Big trips you can take for less than the cost of Disney

I love Disney. In fact, my dad is a long-time Disney Vacation Club Member and I am a car-carrying member of the Disney Cruise Line Facebook page. Mickey and I are on a first-name basis.

But according to mousehacker.com, the average cost of a 5-day 2022 Disney vacation for 4 (2 adults, 1 teen, 1 young child) is $5,731.

That's a lot of cheddar. (Get it? Mouse....cheddar...?)

Let's play around with the math and see what else you can do on that money. Here are four quick ideas to set your imagination in motion. These are all based on actual trips we have taken.

Note: The numbers will obviously vary based on your location, the season, your "foody-ness," your hotel comfort level, and your belief in souvenirs. These figures are fairly mid-range, which is where we live travel-wise.

Idea #1: A Week in Barcelona

Plane tickets for 4 from Chicago $600 x 4

Hotel $150 x 7

Airport metro tickets $30 x 2

Metro tickets for the week $100

Free walking tour $20 (tip)

Flamenco dancing and tapas $200

Food $150 x 7

Cooking class $75 x 4

Miscellaneous activities * $200

$5,380

* I did not include the price for passports since many people already have them. If you don't, they will run $130 per person but will be valid for 10 years (adults) or 5 years (children).

Idea #2: 10 Days in Thailand

Plane Tickets for 4 from Chicago* $1000 x 4

Hotel $100 x 10

Food $50 x 10

Airport Taxis (Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket) $25 x 8

Flight Bangkok-->Chiang Mai $25 x 4

Flight Chiang Mai-->Phuket $50 x 4

Flight Phuket-->Bangkok $30 x 4

Misc Transportation $100

Massages (a must for the adults) $10 x 4

Elephant Sanctuary Volunteering $300

4-hr Longtail Boat rental in Phuket $190

$6,750

**I priced flights from Chicago since it is centrally located major US airport. Your location may affect this number, obviously. Also, these prices for flights may not automatically appear in a search engine. I'll be posting soon about "Stalking your Flight" and how to find these prices. It's not as hard as you think.

Idea #3: 9-Day National Parks Tour

Gas (will vary based on starting point) $500

5-night cabin stay at YMCA Estes Park $920

Paid extras at YMCA $200

4-night Airbnb or hotel stay in Moab, UT $1000

National park annual pass $80

Groceries $800

Eating Out $600

$4,100

Idea #4: 9-day trip to Croatia

Flights $800 x 4

4-night apartment rental in Dubrovnik $900

2-night apartment rental near Plitvice Lakes $350

3-night apartment rental in Split $450

Plitvice Lakes Entrance fee $160

Roundtrip ferry to Hvar Island $14 x 4

Food (breakfast at home, light packed lunch, dinner out) $150 x 9

Car rental $63 x 5

Gas and parking $200

$6,981

For info on how to save for that dream trip, check out "I Want to Travel. Now How do I Find Money for It?"

For info on how to stick to your travel budget, check out "Five Things that Will Bust Your Travel Budget in a Hurry" Part 1 and Part 2.

For more ideas on where to go, check out our US National Parks Itinerary or our ideas for family travel in Southwestern France.