Defending vacation choices.

[Leofoenget]

I get a lot of the "AGAINS???????" too but for US it's cheaper to go there than to not go anywhere. We drive, stay across the street, book our rooms WAY EARLY, make sure that our room has free breakfast of some kind, buy "stuff" outside the park as much as possible. AP's for the family. I can't afford to go fancy places, I am a SAHM. Plus if you go by the seasons, Halloween, Christmas, Spring, it is a different place each time. MY sister gives me a hard time "Go to the BEACH or something" I'm in the SF bay area, I GO TO THE BEACH ALL THE TIME WHEN I AM AVOIDING THE SUMMER CROWDS!!

Have fun, and ENJOY THE PARK!!

 

[hlbtimes2]

My boss caught part of the conversation. He laughed and said "well, you guys do realize that Linda really lives at Disneyland and just visits us here, dont you?" I swear I dont spend THAT much time there.

 

[PlazaPavGal92]

Why not?

Ok fine...to answer your very question of "why not"....maybe his 52 weeks of bowling with his family is actually more important than spending all their recreation money for 6 days. I mean, there are some people who don't see it as necessary and really don't care for anything Disney and would rather spend the money doing something on a weekly basis.

Why do you feel compelled to defend your vacation anyway? Personally, when someone asked me why I was going on the same trip twice in 3 years, I knew it was a jealousy question and I didn't want to rub it in. I just responded "because my family likes it". I don't break down someone else's family finances to their face. But that's how I interpretted it. I mean you said it yourself...after you compared his bowling to your grad disney trip...he got quiet. That's rubbing it in.

 

[rosiep]

Oh and I also have to add that as a little girl I would always watch the Wonderful World of Disney. I loved it when Tink used her wand to set off those fireworks over the castle. My dad would always say, someday we'll go there. He died when I was just seven and we never did get to go with him. But thankfully, I have outlived my dad and taken my kids on many Disney trips. I feel like I am just sort of doing what he would have done had he not been taken so young. I think he's looking down happy I got to go!

Thanks for sharing that. I, too, used to watch the WWOD. I thought it was soooo beautiful. I came from a chaotic home life and always imagined Disneyland to be such a magical place. Now that I'm an adult (with an amazing life, I might add) I feel eternally grateful for having the opportunity to be able to visit the place of my childhood dreams.

Hooray for us!!!!

 

[dohgusgus]

It's simple. really.

We (DISers) go to Disney again and again because we KNOW we will always have a great time. We aren't going to a different country (except UK people) or faraway destination that has a totally different culture (although it sometimes feels that way ). We know Disney's standards and they come through 99.99997% of the time.

For me personally, why risk using x amount of $ and not having anything memorable to show for it (pictures and memories are worth so much more than souvenirs!).

I choose Disney because it is like going home, seeing those distant relatives that you love SO much and the cares of this world are set aside for a week or maybe just a day, but a WHOLE day nonetheless.

 

[auntyjenn]

I have the opposite problem. We took some family members and some friends on a trip to WDW and now they won't leave us alone and want to go back again and again!

(We're going to DL in September with just adults, then taking all the family again in 2008).

 

[disneegrl4eva]

Why do you feel compelled to defend your vacation anyway?

why are you giving her a hard time??? im not sure why it matters to you??? this forum is very friendly and maybe you've had experiences with other forums that are argumentative and such but we arent like that so please refrain from being....oh heck dont be mean!!!

 

[Alex2kMommy]

I have wanted to go to Disneyland ever since I was a little girl watching the WWOD, too!

When DH and I married, we said we would take our child when s/he turned 5yo. Our first trip was last fall, and actually our oldest son was 6 and the youngest son 2.

We had so much fun; it was everything I'd dreamed of and more.

We started planning another trip for fall 2007. I've also gotten the "Again?!" and "Gee, you guys must be loaded!" comments. Most people say it in a joking way, but some are a bit snide. I have no problem telling them this was our first vacation in 4 years, and we had an incredible time. I also point out that we saved and limited our other spending in order to make this trip.

Nobody needs to be jealous, but if someone is thinking the trip is just out of their reach, I'll be happy to inform them otherwise. And the first information I point them to is the DISBOARDS.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Why do you feel compelled to defend your vacation anyway? Personally, when someone asked me why I was going on the same trip twice in 3 years, I knew it was a jealousy question and I didn't want to rub it in. I just responded "because my family likes it". I don't break down someone else's family finances to their face. But that's how I interpretted it. I mean you said it yourself...after you compared his bowling to your grad disney trip...he got quiet. That's rubbing it in.

Why do you feel compelled to keep missing the point of this thread and giving this OP a hard time? She did not rub it in, she defended her position after this person questioned her about why she goes to DL. Would you not do the same if someone basically questioined your judgement and spending habits? This is a friendly board and a fun thread, lets keep it that way if at all possible! Oh and I think he got "quiet" because he knew she had made a good point and that he was the one that had been wrong, not because she had been mean and saddened him into being quiet.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Thanks for sharing that. I, too, used to watch the WWOD. I thought it was soooo beautiful. I came from a chaotic home life and always imagined Disneyland to be such a magical place. Now that I'm an adult (with an amazing life, I might add) I feel eternally grateful for having the opportunity to be able to visit the place of my childhood dreams.

Hooray for us!!!!

Thank you , and thanks for sharing your story too! I can still see myself, all dressed in my pj's with my Cindy Brady pig tails and bangs watching that show! It sounds like I am not the only one that was taking notes and making future Disney plans! And I am so thankful that Disneyland lived up to my childhood dreams and expectations, that just makes it all worth it to me!

 

[disneegrl4eva]

Why do you feel compelled to keep missing the point of this thread and giving this OP a hard time? She did not rub it in, she defended her position after this person questioned her about why she goes to DL. Would you not do the same if someone basically questioined your judgement and spending habits? This is a friendly board and a fun thread, lets keep it that way if at all possible!

ya thats what i said but you just said it nicer

 

[Amy&Dan]

ya thats what i said

Yeah I know (great minds think alike I guess)! I responded before I read through all the replies!

 

[disneegrl4eva]

Yeah I know (great minds think alike I guess)! I responded before I read through all the replies!

dont they though

 

[AZMickeyfans]

Linda, I completely know how you feel.

We get looks and comments from people because we visit DLR so much. I think it's all in individual priorities as to how you spend your families extra money. It's all relative. For us DLR is very important. I met Dh working at WDW so anything Disney is very special. We don't go out to eat often, wear designer clothes, have a big house but we do spend money going to Disneyland. For us it's the perfect getaway and we try to go a few times a year. We are within driving distance and stay across the street so we don't spend much on hotels or airfare.

We keep thinking the memories we make with our kids are priceless. I dont remember all the nights out on the town or the fancy cars my parents had but I have wonderful memories from vacations especially Disney that I wanted to give my kids.

 

[rentayenta]

Linda, I can so commiserate! We get the Disneyland again look all the time. Some even talk behind our backs about. Can you imagine? Why does anyone care where we choose to vacation?


The funny thing is that we have taken the kids to lots of other places and we still end up at Disneyland. It really is family friendly with something for everyone.

 

[princess@heart]

You know... I wonder if people who live near Disney parks and have APs get weird comments about going often?

Live live fairly close to Busch Gardens Europe and Water Country USA here in Williamsburg, VA. We buy "season passports" to both (owned by Anheuser Busch) and go every chance we get. BG is open end of March through Halloween, and WC is open Mother's Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. To us, amusement parks and water parks are how we like to spend our free time. Then, when we go on vacation, we choose Disney parks because we love Disney and we love theme parks. Nobody ever questions us going to Busch Gardens or Water Country almost every weekend, but when we say we are going on a Disney vacation, they don't understand why we go more than once.

BTW, where was I when WWOD was on? I was born in 1977 and I never remember seeing it, yet people my age talk about it.

 

[Jestocost]

Honestly? I wouldn't waste one bit of energy "defending" my vacation choices. What in heaven's name does holding such a debate accomplish even if you "win?" Absolutely nothing.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

Amber, I had to look it up, because I thought the show ended in the 70s. It turns out it ran (off and on) through 2005! It's been on ABC, NBC, CBS and the Disney Channel, and still runs occasionally on ABC, its original broadcast station. Who knew???

Here's a Wikipedia link to more detailed info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney_anthology_series

 

[hlbtimes2]

Honestly? I wouldn't waste one bit of energy "defending" my vacation choices. What in heaven's name does holding such a debate accomplish even if you "win?" Absolutely nothing.

Really, you are putting way to much thought into my post. I wasnt defending in the defensive way you are reading it. I simply pointed out to someone, that I have worked with for 9 years, that I enjoy what my family does. Just as he enjoys what his family does. It's all about where our families choose to spend money and time. Disney is the hobby we enjoy, just like his bowling hobby. The post was light hearted and joking. I'm sorry you missed that. Many other people could relate and find the humor in it.

But, since you seem to want to debate it: What do you say if someone questions how you spend your time and money? Walk away without having a conversation? Tell them they are right?

As to "what did it accomplish"? Well, I may have planted a seed that disney vacations are not that expensive if you plan. In the 9 years we have worked together he has NEVER taken his family on a vacation. Maybe my friendly debate will get him to take his kids before they all leave for college.

 

[princess@heart]

Amber, I had to look it up, because I thought the show ended in the 70s. It turns out it ran (off and on) through 2005! It's been on ABC, NBC, CBS and the Disney Channel, and still runs occasionally on ABC, its original broadcast station. Who knew???

Here's a Wikipedia link to more detailed info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney_anthology_series

Thanks for the link. I realize now that I have seen the current opening for WWOD before, but it usually preceded a Disney animated movie. I was hoping for the original series reruns with Walt himself, and not just showing Disney movies.

Does anyone own WWOD on DVD? I'd really like to know how I can buy the episodes about Disneyland.