We have always wanted to plan a trip to Disneyland. For many, life doesn’t feel complete without visiting the most magical place on earth. However, with a family of seven, it would cost us well over $6,000, and that’s being modest. Every year, especially at Christmas, we discussed gifting our family a three-day trip, but the overall cost always made us hesitate.
The Real Cost of A Three-Day Disney Vacation For Our Family
Let’s break this down! Below are average prices:
- Three-day Disneyland tickets (7 people): $3,000
- Renting an Airbnb for 4 nights: $1500
- Transportation by car: $400
- Transportation by flying: $3500, including a rental car
- Disney parking: $120
- Food and snacks in Disney: $1200
- Groceries for Airbnb: $300
- Dog Boarding: $500
- Souvenirs and extras: $350
If we drove, it would cost us around $7250 for just three days at the most magical place on earth. If we were to fly, it would be well over $10k.
The Question That Changed Everything
While this trip may be doable for many, since it is only three days of fun at the most magical place on earth, I began to consider what else we could do with the same budget. Was one big trip the best investment for our family? Spending so much for just four days didn’t feel like the wisest decision.
So I began considering how many RV trips we could take for the same price as one Disneyland trip. With our own RV, we’d save money and have the comforts of home—our own beds, coffee pot, and easier packing. We could bring our dogs along, too. Many RV campgrounds offer free entertainment, and we’d save by cooking our own meals. Taking several trips throughout the year sounded exciting. Why save for just one trip when you could enjoy several? Not to mention, the trips would offer more relaxation, so we’d feel like we actually went on vacation.
RV Budget Breakdown
If we took five four-day RV trips in a year, here’s a general cost breakdown.
- Campground fees: $1250
- Fuel: $2000
- Groceries: $1500
- Activities and attractions: $500
So I began planning all the trips we could take around every break we could get from work, and the kids' schedule. First, I’d pick the destination, then find a campground near where we wanted to visit. My goal was to plan 1-2 must-do activities and find a campground that had free amenities to fill in the gaps. We’d plan our meals and pack the RV before leaving, and the rest was unscheduled.
The average cost of five RV trips would be about $5,250. It turns out we could save money and take more trips. Is this possible?
The Memories We Made Instead
So that’s what we did! We visited the Smoky Mountains and hiked Laurel Falls, visited all five national parks in Utah, and took a train trip to the Grand Canyon. Road the Soo Locks boat tour on the Great Lakes, and visited Thunder Hole in Acadia, ME. Instead of cramming memories into a short trip, we made many lasting ones throughout the year.
What We Learned About Family Travel
While there is no one “right” way to make memories, expensive doesn’t always automatically mean better. We learned that the best way for us to make family memories was to take several trips rather than one big one. While I still want to take a week-long Disneyland trip someday, I'd rather spend all year exploring this beautiful country with our kids while we can.
If you had $ 6,000–$ 8,000 for family memories, would you spend it on one trip or multiple experiences?
