No Disney Trip this year

[NMW]

We are canceling our disney trip after much debate. As we remember when our family could go for 2500 with the meal plan now it cost 4090 with a meal plan at a value vs the one time moderate we used to stay at. the value just no longer seems wise. Take for instance the dining plan changes, the increase in OOP meals if you dont do the dining plan or meals that you do have to pay for. the rooms are too small for the magic and too big a place to drive from offsite while spending so much. I remember when they had the wishes program and you got three wishes a day to use as you saw fit and you could even use 2 of the wishes for Cirque de Sole. The castle was only one wish and only dinner shows were 2 wishes. Pictures at the castle were free if you took them yourself of course. Cinderella actually visited the tables not just during picture time as I have heard has changed.

I remember that plan! It was the Dreammaker Silver plan and it was pretty good. We did the Silver and the Gold ones before they dropped them in favor of the DDP. We didn't use the wishes for anything other than restaurants, as our children were quite young. I remember the gold plan even included the Cirque tickets and we didn't use them-our daughter was under 2. And yes, Cinderella did come around to the table back then and it was only 1 wish!

 

[twooley2]

Yep wow someone who remembers the good days Im so excited. Though I was the only one who was feeling the jipped part of disney now LOL

 

[twooley2]

Another memory they used to give free pin lanyards with their package not just luggage tags.

 

[suevee]

This will be my last year going to Disney for awhile. I have been planning and saving for awhile. We do not use the credit card and pre pay most of everything. The rest we take traveler's checks which we also order free from our bank ahead of time, so that is sort of like prepaid.

We are going in March for 5 days (just hubby, me and sister), a family trip in June for 12 days with DD, DGS, and DGD and a get away in Feb 09 (maybe) for just hubby and me. We have already purchased APs which will be redeemed in March 08, our airfare for March and June is paid for, our rooms for March and some of June (SoG) are paid for, and we have $4500 coming back in Federal taxes to pay for the rest. So I consider these prepaid trips!!! Disney math reigns!!!

However, after that I do not see us returning until 2012 when our youngest DGS will be 5 years old. Like others it is time to do things around the house and save money, not spend it......

 

[dizzy duck]

No Disney trip for us this year. With the economy tanking, we are afraid to spend any money we don't have to. We had several home improvement projects planned for this year, but since they all cost money, the house looks OK just as it is.

diz

 

[Deffenm]

We are not going this year either. We decided to pay off our debt instead. We are going in June of 2009 and my mom is joining us. - YEAH FREE BABYSITTER, plus DS turns 10 in July so we wanted to go before he is considered an "Adult". This year we are just camping at our favorite State Park on Lake Erie. We can camp there for about $250 for the week. Our food is already covered in our regular food budget and the kids love to go to the beach, ride their bikes, and play at the parks.

I really wanted to go in Dec. this year to see the lights but after I priced out a package for me and DH we realized we could take a cruise and save some money. So if all of our debt is paid off we will be taking a cruise in Dec.

BUT LOOK OUT WDW in JUNE of 2009 becuase we are coming.
Hopfully by then the Dining plan will be better.

 

[PatriciaH]

We live so close to the parks we don't spend our vacation money on WDW trips anymore. My good friend is coming in May/June for her daughters 2nd birthday so I get to stay at Yacht Club concierge with them-yes! I got to stay at the Grand Floridian concierge last May with them so that was really nice. DH and I are seasonal Cast Members so we get them 40-50% off the rooms, otherwise they would not do it either. They also drive down from NJ.

Our big trip this year is in the fall (Adventures By Disney) and we will be visiting Disneyland Paris. The only reason we can do that is extra work (web design/programming) my friend sends us.

 

[wulfgeat]

We actually wound up scratching our trip in '07. We just were not going to be able to make everything work to get the trip we wanted. Rather than settle, we decided to wait. We are kicking around the idea of a trip in December '08. Not sure because the money could be better used for some other financial goals....

 

[xominnieox2]

We might be going if free dining goes our way. We are waiting on the details of the tax stimulus rebate, $2700 would help a lot if we can get free dining.

 

[dbarker]

We are not going to WDW this year. We will go in summer of 2009. We will stay at POP instead of AKL.

We love WDW, but the budget just cannot handle as much as we would like.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Ugh! I got mailed a pin code!!!! It's killing me! We might have to break down and take a trip. I also have a free plane ticket. Oh the decisions are so hard!

 

[stephgles]

We were debating whether to go this year or not. I recently lost my job, so with that happening, it looks like no Disney for us. We have gone yearly for the past three years so I know a year away wont hurt anything, but I will still miss it.

I am hoping that in 2009 I will be able to go again but time will tell.

 

[dlrhine]

On the fence! Help!!! Ok.. here is the story and tell me what you all think. We will be getting a tax return that is large enough to pay off the little we have in cc debt and still have enough left over for a trip to WDW. The problem is I wanted to put it to house stuff and just savings, however my Dad and Step Mom want to take one more trip with their grand daughters. My girls are ages 5 and 7. Anyhow, here is the story. We went in Dec. 2005 and with my Dad and Step Mom and it was cold. This was to be their big trip with the girls and my Dad came down with pnemonia(sp?) and was put into Celebrations Hospital.. so that killed his trip. Since then he was dx with COPD and is slowing down and fast. He can still walk it and enjoy it and doesn't need supplemental oxygen yet, so my Step Mom is saying lets get him down there at the end of April when it isn't too hot and not too cold and he can enjoy his DGD this time and hopefully not end up in the hospital. I agree he is going down hill.. but I'd rather do other stuff with the money, but I can't get time back with my Dad either. And too boot my mom has stage 3 ovarian cancer and I've been taking care of her non stop and my Mom who actually gets along with my Dad and Step Mom very well, she just couldn't be married to my Dad anymore, says to go and destress from doing all her cancer stuff and she is going to schedule a 3 week break in her chemo so she is healthier and stronger while I'm in WDW so I don't have to worry about her being home alone. I don't know what to do. Part of me is afraid to leave my Mom and work on the house and part of me says I need a break to do this with my Dad and spend time with my girls that they haven't been getting with me cause of taking care of my Mom.. they haven't had the attention they need from me. HELP

 

[RayJay]

On the fence! Help!!! Ok.. here is the story and tell me what you all think. We will be getting a tax return that is large enough to pay off the little we have in cc debt and still have enough left over for a trip to WDW. The problem is I wanted to put it to house stuff and just savings, however my Dad and Step Mom want to take one more trip with their grand daughters. My girls are ages 5 and 7. Anyhow, here is the story. We went in Dec. 2005 and with my Dad and Step Mom and it was cold. This was to be their big trip with the girls and my Dad came down with pnemonia(sp?) and was put into Celebrations Hospital.. so that killed his trip. Since then he was dx with COPD and is slowing down and fast. He can still walk it and enjoy it and doesn't need supplemental oxygen yet, so my Step Mom is saying lets get him down there at the end of April when it isn't too hot and not too cold and he can enjoy his DGD this time and hopefully not end up in the hospital. I agree he is going down hill.. but I'd rather do other stuff with the money, but I can't get time back with my Dad either. And too boot my mom has stage 3 ovarian cancer and I've been taking care of her non stop and my Mom who actually gets along with my Dad and Step Mom very well, she just couldn't be married to my Dad anymore, says to go and destress from doing all her cancer stuff and she is going to schedule a 3 week break in her chemo so she is healthier and stronger while I'm in WDW so I don't have to worry about her being home alone. I don't know what to do. Part of me is afraid to leave my Mom and work on the house and part of me says I need a break to do this with my Dad and spend time with my girls that they haven't been getting with me cause of taking care of my Mom.. they haven't had the attention they need from me. HELP

My motto,

Have no Debt, Have an emergency fund.

But most important "Have no Regrets" this is that part where everyone says live for today. I say find that balance, this situation kinda tips the scales a little more towards live for today. I'd go to Disney with Mom and Dad. God forbid it's the last time, but what if.....either the savings or the debt will have to wait.

Good Luck to you all.
RayJay

 

[Todd&Copper]

On the fence! Help!!! Ok.. here is the story and tell me what you all think. We will be getting a tax return that is large enough to pay off the little we have in cc debt and still have enough left over for a trip to WDW. The problem is I wanted to put it to house stuff and just savings, however my Dad and Step Mom want to take one more trip with their grand daughters. My girls are ages 5 and 7. Anyhow, here is the story. We went in Dec. 2005 and with my Dad and Step Mom and it was cold. This was to be their big trip with the girls and my Dad came down with pnemonia(sp?) and was put into Celebrations Hospital.. so that killed his trip. Since then he was dx with COPD and is slowing down and fast. He can still walk it and enjoy it and doesn't need supplemental oxygen yet, so my Step Mom is saying lets get him down there at the end of April when it isn't too hot and not too cold and he can enjoy his DGD this time and hopefully not end up in the hospital. I agree he is going down hill.. but I'd rather do other stuff with the money, but I can't get time back with my Dad either. And too boot my mom has stage 3 ovarian cancer and I've been taking care of her non stop and my Mom who actually gets along with my Dad and Step Mom very well, she just couldn't be married to my Dad anymore, says to go and destress from doing all her cancer stuff and she is going to schedule a 3 week break in her chemo so she is healthier and stronger while I'm in WDW so I don't have to worry about her being home alone. I don't know what to do. Part of me is afraid to leave my Mom and work on the house and part of me says I need a break to do this with my Dad and spend time with my girls that they haven't been getting with me cause of taking care of my Mom.. they haven't had the attention they need from me. HELP

In your case, I would probably book the trip. Generally, when people ask, my immediate thought is - yeesh, they want WDW fanatics to justify their desire to go again in the face of overwhelming signs that point to "no". If your family income is secure, then go. When I was a kid, my family made a trip up to WDW from S. Florida and my dad went to visit his ailing mom in a nursing home one day (they didn't want young kids to visit and my sister was a little too young) and brought her pictures and cards and letters and souvies DSis and I got for her. She was delighted and had a great day out with my dad. The next week, she died in her sleep. You never know how much longer someone has, so if I were in your shoes, I'd go on this "one last trip" and then get to saving.

 

[dlrhine]

Actually the debt will be gone and still have enough for disney after that. Just the savings won't be what I want it to be, but enough we'll be fine. Also, my trips don't really cost me as much, as some said here, my best friend works for Disney so she gets our room for us at 40% off and gets 3 of us in on her maingate pass so no tickets needed but for one child.. so the cost isn't horrible. I'm just a cheap skate when I see things I could do in the house. Besides the sick parents.. this trip will also be over DH and My 35th B-days. His B-day is April 18th the day we'd get there and My B-day is the 24th, and we'd come home on the 27th. Also, he graduates from grad school on March 25th with his MBA so it would also be a celebration of him working so hard and finishing with as long as he pulls off another A with a 4.0 straight As from Eastern University. I'm so proud. There are a lot of reasons to go. Sick parents, our B-days, his graduation, etc etc.

 

[fab4]

We are still going this year-May 08. But, we are toying with the idea of not going next year-09. We have gone to Disney every year since 2002. In that time the only "major" projects we have done in our house (built in 2000) are new tile floor in the kitchen (we had Pergo), new countertops, backsplash, sinks.

There are so many things I want to do, but we don't because we use the $$ for vacations. For example, I want a new leaded glass Pella front door with sidelights in the fake wood stuff. I want our front walkway ripped up and pavers put down like we have in the back yard from our fence gate to our deck. I also want the front steps removed and paver ones put in. I want the Pergo in our foyer and laundry room ripped out and tile put in. I want a new, bigger chandelier in the foyer.

Anyone else want to do projects, but take vacations instead? Or, is it just us?

Recently, we have stopped to consider the $$ we spend going to Disney and how many things we could do in the house with it. I think we feel like we are betraying Disney or something, if we don't go! When we booked our May trip, it's only about $6,400 for us at the Beach club with tickets and the deluxe meal plan. So, we think well, that's not much. What we don't consider, or hadn't until recently, was our airfare $$, our spending money, tips, limo, etc. That puts us around $10,000. DH and I are reluctantly thinking about skipping an 09 trip and doing projects in the house.

I know I'd be happy to get those things done, but every time someone mentions a Disney trip, I see a commercial, etc. I'll be sad. Does anyone else feel this way?

I hear you. We too have been going every year since 2002. We have been working on our house also. Just finished putting new siding on and doors . I want a new front window , drive way, hardwood floors resurfaced etc. But I also refuse to go on vacation so we pick a few projects and do what we can.
If you look at all of the work you did get done then you deserve a break and what better way than a family fun vacation at Disney. In the last couple of years we put in an inground pool and fencing, built a garage, bought furniture , new siding, new doors, etc and still had fun. So unless something beyond our control happens I cant see not going.Have fun you only live once.

 

[tinaluis]

We have decided to put all of our extra $$ toward paying off our mortgage early instead of a trip to WDW. It's KILLING me not to have a trip in the works but I know what we have to do . I keep referring to the new amortization schedule with the accelerated payments and dreaming of how great it will be to have the mortgage gone in less than 4 years!!!!!!!

We also need to put a new roof on our house and will be using our tax return for that. In past years, the tax reutrn would come in and I would immediately start thinking "vacation"!!! Not this year.

 

[RayJay]

Actually the debt will be gone and still have enough for disney after that. Just the savings won't be what I want it to be, but enough we'll be fine. Also, my trips don't really cost me as much, as some said here, my best friend works for Disney so she gets our room for us at 40% off and gets 3 of us in on her maingate pass so no tickets needed but for one child.. so the cost isn't horrible. I'm just a cheap skate when I see things I could do in the house. Besides the sick parents.. this trip will also be over DH and My 35th B-days. His B-day is April 18th the day we'd get there and My B-day is the 24th, and we'd come home on the 27th. Also, he graduates from grad school on March 25th with his MBA so it would also be a celebration of him working so hard and finishing with as long as he pulls off another A with a 4.0 straight As from Eastern University. I'm so proud. There are a lot of reasons to go. Sick parents, our B-days, his graduation, etc etc.

dl

Maybe this will help, if you notice my signature we have been alot. That being said many of those times we didn't really have it because I was paying off debt and wanted to pay more or something needed to be done to the house or we wanted to do something else with the cash, like finally having a savings.

In the end we always took the trip and I have "No Regrets". Did I get everything done to the house I wanted, No. Did I juke up the savings, "No way we could" but we created memories, and it was alot of money. Now that being said we are skipping this year because we have been there done that, need a break and we are finally going to save my bonus and maybe do some other things. What I'm saying is you are not along, many people struggle with the same decisions we are talking about. At the end of the day you'll make the right move that feels good to you. It is hard because you want to do everything, I know.

It's finding that balance, of course for me it doesn't help that one of my children have a heart condition, so it pulls my emotional strings, plus I'm already a big Disney nut, so that's a double whammy for me, and that damn Mouse knows it cause he keeps sending me stuff in the mail. Anyway I'm just trying to give you some more thoughts to have.

Best of luck to you and your family.
Have a great day.
RayJay

 

[dlrhine]

Thanks for all the love and advice. It has been a really hard year and a depressing one at that. Oh.. and I know the mouse having your heartstrings, I worked for him in 95 on the CP, and still love it and now more than ever. That is actually how I met my Best Friend working for Disney.