Dismal Spring Offers :(

[Happyjen27]

question? If you book in anticipation of a discount and none is offered what do you do? Isn't that a crazy way to budget a vacation?

I just go, and pay rack rate. When I plan my vacation, I plan on paying rack rate, so any discount is just a nice surprise rather than a must have to be able to go.

And is regards to the OP. I think we are almost priced out. Even though Disney is within 6-8 hour drive for us, and even though we could "afford" it, I think we are close to being priced out.

I totally agree!! I'm nearly there with this trip. When I look a the same $8500.00 I could go many, many places with that. Indeed last year we did! My kids like all sorts of vacations, and after this little jaunt around Disney in February, I foresee a long break coming. Disney won't mind, there are still so many that will go.

Agreed... we just got back from an awesome three week vacation in Europe; that money would not have gone nearly as far at WDW! Going forward I am going to have to keep the opportunity cost in mind.

AGREE!! I started running the numbers for Europe, and it's coming up about the same, which does not mean good news for Disney.

 

[smiths02]

I totally agree!! I'm nearly there with this trip. When I look a the same $8500.00 I could go many, many places with that. Indeed last year we did! My kids like all sorts of vacations, and after this little jaunt around Disney in February, I foresee a long break coming. Disney won't mind, there are still so many that will go.

You spent about what we did on our last vacation, and really, that is about what we can spend on annual vacations without being irresponsible (or without living like paupers the rest of the year), especially while our youngest two are in daycare. And it was interesting to see even with 5 people what that money could get us.

 

[AquaDame]

Thank you for your response. You see the same things I do, and it is concerning. We have less 'disposable' income than we used to just two years ago. I do not have a smartphone. None of my kids have phones period. My dh has a prepaid smartphone and he is in IT...so that is kind of embarrassing for him lol...But yeah, I just don't know how people afford it all.

But I really am just wondering why everyone is doing so much better that Disney thinks it is ok to raise prices as much as they have?? They are packing the people in there, and yet prices are getting really, really high. We are very much a middle class family. If we are feeling priced out, is Disney becoming only for the upper class?

Simply put many of them aren't. As trips get closer a lot of people realize how thin they are stretching things and I cringe whenever someone posts about OT going away, hours getting sliced or what should be common/minor issues (needing new tires, an appliance going on the fritz, computer breaking) completely "destroying" their chance of enjoying their trip. If I was that close to a shoestring I couldn't do it - it would stress me out way too much!

LOL,
What is with the dis and the Iphone hate? Does anyone actually pay full price for a new Iphone or is it just perception.

I have sprint, you know how much the new iphone will cost me if I renew my two year subscription??? Zero!!! zip nada.
My bill actually went down 10 dollars because I get a better offer through my employees.

Why is the iphone the poster child for irresponsibility.

I assume its because a new one comes out every six months to a year and we all know "that guy" who ALWAYS has the newest one even though he complains about money all the time. I get mine paid for by work every two years but I respect the fact that I am very much in the minority of users since mine is "free".

Before this thread becomes a hearty debate about fiscal responsibility and owning a smartphone, I will have to say that the PP has a point about how is Disney able to keep lowering the discounts, yet still pack people into the parks and resorts? Is it people who are fiscally responsible, saving a portion of their paycheck each month, getting gift card deals, selling on craigslist and then booking when they have the cash to pay? Is it wealthy South american tour groups? Is it people who are swimming in debt, charging yet another trip on the credit card? All or non of the above? The economy *has* recovered and people have more disposable income than before and can once again, finally afford to splurge on an expensive vacation?

All of the above. Personally, I won our next trip in a sweepstakes so... thats how I'm doing it despite posting in the 'debt dump' thread.

 

[dlavender]

For a long time, we were go now, pay later kind of people ( I chalk it up to being young and dumb). Now with a family, responsibility has unfortunately (fortunately) set in. Which is why we did not go this year. We finally decided that if we couldn't afford it when we booked it, we weren't booking it. So we are still saving, waiting until we have it up front. Now with some increases, it is pushing it back some, but we will keep chasing it.

 

[summerw]

We have Disneyland passes and are going to WDW in April. I was going to not renew our passes at DL this year because DS is now in first grade so it's harder to just head there after school. However, I have a Southern California pass, the one that's not available for new purchase and if I don't renew, not only would I have to choose between a slightly cheaper pass that's blocked out for Sundays (my current one is not), but I'd lose the ability to add a parking pass and I know I won't go if I don't have a parking pass. It just tips me over the edge. At least they're still allowing us to renew my pass at only a slight increase. But I change my mind just about every day as to whether it's worth it.

As for our WDW trip, I've been wanting to go ever since our 2012 trip. I knew we couldn't afford it the next year, but the year after looked good. When I did a final budget, I knew it was going to be a squeaker, so we put it off until 2014. Then, we were going to push DH's car into another year of servitude. It probably would have made it, but we decided that was just a silly risk to take so now we're going in 2016.

I never would have taken the risk of renting points before, but I'd been budgeting for Beach Club all along and when the new rack rates came out and discounts were looking sad, I decided since renting points for the Poly would be much cheaper, the risk was worth the savings.

This may be the last trip for many many years to WDW and our last year with a Disneyland AP. Disney is definitely pricing us out. Where I was willing before to budget, plan and save, now it's just feels like the value of saving for it just isn't there the same. I guess it's good timing with DS6 anyway. He said something when we saw Mulan a few months ago about her wearing a wig. Wig, you say? Impossible!

 

[Minnesota!]

We have a certain threshold that we will not go over for a WDW vacation. So, I model the vacation after that budget. I book the cheapest vacation I can, at that budget, and then if discounts come out, I just consider myself under budget!

We just booked 2 weeks at Pop for next June. Room only is close to $2K. (Ugh, I remember when we used to get it for $49/night....). But, that $2K (before any discounts) is within my budget. It just means that instead of a big table service every night, we will do a few nights of pizza and salads at the Pool Side Movie. We will still have a fantastic time, we just need to adjust. If a discount comes out, we tossed around the idea of upgrading, but I know we won't. We love Pop. Why spend more to be just as happy? We will use that "extra money" for a few more gin and tonics to go with that pizza and movie.

If you are willing to adjust your vacation style, it can be affordable. We think the parks are rip offs, honestly. Until there are big, dramatic changes, we will not be stepping foot in them. But, the resorts and restaurants and "other things" still make us happy. So, that is where we spend our money. I know we are in the minority. We just love the "everything else' WDW has to offer. It would be hard for them to price us out of that.

 

[OhMari]

We were fortunate enough to go to WDW during the economic hardship years and had great discounts. Last February we rented DVC points and we still have 10 day non expiring tickets. But both me and my dh said, we will not be returning for a few years, until Disney gets some of this construction finished. We know their will always be some sort of construction going on, but the mother load is really happening right now. I am sure we will be back, just not every year any more. Our thresh hold has been hit.

 

[Baklava]

question? If you book in anticipation of a discount and none is offered what do you do? Isn't that a crazy way to budget a vacation?

I did it and no, it wasn't crazy. I booked what we could afford at the time that there is usually a SPD offer and then waited. When the offer came out, I saved a big chunk of money. If the offer had not come out, I would still have had my vacation booked and ready to go. If I had booked more than I wanted to pay and discounts hadn't been good enough I could have downgraded, but we prefer to know what we're getting and get a pleasant bonus with the discount later. It feels nicer than dialing back later on.

 

[JohnDaleswife]

I booked through a TA and got 33% off of the Poly.

 

[eliza61]

Simply put many of them aren't. As trips get closer a lot of people realize how thin they are stretching things and I cringe whenever someone posts about OT going away, hours getting sliced or what should be common/minor issues (needing new tires, an appliance going on the fritz, computer breaking) completely "destroying" their chance of enjoying their trip. If I was that close to a shoestring I couldn't do it - it would stress me out way too much!



I assume its because a new one comes out every six months to a year and we all know "that guy" who ALWAYS has the newest one even though he complains about money all the time. I get mine paid for by work every two years but I respect the fact that I am very much in the minority of users since mine is "free".



All of the above. Personally, I won our next trip in a sweepstakes so... thats how I'm doing it despite posting in the 'debt dump' thread.

I'm the opposite, I don't know a soul who pays full price for a cell phone. Now many phone companies are allowing you to get a new phone after a year instead of the two for a much lower charge.

 

[disneyAndi14]

We saved 400.00 on our spring trip in early April at the CBR, called and got the discount and our total decreased by 400.00 so I was happy with that.

 

[DaisyDuck001]

I booked through a TA and got 33% off of the Poly.

Good deal! Is that offer available only during certain months?

 

[NeverlandClub23]

We have a two week trip planned for the end of January. We typically do 2 long weekends a year to Disney/Universal/SeaWorld where we stay off site, pay $2 for a public bus ride from the airport to our hotel, eat counter service in the parks and get pizza/food delivered to the room. Every 2-3 years we do a two week stay at a deluxe resort and eat 2 table service meals a day. I've found we have started enjoying our long weekend trips just as much as our two week trips. The value just isn't there anymore for us. We've saved up for our trip in January and were planning on buying AP's and the TiW card. With the price increases, we've decided to forgo the AP's and TiW and cancel a few of our more expensive ADR's. We work very hard throughout the year and like to splurge on vacations, but when we have equally great memories from some of our cheaper trips, it's hard to justify paying thousands more.

 

[DeeCoop]

I know we are in the minority. We just love the "everything else' WDW has to offer. It would be hard for them to price us out of that.

I join you in that minority. We paid $119 for our nights at POR a couple of weeks ago. We didn't enter the parks. I caught a fish, went on the free Wonders of the Wilderness tour, watched Princess and Frog by moonlight in the French Quarter, ate way too much at different resort restaurants, went to the movies "Walt before Mickey" (I was hot and wanted something inside to do. Hubby picked movies over bowling), tried out Trader Sam's, played mini golf, and spent one afternoon at AKL - went on the free culinary tour, ate at Sanaa Lounge, spent an hour with a cultural CM, viewed the animals, and played in the arcade. There were so many things we wanted to do and didn't have the time for. It will be very hard for Disney to price me out as a couple going without kids. On this past trip we budget $160 a day for our food, fun, and souvenirs. I came home with cash. I think it is the time of life we are in. The kids have started to move out. The ones still at home take their vacations with friends now. It is just the two of us. We live within easy driving distance. We are debt free. We don't splurge just because we can. But I remember when the kids were younger and 7 of us were going. It was when things were more affordable and we could all go, with tickets, and dining plan for $2100. Those days are gone at Disney. I do have compassion for those with large families trying to stay on property and do the whole park experience.

 

[Minnesota!]

I join you in that minority. We paid $119 for our nights at POR a couple of weeks ago. We didn't enter the parks. I caught a fish, went on the free Wonders of the Wilderness tour, watched Princess and Frog by moonlight in the French Quarter, ate way too much at different resort restaurants, went to the movies "Walt before Mickey" (I was hot and wanted something inside to do. Hubby picked movies over bowling), tried out Trader Sam's, played mini golf, and spent one afternoon at AKL - went on the free culinary tour, ate at Sanaa Lounge, spent an hour with a cultural CM, viewed the animals, and played in the arcade. There were so many things we wanted to do and didn't have the time for. It will be very hard for Disney to price me out as a couple going without kids. On this past trip we budget $160 a day for our food, fun, and souvenirs. I came home with cash. I think it is the time of life we are in. The kids have started to move out. The ones still at home take their vacations with friends now. It is just the two of us. We live within easy driving distance. We are debt free. We don't splurge just because we can. But I remember when the kids were younger and 7 of us were going. It was when things were more affordable and we could all go, with tickets, and dining plan for $2100. Those days are gone at Disney. I do have compassion for those with large families trying to stay on property and do the whole park experience.

That is the exact way we vacation! We love doing "the little things" at WDW. Last trip, we went to Trail's End for breakfast. Then, went and played on the beach (tetherball and the like), watched the boats, watched some parasailers, and then we went to the stables. Watched them shoe horses, read the info on the horses, etc. Then, went to the Mercantile and got a few pops, and then played checkers on the porch for a while. etc. Walked around a while, let the kids play at the playground. We killed over half a day there, and, other than breakfast (which, was super cheap, in comparison to other WDW places..) and pop, we spent no money.

We love bowling at Splitzville...the boys bowl for an hour, DH and I split some sushi and have a few cocktails. Catch a few singing/dancing shows on the stages at Disney Springs, people watch, etc. It kills a day, and we spend minimal for maximum fun.

Like I said, being priced out of OUR vacation style, would take a lot. If the quality of the "others" and the hotels went way down, I would consider it. But, we are still content with the prices at the hotels...feel the value is worth it.

 

[AquaDame]

I'm the opposite, I don't know a soul who pays full price for a cell phone. Now many phone companies are allowing you to get a new phone after a year instead of the two for a much lower charge.

I'm young and work in the tech industry.... I know a lot of people who get the new phone every single cycle and since our company bounces people around the world a lot they all "need" it to be unlocked. Even if phone companies will subsidize at the year mark instead of only the two its still more money out of pocket than just going with the "normal" cycle. Of course now that you can just pay Apple a monthly leasing fee, they may not be spending as much as before. Its about $35/ mo and up I hear but I'm not sure if you could use an AT&T one on Vodaphone... are they all unlocked I wonder?