How do you rationalize ANOTHER trip to Disney?

[ssawka]

We joined DVC. Now, we have no excuse, the points have to be used.

Actually for us it's quite easy, at least with my side of the family. See, DDad is also a Disney nut. My DDad and DMom took all four of us on our first trip to WDW in 1977 (I was 4). We did not return for a while, but then in the 80's (when airfare became affordable) we started going to WDW every year. I'm just continuing that tradition with my DD.

The thing that gets me about the nay sayers is that they will give you a hard time about going to WDW every year, but some of them go to the beach, camping, or cruises every year.

 

[dhardawa]

I put money away for vacations all year so it isn't like I'm busting my regular budget or anything when I plan a trip. There are some people who go to the beach every year, some people who go on a skiing trip every year, some people who take a cruise every year, etc. If I want to go to Disney every year, there is really no difference. My problem is that I keep telling myself I need to go somewhere else, but seem to end up back at Disney!

 

[mhsjax]

When other people start paying my bills and for my vacations, I will rationalize, but until then too bad, I go where I want to go and you should to. It isn't anyones business. WE have friends that go camping, I would rather have a root canal, but I don't tell them that, I say have a great time. Then I turn my head and make a gagging face, but I don't let them see it. lol

 

[Marionnette]

I stopped discussing my vacation plans with people a long time ago. I got tired of people scoffing and saying "It must be nice to have money!"

Now, I could get nasty and reply that, yes it is nice to have money. I could scrutinize their spending or vacation choices. I could launch into a litany of ways that they could afford to do it too.

Instead, if people do learn of our plans and find it necessary to comment, I just smile and say that we're looking forward to it.

((And, no, I don't feel guilty about spending the money. Vacationing is a line item in our budget. We're not eating beans and rice in order to be able to do it.))

 

[GinnyEmma]

Lol, well we do eat beans and rice sometimes, but not to take vacation. . But I agree. We love traveling. It is a priority. I will happily give up eating out often for our vacations. Most things in life are a trade off of some sort.

 

[DisneyMacAddict]

I agree with so many of your posts. It's about priority. I have friends that play golf every weekend. They buy golf carts and new clubs all the time. Friends that upgrade their cars, computers and iPhones every year. I have come to terms with the fact that Disney and especially Walt Disney World is my hobby. I love reading about it, trip planning and vacationing there. I have even started blogging about it...I haven't told most of my friends about THAT yet but...maybe someday. The World is like art. Some appreciate it and some will never get it.

 

[crostorfer]

I agree with so many of your posts. It's about priority. I have friends that play golf every weekend. They buy golf carts and new clubs all the time. Friends that upgrade their cars, computers and iPhones every year. I have come to terms with the fact that Disney and especially Walt Disney World is my hobby. I love reading about it, trip planning and vacationing there. I have even started blogging about it...I haven't told most of my friends about THAT yet but...maybe someday. The World is like art. Some appreciate it and some will never get it.

I LOVE that quote! Great way to look at it.

 

[GinnyEmma]

I LOVE that quote! Great way to look at it.

I'd take it a step further and understand that everyone's life is art. Many say they don't get other's choices either.

 

[sk!mom]

Just as I do not rationalize other personal decisions or purchases to others, I do not rationalize my vacation choices. This attitude may come with age as I did worry more what others thought of me and my decisions when I was younger.

However, I'm also very private and do not talk about it much. Only a handful of people know that we are going to Disney this Summer and those who know were told only because they point blank asked, "Where are you going on vacation?"

We were recently having dinner with friends and vacations came up. A friend's husband asked where we were going. On hearing my answer he commented, "I wouldn't think there was anything left in Orlando for you to see." My reply, "I know, right??" (said with just a bit of sarcasm.)

Truth is, we had no plans to return to Disney but Harry Potter has lured us back and we can't be in Orlando without spending a few days in Disney. That is how the trip came to be but I do not owe that friend or anyone else any justification so I refuse to do it. His comment was meant to make me justify so I refused to play along.

 

[dzorn]

I have not reason to explain by vacation habits to anyone, except possibly DH.

Denise in MI

 

[hanutedmansionmomma]

My rationale: mental health!! It's my therapy. I have to have something to plan and work on and look forward to. Gotta work to live, not live to work, right?

 

[mousiemom]

nobody's business period... my name is pam and i am a disneyholic! i'm 41, dh is 40 and our daughter is 10 and she will be going on her 23rd disney trip this nov. disney is our passion! after so many trips, our family is like when are yall going back to disney? my co-workers don't even ask me anymore, they know that's where i'm headed. everyone has their thing and disney is ours! our daughter keeps asking us when are we going to disney next, so thank god she is not tired of it yet after that many trips. it is killing us not to be going twice this yr, only once. we are having major withdrawals. so i sit here living thru everyone's trip reports and constantly listening to disney world music here at work.

 

[AndreaDM]

We went last September, went back last month, and are going back again in September. People keep rolling their eyes at me and asking why I am going so much. My answer? I woke up the one morning and I realized I'm 34 years old, and my daughter is growing up faster than I ever imagined. I wasted too much time and too many years saying "maybe someday we'll do this". Well, I just got tired of waiting and now I am making "someday" happen, just more often than other people, (my husband included, lol), might deem acceptable. As long as my daughter still wants to hang out with me, and still sees the "magic" in Disney, I'm going to keep going back as many times as my budget willl allow. And if they keep up with the military discounts and I keep finding $99 airfare from Seattle, we'll be going back A LOT!

This is me exactly (well, I'm 41 ). I have 2 older daughters and an 8 year old so I know just how fast time flies and to cherish every second we can together! We booked our flight, resort, tickets and free dining all together so it's pretty much a no worry, all inclusive vacation. She would rather go to WDW than the beach and WDW was less expensive than the other options we were looking at, so why not! I do feel like I sometimes have to justify it with certain people, mostly my in-laws. I always say, well we're going back because Syd loves it (so do we of course) and we got FREE dining, or last year it was because we had air miles to use up so flights were free. I know it's our life and our money, but I always feel like we're being judged unless we got a super duper good deal on a trip. MIL is also the kind of person who is all "woe is me, I never get to go anywhere" kind of person. Um, you have a camper by the lake, that's YOUR vacation, we choose to go to WDW instead! The cost of that camper could pay for 10 of our trips.

 

[Tigger2ntinkerbell]

Do you remember the very first time you stepped into Magic Kingdom (or any of the other Parks)??. Do you remember that over whelming feeling of joy, surprise and YES magic, simple because you are there.
Hold onto that thought when you see someones eyes roll or hear the you can't afford it again ,can you.

I do this every time my family members start on me. I smile like an idiot and they have know idea of what their missing.
to your memories. I leave in 4 days for my 25Th trip to DISNEY.

tigger2ntinkerbell

PS. My older sister (who know everything), told me I was a fool for wasting all that money and time. Well she just got back in April from her first trip( went with friends from work) to WDW and NOW she knows why I go

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

My rationale: mental health!! It's my therapy. I have to have something to plan and work on and look forward to. Gotta work to live, not live to work, right?

This is me, too. I love the planning almost as much as the trip. As far as rationalizing it to anyone, I do have to do that with my family. Unfortunately, I'm the only all out fanatic. They like WDW, but they aren't like most of us on the board.

So this year, even though I feel a bit guilty, I am going without family. I'm going with a friend and we are going to see the Christmas decorations. So I have something to look forward to and plan for for the next 170-some days. And not much makes me happier than to have a trip in the works!

 

[jodifla]

It is interesting that people don't need to justify their cabin on a lake, but for some reason, Disney vacations have to be justified.

Anybody who knows me at all knows not to "go there." And for new people, I tell them the truth: I grew up 90 minutes from the front gates. So, it IS my childhood, and now it will be my son's as well.

 

[NancyIL]

I go to WDW several times a year. I usually travel solo, but I enjoy getting together with my friends at WDW. My husband isn't interested in going to WDW any more - now that our kids are grown and my mom in FL is no longer alive. However, he and I are going to New England in October and on a cruise in Italy next May - so he can't complain about not getting to travel!

I fully intend to continue traveling while I am in good health and have the funds to do so. If others don't like that - tough you-know-what!

 

[Karlzmom]

1st - I don't really have a problem with what someone else says about my trips, b/c I don't really care much what another has to say about how I spend my money.

2d- If someone was really obnoxious, I'd probably say something like "I'm sorry, you thought I was asking for an opinion...my bad!"

 

[Kathy C]

We have four trips planned between now (leave June 18 ) and May 2012 and all the trips are for one week. We are able to do it because we're DVC members and it's not an expensive vacation for us. We have a place to stay and an annual pass that covers all four trips - we only need airfare and spending money.

And, we have a three year old granddaughter who will be in school all too soon so we will, at some point, take fewer trips!

 

[MinnieForMe]

I've stopped saying "we are going to Disney". I find it's easier to say "we're heading to Florida". 99% of people don't question me on why we are taking another trip to Florida after New England winters.