How to Spend Your Tax Refund with Disney

Disclaimer: Somehow discussions on the Internet of taxes and refunds and who gets them will inevitably lead to talk about government policy. If you feel yourself hearing the siren call to post about politics on a travel planning blog, please ignore it and pretend we’re talking about any random cash windfall. You’ve been warned.

Happy April 15! Are your taxes filed? If so, you may be one of the 8 in 10 US taxpayers who are getting a refund on your 2014 taxes. According CNBC, as of last week, the average check the IRS is cutting to people who overpaid is $2815. A lot people choose to overpay and use this as a de facto savings account (and with interest rates as low as they are, who can blame them?).

So let’s say you’re getting a tax refund. What are you going to do now? If you’re reading this blog, your answer may be “I’m going to Disney World!” Or Disneyland. Or taking a Disney Cruise. What will $2815 get you?

Walt Disney World

1. 4 regular annual passes and $30 left over for a T-shirt.
2. 5 nights in a Art of Animation family suite between Christmas and New Year’s plus $244 to spend at a character buffet.
3. 5 nights at Caribbean Beach for 2 adults and one child in mid-October with tickets and Deluxe Dining Plan (you’ll owe $100).
4. 28 nights at All Star Sports (weeknights, value season, not discounted) spread throughout the year.
5. One night in a Polynesian Two Bedroom Bungalow.
6. 184 pairs of adult mouse ears without personalization.

Disney Cruise Line

1. A 4-night cruise for 2 adults on the Disney Dream June 22 in a Category 11C stateroom.
2. A 7-night cruise for 2 adults on the Disney Fantasy December 12 in a Category 11C stateroom
3. A 14-night Panama Canal cruise on the Wonder for a solo traveler in an inside (IGT) stateroom next month – departs May 1 (or split the cost for an outside OGT with a friend and pay $1670 – that leaves money for a lot of meals at Palo!)
4. 7.7% of the fare for 1 BR concierge suite for 2 adults on the July 10 12-night Northern Europe cruise on the Disney Magic (roundtrip airfare to Dover, England extra). Or 18% of the fare in a Category 7A ($15, 719).

Disneyland

1. 2 adult and one child 3-day park hopper tickets plus $2000 to spend on lodging and food.
2. 5 nights at the Grand Californian in early June.
3. 7% of your $25,000 initiation fee (one time only, phew!) and $11,000 yearly dues at Club 33.
4. 390 orders of 6 beignets from the Mint Julep Bar in New Orleans Square.
5. 16.5 DVC points at the Grand Californian Villas (but there’s a 100 point minimum purchase)

So how about you? If you had $2815 to spend at Disney, how would you do it? Go all out? Maximize the nights onsite or aboard? Pool your resources with 13 of your closest friends and join club 33? Talk about it in the comments.