Our Real Budget: Waikiki and Disneyland at Christmas, 16 Days, $11,100

Six nights on Waikiki Beach, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at Disneyland, and a day in Hollywood, with a three-year-old. Every dollar, from flights to beach chairs.

These are our final numbers, not estimates. We booked and paid for everything ourselves, with no tour operator.

The trip at a glance

We flew from South America to Los Angeles and rested for a night near the airport. Then six nights in Waikiki, back to the mainland, and six nights in Anaheim for Disneyland over Christmas.

Day	Base	Plan
Sat 14	In the air	Overnight flight to Los Angeles, via Miami
Sun 15	Los Angeles	Land at LAX at 12:29 pm, rest at the airport hotel
Mon 16	Waikiki	Flight LAX to Honolulu, 9 am to 1:13 pm
Tue 17	Waikiki	Beach
Wed 18	Waikiki	Beach, dinner at Furusato Sushi
Thu 19–Sat 21	Waikiki	Beach days
Sun 22	Anaheim	Flight Honolulu to LAX, 8 am to 3:31 pm, drive to Anaheim
Mon 23	Anaheim	Warner Bros. Studio Tour and the Los Angeles Zoo
Tue 24	Anaheim	Disneyland Park, Christmas Eve
Wed 25	Anaheim	Disneyland Park, Christmas Day
Thu 26	Anaheim	Disney California Adventure Park
Fri 27	Anaheim	The Outlets at Orange
Sat 28	In the air	Flight home from LAX at 1:07 pm, via Miami

The full budget

Item	US$
Flights to Los Angeles and back Via Miami, three passengers	2,904
Flights Los Angeles to Honolulu and back	1,368
Flights	4,272
Los Angeles Airport Marriott 1 night	181
The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort, Waikiki 6 nights	1,789
Candy Cane Inn, Anaheim 6 nights	1,962
Hotels	3,932
Disney tickets and Genie+ 3 park days	1,415
Rental car, Los Angeles 6 days	260
Beach set rental, Waikiki	100
Mobile internet Holafly eSIM	91
Airport shuttle, Honolulu	75
Warner Bros. Studio Tour	73
Los Angeles Zoo	39
Parks, car and extras	2,053
Food 14 days	843
Total trip	11,100

Where the money went

Whole trip, US$, 16 days

Flights: $4,272, the biggest line

Flights were almost 40% of the trip. We paid cash this time: $2,904 for three passengers to Los Angeles and back via Miami, and $1,368 for the round trip from Los Angeles to Honolulu. On our Florida trip we used miles and paid only $272 for flights, which shows how much miles can change a budget.

Arriving from far awayWe booked one night at an airport hotel in Los Angeles before the flight to Hawaii. After an overnight long-haul flight, it meant a short transfer and a proper rest before flying again.

The courtyard pool at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott, surrounded by palm trees and balconies — Our first night: Los Angeles Airport MarriottOur photo

A Hawaiian Airlines plane seen through palm trees at Honolulu airport — Honolulu airport, framed by palm treesOur photo

Hotels: three hotels, $302 a night on average

The pink facade and arched entrance of the Royal Hawaiian hotel in Waikiki — The Royal Hawaiian, WaikikiOur photo

The Royal Hawaiian lobby decorated with Christmas trees in pink and green — The Royal Hawaiian lobby at ChristmasOur photo

Hotel	Nights	Total	Per night
Los Angeles Airport Marriott	1	$181	$181
The Royal Hawaiian, Waikiki	6	$1,789	$298
Candy Cane Inn, Anaheim	6	$1,962	$327

Our most expensive nights were in Anaheim, not Hawaii. Hotels near Disneyland cost more over the Christmas holidays, when the parks are at their busiest.

Shaded tropical gardens with large trees leading to the pink Royal Hawaiian hotel — The gardens of the Royal HawaiianOur photo

Detail of the Royal Hawaiian pink facade with blue planters and green window awnings — Pink walls and blue planters at the Royal HawaiianOur photo

A glowing snowman next to the Candy Cane Inn sign, with Christmas lights in the trees — The Candy Cane Inn at ChristmasOur photo

A lit-up Santa Claus figure and candy canes at the Candy Cane Inn driveway, with a fountain behind — Santa at the hotel entrance, a short walk from DisneylandOur photo

Waikiki: $175 in extras

Waikiki shoreline with palm trees, a seawall and Diamond Head in the distance — Waikiki Beach and Diamond HeadOur photo

Diamond Head lit by late-afternoon sun, behind a line of palm trees and surfers in the water — Diamond Head at golden hourOur photo

In Honolulu we didn't rent a car. An airport shuttle cost $75, and we rented a beach set, with chairs and an umbrella, for $100.

Kalākaua Avenue in Waikiki, with palm trees tied with red Christmas bows — Kalākaua Avenue, dressed for ChristmasOur photo

A lit Christmas tree and glowing reindeer under tropical trees lit in green at night — Christmas lights under the palms, WaikikiOur photo

Disneyland at Christmas: $1,415

Three park days: Disneyland Park on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and Disney California Adventure the day after. The total includes Genie+, Disney's paid system for shorter waits.

Entrance signs to Disney California Adventure, Downtown Disney and Disneyland Park — The entrance to both parks, AnaheimOur photo

Main Street, U.S.A. at night with a giant lit Christmas tree and garlands of lights — Main Street, U.S.A. on Christmas EveOur photo

Sleeping Beauty Castle covered in icicle lights at night, with the Partners statue in silhouette — Sleeping Beauty Castle in its winter lightsOur photo

Sleeping Beauty Castle with snow-capped towers and garlands by day, with the Partners statue in front — The castle by day, dressed for winterOur photo

The it's a small world facade covered in red, green and white Christmas lights at night — it's a small world holiday at nightOur photo

Name changeDisney now sells this service as Lightning Lane Multi Pass. If you're planning a trip, look for that name when you buy tickets.

Close-up of vintage-style ornaments, candles and a cardinal on a Christmas tree — Ornaments on the Main Street treeOur photo

The Disney California Adventure entrance with a Festival of Holidays sign — Disney California Adventure, Festival of HolidaysOur photo

The Cozy Cone Motel sign in Cars Land, with a Christmas tree made of traffic cones — Cozy Cone Motel, Cars LandOur photo

Radiator Springs in Cars Land at night, with Christmas lights, neon signs and red rock cliffs — Cars Land at night, lit for the holidaysOur photo

The Pixar Pal-A-Round Ferris wheel with Mickey's face and the Incredicoaster by day — Pixar Pier by dayOur photo

The Mickey Ferris wheel and Incredicoaster lit up at night, reflected in the lagoon — Pixar Pier at nightOur photo

The car: $260 for six days

We only rented a car for the California part of the trip. It took us from the airport to Anaheim, to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour and the Los Angeles Zoo on the same day, and to The Outlets at Orange.

Hollywood Boulevard with the Pantages Theatre sign and stars on the Walk of Fame — Hollywood Boulevard and the Walk of FameOur photo

Gold lettering of the Dolby Theatre sign against a blue sky — The Dolby Theatre, home of the OscarsOur photo

The Capitol Records tower in Hollywood against a blue sky — Capitol Records Building, HollywoodOur photo

A Christmas in Hollywood sign in front of a decorated Christmas tree — Christmas in HollywoodOur photo

Warner Bros. Studio Tour: $73

The studio tour in Burbank cost $73. In December the backlot was decorated for Christmas, including the Central Perk café from Friends, which was celebrating 30 years. We went to the Los Angeles Zoo the same day, for another $39.

The Warner Bros. water tower, BurbankOur photo

Soundstages 17 and 19 on the Warner Bros. lot at sunset, with palm trees — Soundstages on the Warner Bros. lot at sunsetOur photo

The Central Perk set from Friends, with neon signs, armchairs and patterned stools — Inside the Central Perk setOur photo

The Central Perk set seen past a vintage Panavision film camera — The set as the cameras saw itOur photo

The Central Perk café from Friends decorated with Christmas garlands and a 30 Years sign — Central Perk from Friends, dressed for ChristmasOur photo

The Warner Bros. water tower lit up at sunset above the backlot rooftops, with the Hollywood Hills behind — Sunset over the Warner Bros. backlotOur photo

Food: about $60 a day for three

A lobster roll with potato chips, coleslaw and a can of Aloha Maid pineapple-orange juice — A lobster roll in Waikiki, with a local pineapple-orange juiceOur photo

Two takeout boxes of nigiri sushi and eel rolls with ginger and wasabi — Takeout sushi from Furusato SushiOur photo

Two In-N-Out Double-Double burgers in their paper wrappers — In-N-Out Double-Double, a California classicOur photo

A Five Guys cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato and pickles on its foil wrapper — A Five Guys cheeseburgerOur photo

Food came to $843 for 14 days, around $60 a day.

Staying connected: $91

As on our Florida trip, we used a Holafly eSIM for mobile data. It cost $91 for the 16 days.

Silhouettes of people on Waikiki Beach watching the sun set over the ocean, with sailboats on the horizon — Sunset on Waikiki BeachOur photo

What happens next

We're working on separate guides to Waikiki, Disneyland at Christmas and Genie+. Subscribe to The Weekly Go to get them first.