How do you afford it?

[lvs_eeyore]

We only live 3 hours from Disney so we drive. We have APs so our tickets are paid for. We eat most of our breakfasts in the room. We mainly only do snack foods which we bring for lunch since we are not big lunch eaters. I always look for code rates. We get FL resident rates which actually sometimes are not as good as the AP rates so we also check AP rates. We scrimp and save asking ourselves do we REALLY need this or that. I have a change jar that we put all change in and it adds up. Dh gets two extra paychecks a year because he gets paid every two weeks and that goes into the vacation fund. Some of our trips are just weekend trips Fri night thru Sunday midday so we only pay for two nights. Tax refunds go into the vacation fund. I am very good at stretching our food budget while affording my family nutritious dinners. We suggest Disney Dollars for our boys for gifts rather than toys that will be played with a couple of times and put away.

There are many many ways to save for Disney.

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

We live 4 hours away, so we drive too ! We get FL rates or SOG overflow rates at the WDW resorts, and we usually only stay 3-4 nights. Sometimes we tack on a trip to DH's conference in the area.

 

[snoopy]

We have always used 10% of our salary on yearly vacations. Don't know how long we can continue doing that with our boys growing up and eating more, etc., but right now its allowed us two decent vacations a year.

We also do the change jar thing, and my newest thing that I have found is a money maker is having yard sales. Made $1300 from my last one and am planning on having another in the fall to finance my DIS Con trip.

 

[WDWHound]

We do 2 or 3 vacations a year. The only way we can do this is to realize that this will efect our other priorities. We almost never go out for expensive dinners, or buy little luxerys like CD's and tapes. We wait for things to wear out before replacing them. We drives cars well into the 6 digit milage range and replace them with quality, lower cost cars such as Honda's Civic. We always travel in value season and usually stay in a moderate. We search long and hard for the best airfares.

And the most important rule, we never, ever touch our retirement savings for vacations (or anything else).

In short, we realize that we love vacations, so we give up other luxerys that friends in our income bracket can afford in exchange for them.

 

[Robinrs]

I'm a single parent so you can imagine how hard it is for me.... but I manage 4 - 5 trips a year because in my world, it's a NECESSITY!

I used to move alot, now I stay in the same place and use my money for trips! I buy most of our clothes from this incredible second hand place near where I live. Wealthy people donate to this place and my son wears designer clothing for about $3 a barely used item! Last week I bought him a Tommy Hilfiger shirt, three Ralph Lauren polos and an Izod top for less than 20 bucks! It saves us a fortune.

I make my lunch everyday and only eat out with my job. Speaking of my job, I get some incredible perks just being in radio. We get Airtran trade and do trades with Disney and hotels...one trip I made was totally on them!

Also, it helps just using the incredible tips and hints on this board. I've saved thousands of dollars just reading the Budget board! Those people are genisuse.

Also, since I'm mostly a USf kinda gal, the Entertainment card gets us $99 rates at 4 star onsite hotels such as the Hard Rock and the Royal Pacific. I also have a USF, SeaWorld and BG APs which I got for next to nothing thanks to the tips on this board. My $99 AP paid for itself in the first three days I used it! With the AP I can drive down since I am 5 hours away, get a cheap hotel and have a quick great vacation.

My latest thing is renting Vacation homes. Boy are we spoiled by these! It's wonderful to have your own pool and peace to come home to after a day at the park. I also like having my own room and kitchen. For my next trip I'm renting a 4br3ba in a gated community with a movie theatre for $600 for the entire week!

It can be done, if I can do it, anyone can!

 

[bumcat]

We usually average every other year but we were able to go the last 3 years.


I buy disney money whenever I have extra $$. We also drive the 16 hrs and I have recently learned how to get lower hotel rates thru priceline.com thanks to this place!! When we take our kids plus others we eat at the cheaper restaurants. Even at WDW you can eat on 5.00 ea. per meal.
We always get the park hopper tickets since they never expire. I buy them at the disney store. You don't have to buy them all at one time just buy them when you can afford them.

 

[Poohbear123]

I live 3.5 hours away, work Part-time, and the kids are grown and out of the house, this is Where I save money! I used to take the train, but now that DH is retired, he drives me! I have already been twice this year, and plan on going in Nov. AND Dec.!(DIS CON)! I also have a change jar, and I have 110.00 saved for my Fl. Resident Seasonal Pass. I get the hotel rates off of Mousesavers, or my local travel Section.

 

[Kallison]

I beg, whine and plead so DH gives in to shut me up. I also have the kids ask him with their big puppy dog eyes, puhleeeze Daddy we love it so much! Although we have just been 3 times in 4 years, I think he is reaching his limit!

 

[DocRafiki]

the same way you afford anything... spend less money on other things.

 

[cotye]

Unfortunately I'm in the same position as you jipsy.. Only been once since I've been on the boards. Well at this time, with my new job, I won't have time to go to WDW... SIGH... I was really looking forward to going to DISCon 2.

 

[Cindy B]

Lets see we live frugally.

We clip coupons, we do "side jobs", I babysit occasionally. I shop at thrift stores, sell stuff on Ebay, etc.

We are nowhere near rich, but we also drive down, and do GASP, non disney things...

For example an Orlando Flex Ticket for 14 days (5 parks)is the same cost as a 4 Day Disney Park Hopper. 14 days/4 days, now what would you choose. We could do the annual passes, but we wont go next year, so that would be moot.

We are staying off site as well, it couldn't match anything that was onsite. We eat off site, hit the coupon sites, and have coupons for that offsite meal as well.

Robinrs has some wonderful ideas.

 

[one_cat]

We are also dvc members. We buy aps in May, go again in the fall then in April. We then skip a year. The biggest expense is the plane tickets which I watch Travelocity constantly to get good fares. Up to now we haven't had to buy Disney tickets for the kids. That will change next year so it will be more expensive.

 

[Planogirl]

We go once a year and also try to take a trip elsewhere too. We afford Disney by usually staying offsite (we're not Allstar fans) and by careful budgeting. I buy the airline tickets at one time and then later on passes and so on. I find it easier to spread out the cost.

 

[Pin Wizard]

FL residents' rate, no airfare, and we only stay 4 days/3 nights at a time.

 

[nativetxn]

My husband spoils me and our child is finally out of graduate school so it's much easier for him to spoil me

 

[Sharon A.]

I'm in the same boat as you too Jipsy. Being on the West Coast, we don't make it to WDW very often (last trip was 3 years ago), but we go to Disneyland more often. We also choose to take other vacations instead of always going to WDW.

It's all about what you make your priority. I'd rather vary my vacations a bit than keep going to the same place over and over again (even if it is WDW).

Of course, what I really want is to be able to afford multiple trips to WDW and all the other vacations I want too. And to not have to scrimp and save to get them. Has anyone worked out how to do that yet? If so, pm me your secret.

 

[olena]

Vunch of things. I have my piggy bank and mad money stash. We have no kids. We only have 1 car.

 

[jipsy]

Sharon

This was my original post:

I know that alot of you go to WDW and/or Disneyland several times a year each year. My question is: How do you do it? How do you afford to go that often?

You people who live a few hours away don't count

I am talking about those people I have seen on here who fly and go 2, 3, 4, 5 times a year AND stay onsite.

Even though I have been once in two years, it's not because I couldn't afford to go back; I had other priorities this year - I am actually giving up my WDW trip for my son and his new wife's honeymoon trip.

Thanks for your answers. I was beginning to think I was doing something wrong but I basically do the same things ya'll do.

 

[Mamu]

Jipsy I think it depends at what stage of your life your at. Young couple just starting out saving for a home, couples raising children, families with college studens. These are all things that prevent us for going to Disney.

I do think that 10% of your earnings should be set aside for vacations. If it can be deducted from your pay thats even better.

I remember our first trip when my children were small. I saved and saved for air flights (no bargins in the early 80's) plus their were 6 of us. We stayed at a family home in Cocoa Beach. It took year before we returned.

I do think couples get married later (I got married right out of high school and started raising a family) and they are more financially secure when they do marry. I know my children lived home till their late 20's and saved and saved. When they did marry they had built up substantial bank accounts.

My Son, DIL and Granddaughter moved in with us for a long 18 months. They saved and saved and in July moved into their new home. They will be going to Disney in December. Whether they return soon will depend on the economy, pay raises and bonuses.

In todays world both work, this also helps. When you have 2 incomes coming in it's a lot easier to save for vacations.

 

[meeshi]

This was an interesting thread. I was also wondering how everyone goes so often. It seems to depend on a lot of different things. I guess for us (a family of 5 in PA) it's a lot harder than say someone who lives closer with no kids or only one. It doesn't help that I'm the only disney freak in the family.

I would love to be able to spend a week at the beach (my families favorite vacation spot) and a week at disney. So anyone who is going to pm their secret to Sharon A., please send one to me also!