How do you guys afford it?

[*Fantasia*]

$5,000!! The kids and I can fly to Maui, Hawaii for 7 nights and stay at a nice timeshare villas for that amount and including our rental car!

 

[kashkdz]

I always get a kick out of hearing the question "how can some people afford <fill in the blank>...". Hopefully this is not too long winded, but like I said, hearing this question, just puts a smile on my face...here goes... Life is based upon decisions. These decisions include how you spend or don't spend your money. Sure some folks make tons of money, and they may have two incomes in their family, so that definitely factors into the equation. These people may be able to go on a 10-day Disney vacation at the drop of a hat without saving, but these people are probably the exception. Most people 'budget' their money for vacations. Our family has one income, and though we 'probably' could quickly plan a 7-day vacation for our family 3 months from now, I prefer to keep funding our savings (retirement), and budget out ,say, one year or more for WDW vacations (or simliar). Yes, haven't stayed at at a Deluxe resort, but to me I don't think it is worth it. I'd rather go more often and stay at a moderate resort, than less frequently and stay at a Deluxe. We always try to take advantage of any/all deals we are able to find which saves us money too. Whats's also funny is that I have friends and family that ask my wife and I (w/our 3kids) the same question ("how can you afford to vacation at....?"), and these are the same people who eat out EVERY weekend at nice restaurants, drive new cars every three years, spend top dollar on clothes, etc. My question back is often "How can YOU afford to eat of every weekend, etc....?".Again we budget ourselves to be able to afford Disney vacations (and other trips), by not spending our money in other areas. Our budgeting allows us to typically go on at least two week-long vacations a year (one geared for the kids, and one geared for us adults), and many other smaller 1-2 day vacations.

--> Now to answer your question--> We are a family of 5 (2 adults/3kids), and I don't think spent $5,000 on ANY of our Disney trips, and that includes 4+ character meals and other activities...that amount is TOO high...but again, that's no saying you can't depending upon what you WANT to spend.

Thanks for listening...I'll get down off the soap box now.....

 

[Daniel&family]

$5,000!! You don't know how lucky you all are.

We have just returned and it cost us about $10,000 (flights, tickets, car-hire & accomadation) plus food and spending money(another $5,000)

However we are a family of 6 from the U.K (flights $4,000) and did stay 2 1/2 weeks.

Still we loved it and it was worth every penny, but won't be able to go every year.

 

[keriannhoward]

Kash-

I have to agree with you on several points. We are a single income family of 2 parents and 4 children ranging from 18 months to 17 years. One of our family values is that we treasure memories rather than possessions. I think my children will remember family trips and experiences rather than trendy shoes (anybody remember LA Gear shoes? do you still salivate over them?). It's not something that every family is comfortable with, but it works for us.

We do budget for other things like retirement and education, but we don't spend money on transient things that the kids will forget later, we want to provide them with rich experiences.

 

[3DisneyNUTS]

Originally posted by Disrookie0704
This will be our first trip as a family and DD is 9 yrs. old. I see alot of you guys go every year. My DH and I make a fairly good living, but we could never afford it.

Are you all wealthy? Our trip is costing approx. $5,000 without food! Is that normal? Am I just cheap?

Definitely buy the vacation club. It helps you go more often and you prepay your vacations in adavance
That is how we afford it.

 

[trracers]

Gosh, a 10 day hopper, how much does that cost? Maybe an AP would be less and then you could get a better hotel rate?

 

[Disrookie0704]

This is what my TA wrote:

The Ultimate Park Hopper give you unlimited admission to everything for the time you are there and is only good for those who stay on site. The cost is $437.00 per adult and $350.00 for child. Expires on day of departure.
The 7 day Park Hopper plus gives you 7 days admission to main parks but only 4 admissions to choice parks. The cost is $341.00 per adult and $273.00 for child. Good indefinitely.


So I switched to the 7 day and saved $270.

 

[cruisnfamily]

Originally posted by Disrookie0704
This is what my TA wrote:

7 days admission to main parks but only 4 admissions to choice parks.

Choice in this case means pleasure island and the two water parks(blizzard beach, typhoon lagoon). I think that's a funny way to word it because how would you know what she was talking about if you hadn't found the DIS?

 

[cathdisfan]

Originally posted by trracers
Gosh, a 10 day hopper, how much does that cost? Maybe an AP would be less and then you could get a better hotel rate?

Did you ask her about an Annual Pass, this would give you possibly discounts on your rooms?

 

[Disrookie0704]

I'll have to look into the cost difference there. Thanks!

 

[captJack88]

hey there, just wondering, didn't you say you were going to disney for only 3 days and then sea world and some other non wdw things? At least you'll be able to use your remaining days on your next trip, but I would still try and get my tickets down to a 3 or 4 day PH, then buy the extra or plusses seperate. Or maybe I just read it wrong. No matter what happens, I hope you have a magical time, and I'm glad you found us here on the DIS!

 

[Disrookie0704]

We are staying 10 days total, so there will be 2 days at US and 1 day at SW. We will probably end up with one extra day though because we are leaving in the a.m. of our 10th day.

Thanks again for all your help!

 

[captJack88]

Ahh, so I did read wrong...lol, well as I said, I hope you have a magical time, and welcome to the DIS boards, I hope we've helped! Next time skip the TA and just come here first. I started planning our last trip a few months ago, and this place helped so much. We've now started planning our trip for next year. Anyways, have a great time and say hi to the 999 grim grinning ghosts for me!!!!

 

[ret1958]

Our last trip, last June we stayed 6 days @ CBR, 3 days at Royal Pacific Hotel @ Universal and 1 night at Hotel Royal Plaza. We got UPH, 5 days for cost of 2 tickets for Universal and also stayed one night on the road to get there. I watched www.moussavers.com and did not watch every penny. We drove over and trip included myself, DH, DS 16 & DS 12. The trips total cost was about $4K. I paid it out over several months. Got Universal tickets online, had WDW hotel/tickets paid for before trip. Hotel Royal Plaza was also paid at time of booking. Since we knew we were going to Universal we went there first and stayed on property - great perk of No Waiting Express!! The last night at WDW we stayed at Hotel Royal Plaza for only $79 and did not waste a day of UPH costs.

Next trip we are getting APs, so we can go back twice in one year.My husband and I are planning on going in early Dec. and the whole family again June 2005.

It takes alittle looking, but you can go and not break the bank. We are not wealthy monetarily by any means, but we go and have a good time. Our sons will soon be out of the house and we enjoy WDW together. Our 17 yr old cannot wait to go back.

Like others have suggested - check out mousesavers.com. and be persistant!

 

[Disrookie0704]

I just love hearing everyone's stories on how they worked their budgeting. I really have some thinking to do for next time.

Well, I guess I should get done with this trip first.


Summer...hurry up and get here! (what a pity to rush Spring)

 

[cathdisfan]

DisRookie,
when are you going, I have a feeling that we are overlapping.

We're heading down July 9-16th

 

[Disrookie0704]

We will be there July 3-12, so that's pretty cool!

 

[cathdisfan]

You're going to be there for the 4th. I was there years ago on the fourth. Enjoy it, it will be crowded but alot fun.

Have fun....

 

[gjerseygirl]

Originally posted by kathylovesdisneyworl
gjerseygirl, you mentioned getting the Poly for $179 for November. Just wondered how you got that rate. I didn't see anywhere that there are AP rates that far out. Looking for Oct and haven't seen it yet.

Last year's rates were posted on I believe it was mousesavers so I'm going by that rate. When I called to make my reservation, the agent said call back when the AP rates come and and they'll adjust the price. So, I didn't actually get that rate yet. Even if its a little higher that's okay.

 

[jstbcuz94]

After reading some of these posts, I decided to look at my own expenses. Please let me know if you think I have done well or not.

Background info:THIS IS OUR FIRST TRIP TO WDW! We are a family of 4 (DD8, DD11) and are traveling with my inlaws. THey are paying their own way, except that we are splitting a rental van. We are going to be staying on site at Pop Century