An "Almost Free" Trip to Orlando: What would YOU do???

WaltsMartini

Mouseketeer
Joined
Apr 29, 2012
We have friends who won a timeshare at a silent auction. It's about 15 minutes from Disney property and would be $125 per couple for Friday - Tuesday in mid-September. They asked us to go along and initially I was THRILLED. However, I started thinking more about it, and here's the rub:

  • It's not a "Disney" trip - we'd only be going to EPCOT on one day for Food and Wine; other day would be Universal and one day for down time (I would likely go to Disney Springs and do some resort hopping in the afternoon to soak in as much Disney as I can!)
  • This $125 trip will be more like $1800 when all is said and done. Between flights (mine is free w/ points, but have DH's), airport parking, rental car, $125 for the room, theme park tickets (a whopping $520 for 2 people at Universal and 2 people at EPCOT), parking at the parks, the inevitable tab of "drinking around the world" at Food and Wine, and the meals and my always enormous tab at Once Upon a Christmas and The World of Disney, I'm bracing for the $1500 - $1800 range
  • This would put a dent in the small savings we started for our son's first Disney trip I'm planning for fall 2019 for his fourth birthday

The pros: DH does NOT like Orlando but was very willing to do this because our friends are involved. Due to other trips and then having DS, I have not been to Disney since 2013 (going through SERIOUS withdrawal!)

I am really on the fence between "seize the moment!" and "save it up for the trip you REALLY want."

What would you do???
 
If it were me, I'd save for the trip I really wanted. I couldn't spend that much on a trip I wasn't totally excited about. I think being that close to Disney and not getting to do all the things I love would make me more depressed than happy.
 
I would go but not make it a Disney/Universal trip at all. I would get the Sea World Fun Card that is $99 and will cover you all 3 days. Have a good time there day one and day three and then plan a great day at Disney Springs for the middle day. Give yourself a budget for The World of Disney and Once Upon a Christmas. Save a little bit by buying Disney gift cards (https://www.disboards.com/threads/disney-gift-card-deals.2941964/page-1340#post-57802701).
 


I wouldn't go on a trip that didn't include the itinerary you wanted...especially not for $1800! A 3 (full) day trip doesn't need down time, lol, and Disney Springs is not exciting enough to dedicate a trip day for when youre not even visiting all of the parks. For me, I'd rather not go at all than to take a super short trip there...it's like a tease. Keep saving for your dream trip in 2019!
 
And did she tell you about the Time Share pitch yet? , lol
Seriously tho... sounds like an expensive few day trip with an itinerary not to ur liking.
If money were no issue, I'd say go, have fun with friends
But sounds like ur gut is saying no and ur money is better saved for that future trip that will be what/when u want for ur family.
Good luck deciding!
 
Are you sharing the rental with them or getting your own? Instead of doing Disney Springs couldn't you get a 2 day ticket and go to a park that day?

It still seems like a lot for only 3 days. I would save it for a trip you wanted.
 


We have friends who won a timeshare at a silent auction. It's about 15 minutes from Disney property and would be $125 per couple for Friday - Tuesday in mid-September. They asked us to go along and initially I was THRILLED...This $125 trip will be more like $1800 when all is said and done. Between flights (mine is free w/ points, but have DH's), airport parking, rental car, $125 for the room, theme park tickets (a whopping $520 for 2 people at Universal and 2 people at EPCOT), parking at the parks, the inevitable tab of "drinking around the world" at Food and Wine, and the meals and my always enormous tab at Once Upon a Christmas and The World of Disney, I'm bracing for the $1500 - $1800 range...
Nope. $1,800 isn't almost free in my book. And almost free or not, I don't consider anything a true vacation if I'm not in charge of the planning.8-)

I'd save my money for that big trip with my four year-old if I were you. That's a perfect excuse for you to back out with, incidentally...
 
And almost free or not, I don't consider anything a true vacation if I'm not in charge of the planning.8-)

And there is this. I also dislike taking my time and money to do a vacation, then spending my time and money doing a bunch of things I don't want to do because I'm are along for someone else's ride. Making vacation compromises for my own spouse/children is plenty. And if what I want to do is spend time with friends, there are a lot cheaper vacations to hang out together.
 
No way. That's way too much money on a trip you don't have control over when you could spend the money on something you really want in a couple years.
 
And there is this. I also dislike taking my time and money to do a vacation, then spending my time and money doing a bunch of things I don't want to do because I'm are along for someone else's ride. Making vacation compromises for my own spouse/children is plenty. And if what I want to do is spend time with friends, there are a lot cheaper vacations to hang out together.
Truth! Wise words!
 
I'd save for the trip you want. Plus, that's really not that cheap. I'm doing three days on property with flights for only $1500, so I think your money would be better saved for your dream trip. Though I know it's hard to say no to Disney!
 
We have friends who won a timeshare at a silent auction. It's about 15 minutes from Disney property and would be $125 per couple for Friday - Tuesday in mid-September. They asked us to go along and initially I was THRILLED. However, I started thinking more about it, and here's the rub:

  • It's not a "Disney" trip - we'd only be going to EPCOT on one day for Food and Wine; other day would be Universal and one day for down time (I would likely go to Disney Springs and do some resort hopping in the afternoon to soak in as much Disney as I can!)
  • This $125 trip will be more like $1800 when all is said and done. Between flights (mine is free w/ points, but have DH's), airport parking, rental car, $125 for the room, theme park tickets (a whopping $520 for 2 people at Universal and 2 people at EPCOT), parking at the parks, the inevitable tab of "drinking around the world" at Food and Wine, and the meals and my always enormous tab at Once Upon a Christmas and The World of Disney, I'm bracing for the $1500 - $1800 range
  • This would put a dent in the small savings we started for our son's first Disney trip I'm planning for fall 2019 for his fourth birthday

The pros: DH does NOT like Orlando but was very willing to do this because our friends are involved. Due to other trips and then having DS, I have not been to Disney since 2013 (going through SERIOUS withdrawal!)

I am really on the fence between "seize the moment!" and "save it up for the trip you REALLY want."

What would you do???

Depends...is spouse "willing" to do this or does he "want" to do this...aka, is it his turn to have a vacation he wants and you go along for the fun ride? Also, do you "want" to vacation with friends, or is this just a convenient "fall in the lap" scenario that sounded better than it is...

I mean, the money doesn't have to be $1800...you can go and skip the shopping and keep Food and Wine to $100 and still have an amazing day...I'm assuming you are splitting the 5 day 4 person car rental and parking, so that's probably no more that $150. $100 for airport parking, $250 for an airplane ticket, $520 for the tickets, and $125 for the room, and $300 for food the other full days not at food and wine, and you're at $1550ish without skimping, but sharing a few extra costs...

That's not awful for a 5 day, 4 night vacation...and on the middle day, rather than hitting Downtown Disney, you might think of enjoying your home resort...there are usually lots of free activities and amenities at the timeshares in Florida...
 
I rarely turn down a trip so i'd go. ;) But i'd rent my own car and go where I wanted to. That is what we do when we go with friends/family. Plan some meet up times for dinner, etc.
 
Hmmm, OP that's a tough one. I am looking at this from a bit of a different perspective. Do you typically pick vacation destinations and your husband just goes along with it? If that is the case, I'd say a day or two at Disney (for you) is better than going six years between trips. If your husband is excited about going, I'd go. You can easily keep within a budget by cutting down on the drinking and shopping. My husband indulges my love for Disney, so when there is a trip he gets excited about, I realize it isn't always about me and my wants and I jump in with him.

If it is something your husband is truly excited about and wants to do, then yes, you should go.
 
I would definitely skip this trip unless the group limited it to just Disney or just Universal. Buying single day tickets for both places really increases the cost. It would be better to do 3 day Disney tickets and get to do more there. Short trips can be fun, but they are usually very cost inefficient, even with "free" lodging.
 
That's not even close to being "almost free." If it was something I really wanted to do I would go. If I wasn't really feeling it I would skip it. Or I would go alone if my DH wasn't really into Orlando anyway. That'll cut costs a lot.
 
That's not even close to being "almost free."

Yeah... only saving on lodging is not a free trip.

Aside from the fact that YOU want to immerse yourself in Disney and nobody even wants to spend a day in a Disney Park... Drinking Around the World doesn't count for me as a visit, it's a compliment to the trip... :(

Congratulate your friends, maybe buy them a nice bottle of wine for their trip, but stay home and save for the trip that you want to take with your son!
 
Honestly I would want to go but I probably wouldn't. That seems pricy for 5 days to me for 2 people and to be fair I would never go to Orlando just for 5 days anyway - to make it worth it to me it would have to be Fri to Fri or something similar. We have gone lots of times with our best friends and stayed in their timeshare with them but we didn't do everything together even with our combined 5 kids. Our family did our thing and their family did their thing and we would meet up for dinner or at DTD or the Boardwalk to have some family fun otherwise we did our own thing with our own transportation. Thats us though. I would pass on this personally.
 

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