Florida on a Budget
Total Cost for Two: ¥43,985 RMB (Approx. $6,150 USD) 🎉 Here’s a detailed breakdown of how we did it, with all costs in ✈️ 1. Flights & Insurance Cost: ¥13,200 To save money, we opted for flights departing from South Korea with layovers. Outbound: Beijing → Seoul → San Francisco → Orlando Return: Miami → San Francisco → Seoul → Tianjin This included travel insurance!✈️🧳 🏨 2. Accommodation Cost: ¥6,800 Orlando: 5 nights at a resort = ¥4,900 Miami: 2 nights at a hotel = ¥1,900 We chose value-for-money options rather than luxury brands.🏝️ 📱 3. Communication Cost: ¥630 3 Local SIM Cards = ¥310 1 Portable WiFi Rental = ¥320 Essential for navigation and staying connected without roaming charges! 🍔 4. Food & Drinks Cost: ¥3,500 We were strategic to keep costs low! Grocery Shopping: 🛒 We bought food from Walmart and ate it over several days. (A box of strawberries for ¥50 was acceptable!). Theme Parks: We brought our own drinks and pre-made burgers instead of buying expensive park food. Fast Food: We ate at Burger King, McDonald's, and KFC, using loyalty cards and deals. Water: We carried reusable bottles and refilled them with free water everywhere. 💧 Food Courts: We ate at local food halls (like "Yahui") which had brands like Five Guys and didn't require tipping! Result: We ate well for under ¥250 per day for two people!🥪🍓 🚗 5. Transportation Cost: ¥3,800 Orlando: Mostly used ride-sharing (Lyft/Uber) with pre-paid cards. Miami: Used a mix of metro, bus, and occasional taxis. Between Cities: Took a long-distance bus from Orlando to Miami. 🚌 This was one of our biggest expenses, but necessary without a rental car.🚖 🚢 6. 3-Day Bahamas Cruise Cost: ¥7,931 This included: Base fare for an interior cabin WiFi package Canned beverage package Service charges/gratuities Tip: The beverage package is optional! Free lemonade, coffee, and water are available. WiFi can also be skipped if you want to truly disconnect.🛳️☀️ 🛍️ 7. Souvenirs Cost: ¥2,400 Most souvenirs are "Made in China," so we only bought cheap keychains and fridge magnets. Shopped at discount stores like Ross for deals (e.g., Levi's jeans for ¥200 each!). Bought Orlando Magic NBA gear (jersey + hat). Also included 4 packs of Esse cigarettes bought at Seoul Airport. 🚬 Be selective and avoid tourist traps!🎁 🎡 8. Entertainment & Activities Cost: ¥10,154 This was our splurge category! Walt Disney World: 3-day Park Hopper tickets for two = ¥7,400 🏰✨ Zoo: Fast Pass for two = ¥250 SeaWorld: Tickets for two = ¥250 NBA Game: Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics tickets + bag storage = ¥2,000 🏀 Prioritize what you really want to do!🎢 📦 9. Miscellaneous Cost: ¥570 Luggage storage in Miami & San Francisco (~¥140 per location for two large suitcases) = ¥280 Tianjin to Beijing high-speed train = ¥110 Beijing South Station to Capital Airport = ¥70 💡 Crucial Money-Saving Tips (The Real Secret!) Reuse Existing Gear: ♻️ We did NOT include the cost of travel essentials because we reused items from previous trips to Nordic countries and Japan. This included: Disposable underwear & socks Toiletries & cosmetics Swimwear & towels General clothing If we had to buy these new, the budget would have been blown! Visa Timing: 🛂 Our U.S. visas were issued back in 2019. We didn't have to pay the ~$185 USD per person visa application fee for this trip, which is a huge saving! Plan Ahead: Booking flights with layovers and purchasing theme park tickets in advance saved us a significant amount. Conclusion: It's totally possible to have an amazing two-week Florida adventure for two people without breaking the bank! With smart planning, strategic spending, and reusing existing supplies, you can keep the total cost under ¥50,000. #US #Florida #Miami