So Expensive

[Guest]

Hi all, Just back from a 15 night trip staying on I-Drive at the Rosen Plaza for 7 nights and 8 nights at the Portofino Bay.

We've been lucky enough to travel over there several times over the last 20 odd years through all different levels of exchange rates but felt that this year was really different in terms of spending money.

Normally we would eat out every night (Our preference) with starters and a main meal with a few drinks for a family of four. We would spend nearly every day at the parks grabbing snacks buying souvenirs and ride photos etc etc. Our trip would normally mean a visit to the Outlet Malls buying clothes and generally not holding back too much while always keeping an eye on our spending limit for the trips. We would always come home on budget sometimes even coming back with spare money but never breaking the bank.

This year however has been a different story. We just found everything to be so expensive ($1.29 to £1.00 average) from eating out to food in the parks and souvenirs. We had set our budget and after allowing for the poor rate skipped starters at the restaurants, didn't buy food in the parks, no souvenirs or ride photos, we didn't even visit the Outlets or buy anything of note. We really have felt the pinch and came home having broken our budget for the first time ever. With the poor rate, tipping and taxes we are pretty much at a parity with £1.00 = $1.00 and at $9.00 for a beer i'll be turning my nose at this for some time yet.

It might sound like post holiday blues but its just a warning to anyone going out there that budgeting properly is a must.

[Scaramouche]

This is one of the reasons I don’t think we will ever stay offsite.

In 2016, friends of ours kept telling us how little their holiday had cost in comparison to ours. But when they factored in parking, fuel, food etc they spent more than us.
We had 12 nights on site at Disney, 10 of those with rhe QSDP and 1 A’s DVC AKL Club Level. 2 nights universal and a 3 night cruise. For the same price as they had 2 weeks in a villa.

The only difference was we paid upfront, they paid in spending money. I think it’s all swings and roundabouts now as all I keep seeing are posts saying how expensive it’s all got, even just food shopping.

[grumpybri]

Yes the exchange rate is making it more expensive.
We go in less than two weeks and plan not to do any shopping as not worth it anymore.
We go most years but next year we are giving the USA a miss and are looking for somewhere where the pound goes a bit further. Considering South America, South Africa or maybe Japan.

[toonmadlad]

Totally agree with you, we also found that basic food in places like Walmart had also become more expensive, yes the exchange rate has made an impact, we did still find a lot of bargains at LBV outlets.

[Missin_Disney]

Sorry to say guys I have to agree

Especially with food

We did 4 meals at Cosmic Rays (3 adult meals and 1 child meal) during MNSSHP and it cost us more or less the same for the 4 of us at Long Horn, and the food at the Long Horn was a lot better!

[cornishfrogboy]

I certainly would agree that on each of our last 2 vacations, prices in real terms have certainly risen for food and that not all of it is exchange rate based.
2016 1.5
2017 1.2
2018 1.4 to the pound

As regards whether on site is cheaper than off, that doesn't affect us as we do not do Disney Orlando and in any case, stay outside of Disney out of preference, rather than for budgetary reasons. Disney is simply not on the menu because we do not particularly like Disney.

On our last 3 visits, we have bought home nothing significant other than our annual purchase of Collage picture frame, medium annual photo album and Annual Pin to glue to the picture frame... strangely, always from Downtown Disney! We do not buy anything from the outlets other than Levi's (still great value) and red ken shampoo (no longer such good value). We do not buy theme park tatt and have never eaten more than one in every four or so lunches in the parks, preferring the taking in of a picnic. We have continental breakfast in our villa.

In summary, we buy flights, theme park tickets, hire a car and buy evening meals. Plus groceries. This attitude will hopefully minimise the effect of price rises on vacation. As for carparking, we have our first 2 days on site Universal and will only pick up our hire car as we leave for our villa. Our other ticket, a DC ultimate, comes with free parking. Our other activities, beaches, airboat etc are all away from the parks.

[toonarmani]

I would agree for in-park souvenirs being expensive and also onsite food (although we would only use a dining credit or eat offsite in the evening, I wouldn’t pay for the onsite food personally), but we still found plenty of bargains in the Outlets and found eating outside of the parks on a par with previous years.

[Bee happy]

We are here now, have been visiting since 1989 and agree totally with you. We picked up a few bargains at outlets in labour day sales but haven't bought anywhere near what we usually do. I like to buy some household items from Disney picture frame,tea towels,kitchen utensils this year I have only bought a keyring at Disney.
We have been discussing our next visit and think we will be giving Disney a miss next time. We have also taken packed lunches out for first time ever and it's worked well.

[7SeasSailor]

The dollar has been this low before so it's nothing new really.

[Jack&LucysMumy]

I totally agree. We haven't visited since 2015 and have just been for two weeks. Everything seems incredibly expensive, so much so I can't believe people can afford an annual trip here.
We are hoping to return in 2020 but it's opened our eyes as to how much we will need to save.