BUCKET list trips like seeing the Northern Lights or going on a safari are often hideously expensive.
And prices are even higher when you’re travelling as a family or during the school holidays.
Your Disney holiday doesn’t have to cost a fortune – if you know where you can save money[/caption]
But there are alternative destinations that offer either a similar or the exact same experience at a fraction of the price – potentially saving you thousands in the process.
So for budget-savvy travellers, here are some destination dupes to consider.
Disney dupes
Disney holidays are notoriously expensive, with tickets for the park costing upwards of £100 per person.
And that’s before you factor in hotel and flights – so there are a few ways you will want to save the cash.
Meet the characters
If you’re just interested in meeting the characters, the cheapest way to see them is at one of the character breakfasts at a Disney hotel, without going into the parks.
You don’t need to be staying at the hotel to book a spot either, so you can save by staying nearby.
At Disneyland Paris, this starts from €45 (£38) for adults and €36 (£30) for kids at Disneyland Hotel, which is just outside the gates of the parks so it feels even more magical.
In Florida, your cheapest option is at Cape May Cafe at Disney Beach Club Resort, where breakfast starts from $49 (£39) for adults and $33 (£26) for kids.
Enjoy the rides
If the Disney parks experience is all about the rides for you then there are lots of cheaper alternatives.
Two of the most popular in Europe are Efteling in the Netherlands and Puy du Fou in France.
Puy du Fou is actually the second most popular theme park in France with live-action shows, historical reenactments, and immersive experiences with English audio available.
Tickets start from £39 for adults and £28 for kids.
Meanwhile, Efteling is great for those with younger kids – it’s a fairytale-themed park with its own characters and more gentle rides.
Tickets start from €38 (£32) for everyone over four.
Those with older children or teens should head for PortAventura World in Spain.
There are three parks – the original PortAventura Park with rollercoasters, Caribe Aquatic Park for water slides galore, and Ferrari Land for the car-mad – which are ticketed separately.
Prices start from €40 (£34) for adults and €35 (£29) for kids for PortAventura Park, €29 (£23) for adults and €25 (£20) for kids for Caribe Aquatic Park, and €19 (£16) for adults and €17 (£14) for kids for Ferrari Land.
Caribe theme park is also at PortAventura World[/caption]
Northern Lights
For the best chances of seeing the Northern Lights, you’ll need to head towards the Arctic Circle.
What makes this trip so expensive isn’t necessarily the distance – it’s the remoteness of the destination that makes everything cost more once you’re there.
Although places like Rovaniemi and Ivalo in Finnish Lapland are the obvious choices for seeing the Northern Lights, it’s possible to make savings by heading to Tromso in Norway.
It can still be expensive but prices for hotels tend to be much lower as it’s not as well-known — and there are more budget-friendly options to choose from compared to Rovaniemi.
The 3* Comfort Hotel Xpress Tromso for example starts from £50 a night in low season, going up to around £200 in peak season (December and January).
For comparison, a similar hotel in Rovaniemi would be closer to £100 a night in low season and £200-£300 a night in peak season.
Rovaniemi is popular so expect the price to be high[/caption]
But head to Tromso and you could save hundreds on travel[/caption]
The other great thing about Tromso is that there are lots of budget airlines flying there direct from the UK, including Wizz Air, easyJet and Norwegian, with prices from £32 each way.
Once you’re there, book a tour of the area with a specialist who will take care of all the logistics.
There are options on the likes of Get Your Guide from less than £100 per person, although most are around £160 to £250 per person depending on the experience.
You can maximise your budget by avoiding the busiest months of December and January – and this can actually improve your chances of spotting the Northern Lights.
Your first safari? …. here are our top tips
The Sun’s Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey went on her first safari holiday – here is what she learned.
1. Drinking too much water
While it can be tempting to drink a lot of water to stay hydrated, this won’t end well during long safari drives.
There are no bathrooms within the safari parks – apart from at the entrance – and you hardly pop out of the vehicle to relive yourself, so make sure to drink slowly!
2. Not taking a good enough camera
On the majority of safari drives you will see animals far away, and only really by binoculars.
So you can forget getting any pictures even with the latest iPhone without zooming all of the way in for a grainy shot.
3. Not wearing long layers
Travellers are urged to take malaria medication when in Kenya, yet my usual applying every 45 minutes or so failed me – as Malarone makes your skin much more sensitive to sunlight.
Make sure to reapply the factor 50, or even better, cover up with long shirts and trousers.
4. Expecting to see all of the Big Five
The big five consist of the African elephant, lions, leopards, rhinos and bison.
We were later told that rhinos are too rare for most to see these days so don’t be too disheartened if you don’t see everything – it’s very common.
Contrary to popular belief, spring and autumn are the best seasons for spotting them, so try September, October, March or April instead.
Another option to consider is Reykjavik in Iceland.
It’s not in the Arctic Circle, but it is located far enough north to see the aurora borealis with some regularity – and there are tours where they’ll pick you up from the city.
What makes Reykjavik particularly affordable is that there are multiple direct flights from the UK with budget airlines like easyJet and Play, while the availability of hostels mean you can keep accommodation costs seriously low.
Plus, even if you don’t see any Northern Lights, there’s plenty in the Icelandic capital to keep you busy.
Northern Lights shinning bright over Reykajvik, Iceland[/caption]
Safaris
Long-haul flights plus private game reserves geared towards the luxury market make safari holidays one of the most expensive bucket list getaways.
Fortunately, there are so many countries in Africa where you can go on safari and see animals like elephants and giraffes out in the wild that it’s easy to find cheaper options.
Kenyan capital Nairobi is a good choice for shorter trips.
Nairobi National Park, home to lions, rhinos and giraffes, is right on the edge of the city so you can benefit from shorter travel times and affordable hotels in town.
It’s possible to visit the park independently – entry costs $43 (£35) for adults and $22 (£18) for kids, with guides mandatory and paid for separately – but you’ll find it easier to book a guided tour which sometimes includes pick-up from your hotel.
There are options from TripAdvisor-owned bookings site Viator from £36 per person.
A Nairobi safari is a cheaper alternative[/caption]
Flights to Nairobi start from around £400 return, while hotels are relatively affordable, especially if you scout around.
For example, the 3* Olsupat Lodge, right on the edge of Nairobi National Park, has rooms from £78 a night.
South Africa is another option.
You’ll need to drive a little further from the gateway cities and most safari properties are game reserves, which are giant privately-owned safari parks rather than national parks.
The good thing about these is that you’ll have a good chance to see a variety of animals, and your stay, meals and game drives are generally all included, which can make things a little cheaper.
Try Aquila Private Game Reserve, which is about a two-hour drive from Cape Town.
Stays start from R2,890 (£126) per person a night full-board, and include a morning and an afternoon game drive to see the animals.
A two-or three-night stay usually gives you enough time to see everything.
Direct flights from the UK start from around £550 return.
You can get cheap direct flights to Nairobi from the UK[/caption]
