How much do you sacrifice for your disney fix??

[scojos]

we too spend our "spare" money on wdw, if its not trips, then its in the disney store on silly things, mugs etc.
this will probably be the last for a long time, so will make this trip special, even though i cant spend the grand i spent 2 years ago on DC tickets, we ll do silly things, now i have stopped smoking (2 weeks today) , that money is going into "tink" cookie jar for spending money....
we dont eat out often (but we do eat out once a month) neither of us drink(either out or at home) but our kids have expensive hobbies which take up alot of cash. i have put a blanket ban on buying ANY new clothes for any of us until its "suitcase" time, we all have wardrobes full of clothes, most of which we dont wear, so no extra expense there.
i also called sky yesterday and cancelled the package we had (the works) and now save £40 a month...all adds up!
i must confess that i did buy dd the tiana dress today, but got the£12 dress from asda rather than the £30 from disney store...false economy? probably
tracy

 

[wideeyes]

I have had the same mobile phone for over 5 years, I don't get myself loads of new clothes, shoes etc. I don't even have cable or sky, only free view.

I spent a lot of my childhood in hospital and would rather have happy memories than a load of tv channels.

 

[Clare D]

Life is short and you only get one chance at it so spend your money how you seem fit. I love our Disney trips, this year we aren't going as we need to get some money back in the bank following all our house renovations, however I am happily thinking about our trip next year.
I have priced up a 2 week holiday in Europe in a decent 4 star hotel (during August), guess what, they came at the same price a 2 week stay in Disney would in October! I love to relax but having 2 kids I'm not going to get chance to do that lying on a sun lounger at the pool or beach. I would rather do Disney as you just get so much more out of the trip than some holiday snaps after. My dad is going at Easter and I'm sure, the way my step mum has been planning the trip, they'll see why I want to go every year.

 

[gemmybear83]

I will probably get slated for saying this, but as much as I love my disney holidays they are only two weeks of the year and I couldn't go without the rest of the year (at the moment anyway were admittedly too selfish!). We like socialising, weekends away, nice meals out etc.

This year we have had to become more discliplined to save for the wedding, but we had been putting money aside for the last 3 years finishing off renovating our house.

We are lucky that we don't have any children and choose to go out of season (I also refuse to pay full price for anything ). I know this will change in the future if we have children though

 

[LoodlesNoodles]

I'm 20 years old, and I don't smoke or go out clubbing (in fact August was the last time I went out and I spent £10) just so I can fund my trip Orlando.
In fact, my social life consists of going to the cinema!
But that's okay, because I know in just 7 short months, I'll be having a lot of fun with one of my best friends in one of my favourite places.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

I will probably get slated for saying this, but as much as I love my disney holidays they are only two weeks of the year and I couldn't go without the rest of the year (at the moment anyway were admittedly too selfish!). We like socialising, weekends away, nice meals out etc.

Not at all, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I often post views that differ from many others.

 

[joolz1910]

I love this thread.

I mentioned that we were saving to go to WDW yesterday to my mom. When I told her how much it would cost, her response was that it was 'a criminal waste of money' and that we should get our garden landscaped instead. So many people don't get it, which is why I need to visit the Dis so often.

We save all our £2 coins, sell stuff on Ebay, pay for stuff with Tesco clubcard deals, search for bargains, shop in sales, never go out...but it will be worth it when we see that Castle for the first time.

 

[DISWolves]

We could do with a new bathroom too but i'd rather have a good holiday in Orlando now while I'm still (fairly!) young to go on all the rides etc and save less active (and cheaper hols) til i'm older. I can live with my old enamel bath for now

I have a new bathroom................trouble is, it has been in storage for over a year waiting for me to fit it
I was going to do it before christmas but got delayed booking Disney Hols
Then I would have started a few weeks ago, but had to do ADR's
Now I am running out of excuses

 

[buzz for boys]

I will probably get slated for saying this, but as much as I love my disney holidays they are only two weeks of the year and I couldn't go without the rest of the year (at the moment anyway were admittedly too selfish!). We like socialising, weekends away, nice meals out etc.

not all its important to hear all views not just people that agree with me

I love this thread.

I mentioned that we were saving to go to WDW yesterday to my mom. When I told her how much it would cost, her response was that it was 'a criminal waste of money' and that we should get our garden landscaped instead. So many people don't get it, which is why I need to visit the Dis so often.

That sounds very much like the conversation we had yesterday I mean why spend that much money on a holiday when we could have a new car??? My dad actually said we were so selfish to keep going to Disney when we could do so much more !! This from the same person who spent all his inhertiance on a sports car and never gave a penny to any of his kids - what a joke !!!

 

[tinks_1989]

My free time

working on my days off to earn a bit of extra money to help pay for it

 

[Pegasus928]

I think all through life you will meet people that have the same view but with a different goal. I know people that would save all year so they can upgrade their car, or have to go without just so they can afford the insurance on it. No doubt it is important to them, and I am sure their kids have a lot of fun discussing it in the playground with their mates

For those that can afford to go to WDW, buy the things they want for the rest of the year and have a social life then I say 'good on you' You have obviously worked very hard to be in the position you are in so deserve to do whatever you chose.

For those that have to tighten their belts for the rest of the year so they can enjoy their time in Florida with their kids then I say 'good on you' Your kids will thank you for it and you will have the memories to look back on for the rest of your life.

 

[cherjp]

Life is way too short and you only get one chance at it, make the most of the time you have and make as many memories with the people you love most. Thats my way of thinking and more so since my wonderful SIL lost her brave battle with cancer a couple of months ago. one minute you are here then gone.

As someone has said your kids wont remember your new kitchen or windows etc but they will remember Disney forever.

 

[KatieG73]

We are in the same boat - we really do need to replace the bathroom and kitchen ( not to mention new flooring, landscaping the garden and a new driveway) BUT we work so damn hard - I've been working 12 hour days this week and DH does the same (we both tend to log on and do more work when the wee one has gone to bed too ) so I feel that we NEED a decent holiday every year.

We've decided that we will try to do the house in bits and bobs and do as much of the work as we can ourselves to keep costs down.

We have looked at other holiday options but honestly the thought of two weeks in Spain by the beach just bores me to tears (no offence anyone) and value for money wise I don't think you can really beat Disney....

 

[howlongtillsummer?]

Great thread! I save whatever I can all year - we always seem to get the money together without much trouble. I tend to have a panic about March each year that I am not going to get enough - but it always works out.

I am vigilant against spending "silly money" - magazines, taxis, packaged sandwiches, coffees out ... ... it all adds up and is nothing that can't easily be done without.

Everyone has a hobby!

 

[ChipnDaleRule]

Everyone has a hobby!

What a shame it couldnt be stamp collecting.Think how much money we would all save

 

[buzz for boys]

I think all through life you will meet people that have the same view but with a different goal. I know people that would save all year so they can upgrade their car, or have to go without just so they can afford the insurance on it. No doubt it is important to them, and I am sure their kids have a lot of fun discussing it in the playground with their mates

For those that can afford to go to WDW, buy the things they want for the rest of the year and have a social life then I say 'good on you' You have obviously worked very hard to be in the position you are in so deserve to do whatever you chose.

For those that have to tighten their belts for the rest of the year so they can enjoy their time in Florida with their kids then I say 'good on you' Your kids will thank you for it and you will have the memories to look back on for the rest of your life.

Well said pegasus
I wasnt trying to make it a battle of those who have n those that dont I suppose I was just curious to see if wdw was easily acheivable for everyone but us - i expected for there to be some replies that said it was easily within their means and like you say good on them you obv worked hard to get to where you are now
I guess for me the question was more do I have my prioritys right??? Nothing like a good old family arguement to make you start doubting yourself
So sorry if anyone thought i was being offensive Id kill for a job that meant we could do disney more than once in a blue moon.
Louise x

 

[CustardTart]

Great thread!!!
Over the years we've sacrificed (amongst other things) re-plumbing and rewiring the house, replacing the kitchen and bathroom - oh, and new sofas - aren't throws a wonderful thing???

We couldn't afford to go regularly until our older children were in their teens as, however much we scrimped/saved, we just didn't have that kind of cash until then. Our first trip, back in 1992, we financed with DH's redundancy money so was bittersweet and 6 years went by before we managed to return...

I guess what really changed our habits was buying into DVC when the exchange rate was $2.10 to the pound!! We decided to spend a chunk of the home improvement savings on that - and delayed the work by another 2 years. Another sacrifice, I guess - but for us, it was worth every penny!!

As DH's father died at 48 and my Mum at 50, both of us are keen to make the most of the time we have. WDW and DCL are part of that...

 

[Ware Bears]

I guess for me the question was more do I have my prioritys right???

I was born in the early 60s when it was pretty much unheard of for anyone to holiday abroad and you were considered fortunate to be able to go away in this country. Apart from when we got our first colour TV, which was a HUGE event back in those days, I really can't remember when my parents bought new furniture or redecorated but I've got many happy memories of our family holidays.

 

[pixiepower04]

This may be a bit of a long story so bear with me!

In May 2004 we moved from Surrey into our new build house so it has a new kitchen and bathroom, however, it didn't have anything else like blinds, carpets, flooring etc so the spare cash that we had went towards that but we had also booked our first ever Florida Disney holiday for December of that year. That was supposed to be our 'once in lietime' holiday and it took 4 years to get back there.

We went in September/October 2008 and I took the kids out of school for two weeks and tagged it on with their school holidays so we were away for almost a month.

We go back this September/October, again for a month and again I will be taking the kids out of school for the two weeks prior to the school holidays.

Now, i'm self employed and regardless of what I physically bring in it's not even remotely close to what my actual profit is and part of this is how our holidays are funded. DH's wages with the ambulance service just pays for the bills.

I save my £2 coins, we have almost £700 from when we started saving them in December 2008.

I also don't get any of the school holidays off with my kids because I make Wedding Cakes for a living so my busiest times are April to September, from January to March I attend wedding fairs and I have to do these to bring the business in for the year. Decemer was too cold for us and I got sick so September/October is the best time for us.

I therefore only have time off work every 2 years and for me that time spent a little in debt without new carpets far outweighs anything else. Our lounge walls have favourite photos, the kids have photos in their rooms and they talk about the last holiday a lot.

If we stayed here we would say this was going to get done or that was going to get done but it wouldn't so knowing that I can work my butt off for 2 years and then watch the children screaming on rock n roller coaster, or making faces at the Yeti or having photos taken with Mickey Mouse is all worth it (and I include myself in the children category )

I never had a holiday as a child and in fact my first ever holiday was to Paris in 1994 when I took my boyfriend (now DH) and I was 24. My second ever holiday was in 1996 to DLP, then 1997 a DLP, then 2004 at WDW. I wish we'd started going earlier, I feel like we missed out on so much but hey our resolve is to go every 2 years and that works for us just now.

My mum died 15 years ago at the age of 42, my dad 6 years ago at the age of 52 and i'm going to be 40 this year. My life, if it is to be over in the next 10 years, needs to be full of memories that will last my kids a lifetime and we will only get that from Florida because it's the only place in the world where we can all behave like kids and it isn't frowned upon.

 

[chocolateMinnie]

Personally I wouldn't get into debt for a trip to WDW but anything else goes. The house could do with decorating, the windows replacing, the kitchen changing etc but hey look at Haiti and I look like a millionaire.

Never will I be able to replace the times we have shared at WDW and when the kids have flown the nest we will still be able to upgrade our house but never ever be able to claim back their childhood.

If you are fortunate enough to have it all then thank whatever it is you believe in. For the rest of us a week of dreams coming true once every 18 months is enough.

The kids don't miss loads of meals out, they are just as happy with picnics. They never go without clothes etc. I just manage with what I've got. We don't have the best TV/car/mobile phone/laptop but what we have works and we're happy.

You've only got to read these forums to see what WDW means to most of us. And the ones who don't get it have probably never been..............