BIG disappointment....what should we do?

[mrs.pixiedust]

We have been planning on a 10 night trip to WDW for months now. Everyhing is paid for room, tix, plane,etc.). Our hearts are set on going. Then, a few days ago, my DH finds out that his company is laying off 180 people and he's one of them. He insists we're still going b/c he wants to "get away." I don't think I could go and have fun knowing that we REALLY need to use that money for our mortgage, etc. He also doesn't want to disappoint our DD and DS. I say we be responsible...WDW will be there next year. What would you do?

[Humpbacks1962]

It is all paid off, JUST GO!

If you can tighten the belt for a few weeks, just enjoy the trip. Things will get better. Be frugal with the spending at the parks, however.

Look up tips on this board to eat affordably, enjoy the parks on a budget, etc.

Wanda

[jojr]

WDW maybe there next year, but you may not if you get my drift. If you found out after you returned from your trip about the layoff, that money would have been gone and couldn't help anyway. Take it from me enjoy every chance you can get away with your children. The memories it creates will last forever. You don't want the children to remember the year their big trip to WDW was cancelled due to Dad being layed off. The bills will get paid and Dad will go back to work and you'll have the memories of a great trip to WDW.

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

The trip is paid in full. HMMM. I'd like to tell you to go to WDW anyway and take your minds off the layoff, but you don't want to be stuck later if another career opportunity doesn't come quickly. I don't know what I would do if that happened, to be honest.

Is DH eligible for Unemployment Compensation or a severance package? Perhaps this would be enough to pay the bills until another job comes along and ease your anxt over the already paid trip.

Best of Luck.

[mrs.pixiedust]

The company is labeling this "temporary" so he is not entitled to anything. I do not feel like he will be called back at least anytime before March Our insurance will be gone as of Nov. 1st. Keep the advice coming and I'll let you know what we decide. BTW, I'm a stay home Mom so I have no income.

[Kaa]

Perhaps as a compromise with responsibility, you could cut the trip from 10 nights to 5 or 6. You will most likely have to pay some sort of change fee for the plane tickets, but you would still have a few days at WDW to take your mind off your troubles and make great memories with the children. Then the money saved would help ease your mind with the lack of income for the short-term. Just a suggestion...

[Pembo]

My 2 cents....shorten the trip and still go. I agree with jojr, WDW will still be there next year but that's a long way off.

Good luck with this decision.:)

[*Flower*]

I guess that the first thing I would ask is how old are your children?
If they're old enough to participate in the input (planning) stages of the trip, and help to decide which eateries are worth a visit, why not sit down with them and explain what's going on?
Of course I might be really out in left field, but if you make the decision as a family, things might look really different.

Good luck.........

[2TxAgs]

What is the policy on your plane tickets? Can you reschedule with them, or are they non-transferable/non-changeable, etc? In our case, they would be a big part of the package,
moneywise. You also can't get the $$ back on your park tix, altho I suppose you could try to sell them on ebay. So, the question seems to be: take the loss on the plane tickets and sell the park tickets and get your money back on the room, or go and minimize any additional park expenses. You can get by on food pretty cheap if you're willing to eat counter service and off the parks - our family of 5 did 7 days on just over $400 on food, and I don't feel like we made any big sacrifices....

The deciding factor in my mind would be the plane tickets - if you can't get your $ back or change the dates, I'd say go - your remaining expenses will be less than the loss on the plane tickets.....

I'm sorry you're faced with this dilemna.... :(

TxAg

[Luv2Roam]

Very hard choice. But I would look into all options of going or shortening the trip.
Even if it is "temporary" your DH should still get Unemployment, I would think.
It may be hard on everyone in the family. I hope you are able to get away for awhile at least. But it may be hard enjoying a trip knowing what hardships you may have at home when you return.
Best of luck and keep us posted.

[renessa]

My new hubbie was layed off for 4 months this spring...I know how hard it is! He was eligible for unemployment, but it was 1/3 of his income. We had a Disney honeymoon planned, but had to spend that $$$ on bills, etc. It was not a fun decision (especially returning to work on Monday after wedding. ) I cried....but we are going next summer. I am really glad- looking back- that we didn't dig ourselves into a huge debt while he was off. I did get behind, but was caught up in 2 months! I now am able to save$$$, and we will have a blast and not feel guilty. I don't know how much time you have before your scheduled trip, but just think positively. If your dh is able to find a new job or gets called back before the trip then you are good to go....if not you could consider the shorter trip idea, or a local trip just until dh returns to work. Then you could plan a new trip!

[Toby'sFriend]

Well - that really really stinks! I'm so sorry that you have had that happen to you.

I don't know what your expenses are like -- but I have to say that I'm in the minority here. I would *not* go if there was a chance that the money would be needed to pay for your mortgage or food or utilities. Yes your kids will be disappointed, but it's a fact of life that these things happen and you have to deal with it as a family...and even young children can understand that shelter and food come before a Disney Vacation.

Maybe you can find a way to earn some extra money and still go for at least a short trip. As others have said, your plane tickets and park tickets are probably non-refundable anyway.

best of luck to you!

[pamruth]

When our kids were 6 and 9 we were in the same situation. We went anyway, but scaled back on things like food. It all worked out fine. MOre importantly, the memories we created are still strong in our children who are now 19 and 22. Family moments really are priceless, just like the commercials say.

[Tiger Fan]

mrs. pd: I am so sorry this has happened to you and your family. I'm also in the Upstate of SC and have been watching the news as many of our textile plants are laying off employees. I know money problems can be very stressful, but if there is anyway I suggest you go on this trip. I liked the suggestions of cutting back on the amount of time and saving with food. I saw on another thread what a great rate you had at the All Stars, not to mention that it's all paid for. Good luck whatever you decide.

Lisa

[Spinning]

I really feel bad for you and your family. That is horrible that they laid him off. YOu should be able to get unemployment even if it is temp.
Anyway about the trip. I would be like you and want to canc it and save the money but....it maybe good for all of you to get away you may not get one once your husband finds a new job. Vacation may accure or have a waiting period.
You may want to cut back a few days if you can or scale down to a cheaper hotel. Bring stuff for breakfast and maybe some snacks etc to save money. Explain to the kids they won't be getting alot of stuff.
Sending PD you way!

[A Mickeyfan]

We made our ressies for Poly Concierge in April of this year for a July29th-Aug3rd stay. We went on Priceline & got July 27 & 28th at a 3* for the F/S prior to the Poly. July 5th my husband hurt himself at work & is out on temp disability till the end of this month. On July 17th I found out I no longer had a job either (I was part time & the position went full time which I couldn't do). Our trip was not paid for either.... we still went. We put it on our charge card (AMEX no interest till 12/01!)...my husband didn't want to cancel & ruin the kids summer. My suggestion to you would be.... find a charge card that has no interest for a while & it can hold you over till you get on your feet. Yes ..... we are skimping now & had to cancel a trip to the AS Movies for next weekend ... but we still did our big trip.. call me foolish... but where there is a will.....there is a way Good Luck

[Belle5]

We were in a similar situation this year. I am a SAHM and my DH was laid off for three months. He was given only a small severence. We did receive unemployment benefits that helped. If you have some savings that could help. We are taking our trip this fall, but we will making it by the skin of our teeth! The only reason we are still fighting to go is that we feel we would be throwing money down the drain NOT to. We have non-refundable Priceline air tickets for 7 people. Our AP's (for 7) expire in September. (How long would it take us to save for that many theme park ppasses again?) The biggest reason we feel ok about going is that DH has been employed for 2 months now. Honestly, knowing what I know know about the uncertainty of how long it can take to get a job, I would be very hesitant to go if my DH didn't have a job. You may end up needing help from friends or relatives who really resent helping someone who has taken a WDW vacation. Had I not just went through this I might feel very differently. This has made me very cautious. BTW, we were going to stay at WL originally, now we are doing the Marriott $20.01 thing for 3 nights, then the ASMo thing for $49. We have cut out most Character meals and will be eating in our room or at places where we can share meals. Good luck on making your decision. I know it's difficult!

[DiznEeyore]

Hi, Mrs. Pixiedust:

I know exactly what you're going through because we're in exactly the same predicament. Dh got laid off in January, and has been doing "side jobs" off and on since then, but they are winding down and we are facing the very real possibility of starting 2002 with no income (I'm a SAHM, too -- tho' I work from home part-time as our church's secretary for an itty-bitty paycheck). We currently have 3 trips to WDW planned: 9/01, 12/01 and 10/02. They are all paid for.

The Sept. trip is just dh & me for 5 days for my b-day and 10th anniversary (using DVC points for the GF); December is our first stay at VWL (we bought DVC before he got laid off) with extended family (so we really couldn't cancel since everyone already had time off, plane tix, etc.). We considered the situation carefully and have decided the two trips for this year are a go. Next year may not be, if we end up needing the money for living expenses.

We are limiting our planned WDW spending as much as possible; dh & I always split meals, so that will help, too. And we will be eating most of our December meals in our villa. Our ds (8) understands what's going on, that there will be lots of limitations on our trip, but the important thing is we're still going. These will be especially precious trips if something drastic happens next year.

Of course, only you know what is best for your family. Best of luck to you!! :)

[Cristy]

If it's paid for, I would still go. Changing airfare on four tickets to have a shorter duration may cost a minimum of $400 ( I know the ones I just bought are nonrefundable, but $100 per ticket for flight changes).
We went through multiple layoff situations in the 1980's with two children. We didn't cancel our trip anytime. There were too many positive memories to be made. Cutbacks were made for food and souvenirs. Photographs were our most cherished souvenir. We regularly used counter service and the kids were happier than spending their park time in a sit down restaurant. We saved the PS and character meals for a follow up trip.
Being laid off can be catastrophic enough for everyone. I would not get the kids upset for anything. I would probably chip in and work if he wasn't called back to work shortly after the vacation.

[disneycampingdad]

The trip is paid in full, so watch the food & trinket $$ and do it. Although I know this may not seem like the best time to go, if we always waited for the "best" time, nothing would get done. The memories of this trip with your children will be be priceless.

[realpatt]

My husband was layed off in July and so we changed our plans to go in August instead of wating for our December trip as he may not have vacation at that time if he's found a job. We usually give our kids $5.00 a day spending money but told them we wouldn't be doing that this time. Insead of paying $2.00 a soda at resterants we ordered water. We cut out all those extra snacks and between meal treats and brought our own from home. We had a great time and I'm glad we were able to follow through. We are DVC members and got very lucky to be able to change reservations and we have season passes so our main cost was food and souviners. I agree with the idea that we only have our children for a short time, and memories and family time are very improtant. Since you have already paid for your trip you have been fincalilly respopnsible in your planning. Your husband may not have much time off later on, Disney may not have the great hotel deals they currently have. PS. We did bring our laptop and my DH did surf the internet (monster.com) a little each day when we went back to our rooms for afternoon naps, so he was still able to get out his resume. You husband will qualify for unemployment.

[jgates]

Your children are by far the most important thing. If it is all paid for, go and enjoy the trip. Have your husband start job hunting immediately but be up front about this trip in his interviews. If he is as great of a guy as I'm sure he is, they would want him regardless. PB&J sandwiches are not the greatest but they haven't killed anybody yet and they are cheap!

Another option if he doesn't find something right away is to maybe take a job temporarily yourself. I ended up taking a second job when my dh was laid off 17 years ago as a waitress on the weekend. I was working 70 hours per week but if I didn't, we didn't eat. He ended up at a yucky job for a few years so the temporary extra lasted longer than planned! With holidays coming up, I would think there might be seasonal jobs available. That would give him some more personal time with the kids too and he'll appreciate all you have to do all the more when he goes back to work!

Good luck to all of you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[jctwizzer]

Assuming you can get refunds on the airplane tickets, you might consider driving instead of flying--that would get part of your funds back in the bank.

[manwithdaplan]

First let me say I'm sorry about your DH's job. Been there, done that, several times over. I have to say that as heart breaking as it would be, I'd postpone the trip. I know it will be tough, but trust me, you and DH will not have a good time knowing that you have no money coming in when you get home. You'll be watching EVERY dime you spend. How fun is that?

How about this? Why not postpone the trip and then when you can go, do the 7-day land and sea with DCL to make it up to the kids? I bet if they knew they were going on the Disney cruise as well as to WDW, they'd be okay with waiting. Probably still disappointed, naturally, but it's better for our children to know that sometimes things come up and we need to be flexable.

But, good things come to those who wait!

[KathiWithAnI]

We were in almost the exact same situation this year. We had a 2 week trip planned for our 10 yr anniversary and Hubby got laid off about 5 weeks ( he was ladi off for 8 weeks total) before our trip. We weren't flying though so that wasn't a problem. We did shorten our trip to 9 days instead of 16 and as others have said we cut back on souvies and ate a lot of meals in tha house we rented. We had a blast and it was a big spirit booster for my husband! In fact he rec'd the job offer for his now current job while we were there. ( We had added our cell phone number to our answering machine at home so that we didn't miss a call!)

Best of luck to you
Kathi

[apagano]

Similar predicament for me, although my wife and I don't have any children to care for. We booked our September trip in April, and my employer went belly-up in May. I'm still out of work and collecting unemployment. I crunched all the numbers and determined that as long as we don't go on a colossal spending spree at disney, we should be OK financially. I think the most important thing for you is to take a long, hard look at your personal finances. If going on this trip puts you in serious danger of losing your home, then cancel. Otherwise, go and have a great time. I have come to learn that the worst part of being unemployed is sitting on my duff all day with nothing to do. And to think that when I was working I would have killed to have all this time on my hands! In my case, I realized that my options were to go to Disney and enjoy myself or spend yet another week on the couch feeling miserable. I choose Disney.

[Belle5]

Another thought; one thing you might want to consider is that if your DH gets a new job, how will he feel about asking the new employer to give hime time off for a vacation anytime soon? We planned and paid for much of our trip (for September) back in January. DH lost his job in March. When he landed a job in June, he did not feel right about asking the new company for nine days off in September. Instead he asked for four days and will be leaving the kids and I mid-trip to get back to work. If you have the time off now you might want to go because it will take a for those vacation days to add up.

[Sandy Fisher]

We had to make changes in our trip, after finding out the plane tix were non-refundable, non-transferable, and the two persons who chose not to go now will have to "lose" $75 per ticket and they have to use them within a year of purchase date. Also, we were in time to cancel them from the trip, so didn't lose the park tickets, but apparently you would. I was not aware of that until I read the other posts. Also, we had trip insurance, which wasn't refunded. It's a real hassle to cancel, not to mention the cost. The economy around our area is bad too, lots of layoffs. Some of the temporary layoffs turned out to be permanent. At our age, with retirement close, it would be even tougher to find work. My instinct would be to go since it is already paid for. You can cut back on sit down meals, PS, etc. and of course on shopping for goodies to take home. Most people can tighten their belts and make out during a layoff. The insurance would be my biggest worry and probably have to use some savings to keep that going. Sure hope it works out for you!!!;)

[B3LM]

I'm so sorry to hear about your DH being laid off! I am facing the same situation myself with my job. We've already been told that there will be layoffs in October. I'm a part-time employee, so I'm really nervous that I will get the boot! We have a trip planned for November.

I wish I had a lot of advice to offer you - I really don't know what I'd do in your situation. If your trip is already paid for, I'd probably try to go anyway (especially if you have non-refundable plane tickets). I'd skip doing any fancy meals, maybe pick up a few groceries and eat breakfast in your room each day (that can really save some money). If your DH finds a new job, chances are that he won't have any vacation time off anyway to go later.

[Bob NC]

I honestly cannot believe the answers I'm reading to this post. It's one thing for diehard WDW folks to tell people they should stay at a deluxe...or stay concierge. But, to tell someone with 2 kids and no job to take a huge WDW vacation just blows me away. If I were in this situation there wouldn't be a choice to make, the vacation would have to be put on hold/delayed without a second thought. How would all you people who advise going on this vacation like to read a post in 3 months that these people lost their car, their house, or that their children are hungry because they decided to go on a vacation? I really don't believe this.

[2TxAgs]

Bob, I think the driving force behind many of the replies (mine included), is that the money has already been spent, and much of it would be lost/forfeited if they cancelled. I agree with you, if they can get most of it back, that may be their best option. We don't know their situation re: savings, etc. However, if they can't get refunds on what they've paid for, and almost all of the trip HAS been paid for, then it seems like they should go and eat on the cheap.

None of us wishes them to have a grand ole time at the expense of future mortage payments or meals....

[Kay1]

Such a sad thread - so many lay offs and the economy is showing no signs of improving. I guess it depends on your personality and your savings account. If you have lots of money and can't get refunds, then it's a matter of whether you could enjoy yourself at such a happy, carefree place knowing what you had to come home to. Clearly, I wouldn't go because I'm the type who has to have all her ducks in order at home before I even leave it. ( Clean house, stocked kitchen, meals in the freezer, and I come home with the clothes all laundered. ) You may have a totally different personality. I'm afraid I would be counting down the days to homecoming getting gloomier by the moment.

You live so close to Disney. Maybe you could arrange for a shorter, cheaper trip and drive down after your husband gets settled in a new job. The kids would be disappointed but maybe you could think of some less expensive treat you could give them in the meantime. If things don't go the way you hope, and you spend what you have at Disney, it could be a tough Christmas for them. Whatever you decide, bless your heart and I wish you the best.

[sherry7]

I'm sorry this happened to you and your family. My husband works highway construction, so he is laid off during the bad winter months but at least we know in advance and are able to prepare for it. Personally, I would have a hard time going, but you will have to make a decision based on your financial situation right now. I mean, is the money you are able to get back going to make a huge difference?

I'm not sure of how this works in your state, but when my DH is laid off during the winter, he has to report to the unemployment office once per week. If your DH tells them he is on vacation, that basically means that they will consider him unavailable for work and he would not receive unemployment benefits for that week. Of course, he could simply say he forgot to come in, but who knows how that would turn out.

I know you are probably worried about your children being disappointed if you don't go. However, if you sit your children down and explain that Daddy has lost his job and explain the situation to them I think that most children would understand. I mean, they are still going to be sad, but it isn't going to cause permanent psychological damage either.

Whatever you decide, I wish you and your family the best of luck and hope your DH has a speedy return to work.

[realpatt]

In terms of unemployment benefits, a lot of offices allow you to call in each week rather than go in person. They are apparently a little overwhelmed with the increase in unemployment right now, at least in our area (North Carolina).

[momofmikey]

Sorry to hear about your news - I agree with other posters that I would shorten the trip but still go. If it wasn't already paid for, maybe I'd have a different opinion. Also, there are ways to cut back when you're down there, i.e. counter food vs. sit down, breakfast in room, etc. A trip away with the family may be the best thing for all of you right now - take your mind off your troubles at least for a few days. You don't know what the future holds, and life is just too short not to enjoy time with family.

[RAMWDWFAN]

As much as I would like to say go and worry about your problems later, I would suggest you and your DH do a little research first and see how quickly those in his field are finding new employment. If it is taking a while to get a new job, maybe the money for the trip can be better used elsewhere.
I had my heart broken last year when I had to cancel my trip to OKW. I cried for a whole week, but afterwards I knew that it was the best decision. I know that the sooner I pay off my credit card debt, the sooner I will be able to buy into DVC and plan on going on at least two trips per year.
Trust God to help your DH find a new job soon.

[sablair]

Im so sorry that this has happened to you and your family :( MHO is that you know in your heart what is best for your family. If your hubby can draw unemployment, if you are him are likely to get a job sooner rather than later, then I would say go for it.. especially if the plans you have already made are not refundable. If you have funds in the bank to get your family through for a couple of months, then I say go for it in that situation too. Its true.. after a new job there probably wont be time off work for awhile.

But.. if you have checked and he cant get unemployement, if you are very low on savings, if jobs are hard to come by in the area where you live, MO would be to wait and not spend another dime towards a vacation. I definately wouldnt put the rest of the vacation expenses on a charge card. It's one thing to have to tighten your belt for awhile and another to come out of this crisis deep in debt.

Hang in there :) When my oldest was a toddler DH and myself were unemployed for six months. What I remember about that time was eating a lot of vegetable soup (I hate it now!) and spending hours with the two of them reading and taking long walks. It was a hard time... but also a special time that brought us closer.

Good luck!! Hope you can make that trip :)

Sheila

[Musky]

I know just where you're coming from. We are planning our first (and probably last) trip to WDW for October of this year. My husband's company has laid off about 150 people and they've said there will be more. We're praying that DH is not one of them, but he says if he is, we're going to WDW anyway. For us, it has taken years to save enough money for this one trip, and if we don't go now, we will probably never have enough money to go again. I see that you have already been there, so if you don't go, at least you shouldn't feel that you've deprived your kids of their one and only chance to see WDW/the ocean/a palm tree, etc. I don't have any answers for you, but two things you may want to think about: It is true that in some states (like here in PA) if you are collecting unemployment, you only have to call in, not appear in person. But it is also true here that you can NOT go on vacation if you are collecting unemployment. You are not allowed to leave the state unless you are looking for work. And you will not lose unemployment benefits just for the week you were on vacation, you will lose them entirely. So this is something you had better check out. I would also think you might be eligible for food stamps, energy assistance, school lunches, etc. Have you checked any of this out? Secondly, please do not put the rest of the expenses for your trip on a credit card. We have been married for 18 years and DH has been laid off, if you add it all up, for about 4 of those years. During those times, we turned to credit cards. And I'm not talking about charging trips, I'm talking about "luxuries" like bread, milk, mortgage payments and electricity. We now owe $13,000.00 on credit cards! So, if you can possibly avoid it, do not start down that road. Whatever you decide, make up your mind that you are doing the best thing for the entire family, and refuse to second-guess yourself. And I wish you the best of luck, whatever your decision.

Musky (aka Becky):earsgirl:

[Dizzy-Disney4]

I'm not sure if we would go or not...that's such a hard thing for you guys. PLEASE double check about the unemployment. I know the laws must vary some from state to state, but there has to be something for him that will help since he did not quit or was not fired. I drive a school bus in Massachusetts...I can collect unemployment during school vacations even if they are only a week long and I know I have a job the following Monday and this past year, with all of the snow we had, we had one week where we only worked for 2 days. I was able to call unemployment the FOLLOWING week and claim a low wage week and get unemployment for those other three days. If your DH's employer told him he would not be able to collect, remember that they are the ones who actually pay the unemployment insurance to the state (or at least they do here in MA), so they may not be telling the whole truth. Good luck, and I'm sure you'll do what you think is best.

[dmfuru]

Do you have enough available money to survive for 6 months or so, without using credit? If not, I'd jettison the vacation. You might end up spending years trying to pay off credit debt, and I don't think that 10 days at WDW is worth that.
Would you have enough money in case of an emergency (ie. illness, car trouble, etc)? If you have a 'safety net', then I think you'd be OK.
I just shudder at the thought of someone without income OR available assets in this day and age--the world can be a cruel place.

Best wishes to you with your decision, and I hope things look up soon.

[Xhausted]

Hi,
Just wanted you to know my heart goes out to ya!---
but if everything is paid for then go ahead and use this opportunity to enjoy family time...I think it would be a double whammy to DH if you cancel trip too...He is already dealing with the feelings of losing his job...Let him go on vacation, come back home refreshed and relaxed to go look for a job not tense and edgy because he thought he cheated his family out of something they had been planning to do.
Just be honest with the kids about the situation and adjust park spending on souvenirs and extras.

and just in case you hadn't thought about it... if your hubby takes a few resumes and goes on a job interview while there I think you can write part of the trip off on your taxes next year.....check with your tax man about that.. but it would bring some of the money back in house.

Good Luck, we'll be praying for you here,
X

[rockyne]

I am so aorry for your family!
I was laid off last fall in October. We had planned our trip for this fall. Went back and forth whether to go ahead or cancel. But, better things were around the bend. I ended up getting a better job with a better company, and raise to boot! Needless to say we are still going to the World this fall.
I guess the moral to this story is...you never know what will happen in the future. You, your husband, or any one of your family may not be here in a year or so. If the trip is paid for go ahead and go. You may not have a lot of spending money, but you have a 50/50 chance that things will get better! Be Optimistic!!! I bet your hubby is great at what he does, and things will work out for the best.
Your family will be in my prayers, and good luck!
Rockyne ;)

[pats]

I think you should check into getting your money back..and if you would lose money on the tix and such i would go anyway. I agree with the people who said cut back on food..eat breakfast and dinner each day. Food in the room works for kids. And a couple days just laying by the pool at the hotel would be wonderful!!

[Mrs.Tigger]

Mrs. Pixie Dust -

My hubby was just laid off 7/31 - one of 235 permanent layoffs. So...no job. The plane tickets were purchased courtesy of a voucher for agreeing to get booted off an overbooked flight on our last trip, the room was paid for, and all we had left to get was the park tickets.

I was like you - wanting to cancel, worried about the future. It was the meals, the tickets, the amount we were likely to spend OVER and above that was worrying me.

My husband INSISTED that we should go and have a great time. That if he gets a new job, we don't know where it will be, what the family will go thru (perhaps a move) and when we will be able to do this again.

It took me a couple days of thinking - but he's right! We don't know where we will be a few months from now, but kids have a way of living in the present. We will be there 8/25 - 9/2...(I don't know who is more excited, me or my family - OK, I admit - it's me!)

GO, GO, GO....Grab the present. You just don't know when you will have this chance again. But, budget the meals. We are renting a cooler and eating breakfasts at our room, then eating our big meal at about 2:30 (which is better for you anyway, and if you want to splurge on a sitdown meal, gives you lunch prices!), and then getting a snack in the evening. You won't forget that he's laid off...but you can make the best of it.
GOOD LUCK and HAVE FUN!!

[*Fantasia*]

If you have plenty of $$$$ in the bank and your trip is already paid in full--then GO.

If there's not much money in the bank and you can't get most of your money back, but can shorten the trip without too much $$ airfare penalize--then GO. Just need to budget the money once you're in disney.

If there's not much money in the bank and can get most (hopefully ALL) your money back--I wouldn't go. WDW will be there tomorrow and always waiting. I know family time is very precious and making happy memories are very precious, BUT if it's going to put a lot of burden to you and your husband as far as financial, then it's not worth the headache to go cause if you go and come back from the trip, the financial burden will still be there.

I'm so sorry about your husband's lay-off. I hope things will get better. I hope you guys get to go to WDW and hope that there will be enough money to cover whatever bills there are.

[tarmand]

mrs.pixiedust,

My husband and I have no kids and are early 30ish, so what we would do may not be appropriate for your family. I asked him his opinion and we both agreed that you should go. We feel that if everything is paid for you should go and enjoy yourselves. We have been married eight years and every year take a vacation or two or three. Sometimes we have the money, other times we don't and we charge it on low interest credit cards. Vacation time is just that important to us. Don't get me wrong, I don't suggest that you charge any part of this vacation. When we do it, we always pay it off during the low interest period. Just judge what is important to you. I'm not talking choosing WDW over food and shelter. If your financial situation were that bad I can't imagine that you would still even consider taking this trip. If you are leaning toward not going, can't you get a refund on your room? You could try to sell your tickets to someone you know that is going. But, I'm sure being a great budgeter, you got the best rate on your tickets meaning they are non-refundable so you probably would lose the money for them.

I see you have added other posts since this one so are you going? Please update us if you can.

[Lewisc]

I guess I'll join Bob (minority view). I think you should figure out how much money you'll get back if you cancel outright and how much you'd save if you cut your trip in half. I don't know how much savings you have, how long it'll take your husband to get his job back, get a new job or if you can get a job. If you are reasonably sure your financial situation will improve you might consider the trip but I do know if you get back and can't pay your mortgage, car insurance...the memories of your trip will be very clouded. You SHOULD NOT CHARGE ANYTHING THIS TRIP. Adding debt to pay for the trip is adding fuel to a fire.
Hopefully your families economic situation will imporve to the point you can make the trip without any worry.

[HunnyPots]

Am I understanding correctly that EVERYTHING is paid for, excluding food? If so, think of it this way; you have to eat whether or not you're on vacation, right? Use your regular grocery budget and buy sandwich fixings, fruit, breakfast items such as pop tarts, etc., and GO! Eat all your meals in the room and it should not cost you any more than you'd spend at home to eat.
As a child, my dad was out of work on a regular basis (recession of the 70's) and, believe me, children worry as much about your finances as you do! Taking this trip may make everyone feel "normal" again. If your DH says go then GO! I know he feels bad enough without feeling like he's ruining things for the whole family.
And, for the record, I'm not so "disney-addicted" that I think WDW is more important than paying the mortgage. I would give the same advice if you were planning a trip to the grand canyon or Nashville, TN. It's just a matter of keeping some sense of normalcy during a time of stress!
Good luck!

[robinb]

I'm also going to join the "minority view" here and suggest that you cancel your trip at the last posssible moment. The most that you will lose will be the fee for changing your airfare. Even many "non-refundable" tickets allow changes for $75-$100 per ticket. If you wait until the last possible minute, your DH may be able to score a new job in the meantime.

I can understand that your DH may want to "get away", but he's only been laid off for a couple of days. Reality will sink in when he's out of work for a longer period of time. Yes, your kids will be disappointed, but that's real life. You have a couple of thousand dollars sunk into your trip. That could pay for a month or two of your expenses. While paying the mortgage and putting food on the table is not as much fun as going to WDW, it's the right thing to do.

[mickey7861]

I would not go on vacation while my DH or myself were unemployed. You have no idea how long this lay off could last. Although you may lose some $$ on cancellation you will probably get some back. The kids may be disappointed but if you're scrimpping pennies for the next 6 months they'll notice that too. Using a credit card to build up aditional debt is not a good idea. You may need a cash advance to pay the mortgage someday. My DH and I are in our 40's and our kids are 18 & 16 now. Looking back at the trips we had to cancel over the years no damage was done. We just enjoyed the next trip even more because of the break. You were there in 2000 I'd put this trip on hold. If you have savings enough to carry you through 4-6 months of payments then go, if not I'd skip it.

[sorlando]

First of all I am so sorry to hear about the layoff. Only you know your financial situation and
your desire to take risks if your husband is unable to find employment immediately. I was faced with a
similar question in the Spring. Most of my division was eliminated in January and fortunately I found
another job within the company. In March, we went through layoffs again and at that time, my husband
and I agreed that if I was impacted, that we were going to postpone the trip. We just didn't feel
right about risking our financial future on a trip (just to let you know our trip was paid for, but we did
have trip insurance for everything, but the airfare), however nice it might be. We made that decision
because so many of our friends have been out of work for awhile and we knew it would take time to find
another position and as chief breadwinner in our family, my income was important.

Unlike your situation, mine turned out okay, wasn't laid off (at least this round) and we took the trip and
enjoyed it. But no matter how much fun we had, we wouldn't have had fun if I wasn't working. DisneyWorld
will always be there and there is no reason to add to the financial pressure.


Best of luck in your decision and in your husband's job search.

[buzz5985]

On December 12, 2001, while I was out Christmas shopping, there was a call on cellphone that I missed, when I called back to my house a stranger answered. It was a Paramedic. My Husbands Left hand went through a table saw. We had a trip planned for March. He had no disability insurance. Nothing. It is amazing what you can do when you want to. We went on our trip - After we got permission from my husbands Physical Therapist!!!! My son was 4, so wouldn't have cared if we went. My husband was so relaxed. He did his therapy every day.

Now if you had asked me if you should go to Disney before my husbands accident, I would have told you Well gee, how much do you have saved? Blah Blah Blah. But since his accident? Go for it. You never know whats going to happen. We are going again Feb 2002. The Doctors want to amputate my husbands index finger. But we are still going. He is back to work fulltime, learning to adapt to the lack of use of the index finger and partial use of the thumb.

Enjoy. Just cut back.

[TinkerbellRules]

I know how disappointing cancelling a trip can be. We just had to cancel due to the school systems new policy on absences, but that's another story ;) I have mixed feelings about this as well. You said everything was paid for except the food. Like someone else said, you have to eat anyway, so maybe you could budget the same amount of money you would if you were at home. I also make an allowance in my budget for that (well, I would spend $100 this week anyway, blah, blah).

But, on the other hand, would you enjoy your trip knowing you might not have a job for a while and no $$? It really is your decision since you know your financial situation. I probably wouldn't go thinking I might need the money, but that's me. I don't like to charge anything I can't pay for when the bill comes.

Just another opinion. Let us know what you decide.

[jie]

Hi. i know exactly how you feel. it happened to us in April. My dh got laid off after we bought the air tixs which is for Aug. I was thinking going or not going, if we go we will spend more money than just the air tickets, but if we don't go, the tiks money will be drained., my Dh said we just go whatever will happen , it will happen, since this was planed and paid, just keep your faith that your dh will find a job sooner. My Dh found a job after 2 months. and he told his boss he would take an unpay vaction, and we are going in 5 days. i know my kids will be very disappointed if we don't go. my dh was the one wants to keep the original plan and go.
i hope your dh find a job soon. and be faithful !!!

[fostrmom2mny]

I have a suggestion. Here in Oklahoma, there are Temp. Service Employment Agencies that will hire people on a day to day basis. They usually pay each day as well. You can work the days that you want, and take off when you need to. You may work one day at one place, then somewhere else the next day. BUT sometimes you may stay at the same place and after a while, you may even get hired.

I do not know how far off you trip is, but this may be something that would help you out in the interim. BTW, if the CO that has laid him off told him that he is not eligible for Unemployment pay, I think that I'd check on it anyway! All they can do is say that he isn't allowed it, and on the other hand, he may be eligible for it. No, it won't be the same rate of pay, but something is better than nothing!

If your family eats out a lot, you can cut down on family expenses by eating at home, eating a few more bologna or peanutbutter sandwiches. Limit impulse spending and remember it's all for being able to make the trip to WDW.

Many people get depressed and go on spending sprees when this kind of thing happens. Many times the person who gets laid off may feel really guilty about what is happened. Pull together as a family, be reasonable and supportive of each other.

Gosh, I hope you can work it out so your family can go. I know that it would be really disappointing for all of you, but if you have to cancel, then don't let it make anyone feel guilty.
God Bless.
Gerri

[Miss Jasmine]

That is some great advice from fostrmom2mny. I hadn't even though of it even though that is how I got my current job. I got hired at temp agency and my first assignement turned out to be my last as I got hired by the company. You don't even have to go to the day labor places. Temp agenicies understand that you are interviewing for jobs and such. You can call and tell them that you can't work a certain week and they take you off the list for that week. But again, it depends on the overall economy of the area you live in. Though you would be suprised at how many companies layoff and then hire some temps to fill in (it's cheaper since they are not paying benefits and other personnel costs).

As to your trip. Only you and your family know your family's economy and how much you can handle with DH layed off. All I can say in analyze and don't go into debt to do it since you are not sure what the future will bring.

Good luck and much pixie dust!

[kylara]

As others have said, only you know your financial situation. And also, I don't know what type of person your husband is. If he is the type that likes to close his eyes to financial hardships then maybe you need to have the clear head and say cancel if it will bring more money back. But, if he has a good head on his shoulders, then I would trust that he knows it can be done and not add to his worries by cancelling.

And I do not say this because I am a disney fanatic. As someone else pointed out, I would say go no matter where the vacation was to. By going you are not just saying you don't care about finances...my sister has taken two vacations this summer and her husband is in a lay-off situation. Sometimes the memories, getting away, and being with family is more important (as long as you are not in danger of losing your house or car). I guess maybe some of this comes from the fact that this summer has made me (and my family) well aware of the fact that we never know what will happen in life. I have had two good friends lose family members with no notice and two others with family member diagnosed with cancer out of the blue (both people had had check-ups only a couple of months earlier with "no problems"). Those are the main reasons that my sister and her family still took the trips. They have had to give up some of the little extras in their life and the meals on vacation were more of fast food than sit-down resturants...but the kids were so happy and it helped them stop worrying about daddy being out of a job (these kids are 4 & 7 but they still picked up on it).

So, if you know you husband is smart about the family finances and he really thinks you can still swing the trip, I would say trust him on it and enjoy the time with your family.

[mrs.pixiedust]

:pinkbounc :pinkbounc :bounce: :bounce: :pinkbounc :pinkbounc :bounce: :bounce: :pinkbounc WONERFUL, EXCITING, UNEXPECTED!!!!!

My DH's company changed thier plans and are keeping about 30 extra employees. I feel like a gigantic weight has been lifted from my shoulders so I can only imagine how he feels. WAHOO!! We're going to Disney World!! Now I can resume planning without feeling guilty. However, this did put things in perspective and we will go ahead and scale back on some things. You just never know what can happen. Thank you for all of your advice. This has been a tough week and a half! For the record, we were going to go anyway. I wasn't 100% sure about it but now I know we'll be okay!

[Belle5]

Wow! What a huge blessing!!! I am so happy for you and your family!

[kylara]

Glad to hear that you get to go and that you will be able to enjoy the trip worry free. Have a great trip.

[robinb]

Yippie!

I'm so glad that everything has worked out for you! Now you can go and have an even better time than you would have had before. Your vacation will be even sweeter after almost losing it :D .

[fostrmom2mny]

:bounce: :pinkbounc :bounce: :pinkbounc :bounce: :pinkbounc
What Dynaimic Disney News!!

I'm so glad for your family. Congrads.
Gerri

[Kaa]

I am very happy for you and your family! Have a great trip!

[Dizzy-Disney4]

That's so wonderful! I'm very happy to hear this...have fun !!!