Anyone else depressed about having no plans for a Disney Trip??

[remark44]

I'm there too.

Got back from Nov 08 trip and I started doing itineraries for 09, 10 and anniversary trip in 11.

Realistically I know the money is not there for these trips. But I would love to find a way to make it possible.

Gotta keep the dream alive.

 

[TXYankee]

Bummed about not having a trip? That's me!

Creative? Not me! Not one single creative bone in this body!

I hear ya!

This year the $$$ is just not flowing!

 

[IHeartTink04]

I'm hoping for some sort of pin code because right now I haven't got any. I am in the depressed boat as well but a pin code might help cure that!

 

[DSNY4ever]

Okay Ann- it is like you read my mind this morning... I signed on today feeling the exact same way... sad that we have no trips planned . I know that I have to be grateful that we have gotten the chance to go recently, but sometimes it is hard to go on the boards when you have no trip on the horizon (and no CMO contest to keep your mind busy...haha I remember you from the huge long thread(s) that we had last year- too funny).

Well I am going to go think of creative suggestions/questions for the podcast and put in my daily entry to the What will you celebrate contest- good luck everyone.

 

[AnnDisneyFan]

Okay Ann- it is like you read my mind this morning... I signed on today feeling the exact same way... sad that we have no trips planned . I know that I have to be grateful that we have gotten the chance to go recently, but sometimes it is hard to go on the boards when you have no trip on the horizon (and no CMO contest to keep your mind busy...haha I remember you from the huge long thread(s) that we had last year- too funny).

Well I am going to go think of creative suggestions/questions for the podcast and put in my daily entry to the What will you celebrate contest- good luck everyone.

Hi DSNY4ever!!!

The CMO threads.....oh my........I can still remember uploading my video for hours and crying and crying and having the entry "essay" answers I had typed in just disappear and knowing I could never retype them within the deadline with my hands shaking so much.

Guess I can't say I didn't put my whole heart and soul into that CMO position.

<<<<<<<< still waiting for the Fed Ex package to arrive or at least the call from Centra Marketing

 

[Dodie]

I have a suggestion that won't necessarily cure your sadness, but seems to make a lot of sense based on your post. Please don't take this as any type of criticism. I've been in your shoes too...

If you've spent $8000 in the recent past on WDW trips, I think you should consider investing in a DVC membership. You'd be almost halfway toward a 160 point membership at this point if you were to buy directly from Disney and be way more than halfway if you bought from a resaler.

Then you would ALWAYS have a trip planned and you'd be investing in your future vacations instead of paying off your past ones and wishing you had one planned.

Just a suggestion. Have you looked at the DVC boards here?

 

[abish19]

Hi Dodie-

I agree wholeheartedly with your DVC suggestion. Now I'll just have to find a way to convince my husband...

 

[Lease]

There has been some serious Disney depression going on at our house. We went three times in a year and now with luck we won't be going back to WDW for at least 8 years. DL should be doable in about 4 years since it's a two day drive away. Still that leaves us at least 4 years from going back to see the mouse...good thing the DIS is here to keep me updated on all the magic

 

[Carolinagal]

Bless your heart! good luck and good health to you!

That said, I always keep an active folder on my computer and drop in any new ideas of tidbits I learn or hear about - things that I just have to try. I also keep an eye on airfare, so just in case my Nigerian friend or Microsoft Europe or the UK lottery do pay off, I'll be ready to go.

I also enter ALL the Disney Sweepstakes, as well as a bunch of others, and any money I win goes directly to the WDW fund. I keep a change jar, and any "found" money drops in.

I've found I can't not plan for Disneyworld or Disneyland - I can't imagine a situation where I would not be looking forward to a trip.

 

[AnnDisneyFan]

I have a suggestion that won't necessarily cure your sadness, but seems to make a lot of sense based on your post. Please don't take this as any type of criticism. I've been in your shoes too...

If you've spent $8000 in the recent past on WDW trips, I think you should consider investing in a DVC membership. You'd be almost halfway toward a 160 point membership at this point if you were to buy directly from Disney and be way more than halfway if you bought from a resaler.

Then you would ALWAYS have a trip planned and you'd be investing in your future vacations instead of paying off your past ones and wishing you had one planned.

Just a suggestion. Have you looked at the DVC boards here?

It was soooooo crowded when we were there Christmas week that we decided to take the DVC tour (my husband made it VERY clear that we were there for the fastpasses and the ice cream though).

While in the parks, it seemed everyone we met was a DVC owner and thrilled to be so. It started becoming an inside joke.....here I thought I was the biggest Disney fanatic there and then we would meet another DVC owner.

They all made the same comment you did that it actually kept them in trip planning mode. One man told me that it helped him and forced him to take time away from work because he had already put $$$ into his future vacations. I told him how conservative I was with money and he said he was the same way. THAT'S what helped him -- he just had to get the most for his money and it became fun for him.

The money thing was hard for me. We have stayed at POP for those two trips that were in the $8,000 total.

The room was by far the least expensive part of the trip (we went before Christmas 2007 and our room was cheap). The dining plans for the two trips (and the latest trip - the tips really added up), park tickets, our two children being 11 and 12 were adult prices for DP and tickets and our costs for travel (one trip we flew - other we drove) are all in that $8,000.

Even when running the numbers with the DVC guy....he picked up on my husband's "enthusiasm" almost immediately....and it still came down to that I would need to buy tickets and food (and get there). If I understood it right aren't the annual fees (depending on your points) close to what I would pay for a value resort non-peak season for about a 6 or so day stay?

If you don't mind me asking.....how do you do it? Do you buy an annual pass? Are there other discounts that help set off the travel and food costs and tickets? Just hard times right now to be coming up with that amount of money. The "Welcome Home" thing got to me though. I loved that!

I looked up The TimeShare Store.....why wouldn't everyone buy a resale?? I just didn't get that. Am I missing something there?

By the way, no offense taken at all, I really appreciate your suggestion. I know my children do too.....wish my husband were along for the Disney Decision.

I am a bit of a freak while there....staying until all hours of the morning and getting up early and going right back....he has a great time while there. He would like to just relax and enjoy the resort as well though. Not me, I am all about the parks. As a dear friend on the boards here said once....I have a mixed Disney marriage.

 

[Stacy's a freak]

I'm so there with the depression thing. I've been very lucky for the past 4 or so years with vacations - not just to WDW - but I made it there 3 times in 4 years with some other pretty cool vacations mixed in between. So this is my year to pay for some things. I had to buy a new car since mine was almost dead and I had to charge my fuel oil when it was $4/gallon. Thankfully the oil prices have dropped considerably and my oil company is giving me the lower price ... so that means I won't have to pay as much next year to pre-buy But anyway,

I guess I'm OK with the fact that my money is just going to other things - practical things. But I'm still feeling a bit blah about having nothing to plan or look forward to.

So I get it ... yeah

 

[Dodie]

If you don't mind me asking.....how do you do it? Do you buy an annual pass? Are there other discounts that help set off the travel and food costs and tickets?

There are a few discounts but, just like any other Disney travel you have to think about it and plan. Yes. We have an AP. We plan our trips so we can get at least two within the timeframe of the AP. In other words, if we are going only once per year, the first trip might be at the middle of September in 2009 (when we would buy the AP) and the second one would be at the beginning of September in 2010 (when the AP is still good). Then you renew (also at a signficant discount) and do the same thing the next year. You also still have to watch for cheap flights. We never do the dining plan. It's too costly and too much food for us. Plus, we find it takes up too much time to plan and do all of that dining. We probably do 1-3 sit down meals during a trip. The bonus to DVC is that, even in a studio, you have a nice kitchenette where you can definitely bring groceries in and do breakfasts.

I looked up The TimeShare Store.....why wouldn't everyone buy a resale?? I just didn't get that. Am I missing something there?

The most important thing about DVC is that you need to buy where you want to stay most of the time, instead of just buying into whatever is cheapest or whatever has incentives at the time. As there are more members, it's becoming more difficult for folks to book at a resort other than their home resort. So, if the resort is available resale, you are right, you are much better off $ wise to buy resale. Disney treats you the same, regardless.

I am a bit of a freak while there....staying until all hours of the morning and getting up early and going right back....he has a great time while there. He would like to just relax and enjoy the resort as well though. Not me, I am all about the parks. As a dear friend on the boards here said once....I have a mixed Disney marriage.

That's another bonus about DVC. Your trips take on another quality. You know you're coming back. There's no need to go-go-go. You can take the time to relax. The resorts themselves are more "like home," so you're comfortable there. The one-bedrooms and above have whirlpool tubs. They have nice balconies. Etc.

Please go to the DVC boards here and ask questions. There are LOTS of experts there who've been doing this for a long time. They know all of the ins and outs. They can answer all of your questions. It may not be for you. It may be for you. But it's an investment you want to investigate thoroughly before you make. Remember that the "guides" that take you on the DVC tours are salespeople first. I'm not saying they aren't honest, but they are trying to sell you what's available from THEIR inventory. Do your research.

 

[DebºoºS]

Feeling your pain. I can't plan a trip until we know if we have jobs to pay for them.
Thank you Kevin for taking the time to offer encouraging words. Especially with all you've been through. You're amazing. You inspired me to get off my pity pot My emails are far from clever and my photos are fine but not attention getting. I thought of calling in to the show but I sound like Glinda on helium. It didn't take long to realize a prizematron win is out at least for today. I then turned to catching up on posts which usually gives me my DISney fix. One of Webmaster Alexs' posts caught my attention. It's about the DIS supporting Deb's Avon Walk . Making a donation made me feel good and I got my DISney fix as well.
Takin' it one day at a time