Grandfather who spent $6,300 taking his family to Disney for just two nights reveals what he would do differently next time

Being a fan of Disney doesn’t come cheap. 

And in a bid for people to get the most out of their park experience, one holidaymaker has offered some insights into his recent family trip. 

Retiree Chris Mott revealed in a piece for Business Insider that he spent $6,300 on a Disney vacation in California last December with his wife, son, daughter-in-law and two-year-old granddaughter. 

He originally thought he had found a good deal on the Costco Travel website, with a two-night, two-park deal for four adults (his granddaughter’s place was free as she was under three) coming in at $4,600. 

This price also included a $180 Disney gift card.

However, there were a number of hidden costs, including $160 for parking two cars, $700 on food and several hundred dollars on airfare, as his family live in Vancouver. 

Chris says on the food front, he tried to keep things cheap with ‘quick service bites and snacks,’ but one bill at Disneyland Hotel’s Goofy’s Kitchen buffet ramped up costs at $450, including tip.

While the various amounts added up, Chris says his biggest qualm about the break was not having enough time. 

Detailing his issue around this time pressure, he wrote: ‘With only two nights, we lost almost half of the first day driving to the resort, parking, checking in, and taking our luggage to the room.

‘For our next trip, I’d do three nights instead of two. 

‘That way, on our first day, we can even spend some time swimming in the hotel pools and exploring Downtown Disney, a dining and shopping district nearby.

‘Then, we can get to the parks bright and early on our second day.’ 

In terms of the park accommodation, Chris and his family checked into the Disneyland Hotel. 

A highlight for the aspiring writer was the range of activities on offer in the park, with dozens of rides, a Christmas parade and meet and greets with the Disney Characters (stock image)

The Vancouver-based retiree said that if he returned to the park, he would not change this aspect of the trip. 

Perks of the hotel included proximity to the park, and ‘special details’ in terms of the interior design. 

Chris said of their suites: ‘The deep-blue carpeting had a fireworks pattern on it, and the headboards on the beds had little twinkling lights that looked like fireworks.’

Another highlight for the aspiring writer was the range of activities on offer in the park, with dozens of rides, a Christmas parade and meet and greets with the Disney characters. 

Ending on a high note, he concluded: ‘This was the most expensive Disney trip I’ve ever taken, but seeing my family have such a great time meant everything to me.

‘Watching my granddaughter dance with Disney characters while twirling the shimmering skirt of her princess dress was priceless.

‘Months later, she still talks about Disney – she even told her mom she had a dream about going back.’