Some people just don't like planning vacations. My mom is one of them. I'm taking her to WDW next year (first time for us) and I'm doing ALL the planning. I love to plan and research and learn about the places I visit...it's like starting the vacation early! And because money is an issue, I want to get the most out of my vacation dollar so I learn as much as I can. But planning would stress her out...she gets overwhelmed instead of just breaking it down into manageable chunks. So I do it, enjoy it and all I ask is that she learn what the attractions are so she can weigh in with what she wants to do. And when we go, all the $ will be saved in advance and we are going to go BIG!
On the $ subject, I have a friend who says they want to take their two young kids to Disneyland.
Me: When are you going?
Her: We don't know...we haven't started saving.
Me: Oh. (Silence.)
We had this conversation a couple times because I'm super excited for them to go and she keeps saying they want to go but doesn't save. Instead, she pins all her hopes on winning the yearly Disney vacation giveaway at her husbands work. Hey, I get that people have different priorities for money and vacationing and different $$ items that come up...bills and such, but it boils down to how bad you want it. If you don't care that much about going, you won't make saving for it a priority. Even if you're next to broke and it takes years, if ya want it bad enough you'll save and eventually get there. But my friend will never get there if she doesn't start saving!
The weirdest thing is that I asked them how much they thought it would cost and they said $3,000 and described what they wanted to do. But when I costed it out on my own I could do the same trip for $1,800 - same time, same kind of tix, transportation, decent hotel, 3 meals a day, everything. But ultimately it's their business and their money and I want to stay friends. So now I just drop it.
I'm also with the poster who said they don't understand why people complain it's expensive. Just heard from a friend who came back from D-land and was grousing about the food costing a lot. Duh! Find out what the prices are like before you go and save up enough $ so you can eat without complaining. Expect "State Fair" prices and be grateful the food is of better quality than it was when I was a kid. If you don't have the $, either wait to go until you do, or go somewhere cheaper, like camping.
On the $ subject, I have a friend who says they want to take their two young kids to Disneyland.
Me: When are you going?
Her: We don't know...we haven't started saving.
Me: Oh. (Silence.)
We had this conversation a couple times because I'm super excited for them to go and she keeps saying they want to go but doesn't save. Instead, she pins all her hopes on winning the yearly Disney vacation giveaway at her husbands work. Hey, I get that people have different priorities for money and vacationing and different $$ items that come up...bills and such, but it boils down to how bad you want it. If you don't care that much about going, you won't make saving for it a priority. Even if you're next to broke and it takes years, if ya want it bad enough you'll save and eventually get there. But my friend will never get there if she doesn't start saving!
The weirdest thing is that I asked them how much they thought it would cost and they said $3,000 and described what they wanted to do. But when I costed it out on my own I could do the same trip for $1,800 - same time, same kind of tix, transportation, decent hotel, 3 meals a day, everything. But ultimately it's their business and their money and I want to stay friends. So now I just drop it.
I'm also with the poster who said they don't understand why people complain it's expensive. Just heard from a friend who came back from D-land and was grousing about the food costing a lot. Duh! Find out what the prices are like before you go and save up enough $ so you can eat without complaining. Expect "State Fair" prices and be grateful the food is of better quality than it was when I was a kid. If you don't have the $, either wait to go until you do, or go somewhere cheaper, like camping.
There is a fair amount of "I don't get people who don't get Disney World" attitude here. But we have to remember that all of our knowledge, information, insight and tricks of the trade were accumulated over years and years (decades even) of visits, many of which were done 'back in the day' when going to WDW was far easier than it is today. (Remember the 30 day cutoff for Priority Seating?) Going to WDW today does take planning. Many of the people who have become fodder for the funny stories here are probably perfectly capable of doing said planning, but either they choose not to, or have a hard time believing the advice of the commandos giving it, and learn the hard way. For many, planning a vacation should not be the equal of planning the Normandy Invasion. Yet we have folks here who admit to planning years in advance using spread sheets, Power Point presentations, laminated itineraries, and the like. (And I mean no offense, as I do some of these things as well. My DW has to double-check my minute by minute daily plans to make sure that we have built in time to breathe and go to the bathroom. 
) But look at this from the other side. If someone came to you with guides, Power Point presentations, spreadsheets and calendars marked out more than 180 days to help you plan a vacation to somewhere you had never been, my guess is that you would either reconsider going to that place, or would take only half of the advice offered, figuring that the person who was trying to help you out was certifiable and going way beyond what was necessary. In the end, you might have a lousy time and face the "I told you so's" of your (former) friend.
I said, "OK, we'll leave and go back to the hotel and go home tomorrow." That put an end to that quickly.
