive room was available though it's $1215/night plus tax !!

I might be able to stay longer at BW inn until last day but this is not villa so no laundry facility .
Then I can save $534 x 3 nights compare to GFV.
BW villa has only 2 queen beds and it's all booked.

I am not sure what TV Murphy bed is .

Thank you for taking time for me !

There are laundry facilities at all of the resorts, you just have to pay (I think $3 per wash load. I cannot remember for dryers as I haven't paid for it since Fort Wilderness). The only time you do not have to pay is if you book a Villa through a DVC member or book an one-bedroom or higher at a deluxe resort as they have a washer/dryer in the rooms.

Also, some of the deluxe villas (Boardwalk, Beach Club, Poly, GF, Riviera, Boulder Ridge) allow up to 5 guests---queen bed, queen sofa pullout, and 1 twin pull down murphy. My father-in-law slept in the pull down and he said it was alright. My 13 year old son sleeps in it normally and that is part of the reason we booked BWV for June.

Like someone said, book two rooms at a moderate or value hotel if you are worried about space. That is what my brother did last June. He has four kids and he booked two rooms at Pop. They enjoyed the extra bathroom and beds more than anything. Two rooms for them cost about the same as booking one deluxe resort studio room, which their party was too big for anyways.

 

[SamandplanningUK]

This isn't an unusual amount to spend on a Disney holiday, however.... I urge you not to visit at Christmas, we did it in December 2019 and will never again!! The Christmas party prices are extortionate and will mean Magic Kingdom is closed to you on certain evenings if you don't have tickets, the crowd levels are crraaazzzyyy and you will queue for hours for every single ride/restaurant/shop till. It's not the best experience in my opinion, especially for that kind of money!

 

[DisneyJoe]

Staying in a resort closest to a park doesn't guarantee you a shorter time to get from the resort to the park, it can vary greatly, especially if you are taking Disney transportation. Buses arrive every 20 minutes or so, sometimes more, sometimes less, and then the ride can take approximately 15 minutes.

Driving a car can possibly reduce that time, or staying in a resort where you are able to walk to a park.

Disney has always recommended allowing 60-90 minutes for traveling between any 2 points on property, depending on the complexity.

 

[MDB12]

This isn't an unusual amount to spend on a Disney holiday, however.... I urge you not to visit at Christmas, we did it in December 2019 and will never again!! The Christmas party prices are extortionate and will mean Magic Kingdom is closed to you on certain evenings if you don't have tickets, the crowd levels are crraaazzzyyy and you will queue for hours for every single ride/restaurant/shop till. It's not the best experience in my opinion, especially for that kind of money!

I wish I could visit DW cheaper & less crowded time like before or after holiday season but it doesn’t work for us as my kids have school . Also we really don’t like hot temp !! So It’ll be crazy crowded this Dec…oh no.

I love Christmas atmosphere in Disney but
maybe I just should go to Disneyland here in CA on the weekend next month

 

[MDB12]

Staying in a resort closest to a park doesn't guarantee you a shorter time to get from the resort to the park, it can vary greatly, especially if you are taking Disney transportation. Buses arrive every 20 minutes or so, sometimes more, sometimes less, and then the ride can take approximately 15 minutes.

Driving a car can possibly reduce that time, or staying in a resort where you are able to walk to a park.

Disney has always recommended allowing 60-90 minutes for traveling between any 2 points on property, depending on the complexity.

Thank you for the reply!

I’ve read if you stay at BW inn you can walk to Epcot or HS ( forgot which one & not sure if it’s true) , and from Grand Floridian to MK has the walking path , so I end up decided to stay at 3 resorts but everyone here say that’s not good idea

 

[JIMINYCR]

My son will be out of house for college next year so he won't be going to Disney with dad and mom anymore.

You say that but that may not be the case. Our DS has been on his own for some time now, but when we tell him DW and I are booking a trip... hes figuring out how he can arrange time off work to go with us. Starting them out young with a love of Disney leaves them with that desire to go back that never leaves. At least now he pays for his own way.

 

[JIMINYCR]

Thank you for the reply!

I’ve read if you stay at BW inn you can walk to Epcot or HS ( forgot which one & not sure if it’s true) , and from Grand Floridian to MK has the walking path , so I end up decided to stay at 3 resorts but everyone here say that’s not good idea

Yes you can get to both parks. The walk to EP takes 10-15 min reaching the International gateway close to France or UK and to DHS about 15-20 min.

 

[MDB12]

There are laundry facilities at all of the resorts, you just have to pay (I think $3 per wash load. I cannot remember for dryers as I haven't paid for it since Fort Wilderness). The only time you do not have to pay is if you book a Villa through a DVC member or book an one-bedroom or higher at a deluxe resort as they have a washer/dryer in the rooms.

Also, some of the deluxe villas (Boardwalk, Beach Club, Poly, GF, Riviera, Boulder Ridge) allow up to 5 guests---queen bed, queen sofa pullout, and 1 twin pull down murphy. My father-in-law slept in the pull down and he said it was alright. My 13 year old son sleeps in it normally and that is part of the reason we booked BWV for June.

Like someone said, book two rooms at a moderate or value hotel if you are worried about space. That is what my brother did last June. He has four kids and he booked two rooms at Pop. They enjoyed the extra bathroom and beds more than anything. Two rooms for them cost about the same as booking one deluxe resort studio room, which their party was too big for anyways.

Thank you for your reply !
to pay for washer dryer isn’t matter but why I chose 2 villas is … I don’t want to go back and forth between room and laundry room in the hotel at night with PJ after long day & I know laundry’ll be crowded and not always available .

But if you payed extra and stay at villa you can do laundry whey you are sleeping !!

so I booked AK villa - BW inn ( not villa but has an extra bed to sleep up to 5 ) - the villa at G Floridian ,
Then hotel cost is about $10,000

I might be able to get 2 rooms at cheaper resort if rooms are still available then you have no washer dryer in own room. Also I’m worried about time & distance to get to each parks …and little kids noise at night from hallway etc..

omg so many to think of

 

[MDB12]

Yes you can get to both parks. The walk to EP takes 10-15 min reaching the International gateway close to France or UK and to DHS about 15-20 min.

Now my confidence in my 3 hotel choice is coming back

 

[MDB12]

You say that but that may not be the case. Our DS has been on his own for some time now, but when we tell him DW and I are booking a trip... hes figuring out how he can arrange time off work to go with us. Starting them out young with a love of Disney leaves them with that desire to go back that never leaves. At least now he pays for his own way.

You have a beautiful family I bet

 

[JIMINYCR]

You have a beautiful family I bet

Thanks. I give DW most of the credit, but we both worked hard raising DS properly. We were fortunate that he also made it easy for us, not being an out of control teen. He had his moments but now as an adult hes making a great life for himself. Hes got the same love for Disney as we have.

 

[DisneyJoe]

Now my confidence in my 3 hotel choice is coming back

IMHO, you're not really saving time by changing resorts, especially to the Animal Kingdom Lodge. If you're using Disney buses, which you will be at the AKL, buses could take you just as long from the AKL as from the Boardwalk.

Staying at the Villas at the Grand Floridian to be able walk to the MK? That walk is just over 1/2 a mile. You could be better off taking the boat or the monorail if you are trying to save steps.

Most guests easily walk 4-5 miles per day at WDW if not twice that; with a mile being approximately 2000 steps, you're looking at 8000-10,000 steps a day easily.