Closer to home

Wisconsin Dells is near and dear to my heart. I think summer is optimal, but we’ve gone in the off season and enjoyed it. I’d bet a weekend in the Dells would be a nice after Christmas.

I picked Sunday Dec 27 – Tuesday Dec 29 more or less randomly. And I picked the Chula Vista resort because we have been talking about going there for a few years. This is for the 7 of us: my parents, Rob, me and the kids.

2 Bedroom Family Tower
*2 bedrooms containing 1 king  bed, 2 queen beds &  sofa  sleeper
*snack fridge, microwave, coffee maker, & 2 tv’s
*Indoor corridor access to main lodge amenities

$209.00/night   ($418.00)
+ fee $4.00
+ fee $15.90
+tax $47.76
= $485.66    No requirements. Includes guest room and waterpark passes.

But the other thing that has made the Chula Vista interesting to me is the all-inclusive deal. Which prices out as follows:

$541.00    ($1082.00 )
+fee $4.00
+fee $15.90
+tax $87.60
= $1189.50

What you get? “Meals at the Market Fresh Buffet, & Lounge, Luigi’s Pizza at Howler’s Bar, Unlimited drinks including tap beer, liquor, tropical and ice cream drinks, wine, soda, coffee, tea, milk, and juice, Hiking, bonfires, and wagon rides. Full use of all 200,000 sq ft of indoor & outdoor water parks and pools, 18-hole mini-golf, and VIP discounts for Spa del Sol specialty products & Golf at Coldwater Canyon. Package benefits start at 4pm on the day of your arrival and ends at 11:30am on the day of your departure.”

Alternately, we could get a smaller room:

Double Queen Junior Suite
*2 queen beds &  semi-private living room area with sofa sleeper
*snack fridge, microwave,  &  coffee maker
*Indoor corridor access to main lodge amenities

Regular rate:
$159.00   ($318.00)
+fee $4.00
+fee $15.90
+tax $36.76
= $374.66

Inclusive Package
$491.00   ($982.00)
+fee $4.00
+fee $15.90
+tax $76.60
= $1078.50

Now when they first came out with all-inclusive, It was advertised that it included all of the restaurants. And then not the steakhouse. And now there only seems to be 3 (the buffet, the sport bar, and the pizza place). No steakhouse makes sense, but not the 2 bars and grills, the clubhouse or the snack bar?

Now my price breakdown:

The all-inclusive package adds $703.84. I somehow doubt the baby cost the same as an adult. I reconfigured my reservation to learn the cost of the all-inclusive per person. 1 adult = $142.04, 1 kid = $67.84, 1 baby = $0.

The all inclusive starts at 4:30 Sunday and lasts until 11:30 Tuesday. 2 suppers, 1 lunch, 2 breakfasts. Plus beer. I think we would budget $200 for suppers, $70 for lunches and $100 for breakfasts and bring beer from home. Basing those prices on our July visit to the Dells. So about half what they budget. Interesting. I wonder how expensive the food is on property?  I suppose they could assume you will eat lunch there on the last day. Or you will have Fourth Meal, Taco Bell style. Or drink like a fish!

This month of travel ideas has mostly been wishful thinking. But the non-all-inclusive package is possible.