What are you spending on vacation next year..

[grumpy28]

Hmmm, it won't let me search for a room for 2 adults, 3 kids. Maybe thats why the prices I'm getting are so high. B/c I need a room that sleeps 5.

 

[neatokimmo]

Off to Hotwire I go... Thank you.

I Hotwire a lot with good results. I choose places with four out of five stars on trip advisor.

 

[TwoMisfits]

For 4 nights in May, its coming to $1,075! Does that sound right for 4 nights in the DC area? I was hoping/thinking for less than $200 a night. Maybe I am way off.....

NVM...I'll just look...

 

[TwoMisfits]

Off to Hotwire I go... Thank you.

Hampton Inn And Suites Old Town Alexandria has a really good deal for your party size...$149/night if you aren't Hilton, $143/night if you are ($667 total for non-Hilton rate, all taxes/fees included)...and a few decent package deals...


http://hamptoninn3.hilton.com/en/ho...andria-old-town-area-south-WASAXHX/index.html

 

[grumpy28]

Hampton Inn And Suites Old Town Alexandria has a really good deal for your party size...$149/night if you aren't Hilton, $143/night if you are ($667 total for non-Hilton rate, all taxes/fees included)...and a few decent package deals...


http://hamptoninn3.hilton.com/en/ho...andria-old-town-area-south-WASAXHX/index.html

Thank you!!

 

[CalDisneyMomof2]

Wow, @grumpy28 ! That is A LOT more than I remember seeing for the hotel I suggested. Not sure why the dramatic increase in rates. I hope you find something a little more economical for your family!

 

[grumpy28]

Wow, @grumpy28 ! That is A LOT more than I remember seeing for the hotel I suggested. Not sure why the dramatic increase in rates. I hope you find something a little more economical for your family!

Thanks. I am so unfamiliar with the area, I wasn't sure if that sounded about right or not! According to other helpful Disers, I can do better. I hope you enjoy your stay there. It had good reviews.

 

[neatokimmo]

So I have the hubs about 80% convinced to head back to Italy next year. I have some rough numbers.

250 gas and parking in Newark (although we might Amtrak it on points and spend two days in NYC)
1291 three flights to Rome
100? Seat selection fee. We won’t have checked luggage.
418 - six nights Sicily in a little house with a sea view
294 - four nights Rome
117 - two night la spezia for cinque
350 - four nights in Florence
400? - four nights somewhere in Tuscany
271 - two weeks of rental car (which might turn into train tickets which are equally cheap)
So 3491 ish for three weeks.

 

[Alexle2007]

So I have the hubs about 80% convinced to head back to Italy next year. I have some rough numbers.

250 gas and parking in Newark (although we might Amtrak it on points and spend two days in NYC)
1291 three flights to Rome
100? Seat selection fee. We won’t have checked luggage.
418 - six nights Sicily in a little house with a sea view
294 - four nights Rome
117 - two night la spezia for cinque
350 - four nights in Florence
400? - four nights somewhere in Tuscany
271 - two weeks of rental car (which might turn into train tickets which are equally cheap)
So 3491 ish for three weeks.

This sounds AMAZING! DH and I have been to Europe but DS10 never has and I love to take him. Except with all of the bombings and other terrorist acts in Europe, DH wants nothing to do with going to Europe. I got to go to Slovenia to present a grad paper and what an amazing little country that is right next door to Italy.

 

[havaneselover]

Way too much. Heading to Vancouver to take a 7-day Disney cruise in August. Airfare is covered with UR points and 2 nights in Vancouver are covered with Marriott points. Two staterooms were $9,000 although my mom is paying for part of this and I'm paying with gift cards. Excursions look like they are going to run me about $1,500 (floatplane, private whale watching, car rental in Skagway to Emerald Lake with a possible dog cart excursion). I'm hoping to cover the excursions with Swagbucks earnings. Excursions in Vancouver should be covered by UR points. It's still crazy expensive for me, but it's definitely a once in a lifetime trip for our family.

 

[neatokimmo]

So I have the hubs about 80% convinced to head back to Italy next year. I have some rough numbers.

250 gas and parking in Newark (although we might Amtrak it on points and spend two days in NYC)
1291 three flights to Rome
100? Seat selection fee. We won’t have checked luggage.
418 - six nights Sicily in a little house with a sea view
294 - four nights Rome
117 - two night la spezia for cinque
350 - four nights in Florence
400? - four nights somewhere in Tuscany
271 - two weeks of rental car (which might turn into train tickets which are equally cheap)
So 3491 ish for three weeks.

The trip changed in record time. Now we are doing Naples and lower. He wants to see ruins, I need the beach. Flights are more at $1650 but it’s a better carrier that doesn’t nickle and dime us. So the question is, 2018 or 2019.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

We are empty nesters now with 2 kids in college. We have plenty of time to vacation but not much money! The plan is to use our timeshare condo to trade for a place in The Poconos over Christmas Break. We'll go snow tubing with our kids, maybe do some horseback riding, and have some much needed family time. I'm a teacher, so we always vacation over Easter Break. This year we're spending it in a timeshare condo in Hilton Head with 2 other couples. I have no idea what we'll do for summer vacation. DS20 will be away for an internship the whole summer, but DD18 should be home. We may just go to Virginia Beach for a week, or maybe New Orleans in early June? Not sure yet.

Last year we spent about $5000. We went to Great Wolf Lodge for 4 days/3 nights (free - used my parents leftover timeshare points that were going to expire) in Williamsburg, Va over Christmas Break. We shopped, toured Colonial Williamsburg (free for me & DH - W&M grads - and discounted for our kids) and played in the GWL waterpark - so fun! Over Easter Break we went to WDW for 5 days with DD's softball team for Disney's Softball Spring Training. DD had a deeply discounted trip at Pop due to fundraising. DH and I drove down, stayed in an offsite timeshare, used our discounted Disney Gift Cards for dining and a few days on our 10 day no expire waterpark fun and more tickets. Then during the summer, I spent almost 3 weeks with my parents (1 week in San Diego and 2 weeks in Maui - it was glorious!). My mom's health is declining, and I am very lucky that I got to spend so much quality time with her and my dad. We also spent a week at the Jersey Shore with DH's whole family at the end of the summer. The gorgeous and massive beach house we all rented cost almost $7000/week (luckily we split it 6 ways). That price tag made me REALLY appreciate my timeshare that was bought and paid for 30 years ago. It makes our vacations so affordable!

I've been able to firm up my plans over the last couple of weeks.

Christmas 2017, 4 days - booked a timeshare in the Poconos ($380, will drive, activity budget = $600, dining budget = $500)
Easter Break, 1 week - booked a timeshare in Hilton Head, SC ($750, will drive, no activity or dining budget yet)
Summer (early July), 1 week - booked a timeshare in Virginia Beach ($875, will drive, no activity or dining budget yet)

Christmas 2018 - I think I have DH talked into a short 4 day cruise with the kids (DS20 & DD18). They are both in college and really can't vacation over the summer with us anymore, so we always try to take a short trip over Christmas Break. DS will be graduating in May 2019, so we want to do something to celebrate. We are pricing out Carnival or Royal Caribbean out of Orlando or Mobile.

 

[bigeyedfish]

We are going to Yellowstone/Grand Tetons in early June of 2018. I also have several smaller camping trips planned during the summer. And my two oldest are going to 2 weeks of language immersion camp (which is so $$$), but worth it.

We had originally planned on DW during Spring Break in early March, but now I am seriously contemplating postponing it until Spring Break 2019. We have had two years of heavy travel for us in 2016/2017.

2016 - 10th Anniversary Road Trip up through Canada (Banff, Revelstoke, Whistler) and then down through Seattle, Portland, OR coast, and Redwoods NP. Mt. Rushmore camping trip and then went to the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha.

2017 - Norway/Dublin for DH’s 40th. Camping in Rocky Mountain NP and a small weekend camping trip at a State Park.

 

[GreatLakes]

2018 isn't set in stone yet but as of right now we are planning to do a trip to Disney for the Wine & Dine race weekend and bring my mom with us. Beyond that I have a bachelor party in Ireland and a few work conferences that are in places we want to explore so I'll add days either to the front or back of them and treat them as short 3 or 4 day trips with the wife and kid.

 

[2TxAgs]

I've been able to firm up my plans over the last couple of weeks.

Christmas 2018 - I think I have DH talked into a short 4 day cruise with the kids (DS20 & DD18). They are both in college and really can't vacation over the summer with us anymore, so we always try to take a short trip over Christmas Break. DS will be graduating in May 2019, so we want to do something to celebrate. We are pricing out Carnival or Royal Caribbean out of Orlando or Mobile.

We took a cruise when our kids were all in college. Went in early January after the k-12 crowd was already back to school but university still not started. We all had a blast! 7 days on Carnival, great price, good times.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

We took a cruise when our kids were all in college. Went in early January after the k-12 crowd was already back to school but university still not started. We all had a blast! 7 days on Carnival, great price, good times.

I wish we could go in early January when the kids were still home, but I'm a teacher. I have to be back at work January 3rd.

 

[kydisneyfans]

We'll do a couple of family trips in 2018(Wife, me, DS 19, fiance 20).

Feb-Wife and I to Vegas-canceled trip for next weekend due to wife's knee surgery-fly
Apr-weekend trip to Charleston, SC for the bridge run-all-drive
Apr-weekend trip to Disney for Star Wars-all-fly
Jun-CMA Fest-all-drive
July-weekend trip for wife and I-undetermined location
Sept-Va Beach for Rock and Roll Marathon-all-drive
Oct-Disney-all-fly
Nov wife and I-undetermined location

Flights will all be covered by credits and points. Disney will be DVC. We have a half million hilton points to use also.

 

[Stitch7911]

for my family, we are doing a Disney Cruise next year in March. this will be my wife and i 2nd cruise but my daughters (2years old) 1st time as well as my mom and Sister 1st time.

 

[escapeartist]

This is long and quite possibly boring. Here is what I am kinda planning: For Spring. From chicago, me and dh fly one way to Fort Myers $160. Rent car. $200. Stay w mum for 4 nights $100. (Take her on a nice lunch/sight see) Fly to montego bay from florida $250 for both. 5 nights at all inclusive w HiltonH points free. Airport transfers $150-200? That includes getting to/from chicago airport. One way from Montego Bay back to Chicago, $500 for both. So $1400 ish plus spends. My airfare may be on low side...one can dream!
Summer is definate. 8 nights at Pop w 5 day Hopper and free qs dining, plus airfare, for me and dgd about $2400+spending $. My adult daughter will fly out for last 3 days at Disney so dgd won't be seperated from her momma for too long. She will stay in our room and I have a 1 day ticket in the vault for her. We will do one liesurely day at Epcot and one day at pool/ds. So just paying for her air and food, $300-350.
Then Daughter goes home and me and dgd meet dh, his daughter and 2 dgs at Universal. 5 nights Royal Pacific at Universal Orlando plus 5 tickets, about $2800. $1200 room+1600 5 tix. Daughter is paying for her room for her and her 2 boys (I have one ticket already and we are gifting everyone elses ticket as xmas gift) Plus spends there ($1000?). Seems like alot when I write it out. Hoping to have pts for some of airfare. Also hoping to use some of the purchases to make minimum spends on new cc. I think I am looking at well over 8k for 3 trips. Actually 4 if u count 4 days at Moms, and I do count that.
I am hoping to get some miles toward airfare to offset some of that. Disney is being paid either w discount gift cards or to meet minimum spend. Example: i had a minimum spend of 1k on my 2nd hilton card. While dh is working a minimum 3k on his own card. So I bought $900 worth of disney gc for $855 at BJ's using my cc. I took $800 out of my vacation saving acct (I think I left $1.19 in there lol) to pay cc. So now I've met the spend for that little card and got a good chunk of disney package paid off. And that card added 53k in Hilton pts. Now I have 186,000 Hilton points! Dh is working his spend which will get him over 100k in Hilton pts. Put them together, enough for 5 night AI in Jamaica!
On to next cards in Dec.. airlines!

 

[OrangeBirdGirl]

So far this is what DH & I have planned for 2018

January - week at WDW to do Dopey Challenge
June - week in Iceland
Aug - week camping (popup camper) in Door County, WI
Oct - week at WDW

That leaves us with 9 vacation days to use up still in 2018. Not sure what we will do with those yet. DH likes to go to Vegas each year, which will be maybe 3 vacation days used (going over a weekend) so we'd still have 6 days to use. We always have issues trying to decide where to go because we want to go everywhere.