How do you do it? Disney every year?

[hannah_03]

We save or use part of our tax refunds

 

[TifffanyD]

1) DVC
2) Moved to FL and bout AP's

that's about it

 

[Costumesaremylife]

AP Pop Century rate
(unless there's a really good rate at WL or Boardwalk
Jetblue

don't drink,
don't smoke
don't have a credit card balance.
don't have a school loan. That's already paid off.

 

[Disneefun]

We camp at Fort Wilderness in our paid-for, used motorhome. Campsites are relatively inexpensive and you don't have to tip mousekeeping. We also bring the dog along, saving boarding costs.

We eat only one meal out per day (and that's generally counter service) and eat the rest in the camper.

We shop the outlets for souvenirs.

I do rewards programs and redeem for Disney GC's for extra spending money.

Charge most things on the Disney Visa, rack up the rewards dollars and pay it off every month.

We buy AP's and get more than one trip per year out of them, reducing ticket costs substantially.

Save money on everything else in life and carry no debt so that we are able to direct a good chunk of our discretionary income to travel. It just happens that most of that travel is to Disney.

 

[budafam]

This will be our first trip ever BUT I already know that I'll want to return when our kids are older. We're going in September so here's hoping for free dining next year again... that would really save a lot but we're not planning on it. We're also driving. I couldn't see paying for 4 people to fly there. We'll be driving from Wisconsin so it's definitely a long haul. Spending money will be tight. I don't ever buy much on vacation anyways. We'll also have snacks, sodas & water packed to help save on that cost. We're planning to use half of our tax refund to go.

My husband is against it all but we haven't been on vacation for 6 years (since before we got married) and I think it's time. I'm not sure if we'll be the couple that wants to return every single year but I could see at least 2 or 3 more trips before my kids would graduate from high school (they're only 1 & 3 right now! lol...)

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Dh and I go several times of the year and our secret, if you could call it that is we aren't picky about where we stay, although it has to be onsite and after purchasing AP's and getting great room discounts, we just make the money available to go.

I am 35 (will be 36 on June 8) and Dh is 30 and we have no children, so that takes car of alot. We love Pop Century, but have stayed at all levels of resort, depending on what discounts we can get. Having AP's takes alot of the expense away, because tickets can be the most expensive portion of the trip and sometimes we don't even do the dining plan. We don't spend our money on most other things, we would rather spend it on WDW trips. My birthday trip in 10 days did cost just over $2000, but it is my birthday and the first one without my mom, so I was determined it would be full so I would be distracted. Our trip in Sept and Dec are each less than $1000 and both include free dining and a 1 day base ticket, Sept at POFQ for 3 nights and Dec at Pop for 6 nights.

We have had yard sales in the past to get money, and we have used our tax money and I used soem of what my mom left me when she passed away to take my cousin and her children in December 2008. We will do whatever it takes so we can continue to take our trips.

Suzanne

 

[TifffanyD]

I am 35 (will be 36 on June 8)

Hey Suzanne - I am celebrating my Bday June 8 at the world too! I'll be getting the gift card

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Hey Suzanne - I am celebrating my Bday June 8 at the world too! I'll be getting the gift card

That is sooo cool Happy Birthday. I am also getting the gift card, as we will have AP's. Do you have something great planned? We are having breakfast (8:05am) at 1900 Park Fare and then off to MK and possibly AK evening since it is EEMH and I have yet to see AK at night, other than that we will take it as it comes.

Suzanne

 

[DanceRC28]

DH and I sound very similar....we are 26/27 w/no kids yet. We have made 8 WDW trips in the past 5 years and have done them all different ways depending on the deals I could find at the time. My best advice is to shop around and keep your options open. Although we love staying on property, we have stayed off property on more than half of our trips and had an amazing time. Try comparing various travel sites, various hotels, and even various airports depending on the area where you live. I'm in Connecticut so although we prefer to fly out of Hartford which is a smaller, local airport, we have flown out of JFK in NYC and Newark in Jersey when they have offered deals too good to pass up. When you can find ways to save on airfare and by staying off property, it leaves extra money to put away for future trips!

 

[TifffanyD]

That is sooo cool Happy Birthday. I am also getting the gift card, as we will have AP's. Do you have something great planned? We are having breakfast (8:05am) at 1900 Park Fare and then off to MK and possibly AK evening since it is EEMH and I have yet to see AK at night, other than that we will take it as it comes.

Suzanne

We are doing MK that day too! Will be having lunch at Liberty Tree and dinner at Ohanas (doing the deluxe dining plan - works out pretty well if you are only staying 2 nights). Hoping to watch fireworks from Poly Beach. No park hopping since my mom will be with us celebrating her bday on June 7 ... she doesn't have an AP and won't be getting a hopper. I hope you have a great day!!

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

DH and I sound very similar....we are 26/27 w/no kids yet. We have made 8 WDW trips in the past 5 years and have done them all different ways depending on the deals I could find at the time. My best advice is to shop around and keep your options open. Although we love staying on property, we have stayed off property on more than half of our trips and had an amazing time. Try comparing various travel sites, various hotels, and even various airports depending on the area where you live. I'm in Connecticut so although we prefer to fly out of Hartford which is a smaller, local airport, we have flown out of JFK in NYC and Newark in Jersey when they have offered deals too good to pass up. When you can find ways to save on airfare and by staying off property, it leaves extra money to put away for future trips!

That is the one compromise I won't make, I WILL NEVER stay off property. Oh, and will never fly, as I am terrified, but we can drive for alot less than we can fly anyway.

Suzanne

 

[retired and happy]

When we first began going to Disney we went 1 or 2 times a year for 4-5 days each. We then decided we liked going for Thanksgiving or Christmas/New Years. So, we make it a priority to save for our annual trip there. Our children are unable to do much in their lives (due to their disabilities, medical conditions) so the least we can do is provide them with as much fun as we can. They love the sights, sounds and happiness at Disney. We could never afford to go if we had to stay in the resorts so we stay in our older 39' motor home that has 1 slide out. We are in desperate need of a little bit newer one with 3 slide outs to accommodate the wheel chairs but for now the old one must do. We also tow a 12 foot trailer with all the extra diapers (yes, our 2 almost 13 year olds and our 11 year old are all in diapers and always will be), case of formula for the two who are tube fed, wheel chairs (at least 3--we sometimes have 1 or 2 foster children with us too), oxygen tanks, etc. We are quite a sight. We named our RV
The Hammetts Rx. This one is Hammetts Rx #3 as it is our third. The back of the trailer has all our names on it
and our two angels (now in heaven) have halos around their names with "in memory of" over them.

Disney is the happiest place on earth.

We do take the children to the mountains of TN for Thanksgiving each year too. We are there for about 10 days. They love Dollywood but not as much as Disney.



Judy, Ken and the Angels
"When you have done it unto the least of these, you have done it unto me".
"If you can dream it, you can do it". Walt Disney

 

[disneyfreak42]

Saving for Disney can be a daunting task. I usually either use my income tax refund or dedicate my overtime hours to my annual trip. This year we are going for my daughters 13th b-day! Yipee! and free dining saved me $1200.00 this year. It's like a lot of other folks you kind of set up your spending to include a monthly payment to your trip. Good luck and hope you get to go soon!!!

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

I'm 25, single with a DS3 (and DNiece 6 who is his WDW buddy). We went twice last year, and I am going twice this year (went with girlfriends in March, going with the fam in September). Now, my ancestors weren't robber barons, they were just robbed. In exchange, though, they were given "worthless" land that ended up having a lot of not-so-worthless liquid, if you catch my drift. However, with the world the way it is right now, the prices flip-flopping so often, etc., it's not a regular source of money, but when it comes, it's very, very nice.

So, with that uncertainty, this is how we afford WDW (we will be cutting down to once a year starting in 2010). House and car are paid off. We have basic cable (not digital, no movie channels). We have a basic phone plan since everyone uses cell phones. That's basic, too. The only thing I have added is a text message plan. And I have a lame phone. In general, I have a lot more income than I have expenses. I only have one CC (Disney Visa), and I pay it in full every month save my 0% package charges, and that money sits in my high yield bank account until it's due. I do have a student loan, but it has a very low rate, and they have taken off a percentage every now and then because I am always on time with payments. I work two jobs, but they both equal one full-time job. I work with at-risk students in our public school system Monday-Thursday, and I am a stylist Thursday and Friday. The latter pays far better than the former, but I love working with children. I easily make enough (during the busy seasons) as a stylist in, oh, 3-4 weeks to go on one trip to WDW.

We also never go without a deal. I've been extremely lucky with codes and deals (knock on wood). We used a 40% in December, seven for four in March, and we're using the military deals in September. We always stay deluxe, but we don't get the DP. We're staying at the Treehouses in September, so we'll probably use the grill and kitchen instead of eating out a couple times.

 

[tfalves]

Well, in a family of 3, WDW becomes part of our budget. We live outside US, so, airtickets cost a lot! My husband and I use fidelity airplane program both to travel and using credit card, so we get at least 2 of 3 airtickets this way.
I spend a lot of time online, and book early. We stay onsite, and preferred Contemporay or Animal Kingdon, so I book early our vacation (a few months after our return) and start paying in advance. We also book dine plan, it helps a lot. A 6night-7day in value season (eventhough this year we are going in Thanksgiving week and stay for MVMCP) with both tickets with PH and dineplan cost around 3,700 in those resorts in standart room. We start paying early everymonth - so at the time of the trip, it is all payed. All exra money goes to the vacation! Paying early help us to put our money in the "vacation project" and skip spending in other things. Furthermore, I start teaching my daughter to save money. She pick up almost every coin we receive as exchange, special those qwith lower value and put at her piggy bank. She started this "project" to save money for our WDW vacation. Since january she has already saved almost 200!!! (of course now she ask the change to be in coins when we buy anything and for her every coin is hers by definition - goes to the piggy bank!). That way, she will have her money to spend (and she is only 5), and learn about saving and budget. Finally, our gifts presents are the vacation itself! We skip B-day, aniversary, mother day, valentine, father day.... As she is too young we decided to travel at her B-day, so she won´t miss the party!!! Of course, travelling abroad twice a year, almost every year - we do not spend a lot of money in our apartament with new furniture, and other stuff. So, a believe that travel every year is a mter of budget and project - meaning that if you trully want to do that, either you have more money than you are able to spend, or you put it as priority in your budget and then seek how the two of you manage to do it. Usually when we cut back extras in daily basis, it turn out to be able to do travelling more often, specially if we take advantage of promotions, miles, disney rewards....

 

[PrincessKitty1]

We're older (50s) and definitely couldn't afford Disney yearly when we were in our 30s, even though we live 2 hours away. I think we went once in our 30s (and weren't that thrilled ).

We make decent middle-class salaries (Me: nurse, DH: computer tech) and live way, way below our means. We bought our (modest) house 16 years ago and our mortgage payment is about 10% of our monthly gross salary. My car is 11 years old and DH's is 6 years old, we buy new, pay off in 4 years, and drive until the cars are unreliable or not worth fixing. Also, we don't have kids, so our expenses in general are low. All our discretionary income goes toward saving for retirement and having fun.

We usually travel one weekend per month (generally either Disney or the beach) and our 12 mini-trips a year cost probably the equivalent of one fabulous 2-week trip to Europe , but we think monthly trips are the way for us!

 

[crisi]

That is the one compromise I won't make, I WILL NEVER stay off property. Oh, and will never fly, as I am terrified, but we can drive for alot less than we can fly anyway.

Suzanne

I used to be the biggest onsite snob...then I started traveling to Orlando for business. There are some great hotels in the Orlando area for a lot cheaper than staying onsite. We don't use EMH much. I used to not drive in the area, we'd take ME in and use Disney transportation, but now that I've been down a few times, driving isn't a big deal.

We own DVC, so for us we'll keep staying on site, but if I didn't own DVC, offsite now would be a no brainer. Nicer hotels, less money - gee, Mickey isn't on the soap and doesn't do my wake up call.

 

[sk!mom]

We do not do WDW every year but we do take a big vacation somewhere in the world every year. Last year, WDW for 10 days, this year Niagara Falls and NYC. Next year, hopefully, back to Europe.

How do we do it... At your age, we didn't. In our late twenties/early thirties we were focused on paying off school debt, saving for a large down payment on a house, and becoming debt free except for that house. During that time period, we took a modest vacation every year and a few big trips- only one trip was to Disney. By our mid to late 30's we had met those early goals and were able to travel big every year. We are now 47, and in the past 10 years, we have been to WDW 4 times, Europe twice, NYC, big winter ski trips, etc...

We have a line in our budget for vacation savings and since we worked on becoming debt free early on we have more disposable income.

Good luck- I plan my vacations all year!

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

I used to be the biggest onsite snob...then I started traveling to Orlando for business. There are some great hotels in the Orlando area for a lot cheaper than staying onsite. We don't use EMH much. I used to not drive in the area, we'd take ME in and use Disney transportation, but now that I've been down a few times, driving isn't a big deal.

We own DVC, so for us we'll keep staying on site, but if I didn't own DVC, offsite now would be a no brainer. Nicer hotels, less money - gee, Mickey isn't on the soap and doesn't do my wake up call.

I don't really consider my self a resort snob (maybe I am), but because I have to use an ECV (and mom did before she passed away), it is much easier to stay on site and because we have an AP, we get some great rates and we prefer the parks on EMH nights, which is very important to is, so it just makes sense. We love coming in the back gate and not leaving property until we head home, unless we go to the outlet and we don't do that on every trip. We prefer the total immersion, even if we only stay at a value resort.

We are going for 3 nights at PopCentury Preferred Rm in Sept for Free dining for $500, not including travel insurance ($133), which I don't normally purchase, but since it is a time when there are alot of Hurricanes, I thought we needed it. This trip is for DH's birthday and he choose what he wanted to do and where he wanted to go.

Suzanne

 

[tinah159]

I started a business to fund my "Disney Madness" I began renting my camper at Ft Wilderness. When the camper is not in use and we go, we love FW. We cook breakfast in the trailer, eat lunch at the park and have dinner in the crock pot for when we get back from the parks. We save alot of money by camping and cooking most of our meals. We also buy the Fl seasonal passes so that saves alot on ticket prices.