For my 13 day trip to Charleston and Orlando, with driving down and auto-training back with 6 people (2 adults, 2 theme park adults, 2 kids),and sometimes 7 since I bought my mom (who met up with us) a lot of meals...with visiting Universal's parks and Merlin's 3 pack attractions (although missing Legoland due to crappy weather - that saved some money)...I paid under $4300 for everything - no using gift card churning or rewards to bring this down. Avoiding Disney and buying Universal APs to split on 2 trips and using my timeshare (and finding deals on dinners, with APs, at Merlin's, etc) were the big savers - and I will say I had 2 siblings each buy my fam a meal (so I got to skip paying for 2 meals
). Here's my itemized list...
Total Trip Costs (Including 2 days in Charleston visiting other family)
- we were gone Aug 25 - Sep 7 or 13ish days
Universal Tickets - $120/each x 5 + $160 (1/2 the cost of last year's passes) = $760
Timeshare Dues for 1 year (paid for the 10 nights in Orlando for a 2 bedroom condo at Bonnet Creek) = $800
Groceries (Alcohol, Food, Supplies) = $370
Universal Counter Service Deals (3 days worth out of our 5 days of visits) - 4 adults/2 kids (used my mom's pass to buy a 3rd deal every day for BOGO 1/2 off Sept AP deal) = $93ish x 3 = $280
Orlando Outta Control Dinner Show (6 tickets) = $108 ($16/each + $12 tip - Groupon deal)
I-360 Attractions Triple Pass for 6 = $121 (last year's BOGO deal)
Blue Man Group (Date Night for 2 Pt#2) = $71 (tax included - AP discount)
Chocolate Emporium (Date Night for 2 Pt#1) - Dinner and Drinks = $60ish dollars (tax/tip included)
Deep Blu (2 Magical Dining Month Meals and Shared Wine Pairing - our 2nd date night) = $86 + tax/tip = $115
Disney Springs Gelato = $16 (rewards money)
Hash Hash a Go Go = $43 for 7 (tip included) - Travelzoo deal
Cowgirls Rockbar = $44 for 6 (tip included) - Posted same day deal onsite
Pat O Briens = $36 (tax/tip included) for 7 + $40 from old movie/meal ticket already paid for = $76
Sweet Tomatoes (2 meals) = $50 x 2 = $100 for 7 (tip included - had a birthday coupon and other coupons - we split as 2 groups to use 2 coupons each trip)
Wa Wa Hoagies = Free (I fed my brother's kids lunch with groceries we needed to use up and drinks for the adults and he bought the grown ups subs and pretzels)
Parking = Free (Annual Pass)
Comedy Magic Show, Polynesian Luau, and Free Activities at Resort - pools, billiards, mini golf, ping pong, evening shows, etc (all free, except for the sundaes/ice cram sodas we got - paid for 9 people (my husband's family included) on that one
= $24
Gas onsite = $25
Auto Train Tiks (3 adult/3 kids) + car = $624 (dinner and breakfast included)
Tips for Auto Train, Resort Housekeeping, Souvenirs, other misc trip stuff = $120 (got a few extra butter beers and 1 wand
, our only souvenir)
Gas on way down = $60
2 Fast Food Lunches on Way down (1 before Charleston and 1 before Orlando) = $60
Hotel (2 nights in Charleston at Homewood Suites) = $318 (dinner and breakfast included)
Boat Taxi in Charleston = $45
BBQ Lunch in Charleston and a Water Ice = $60
Dinner and water slide fun at sister's Charleston house = free
Total = $4296