Economy - I'm totally confused??

[des1954]

We bought seasonal 2 park passes to Universal. We haven't been to US for about 2-3 years, so the $99 price was good and we said - what the heck - let's get them & go.

Yesterday we went for the afternoon and the place was totally packed!! There was a vast array of young people, families with young kids, old farts like us....all ages!! Food is not cheap at US, yet the restaurants were SRO, and the walk-up's the same. People were flocking the gift stores & buying stuff.

All the theme parks in Orlando are saying they are feeling the hurt of the economy. If the economy is hurting so badly, where are all these people coming from, and where are they getting their money from??

Florida is said to have the 3rd highest forclosure rate in the nation, with Sarasota at #3 & Tampa Bay at #12. There are no jobs to speak of in this area that are above entry level pay, and companies are pulling out left and right.

My question is..... WHO HAS ALL THE MONEY??? WHERE ARE THEY GETTING IT FROM??? I WANT SOME, TOO!

On another note - going to Universal confirmed my love for the Disney parks. There was litter everywhere, restrooms on the virge of being filthy, CM's non-existant and the ones that were there you could tell were not happy and very stressed. That's why we have had Disney AP's for about 20 years and only get passes to the other theme parks once every 3-5 years. Disney is always fresh and clean, and pretty much relaxing. (Well, MK can get dicey when it's crowded - but for the most part - it's usually clean.) I came out of US extremely pooped from dodging people & then had to walk to the last parking garage on property, which is further than walking from the Epcot exit to the very last space in the Epcot lot - only there are no trams at US - you gotta walk or take the stupid people mover belts. Big deal - you are still standing.

I love Disney . They are more guest friendly IMHO.

 

[Brer Bear]

Like you said..the price was good! US seems to cater to a more adult crowd and a less picky crowd for sure. Don't get me wrong, we have been to US plenty, but it's just not Disney!

Bang for your buck, it's hard to beat US for their ticket prices, but the lack of detail and customer service is VERY apparent compared to Disney or even some of the Six flags/Busch Gardens parks.

Heck...who cares about paying their mortgage anymore....Obambi is gonna fix it!

 

[big kahuna1]

Don't get me wrong. The economy is bad but it is not in crisis mode as our Dear Leader and Messiah is portraying it to be. He has to keep his sheep in line so the portrayal was necessary to pass the Porkulus bill.

 

[stacktester]

I was at MK last night and it was packed. It was the latest of the parks closing but still, it was SRO. It makes me wonder if only the theme parks are busy. Maybe it's peoples way to escape. I went to Ohana to eat and the line to get in was crazy. $30 a person to eat there didn't seem to stop anyone.

The campground was packed as well. I didn't go through every loop but when we went by 2000 and 1500 they were packed. I went through 700-1100 loops and not one site was open.

I like some of the rides at US/IOA as well but it's a get in and get out for me.

 

[des1954]

I know living in the biggest tourist area of the country skews my view of the economy. I hear on the news and from talk radio hosts that unemployment is at an all time high, debt & forclosure is rampant, and everyone is losing their $$$ (at least my IRA has lost a lot). But then I see our local restaurants packed on any given night, the malls are packed, the movie theaters are packed, theme parks are packed, and I wonder....if the economy is as bad as the news says it is,,,, where are these people getting their disposable income from???? Are they saying "the hell with it" and maxing all their credit cards?

 

[ftwildernessguy]

My take is that the economy is not as bad as the media projects. Typical of the media, they promote bad news in the interest of ratings. The worse the news is, the better they like it. Plus, the Obamanation got the stimulus bill thru without so much as a whimper because everybody is convinced we are all gonna die. I was getting so depressed that I stopped watching the news at night, and I feel a lot better for it. Today I heard on the radio a report about Six Flags in New Jersey. They are getting ready for the season by hiring all their seasonal help. Anyway, the lead off was about a lady who was laid off from her 80,000 a year job and got a job at Six Flags for minimum wage. In the interview, she implied the layoff just gave her an opportunity to do something she always wanted to do, not that she was desperate. Disappointed in the answer to their questions, the interviewer stated that teenagers as young as 14 were applying for jobs "to help support their families." Hello - these theme parks have hired 14 year olds for summer jobs for years. My kids worked at 14 at Dorney Park here in Allentown for work experience, spending money, savings and a fun experience. They were NOT helping to support us. So my solution for a happier life and a better economy - turn the darned news off, go out to eat, shop for what you want, go on vacation and enjoy your life.

 

[stacktester]

I don't think it's as bad as the media would like you to think. There's certain areas of the economy, construction, financial and automakers just to name a few that are really hurting. The big ticket items if you will. A lot of companies have lowered profits to stay in business. IMHO, people have just gotten mean as hell in this economy. Just because times are rough they treat the stores or businesses like they are privilaged that they would buy their product from them. No matter what the quality is or service, people think it's a bad economy, I'll do whatever I please.

If you listen to Rush, Neal and Hannity, they will absolutely make you think tomorrow is the last day and you're going to eat your last meal today. I'm a Republican and conservative, but the gov't screwing the people didn't start January 20th. They've been pros at this for quite some time. All I can say is the Republicans better get a better candidate to run in 12 than we had in 08. We had several good candidates but picked McCain? Come now, we can't do better than that? I say start now finding somebody. The democrats hopefully will show you can't use everybody elses money and be ousted very easily. George Bush made a bitter taste in a lot of peoples mouths over the years and caused problems for our party but one thing I'll say is no more bombs went off and no more planes crashed into buildings. He inhereted the terrorists during his 1st few months of office and IMO never got a chance to do much else than fight this war. I see all these bumper stickers that say stop this endless war and I think yeah, let's go back in time and forget going to Iraq and Afghanistan (sp?) and fight it here in LA or New York or wherever the terrorists find a hole in the security. Now if you want to see a messed up economy, see what a dirty bomb does to miles of it's detonation and how many people would be killed and the land ruined for years and see where the economy would be. I'm not defending Bush for every mistake he made, but he did what he had to do to keep us safe from terrorism.

 

[stacktester]

My take is that the economy is not as bad as the media projects. Typical of the media, they promote bad news in the interest of ratings. The worse the news is, the better they like it. Plus, the Obamanation got the stimulus bill thru without so much as a whimper because everybody is convinced we are all gonna die. I was getting so depressed that I stopped watching the news at night, and I feel a lot better for it. Today I heard on the radio a report about Six Flags in New Jersey. They are getting ready for the season by hiring all their seasonal help. Anyway, the lead off was about a lady who was laid off from her 80,000 a year job and got a job at Six Flags for minimum wage. In the interview, she implied the layoff just gave her an opportunity to do something she always wanted to do, not that she was desperate. Disappointed in the answer to their questions, the interviewer stated that teenagers as young as 14 were applying for jobs "to help support their families." Hello - these theme parks have hired 14 year olds for summer jobs for years. My kids worked at 14 at Dorney Park here in Allentown for work experience, spending money, savings and a fun experience. They were NOT helping to support us. So my solution for a happier life and a better economy - turn the darned news off, go out to eat, shop for what you want, go on vacation and enjoy your life.

I LOVE YOU JIM !!!!!!!! You hit the nail right on the head.

 

[ftwildernessguy]

I think one of the big problems with finding a decent presidential candidate was finding somebody who was willing to take on this mess. Personally, I wouldn't have wanted to fight for a job that started out with a financial mess like this one.

 

[2goofycampers]

I think one of the big problems with finding a decent presidential candidate was finding somebody who was willing to take on this mess. Personally, I wouldn't have wanted to fight for a job that started out with a financial mess like this one.

Or having the other party and media scrutinize your and everyone that knows you every move since birth.

 

[auntie]

As far as the crowds at the parks..I'm also thinking this was winter break for a lot of schools up north. I know our district was off this week. If you had plans to vacation..you also made them a while ago. As getting last minute airfares for this week would be difficult..and extremely expensive. I did see photos on another board(I know..I cheated, I'm sorry ) of the MK from the week before..and it looked pretty empty..so who knows. Some compared it to the time period after 9-11.

 

[OK GRUMPY]

Jim & Donnie very well put!
I work in a Bank and I have to listen to the news every hour I'm at work, It's playing in the lobby and my office is right off the lobby so I hear it! I try and tune it out but every so often my boss comes out of her office and say's man Obamas going to do this. that stimulas package suchs ,our taxes are going up any way what ever is going on politicaly my boss has to add her 2 cents which is like a double whammy. I do blame the media for feeding the fire.

 

[auntie]

I know living in the biggest tourist area of the country skews my view of the economy. I hear on the news and from talk radio hosts that unemployment is at an all time high, debt & forclosure is rampant, and everyone is losing their $$$ (at least my IRA has lost a lot). But then I see our local restaurants packed on any given night, the malls are packed, the movie theaters are packed, theme parks are packed, and I wonder....if the economy is as bad as the news says it is,,,, where are these people getting their disposable income from???? Are they saying "the hell with it" and maxing all their credit cards?

I think that's the same as looking at Times Square, and not seeing much of difference in the tourism. People are still coming. They come from all over the world.
Only locally, restaurants are running specials, trying to entice patrons back through their doors. Works for me..one of our favorites is giving 25% off Mon. through Thrus. Not a chain type restaurant, but local to the area. This particular neighborhood spot has been in business for over 40 years. I think everyone is feeling the pinch.

 

[DaddyDon]

Sorry fellow board members...tell the 1200 co workers at my plant that its not so bad...We will be all out of a job by June...I wonder if i will get a bail out to save my home..To have food or elec in my house...It may not be so bad in your neck of the woods but it stinks here...Oh i know the 330 dollars a week in unemployment is going to make up the difference...Maybe you and susie orman plan to lose $3000 plus a month in your budget but i have not... Dont even get me started .....

 

[des1954]

Don -

I truly know where you are coming from. My DH was unemployed for 6 months last year & the unemployment was about 1/4 of what he made in a bad week. Thankfully, the church that employs me bumped me up to full time & I took a part time job with Home Depot. That, plus a savings account we HAD, helped us thru. Now, the savings is gone, but DH - after one really crappy job found a job that, although we still have to watch our pennies, we don't have to watch them quite as closely.

See if your company or state is offering any $$$ to train for a different career. If so, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT. You are going to have to learn to be flexible and you are definitely going to need to learn how to do more with less. If we can do it - and we're both in our mid-50's - so can you.

It's just not the same world we grew up in. There is no longer any such thing as a "safe" career.

 

[ntsammy5]

Or having the other party and media scrutinize your and everyone that knows you every move since birth.

Yup - why do you think we don't get good candidates to run.

This economy is bad - by any standard, but it is spotty. Banks are almost drained of capital to the point that both BOA & Citi are technically insolvent - without the bailout they would be out of business now.

As for amusement parks - Disney is having large layoffs and is cutting left and right because they are having financial difficulties - no matter what it looks like people are not spending.

Having said that there are parts of the economy that are doing well - I just don't know which parts they are - I hear that the DC area is fine because that's where the government jobs are.

 

[des1954]

As for amusement parks - Disney is having large layoffs and is cutting left and right because they are having financial difficulties - no matter what it looks like people are not spending.

Having said that there are parts of the economy that are doing well - I just don't know which parts they are - I hear that the DC area is fine because that's where the government jobs are.

Disney is having layoffs - not LARGE layoffs. While jobs in management are going - those are the ones where they don't need counterparts in both CA & FL doing the same jobs. Also, they are not doing as much hiring - so they are cutting back in HR. 500-600 between CA & FL. In "Disney Circles" that's not a lot of layoff's. So far as I've heard, the hourly jobs are safe. But those jobs are not the big expenditures. When they start shutting down resorts like they did after 9/11, then we know Disney is feeling a BIG hurt.

 

[2goofycampers]

I was flipping thru the TV channels and there was a show telling how the only bisinesses that are up are the repo car business and home foreclosure business. I quickly kept flipping, this is very sad.

I know alot of people who can't afford to go or do anything, I know some that can afford to but are too scared to spend any money right now. So those that are having fun I say more power to them, they are keeping the economy going some, I hope they are doing it with cold hard cash and not MasterCard, cause that will bite you in the butt.

 

[tinkerbell34]

I work and live in Sarasota county and things are bad here. There are MANY vacant homes here. Also, I work for a large medical practice and we have many patients who just can't afford to come in for medical care anymore and are struggling to pay for their medications. People are waiting until castrophie strikes and ending up in the ER.
Disney is feeling the pinch also. If they were not we wouldn't have "come free on your birthday" and the "4 for 3" deals you see now. They have to entice people to come somehow. We are going for a small weekend trip coming up. I feel a bit foolish spending money I feel I should be saving, however, it is worth it to "get away" to the most magical place in our corner of the world. Besides, I made a promise to my son if he brought up his grades from D's and F's to A's and B's I'd take him to Disney. He did so now I must follow through on my promise.

 

[ftwildernessguy]

While things have slowed down at my office, I haven't decided how much is due to layoffs and loss of insurance and how much is due to fear and people wanting to hold on to the money that would be spent on copays and deductibles. In many cases, I think it's the latter. There is no doubt that numbers and stats have little meaning when you are on the receiving end of a layoff. I took my hit from the VA last November and it hurts. But not spending money makes a bad situation worse - resulting in lower demand for goods and services and more layoffs. It's a real catch 22 that relies on consumer confidence, of which there is none right now.