Mention Sandals or Beaches all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean to someone, and chances are you’ll get some version of the following response: “Oh they look amazing! But they’re super expensive aren’t they? I mean, we couldn’t afford to go on vacation there……”
What if I told you that you could, and that the cost would be roughly the same as a comparable vacation to Walt Disney World? Don’t believe me?
Well let’s do a little cost comparison, shall we?
For fun, I just priced two relatively comparable vacations for October, 2019: 6 nights, checking in on October 20, for 2 adults. I priced Sandals Montego Bay in Jamaica and a *moderate* resort at Walt Disney World, Port Orleans French Quarter. Since Sandals is all inclusive, in order to compare apples to apples as much as possible, I priced an upgraded Garden View room, added the Deluxe Dining Plan so all meals were taken care of, and included 7 day Park Hopper tickets so you would have park entrance to any of the 4 main parks for the 7 days of your trip. For Sandals Montego Bay, I priced the least expensive available room for that week, which happened to be a beachfront, club-level, junior suite.
Here’s how the pricing looks:
- Walt Disney World vacation package: $ 4,179.28
- Sandals Montego Bay vacation package: $4,298.80
I bet I know what you’re thinking right now: “Nancy, Sandals is more expensive”. And you would be correct, it is about $120 more than Walt Disney World. So let’s take a look at what is and is not included in each of these packages, so that we can compare the *value* of the two.
First let’s look at Sandals, as that is the more expensive of the two. As I noted, this is in a beachfront, club-level, junior suite. These suites are located on the upper floor, with very large balconies overlooking the beach and ocean. They feature mahogany furniture with a king-size four-poster bed, and some have a whirlpool bathtub & shower in one, while others have a bathtub. The club level category at this resort also includes the exclusive indulgence of a Private Luxury Car Transfer in a chauffeur-driven BMW to and from the airport (at no extra cost!).
That’s just the room and transportation.
Beyond this, there are no hidden fees. No extra costs for dining at any of the available restaurants – all dining is included. There are no extra costs for alcohol (and premium brands are available). And there are no extra costs for unlimited activities, with something for everyone. If you are adventurous, the many water sports like scuba diving, snorkelling, water skiing, and wind surfing will keep you busy. Or if you’re like me, you can choose to relax on the beach, or enjoy more low key events like wine-tasting. And of course, there’s great entertainment available each night as well. (And as an added bonus, at some Sandals resorts like Montego Bay, you also have access to a couple other nearby Sandals resorts – again at no cost. And that includes their dining options as well.)
Now there will be a few things that aren’t included. Spa services are extra, as are outside excursions that you can take if you want, along with “special” activities like candlelight dinners. But 99% of the time, it’s all included.
Even gratuities. Sandals has a strict “no tipping” policy, so other than for spa treatments (or if you have a butler for example), no tipping is allowed at Sandals. It’s already included.
So what about that vacation package at Walt Disney World?
Our room at Port Orleans French Quarter is at a lovely, moderate resort, so technically not really comparable to the Sandals Montego Bay, as that is a deluxe property. (A more comparable resort at Walt Disney World would be, say Disney’s Beach Club Resort, which would add a couple thousand dollars to our quote.) The Garden View room is….just a room with 2 queen beds, and regular bath. A very nice room to be sure, but still a standard room.
We will have free transportation from Orlando International Airport which is great. It will be on a bus with dozens of other happy vacationers. 😊 (You can book private transfers for your Disney vacation if you like – for an additional cost.)
The Deluxe Dining Plan at Disney will provide you 3 meals and 2 snacks for each night of your trip, at any of the many dining locations at Walt Disney World. And there are TONS of great dining options! Will this cover all of your meals. It should, or be very close to it. Does it include alcohol? Yes, one beer, glass of wine or cocktail per meal, so not unlimited. Does it cover anything you want to eat all day long? No, that it does not do. Oh, and it also doesn’t include gratuities either. So you’ll need to budget extra for tips on all those meals.
Lastly, we have a 7 day Park Hopper ticket, so we have lots to do each day at the parks! What if we want to skip a park one day, are there other things we can do? Yes, and there are some fun things for free at the resorts which is awesome. But if you want to do any water sports, or go boating, or even try a tour or special experience (and there are tons of great options!), be prepared to pay extra for those.
Sooooooo…… Our Sandals vacation package is less than $150 more but WAY more in value, compared to Walt Disney World, wouldn’t you say?
Still think you can’t afford a Sandals or Beaches vacation? 😊
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