DW cancelled our trip! (update pg. 6, we're going!)

[DisDon]

Glad you're going!!! Sounds like you are both doing what you can and making good choices in taking extra jobs/shifts.

The previous quote about living your life now is so true. You are not being extravagant I think..free airfare, in room meals, no souvies basically.

Re: the extended 2days. This is lready some level of mental burden to your wife..don't push it!!! Be careful with that "but I'm SAVING money" mentality. That's a big reason people are in so much debt IMO. The $/day may be slightly better but you are still spending more money. Get home and have the weekend to decompress, take care of laundry, unpacking eyc before the grind starts again. I hate coming home on a Sunday and having to go back to work so soon.

Anyway...congrats and give you wife a big hug and cool it!

Yeah, I'm kind of backing off the 2 extra days. I'm thinking that if we were to do it, we could just book it that week while we're already there. Maybe after 4 or 5 days there, with the end looming, I can throw it out there again. Don't know how far in advance you have to win a Skyauction for a couple of days at a condo, but there's plenty of other options. I'll keep the van rental reservation, just in case, no obligation. I did get a Entertainment book this year, and it has coupons for an extra day at both alamo and national, don't know if those can be used on top of the discounts we already have.

I've been obsessed with this trip for most of this year, reading and planning and checking out all the options. Its hard for me to back off and relax about it, but I know that if I don't, I'm gonna be all stressed out about making it perfect. Its never perfect, and I have to make myself relax and enjoy it anyway.

Thanks for all your input everyone!

 

[disneymom3]

I sooo know where you are coming from with the two extra days mentality. DH and I have been having this ticket conversation too and sanity (also known as DH) has prevailed. My original plan was to get 10 day, nonexpiring passes. Then I saw that on Ticket Mania, the 10 days with 5 pluses were only like $20 more so, I added that in. We know we are going back to WDW sometime, DD is 9 so will be an adult ticket by the time we return and we could get that free upgrade to the adult ticket AND this way, the per day price is down. Ahhhh, but the tickets cost a total of $600 more than the 5 day expiring hoppers we could easily get by with.

We have all of the money in the bank that we need for this trip. It is in it's own little account and we could "afford" the more expensive tickets. However, we are now spending about $1000 on our tickets instead of the $1600 some of the "Big" plan. It makes sense even though I would have loved those other tickets! There is even only about a $25 difference for our whole family between the 5 day and the 7 day. However, we know we won't be in the parks for all 7 days. And I have now decided that we can use that $25 for something else. (Like dessert at Goofy's Candy Shop!!)

So, take what you've got and have a great time is my advice. I hope you and your wife can both be comfortable with the arrangement you have and that you have some good family time together.

 

[JodyTG]

You're right! Advertising and stores have "taught us" that you SAVE BY SPENDING!

To say it that way it sounds foolish, but you know what I mean: You go to JC Penny's (I use their name because they're notorious for this) and find jeans on sale for buy-one-get-one-free. You hadn't actually thought about needing more jeans, but when this good price presents itself you decide to pick up two pair. After all, some of yours are getting old. When you check out, the clerk proudly announces, "You saved $30 today!" WRONG. You SPENT $30; you have $30 less than you did when you entered the store. Though the jeans will be a useful item, they were an impulse buy not a need. The store still made a profit. Yet through the skillful use of a sale, the store has convinced you to buy AND they've made you believe that you saved money.

My husband is working on getting me off of this, also. But my problem is to go to buy a pair of shoes and see the "BUY ONE GET ONE HALF OFF" sign. His thinking...but you only need one pair. My thinking...but if I don't get a second pair half off then I'm losing money.

I'm getting better...it just takes time.

 

[minnie61650]

Hey Don,
Congrats! Your WDW dream is coming true.
Glad you and dw are working extra shifts to make this dream come true.

I also agree that while it is fun to go as big group with extended family members you will need some time (a couple of days) apart. That way each family has a breather and can explore the parks on their own. then perhaps you can meet back at the condo or the Ponderosa for dinner. As far as church goes I think it's perfectly fine to opt out if dw is agreeable to that. You will be spending all Saturday with her brother and his family. Just let them know you have other plans. After all you have been planing this vacation for months. I think they will understand.

If dsil is serious about the offer to not let you pay for the tickets you should say thanks and let her pay for them. Airfare for those dates from SLC to Orlando is about 325 (that's the low end price) a person so that would be $750 for 2 plus 340 for the condo which totals 1090. That's about the same as the price of the tickets. Plus add the airfare for her children and she is getting a bargain. If it works out that she does cover the tickets than I would suggest no matter how tempting you put your tax return to paying off some those bills.
Hopefully that would help your dw see that you are dedicated to getting rid of the debt also. If you still do a couple of extra pizza runs after the vacation and dedicate that money towards paying off the debt I think it will help your financial recovery greatly.

In regards to the extra 2 days you want to extend your vacation ;I can understand your dw feelings that maybe you are pushing.
But I also understand that you want to take better advantage of your park tickets.
Perhaps you could plan to spend your week at the parks and then if dw agrees you get a condo near the beach for Fri and Sat nights. That way you could spend part of Friday the 9th at a park then head for the beach. Enjoy the beach all day
Saturday and leave for the airport early Sunday morning. By doing this you have had a restful day before heading back. Does jetblue fly into Tampa? If it does than maybe you could go to Clearwater and fly out of Tampa. Since the parks tend to less crowed during the week and be busier on Saturdays it might make more sense to enjoy the parks during the week and spend Saturday at the beach.
Congrats on your weight loss and better health program. Don't become discouraged I think you have taken a giant step toward better health. Keep up the good work and have a great time at Disney!
PS I am looking forward to reading your trip report.
Keep us posted.

 

[bopper]

Since you haven't been to Disney before, you may not know this, but you will get "parked out" if you go to a park every day. If you are going to be there for 7 days, I would only recommend 5 days of tickets. Go to parks for two days, then have a day off. THen two more days of parks, then a day off. THe days in between you sleep in, or go to the pool, or window shop in Downtown Disney, or check out other resorts.
Are you getting the park hoppers? We don't because we never park hop. We just stay at one park all day.