HELP How to cure a bad case of Disneyitis???

[busymomma123]

We have been to DW the past two years. This year we are really working on paying down debt. I was doing really good at being focused on it until we watched the Travel Channel last Sunday with all the Disney shows. Now I want to go sooooooo bad.
I have been totally consumed by it for the last week. We have went through trip pictures, and been on the website too many times. Money has been really tight since we got back last Aug. My sons both had to have surgery last year. Since my husband is self employed, we have had to pay lots of dr bills before we met our deductible. We are finally starting to see the light on them, and need to stay focused on some other debt.
I know Disney is putting on their commercials just on my tv all this last week. I an driving myself, DH and others crazy. Any suggestions for curing this disneyitis???

 

[sk!mom]

There isn't a cure. Remember though- if you give in and go even though you can't afford it you will still want to go again next year AND your debts will have grown. Those who are Disney obsessed never get enough.

On the other hand, if you have the discipline to pay off your debts and then go you will enjoy it so much more as it will be a guilt free vacation. Maybe you should use this desire to your benefit- cut expenses as much as possible or get a first or second job to speed up your debt repayment.

 

[ILuvJimny]

I don't know if it will help, but I would suggest picking out a date to go NEXT year, then start your planning for it. That will give your budget a break for this year, but you can still start thinking about where to stay and what to see and do. You can watch the board for tips and just have much longer to get everything PERFECT. I know it's a long time to plan, but I really do find that much of the joy is in the planning and the anticipation.

 

[justplaingoofy]

High doses of Benadryl and wine

Why not set a goal? When you get your debt to a certain amount you can start to plan, then when you accomplish that...take your trip...

I know you only live once, but I don't think I could completely enjoy myself if I knew it may put us into problems

 

[tink2dw]

MY devious Plan to outwit Disneyitis is to always keep planning!!! By,
reading the DIS,
Learn New Budget hints,
Try to find cheap air fare[very difficult from where I live],
stay on top of deals,
find cheaper Passes,

find new ideas for things to take for Breakfast to eat in the room, My new favorite is breakfast bars like Special K, and the chocolate Rice Krispies with milk, and the Raisin Bran ones, plus I like the Little Debbies Star Crunch, too.

Someone asks me what month it is I'am always 6 months a head because of my constant planning. This got me thru 5 years of bad money troubles. At the end it worked out we got to go to WDW!!!

 

[darlak]

I too think that some of the fun is in the planning. Start planning. As soon as possible, book a trip online for when you think you might be able to afford to go. Once that trip is booked and my down payment is made, I'm SO motivated to make it happen that I can cut corners where I never before thought possible. After that's done, when the need to be there gets bad, you can spend a couple of hours looking at Disney menus and mentally planning your ADR's. I plan to the minute, then always decide to go with the flow other than planning my parks days around EMH and ADR's. Also, I never stay off-site, but I would if I had to. It can save you big bucks and maybe get you there quicker. Start exploring all of your options. You might be able to go sooner than you realize and if not, then at least when you do go, you'll know you've made the best plans possible.

 

[lisaj68]

Another idea would be to help someone else who is trying to plan a trip during Christmas and is totally clueless!!! Gee, can't think of anyone like that off the top of my head (ahem, ) !

You know, MVMCP or not? CP - to dine with package or without?

Just kidding! In all seriousness, planning for the next trip while paying off the bills sounds like your best bet! And keep reading the DIS !

 

[DawnM]

I have it too.

Last week DH agreed to go to Disney even though we still have debt.....then he looked at the bank account a little closer.....SO CLOSE!

I am applying for jobs. If I get an offer, we will go ahead and go before I start work in the late summer/early fall. But right now I don't have an offer and my youngest needs major surgery and we will have to pay $1,000 of the deductable.

So, you are not alone! We WILL get there.....when we can do it with CASH!

Just so you know....other vacations aren't looking much cheaper. we thought we would go to the NC mountains instead.....UGH!~ It would be over $1,000 just for lodging for 6 nights. We will forgo the mountains and save for Disney.

Dawn

 

[Traveliz]

Its so hard isn't it...I would work toward it in the nonconventional ways - if you don't all ready.

Start mypoints and some of the other reward programs, do surveys...use this money or the gcs to pay down debt even faster and you will be ready for a Disney trip before you know it...or do mypoints and the surveys and set those gcs aside for you trip fund!

Good luck and have fun!
Liz

 

[sandy6879]

I'm right there with you - we can't do Disney this year since we have our honeymoon 7/7-7/12 and then a family cruise 8/11-8/18. It's KILLING me to not do free dining this year but in the middle of the cruises we'll be putting our house on the market to move to AZ....so there really is no possible way to squeeze a trip in. I'm looking at next year for it though so I'll be planning with you!

 

[busymomma123]

Thanks for all the advice. Its nice to know I am not alone in this. I think as long as we keep making progress, we will go next year for our anniversary in September.

You are so right about planning being just as much fun as actually going. Its nice to have something to look forward to. I don't know how I became so addicted to going to DW. I think its because we never went as a child. Then two years ago, I discovered how wonderful it is there. I used to make fun of people who went or wanted to go every year. NOW I am one of them. Oh well. There's a lot of worse things to be addicted to.

 

[familydisney]

I'm even worse! We literally just got back from DL and were at WDW in Sept. Now all I can think about is the next trip. DH has said it has to be at least a year and it's killing me. Yes, I know we are so fortunate to have gone so much already, but I agree with the earlier poster who said for fanatics, it's never enough. Both my DS are just as bad as I am (and DH too, though he plays tough whenever we get back) so it's like we feed off each other's needs to go back.
I think the only cure is to become an official trip planner or, even better, a paid guide. Now there's an idea. Have people pay you to come with them on their trips, plan their days, ADRs, etc... I'm available for any interested parties!

 

[vellamint]

I cant believe we are not going this year and am having withdrawels myself!! All this talk of free dining is KILLING me - we went during it last year and it was amazing.

To get myself through I have already decided on a trip next year, subscribed to Tour Guide Mike and have started my planning sheets lol!!

But for the short run....I decided I would take my two daughters to see Beauty and the Beast on Broadway as my birthday present (Yeah!). Have wanted to see this for years and since it is closing this July I bought the tickets last night. Now I can look forward to this (end of May).

 

[busymomma123]

I loved the idea of saving the left over money from the grocery budget for a WDW fund. Its helped me stick to our weekly budget money for groceries. Plus any spare change that I find I add to the fund. Just with in a couple of weeks, I have saved over $18.00. I know its not much, but its a start. We aren't planning to go until 10/08, but this still keeps me excited about waiting. Thanks for the idea.

 

[Misty89]

i have a way to fight it off.............it has cured me i can really say i do not want to go to WDW ( for a LONG time)
Not sure if $$ is a factor for you, but i tell myself over and over i would have to save ( which i have a really hard time) every cent i make to save cash for a trip, meaning doing without the little that we have already....no out to eat ( which we only do 1x month already), NO cable, and realize that i have to pay my bills......( very little income to debt ratio)
Besides the fact that we have to fly, hotel, etc= even for a weekend, (that does not NOT make sense since we have to waste almost a day before and after traveling) would take me 2 years to save that extra.
We have not traveled anywhere ( not even in state by choice)since our 2004 WDW trip, i like to think that was a trip of a lifetime and treasure it always

 

[LSchrow]

AFAIK, there really is no cure (many DISners start planning their next while still in WDW ).

some ideas:
start a journal. write down your wants/need (attractions, dining, etc) for your next WDW vacation. make packing lists.

each week (or whenever is best for you), add a small amount to a disney GC, or buy disney dollars. ask for the same for presents. log it into your journal.

think of your next WDW as a "dream vacation", and something worth waiting & saving for.

 

[WendyisDarling]

I'm right there with you, OP. We went the last two years and I so want to go this year. We (DH) decided we should do an inexpensive trip this year. I have a bunch of Hilton points, so we are using those and driving to a destination only about 6 hours away. I am not interested in planning that trip at all. The family will probably be disappointed when we arrive and there is no itinerary . We'll just figure things out. (
BUT, we are going summer of 2008. I've told DH that we are staying longer this year than we did before. He just laughed. He knows I am not kidding and he will humor me.
I think he secretly has Disneyitis, too. He started making resort suggestions
I play around online for now. I don't think I can make an online reservation for August 2008 (only time we can ever go) this soon. But, it is fun comparing and daydreaming. I guess I need a cure, too.