Cheap Vacation or Save for a Year?

[TwistGrl101]

Funds are low right now...what would you do?

1) Go to Disney this year anyway, but be on a tight budget.

2) Don't vacation this year, and start saving now to stay deluxe in 2 years.

 

[worm761]

Option 2. It sounds like you really can't afford a vacation this year so put it off until next year.

 

[PiperPizzaz]

If you really can afford a budget one I would do that. I really value our vacation time.

 

[dizcrazee]

If you can afford the cheap vacation this year, I'd take it rather than skipping a year in order to go deluxe later. Life is short - don't put off the fun stuff. You can have just as much fun on a budget trip as you can on a deluxe trip.

 

[Marionnette]

Funds are low right now...what would you do?

1) Go to Disney this year anyway, but be on a tight budget.

2) Don't vacation this year, and start saving now to stay deluxe in 2 years.

There are a lot of factors that would influence my decision. Such as:

1. Do you have the extra cash to spend on a budget vacation without having a negative impact on your finances?
2. Are budget vacations enjoyable for you?
3. Would taking a budget vacation now also mean the next vacation would also need to be low-budget as well?

I'm all about finding a way to make my vacation as affordable as possible but I draw the line at cheap hotels, driving for 17 hours straight thru, sharing meals and cooking in the room, doing timeshare presentations for tickets, etc. But a lot of people do those things and still enjoy their trips.

 

[Colleen27]

It depends on what "on a budget" means. Value resort with free dining? I'd go. Staying offsite and packing lunches for the park? I'd wait and save longer.

We haven't been terribly impressed by our deluxe stays and wouldn't delay a trip to save up a deluxe-resort budget, but I also wouldn't want to travel on a budget so tight that I was worrying about every penny, cooking because we couldn't afford to eat out, or saying no to every request the kids have that costs extra.

 

[eliza61]

Colleen has it right.

For me some times trying to save money is actually more of a waste. for example the one time we did a value, it was miserable. So IMO I actually wasted the money because I didn't get any enjoyment out of a big part of my vacation.

So I have some "standards" for lack of a better word. Can I go and stay at a resort I like? Can I get the type of tickets I want? We are not the type to stay in 1 park 12 hours a day so hoppers are a must do.

 

[Praying Colonel]

Heresy on a Disney forum, I know, but how about Option 3: Non-WDW vacation next year closer to where you live?

Depending on your location, you may be able to have an awesome vacation that's cheaper than a budget WDW vacation. As Colleen pointed out, it depends on what your definition of "budget" is.

 

[lurkernj]

I agree, life's too short. Take the budget trip if you can afford it (although like colleen mentioned, no offsite or packing lunches, just my opionion)

 

[TwistGrl101]

If we go somewhere closer to home, we will probably just do weekend trips (Hershey, Great Wolf Lodge, NYC, etc.)

But is it weird that I don't feel like it's an actual "vacation" unless we are flying somewhere?

We did Disney twice in a row, and I was exploring other options to save money (Club Med in Florida, Woodloch Pines in Poconos, Myrtle Beach), but honestly when you factor in food, spending money, etc. none of the other options are much cheaper than Disney moderate.

We can't stay value because we are a family of 5 (6 if my MIL joins us)--well technically, my 2 year old "doesn't count" as part of the room. I also need a pool area for my little guy, which is why I can't go value.

DH is all about making sure every last charge card is paid off after the holidays, but I feel like we NEED that vacation time...it's a big fight all the time!

 

[neatokimmo]

I also need a pool area for my little guy, which is why I can't go value.

All Star Movies has a kiddie pool area next to the main pool.

 

[TwistGrl101]

Good to know, and are they the ones with the Family Suite? Is the Family Suite worth the money? Thanks everyone!!

Although I can't be sure DH will agree, as he is a Beach Club junkie :/

 

[goofyredraider]

Budget trip. Life is too short!

 

[englishteacha]

My trips are always budget trips, whether they're to Disney or not! So if you can afford a trip that you will enjoy, even on a budget, then I say go.

We always stay offsite, eat some meals at offsite restaurants, and are careful not to overspend on souveniers. The only way we can afford to travel is on a budget, so that's what we do. We've run costs for every trip on the onsite/offsite debate, and because we have to travel during school vacation times, it's ALWAYS hundreds of dollars cheaper to stay offsite in a nice condo, rent the cheapest car we can find, and eat some meals in the parks and some meals offsite.

 

[neatokimmo]

Good to know, and are they the ones with the Family Suite? Is the Family Suite worth the money? Thanks everyone!!

Although I can't be sure DH will agree, as he is a Beach Club junkie :/

Hi sorry, I don't know, we are a family of 2, sometimes 3.

I am researching Windsor Hills condos for our Seaworld trip in June. If you are willing to stay offsite, they have some great 2 bedroom, 2 bath condos for about $100 a night in June.

 

[Jenny-momof3]

All of the value resorts have kiddie pools/play areas...not just the mods and deluxes. And it's cheaper for us to get 2 rooms at the values than the family suite.

We stay in a variety of resorts from value to Deluxe depending on what deals I can get with AP rate, renting DVC points,etc. We love them all! our last trip we stayed at POP. Next trip is Wilderness Lodge..and my kids were a bit dissapointed that we weren't staying at POP.

 

[TwistGrl101]

All of the value resorts have kiddie pools/play areas...not just the mods and deluxes. And it's cheaper for us to get 2 rooms at the values than the family suite.

We stay in a variety of resorts from value to Deluxe depending on what deals I can get with AP rate, renting DVC points,etc. We love them all! our last trip we stayed at POP. Next trip is Wilderness Lodge..and my kids were a bit dissapointed that we weren't staying at POP.

My children are very young. I just priced 2 rooms at the pop, and it is cheaper to do this than to stay in a family suite or moderate. Does your husband stay in one room, and you stay in the other? I would be very nervous that the kids could potentially leave the room via the main door, or that housekeeping, etc. could open the door while my children are in there alone (I would obviously leave the adjoining door open, but it would still make me nervous to do that.)

 

[Colleen27]

As noted, all the resorts have kiddie pools though some are better than others. The one at Pop Century is nice with bubblers for the kids to play with, while the ones at POR/FQ are just plain wading pools.

If you're willing to consider staying offsite you might want to check out the Wyndham Bonnet Creek FAQ on the offsite resorts board, or check into the Swan/Dolphin as a more affordable alternative to a Disney deluxe. I'm a pretty die-hard fan of staying onsite and have never seriously considered Windsor Hills, I-Drive hotels, etc. because I like the Disney "bubble" but I'd happily stay at Bonnet Creek or the Swan/Dolphin because of their fabulous location. And if your DH is a Beach Club fan he'd likely appreciate the lazy river, multiple pool slides, and other recreational amenities of BC. If you rent points from an owner, a 2 bedroom at BC is cost-competitive with Disney's moderate resorts.

 

[Colleen27]

My children are very young. I just priced 2 rooms at the pop, and it is cheaper to do this than to stay in a family suite or moderate. Does your husband stay in one room, and you stay in the other? I would be very nervous that the kids could potentially leave the room via the main door, or that housekeeping, etc. could open the door while my children are in there alone (I would obviously leave the adjoining door open, but it would still make me nervous to do that.)

Young kids generally can't reach the security latch on the door. When we have two connecting rooms we treat one as a "bedroom" and keep that security latch fastened any time we're in our rooms. That way the kids can't get out and others can't get in.

 

[disykat]

I willingly wait/save to have vacations I want, however I have absolutely NO interest in a deluxe vacation. If I could afford a budget level trip and wanted to go this year, I'd do it.