Income and Resort Type

[bridgettesmom]

Here's how I feel about it....DH and I have been to DW many times,and we both stayed onsite as children.As adults we stayed offsite looking for more bang for our buck,it was hard to justify spending more money because all we needed was a bed to sleep on after a long day at the parks.If we found a clean room for $29 next to a Denny's or a Red Lobster we would be happy.In our early 20's that was our priority and we didn't think much of it.Now,things have changed and we know that we really enjoy our vacation more if we stay at the best hotels.It really gets expensive,since, we go on vacation at least 3 times a year.A couple of years ago we started to stay onsite and we loved it so much that there is absolutely no way that we will go back to a $29 motel.I look about it this way,if we live in a nice house,drive nice cars why shouldn't we stay in a nice hotel.We work hard year round, we deserve it. We always charge our trips on our AMEX and pay it off when we get home.My husband works full time and I work part time and we are not in debt.

AKL is our favorite resort, we loved waking up in the morning and watching the animals ,that alone was priceless.I am currently debating if we should stay AKL concierge on our next trip, it is really hard to justify that amount of money.I spoke to my husband about it last night and guess what he said....Sounds great we deserve it!! Honestly,I haven't booked it yet , I guess I feel guilty about it,but, he is right we do deserve it.

 

[ducklite]

Interesting question.

We think of WDW as a resort near theme parks, and tend to spend a lot of time in our room and enjoying the resort amenities. So the values and mods don't cut it for us. We want a balcony, queen or king bed, etc.

I work a second job to be able to afford to "do" WDW the way I like to...when not staying DVC we always stay concierge, eat at a nicer restaurant every night, etc.

If I didn't have the extra income I think we'd still do WDW the same way, but not as often--rather than going three or four times a year we'd only go once or twice.

Anne

 

[Kimickey]

We determine where we would like to stay based on what the our family likes. Right now we really like staying at the CSR because of it's beauty and the pool. Even though we could afford to stay at a deluxe. We would rather spend 10-12 days at a moderate versus 6-7 at a deluxe. We call ourselves frugal, and would rather get more for our money.

 

[lmhall2000]

I went with my family when I was 8 in the middle of July- UGH too hot for any fun for us. My college roommate worked at Disney University for their marketing program and had free tickets for us- so we took quite a bit of road trips for a very cheap trip and free place to stay.
Our first 4 stays as a family were due to my job- (dh stayed at home with our little ones the first five years and my position went through promotions thus relocations thus bonuses that paid for a Disney trip to help offset the sacrifice of moving our little guys) It was one of the positives of explaining we're moving again. We made a pact to stop moving when the oldest hit 5 and I would quit to stay home and dh would take the reins. Which means no more bonuses but no more relocation. So we have had to budget for this trip- we took a very inexpensive trip to the beach last year and used the money we saved to put towards this trip- we chose Poly because our kids are still young- 8, 5, 4 and we'd love the ease of the monorail. That said- we will now do Disney every four years and focus on our country's heritage and history in between. I say splurge if you're going every four years- we budget my husband's paycheck on 2 paychecks a month- well that leaves 2 paychecks (26 week pay schedule) that are bonus for us- we use these to pay for our vacations. And thank you President Bush we'll have an extra $1200 this year to reinvest into our economy at Disney!!
Agreeing with all the others- it's about priorities- we don't eat out often ( I actually prefer my cooking to most restaurants! ) and we're very frugal with our spending-except that week at Disney!
Tara

 

[K9pal]

I don't think it's as much "income level" as it is "DISPOSABLE income" as well as what you want out of your vacation. We're both early 50's empty nesters, work good jobs with decent income. When we vacation, we want to relax, enjoy good food, and be a little pampered. Type of hotel room and location is a priority to us because we will spend considerable time there. Also location - we don't want to spend a lot of time in cars or on buses going here and there. Therefore, we like the Epcot resorts. On the other hand, I like to squeeze every last penny out of my hard earned dollar, and will spend hours researching in order to save money. I'm thrifty, cheap, tight, whatever you want to call it! Too many people these days confuse "wants" with "needs", and as a result cannot understand how other people can afford vacations when they can't. We forego many of the material things other people think are necessary, and save our money for the things we enjoy - vacations! We probably eat out once a week, if that. Carry lunches to work. Keep our cars when they're paid off. Buy things when they are on sale. Use coupons. All these things add up.
It's all a matter of priorities!

 

[WDW LifeLong Fan]

Great Subject Kathy!

We have been very fortunate and always appreciate the fact that we are able to travel, and in particular to WDW frequently.

Like most who have replied, it is a very enjoyable priority! As you know, there are people with unlimited wealth that never attend or are not able to appreciate/enjoy the Disney experience.

That is one reason I really enjoy these boards.....we have a fellowship of Disney Fans...regardless of how many times they are able to go or where they stay!

Thanks again for this subject!

 

[patsal]

Wow, this is an interesting topic, great question! it doesn't surprise me that we are getting such varied responses. For me when DH and I were first married we had literally nothing, so vacations were always on a budget with very little splurging--heck back then Red Lobster was a splurge! Now, thirteen years later it's amazing how far we have come! Between now and then we stayed very low budget off site, low budget on site, and one year after 5 years with no vacation, DH working two jobs, me working two jobs and juggling grad school with two kids, I felt frazzled by Buffalo weather in February. knowing I couldn't afford a WDW vaation we called and booked a USF vacation package. I must have snapped because I went all inclusive for 5 days at PBH. Well, that then spoiled us. Two years later we were planning our WDW "dream vacation" when we discovered DVC. This worked best for me because I'm still too practical (cheap) to shell out deluxe yearly. (of course when working with me you are working with someone who ran out of the bridal shop thinking dress or refrigerator--fridge will be used daily for 10 years+ or dress one day--ok lets elope!). We are fortunate--Dh only works one job now, I work one and we are able to provide the kids with the things they need. We are lucky in the respect that we can go to WDW for one long trip or several short trips per year. When I pay cash for a room though I tend to stay moderate--it's a bit bigger splurge than the AS's but not so much that I have to feel like I could have re-modeled a room for the same price as a weeks vacation! We also still spend a considerable amount of time in the parks--I believe if I were really using the resort amenities it would be easier for me to stay Deluxe. I am saving very diligently to stay concierge for my 40th birthday(while still preparing for the usual WDW trips each year)--with all the work I have been doing to get there I hope it really is "magical."

 

[mrsltg]

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

Darn it, I got that ALL wrong!!!

This year will be our third Disney vacation as a married couple. Each year gets more expensive! Our first was at CSR, and we loved it! The second year I surprised my DH with AKL, and we really loved it! This year, AKL Concierge, baby!!

We're FAR from rich, but we vacation once a year (new to both of us as neither of our families did this when we were kids). My DH is a cop in DC, and to me, making the most of the time that we are together is paramount. I don't know if it's his profession that makes me acutely aware of mortality, or just some nagging sense that nothing this good can last forever... whatever it is, our vacations are special and we go all out.

This year's vacation will be paid for ala my FSA (flexible spending account). I have money drawn from my check pre-tax that is put into a savings account. I am able to do this due to my daughters daycare expenses. We've found that we can pretty easily live without the money that's taken from my check, and then there's 5k waiting for me at the end of the year... not a bad deal! We'll probably throw another 1k or so on top of that, and VIOLA... a stay at AKL for 11 nights!

Erin

 

[caitycaity]

eventhough dh and i make decent salaries, i am very budget conscience. for me, the deluxe disney resorts (and depending on the season, some of the moderates too) aren't worth rack-rate. if i can't get a discount, we don't go or we stay at the all-stars. fortunately, the discounts have been plentiful for the past couple of years.

 

[GlennandAnn]

We are a family of 4, DH is a high school teacher and I work part time. We have a good income, a little above average I'd say. We started out wanting to try all of the WDW resorts, and somehow just got hooked on the deluxe resorts (how did that happen?!). We never book without a code (preferably AP codes, but we have used Disney Club too), and we save up for our trips. Vacations are a big priority for us, we like to be able to enjoy ourselves. We also want our 2 DSs to have great memories of family vacations and love to be able to give them a really nice vacation. We try not to say no to 4 y/o DS when he asks for stuff at WDW, not because we are attempting to spoil him, but because it's vacation, and everyone deserves to live a little. Vacations are a big deal to us, and the only place we have vacationed as a family is WDW.

Ann

 

[candleonwater]

Which resort I book depends entirely on my mood! Being a single mother to a 6 yo dd.... I can afford the deluxes, but at times, especially when it's just the two of us, like the mods and value resorts.

I'm taking my mother down for Halloween this year, and when I started looking at which resort, I asked my daughter, and she chose BC (hands down) because of the pool. I prefer the pampering feel to the Deluxes, but still feel just fine at the Moderates and values.

 

[magicmouse2]

We ae a normal hard working family with average income. I dont smoke, go to bars, or have an excessively huge mortgage. I try to save as much money as possible for Disney. That is my big treat and quality time with our kids. We take long vacations, so we do have to budget. $100 per night is our limit, and we have APs so usually get good rates. I think you do get what you pay for, and I have stayed in a value resort and a moderate resort. In September we are staying in a deluxe for a special occasion, but I would probably settle for a moderate normally. I like my resort room to be clean and new. I dont go for spa's or super fine dining etc. We are happy with foodcourts and CH buffets. Concierge is something I would not pay for. I like to make my own arrangements and feel that the Disney level of service is better than good anyhow

However in answer to your question. If I was really well paid, and money was no object, I would go for the best I could afford - just because I love Disney and the memories are priceless

 

[fsu]

I have to agree with disneyjunkie we used to stay offsite to save money then after finding this board and moussavers we tried a allstars and it was great!!! So now we cant go back we love the allstars. We did try a moderate once but still prefer the allstars because we would rather take more trips and stay more days and to us the allstars is a step up from staying offsite. We could probably afford to stay at a moderate or deluxe but since we live in Florida and disney is only about a 6 hour drive we would rather take several trips instead of just one!!!

 

[PatriciaH]

Since I have been booking my WDW trips on my own (1993) I have always used a code rate too-either Magic Kingdom Club or AP. We love the moderate hotels and usually stay at one even though we could afford deluxe or concierge. We did AKL concierge in March because it was only a 4 night stay and we wanted to try it (and also do the Sunrise Safari.) It cost $377/night AP rate and I was a bit on edge about that price They upgraded us to a 2 bedroom suite though so I considered it a bargain at that price! That suite costs about $1,500/night for the time we went. DH and I like to try and do another trip during the year. This year it is Mexico. We also try to save a lot for retirement (we want to retire young) and for a home next year (hopefully in Celebration!)

 

[beccasmom]

One of the reasons I bought into DVC in 1991 was the escalating costs of the hotels I liked to stay in. I began going to WDW in 1981 and for the first few years stayed at the Contemporary. Back in those days, there was only the Contemporary, the Polynesian, the Golf Resort and Fort Wilderness on property. On a few occasions, we stayed at the Beach Resort (when it first opened at an introductory rate and at the Grand Floridian when it first opened at an introductory rate). American Express had a couple of deals I also took advantage of (in July, though.....not my preferred time to go!) When the moderates opened, we started staying there, chiefly for economic reasons. The luxury hotels' rates were beyond my comfort level. I starting going to WDW only every other year, and was miserable on the "off" year!

It was an easy decision to buy into the DVC because of my love for Disney. We bought early on and also were able to take advantage of free passes through 2000, so it was a great deal economically for us. We go every year at least once and often twice - not enough vacation time to go more often yet!

I think many people do sacrifice to go to Disney. I also think it is worth the sacrfice, but everyone needs to decide their comfort level with their own specific circumstances. When the rates went beyond what my perception of their value was, I began looking for an alternative that fortunately, I was able to take advantage of.

 

[DDreneeT]

We decide where our summer vacation will be and then save for that particular vacation. We have never charged anything ever. I feel if you can't pay for it then don't do it.

 

[goofy4tink]

We have a certain amount that we would spend 'normally' on our yearly vacation. When we get to WDW it has been a moderate for us. And we enjoyed ourselves immensly. This time, we were going to do CBR. Then DH says 'oh go ahead and book WL'. I'm feeling like a real big bird now! So, when the FT pkg. came out, we were lucky enough to be able to do Polynesian for just a little more. My problem now is, will I be able to go back to the non-deluxes. Since it will be hot and muggy, we are planning on being at the pool for several hours each day, so that played into the choice. So, yes. Income sort of is an issue. But, we do scrimp and save for the big WDW trips.

 

[Demosthenes]

My vacations are direct reflections on the money I earn. I save 15% of every paycheck for my vacations. We use all money saved for vacations each year, I figure that I've earned it, so I'm going to use it. The longer I've been in business, the more I've been able to afford. We always pay for our trips with either the Diner's Club or American Express charge card, and then pay them off when the bill comes.

 

[susy]

LOTS of interesting replies!!! Another thing that DH and I spend way too much on is.. food. We are very light eaters (and DS is sooo PICKY) that we find we spend too much on food! We never budget for food or souveniers. We just buy what we want. This next trip... not gonna happen!! I plan on bringing bottled water, sodas, coffee (if need be), juice, milk and breakfast/snacks foods. Therefore, I don't care how far I will be from Roaring Forks! We have a PS planned for each day and DH and I will split a counter service meal, so half of it doesn't end up in the garbage! Usually, I get the bill for our vacation and it looks like we did nothing but EAT!!! So, I just found another way to save (if I can implement it).


Another point.... Growing up in FL I can hardly remember how many times I've been to Disney. DH and I look at our trips as a "vacation", meaning we want to experience more than just running around the parks. We like to eat a nice meal each day and do spend considerable time at our resort just relaxing. Even at the All-Stars, I'll get a drink and relax by the pool while DH and DS are swimming. Yes, I look silly in my heels and sarong. Oh well!

That's why CSR is my favorite resort. I feel that there is sooo much to do there, that for the $$$$$$ you can't go wrong.

 

[Lovetherodent]

I couldn't have a vacation every year if I went deluxe. In fact, as it is, with hotel, airfare, park admission, & food, I can't afford Disney more than once every 4-5 years, and those trips won't be for long stays. This time around, I stumbled into the Poly (POFQ refugee), and I'm just hoping it doesn't spoil me for the next trip, in 4-5 years, when I'll need to stay moderate.

If I had a bigger income, though, I would still have a hard time shelling out a lot of money on a hotel. I do, after all, own all three volumes of the Tightwad Gazettes.