So can you afford to go to disney again?

[daisyduck123]

We just bought into DVC so I know I'll get to go probably twice each year!!

 

[nyyankeegirl]

I really wish I had been on the Disboards before planning our trip. We are leaving in 28 days, and I certainly didn't get any great deals. Of course my DH won't stay anywhere unless we have a separate bedroom for the kids, so obviously that raises the cost quite a bit. So far I haven't gotten any "how can you afford that" type questions, but I think our family's know better at this point. (I think they all just think I'm spoiled- or maybe the kids are-who knows!!)
But anyway, next time I plan our trip I will defin. do a lot more research & try to find the deals.

 

[asktriplets]

My sister always makes the "must be nice to be rich" comment. It does tick me off. I get great deals- we don't buy a lot of crap all year (my sister has a new outfit every day!) and it is the best value for our family.

Nope, we have not redone the bathroom this year- but ya know what- my kids will only be this young once. I'll put the new jacuzzi bath in when they're in the pre-teen I-wouldn't-be-caught-dead-with-my-parents stage.

yes! yes! yes! i've chosen the fun,fun,fun WDW trip with my preschoolers over a new couch and family room carpet for 2 yrs. now!

also,
when my kids were 2, we took them to a "sesame street live" show (using the "cheap" tickets that required us to go to the show only an hour before the kids' bedtime)...by the time we added parking and ticketmaster charges, it cost us almost $100 AND my kids only made it through about 1/2 the show !

we compare that to a day at WDW when my kids were 2...tickets for the 2 of us were about $55-60 and the kids were free. character breakfast where the characters interacted with my kids was about $30 for dh and i, and the kids were free....SO for about the same price, we had a huge sit down breakfast and a FULL day of our choice of 3 fireworks shows, dozens of shows with the kids' favorite characters, 5 parades, photo ops with characters, and a bajillion rides all on our own schedule....no comparison!!!!

obviously, all the extras (transportation, lodging, food) can get pretty pricey, but it is still SUCH an incredible value.

take care, and have fun,

 

[DisneyMomx7]

Oh please, my favorite is the "must be nice to be rich," comment. I CANNOT stand that!

I get that one all the time - that and Disney again - don't you get bored? These are from the same people who spend two weeks at the Jersey shore every year! I gave up trying to explain it (APs cover two vacations, AP discounts, DDE card etc.). People really don't want to hear how affordable it can be.

 

[madcat]

it is expensive, but it is something that we love doing. we do have to save and save and sometimes cut corners, but we dont really think of cutting corners as a sacrifice, plus all I have to say is overtime helps out a lot!

 

[marcyinPA]

My Aunt asked us this very question this summer when she found out we were planning on going to Disney in May. I try to keep things from her until the last minute, but she usually finds out

My DH and I have been through some tough financial times in the past (2 lay-offs and several under-paid and under-employed jobs) so it seems that family members think it is their place to question how we spend our money. We have never missed any payments on anything and have managed to build up a decent savings, along with most recently becoming DEBT FREE!! WOO HOO So it's not like we've ever been irresponsible.

I try to let the comments slide, but it's hard when my Aunt makes comments like "Must be nice" and "Wish we could afford to go again so soon". They make about 3X the money we do, and they have no kids. They just choose to spend their money differently than we do (they have the huge house, luxury cars, tons of jewelry, and packages from QVC daily....). We go without all that "fluff" and make family vacations a priority. To each his own!

Try not to let comments bother you. Only you know what is right for your family and your budget.

 

[zookeeper]

I'm right there with you all! I know my MIL looks at our old couches and worn out carpet and can't believe that we would choose to live with them in exchange for having the chance to take our kids on trips (especially WDW). Sure, there are tons of ways we could use the money we save to improve the interior of our house, but it's just not that important when you compare it to the time making memories with your family. I think since DH's family never took vacations like that MIL doesn't see the "value" in it. I feel sorry for her that she feels that way. It's really sad. Plus, as another poster pointed out, there will come a day when the kids won't want to be within a 20 ft radius of their parents especially while on vacation.So I'm loving every minute while we've got it!

 

[Kanga1]

They make about 3X the money we do, and they have no kids. They just choose to spend their money differently than we do (they have the huge house, luxury cars, tons of, and packages from QVC daily....). We go without all that "fluff" and make family vacations a priority. To each his own!

Try not to let comments bother you. Only you know what is right for your family and your budget.

This is so true! I have a friend who complains about never getting to go on "fancy" vacations and she doesn't understand how we can go to Disney for 10 days every year. WELL....for one thing, her DH is really into hunting (and hunting gear etc. is VERY expensive.) My DH doesn't hunt. Her DH plays golf...mine doesn't. She is a clothes horse. I (maybe) will buy 3 outfits a YEAR and (maybe) 2 pairs of shoes. They own 2 brand new (expensive) cars and a couple of 4-wheelers. One of our cars is almost paid off...the other is an '88 Corolla. They have a swimming pool. We don't. They go to movies and ballgames on a weekly basis. We rent the $1 movies from the grocery store.

Do DH and I miss those things? No. Not in the least. So it's not like we're actually "sacrificing" anything. We enjoy our vacations and we try not to let other people's comments bother us. Have a great time!

 

[shellyfive]

I never asked the people across the street if they could "afford" the new sprinkler system, my co-worker if she could "afford" the new car.......most people know what they can do with their own money.........don't sweat the ignorant ones.........jealousy rears it's ugly head once again........

 

[dlrhine]

We do the same thing as you but go on two trips a year totally at least 30 days. We fly on one trip and drive on the other. We don't have a budget to live with when we travel. Even with paying about $8000 a year on Disney trips we still feel it is cheaper then going to the ocean for the same amount of time. I pay more for an oceanfront room at a Holiday Inn then I do for a room at the Poly! LOL~

This is exactly what we tell family. We are from PA and the big place to vaction when you are from this area is Ocean City MD...and a room there in the middle of summer is more than Poly off season, plus the money I'll drop on the board walk is what I'd spend on Hopper passes. So I consider Disney a deal

 

[DisneyPhD]

We used to get that (of course back in those days we really couldn't afford to go once a year like we did.) We were in grad school and not making much $, mostly it came out of savings.

When I became a SAHM people said "Oh you wouldn't be able to afford your WDW trips anymore." No way we bought DVC before I stopped working (Paid in full.) and now our rooms are mostly paid for. With the DVC AP discount, we can get a few trips in with in 12 months. The new DDP is the biggest expense. But then there is our Disney visa and that pays for most of it.

We keep an eye out for airfare and normally never pay more then $200 per person round trip. This year we got a deal, 150 to down there, only $1 to fly home. (non stop Spirit Airlines.)

Also when you go often you don't feel the need to do it all, or buy it all. We take back the same souvenirs most trips, and get the kids one new thing each time. We reuse light spinners, PAL Mickey, autograph books, pressed penny books, T-Shirts, hats, a good double stroller, ponchos, Mickey rain umbrellas, good walking shoes. etc...... Take as many digital pictures we want, but don't print them all up.

We know every trick in the book, tend to either get a good deal or not do it.

Most other vacations end up costing us more then WDW, especially when we already have AP and it would be cheaper to go to WDW anyway because the tickets are paid for.


Anyway, no one says it any more. They have given up. Most just ask us advice on who to go to WDW. I think our family and friends have finally accepted it.

 

[disneynewbee]

This is exactly what we tell family. We are from PA and the big place to vaction when you are from this area is Ocean City MD...and a room there in the middle of summer is more than Poly off season, plus the money I'll drop on the board walk is what I'd spend on Hopper passes. So I consider Disney a deal

I agree. We lived in MD up until recently and are now also in PA. Ocean City MD used to be our yearly vacation destination but the prices are getting so high it is now equal to the price of Disney World so that is our new yearly vacation destination. Everything at the ocean costs so much. I love the idea of paying one price and having it include everything other than purchases. We have so much more fun at Disney and pay the same price, it's an easy choice. I remember when we thought we could never afford Disney. I had heard it was so much $ and never researched it on my own. I found these boards and now I pass my wisdom that I learned here to everyone I know.

 

[glavine47]

We have been reading all these posts and we have never realized it ;but we have got these questions before and never realized it. I love all these comments thanks.

 

[DaisyD]

This is exactly what we tell family. We are from PA and the big place to vaction when you are from this area is Ocean City MD...and a room there in the middle of summer is more than Poly off season, plus the money I'll drop on the board walk is what I'd spend on Hopper passes. So I consider Disney a deal

Ocean City is our summer vacation spot and the one I was referring to when I said we spend more for a Holiday Inn at the ocean then a room at the Poly. OC is expensive for the little that you get.

 

[beachgrl001]

I get that one all the time - that and Disney again - don't you get bored? These are from the same people who spend two weeks at the Jersey shore every year! I gave up trying to explain it (APs cover two vacations, AP discounts, DDE card etc.). People really don't want to hear how affordable it can be.

Same here for me too. I know people who spend $2000 (at least) for a week at the shore! Especially if you want to stay in a nicer hotel that is not populated w/teenagers!

I also get-oh isnt the shore enough???- (my dad has a house down there so we are there most weekends or he gets mad that its not being used) I just reply- dont you get sick of the boardwalk???-

 

[G8RFAN]

In all of our vacations, airfare and transportation represent a very large portion of our budget, except when we drive to WDW. With AP's, rack discounts, DVC, we generally have very inexpensive vacations compared to when we fly out to other venues. The key thing is keeping your transportation expense low.

 

[marcyinPA]

This is exactly what we tell family. We are from PA and the big place to vaction when you are from this area is Ocean City MD...and a room there in the middle of summer is more than Poly off season, plus the money I'll drop on the board walk is what I'd spend on Hopper passes. So I consider Disney a deal

Amen!! We go to Ocean City on our "off-season" (off from Disney that is) and I've often thought to myself "Why are we doing this? It costs more to go to O.C. than it does to go to Disney!!" (of course, this doesn't include airfare...the only thing that makes OC affordable for us is that we drive there).

My kids enjoy going to the beach so I suck it up, but honestly, I'd rather go to WDW every year!

 

[pixidust princess]

Everyone is right, you can go on a budget, our you can go all out. It just depends on what works for you at the time. When we went in July 06 money was no option, as my father has just died and left us some money. When we returned from the trip, I realized how much I missed by never going on vacation with my parents as a child, so dh and I decided we could do disney every other year. We are already booked for May 2008 at WL. Planning a vacation also helps me curb my spending in other areas that are not as important (does my ds7 really need clothes from abercrombie kids). It has made me realize the time with my family is worth more than the money we spend on small things throughout the years. I will never forget their faces as we walked down mainstreet usa for the first time, but I will forget about the toys and clothes we sell at a yard sale for $1.00

me dh ds 7 ds3

 

[mermaidlagoon]

We save our miles for funerals or WDW. My dd was a cast member and that really helped $$$$. I learned alot tho about how to best book value seaon(first day at value ,rest is at value), eat 2 meals and dessert for dinner, etc. I have another dd who is 9 so we have gone frequently , but my son has Downs so he will always be as much into it as us. Our family just got back from CA and dh company is sending him to Orlando, paying his air , room and meals etc . He will be going to conference but we are taking dd out of scool again(ouch) , and using miles for us , we even have days left on passes , we cant really afford it but cannot afford to pass it up ,plus dd still is in Orlando. Now if I can figure out bucks for MVMCP and food in parks ........ suggestions needed please....?????

 

[chobie]

We live in Florida an my family members keep demanding to kow why we don't go the keys sometime instead of WDW. Well, for one thing my DD does not like beaches, the hotels there are more expensive then I can get with Fla rate at WDW and by the time you pay for galss bottom boat rides and other sightseeing things --well you've spent as much if not more than WDW with a seasonal pass. Plus, we LIKE going to WDW!