Do people think your rich because you go to Disney every year?

[twokids0204]

I was talking to a friend about money, fianances and I made a comment that my dh and I must give off some illusion that we are richer than we are. My friend said "Well you do go to Disney every year, some people only get to go one time every 5 or 10 years or not at all!"

First, we are not rich. Second, we have driven to Florida every year, we pack alot of food and drinks. We have a coin jar going all year to help with those little extras, the kids get money from their grandparents for souvenirs. Before buying the DVC we were off site many years with great Priceline deals. When we did stay onsite it was always with a code to get the lowest rate.

I feel that we all spend our money differently. Her 3 kids are in football, hockey, lacrosse, baseball, basketball. So I feel what she pays for in sports every year, I probably pay the same or less for my Disney trip.

Just venting!!!

What's it their business how much money you have or don't...

If it were my friend asking me, I would not have explained it is nicely as you.

My explanation would include words like "screwdriver (minus the driver) you" ... and other words like "mind your own (word to describe people being very intamte + ing) business", etc...

I just thought it was very professional of you to answer them so nicely. And just wanted to say - keep your chin up, spirits high, and don't let anyone else's opinion of your personal matters bother you at all.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

No, but I sometimes wonder about the people that go 2 or 3 times a year...

 

[mariepapa]

No, but I sometimes wonder about the people that go 2 or 3 times a year...

If you can afford to go on vacation 2-3 times a year, much less at WDW, then you are definitely in the comfortable realm. Not necessarily rich but doing okay. Although, as many people said, they decide to do without other things instead, so they might be sacrificing for those vacations.

 

[mythreemuskateers]

I get the same response, everytime I say we're going to Disney. "It must be nice to have that kind of money". The thing is I don't know what kind of money they are talking about, other than working your behind off and saving all year and alot of research and money savings. We have been at least 15-20 times and this year we are bringing my parents which have not been since the early 80's and I get the comment from my brother it must be nice to have that kind of money. But he don't stop to think that all the money his wife and daughter spends on shopping sprees and tanning beds every day is what I save to go to our favorite place "DISNEY". I've even had friends tell me how can you afford to go every year, but they have never been. I agree with others that people that has not been dont realize just how affordable it is. Plus I get every discount and price cut that I can. I do months and months of price shopping before we go.

 

[fla4fun]

No, but I sometimes wonder about the people that go 2 or 3 times a year...

I'm one of those multiple visitors, and I'm definitely not rich! I'm a solo - so I have to support myself on my paycheck, first and foremost. But I do have a detailed budget that I stick to, and I don't do a lot of other things, like eating out, going to movies, etc. I budget a set amount each year for vacation, and then I add any bonuses or overtime I get to that amount. Since I get more than four weeks paid vacation at work every year, I try to do the best I can to use it. I look for the best discounts and since I have an AP, and I live near Orlando, I don't have transportation costs to deal with, it's as good or better bargain than going somewhere else. I usually end up spending more when I vacation places other than Disney (and don't always enjoy it as much). I think it all boils down to priorities - some people prefer the going out on a weekly basis to dinner and movies, and some prefer to wait and go on vacation every few months or so. Neither one is the wrong choice.

However, none of my friends and family think I'm rich - they just know I'm really good at sticking to my budget and managing the money I do have.

 

[swald91]

I think some people think that but we will only go when there are deals out there, we stay at the Poly but only stay a short time. Our kids never do any other things throughout the year like other small trips to various water parks, camps-etc. When I shop-only sale items are purchased & many times w/ coupons. We sacrifice other things to be able to go there. As our kids get older we wonder how much longer they will enjoy the magic and lose interest..

 

[PoohsFan1]

I am like many other posters on here, we save a lot of money throughout the year so we can enjoy ourselves on vacation, and we choose to spend our vacation time at Disney. I am very frugal throughout the year just so we can save the money to go on our Disney trips....I live for coupons and am always looking for the best deals on things, I never shop at high end stores but rather at Kohl's, Target, or Walmart, we don't go out to eat but once in a blue moon, and every paycheck my DH and I are always setting money aside throughout the year in our "Disney fund". Yes we do own a Timeshare Condo in Gatlinburg Tennessee but that is only because my parents practically gave it to us when we bought it from them. Now, do I believe that people think we are rich because we go to Disney every year? no, because they know how we live and they also know how important Disney is to our family.

 

[Mom2PrincessK]

My parents have made comments about "how much money we must have" to go to Disney each year. But they both smoke, spending approx $2500 per year - and the go to casinos several times a month.

It's all about priorities.

 

[LilGMom]

I don't think people think I am rich, because I am not, rather they think I am foolish in how I spend my money going to Disney as often as possible.

Every time we consider where to go for a trip we start pricing it out and then me and DW look at each other and say "this would pay for a trip to Disney" and then we book a Disney trip instead.

So rich no foolish yes, but i would rather be foolish going to Disney then be "rich"

Had to laugh and nod at that statement in bold. My ILs used to comment about how much money it was, yada, yada, yada. Then they wanted us to go to the mountains with them and we priced it out. It was more expensive for a long weekend than for a week at WDW. Guess where we opted to go without the ILs?

yes - but, we tell people it is cheaper than therapy! I get a travel agent discount, but once we figured out dvc was even lower pricing in the scheme of things it is even lower cost!

I agree 110%!! I had a coworker ask me why we go so often and he commented about how much it must cost. I told him that we don't pay for lodging (DVC) and a therapist would be about the same and I probably wouldn't enjoy it nearly as much.

 

[disneyfan55]

I was talking to a friend about money, fianances and I made a comment that my dh and I must give off some illusion that we are richer than we are. My friend said "Well you do go to Disney every year, some people only get to go one time every 5 or 10 years or not at all!"

First, we are not rich. Second, we have driven to Florida every year, we pack alot of food and drinks. We have a coin jar going all year to help with those little extras, the kids get money from their grandparents for souvenirs. Before buying the DVC we were off site many years with great Priceline deals. When we did stay onsite it was always with a code to get the lowest rate.

I feel that we all spend our money differently. Her 3 kids are in football, hockey, lacrosse, baseball, basketball. So I feel what she pays for in sports every year, I probably pay the same or less for my Disney trip.

Just venting!!!

Yes, I've had some say things like that. We aren't DVC owners but always drive, bring snacks/drinks/cereal etc, get a room discount or FD. We have gotten APs and gone 2-3 times on one and then don't go for at least a year or so. Years ago they used to kind of let you upgrade tickets up until 1 year of purchase. Say you bought a 5 day today and used it up. If you came back within a year you could use that ticket to upgrade to an AP for the difference in cost. It used to help out with the intial cost of an AP (cost was spilt in 2) We stay at values with FD and even with room only discounts. We did just stay at WL but with a Room discount as well plus go during Value season!

 

[Planogirl]

I think that anyone who goes anywhere every year is pretty fortunate if not rich. Plenty of people out there have to watch their money just to get by and I feel lucky to have been to Florida so many times.

It is possible to go on cheaper vacations! I remember well going on road trips with my parents, staying in low cost chains and visiting places like the beach or state parks or caverns and the like. You can also camp.

 

[Tara922c]

People that don't know me to well think I am rich, people who do know ask, "where did you get all that money?". It is important for dh, and I to take family vacations (neither of us ever had any), so we live beneath our means to be able to afford it. Both of our cars are paid off, and basically, we don't over spend. We pay off our trip little by little, and use our income tax return for plane tickets, and spending money. We are far from rich, we are just smart with our money.

 

[Cdn Gal]

We don't drink or smoke- except my DH who has a beverage or two after his hockey games once a week. I work an extra job that allows us to travel. Life is too short. By now as well, I don't really care what other people think.

 

[DisGirl23]

We don't charge anything. We save all our change throughout the year, have money automatically transferred into an online savings account each payday and make payments through Disney. I'm a serious couponer and budgeter.
They can think I'm rich if they want to. It's not going to offend me. I'm going to Disney!!!!

 

[tndisneyfan]

I think some people I know think we have more money than we do because we go ever year and stay at nicer resorts. This year we bought AP's. I had one man at work (a WDW fan) ask me how we afforded AP's and to go as many timese as we are going. I told him sacrafice. We sacrafice other stuff to be able to go the vacation we want.

 

[earthelves]

we visit 3 to 4 times a year,Staying in a deluxe resort onsite & yes i am asked regulary have u won the lottery

 

[Nayan]

We've gotten the comment "gee, must be nice", said snarky, by our neighbors. We are just like all of you, saving, planning, etc. One trip I've always wanted to take was a week in D.C. But after checking out room rates, travel, etc. it was much cheaper to stay at Disney.

 

[LaurenT]

No, but I sometimes wonder about the people that go 2 or 3 times a year...

LOL Duck, are you the same one who's doing Disney in the summer of 2011 followed by an anniversary cruise 2 months later?

 

[Funwith4kids]

It's all about priorities.

Yep! When people make comments to us or ask how we can afford to go every year regarding our annual spring break trip to WDW, we tell them it's about the choices everyone makes with their money.

Then I go on to offer to help them make choices in their life to "afford" to go. The ones that are daring enough to take up my offer find out quitting smoking, not having the $50K SUV (payments, gas, insurance), McMansion of a house, less time eating out at restaurants, etc.. can make WDW "affordable". Funny how not many take up my offer or ask any further questions or make any comments. (no slam to anyone here who endulges in these activities)

Do I think we are rich? Absolutely, but not in the sense of cash. In the sense of joy and happiness of plenty of Disney memories with our family and friends (as well as new friends we have met @ WDW)

 

[flipflopmom]

Forgive me for being down here, but I lost my Dad 5 months ago yesterday. I have some furniture he made for me, but more than anything I have lots and lots of memories of time together. Our WDW vacations are our investments in our family. We come back as a stronger family unit. My girls talk about something WDW related daily, we live very, very busy lives, and that is the one week the four of us are together, having a BLAST, and making memories. I don't do girls' night out with my friends, we don't go to the movies, etc.

This will sound sneaky, but because we are a 12 hour drive from WDW, and don't fly, we don't get family "let's go down together" stuff, which we get if we vaca closer to home!

I am rich, because I have a healthy family. I am rich, because I have a job. I am rich, because I can afford to go on a vacation. I am however, a teacher. DH is a supervisor in an industrial plant. Can't get more middle class that that!