Is the Economy Making You Change Your FW Plans?

[DisneyBishops]

Fortuneately, my stretch thru GA is not too long and I should be able to fill up in SC and make it to Florida without having to gas up in GA. Coming from Ohio, I'm guessing you may have a much longer stretch to get thru if you aren't coming down 95 like I am.

Hey Jim, I just got back from SC today. I bought gas just south of Brunswick on 95 and paid 3.19. Cheapest that I saw on my whole trip.

 

[5stljayhawks]

We are not changing the plans. We had this planned even before we even went on our last trip . My son turns 3 in nov. My thought is if I was to put it off, I still get stuck later on when you have to pay for tickets

 

[CCIntrigue]

Get a ecv. My sister broke her foot going in our parents TT while at FW. So she called a outside rental company and they delivered the ecv right to the site. Don't give up on Disney due to injury just rent the ecv it will be fine. My dad is disabled and has to spend every day in a ecv. But we still get him all over disney. Just saying don't give up.

Thanks for the info! I had checked on the Disney ECV costs and decided it wasn't worth the expense. Who do you rent from?

 

[2goofycampers]

Thanks for the info! I had checked on the Disney ECV costs and decided it wasn't worth the expense. Who do you rent from?

We just got back a week ago and seen a ton of rentals, I can't remember any names but if you ask on the disabilities board they could help you out.

http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=20

 

[LONE-STAR]

Thanks for the info! I had checked on the Disney ECV costs and decided it wasn't worth the expense. Who do you rent from?

I don't remember the name but my sisters husband found them in the Orlando phone book. If I remember right it was a lot cheaper then Disney. Plus you get to use it every where not just in the park.

 

[mdoc]

We still have trips planned for Thanksgiving and Spring break, and I just made reservations for T'giving 2009 today, so the economy is not affecting our FW plans. It doesn't seem to be affecting anyone else's T'giving FW plans, either, because I've been trying for a few months to get another premium site without success.

 

[Shan-man]

Since Black Rosh Hashanah we have been fearing layoffs at DW's work, which would definitely mean canceling our Christmas Disney plans. The stress of the down-turned economy has built up to the point that she is now saying it is stupid for us to go even without the layoffs! She wants to cancel now. Here fears do wax and wane though, so I am hoping to catch her on an upswing in the next couple of weeks and then spring the surprise on her... Mom sent us a check that'll cover our gas and site! We already have our passes (left over from last Christmas) And, Mom already bought our Hoop Dee Doo seats. All we have to come up with is dining. It sounds VERY doable to me, but logic is not always a driving force for DW.

 

[stacktester]

I hope after the election it will get better. At least we'll kinda know what to expect from the winner.

 

[Us3]

Since Black Rosh Hashanah we have been fearing layoffs at DW's work, which would definitely mean canceling our Christmas Disney plans. The stress of the down-turned economy has built up to the point that she is now saying it is stupid for us to go even without the layoffs! She wants to cancel now. Here fears do wax and wane though, so I am hoping to catch her on an upswing in the next couple of weeks and then spring the surprise on her... Mom sent us a check that'll cover our gas and site! We already have our passes (left over from last Christmas) And, Mom already bought our Hoop Dee Doo seats. All we have to come up with is dining. It sounds VERY doable to me, but logic is not always a driving force for DW.

Shan, I sure hope things work out. I really hope you guys are still able to go. A fun and relaxing trip sounds like what you both need right now. Maybe bringing food from home to grill will allow you to cut some dining cost and enjoy some more time at the Fort?? Your mom sounds like a wonderful and gracious person...and you dw sounds like a responsible and sensible person....lots to be thankful for this season!

 

[ntsammy5]

It sounds VERY doable to me, but logic is not always a driving force for DW.

And how does that surprise you?

This economy has a lot of people scared.

 

[Shan-man]

Oh, I wouldn't say it surprises me, rather that it concerns me. Once she gets a "feeling" about something, it's a hard things to shake. And right now, as you suggest, she is feeling scared and vulnerable. Nevermind the fact that we have 6 months of income saved, and given her 25 years with her company that she'd likely receive a year's severance, and we have a substantial 401K we could borrow from, and equity in our house... she "feels" uneasy. I also, have little doubt that Obama will win and the stock market will rebound with totally unwarranted enthusiasm. Gas prices are plummeting. And my Lord still sits on His throne! I am not very worried about our future. But she "feels" uneasy. It's kinda like the Obama thing, she's going to vote for him because she "likes" him. Not any policy issues, just cause she likes him! What's a guy to do?! I don't think I can do anything to help her "like" McCain, I'm not even sure I "like" him. I'll vote for him, but that doesn't mean I have to like him. As for Disney, I need to find some way to make her feel more secure about the future. If the only way to do that is postpone our trip a year, I guess I will, but only as a last resort.

 

[MadFF]

Another thing to think about... next year something else is probably going to come up. There is always a reason not to do something. We are leaving in roughly 48 hours, unless our house burns down (heck, even if it does, we may as well go anyways!).

We paid for our trip months ago and saved up cash to bring with us (hopefully enough, it is a pretty big wad of bills... ). Hopefully we will stay away from credit cards (except for gas, which I have planned on). So when we get back we won't be "in debt" from the trip.

We try to do the same thing with all our trips - pay in advance, and bring saved up cash. What I hate is getting credit card bills months later from a vacation. It is extraordinarily hard to avoid credit cards, but it is great feeling to not use them!

 

[twoWDWfools]

We nearly cancelled this trip. DH got laid off last month (oh, we're sending all your jobs to Mexico - there's the door). No severance either. However the trip is paid for, we have APs, running the ToT and meeting up with friends. AFter some dicussion we decided to go and just keep spending to a minimum. We'll cook most meals and just enjoy sites/sounds/time with friends.

Need the break and you never know what the future will bring so have to enjoy the now.

 

[jimlin]

Its easy for us to go to FW since we don't have kids or a long travel distance. Will be there for a week in early january. We do our own meals in the camper and this trip won't have to buy as many souveniers as the previous trip.

Jim

 

[ntsammy5]

Need the break and you never know what the future will bring so have to enjoy the now.

You got that right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Have a great trip

 

[testtubes]

We have not changed our plans for trip in December. Annual pass was purchased last May, and we're sticking to our guns. However, we also eat our meals at the campsite with a few exceptions and splurges which will be kept to a minimum this year. Decided to pass on the Hoop Dee Doo that we have seen twice already and souvenirs will be for Christmas too. Have a good day!

 

[drafthorsecrazy]

We are currently undecided about our Jan/Feb. vacation south. I have ressies at FW that will cost us roughly $2100 for 30 days in a preferred pet($140 included) loop. For many reasons we spent last winter home and we swore we'd not make that mistake again this year. As a back up plan I have made ressies at several beach front state parks in Florida. These are paid in full and the cost is roughly $1800 for 60 DAYS. See my problem? I can stay twice as long for less than 1/2 the cost at SP's. The cost of food is moot --have to eat where ever we stay. Fuel will be more at SP's because we will be traveling around. If we stay at FW we'll need to by AP's which will really bump the price up. <sigh> Drat it....I want to stay at FW but I'm having a very hard time rationalizing it on paper. No matter how much I tweak the figures it would be a VERY big spurge to stay at the fort.

 

[gmflanigan]

We are currently undecided about our Jan/Feb. vacation south. I have ressies at FW that will cost us roughly $2100 for 30 days in a preferred pet($140 included) loop. For many reasons we spent last winter home and we swore we'd not make that mistake again this year. As a back up plan I have made ressies at several beach front state parks in Florida. These are paid in full and the cost is roughly $1800 for 60 DAYS. See my problem? I can stay twice as long for less than 1/2 the cost at SP's. The cost of food is moot --have to eat where ever we stay. Fuel will be more at SP's because we will be traveling around. If we stay at FW we'll need to by AP's which will really bump the price up. <sigh> Drat it....I want to stay at FW but I'm having a very hard time rationalizing it on paper. No matter how much I tweak the figures it would be a VERY big spurge to stay at the fort.

Which will you enjoy is sometimes the best way to rationalize--if it isn't about the money. Life's short--enjoy it while you can!!

 

[LONE-STAR]

We are currently undecided about our Jan/Feb. vacation south. I have ressies at FW that will cost us roughly $2100 for 30 days in a preferred pet($140 included) loop. For many reasons we spent last winter home and we swore we'd not make that mistake again this year. As a back up plan I have made ressies at several beach front state parks in Florida. These are paid in full and the cost is roughly $1800 for 60 DAYS. See my problem? I can stay twice as long for less than 1/2 the cost at SP's. The cost of food is moot --have to eat where ever we stay. Fuel will be more at SP's because we will be traveling around. If we stay at FW we'll need to by AP's which will really bump the price up. <sigh> Drat it....I want to stay at FW but I'm having a very hard time rationalizing it on paper. No matter how much I tweak the figures it would be a VERY big spurge to stay at the fort.

The rationalizing is there is only one Fort. Quality not quantity.

 

[twinklebug]

We are currently undecided about our Jan/Feb. vacation south. I have ressies at FW that will cost us roughly $2100 for 30 days in a preferred pet($140 included) loop. For many reasons we spent last winter home and we swore we'd not make that mistake again this year. As a back up plan I have made ressies at several beach front state parks in Florida. These are paid in full and the cost is roughly $1800 for 60 DAYS. See my problem? I can stay twice as long for less than 1/2 the cost at SP's. The cost of food is moot --have to eat where ever we stay. Fuel will be more at SP's because we will be traveling around. If we stay at FW we'll need to by AP's which will really bump the price up. <sigh> Drat it....I want to stay at FW but I'm having a very hard time rationalizing it on paper. No matter how much I tweak the figures it would be a VERY big spurge to stay at the fort.

What I would do if I had the time:

Stay at FW for half the time you have planned. 15 days. Buy 10 day passes.
Stay half the time you have planned at the FL beach. 30 days.
Best of both worlds. Not as expensive as 30 days at FtW and longer too.

$1050+$900 = $1950 sun AND fun for a month and a half