Tourfolio

Many would agree that enjoying a weekend at Walt Disney World can be a very expensive vacation as many families feel compelled to splurge a bit to give their children that magical ‘Disney experience’. I can’t disagree considering you will be surrounded by royalty with characters such as Prince Charming, Cinderella and Princess Jasmine walking amongst the visitors. This is why it is common to spot a magazine article or an online travel guide helping it’s readers plan a budget trip to Disney World in Orlando, FL. But why should you plan a budget vacation when you should be acting as royalty yourself? This guide serves as a potential weekend vacation itinerary for a family of four on how to really spend a weekend in Walt Disney World.

Friday

An applause erupts from passengers as the plane touches down on the Orlando International Airport tarmac on a Friday early afternoon. Your luxury vacation with the family has now begun at Walt Disney World. Why should you drive yourself in a rental car or have a cramped taxi take you to your luxurious room when you can take a private limousine for $200 USD?

The most expensive lodging that you can find at Walt Disney World is within the 33-acre wildlife of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. The prices for the Kilimanjaro Club Level with Concierge Service at the Royal Asante Presidential Suite goes for about $2,220 USD per night. This amenity packed presidential suite offers a balcony view over the lush Arusha Savanna, the largest of the three savannas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. There can’t be much better ways to enjoy a morning coffee or an evening class of wine as you spot zebras, impalas and wildebeest resting at a nearby watering hole.

Upon having your luggage brought to the presidential suite it is only fair to have a relaxing aromatherapy massage to deal with the stresses of traveling. The Animal Kingdom’s Zahanati Spa offers a two hour aromatherapy and body wrap session for $150 as well as a thirty minute treatment for $50 to educate children on understand the basics of skin care.

Now that you and the family are all settled in and relaxed it’s time to embark on a three-hour African Safari drive to get up close to the animals. There will be many up-close photo opportunities as you tour the Disney Animal Kingdom savannas. The conclusion of the Wanyama Safari Resort Tour ends with dinner at Jiko’s to savor traditional African dips, breads, meat-based dishes and vegetarian dishes. This three hour tour and four course meal for the entire family will set you back about $640 USD.

Now that dinner is over it is time to sit back and enjoy as you watch a show described as “mesmerizing high wire and flying trapeze, stunning acro-gymnastic performances and other dynamic displays of coordination and strength” by Cirque Du Soleil. This show located at Downtown Disney will cost you about $500 USD for four (4) center front row tickets.

Saturday

Ahh. It’s morning and the start of a full action packed day of living the luxurious life at Walt Disney World. It begins with you heading on over to a ticketing window at the Magic Kingdom Park to pick up four 2-day Park Hopper passes for the entire family which will cost about $800 USD. The next stop is to head to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Cinderella’s Castle to let your little girl be transformed into a princess for $200 USD. You’re already at Cinderella’s Castle so it’s only fitting to enjoy a meal with princess herself at the ‘Once Upon a Time Breakfast’ at Cinderella’s Royal Table. Your little girl needs to feel like a princess at Walt Disney World so why not within the fabled castle for only $240 USD?

After spending a few hours enjoying the magical world of Disney it is time to act out your dreams of flying around a race track at the NASCAR Richard Petty Driving Experience. This heart pounding experience of a lifetime lasts for about three hours after doing 30 laps with different sessions on improving your driving line and speed. A graduation packet is given at the end of the 30 laps which includes your personal time sheet with a break down of each lap driven. The cost of this for yourself, significant other or child over the age of eighteen is approximately $1250 per person.

Using the Park Hopper pass, make your way on over to Epcot to visit the 11 countries surrounding the lake. The Disney Epcot Seas Aqua Tour allows guests to swim on the surface of the 5.7-million-gallon saltwater tank inside the Seas with Nemo & Friends Pavilion at Epcot theme park. You don’t need to be scuba certified making this easy for the entire family to enjoy. This costs about $140 USD per person and is a great segway into dinner at the Chef’s Table at Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Rest & Spa. As one of the more expensive restaurants, the Chef’s Table at Victoria & Albert’s is a private dinner within the kitchen allowing you to have a meal prepared based on your tastes by the head chef of Victoria & Alberts. There is also a butler and maid who are on hand to tend to any requests you might have. To top that, a sommelier selects superb vintages for each portion of your unique meal should you go with the Royal Wine Pairing. This three hour dining experience will cost about $590 USD after tax and gratuity.

The day ends with you and the family skipping the long lines and crowded streets of Epcot to enjoy the Illumination’s Reflections of the Earth fireworks extravaganza that showcases brilliant fireworks, laser lights and a moving musical score. How do you avoid the lines you say? That’s easy, you rent a 24-foot pontoon boat that can hold up to ten people for only $250.

Sunday

The morning begins with playing 18-holes of golf at Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course located near Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa with the entire family for about $440 USD. Once finished, it is time to get a bit of lunch at Fulton’s Crab House which is housed in a replica of a 19th-century Mississippi riverboat. If the humidity and heat isn’t a problem, consider dining on one of the three outdoor decks for a more panoramic view of Walt Disney World. The cost of this will be about $200 USD for the entire family and maybe a bit more if you want one of their humorous tee-shirts.

This is the last day of the weekend trip so you need to pick up a few souvenirs of your luxurious vacation. Ever wonder why there are various kiosks throughout Walt Disney World selling collectible pins? The buying and trading of collectible Disney pins has a decent following. The most expensive pin that can be purchased at retail price was the the limited edition Expedition: PINS Dream Jeweled Mickey Mouse that sold for $1295.00. This limited edition pin features Mickey Mouse covered in 130 stones (including black sapphire, diamond, garnet and citrine).

Just as your vacation began by taking a private limousine why not end it the same way? This also gives you the time to tally up your final bill for the vacation, excluding small purchases here and there, to finally realize you spent $15,605 USD over the weekend.

If all of this sounds to rich for you and makes you want to check out a budget vacation to Walt Disney World, I recommend that you either check out Walt Disney World’s website for any special value packages or buy The Complete Walt Disney World 2009 Travel Guide.