how often does your family travel to disney?

[ColleenG]

We joined the Vacation Club. It was a lot of money up front and we are still paying for it on our equity line, but with 4 kids we would need a room the size of the 2 bedroom villas. Our other reason for joining was that it would force us to take a vaccation or we would lose out points that weren't used. Now we know we can take a nice vaccation every year to year and a half without worrying about the expense of the hotel. We just budget for it. We too don't do a lot of other trips so we save all extra money for Disney trips and I work a few extra hours here and there to cover it. We find other ways to go on the cheap where we can. Before the meal plan we would bring our own lunches and snacks in to the parks and eat breakfast in the room. Then we really only had to pay for dinner. With what we paid for dinner, the dining plan makes like we are getting lunch and snacks for free.

 

[AUDramaQueen]

We got spoiled when my parents live just east of Tampa. We would go every time we visited them. 2-3 times a year some years. Then they moved where we are which of course, it's great having them closer, but I would be lying if I didnt say some small part of me wishes they still lived down there. Especially now that DH has put his foot down on going so much.

Our last trip was this time last year. We dont have another one planned, well I always have another planned ...We dont have one booked I should say. But I'm slowly wearing him down with the help of our 3 kids .

We're planning on Ft. Wilderness cabins next time since there are 5 of us.

Wish me luck that I can make it next year! Then it will be every othe year or two I think.

 

[hawkeyesparks]

We go every other year, and we do it that way for several reasons.

1. I like to go to WDW and stay comfortably. I like the deluxe resorts, and if I can I want to stay at one. So far I can do that by going every other year. So I guess we could go every year, but, then I would have to sacrifice some things that at this point I'm not willing to do(where I stay, where I eat, how long I stay)

2. While I love WDW, it truly is my favorite place on the planet, I also know there is so much more to see in this world than Central Florida. So for my family vacations I can take my family to see the amazing things of this world every other year too.

This year we're going somewhere besides WDW and I'm excited about it, but you can bet that next summer, I'll be skipping down Mainstreet USA!!!

 

[HeatherMo]

Every year, every other?

Every other year

 

[Aardvarks]

Heh, we have been every year since 2000, apart from 2001 when I couldnt find the cash.

We come for two weeks each time.

Meh, I pay 40% income tax to Her Majesties Government and chunk of what's left goes via Disney Tax to Uncle Sam

A trip costs our family around £5000 GBP for flights, car hire, accomodation and park tickets to WDW, plus spending money of maybe another £1000 GBP tops.

It is costing me the same this year to CSR as it did 8 years ago when we stayed in a Holiday Inn on the 192 and yet now both my kids travel as adults.

If the GBP loses ground to the USD......we are sunk

If the maths all work out, next year we are going to try to get to Hong Kong

 

[Goofy'slady]

I went as a kid dozenz of time and most of those times it was every year. I turned 18(in 94) and my mum wanted to go to the Bahamas(which I hated, but I went). Went in 96 & 98. Went to the Netherlands 2x to visit my now husband in 2001. Got married in 2002 and went on our first Disney family vaca in 2003, 2004 to visit my older sister and BIL in AZ. Had our second baby girl in 2005 and bought a house in 2006. Went in 2007 2x and we just returned from 10day earlier this month. We're planning on going in May of 09 and after that who knows.

As for how we're able to afford the trips; most half the money is from tax refunds and the other is just savings. We try to plan 6-8months a head of time but this time since we're planning on flying, staying on-site and getting the dining plan, not to mention me and both of my daughters are in my BFF's wedding in March of 09; we've given ourselves a year to plan and save toward our next disney trip.

T.

 

[PrincessBoo]

Well before I got married and had a baby, my family used to go every 9 months or so....now I have only been twice in four years...oh well. That's still great with me though. We are planning to go back when our kids can walk and are potty trained . But if it were up to me we would go as often as we could afford.

 

[mom2my3kids]

My first trip was when I was 13 and my family went to florida as our first family vacation. I got married and had three kids, so we have been on two just day trips years apart. Then we have been every year the past three years. I don't know about next year, I want to go during Dec to the see the Christmas decorations but I don't know if hubby will go again next year. He wants to just take a relaxing beach vacation, so I may have to wait until 2010 to do another Disney vacation.

 

[Lady V]

Right now it is about twice a year. last year (2007) I ended up there 4 times!!! but once my kids are older it will probably drop as we do other stuff. wanted to add that this is all possible because of my wonderful DVC.

 

[lntsmom]

We go when life takes us there. I went to Disneyland once when I was 16- paid my own way. That would have been 1978. I took my older son to Disney World in 1999. Both my boys and I went to Disneyland in 2005. Next week we're all headed back to Disney World.

In my life, that works out to once every 11 1/2 years. If you want to count just my trips as a parent, it works out to once every 4.333 years.

However, I'm not sure that the question "how often" paints an accurate picture. I'd add: how far do you live from Disneyland/World, and, given your most recent trip, what percentage of a month's take-home pay did the trip cost you.

For me, the answer is 1841 driving miles from Orlando, 831 driving miles to Los Angeles. My upcoming trip, minus food and souvenirs, is costing 96% of a month's take-home pay. By the time you add in food and souvenirs, it will easily be 125% of a month's pay.

In reality, even that data wouldn't offer a true picture. You'd need to know the per capita income of each household to have a full picture.

Just saying, it's a lot easier for a couple with two kids who are bringing in $175K a year to swing trips two or three times a year than it is for a single mom with two kids who is bringing in $35K a year to go once every 5 years.

 

[wdwluver]

We've been going twice a year since 2004. This year is the first year we are only going once.

Unless the economy changes for the better or I hit the lottery , I'm not sure when we'll go again after this year.