Deals in 2007 if gas prices keep climbing?

[Harvest02]

We just got back from Disney and I am planning a trip for October 2007. I really want to take the kids to the MNSSHP. My question is...do you think Disney will throw out any deals next year if gas prices keep climbing(free upgrades on tickets, lower resort rates, etc)? We live in Indianapolis area, and our gas went up to $3.10 a gallon yesterday. I wonder if the gas prices are going to affect peoples budgets and they are not going to travel as much in the coming year. What do you think, and are gas prices affecting your budget????

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Harvest02. we live just south of you and are being hit with the same gas prices.

When I figure our Disney trip budget I am taken with the fact that gas is, by far, the cheapest part of the trip. Even with double gas prices it only increases our trip by $100 and that just is not enough to make us give it up.

However there IS a mental adjustment for some people and it might make them think twice. Disney usually has some kind of promotion anyway. Hope it is one that you can use.

See you there !!

Slightly Goofy

 

[bicker]

Things like that will more often have more to do with the overall economic situation rather than the price of a single commodity. That's because the impact of that commodity's price on demand has a reciprocal effect on operating cost. Generally, when discretionary income as-a-whole falls, that's when you'll see extra-special promotions from Disney.

 

[Fast Pass]

Gas here is 2.79-2.89 and it hurts a little but if we were going on vacation this year we would go.

Now next year if gas hits 3.25 a gallon we will be cancelling our cruise and if it hits 3.50 we won't go on vacation to Florida again until prices come down. Now,if Disney offers the free dining deal then even at 3.50 we would consider going.

Its not just the gas that has gone up its the electricity,gas for the house,food and all that. We have had to give up alot of brand name stuff that we usually used to buy. We don't buy clothes unless they fall apart and we just stay home instead of going out and doing things like the movies, and eating out.

It just burns my Mickey Mouse ears that gas prices are effecting if I go to my favorite place on earth next year.

 

[Jalva22]

I think Slightly Goofy is correct. I'm in the beginning stages of planning a 2007 trip and I'm projecting gas prices on the high side. Even with a 2,600 mile round trip drive, gas will still be less than 7% of the entire vacation cost. I have more dollars in the souvenirs budget than in gasoline. So, no, gas prices aren't affecting my decision yet. On the bright side for those northerners making the journey. Gas will be cheaper.....er, less expensive as you get further from home, according to aaa's website.

 

[tink1978]

I have never changed my trip because of gas prices. I am a single mom who does not make a ton of money per year. I schedule my trip in February for a January trip. Then I take maybe $30 from each paycheck and throw in money from my tax return for the trip. I also have a yard sale right after school starts (throw that money in) and all loose change at the end of every week (it adds up). I always have more than I actually budgeted for. You can do Disney for cheaper and try to save a little extra in case gas is high on the way down. Here it is $2.77...I travel for my job and I can still make it (driving at least 600 miles a week and being reimbursed 31 cents a mile). I have learned to shop for bargains and not always buy name brand, because I want my yearly Disney trip. You can fit a trip in your budget..If you can't go every year, go when you can and make sure to plan a while in advance so that you can save enough.

 

[doombuggy3]

Gas here is 2.79-2.89

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I want to get gas where you get gas! Can you ship me some?!?! Here where I live it's anywhere from 3.12 to 3.25 for regular! It's so expensive! I do hope Disney will give some good deals if gas prices stay this high.

 

[bicker]

I do hope someone gives Disney some good deals if gas prices stay this high, so they can continue to offer Magical Express and as-frequent resort-to-park transportation as they do today!

 

[Harvest02]

I have never changed my trip because of gas prices. I am a single mom who does not make a ton of money per year. I schedule my trip in February for a January trip. Then I take maybe $30 from each paycheck and throw in money from my tax return for the trip. I also have a yard sale right after school starts (throw that money in) and all loose change at the end of every week (it adds up). I always have more than I actually budgeted for. You can do Disney for cheaper and try to save a little extra in case gas is high on the way down. Here it is $2.77...I travel for my job and I can still make it (driving at least 600 miles a week and being reimbursed 31 cents a mile). I have learned to shop for bargains and not always buy name brand, because I want my yearly Disney trip. You can fit a trip in your budget..If you can't go every year, go when you can and make sure to plan a while in advance so that you can save enough.

Yes, I save up for our trips to Disney. We live far to drive if we just go for a short stay, so I am also concerned about air line tickets going up a lot also. I agree that it can be done if you cut back in other areas of your life. I will be substitute teaching during the upcoming school year, so I plan to use some of that extra money for our next Disney trip.

 

[CathrynRose]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I want to get gas where you get gas! Can you ship me some?!?! Here where I live it's anywhere from 3.12 to 3.25 for regular! It's so expensive!

NO KIDDING!

(wondering how cost effective it would be the drive to Kentucky to fill my tank up... )

 

[Indianadisneyfan]

I will be going in Oct. from southern Ind. I hope that gas is a little cheaper by then . It is about $3.00 a gallon right now. I will be taking a shorter trip next year if gas prices are the same.

 

[bicker]

It will be interesting to see what kind of changes do come about from higher gas prices. One way to reduce cost, typically, is to use mass transit -- not airplanes, but rather busses. It's a convenience versus price thing. So I wonder if the regional bus services will see an uptick in patronage.

 

[digskat]

It is $3.96/gallon here, and gas prices will not stop our trip. IT's roughly an 85 gallon trip. An increase of up to $1 a gallon, will be a minimal addition to the cost of the trip.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

The only thing worse than a 'know it all' is one who usually DOES know it all. Bicker is totally right and I should have thought of that as well. It is not just the cost of the gas we put into our cars but how that impacts the cost of nearly everything we buy and as those costs go up the amount of money left over for discretionary buying goes down.

As one who has been living on a retirement income for over five years I can tell you that the prices have gone up but the income surely does not, at least by very much.

Each of our trips has been different, in terms of what we did as well as what we spent. If the money is not there for quite what we might wish to do I feel sure we will still manage to go, if it means staying at a less expensive place, eating more in the room or off site, not buying so many souveniers etc. Where there is a will there is a way!!

Indianadisneyfan, maybe we can carpool?

Slightly Goofy

 

[bicker]

It is especially tough for folks on a fixed income, when discretionary income is increasing in the broader population. While things have been really tight for the last five years, the economy is actually improving now, with discretionary income increasing year-over-year -- about 5% annualized since the beginning of the year, and about 2% for the rest of this year. So while many of us have marginally more money to spend, folks on a fixed income unequivocally have less.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Bicker, I am ill equipped to throw fact and figures around as you do. I have no doubt that you have your f&f in order but there are so many ways of counting that it boggles the mind.

In my neck of the woods people might still be living high on the hog but it is often on credit card debt and with the recent changes it is becoming harder and harder for them to swap one balance to another card and postpone the day of reckoning.

The house of (credit) cards will fall one day and it will not be a pretty sight.

We have less unemployment here but the new jobs that have come in do not pay what the old ones did but the young people seem determined to live as well, or better than their parents no matter the inevitable cost.

Many retired people actually have more discretionary money available to spend because they have paid off all debt and do not require the clothing, furniture and other things that we consumed so much of when we were younger.

So much depends on how you count things. My government would count me as low income but that is because they do not count so much of what we have.

Slightly Goofy (who loves a good debate)

 

[bicker]

There is unquestionably a geographical bent to the discretionary income story. However, it is important to note that the measurement of discretionary income doesn't include increasing of debt. When debt increases, the (positive) impact on the economy is over-and-above that from the increase in discretionary income. It is also important to note that discretionary income doesn't discriminate with regard to affluence: More and more, the increase in discretionary income comes from the more affluent, so much so that in several recent years discretionary income has increased while the number of people with discretionary income has decreased.

Note, in my earlier message, how the increase in discretionary income has dropped markedly during the course of this year. We'll end up with an annual increase, this year, of little more than 2%, which isn't much -- but it is still an increase. As such, there won't be much downward pressure on rates for (at least early) next year. If things degrade as we get closer to the midterm elections, or go south as a result of who gets elected, then we could see a bad economic time for everyone next year, hand-in-hand with nice discounts from WDW.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

IOW, the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer.

Slightly Goofy

 

[discominnie1]

Hi Guys,

interesting reading, one of the things we love about taking vacations in the US is the fantastic value, especially of travel. Here in the UK gas (petrol as we call it ) is now almost £1 per litre...so at 3.75 litres per gallon (in your terms that is, for some odd reason our gallon is 4.something litres...why is that???) so with the exchange rate that works out at just under $7 per gallon It's now so expensive that we travel to work by train (300 miles per week each) although they are neither reliable/comfortable. although it helps the environment. The government tax system is the main readon for our high prices, at 70% tax on fuel it truely is extortion . We pay fuel surcharges on flights and a fuel tax surcharge...a culmination of all of this means we go on holiday less often than we would like.......we're seriously missing that darned mouse!

minns