Income and Resort Type

[Kathy5]

I have just got to ask-does your income play a part (well, of course it plays a part, but how big of a part) in which resort you stay at? I have been on this board for more than a year, and I am constantly amazed at how many people stay in deluxes and concierge. I feel that my husband and I make a very good income, and I still I always go for the "deals" when going to Disney. Example, this year we are staying at the Swan at one of the discount rates. If I spent $4,000 on a concierge room for a vacation, even though I could afford to, I would probably hyperventilate and pass out before I could say "charge it." Don't get me wrong-what people do with their vacation money is their business, I am NOT JUDGING. It's just that my curiosity has gotten the better of me. Do you save and go deluxe once every few years, as opposed to going to Disney annually? Or, is Disney a top priority, and you save in other ways throughout the year? Or.....something I haven't even thought of? Interested in seeing what others do. Maybe I could pick up some tips.

Kathy

 

[MJames41]

I also look for the bargain. We have gone each year since 2000 (and now have a trip planned for August). If I went just by my income, we probably wouldn't go at all, or if we did we would stay only at the All Stars.

But, for me, Disney is a priority, not because it's Disney, but because it's quality time that I get to spend with my daughter (who is moving out this year, so this will be our last trip with her) and my son. We are able to bond better there than at other places, and much better than when we are just sitting around at home (everybody in their room, watching/reading what they wish - although we agree on a few things that we like to watch, there is a great difference in our tastes).

One thing I do is watch for codes. I have never booked a room without some kind of discount, even if it was only Disney Club. For instance, our stay at the Boardwalk last year (4 magnificant nights - 2nd Floor, giant Christmas Tree I could see from my bed) we stayed at the Villas and rented points - and we even got a good price on the points. Hard to turn down the Boardwalk at $108 per night.

Also, it's not a coincidence that I quit smoking in 2000 and our trips started then.

 

[ead79]

Overall, my income level does not play a big part in my Disney trips and resort choice. Since Disney is a huge priority to me, I just save and save and save. It's not easy for me to come up with the money for deluxe resorts and/or concierge, but I really sacrifice for my WDW trips. I make very little money per year compared to many DISers, but I also am a single adult with no children (getting married this December). Not have a mortgage or children definitely helps me be able to save more of my albeit small income for WDW trips.

 

[callaghan]

This is our first "family vacation". Dh and I snuck away to Vegas in 2000. We are staying Poly Concierge and I almost had a heart attack when I booked. DH makes a good salary, I am just CHEAP. He calls it thrifty and smart. I cut coupons and NEVER buy anything that isn't on sale! IF it ain't 50% off, it's not on sale!!!!
The way I look at it is, We don't vacation often and when I do it is my vacation too. (We have two DDs, 4 and 10mos.) We could save a lot more $ at a moderate, but what do I scrimp and save and bargain shop for (other than the thrill!). If I can save $ during the year than I am going to enjoy the fruits of my labor.
callie

 

[susy]

Our income does play a BIG part in where we can stay and how often we go. I have been a SAHM since 1997 and I am starting grad school this fall. I have started to realize lately,that it's not HOW MUCH money DH makes, but how we SPEND the money we have. We do very well on DH's salary- no debt, IRA's, college (for DS) and emergency funds. We also have a vacation fund and save another $20 per week for Disney and $20 for christmas (so we don't go into debt for it). We just re-budgeted our grocery bill, which was getting ridiculous. We do BJs (monthly), get our meats at another place (monthly), and get produce/ dairy weekly at a farmer's market. This is going to save us $$$$$$!!!

We have stopped going out to eat (at all) and going to movies,etc. We could use some new furniture, but are putting that off until I'm done with school.

It's matter of priorities. Disney is a priority for us. I would rather not go out to dinner here, so that I can enjoy more dinners there!

We can easily afford the values and mods. Deluxe is a little harder.

We do have a one week at Poly LV concierge planned for when I'm done with school!!!! I should be making a very good salary when I graduate. I'll get new furniture and a new kitchen, too!! But I will be good and pay off my school loans before anything else!

 

[jaw62901]

I would have to agree with ead79 & Suzy.

I am a single male who also does not have a mortgage or kids either to worry about so what every I have left over each month after paying for bills, car stuff (oil change) gifts (regular & x-mas) & food, I put the rest away for a vacation or what ever I may be saving for at that time. Only after all the bills are paid, do I put the rest of the money aside for my WDW trip. The way I have it set up now, I know that each month between May and November I have to set aside about $410 to take care of all of the WDW expenses that I will need to pay for in December. This usually leaves me with bwteen $190 & $290 left each month to put in a emergency fund incase of car problems or unexpected illness (knock on wood this doesn't happen).

The only reason I am staying in a club level room with a king bed at such a deluxe resort as the Swan is because I got a great AP rate for my Dec 26 to Jan 3 solo trip. If it hadn't been for the deal I got, I would have stayed at either a moderate or one of the value resorts since it is really expensive for the week of x-mas to new years.

 

[Quirky Cruiser]

I am another single female - no mortgage (live with my parents) and no children. After graduating from college and landing a great job, I realized I had to start budgeting my money and figuring out monthly payments - college loans, car, phone, insurance, and incidentals (food, clothing, TRAVEL, etc). Since Disney has always been a big deal in my life, I looked into DVC and realized what a great deal it is - considering the cost of hotels is constantly going up. I figured I could put a good chunk down as a down payment and then figure the remaining amount into my monthly payments and still live comfortably.

I have known about DVC for a long time...since I traveled to Disney back in '93 and '94 with my family. Because we were a family of 5 (and because my parents insisted that if we were going to Disney we were staying IN Disney) we had to stay at a Deluxe - we stayed at the Contemporary and the Beach Club - went through a travel agent, so there were no deals. We only got to go twice as a complete family. Now - my parents did the DVC tour and figured they couldn't afford it with all of us going off to college one after another in a matter of years. They realized how foolish they were for not joining since those two trips almost equaled the minimum cost of joining DVC. No, my parents don't regret spending the money on those two amazing trips, but we probably could have gone more often if we had taken advantage of codes, etc (like we did on later trips).

Now, with DVC we will get to go back to the Beach Club yearly (our favorite hotel), stay in a one or two-bedroom villa with cooking facilities, and not incur the costs that a typical vacation would cost. DVC is like prepaying for vacations for the next 39 years. For me, I figured my investment would break-even after about 4 years. Plus, I can trade-out and go somewhere else if I choose. I love to vacation and by joining DVC I can afford to go yearly and bring my family and friends (and eventually someday, my own family). I too, am a die-hard bargain hunter and DVC is an affordable way to enjoy Disney (and many other places) over and over. Sorry for the long story, but I just wanted to share how I afford my Disney habit!!!

 

[Jen D]

I think you'll find it has much to do with personal preferences and spending habits as anything else. Some people will always be very diligent about seeking the bargain option and not being too extravagant no matter what their income, and those people are often very secure financially! My parents have always been like this, as long as I remember, and now as nearly retired empty-nesters, they are doing quite well financially, although they are still bargain hunters.

I try to be more like my parents-- but am not so great at it. Our family has what is considered a pretty nice income, but it doesn't go as far as we'd like in this city, and as a result I don't always feel secure financially. I have been trying, in the past few years, to adopt my parent's bargain-hunting, and non-splurging lifestyle, and have had some success, but we don't vacation very often and for us it is just worth it to spring for a deluxe at a discount. I have no doubt it would be better for us to get that amazing code-rate at the All-Stars, but I just really enjoy a nicer hotel-- to me it is the most important part of the vacation.

I do have to say-- if I hadn't gotten involved in this board, I'd probably be a confirmed moderate girl. After guidebook research, I had decided moderate was the appropriate level for us, affordibility-wise, but reading about all the fabulous deluxes here convinced me it was worth it to save a few hundred more for lodging. So I blame the Disboards for throwing me off-budget!

 

[disneyjunkie]

For me income doesn't play a role in the resort I pick. I could afford to stay in a mod or deluxe but I know it would kill me to spend that kind of money just to sleep in a room.

I'm a single parent with one child. I try to make our time and $$ on vacation go as far as I can.

I think paying big bucks for a mod or deluxe would be a waste for DS and I. We are very new to the whole disney thing,( so far one visit in 2001 and two more in the works for this year) we spend most of our time in the parks. We are only in the room to shower and sleep. We're not at the point where we'll spend a day hanging around the resort pool. DS gets his pool time in when the parks close.

I'd rather stay in the All Stars for 10 nights than a deluxe for 5. This way we get to spend more time in the parks.

Each family has areas they are willing to go all out for. Some people will not stay off site, some will not stay at the All Stars. Some will spend $$$ to stay in a mod or deluxe, but then pack tons of food and water so they won't have to buy it from disney.

Now if I can figure out a way to get a great code rate to stay at the Beach Club in October, I'd be willing to stay there for the last night of our trip, which is DS's 12 birthday.

DS and I went to Beaches and Cream for lunch during our last visit. Ds walked into the lobby, looked around and said to me "Mommy this must be where the rich people stay." I'd love to surpise him with a stay there

 

[hockey mom]

We usually pick hotels based on theme, not income. We could afford a deluxe but when Toy story was hot my kids wanted to stay there. We are staying at WL in Dec. just for the decorations. My Ds is now huge into castles so we stayed at CBR for the pool. With that being said though I also could not afford concierge and would not relax the entire vacation fretting over what I spent on it.

 

[>>^..^<<]

Wow what an interesting question....

I don't think income and resort choice are as related as we think they should be.

High income families with 8 kids - could very well stay value or moderate.

Lower income families with one child, or lower income couples may go deluxe.

Sometimes the deluxe is a once in a lifetime splurge, sometimes it is the norm, I have heard of people taking out loans or re-mortgaging their home to finance a holiday.

Some people are cheap (thrifty, smart lol) some people are snobs, some people enjoy the finer things in life, some people have a different idea of what the finer things are.

Impossible to answer this question!!! but I am looking forward to reading everyones thoughts.

And if all else fails.. marry a rich guy.

>>^..^<<

 

[Bete]

The best rate we did recently was $159/night for Savannah view at AKL and we grab it. It was a wonderful stay but after the first couple of nights the ambiance wears out for us and $59/night at All-Stars or $74/night at a moderate starts looking real good to us for the price difference.

I'm not sure I could say we can afford concierge every night but we do alright; it's just that I rather take more trips and save the money by staying at an economical, Disney resort. We've been to Disney over a dozen times, now. I love early entry and e-ride nights and I get those perks no matter which Disney resort. We are at the point that we don't need plush to enjoy our trip there. It's actually less stressful for me to go cheaper. I would have to make sure I get my monies worth if I stay concierge and I would do more complaining if everything wasn't tip-top. As an example, at AKL I would have to go on the special Safari offered to concierge only. I would have to make sure I enjoyed the so-called perks of snacks and drinks, too. You get the idea and in some ways that's more of a hassle. I hate to say it but for some folks it's a way of differiating themselves from the masses.

You can stay at All-Stars and still arrange for a spa treatment at the Grand Floridian. We did the afternoon tea at the Grand Floridian this past May and I got my taste of that resort. We do something special at each deluxe on our visit and that's how we get our enjoyment. The same is true of the finer restaurants at all the deluxe resorts. If I had a choice to go to better restaurants everyday or stay deluxe, I would opt for the better restaurants. We don't live in our rooms. By the time I'm in the room I want a nap or we are in for the night; so, to me a bed is a bed.

We like vacationing and we probably average three months a year for it. We are retired; so, we can do it. I just rather take more trips and that's how our budget is set-up. Also, I dress much more casual by not going concierge or deluxe. I fuss less with my hair, make-up, etc. Actually, I do more park time because I avoid the best of the best. Now, I don't let myself go but you get the drift.

If it were my honeymoon or special anniversary (25th, etc) then I may say go for it. It's very hard for me to justify say $700/night for concierge at the Grand Floridian. I might say the same about the Ritz and anywhere else. I'm not just saying this about Disney. Neither one of us was born with a silver spoon; so, I suppose I'm more conservative about spending money on vacation. It took me fifty years to buy a deluxe car and we could of done it thirty years sooner. I look at a car as a way to go from point A to B. I feel that way about furniture, too. If you buy the best of the best in everything you do then I suppose concierge is for you.

You have to choose what's right for you. From the way you sound I think you want to try the super, deluxe treatment; so, I would make a compromise and do it for a few nights to get a taste of it. You will decide at that point if that's how you want to vacation. If you've done other vacations by not worrying about the expense then go first class all the way with Disney.

 

[hookedup]

I work in the travel industry and I travel a lot for both business and pleasure. I think that the WDW deluxe resorts are wonderful magical places. Of course what you are paying is a "premium" to stay at what Disney has positioned to be the elite among hotels at WDW - more amenities (room service, turn down service, etc) convenient locations and transportation, concierge services. etc. Disney has done a good job at making people want to stay at the deluxe resorts and for that they command a top price point. Really it's all about location and hype of services available.

I can understand why people have high expectations when they book a room for $300+ per night. And whether you are a high income earner and this is not a huge dent in your wallet, or someone who has scrimped, saved and sacraficed - paying a huge amount of money for a vacation leads to expectations. Afterall vacation spending is money that you dont have to spend elsewhere - whether it's a nicer car, or fixing up something at your home, or whatever else you spend money on. You don't have anything tangible at the end of the vacation (except souveniers) and of course memories - so for what ever amount of money you have spent regardless of how much you can afford - those better be some darn good memories!

 

[ncligs]

Originally posted by Quirky Cruiser
. Now, with DVC we will get to go back to the Beach Club yearly (our favorite hotel), stay in a one or two-bedroom villa with cooking facilities, and not incur the costs that a typical vacation would cost. DVC is like prepaying for vacations for the next 39 years. For me, I figured my investment would break-even after about 4 years. Plus, I can trade-out and go somewhere else if I choose. I love to vacation and by joining DVC I can afford to go yearly and bring my family and friends (and eventually someday, my own family). I too, am a die-hard bargain hunter and DVC is an affordable way to enjoy Disney (and many other places) over and over.

I second what Quirky Cruiser said above. We joined DVC 5 years ago and it was the best decision we have ever made. Now four of my brothers and sisters are DVC members also.

 

[sherry8253]

My DH and I are in our late 40's. Kids are grown and out (no grandkids to spoil yet), house is paid, etc. We both work and have a very good combined income. My husband says I am thrifty - I sometimes think I am cheap. I would never pay rack rate for a deluxe room at the GF, etc. If I knew I was paying $300+ a night for a room at Disney I wouldn't be able to sleep even though we could probably afford it. We enjoy the deluxes but usually go for the lower level deluxe (AKL or WL). This year we are staying at the Swan because of the great price. We will go with a moderate sometimes. However, we will not do AS - it just isn't our thing. I think that income does play some role in peoples' selections - I just don't think that income is the only thing. Younger families with kids seem to use the AS more than middle age couples like my DH and myself. But you also read about people saving for years to take one trip to Disney and staying in a deluxe is important to them. In addition to income, I think it is how important the resort you select is to you and your family. For me - I want it to be nice but I will not pay and arm & a leg for it.

 

[airhead]

This will be our first time at the AKL .Staying 2 nights concierge
so we can do the safari. Otherwise,I'm perfectly satisfied with a moderate resort (CBR)which we thought was great! We're people (just 2 of us) who are never at the hotel. We're out 'til
we drop!! Although,in the past we have been at WDW in the fall
or Feb,next july will be our first summer so we may be vacationing a little different because of the heat. For us spending all that $$$$ just to fall into bed and pass out is a waste.

Airhead

 

[gina2000]

We always look for deals. Normally, we spend very little time in our room or at the resort so going deluxe at rack rate makes very little sense. We have done deluxe at a discount and it's worth it to us.

As far as income is concerned, we could go where we want. Truthfully, if we were looking for a relaxing vacation, Disney isn't it.....at least not with a 9 year old.

 

[KaterBell]

I definitely think income makes a huge difference. B/c of our income, we were able to buy into DVC at the ripe old age of 24 (before we bought a house, even), and now can look forward to calling the Beach Club Villas home for the next 39 years. SOunds good to me!! Now I don't have to worry about the cost in dollars, but the cost in points - and it's paid off in 5-7 years.

If I didn't own DVC - where would I stay? I'd love to say that I'd shell out the money for the GF or Yacht club - but I wouldn't. I'd probably go middle of the road and say CBR or POFQ or something. We do spend time at the resorts midday, however - so that might have pushed us to stay the monorail resorts or the resorts within walking distance to Epcot.

Although- I do have to say - this past week I visited HauntedMansionFan at his room at the Swan - and HOLY COW was I impressed!! For the price, you can't beat it!! Beautiful rooms, high speed internet access, CoMFY beds... balconies with great views. You know what, scratch it. If I didn't have DVC, I'd live at the Swan or Dolphin.

Good night, and have a pleasant tomorrow.

 

[Pooh Girl 71]

I am just cheap lol I go out of my way to look for the most bang for my buck. I can't justify spending so much money on a room when I know that I will only be there to shower and sleep.

We stayed at AKL last Feb and it was beautiful. We had a pool view room. But I swear we weren't there enough to enjoy it.

DD and I are doing a girls only trip in Aug and we're staying as ASMovies. I don't think you can go wrong with any Disney resort.

 

[Lisa3]

I definitely think alot of factors come into deciding where to stay. Our first trip was with young kids and we knew that we would spend a limited amount of time in our room. We chose POR since it was the most economical for our family of 5 (plus I had not found these boards and we paid rack rate!). We were perfectly content to stay at POR on our last trip this past Dec. However, we decided to buy APs and get two trips out of them while the kids were still young enough to pull out of school. When the AP rates came out we decided to try the Polynesian (where I had wanted to stay since I was 17).

We soon discovered that our growing family enjoyed the extra space and it was pure heaven not to be tripping over each other plus DH who is 6'5" loved the queen size bed. We now have an upcoming trip in Nov. (the second on the APs) and I have the Polynesian booked again with the Come Back Rate (my kids decided to give up our annual trip to Hershey Park this summer just so we could stay here again). After much discussion we changed our ressies to GV Concierge. Now understand that we are definitely not in the "concierge" tax bracket but I was able to get a good rate, it will be our 20th anniversary, and we are planning on spending more time at the resort than on previous trips. I fully expect that as my kids turn into teenagers that I will be booking 2 rooms at the All Stars!