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Can a family of four vacation in Disneyland for $1,985?
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Family vacations are expensive, especially when you vacation in the name of Disney. By the time you spend money on the flight and hotel you barely have any money left for fun. Which brings me to ask: Is it possible for a family of four to take a Disneyland vacation for less than $2,000? In putting this idea to the test, I will see if I can budget a Disneyland family vacation, including all the usual amenities for under $2,000.
Setting up a budget
These are the items I will budget for our Disneyland family package (two adults and two children):
- Flight
- Hotel
- Tickets to Disneyland
- Eating out
- Transportation to / from airport
- Souvenirs
Getting there
You will usually save money if you book the flight & hotel together as a "vacation package". I know this because I have spent an embarrassing amount of time comparing flight and hotel prices online. If you are looking for a deal (which I assume you are, as you are reading this article) I do not recommend Disneyland family packages offered directly by Disney. Why do I say this? In the past I attempted to find a good deal from Disney, to no avail. Currently, Disney is offering a "Kid's Fly Free" family package, which sounds great on the surface, but I find it difficult to actually see the savings. I priced out a Disneyland family package for four at about $900, which included the hotel, a 2-day park hopper and no airfare. That seemed reasonable. However, when I added the airfare which was actually listed as "Promotional Fare: Kid's Fly Free", the price jumped up to nearly $1,800. That doesn't seem free to me.
I recommend searching for Disneyland family packages on SouthwestVacations.com, UnitedVacations.com or LastMinute.com. LastMinute.com is my first go-to source for cheap last-minute vacation packages to Disneyland (Anaheim) from Seattle. It is not unusual to find last-minute family packages to Disneyland for less than $200 per person, which include the airfare and hotel. Of course, you need to be flexible with your dates and wait until the "last minute" to get these prices. Traveling during the off-season (ie. when the kid's are in school) is cheaper as well.
To find the best last-minute deals, start at LastMinute.com home page. Select your "departure city" and "destination city" and hit "search". That is it. Leave the dates blank. Lastminute.com will automatically select the cheapest dates for you, and provide you with a list of alternate dates and prices per person. You will need to add your number of children as travelers here under the section "Enter Traveler Details". LastMinute.com allows you to add up to 6 travelers in one room and the price per person typically goes down the more kids you have!
Today, my search on LastMinute.com pulled up a 3-night family package from Seattle to Anaheim (Disneyland) for $217 per person. This price included the flight, 3-nights in a hotel within walking distance to Disneyland, taxes and fees. If I were to book this Disneyland family package, it would cost me exactly $868 for the flight and hotel.
Arriving at the hotel
This is one cost that cannot be overlooked, because simply getting from the airport to the hotel can cost a pretty penny. Super Shuttle is one of the most popular options at $21 round trip per person, which includes the tip. If you purchase a 2009 Entertainment Book, you may receive a $2 off per person. After this discount, the shuttle will cost us $76 for a family of four.
Playing there
You may wonder if there is such as thing as discount Disneyland tickets. The answer is yes....and no. While I realize that it is possible to buy discount Disneyland tickets off of Ebay, I think it is wise to steer clear of these tickets as many have proven to be scams and you might get your Disneyland tickets confiscated at the gate. Not fun! Instead, only buy your tickets directly from Disneyland or a licensed travel agent. There are many ways to get legitimate discount tickets to Disneyland:
- Buy them from your hotel. Often times, Disneyland area hotels sell discount tickets. Call the hotel that you will be staying at ahead of time, and ask them if they sell discount tickets to Disneyland. Make sure that their ticket price is less than what you can buy online.
- Check with your travel reward programs. Some travel reward programs, such as Hilton HHonors allow you to purchase Disneyland Tickets with your reward points, and no cash out of pocket.
- Got a birthday coming up? In 2009, Disneyland is giving away free admission if you visit on your birthday. You must pre-register your birthday online, and free admission is yours.
- Purchase tickets ahead of time online at Disneyland.com or AERES Travel. The online ticket price is much cheaper than buying tickets at the gate. Currently, a 3-day park hopper (Disneyland and California Adventure) is $149 for children and $179 for adults.
- Reserve a Disneyland vacation package from United Vacations and add the optional park hopper tickets at a discount (up to $45 off per ticket). That can really add up!
The online ticket cost for a family of four would total about $656, if we purchase tickets directly from Disney online. Whew! That brings our tally up to $1,524, and we still need to eat!
Eating out
No surprise here: The food inside Disneyland park is quite expensive. The key to saving money, is to make sure that you and the kids are well fed before you arrive. Eat a hearty breakfast, which hopefully is included in your hotel stay. If not, you may want to head to Denny's for breakfast, which is located across the street from Disneyland. If you sign up for the Denny's Breakfast Club online, you can get a 20% off coupon. According to the San Diego Cheap Eats Examiner, one of the best cheap restaurants near Disneyland is Po'Folks, a southern style restaurant. Po'Folks is located about 7 miles from Disneyland. A closer cheap dining option is White Water Snacks, located at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel, which is quickly gaining a reputation as the best place to grab an affordable bite. For the extreme budget-minded traveler, walk up nearby Harbor Blvd and you will find a McDonald's, a Taco Bell, and a Subway restaurant. Finally, if you are an excellent planner, bring your own cooler of food and picnic inside the park. Lockers for your cooler are available near the entrance. I estimate that a budget-minded family will spend no more than $360 dining out for 3 days.
Bringing home souvenirs
It seems that no vacation to Disneyland is complete without a few souvenirs to lug home. MousePlanet.com has some excellent ideas for cheap (and sometimes free) Disneyland souvenirs, such as kid's reusable meal cups, 'Disneyland Today' magazine handouts, pressed pennies, and iron-on patches. With these great ideas, you really don't need to budget more than $25 for souvenirs.
Drum-roll please...
- Flight & hotel = $868
- Tickets to Disneyland = $656
- Eating out = $360
- Transportation to / from airport = $76
- Souvenirs = $25
There you have it ~ a family vacation to Disneyland for $1,985. Time to get on your mouse ears and take a ride up the Matterhorn!
Do you have some money saving tips for Disneyland family vacations? Leave your comments and advice.
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