How do you justify the finances taking a Disney World trip?

[disneyjunkie]

I don't really understand this attitude. Since you won't make any changes in your plan, you won't be able to cut the price of your trip. They are not going going to offer free dining in December; the parks are packed these days.

And I bet your grandkids would prefer a slightly modified trip to WDW vs. no trip at all or to Dollywood.

She CAN get the the trip she wants and save a bit of money in the process.

OP, how about having your great grandkids' parents help with the costs?

If you are covering the bulk of the expenses for everyone, they should be happy to pay for souvenirs and park passes and dining plan for the adults.

Check to see if it's cheaper for you to purchase park passes for ticketsatwork. I use the Better Together package to book our rooms and dining from CRO (It works great with room only discounts) and order park passes from ticketsatwork. That way the only piece we pay full price for is the dining plan.

 

[Minniesgal]

If you can't splurge at 80 then when?

I keep saying to my daughter this life is lived once, yes be sensible yes have rainy day money but also remember you can't take it with you it is only a means of exchange and you don't need exchange once you are gone.

We justify WDW by going infrequently. We only go at most every 3 years so I can say we can splurge on this as we won't be back for 3 years.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Let me first say that hubby and I have been to Disney World over 40 times throughout the years. We have been very lucky to have gone when prices seemed to be more reasonable in years past. We have not been for 4 years. To me it seems prices have gotten outrageous.

I just started playing around with a budget for hubby and I, our great 2 grandchildren and their parents for a week at Disney World in December 2016. Hubby will be turning 80 soon. He can do the parks with a scooter. I can probably get a long without one. If we don't do it now it may never happen. I think the next few years will be it for us traveling to Florida from the Midwest.

Anyway, this looks like it can cost us between $10000 to $12000 staying on site for all of us. This would include transportation and souvenirs and such. I'm looking at either 2 Pop Century rooms or a suite at the Art of Animation. I want to do the regular dining plan; because, we want character meals. This will probably be the only time the great grandkids will ever go. They adore Disney toys and movies; so, we would like to make this happen before they get older and we can't go. Currently, prices are without a promotion and I sure would like to catch a free dining plan. Even if I squeezed the pennies it would still probably be at least $8000.

I keep thinking how the money would be better spent in a college fund. This would be a big amount for us that could go towards their education. I was thinking it might be better to compromise and go to Dollywood and enjoy the Smokies with them for probably half the cost.

The kid in me says go to Disney World and enjoy our grandkids there before it's too late.

So, how do you justify a trip to Disney World?

Honestly...this trip, this way...I wouldn't. But, I'm not you and I don't know how much "free" money you have at this time in your life.

If your desire is to fulfill a bucket list item and to do it "x" way, and you will have regrets if you don't do this (AND you have the free money and don't need to dig deep into limited savings to do this), go. But do it for that reason.

If your desire is to set your great-grandkids up well in life, fund the college fund (and/or take the less expensive vacation). If my grandmother gave me $5K per child to put in my kids' college fund, I'd be eternally grateful.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Let me first say that hubby and I have been to Disney World over 40 times throughout the years. We have been very lucky to have gone when prices seemed to be more reasonable in years past. We have not been for 4 years. To me it seems prices have gotten outrageous.

I just started playing around with a budget for hubby and I, our great 2 grandchildren and their parents for a week at Disney World in December 2016. Hubby will be turning 80 soon. He can do the parks with a scooter. I can probably get a long without one. If we don't do it now it may never happen. I think the next few years will be it for us traveling to Florida from the Midwest.

Anyway, this looks like it can cost us between $10000 to $12000 staying on site for all of us. This would include transportation and souvenirs and such. I'm looking at either 2 Pop Century rooms or a suite at the Art of Animation. I want to do the regular dining plan; because, we want character meals. This will probably be the only time the great grandkids will ever go. They adore Disney toys and movies; so, we would like to make this happen before they get older and we can't go. Currently, prices are without a promotion and I sure would like to catch a free dining plan. Even if I squeezed the pennies it would still probably be at least $8000.

I keep thinking how the money would be better spent in a college fund. This would be a big amount for us that could go towards their education. I was thinking it might be better to compromise and go to Dollywood and enjoy the Smokies with them for probably half the cost.

The kid in me says go to Disney World and enjoy our grandkids there before it's too late.

So, how do you justify a trip to Disney World?

I justify it as I would any travel. We like to travel and travel within our means.

Some people prefer to spend that now I elsewhere, and that is okay.

But I like experiences and I don't have too many plans to pay for the grandkids college. So I would be inclined, when that day comes, to do a trip with them if I had the option.

Paying trips for others canger expensive no matter where you go.

 

[TheDisneyDoll]

If you rent a villa you'll save money right there. A 1-2 bedroom villa will have a kitchen and you can have groceries delivered (if you don't have a car) so you can enjoy families around a table not just dining out.
If you need to rent a scooter do it off property, it's SO much cheaper.
The dining plan seems like a good idea because you can pay for it in advance, but for most people it costs a lot more than you would actually pay out of pocket.
Look into investing in Disney gift cards, they're a great way to save money and if you have a target red card you can save 5% or if you shop at same you can get $150 worth for around $143, that doesn't sound like a lot in savings but 5% off a vacation is still better than paying full price (some DVC rental sites even take gift cards).

Best realistic with what you and your family can afford and lay out the guidelines. This is an incredibly generous thing you're wanting to do, but let the parents buy their own kids souvenirs, or if they have a birthday or major holiday between now and your trip give the kids Disney gift cards and tell them to save them.


A 2nd option that you may not have considered but have you looked into a Disney Cruise?
They're pricey, BUT depending on the season you can get a really good deal, and it would give your grand children a chance to visit other countries and see a different part of the world. Pass ports are not required (but recommended) if the cruise leaves and returns to the same port.
And for a family of 6 you could get two inside staterooms for roughly the same cost as a Disney hotel, park tickets and food. Plus disney cruises are SUPER relaxing and enjoyable and really stress free.
Food and entertainment is included in the price (except for tips) so you could have almost everything paid in advance. Plus that gift card trick works for the cruise line too.
Traveling in February and September would get you close to the lowest rates.

The cruises offer everything from broadway styled shows, a movie theater, drawing classes and so many more things and you don't have any stress of trying to get around 4 theme parks with busses and monorails.
It's something good to consider especially if you think your family may not be able to go on one other wise, a once in a lifetime kind of vacation for you all to experience together.

Memories are priceless.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Keep the opinions coming. I know I won't go off site. We've been off site but I want this to be an entire Disney experience for the great grandkids.

The boys are good eaters and so are all of us; so, I think we would get value with the dining plan especially if we can get the free dining promo.

The total in our group would be 4 adults and two, great grandchildren. My budget is based on no deals, right now. I wanted worse scenario. We would do one week.

What if you look into the cabins at fort wilderness. At least you would have a full kitchen.

The grant grands and parents would have the back bedroom.

The only negative is that your bed would be a sofa bed in the living room.

But it may be an option.

 

[smokeyblue]

In general, I have priced other trips, and they just don't touch the value Disney World gives us. Yes, I said value. It's just the two of us. I priced out a 3 night trip for our 10 yr anniversary 2 years ago that included two fairly local tourist destinations a 3 hours drive away. Between lodging, food, gas and entertainment for those 3 nights it was $1,600. I priced out 9 nights at a moderate during "free" dining and it was $2,300 + airfare. We chose Disney. It was by far the better value.

 

[Boston Tea Party]

Having just finished paying for our daughter's college education, I can tell you that the amount that you are spending is but a drop in the giant bucket of money needed for college. More important for all parties involved is that irreplaceable time that you will spend together and the memories that all will forever hold dear.

Before my father died, we went to Disneyland (sometimes World) every Spring Break - grandpa/grandma/mom (me)/dad/brother/three grandkids. Could I afford it? Sometimes, no. But the memories that we have will last a lifetime. It was worth every penny, even those paid in interest.

I whole-heartedly vote for GO!

 

[StuckInKS]

Will taking your great grands to Disney bring you joy over taking them somewhere else?

This factors into the justification of the cost of our trips. As a family of 8, our trips are basically double the costs for an average-sized family. Our free dining trip in 2013 was about $7k, and that was two price increases ago. We could go to Branson for less than $3k, but i would feel like it's a total waste of money. WDW and the gulf coast beaches are what DH and I like and we are happiest taking the kids there. That said, We are doing things to minimize our costs, and because of that our 2-week SSR trip with paid dining plan this May will be about $2k less than our value resort free dining trip 2 years ago. Maybe you could find a few ways to cut costs? I would also look into a shorter trip since the kids are only 4. Our first trip was 5-days, just long enough to leave us wanting more

 

[Jadyreen1282]

I work for a living. That's my justification.

 

[TxWriterMama]

Are my bills paid? Is my emergency fund looking good? Am I on track with my retirement goals for the year? <----Those are the questions I ask before booking a trip.

Life is way too short. Our daughter was born with an extremely complex set of heart defects. She had two surgeries before 6 months. We're counting down the months until her 3rd open heart. She also has autism. Last year, I started having some serious health issues, too. All of this made me realize that we only get chance at this life thing, and I am over denying myself or my family a good time or great memories because of $. So long as we can pay our bills, have plenty of liquid $ in an emergency fund and the retirement accounts keep getting their monthly deposits, I am a-okay with throwing extra $ at Disney.

 

[DVCjj]

No dining plan. Rent a 2 bedroom villa or 2 studios (whichever is cheaper) and eat breakfast each morning in the room but GO....absolutely GO.

The memories will last a lifetime and you never, ever know what tomorrow will bring. All the more so if DH is 80.
I bought into DVC 2 years ago at almost 70 after going 40+ times at least. GO.

World conditions are extremely unstable and will most likely get worse. GO while your health and circumstances permit. Precious Family Time Together is worth much more than money. Save other ways.

 

[tripletmomsrock]

We are a family of 5 (DH, me, and 9 yo triplets) and our trip this summer is going to cost us right around $8000. This will be our 2nd trip, we took them when they were 5. We travel a couple of times a year but not usually dropping that kind of cash. I justify it in this way: 1. They are only young once, I have to seize every moment I can. 2. There will come a time when the joy of Disney may not be as great as the joy of other things (I'm looking at you moody teenagers). 3. I don't ever want to look back and think "I wish I would have...". Go to Disney and ENJOY!

 

[soniam]

Having just finished paying for our daughter's college education, I can tell you that the amount that you are spending is but a drop in the giant bucket of money needed for college.

This! That amount won't matter much for college. If you want to do the vacation and can afford it, then by all means do it. I would love to have a family vacation like that. Unfortunately, neither my parents nor my in-laws like Disney.

 

[Jake]

Yes, we need to know number of people going and number of nights. Transportation cost is included in that price? And the cost of transportation. Those numbers do not add up for 6 people for a,week. Value hotel should be like $ 125 a night. So 250 x7 is $1800. 7 day tickets $2500. We are at $5300 with out food and eats

 

[ICF]

If that's how much it cost us, I'd never be able to justify it.

But our family of 4 can get probably close to 4 week long trips down there for the amount you were looking at.

 

[Aliceacc]

We're considering cancelling this summer's trip to help with the cost of my son's upcoming first year of college.

But he's my son, not my grandson. And my kids have been to WDW several times.

This sounds like a "once and only" trip. And some incredibly precious time for them to spend with their grandparents.

Next year you can put money into a college fund. This year, I say you give them those memories they'll carry forever.

 

[eeyoresmom]

I agree with renting DVC points for a 2 bedroom villa. You would probably love OKW. If you are going to do 2 rooms at PoP (or any resort including DVC) ,you can now get the dining plan for 1 room and share the credits. A great way to pay for those expensive character meals while paying OOP for cheaper meals.

 

[Burnedout]

We are taking 10 people, staying off site at condos for a week and are spending around $6000. That also includes three days at St Augustine. It all depends on what your priorities are. We hated character meals. The food sucked and the pics could be taken elsewhere. So for is we'd rather not spend there.

In the end it is just a matter of weighing out what is important to you. The memories will last a lifetime. I'm not usually a "throw caution to the wind" kind of gal but life is pretty short too.

You are renting the scooter offsite right?

 

[wide awake]

If you will have a good time that is all the justification you need. Life is short. You've been 40 times, you know what works for you and your family. I'm w/ you on staying onsite and having the dining plan. Wouldn't go to WDW w/o either.