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

[RMulieri]

We get the same thing from family and friends.BUT we work hard, don't eat out, don't go to movies, have basic cellphones( no iphone or blackberry), have basic cable,older cars etc. I also work which not alot of moms do in my area.So I feel that it is in my priorities. The ones that make the snarky comments to me have the money , just invested in their material belongings. I choose to use my money on memories.

 

[WDWBW09]

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!!!

Our family has that perception placed upon us too. Some call us "Disney snobs",or say "it must be nice to be rich". Other ask why do you love Disney so much. I used to spend time explaining why we travel every year at minimum to WDW.

Now my response is "We do what we do and we love what we do!"

What others spend their money on, we don't, we save our money for DCL and WDW trips. We work hard for our "Disney" lifestyles. We're planners we know what we want for our families, we take action and we create the opportunity for lifelong memories.

Although it's frustrating never feel bad...

Most of those who scoff or call us Disney snobs are the same that ask for advice when they decide to travel to DCL or WDW.

Me I'm a rust belt kid who never left the state of Ohio until I was 20. My parents worked multiple jobs to make ends meet. I'm now a husband, a father of 6, a grandfather of 1. Many, many WDW, DL, and DCL trips in my future and I'm very proud of that.

Success to me is the quality of time I spend "my way" with my wife, children, and grandchild.

Huh I laugh at the haters!

 

[disneygirlsanddrew]

I get really sick of people making rude comments to us. We really have to save for our trips and work hard for them. We also find very good deals in order for us to go. Now we don't really tell people that we have a trip booked because they are so rude about it. We shouldn't have to feel bad and hide that fact that we take our kids to Disney but we do. I don't understand why people are so judgemental about it and take offensive. They could chose to not spend their money doing other things that we don't do and go too if they wanted. Sure we could have a little more in life if we didn't go to WDW, but we choose to take our kids now while they are young and everything is still so "magical".

 

[Pixie Princess]

Oh yes, I get the snarky "It must be nice to get to go Disney every year" comments. To be honest, that comment and others I'd get, used to bother me. Then I realized I had worked hard and made the right choices to get where I was in my career, and I wasn't going to let people's annoyance with that bother me. So yes, it is nice to go to Disney every year. And thanks to this site and others , I know how to do it on the cheap. I save for it and have a wonderful time. I'm not rich, I choose to spend money on things that bring the most value to me.

I also get the "doesn't it get boring" questions too. And heck no to that one! That's the great thing about a Disney vacation.. there is always something new going on. Also it is impossible to "do everything" in one trip. After 6 trips, we have still not done it all. We are never bored, and I am actually sad when its time to go home. Can't say that for other vacations.

 

[Bete]

that would make most people feel you are rich. I can see that perspective especially right now. We've been going quite often ourselves and we've had the comments, too.

I agree many don't realize how hard you struggle all year long to do it. Also, I agree that we sacrifice in other ways to go more often to WDW ourselves.

Everyone makes choices with the disposable income one has to spend. But the fact that you have disposable income does make you rich to a degree. There are many who don't have the luxury of a vacation.

I know a couple who pull in six figures without kids and they don't have much money for trips. They live in a big house with two, nice cars. She has her hair done every week and her nails. She recently had plastic surgery to take care of bags under her eyes (over 60). Going to Starbucks is a necessity for them. They often go to concerts and plays including dinner out on those ocassions. I could go on, but you get the idea.

There's no way to really make anyone understand. You make your choices and I'm grateful to have the choice.

 

[LeahA]

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.

Sorry for you loss flipflopmom. I agree with you about making memories with your family. My boys are just as excited to go as my dh and I are. I even enjoy the 19 hour car ride down to Florida, it's just a chance for us to be together.

 

[larry80]

I wish I was rich!

I'd have a house by Disney so I could go every day!

We try going once every 2 years (if not every year), and it doesn't cost that much when you use the pin codes/offers.

 

[honeydiane1953]

Well you do have to pay LOTS of moolah to go. I know I try to go once a year and DISNEY is expensive. Don't know why they haven't thought of selling you stuff of the bus trip on the way in and out?

 

[chrismb22]

What cracks me up about those people is they are the same ones who will spend $5000 for a week at a condo at the jersey shore -- and that doesn't include meals or entertainment. I was just doing a rough estimate for my 2011 trip (obviously not etched in stone since rates aren't out yet) and it's going to cost us about $4500 -- but we don't have to purchase ANYTHING else unless we want souvenirs.

People need to mind their own business LOL. Unless you are paying my mortgage, you shouldn't tell me how to spend my money!!

 

[wehavesix]

Just asked my daughter (age 14) this question. She said lots of her classmates would say she is rich but not because of Disney vacations. We live in a high poverty area and my kids go to public schools. My husband has a good job and so do I. We are careful with our money and are well off due to his good money management. As a pre-k teacher, I have done hundreds of home visits over the years. Trust me when I say that my family and probably many of you ARE rich compared to many of the families I have worked with over the years. I know we don't think of ourselves that way and I'm betting most posters here are merely hard working middle class people who like to splurge on vacations. But the fact is that there are a lot of people barely keeping their noses above water. That's why the food banks are so busy. Count your blessings folks. We ARE rich in many ways.

 

[RMulieri]

Just asked my daughter (age 14) this question. She said lots of her classmates would say she is rich but not because of Disney vacations. We live in a high poverty area and my kids go to public schools. My husband has a good job and so do I. We are careful with our money and are well off due to his good money management. As a pre-k teacher, I have done hundreds of home visits over the years. Trust me when I say that my family and probably many of you ARE rich compared to many of the families I have worked with over the years. I know we don't think of ourselves that way and I'm betting most posters here are merely hard working middle class people who like to splurge on vacations. But the fact is that there are a lot of people barely keeping their noses above water. That's why the food banks are so busy. Count your blessings folks. We ARE rich in many ways.

I agree with this.But the people I am referring to, are ones that are equally "rich" so to speak, but choose to spend their money differently.Like the ones that have all the latest doodads and gadgets, have the latest cars and the bigger houses.I have neighbors that make far more then we do, and yet like to make the "snide" comments about us being rich and spending money frivoulsly on Disney.To those people I say it is in your priorities and some of it is learning to sacrafice certain things.This year, our house needs some work, so NO disney trip, I refuse to go in debt for a vacation.But I do understand your point,To many that are struggling, I am sure we appear "rich" , and I count my blessings every day.

 

[waynesgirl]

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!!!!

Just to let everyone know-if you use coupons and budget, then take the extra money you saved with coupons and put it in a jar or a separate account, you could have over $1000 to take a vacation. I save my coupons money-usually $80 every grocery store visit. Amazing! It takes work and patience (and I have a full time job and kids).

 

[disneemama]

I try to ignore the people who make the comments about being rich or the "how can you go every year" people. They just don't get "it" and may never get it. I never comment on where they go on vacation or what they spend their money on. My money, my vacation and my family memories. I love going and so does my family.

 

[larryz]

I wish I was rich!

I'd have a house by Disney so I could go every day!

We try going once every 2 years (if not every year), and it doesn't cost that much when you use the pin codes/offers.

Hey, name bro!

You don't have to be rich to live within a 30 minute drive of the mouse.

And it IS fun going to the parks with your Florida Resident Annual -- you can go on a whim, for an hour or two, or for a fun-filled weekend for not very much money.

But that's just the silver lining -- the rest of that cloud is cumulo-nimbus! You would have to put up with EVERYTHING Florida offers its residents -- high taxes, low wages, expensive insurance, corrupt politicians, bad infrastructure, smelly water, hurricanes, apocalyptic thunderstorms, high crime, a certain sense of lawlessness, and Augusts that make you want to move to Alaska.

Been there, done that, and I use the T-shirt to wash my car. Believe me, it's far better to take Florida in small doses, and especially in a spot where you can't see most of it -- like WDW.

Flame-proof suit on.

 

[Tara922c]

If you save 14 dollars a day for a whole year, you will have 5 grand, and plenty of money to go to disney. Some people spend that much money a day on starbucks! We save, and thats how we go to disney! Sure I know people who can call up disney, and book a reservation without thinking twice, but we have to save. We are not rich, but it irritates me that my family who makes comments on how much we spend at disney spend 100 bucks a week on smoking, go out to eat for every meal, always buying fancy clothes, ect. Not that there is anything wrong with that, we just choose to spend our extra money on Disney.

 

[GoofyTraci]

I have to say I agree with what others are posting. Your finances are not anyones business but your own.

We are not rich by any means. I just got married five months ago and became a we. But before that I have been a single mom for 9 yrs and my son and I have gone to disney every year. I work hard and like to play hard and spend my money at disney. I save all year long to take a trip. And disney is also priced less for us than any other vacation.

I also get the disney again line from my friends and family and I just say YES!!! This year we went on a surprise disney cruise for my sons 10th b-day and bought into DVC. That will save us money and work out better for us since we do go every year.

I dont understand why people think we need to explain our finances to them. And why they think it is so expensive to go to disney. I have learned so much because of the DIS and love my DIS family.

Happy Vacation planning!

I wanted to add that as child I never went to disney or any vacation for that matter. First time I went to disney I was a mom and wanted that for the both of us. Maybe this is why it is important for me. I hate that people ask me what I love about disney so much? I feel like just mind your own business me going to disney and liking disney is not hurting you.

 

[brendaziz]

I grew up in a family that valued family vacations. It was NOT optional. We took more than 1 yearly vacation. Several a year usually. Disney was every 2 years or so. Stowe, VT was yearly and Florida was MANY times a year to visit family in other areas, as well as the Caribbean a few times.
And my dad was a pastor and did NOT make the big bucks by any means.
My family has pretty much been on this track since we started.
My DH thinks it's so strange cuz they did a family vacation once every 5 years or so.
Not that it def makes a difference but my family is extremely close and while his is semi close- it's nowhere near the same.
Now you DON'T have to spend $$$ to have family vacations. If we couldn't afford any- we'd make em happen if we had to camp out in some random backyard!
But since we can afford em- I go for it. yes, I could spend the $$ on something else. But I value family vacations.
I value them like I value having a reliable vehicle to drive and a bed to sleep in.

 

[39CINDERELLA]

we have actually taken a couple without anyone knowing!
get tired of the "again" and "how can you afford it"

it's amazing that I can afford to send my dd to a private college while I am waisting all that money going to Disney...LOL


my finances are not their concern. I will never justify how I save or spend.

I just reply back with " yes again"

 

[wehavesix]

I agree with this.But the people I am referring to, are ones that are equally "rich" so to speak, but choose to spend their money differently.Like the ones that have all the latest doodads and gadgets, have the latest cars and the bigger houses.I have neighbors that make far more then we do, and yet like to make the "snide" comments about us being rich and spending money frivoulsly on Disney.To those people I say it is in your priorities and some of it is learning to sacrafice certain things.This year, our house needs some work, so NO disney trip, I refuse to go in debt for a vacation.But I do understand your point,To many that are struggling, I am sure we appear "rich" , and I count my blessings every day.

I guess I haven't experienced that. I do get the "again" reaction sometimes but just tend to laugh and say "aren't we lucky?" When asked why we don't go other places, I tell that we do but right now Disney is my favorite place to go.

I have had someone ask me how we afford it but they were being sincere, not snide. I answer them honestly; that my husband and I have worked hard for many years and are now enjoying the fruits of our labor. I've never had anyone be outright rude to me about my vacation choices. I guess I'm lucky in more ways than one!

Being something of a smart alec, I would probably just tell the nosy neighbor that we have a secret trust fund that was set up by the vacation fairies at my birth. Or something equally silly. Then it would probably be a good long time before I wasted time talking to them again. They have issues that have nothing to do with you if they are obsessing over your financial condition and vacation patterns. If they want to believe you are rich, then let 'em.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I get comments like that a lot. I don't think I'm rich though. I save money any way I can, and don't buy a lot of random stuff that I don't need. It's the only way I can afford my vacations.