Do you feel guilty about taking vacations?

[DebbieB]

I don't feel guilty but I try not to "flaunt it" either. If someone asks where I'm going, I will tell them but otherwise I don't say anything. I made a decision about a month ago before my last trip that I'm not going to try to defend my frequent Disney trips anymore. I'm just saying "yes I'm going again" and that's it. I don't have to justify it.

 

[Disney Doll]

No, I don't feel guilty. We work hard, save and budget carefully to go on vacations.

 

[Niagara2]

We bought DVC when the kids were 2 and 3. They are now 10 and 11. It is more than half over before they are off to college and life. I will continue to spend as much fun vacation time with them that we can manage. It is more than most as we own our own business and can leave when we feel the place is covered and slower. Now with that said, many make comments and all but we just ignore it now. We invite family alot too so they are real cool with it! Yep - it is all priorities.....what is that poem, a child won't remember the business or the money in the bank, or the possessions but the time you spent with them. Yes - priceless!!!

 

[Cruelladeville]

I always say that we are going back to our timeshare in Florida--again!--and i try to make it sound just a tad regretful or slightly "put-upon". I do feel slightly guilty about how blessed I have been by owning DVC, even here, because we own alot of points, but we have worked very hard for what we have. All our extra money goes back into DVC, so that we can take 4-5 trips a year.

 

[My 2 Princesses Boat]

I never feel guilty about taking vacations. We take many vacations throuout the year not just DVC vacations. Though we did have one (not a neighbor anymore) neighbor that use to say that we are always on vacations, and they said it in a negative tone too. My responds was "because we like to!" We own another vacation home and we spend the majority of our summers there, but gosh darn it, my DH works hard all year and we deserve it! They say families who vacation together stay together !!!!!

 

[newholidayx2]

No - We work hard/fulltime for our money and we choose to put our money into vacations
Ppl have different things that matter most of them - some ppl put their money into their homes, etc - everyone has their "thing" that matters most to them

 

[jennypenny]

I used to feel guilty but not anymore.

My dad died 4 years ago at age 58. He never got to go with us (waiting until he retired to travel with us). We finally got my mom to go to BCV with us in February. She loved it and said she'd come with us every time now. She died unexpectedly in April (she had just turned 63).

You never know what will happen in life. I'm not waiting until I retire to have fun--my parents never got to retire. We don't *borrow* money to go to disney, or give up necessities. But we've made our choice to live in a modest home, live frugally, and enjoy as many vacations together as possible.

Besides, everyone here on the disboards knows how to get the most for their $$ at wdw--I think other people assume it costs a lot more $$ for our trips

Jenny

 

[deerh]

Do I feel Guilty about taking a vacation and staying in a 4 star resort??
Not only NO, but HE.. NO!!!!! I paid for it, so my family and friends/relatives enjoy going with me. My brother and SIL cannot afford to go, so I treat them to WDW, all they buy is the tickets/we split the food, stay in a 1BR, so its not a lot out of pocket for them.

In 4 days we go down to WDW, and treat 6 friends to stay with us at BWV.. I even got 2 rooms at POP (saving weekend pts), and treated my friends to 2 nights at POP ($74/nt with AP discount)..

To me, that is what DVC is all about , TOP NOTCH accomdations, treating friends and family and enjoying WDW,their company and friendship...

DeerH

 

[WDWLVR]

I don't feel guilty at all. DH and I both work full time and our vacations are important to us as couple time. We both love Disney so DVC is a natural for us. So while some in the family may shake their heads when we are off for another trip to WDW they know we have fun there.

We don't drink, don't eat out a lot at home, don't even go to a ton of movies. Our escape is our vacations - both planning them and going on them.

Looking forward to our week long trip home to the Boardwalk in June, our DVC Member Cruise in September, and a visit to Disneyland this December!

 

[dianeschlicht]

No guilt whatsoever here! No one we know begrudges our WDW trips except for DSIL, and she just does't understand it because she hates WDW!

 

[wintergreen]

FreeTime:

Please let me know if you can figure out a way to keep young children from sharing about vacations. I think my kids' teachers thing that we must spend EVERY vacation at WDW or some other theme park. I don't feel guilty, but we have had to limit giving out information. Had to tell DH's parents not to divulge our travel plans to his sister EVER. She was badgering us for money, and the last e-mail we got from her was back in Feb while we were visiting WDW, and she said she hoped that we were having fun spending our money at Disney World. She got no $$, and we have not heard back from her. Yeesh!!

We travel a lot! It is my addiction. Sometimes I think that I work only in order to support this habit. We usually go to WDW two or three times a year, and somewhere else once a year (I'm on a quest to see as many U.S. and Canadian National Parks as possible while the kids are young). I take every vacation day that I get every year. I try to feel thankful that we can do this rather than guilty, but sometimes the guilt does sneak in!

 

[Holly]

Yes, sometimes. My sister (single mom) and her children cannot afford vacations. The only vacations her children go on are the ones which my husband and I bring them on. Now that we have 5 of our own children, this is tough. It makes it uncomfortable for me, and I don't even like talking about my vacations on front of her.

I am hoping to treat them all to a WDW vacation next year now that we are DVC members.

 

[crazywig]

no guilt here either.

we've been to wdw twice already this year, we'll spend a week on cape cod in july, then back to disney in september (and in jan '06 as well). this is an unusually high vacation year for us though.

i've earned my 4 wks vacation by being at my job 10 years so i am certainly taking it!

my children are small (3yrs, and 8 months) and i work full time, so my time with them is precious! i'd rather take them somewhere fun than sit around the house that's for sure.

 

[jonestavern]

I am really touched & lifted up by so many treating their families & friends to vacations, especially when it may not be an easy stretch. It's simply heartwarming!

J

 

[shelleyz]

I feel guilty sometimes. Our first trip to WDW was in 2003. We have been to WDW 3 times in about 1 1/2 years now. We just bought 200 points at SSR. We also do day trips and weekend trips to other places too. My best friend who is also my SIL is trying to take a WDW trip with her DH and 2 sons but they can't afford to go. She tried last year to save to go but it didn't happen. Now she wants to go in October and has no $ saved yet. DH and I have a trip to Universal planned in August that I kept from her for like 2 months until I slipped the other day and mentioned it. I didn't tell her about it cause I felt bad that we just got back from Disney and have this Universal trip planned and they cant even afford to go once. I am a SAHM and my husband has a very good job and she says thinks like "it must be nice" or "wish I could stay home all day". I know I shouldn't feel guilty but I do sometimes.

 

[WolfpackFan]

No guilt here. We basically purchased our DVC points so we can take many vacations in the future without it costing us a huge amount of money. Plus I've been putting alot of money into my 401K, so that after I retire next year, we can afford to take trips and cruises. I'm certainly not going to feel guilty for planning for the future.

 

[Tiffster7]

My DH feels guilty about taking off work- He's a workaholic so having DVC forces him to take a break. We are a bit themed parked out so our next trips will be to HH and Vero. I can't wait.

 

[CharlesTD]

No we love to take our holidays in Dec and never feel guilty about it not even the fact we take our kids out of school to go for 2 weeks.

 

[NMW]

No guilt here either!

 

[rsschneck]

I don't feel guilty for our good fortune, DH and I work very very hard. We have chosen to have a small family, modest home, and are able to travel frequently. Others make other choices, having more children, having one parent stay home or working part-time, purchasing very expensive homes, etc. This is the land of opportunity, and each person chooses how they will live. I say enjoy what you are able to do with your life, and if it makes others green with envy, then they should re-evaluate the path their lives are taking.

We used to feel a little guilty and have been sharing our points with friends and family so THEY could afford to go to WDW. Most of the time our good thoughts have produced lousy vacations. We no longer feel guilty about using our points for ourself. We do not have car payments or credit card debt. I spend lots of time planning our vacations. Searching out good airfare prices, etc. We like to spend our money on vacations and not a lot of materialistic items. So, do I feel guilty? No Way! This is how our family likes to spend time together.