"How can you afford a Disney Trip?"

[Tiggerlover91]

For me it's quite simple....who cares what everyone says!! If I can afford to go to Disney WITHOUT putting my family into debt then so be it!

I wanted to go this year for our anniversary, but financially even with a $1500 income tax return, it didn't fit into the family budget. (Who said that...budget??!! ) I don't get the nagging as much as I get...wow, Denise, wish we could afford to go to Disney like you and Charles can. Now DH and I have only been twice in the last 5 years, but I'm okay with that. I asked him could we go celebrate our 15th there and he's considering it, but no promises yet. You know what though...I'm okay with that. I've outgrown my I WANT TO BE THERE NOW AND I WANT TO BE THERE TODAY Disney syndrome. I wanted to go every year if I could and I was so jealous of those that did, but now I've finally realized that when DH and I are supposed to be there, we WILL be there.

DH and I have come a looooooooong way since last year and we have been so very blessed throughout this year, I can't thank GOD enough for what he's done. DH and I have been blessed to be in Nashville in April and to New Orleans of this month celebrating our anniversary. In August we will be travelling again for a concert that DH and some friends are performing at in Alabama and in September we are hoping to make it home to South Carolina. We haven't travelled this much ever and I am so thankful that we have been able to afford it this year without putting the family in the hole. DH missed a week of work due to our anniversary celebration and a very wonderful person put a check in his hand for wages that he would have made had he worked. This check wasn't expected or asked for, my DH was doing the work of Our Father and he was blessed with what's called a love offering. Now isn't that cool?

So anyway, I just plan other trips instead of Disney. Is it as much fun...kinda, but nothing makes me happier in planning trips than one to Disney. I hope to be there celebrating our 15th in 3 years. Who knows what Disney will look like then. If DH and I are blessed enough, I would love to take his mother and younger sister with us. His sister has been, but his mother NEVER has. I think I will discuss with DH and see what he thinks. I'm sure taking his mother to Disney would do his heart good. His mother means so much to him and he loves doing what he can for her. Wow...that idea came out of nowhere...well actually I know EXACTLY where the idea came from, but that's between me and Him.

 

[MrsPete]

I don't quite understand the "making memories with my children" idea. I make memories with my children every day! Maybe it's just a talk while walking the dog, maybe it's washing the dishes together, maybe it's laying on the trampoline while it's getting dark. Family memories are FREE -- and you can make them anywhere. You don't have to spend money or go somewhere special or plan ahead. Some of the best times we've had with our family have been camping trips. It's just together time.

I suspect that many people are just too busy at home to do that. Changing the subject slightly, I think that's why people enjoy going out to dinner so much. There's no laundry calling your name, the phone doesn't ring, and you get to spend undivided time with your family.

Don't get me wrong . . . I love vacations -- Disney or otherwise. But if you're living FOR those 1-2 weeks per year (and that's what I 'm hearing some people say here), you should consider what's going on in between vacations.

And I still maintain that security should come before luxuries. I personally couldn't enjoy an expensive vacation if I didn't know I was in solid shape financially.

 

[Minnie's Mate]

...houses, cars, etc are just THINGS, they really don't mean much to a child....but making memories with your child can last a lifetime!

There is the old addage that says no rich man ever said "I wish I had spent more time at the office" on his death bed but many have said "I wish I had spent more time with my children".

We often are asked don't we get tired of going to Disney World all the time...we go twice per year since our oldest was 10 mos. old and last year we went 5 times. And I always respond, "How many places can you go on vacation and both parents have a great time and their kids have an equally great time." I think this makes it our kid's vacation as much as ours and I think that make us less selfish as parents than people like one of my employees who makes less than I do, whose wife makes less than mine does, yet he saves all year (or more likely charges everything and spends the next year paying off the credit cards) and spends $5,000 every fall going to his college football games. His wife spends $300 each month to board her horse. (He told me both of these) I can take my family to WDW twice for that $5000 and stay in deluxes each time. Not to mention the $300/month could be an extra trip or two to WDW.

My three year old asks to go back to "Di-ney Wurld" almost every day since we were there in April. He listens to Disney music in the car and says "I rode that, I saw that!" to nearly every song on the CD. My employee's daughter is 8 and has been to WDW only once when she was 6 and asks to go back every year and he tells her, "We can't afford it this year."

I have a friend who also is surprised by how often we go to WDW. He is on the golf course every week end. He has great clubs and nice golf shoes. What does his three kids get out of that? What does his wife get out of that? Well maybe a little time alone on Saturday, but that's it.

I would like to go to the beach every summer, but we go every other summer and still make it to Disney twice each year. Our kids are really board at the beach (we prefer St. George Island, FL where there are houses, but no recreation to speak of). We are taking advantage of the AP rate for Disney's Vero Beach Resort in mid-July so they will have a few more things to do.

I agree that luxuries should come when you can afford them, but not everyone has a home that is paid for. We don't, but we are secure. We waited until later in life to have kids so we would be and so we could afford to give them things like a nice trip to WDW more often.

I have enough self-esteme that I don't have to have two new cars and the car payments that go with them and a larger house just to impress someone else. If you have a decent income and good credit you can lease some of the most expensive cars on the road, but you know, by the time that first payment is made, you are just making payments on a used car!

Try turning the tables and think how absurd your in-laws life style was when your DH was growing up. Then explain it to her from your perspective. A good, and wise, friend told me after I got married, "If you wait to have children 'til you can afford them, you never will have them." Likewise, for the average person, if you wait 'til you can afford a house and a trip to Disney World, your 3 year old won't be 3 yrs. old and you will have missed that quality time with him. We do make memories with our kids every day, but those aren't the ones that come to mind first when our kids are older. They remember the special fun they had on their special family vacations. The rest falls into the category of having a pleasant childhood by the time they go off to college.

Boy, I didn't mean to be so long winded when I started this, but priorities are different for everyone and no one should be judged for making the decisions they do as long as no one suffers as a result of those decisions.

By the way, why don't you just tell your MIL that you are taking the trip now and will use the money you would have used to help take care of her in her old age to buy a house since your having a house is so important to her.

 

[jacksonsmom]

Originally posted by Minnie's Mate



Try turning the tables and think how absurd your in-laws life style was when your DH was growing up. Then explain it to her from your perspective. A good, and wise, friend told me after I got married, "If you wait to have children 'til you can afford them, you never will have them."

That is true, My DH refuses to have our son grow up not enjoying life a little. DH has told me he didn't have a fun childhood. I am just not talking WDW vacations, but even small things like going to the fair, zoo (which our local zoo is FREE), etc.
His family just didn't take the time to do that kind of stuff.
I think that is pretty sad.
That is why we do alot with our son. We go to the parks, DH takes him out on the bike, we go to the movies (just got back from seeing Finding Nemo), we also have "pizza parties" at home & watch movies as a family, we go to the zoo, the Children's Museum, etc.


Boy, I didn't mean to be so long winded when I started this, but priorities are different for everyone and no one should be judged for making the decisions they do as long as no one suffers as a result of those decisions.

Agree 100%. Like I said in one of my post, we decided to have a couple garage sales & I sold on Ebay & we put all that EXTRA money in a separate account to pay for our trip. We are still paying our debts up & all the 'normal' monthly bills, but decided to have some fun too. Our last "big" vacation was in 2000 (to San Diego) and decided it was time again. We have had a little weekend trips & such but sometimes it is nice to have a 'big' vacation to places you normally would not go to

By the way, why don't you just tell your MIL that you are taking the trip now and will use the money you would have used to help take care of her in her old age to buy a house since your having a house is so important to her.

LOL!!! Now I LOVE that comment!!!

 

[Wolfelaw]

I also go to Disney every year, much to the thinly-veiled disapproval of some of my family -- but unlike most of you responsible people, I go whether or not I can really afford it, and often charge most everything (doesn't anyone else do this?) If I really looked into it, I am sure I would find that I am still paying for my first trip that I took four years ago. I am a single mom with one child, and I figure that very soon he won't want anything to do with his old mom, and then I can start being responsible and pay off all the credit card debt. Until then, we go and have a great time and take tons of pictures and he gets all of my attention for a little while and I'm not crabby and worried about work and I know that I (and hopefully him) will treasure these memories forever. To me, this is so worth carrying a relatively large credit card balance.

 

[mickeysaver]

You know, I get grief about going to WDW too. We don't even have kids and we too live in an apartment. We keep getting the stuff about saving for a house and stuff, but in the end, I am the one that's responsible for the decisions I make about how I spend my money. I ask for no outside help. So, I have no trouble telling my family and friends to shut up. lol

As for the issue of your little one being too young to remember, so what?!?! Part of the magic of a WDW vacation for adults is being able to see the wonder in a child's eyes. It's a priceless bonus. Time and money spent on a vacation is never wasted when spent at WDW. IMHO Mickey

 

[tiggerrules]

Ah the stories I can tell about how we can't afford to go to Disney.

About 21 years ago wifey and I honeymooned in Disneyland. We scrimped and saved, bought the trip and 3 weeks before we were to go I lost my job. My attitude was that the trip is already paid for, we've paid our bills so off to Disneyland we went. Had a great time and vowed to come back in 3 years. My MIL griped so much about how we can't afford it that the next time we went we took MY parents. Again, had a great time and on top of that paid for the entire group--airfare and all. 3 years later we did it again! Each and every time we were told that we were foolish and never should do that and on and on and on. We lived in an apartment at the time and took one year of Disney money and bought a condo...and went to Disneyland the same year with our 6 year old daughter! How rude, not listening to the MIL!

Two years after that wifey came down with colon cancer. Uh oh...bad news. She got through it, no sign of cancer for 4 years now (and believe me we check often), paid the hospital bills and then horror upon horror planned another Disney trip. Again the MIL whined about how we can't afford it, its stupid and a waste of money and after all her daughter has been sick and...you get the idea. Well, to her we said....thrrrrrp! We bought a house and...ARE GOING TO WDW in 59 days...not that we're counting.

Here is what I say to those who whine about the cost. You only live once, you never know what will happen so if you spend a ton of money--and Disney is expensive--on something that you all enjoy then by all means don't feel guilty and do it!

Would we be better off saving the WDW money? No, we wouldn't have fun and since MIL isn't going we're going to have a blast! (Did I say that?)

Go to Disney, have fun and don't look back!

 

[tiggerrules]

I just check the countdown...its wrong...we do have 58 days not 28...sigh

 

[Ecdubfan]

Ah man, if I had a dollar for every time my mil griped about how she "disapproved" about how I spend my money, I could probably live at Disney. Its not limited to just our annual Disney jaunt, either. We did bring the mil along on our last trip (free babysitter ) and she loved it so she doesn't really gripe much about our travelling anymore. She just finds other things.

I just ignore her, but its really none of her business. She's not going to stop us, so why fret over it.

 

[buzz5985]

I think I enjoy more the people that are telling you it's a waste of your money to go to Disney - and to see how these same people waste their money. I have a friend, I lover her to death. We have been friends for 25 years. She just left her DH, has 3 DS's. Now she is living with her boyfriend from when she was 18. Now a "Modified Face Lift", and Lyposuction later, just bought a house for $389,000, and putting on a $200,000 addition, bought a Hitchcock table for a bargain - $6,000. She sits there and tells me how lucky I am that I can afford to bring my DS to Disney!!!!

Meanwhile I am driving a 1993 car with 135,000 miles on it. And she drives a Volvo. Go figure. LOL

And as for bringing children too young?? My DS was 4. He really believed all the characters were real. He had his stuffed animals with him (Big Dog, and Lucky), came back to the room and they were "watching TV". Later on he was whispering to them "I always knew you were real!!!"

 

[tebright]

It's so funny listening to these stories about families not approving Disney trips.

We are going in December and nothing is going to stop me. We were there 2 years ago with my parents (who are the most critical) but this time we are going alone(just hubby, me and 2 kids). Listen to this one....I'm not even telling my parents that we are going to Disney until 2 weeks before. It's funny how dysfunctional this sounds but hey I don't want her to drive me crazy for the next 6 months.

 

[YesDear]

My first trip to Disney was not until I was twenty-six in 1981. (Oh, please excuse the long explanation. It does have a point) It was the first summer after marriage to my DW. I was not aware then that I had married a Disney freak. Growing up, my family always went to the beach. My granddad had purchased a house at Myrtle Beach the year I was born, so we went there. Great summers...just only place we went.

You have to remember that MK was all that was there then. Epcot still being built. We of course had little money so we came with some friends. DW wife displayed her blossoming planning skills by getting us a deal at this new facility called Vistana. It was new concept called a timeshare. They had three buildings built on this vast open lot. We got a two bedroom condo for $78 a night! What a deal. We even listened to the sales pitch. We thought it was outrageous they would try to sell you a weeks??!! use of a condo for what they called a red week for $2,500. We of course did not do it. (but that is another story)

I guess we were there three or four days. I think we got a three day pass. I remember they were hand stamped with the date we used them on them. I remember I was impressed they were good forever! At the time I wondered if we did not use them, would they ever been used!!! LOL Litttle did I know.

I also remember riding the ferry over to the MK and looking at the Contemporary and the Polynesian thinking we will never be able to afford to stay there! Great trip, but took a been there done that sort of attitude about it. Might come back some day!

Well we did not go back until June or July of 1984. We now had DS who was 19 or 20 months old and this was his first trip to WDW. They are soooo cute at that age. We went again with a couple who were DS's god parents and MIL. DW was still blossoming as a planner. This time we got to stay on property. Not at the MK but a place called the Villas. They were located next to the quaint little shopping village called the Disney Marketplace right off a row of Hotels not owned by Disney. To make matters better she got us this package deal. We were there close to a week and the plan included meals, boats, etc. We were in high cotton now. We called it the "Sticking it to Mickey Plan" because we got far more in value than we paid. Two bedroom condo with MIL sleeping on sleeper sofa. Room overlooked the Empress Lily, a grand replica of a old paddle boat named after Mrs. Walt. It was gorgeous at night. About the only thing there at the village. We even had golf carts we could use to drive to the village from our room.

I will never, and I repeat never forget our first day with DS in the MK. In those days it was very rare to see the characters, particulary Mickey and Minnie. We had just gotten through the ticket stiles and where the plant bed below the train station is, there was Mickey and Minnie. We did not know if DS would laugh, cry, or scream his bloody head off. Minnie was swamped! No organized lines like today. We approached Minnie. There were several older kids trying to get her attention, but as soon as she saw DS she stepped out of the little circle that surrounded her and knealt down and embraced DS as if he was the only one there. I guess that was my first true exposure to pixie dust! (And yes I know that is how that happened because I have it on video tape! I had a new fangled video tape recorder that I had a backpack strapped to my back for the recorder and a camera that was the size of many cameras carried by TV stations today!@!)

Well to finally get to my point! Since that time our family has gone through the challenges many of you have expressed here. DW was downsized after 20 years with a national firm. I had a nasty divorce from a job of 14 yrs and had to start over again. But through it all, the one constant in our lives has been WDW.
We have taken great heat, comments, and looks of amazements when we have told family we were going again.

We have done WDW from The Days Inn to the Grand Plan @ the Grand Floridian. We have eaten from McDonalds to Victoria's and Albert's. We have been at all times of the year. We have been on the Big Red Boat and DW has been on the Disney Cruise.

And yes, DW is now certifiable! We even had her DNA checked and found 5 hidden Mickey's. We are now DVC members and average going 2-4 times a year. I think we have stayed in every type of hotel on the property. DS is now almost 21, has been to WDW over 40 times. In fact, he leaves for the Disney College Program in about two weeks. I guess it is genetic. I also guess it gives us more excuses to go.

I will tell you this... The family may never tire in giving you a hard time, but the memories you will have at that magical place will never be able to be replaced. Oh, and those same family members who have given us a hard time, are happy to come with us this Christmas to spend it with our DS.

Sorry again for the long post, this thread just struck something in me.

 

[SnowWitch]

Go enjoy your trip and ignore them. I used to get that all the time from people but most have come to appreiate my Disney knowledge and I have helped plan about a dozen trips for friends over the last few years.

The only remaining hold-outs. That would be my parents. God bless them. Before we built our home my fathers favorite comment, "You should put that money back for a house, your stupid!" Now that we have built our house and put in a pool its, "You should put that money on the house and get it paid off." It never ends now I just smile at him. Most of the time he doesn't even know we'rre going until; the day before we leave. I find this cuts down on the amount of crap I have to hear prior to my trip.

By the way I might mention to them when they have to start paying for the trips they can then comment on their location and frequency. This really pissed my father off but hey the truth hurts, doesn't it?

 

[dcfromva]

I have been reading this thread with interest.... this is not at all what I have experienced from my family/family-in-law/friends (well, we just don't talk about money, one of those forbidden subjects ). I am not sure I have fully appreciated them for being able to not comment ( ) How did my Mom/Mother-in-law get to be so smart? ( ). Maybe this calls for inviting them on another trip to WDW!?

My DH and I have tried to reach a balance. Our philosophy: spend money on vacation because we might not be around for retirement, but at the same time save some money for retirement, just in case we are . In short, we have a "no regrets" policy.

I think I wanted to go to DL/WDW my whole life! I wasn't able to fulfill that dream until I was 28 (DL) and 34 (WDW). We have had an even worse case of Mickey-itis ever since. My DS-14 has been to WDW about 24 times in the past 12 years (and about 6 times to DL--I am about 24 visits to DL ahead of him ). In all that time, we have never had anyone make any negative comments about going. Folks are just happy for us that we are able to go and that we like it so much. My sister and her family and Mom always try to arrange to meet us at least once a year at either DL/WDW. Maybe our families/friends have those Mickey genes, too.

You can see that we've gone to DL/WDW quite a bit and I don't find myself regretting one single visit.

I don't know what the cure is for someone who interfers with your private finacial decisions... Is there a nice, graceful, dignified way to handle something like that (at the same time gently demonstrating that you are not in a parent/child relationship anymore and can take care of your own matters) ? That sounds like a very delicate diplomatic problem!

-DC (DC making a mental note to TRY not to meddle in DS's financial affairs when he gets older )

 

[ducklite]

Tell them nicely that unless they are paying for it, it's really not their business.

That said, I would suggest that you try to buy a home as soon as possible--there are a ton of great financing options that require very little down and have fairly low monthly payments...and interest rates are low right now.

When we bought our current home (a townhouse), my bosses poo-poo'ed it...told me I should buy a "House". Well, by buying a lot less home than I could afford, it allowed me to continue to make trips to WDW and many other places, as well as pay down my mortgage VERY quickly.

DH and I bought our home seven years ago, and it has doubled in value in that time. Now we're leveraging that equity to build our dream home in Clermont, FL. It's up on a vista with an unobstructable view of WDW--we'll be able to watch the WDW fireworks from our screened in lanai every night.

I'm the one having the last laugh. My new house is worth as much as the ones they're living in, and is a LOT nicer. Besides, it's going to be my vacation home and my home home all in one

Anne

 

[dsnycrzy]

Second post and once again this discussion makes me seem so normal. My uncle, on the wealthy side has a fit when I mention I'm going to Disney World again. He thinks you have to be like "Donald Trump" to spend that kind of cash. Well he has no kids and saves every penny for "His Future". The 1st time I went it was in 98' when the castle was there and I was hooked. I have to go at least every year. I don't know how I afford it, it called saving, saving, saving. And the reward in the end is hanging with Mickey. Sorry uncle JR but Disneys for me.


This year I saved enough to take me and my 3 kids-DD10,DS7 & DD will be turning 1 the day we hit Florida. sister and her 3 kids-DS11, DD9, DS8 & DD1 1/2 and little sister (she's grown though).




WE ARE NOT TELLING UNCLE "NO DISNEY" we are going.

 

[Taurus]

Interesting posts. My family wouldn't dream of criticizing any expenditure of $$, thank goodness, even if they didn't agree. We have a mortgage and bills like most other folks but we try to balance our spending (15% into retirement savings; extra on the house each month, vacations, college savings, etc.) Putting everything into one area would be very unbalanced in my opinion. We don't try and be reckless, but we do make sure to have some nice times as our child won't be young forever and neither will we! Bottom line is parents need to let their adult children make their own decisions without interference as long as the kids don't expect mom and dad to bail them out if they don't manage well.

 

[stephaniebatesjones]

My family and I have been going every year lately, although the original plan was every 2 years. We live in an apartment as well. My friends tell us we must be rich to be able to go to disney...and especially to go so often. This is what I tell them.

My little girl has a chronic illness. She is 5 right now, but has been sick all her life. The truth of the matter is that we don't know if anyday could be her day to leave us. But honestly, none of us know that. I would rather spend money to build memories for our family as opposed to just having money sitting in the bank or have a brand new house to sit in. How is that a good trade. I can always get a house...but my little girl might not always be here. It all comes down to what you hold as a priority. Next year we are going to buy a house, but frankly I don't want it if I have to give up my vacation with my family.

Also, they don't realize that there are many ways to do it that are not very expensive. We see how much the next trip will cost, then we divide that by the # of months we have till our next trip, and we save. No eating out, for our anniversary we may eat out but we don't go big. For my dd birthday and christmas we try and give gifts that we can take to disney...like tickets to the park, or cash. Plus, my dd saves all of her money so she can spend it when she gets to disney ( any way she likes). We save all of our change in a bucket, and add it to our spending money. We also use left over days from old tickets( next year we are getting annual passes), codes, etc...

One thing is that people don't realize that you are getting what you pay for. Someone talked about the relaxation, happiness, no stress. For me, that is worth it. With all that we go through with our little girl, 1 or 2 weeks of nothing but happiness and peace for her is great ...(and the rest is well needed for us as well).

I didn't tell you guys all this to make you feel sorry for us or any such thing. I only told you this to say that everyone has things that they make a priority. And this is one of our important things. DISNEY IS LIKE OUR THING...THAT'S WHAT THIS FAMILY DOES. If this trip is something that's important to you than go for it. IT'S YOUR FAMILY...AND YOUR MEMORIES...NOT THEIRS.

Hope this helps

Steph

 

[stephaniebatesjones]

I forgot to add.

Your 3 year old will probably remember...( mine does and she was 3 her first time). Besides, you can video tape it and they can watch it over and over again ( mine does). That will make them remember if they don't already. And they will talk and talk and talk about it.

 

[Mermaid02]

My dh is the one whining about not being able to afford Disney. I'm scrimping, I'm planning, I'm saving, I'm making this as affordable as I can. Ya know, we have a 13 year old and a 6 year old, how many more years do we have to take a FAMILY vacation (which we have NEVER done by the way)? Not too many.