No money for Disney?

[micknpluto]

My queston is... How come I am the ONLY one who ever has enough money for a Disney trip? I get so frustrated at my family and my girlfriend.
Maybe its my priority but it isnt a priority for others. It doesnt matter how much money I have, I ALWAYS seem to be able to save for my next trip to WDW. Its like we take a trip to Disney 2 years in a row then some how we have to skip a year because... "I dont know if I have money for a Disney trip this year??""

bla bla bla... It makes me mad.. and I can always tell its coming, I'll talk the trip up and I get no feedback, just silence. its like.. HELLO, Im talking about our next WDW vacation.. ya know Expedition Everest is opening 2006... They just ignore me...

Excuses, excuses... I have no children, my g/f has no children, and my Mom's children are grown.. so how is it they dont have money? I automatically take my incme tax money and it goes right towards my vacation.

Thanks for letting me vent

 

[bettyann29]

I think it all boils down to priorities.. I think our vacation time is a priority and I handle it that way.. I do without some things so that we can travel.. We do a family vacation each year and an adult only vacation once a year.. We go to San Antonio, take cruises and in between have done a few trips to WDW.. Most of my family and friends dont even take 1 vacation every other 2 or 3 years.. in my sisters case I cant recall her and her family ever taking a vacation.. I find my time with my kids is precious and we make some great memories.. Memories that I would never trade for anything.. I also take my income tax and its automatically vacation money.. yes I could do it where I get that money each check, but Id spend it and this way I get a check every year and I know I have something to vacation with.. I look for deals when I can and try to budget somewhat, but I wouldnt trade all that we do in for anything.. If it was a priority they would make it work.. whether it meant getting another part time job, doing odd and end things.. If I was to write down everything I spend I bet I could cut our costs and save enough money to get in a vacation and it wouldnt even really affect us.. There are so many ways to cut costs on a daily basis..

 

[HugsForEeyore]

I know the feeling! With my family, going to Disney it isn't a priority like it is with me, and to most of us DISers! I actually paid twice for broke family members to come with me, but I realized if I want to go, then just go solo! Now I have done so many solo trips that I lost count! Many of my coworkers thought it was so strange that I would go alone, but I don't even think twice about it now!

 

[micknpluto]

I know the feeling! With my family, going to Disney it isn't a priority like it is with me, and to most of us DISers! I actually paid twice for broke family members to come with me, but I realized if I want to go, then just go solo! Now I have done so many solo trips that I lost count! Many of my coworkers thought it was so strange that I would go alone, but I don't even think twice about it now!

The thought crossed my mind today.. solo trip! fine with me.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

As others have said, its all in priorities. I have friends who NEVER take vacations. I could never do that. Even if we don't go to WDW, which we always do at least once a year, we go somewhere. In Feb, we have a long weekend planned at the local indoor waterpark. In March, DH and I are going to Jamaica. And next September, DCL and WDW.

Though we don't drive new vehicles, our house is way below what we could have and I don't wear designer clothes, though my children do. I'm a vacation addict. I have to go somewhere not necessarily WDW, but somewhere at least every 3-4 months. Vacations just aren't that important to some people.

 

[Ilovestitch]

I feel the same way as the OP. I'm not rich, but I work very hard to save up money for WDW- I sell like crazy on eBay, I use any extra/found money to put towards WDW, my bf and I put all our change in a jar, for gifts I ask for Disney dollars, I use my tax return for WDW, etc.

For our last trip in October, my bf and I asked just about every friend we knew if they wanted to go with us- we gave them all the information and I broke down all the costs so they would know exactly how much it would be- it was only a 3 night trip. They really sounded excited about it.

So like a month before our trip- my bf asked any of them if they had made any plans/arrangements for the trip. What did all of them say "Oh, I won't have enough money saved up by October"

I wanted to yell "Duh- that's because you waited til 4 weeks before the trip to start thinking about saving some $$!!" Argghhhh

 

[allisonswonderland]

I posted a while ago about my bridesmaid saying she can't afford it and she has known about my wedding plans for Disney since before we got enaged in August. She has had over a year to start saving....she is looking for "cheap delas" on travelocity/expedia type places and has not said anymore about being able to come, so you are not the only one and I agree that is comes down to what is important to you.

 

[Uuaww]

Some people have an overall inability to save money, right now, I think I fall in that category, but at least i am not in debt! and no, my sig isn't true, i have like $42 now, pretty sweet.

 

[WaltD4Me]

Definitely priorities!

I too work hard and really look forward to my Disney trips. I am going solo for the first time in May...because it's at the top of MY priority list, but apparently no one else's!

Sure, I could use a new couch and I'd like a pillow top mattress, and maybe the car is getting up there a bit in the mileage, but the couch and the car will last another year, maybe two and a pillow top mattress vs. a trip to Disney is a no brainer. Other people I know?....well, the couch, the car and the pillow top mattress were more important.

But too, I don't have any kids, I don't have to worry about ballet lessons and girl scouts and volleyball uniforms or new school clothes, but I know I'd see Disney moving down the priority list if I did.

 

[ksoehrlein]

I think we well-educated DISers tend to be able to take WDW trips for less money than the average person. If you're only half-heartedly planning a once-in-a-lifetime trip with no knowledge of codes/discounts, it can get really expensive if you don't know what you're doing.

Also, some people just can't rein in their spending when they're at WDW. For example: We took along another family on a trip in 2003. They consisted of a Mom, Dad, and 3yo DD. We let them use our DVC points for a studio and paid for their park hoppers because my DH owed their DH a similar amount of money from a business transaction and this would pay it off. We all drove down (but in separate cars).

Anyway, when we got back from our Sun-Fri trip, the two DHs were comparing notes. Their family had spent over $5000! If they managed to do that without needing to purchase hotel, transportation (other than 2 or 3 tanks of gas), and park tickets, I think they definitely won't be able to afford their next WDW trip!

Meanwhile, I took my DD and DS on a mommy-and-us-trip for 4 days in 2004. DD and I had APs from earlier in the year; DS was under 2. We used our DVC points for a studio and drove down again. We used my Disney Visa Rewards card and money I had earned by selling on eBay. We ended up spending only $80 over the amount of my Rewards/eBay earnings -- and we still ate 2 meals/day in the parks and bought a few souvies.

 

[bicker]

Is this a rerun?

 

[micknpluto]

Is this a rerun?

I'm sorry, I should have mentioned, I posted this over on the community board as well. I wasnt sure where it went???

 

[boomhauer]

It's just as others have said - It's all what your priorities are.

For me, Disney World is a top priority. Next to my family, is my bills, then Disney World. Take care of my family and my bills, so what I do with the rest is up to me.

I like to go at least twice a year. My wife can only go once a year, so after I pay that trip, I save up for a solo trip.

There's alos a lot to be said about not being overwelmed by the price, discovering the deals, and paying one thing off at a time.

I buy the AP, so that's out of the way.
I wait until SW comes out with good airfares, which is about $130 roundtrip - I buy it.
I book the room with the AP discount, put down a deposit, and pay the remainder off when I get there.
Before I leave, I put money aside each week for spending.

You can only do this though if you're serious about it. Otherwise, you won't bother making the necessary sacrifices to go.

 

[Ashes8380]

Maybe its my priority but it isnt a priority for others. It doesnt matter how much money I have, I ALWAYS seem to be able to save for my next trip to WDW. Its like we take a trip to Disney 2 years in a row then some how we have to skip a year because... "I dont know if I have money for a Disney trip this year??""

bla bla bla... It makes me mad.. and I can always tell its coming, I'll talk the trip up and I get no feedback, just silence. its like.. HELLO, Im talking about our next WDW vacation.. ya know Expedition Everest is opening 2006... They just ignore me...

Not to sound insensitive, but maybe they just don't want to go to WDW that year, and they're trying to let you down nicely. I mean, I love WDW, but I could not have that be my only vacation ever. And yes, priorities may differ. I love to travel, but there are times when I think that maybe it would be worth it to skip a trip and get a new car/nicer apartment/real furniture/etc... I haven't yet, but I"m only 22. In a few years when I'm tired of my rundown car and having nothing in my living room but an old futon , I bet my priorities will change. You can't expect people to commit hundred (or maybe over a thousand) dollars to this kind of trip every year. I can see your frustration because it is obviously important to you, but may be you need to organize a solo or friends trip, to find some new people to go with.

 

[cardaway]

Considering many people go to Disney on credit they know they'll have a hard time paying off, I wouldn't sweat it if you decide to go because things are tight. Sounds like the right thing to do compared to the other extreme.

Vacations are great for people who abuse credit. Can't repo a trip.

 

[Bob Slydell]

Not to sound insensitive, but maybe they just don't want to go to WDW that year, and they're trying to let you down nicely. I mean, I love WDW, but I could not have that be my only vacation ever.

 

[JennyMominRI]

Considering many people go to Disney on credit they know they'll have a hard time paying off, I wouldn't sweat it if you decide to go because things are tight. Sounds like the right thing to do compared to the other extreme.

Vacations are great for people who abuse credit. Can't repo a trip.

That's why I use cash or debit cards for all trips !

 

[MBeds]

Maybe they are not interested in going and don't know how to say it(don't want to hurt your feelings)so they say they have no money??? ...Just a thought...

 

[Missy1961]

I love Disney, and I do try to save for vacations, but I've got to say it's getting harder every time. Prices are going up for gasoline, heating, taxes, etc. and my salary is only going to cover so much. I hope I can go to WDW in 2006, but I don't count on it.

 

[micknpluto]

It's just as others have said - It's all what your priorities are.

For me, Disney World is a top priority. Next to my family, is my bills, then Disney World. Take care of my family and my bills, so what I do with the rest is up to me.

I like to go at least twice a year. My wife can only go once a year, so after I pay that trip, I save up for a solo trip.

There's alos a lot to be said about not being overwelmed by the price, discovering the deals, and paying one thing off at a time.

I buy the AP, so that's out of the way.
I wait until SW comes out with good airfares, which is about $130 roundtrip - I buy it.
I book the room with the AP discount, put down a deposit, and pay the remainder off when I get there.
Before I leave, I put money aside each week for spending.

You can only do this though if you're serious about it. Otherwise, you won't bother making the necessary sacrifices to go.

I like the way you think!