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View Full Version : What is the Least you've spent?



The Real Cinderella
06-16-2007, 08:37 AM
Okay, so I know there was a thread on here a few months ago about the most you've ever spent at Disneyland, and it turned into a bit of a hot button issue for some. That is not my intention with this thread.

I'm thinking about taking the trip out there next week--maybe solo, maybe with a friend, it hasn't been decided yet. We'll probably do just one day in the park. But what I want to know is, what is the least you've ever spent on your trip? Inspire me! We're talking tickets, travel, food, accomodations, etc. I need some proof that this can be done without breaking the bank!

disneyperson
06-16-2007, 11:23 AM
The cheapest hotel we ever got was 56.00 bucks a night at one of the hotels across the street. My teenage daughter and I can easily do DL on 50.00 bucks a day or less.

ETA : That's not including park tickets of course. We have DAPs.

squuggy
06-16-2007, 11:37 AM
When I was a kid Dad paid for everything. Does that qualify as cheap?

The Real Cinderella
06-16-2007, 11:55 AM
When I was a kid Dad paid for everything. Does that qualify as cheap?


Ohhh ... I do miss those days! Now when I take Dad to the park, I have to pay! Strange how things get flipped as we age.

Minnnnnieeeee
06-16-2007, 01:27 PM
After staying in Disneyland Resort properties (either the Disneyland Hotel or the Grand Californian) EVERY TIME I've ever visited the park in my entire life, I went for a 24 hr. trip to the park (literally) from Northern CA this past week, and stayed in the Radisson in Buena Park (on Beach Blvd., a few miles off the freeway from the park) with my best friend.

First of all, the room was gorgeous. My friend booked it on Expedia. I think it came to be less than $100/night. It had a living area/office space that closed off from the bedroom, the bedroom had two queen beds, a plasma-screen tv, totally spacious, COMFORTABLE and cozy beds and pillows, a nice bathroom with toiletries and the room was very very very clean.

Again, I said that I've stayed at the Grand Californian - most recently, two and a half weeks ago. I have also stayed there in a suite overlooking DCA and in some other rooms with a park view. The rooms at the Radisson were WAY NICER than the ones on the Disney property; being an AP, I don't have to pay for parking (which I believe is $10?), so that's why it doesn't bother me to stay off-property. The Radisson even had FREE FULL BUFFET BREAKFAST - not just continental - with eggs, pancakes, ham, hash browns, muffins, juices... you name it, they had it. It was delicious and free with the room - if you stayed with five people at the D'Land Hotel and ate at the Storytellers' Cafe (one of my favorites, but for example's sake), you'd have to pay at LEAST $100, esp. if someone gets the buffet for $21+.

Anyway, I think you can do the park + food/bev for minimal if you really try to plan ahead. Bringing your own water, or water bottles you can refill at fountains, is key. Bringing your own snacks, like fresh fruit, string cheese or graham crackers keeps you from blowing $3 on churros or Mickey ice cream sandwiches. It's nice to enjoy a lunch or dinner in the park and depending upon where you do this, some of the portions are so large, you really can share them. My friend and I ate at a sit-down restaurant across from the Blue Bayou a few days ago, shared a Monte Cristo (which was MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR US) and fries, and the bill came to $22. Not too painful.

hlbtimes2
06-16-2007, 04:00 PM
My cheapest trip was with friends. It makes such a big difference to just pay for myself, not the entire family. We had 3 nights at the candy cane inn. There were 3 of us, so it was about $130 each. I had an ap, but did have to pay for one day of black out, so $30. We had breakfast at the hotel every morning. One day we had a 2nd breakfast at the carnation. It was less then $10 each. Most days we had a snack and one other meal. However, I did spend about $150 at the world of Disney. I had to bring home gifts for the kids so they would forgive me for going with out them.

nvmom
06-16-2007, 05:20 PM
Our first trip ever to DLR was in March 05. We were a family of 5 who did 4 days & 4 nights at the Desert Palms and 5 roundtrip airplane tickets for $900. Park hoppers were the buy adult get a child free, so we only paid for 2 adult park hoppers, 2 got free and our then 2 yr old didn't need one. We took $600 cash with us for those 4 days and came home a few dollars left. We were careful about what we ordered and made sure we shared everything. Even though we flew I packed lots of dry food snacks and Capri suns in our suitcases. We bought a loaf of bread and some pnut butter at 7-11 next to the hotel. We did take-out pizza one night. Our girls each had $40 of their own money for souvenirs.

It was a wonderful trip and I think the price was decent given that we flew.

Now, I must say that since then the plane tickets have went $60 per person, we now have to buy our son a ticket and I do think lodging has went up too... We've gone twice since then, Mar 06 and Feb 07 and we've never gotten what I think was a great deal on a hotel.

nvmom

DangerMouse
06-16-2007, 06:24 PM
We only do cheap trips! Before the 50th, when they were having the "kids play for free" promotion, we only had to pay for hoppers for ourselves (I think it was around $260 for two of us), and we stayed at HoJo for $49 a night. That was easily a trip under $600 including gas and food.

Then, we bought AP's during the 50th. We went for a quick weekend over Labor Day and stayed at the HoJo again for $49 a night. I think that trip ended up costing us around $300 because we didn't have to buy hoppers and we brought most of our own food.

DD's birthday trip - stayed at GCH for $160 (1 night). Flew on a cheap flight to SNA ($89 RT pp). Entire trip cost less than $500.

DS's birthday trip - stayed at DLH for $129. (two nights). Cheap flight to LGB. Breakfast at Goofy's Kitchen. Entire trip cost less than $600.

ktrm
06-16-2007, 06:53 PM
I went for a 24 hr. trip to the park (literally) from Northern CA this past week, and stayed in the Radisson in Buena Park (on Beach Blvd., a few miles off the freeway from the park) with my best friend.


I don't mind driving a bit, was the commute from the Radisson in Buena Park very long? It sounds like a great hotel especially since it included breakfast.


I think the main problem that you may have going in the next week is that it is high season and all the hotels rates seem to be way up. I called HoJo for the week of August 4th and asked about both the entertainment rate and the AP rate. The best they could do was the AP rate for $113.90. After hearing about all these people getting the HoJo for $49/nt, it was a bit of a disappointment. It seems like in July and August, it is harder to get a bargain unless maybe you bid on Priceline or Expedia. I have never had the courage to do this because I don't want a smoking room and I need at least two double beds. I am looking for suggestions on hotels just like you.

Minnnnnieeeee
06-16-2007, 07:07 PM
No way, the drive to Buena Park was literally... 3 miles, if that from the park. Right on Beach Blvd., off I-5 from the park. They also have shuttles going to and from the hotel, in the event that you don't want to load the kids up in the car and drive. I don't have kids (yet) soooo.......... :) The included breakfast is awesome, esp since they offer fresh hot breakfast, not just muffins/juices.

I can't even tell you; having stayed at plenty of Disneyland Resort hotels, while I love staying in the park and have had GREAT memories staying in the Disneyland Hotel, the Radisson was fantastic. The beds were so comfortable, the room was so clean and spacious and the price is unbeatable.

Gilesmt
06-17-2007, 11:19 AM
Okay before DCA and back when you could get a 5 day park ticket for $55 and a childs 5 day park hopper for $33, my family of three went for $550 for 6days, that includes airfare from Pasco, WA to LA roundtrip, 1996 Alaska airlines was 25 years old and it had for only a few days a $25, $50 roundtrip ticket. So airfare for 3 was $150. Tickets to the park was $121. Since I had a good friend who was also a single mom with kids she and I shared a room at a hotel that is there but must have changed names. It had three queen beds in one room and a pull out in the other room with 2 TV and 2 bathrooms, and a breakfast of danish and cereal, hard boiled eggs and toast, not bad for kids. We split the price of the $69 a night in half, so hotel was $207. That allowed $10 a day for food, which was cheaper back then and my kids split the price of a kids meal. At breakfast I would take two pieces of friut and later we would have it with a peanut butter sandwich and water and then bought just one meal in the park. So for six days it cost $550, we had free tickets to Knotts with a free meal back then. So $91.66 a day for a family of 3 to DL with accommodations and airfare. That was the cheapest ever.

I heart Disney
06-17-2007, 06:50 PM
You can get a room at the Marriott Townplace Suites for $59 a night. Just go to Marriott.com and put in the dates you want, then click corp/promo code and enter LPR. We are staying there in Oct. They have a full kitchen and a free shuttle to the park.

John
06-18-2007, 10:06 PM
You can get a room at the Marriott Townplace Suites for $59 a night. Just go to Marriott.com and put in the dates you want, then click corp/promo code and enter LPR. We are staying there in Oct. They have a full kitchen and a free shuttle to the park.

I'll bite ... what does LPR stand for?

WITron
06-19-2007, 07:08 AM
When I used to be a CM they paid me to be there. :P

jaymesmom617
06-19-2007, 08:35 AM
Unfortunately I think the days of inexpensive trip are gone. When I find a good deal on one part of the trip, I can never find a good deal on the other parts. (I don't like to do short trips b/c I live so far away. It doesn't seem worth it to me to go for one or two days. Just travelling there with three small children is a big ordeal.:) ) We went last Christmas for about $1800 and I felt like I tried to pinch pennies where ever I could. 5 ppl (one under 3), 9 days total, City passes from Costco, cheap hotel (under $500 in anahiem/ $100 San Diego, $25 NV) with free breakfast, packed in lunches and snacks. My kids saved all their money from their birthdays and paid for all of their own souvenirs.

Our next trip in Sept will only be about $1400 but, we are not going to San Diego or Universal Studios. It will also be the last trip that we can just buy 4 park hoppers (my son will be three in Nov.)

I priced a trip about a month ago to WDW and it seemed to me to be much more reasonable. Even with the plane tickets. (It was only $1450 for 2 more nights on Disney Property and 7 day tickets plus free dining. I would have to add plane tickets to that. Our DL trip (at the same time) was for 2 less days with 3 day tickets and staying off property. That bums me out b/c I love DL.....

Sara

P.S. I tried the promo code for the Marriott and no luck. Maybe I am doing it wrong??