I have to ask...how do all these people afford...

[kydisneyfans]

We only go once a year, but I bought the 10 day no expiry tickets and use 2 park days and one water park day for a seven day vacation. On our off days we swim at our resort or go to DTD. So we'll get 5 trips out of those tickets. We also drive down stay offsite and eat in our condo. On the days we go to the parks we pack a lunch and just eat a CS for dinner. And usually we have a disney reward card from our disney visa that pays for our food in the parks. We can do a 7 day offsite vacation for under 1k driving from Ohio. It can be done on a budget.

This is our usual plan too. Tickets last 3 years for us by buying the 10 day non expiration. We use Speedy Rewards points for gas, I have a $100.00 gift card from Speedway saved back. We use a 5% cash back CC for gas and groceries, and save the rewards for our trips. We coupon for almost everything.

We have made 8 trips in 9 years, and by staying offsite, we have paid less in total than most pay for 1 trip staying in a Deluxe Disney hotel.

 

[bigbabyblues]

We've gone twice this year, but only because it was our 10th anniversary. We drive from Ohio and stay in a value resort. We save a lot at home, don't eat out, don't go shopping unless one of us needs something, etc.

 

[Goofyzgurl]

We live a drive-able distance and we own dvc. Like others have said also, it's a priority. We don't "over buy"....go out to eat a frequently nor do we have expensive habits or hobbies. Disney is our only expensive hobby.

 

[crazelion]

Go every 3 years to WDW. Sometimes it will be a weekend trip. Eat off site and stay off site. There is plenty of hotels that offer free breakfast. Get on rewards sites and earn free gas cards, restaurant gift cards and hotel stays. We went last year and stay off site for the first time and love it. The meals was so affordable with all bogo restaurants coupons from hotel lobby it was funny. It cut our food bill in half. The hard rock cafe offer a enough food for a army that it could be share.

 

[darlak]

First let me say that when I was younger, we didn't go to WDW very often. We always went on one family vacation per year, usually to the beach for a week. We have 4 children and there just wasn't always enough disposable income to do more. We now only have one child left at home and we are able to afford to do much more.

I'm 49 now and our house is almost paid for. We've stayed at all levels of resorts, but for right now, we have decided that staying at a value allows us to go twice yearly. We've looked at buying DVC, but just don't feel it's a good fit for us right now.

We live close enough to drive, but fly if we can get a good enough deal. In March, we'll probably be driving because right now the best deal I'm finding on airfare is about $400 per person. We're taking one of our grandchildren and two of our children, so we'll be staying in a moderate this time. Next September though, we'll be back at Pop for free dining again. Between those two trips, DH and I will be staying at the Poly for a long weekend. I love any trip to WDW, but honestly, my favorite is always the September trip at a value because we always take the whole famdamily and usually stay in 2 or 3 rooms.

For those of you who are younger, if you still have Disney fever 20 or so years from now, I suspect you will be going more often as well. There should be some perks to this aging thing!

 

[crisi]

People taking multiple trips in a year often live close enough that they can drive or live where there is good cheap airservice to Orlando. If I lived eight hours away, it would be tempting to turn a three day weekend into a Disney trip. But we are in Minnesota, land of 10,000 Lakes and high airfare and it isn't worth the travel time or the $1200 it costs to fly our family down for two days - so we don't go often.

I don't necessarily wonder about the money - if you live close and have APs, trips can be done cheaply. I wonder about the time! But I'm a WOTH Mom with a husband who is a work all the time guy and two kids in school - we have a hard time getting one week of vacation scheduled a year! But once again, people have different situations - if you homeschool and are a SAHM (which I suppose you'd have to be to homeschool) you'd have time for Disney and can just extend the homeschooling there.

 

[jbthi]

Vacation has always been a big priority for us. When our children were young if we did not have the money, we would borrow it.

Now we are retired and can afford to go more. The last few years we have spent 7 weeks per year in Disney. We drive and save some money. We own DVC and several others timeshare. We trade in through II at least 2 weeks a year plus use our DVC points. Since we are retired and this isn't just a 1 or 2 week vacation, we don't mind cooking in our unit. That saves a lot of money. We do buy annual passes. We save quite a bit on them through DVC. Sometimes we buy the DDE card. Did the dining plan last year. Glad we did it once, but it was way too much food.

People talk about paying cash for everything. Anything over $10 we charge. With the rewards, we get around 10 nights in a Hilton brand hotel completely free. We also get a few hundred back in cash or reward dollars. All cards are paid off monthly so we never pay interest.

My kids talk about the vacations we took when they were growing up and how they want their kids to have the same memories. I've never been sorry for taking them on borrowed money. Kids would not have the same memories over newer furniture, newer cars, bigger bank accounts, college funds, retirement funds, etc.

 

[mtblujeans]

People taking multiple trips in a year often live close enough that they can drive or live where there is good cheap airservice to Orlando. If I lived eight hours away, it would be tempting to turn a three day weekend into a Disney trip. But we are in Minnesota, land of 10,000 Lakes and high airfare and it isn't worth the travel time or the $1200 it costs to fly our family down for two days - so we don't go often....

Yep, what she said.

 

[Ciao Mickey]

I have to ask!!

I keep seeing posts on these various boards about people making their 3rd and 4th trips THIS YEAR to DW. How in the world can they afford to do that? I know what our six night trip cost and I know we saved up for quite awhile for it (ok, YEARS!!).

So what's the secret? How do they do it?


Lily

When my kids were younger (meaning before they started college) we would go anywhere from 2 to 4 times per year.

The reason being we had annual passes. You tend to go more when you have them. Also, we get Florida resident rates for rooms so that helps.

I'm also blessed/fortunate that my husband makes a decent salary.

 

[mrp4352]

I'm an airline Employee, so between the free airfare and the cheap hotel rooms (love that interline discount) I can usually wrangle 2-3 trips a year. What's even better is that I can share my airfare with family, so they will often pick up my share of the hotel in return for me giving them flight passes. Add in an annual pass - and I'm set!


But, I must also admit, I don't spend a lot on entertainment outside of my travel. I'm not into movies and definitely don't do the club scene, so it's fairly easy for me to save up money for trips.

 

[ceecee]

Our neighbors will only go when they can "do it right" meaning they must stay at a deluxe resort. We stay at value or moderates and actually prefer the values in some aspects. Some people also spends tons on food and sovies. Just depends on how often you would rather go. I would have withdrawal if I couldn't go at least yearly! I would rather stay value than not go at all, many people don't feel that way.

 

[DisneyJana]

I agree. We go 1-2 times per year and usually stay at the POP.
Last month, we stayed at the Contemporary Tower room, ( with a huge discount and to fulfill my little boy's dream!)

It was great.. But, when it comes down to it, I would just as soon stay at a value resort and go more often.. You are never in the room anyway!

 

[OKW Mom]

Bought DVC when it was $69. per point
don't smoke
don't buy lottery tickets
eat at home
sew or buy secondhand
Don't have a car payment
Buy the annual pass

All the folks in Ohio thought we were millionaires-my husband's boss' wife was GREEN with envy every time the boss would take Disney stories back from work.
It was always about well planned time intended to spend with our family (who still lives in Florida). Our children have learned to behave and eat in restaurants and developed tastes for things uncommon in Ohio and Maryland. They had discerning tastes in travel now (nice, safe vacations in beautiful places) and it has helped them keep their eye on personal goals for their adulthood. Work hard-play hard!

We moved to Ohio in 1989. DVC was a chance to escape snow and ice. While other folks bought boats we bought DVC (with no regrets).

We've had family visit the 2BR or 3Br as they can-it's a blast. The photos and the memories are priceless.

I won't sugarcoat it-my husband's family thought vacations were bunk. Of course they lived on water in Tampa and only went as far as their pool 365 days of the year. They thought we were nuts. They were the hardest to get over to the DVC-always had an excuse to not visit for 2 evenings or so.

When we gave our niece a week at OKW for a wedding gift they were thrilled, 8 years later they have 2 sons and own at SSR! Still they could not get their Dad and Mom to visit!

Here is the lesson: January 2005 my husband's twin brother discovered he had stage 4 Kidney Cancer. All of a sudden being 53 did not hold the promise of "someday". My husband got checked and he had Stage 1 Kidney Cancer - the surgery was set immediately!

Once they wrote his critical diagnosis his brother and wife took that trip to Niagra Falls he always wanted to do. (When finances and responsibilities allow - Do you need your death sentence to enjoy your family?)

Right now we wait. My husband is cancer free and sadly they have done all they can for his brother . It is just a matter of his comfort.

We don't buy alot of stuff on our trips-it's mostly about taking advantage of the free activities DVC people have-The Yoga on the beach at 7am, the movies and campfires.

We celebrated DH 55th D-day last month at BCV and will celebrate my 54th at OKW in March. Having strangers wish a Happy Birthday and being in the happiest place on earth is worth working 50 weeks a year to enjoy 2 weeks at the world.

 

[OKW Mom]

Well for us, it was very simple..we needed a break. Can we afford our December trip? Absolutely not, but we had a very bad year, I miscarried, and have been having a rough time with that since we are having no luck concieving, and I just needed to get away. We also figured our kids are only young once and we want them to have wonderful memories from childhood. We don't vacation at all during the year. In fact if you look at my siggie, all the trips listed from our honeymoon on have been the only vacations we have taken. They just all happen to be to Disney. We were there two years ago and my youngest was 18 months and he really doesn't remember much, and now he is 3 1/2 and so into everything Disney and my oldest is almost 7 and all he talks about is our last trip. We are lucky enough to have a friend who is a CM who is getting us discounts on hotel and park passes or we more than likely would not be going. Sometimes you just need to say "scr** it" and just do what makes you happy and worry about the bills later. And the joy I will get from seeing my kids faces will be very healing to my heart. Our next vacation more than likely won't be until after we have another baby if we are lucky enough, and not until that one is at least three. We want to go to Disneyland next time

At that time we were in tight finances and low spirits. Times change and we have a lovely family and many good experiences. Best wishes for all your dreams and plans to come thru!

 

[sk!mom]

Either they are putting it on a credit card or maybe live below their means so they have more disposable income than others may have! Our it could be DVC?

OR----- Maybe some have a high enough income to afford frequent vacations.

 

[darlak]

I wonder about the time! But I'm a WOTH Mom with a husband who is a work all the time guy and two kids in school - we have a hard time getting one week of vacation scheduled a year! But once again, people have different situations - if you homeschool and are a SAHM (which I suppose you'd have to be to homeschool) you'd have time for Disney and can just extend the homeschooling there.

I'm also a WOTH mom and DH works as well. Another perk of being older and having been on our jobs a while is that we each have lots of vacation time. I have 4 weeks and DH has 6.

 

[IDoDis]

People taking multiple trips in a year often live close enough that they can drive or live where there is good cheap airservice to Orlando. If I lived eight hours away, it would be tempting to turn a three day weekend into a Disney trip. But we are in Minnesota, land of 10,000 Lakes and high airfare and it isn't worth the travel time or the $1200 it costs to fly our family down for two days - so we don't go often.

I don't necessarily wonder about the money - if you live close and have APs, trips can be done cheaply. I wonder about the time! But I'm a WOTH Mom with a husband who is a work all the time guy and two kids in school - we have a hard time getting one week of vacation scheduled a year! But once again, people have different situations - if you homeschool and are a SAHM (which I suppose you'd have to be to homeschool) you'd have time for Disney and can just extend the homeschooling there.

I have a friend and her family goes about 7 times or more a year -- and that's traveling across the country. They stay in the top-end property and sometimes don't even go to the parks -- just go to relax and hang out at the pool. My friend said her kids will be going to our public university when they graduate high school. They've chosen to have family get-aways instead of saving for college, and because she is a college professor, she can get her kids educations at a substantial discount.

Everyone has a different story and reason for being able to go.

 

[Princess_Michelle]

I only wonder about how people afford going multiple times while staying at the Grand Floridian or The Beach Club. I still can't make myself (even if I could afford it, which I can't) spend that much money on a hotel room, especially after just spending way less than that on a 3 BR condo.

I have the opposite , wonder, I guess. I realize that I am very lucky whenever I talk to people and they say it takes them 1, 2, 3, however many, years to save for a Disney Trip. I just can't imagine it taking that long to save for vacation. We paid for this year and last year in a matter of months, and we didn't put it on credit cards either, b/c we are actually trying to get our hinies out of debt from past mistakes. (almost there! ) I'm trying really hard what to say next so this whole thing doesn't sound facetious (prolly not using the right word, btw), or like bragging, or mean, or snobby, or whatever.....I'm just trying to provide another look at it, I guess.

I think everything just depends on your situation. I'm a SAHM, I won't tell you how old I am, but I have a few years till I hit thirty, , we share one new car, live in an apartment, and we only have one kid so far. DH makes a lot, but we also live near DC in a country club community, so our living costs are through the friggin' roof. It was/is pretty easy for us to go, but we'll be abstaining for a few years, cause we need to get on the ball and buy a house, and we're planning a trip to Europe right after that....We both have GI bills, so no student loans.....

I guess if I had 3 or 4 kids and was spending half our income on a house payment, we'd be in the same boat, but that's why we chose to wait on the house thing. OTOH, my aunt is a single mom, lives in a trailer, and cleans houses for a living, and she's been taking my cousin annualy for YEARS. She just makes it a priority. I know people who make 5 times as much as she does, but can't afford to go to Disney b/c they have maxed out CC's, a house they can barely afford, and have 2 or more luxury cars. Some of them can't even afford to furnish their McMansions.

The possibilities are endless, you just never know....

 

[Iluvthemouse]

As many have already said, it is about priorities.

We live in our starter home 15yrs now.
We have no car payments and drive our cars until they die.
We save money but we like to travel alot. Our priority is travel.
We have an only child because that is what we could afford and still travel.
We dont smoke, drink.
We dont have any game systems in the house (they get expensive).

We go to Disney once a year but we also do a 8-10 day Caribbean/Mexico trip every summer. We do weekend trips around the area many times a yr.

 

[reginaastralis]

For me, it's important to give my daughter things I never had growing up. I'm sure eventually, we'll travel outside of Disney, but for now it works for us.

I'm a single mom, but we live close enough to go once a month. Yes, once a month. Sometimes, we'll hop over for the day, other times we'll stay at a value for a long weekend. We rarely go during the summer, it's too hot and busy. Sometimes, we'll go for three days with my parents and just enjoy all there is to do outside of the parks. We stay in their RV and enjoy "camping".

I don't recieve child support or gov't aid. My coworker has a $600/month car payment, $700/month rent yet she gets every type of aid available to single moms, and just took her two kid's on a Disney cruise. That, I don't understand. I work really hard at my job, which it's also my job to save my home as much money as possible. My daughter is always dressed nicely, which isn't easy for a 2yr old to be clean sometimes, but most of her clothes are second hand. I'm big on buying from thrift shops and such, not only for the value, but to stop some of the over buying and thus overfilling of our landfills.

We went earlier this month to MNSSHP, and I was joking with my coworkers about how I got "had" into buying a souvie. We don't have a need to buy them, so we don't. It's that simple. They all looked at me and said "You don't buy her anything while you're there??!" Could you imagine my house if I bought her some little trinket or something EVERYtime we went. I bought her the Peter Pan playset this time, b/c it's something we'll enjoy together. Believe me, she hasn't realized it's been at my parents house for three weeks, so I really didn't need to buy it. She was more upset tonight when her balloon broke while I was holding it, a balloon animal that was made over a month ago.

My dream is to take Julie on a Disney cruise, or maybe stay at the Poly, but right now, she's content with just going to Disney. Everytime we get on the interstate I hear "Are we going to Disney, momma?" That, to me, is the best feeling.