Need input on Vac Plans... DL or WDW or Neither?

[minmate]

I feel like I'm being totally irrational! I am such a disney freak... and I want to As a family of six on a pretty tight budget right now, we have to make tough decisions. The obvious, best decision would be to totally abstain from any extracurricular vacations/activities... but honestly, that never happens! So, my dilemma is what to do as a "luxury experience" this year...
1) 5 days at WDW (3 full, 2 to fly in/out) this spring
2) 5 days at DL/DCA (3 full, 2 to fly) this spring
3) Week long camping trip (in a cabin) w/friends (in Maine this summer)
Weekend at Sesame Place (this summer)
Tix to a show (maybe On The Record) and dinner for our Anniversary
AND no cutting back on birthday party expenses for the kids... which we'd have to do with the first two options. (By this, I mean still giving them a party, but a small... home one, or going out to dinner w/a few of their friends and family as opposed to a bigger scale event that we usually do).

4) NONE OF THE ABOVE and save the $$$ -- which is probably what we SHOULD do. It's just so hard though b/c I feel like life is all about our experiences in it and I am not that good at being patient!


BACKGROUND: Our kids are 6, 5, almost 4 and 2 1/2. We went to WDW with the 6 and 5 year old last March for 4 days and took everyone last June for 6 days. But, as you see, I'm an addict. My kids talk about it all the time too. We did promise them another trip when our youngest turns 5 (2007), but I don't know if I can stay away that long. PLUS, I'm dying to see DCA as I've never and I miss the Electrical Light Parade. I just can't fathom not being able to have my kids experience it before they get too old! (drawback: The trip to LA from Boston is a doozy at this age I'm sure -- 6 hours I think).

So, what to do? What would YOU do (in my shoes) and please give me your reasons behind it... THANKS SO MUCH!!!

 

[eeyore0062]

Well, not being a very practical person moneywise, of course I am going to say WDW or DL, wherever you can get the best deal.

Of course, if abstaining means a vacation at either that is twice as long next year, perhaps that would be best.

I am a Gemini, so my 2 sides are constantly battling. One thing they do agree on is Disney!

 

[donnabc]

I vote for Disney too....'course my husband says I'm Disney opsessed ever since my son turned 5 last May
I just can't get enough disney!

 

[blacklily]

I would say WDW since it is better than DL IMO. Also, you should save a considerable amount on airfare and travel time. I believe JetBlue flies direct from Logan or you could get a direct Southwest flight from Bradley pretty cheap(With kids you get to board before everyone else). Go to orbitz to get the lowest price I found an American flight from LGA for $142 roundtrip. Also, consider staying at the Wyndham or Grovesnor. I've stayed at both and they are very convenient to the parks and provide bus service and walking distance to Downtown Disney. At Grovesnor I paid $99 a night and it was a nice room. Not the frills or a disney hotel but nice none the less. Also, go to http://www.mousesavers.com to get other discount info on cars, meals etc...

With regards to the other options, there is nothing more magical, nothing that makes you feel like you are in a different world than WDW. That includes a cabin in Maine.

Good Luck

 

[senecabeach]

Remember....you asked for MO........

It would appear to me that the "need" for a "luxurious experience" is strictly yours. Yea..Im a WDW freak too...but never @ the expense of the family or budget.

It sounds like you are blessed and have a wonderful family and they have been lucky enough to have been to WDW. Finances and budget today are a struggle for us all.

Know that sharing family experiences need not be extravagant nor do they "need" to be @ WDW to enjoy being together. There are other options...

Looks like possibly the camping trip would be feasible for your strict budget right now and the kids might like the fishing, swimming in a lake, boat ride, roasting marshmallows..etc. Sesame Street sounds neat. I would consider it...and...save for a "Great" WDW or DL trip next year when the kids are older and can better appreciate the "Magic"!!!

Good Luck in whatever you decide!!

 

[minmate]

It IS hard to decide if I should go for the "new" experience for the kids' sake... considering we did WDW less than a year ago... they all vote for WDW tho... or, in their words, "Let's camp AT WDW WITH our friends!" THAT is not an option... any other opinions out there? I'm driving dh nuts flip-flopping over this!

 

[Patsfan7]

Well, we too are from Massachusetts, and are VERY STRICT with our budgets, well, only when it comes to vacation expenses , (Especially this trip, due to DH being laid off!!!!) I vote for WDW too. We are going SONG out of logan for $129 incl. tax rt, and staying at POP for $49/night. This of course was all planned (with MIL and SIL) before the surprise of a lay off! BUT, that being said, what I would do, or what we are doing, is probably not the smartest thing to do financially. (being a Bentley grad, and having an MBA, I go against everything I was ever taught!!! )

With regard to DL or WDW, no contest, WDW. The flight is much shorter, and no time zone change, and for a three day stay, I would not want to fly that long on either end, especially with kids. We went to DL once, but it was so hot and crowded, we did not enjoy. (this was before California Adventure though)

We also have been to Sesame Place and don't plan on going back unless we are visiting friends in the area anyway. IMHO it would not be worth the drive down there. It was also over crowded, and really is a water park, not an amusement park, you would be better off going to the more local places like Water Country, Santa's Village, and the other one in NH I forget what it is called. Although I have not been to SV since I was a kid, I just figure at least if it stinks, you did not drive six hours to be disappointed.


It sounds like you may be spending just as much to do all the other things you would plan in place of WDW. Have you figured out each budget to see how far off one set of vacation plans would be vs. the other?
So, the long and short of the advise is to see how much different the expenses would be to do a budget trip to WDW vs. the Maine trip with the other activities, and weigh if that difference is worth it to you.

Good luck and tell us all what you decide!

 

[twinz]

I would also choose WDW over DL, it is much better at WDW, there is so much more to see, and do. I liked DL but it was so much smaller.

 

[golfgal]

First off, remember you asked for opinions, buying things and taking kids on expensive trips does NOT make you a better/worse parent. In fact, it really has nothing to do with 'parenting' at all, in my opinion. Yes, we all like to give our kids things and take them places, but if a trip to Disney is going to make you have to think twice about what food you can or cannot buy for the week, are you really being a better parent?

If you really want to go to Disney there are ways to make your Disney vacation more affordable. You could drive to Disney and not fly, you could stay off-site vs onsite-especially if you can find a place with a kitchen and prepare your own food.

Quite frankly, your two younger kids, while they MIGHT remember bits and pieces of your trip, they really are not going to remember THAT much about the trip. I can bet they won't remember if they stayed in the GF vs the Holiday Inn. Personally, I would wait until the kids are a little older because it is easier going with older kids, especially your youngest and they will have more memories of the trip. Also, if your budget is really a concern, is it really worth going into debt just to go to Disney?

 

[senecabeach]

Amen Golfgal...................

Enjoy your family's 1st trip to the "Magic" !!!

 

[minmate]

Golfgal -- I do believe you are right in the long run. However, like Patsfan said, the reason I considered doing the WDW or DL in the first place is that our friends invited us to do the weeklong camping thing and the Sesame Place thing with them this summer. Dh was inclined to say yes, while I had initially thought, "no" -- only because, while I like to camp (maybe for a weekend), I didn't want to spend the $800 it is supposed to cost. The Sesame Place trip would surely be close to another $400 (maybe not quite) -- now were talking $1200 - with the deals I've researched to WDW, that figure is getting close to a WDW expense -- on a tight budget of course... so I started thinking, hey, if dh thinks we can afford to do those other things, why not another trip to WDW instead. I mean, dh doesn't really like to camp anyway... I'm starting to lean toward saving the money and not do these two things... maybe a short weekend trip around here this summer and bank the rest of the money for that trip in 07 that dh promised the kids.

This is hard for me, because I love having fun things to plan for my family... but I think being a "grown-up" and being patient! Ugh!

Thanks for the reality check though!

 

[scanmom]

I have 4 kids (older than yours), and I am also a Disney freak. I know how it can be, wanting to go to Disney. I love WDW and DLR, either is ok with me!
That being said, I have also taken family to other places and we ALL had a great time. We have gone to San Antonio, Dallas, Niagra Falls/Michigan, Branson, Cozumel, and Lake Havasu AZ. My kids loved ALL of these. And they tell me that they are lucky to have gone to so many places. Most of their friends have never even been on ANY vacation other than visiting relatives. The important thing is for you to enjoy being with your family and experiencing new things/places TOGETHER. If you don't do Disney this year, it will still be there next year, and probably with a few more attractions/shows!!! Just don't keep thinking " I could've been at Disney" the whole vacation if you go somewhere else. Whatever you do, enjoy THAT experience to the fullest.
Now, another option that you have not mentioned is Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA. I have always wanted to see that area, and BG looks SO fun. It is alot different than the one in Tampa. Check out their website. I have not been yet, but I am thinking about seeing BG, Williamsburg and Washington DC with the kids. We always drive to save $$, so I think this would be doable for us, especially since no expensive Disney tickets would be involved!!!

 

[Patsfan7]

An aside.... my parents took my brother and I when I was six and he was four. At those ages my parents have always commented that everything was still "real" to the four year old. I knew everything was a "ride". (except "Mission to Mars" , I thought we may have really gone into outter space!) So, whether or not the kids will remember the trip may not be as important to you as how they feel/what they experience when they are there. The pictures will tell them where they went and when.

My only first hand experience is with my three year old who has been to disney three times, and is on her fourth trip in two days, and of course it is all real to her. I am a Disney nut and swear I could see her excitement to be in Disney on her first trip at 3.5 months!

So, of course, do not skimp on the groceries, or the heat in the house, but given that you will be choosing from the vacation options above, I would still vote WDW.