None of my business question about how people afford WDW

[crazywig]

paid cash for dvc last year. we buy annual passes.

 

[Phrank40]

We can afford to Disney once, maybe twice, a year by (1) staying at a Disney resort onsite with a discount, staying offsite if no good discount available. Personally I would rather pay $100 or less at a Downtown Disney offsite resort (Hilton, Grosvenor, etc., than $150 or so at moderate with no discount. Personal preference. (2) Sometimes first night in Orlando, especially if getting there late, stay somewhere less expensive. pay $50 at Hampton Inn before moving to primary resort. (3) If I rent a car do some internet research for price. Same class car at Orlando terminal rental can vary substantially. (4) Fly if I can find a good discount for time we are going, if not will drive. (5) Read these boards.

On upcoming 4 night trip I figure I am roughly saving $300 by doing a little research.

Still amazes me the number of people I talked to who call up and make a reservation for hotel, air, car, etc., and never ask about discounts or special deals, they just accept whatever is quoted. Also, once they make a reservation never think about calling back at some point to check on a lower rate. Their mindset is I made the reservation it would be weird call back and try and do better.

Phrank

 

[goofy4tink]

Like so many others out there, we thought WDW would be a once in a lifetime vacation! After our last trip (#3) last summer, dh suggested we look into DVC. We bought the min. amount of points. We normally would stay in a moderate but now stay in a deluxe. That has helped a lot. We are also buying APs for the first time since we will have 3 trips planned in the space of 12 months.

How do we afford it? Well, DVC has helped with that. We don't seem to notice if it goes directly from our account. Airfares are usually around $220 pp. THen we have the APs each. Food gets pricey tho. I figure we used to spend about $3000 for a vacation rental for 2 weeks on Cape Cod. So, it's about the same for a week in WDW. And that's something everyone in my family really enjoys! My dh really doesn't relax on vacation, so WDW is perfect for him.

Of course my other adult children think we're nuts. Could be because we haven't gotten around to taking them with us yet!!!
It's just me, dh and dd, 10!!

 

[lenshanem]

I am hearing alot about annual passes. Is there somewhere I can read more to see if it would be worth while for us?

This is our first year doing this - we bought APs online and will pick them up at will call so no postage to pay for. They will get activated once we arrive. I saved a little by buying them ahead of time before the ticket price increase and I didn't want to blow our tax refund before we bought them anyway.

It will cover two years worth of trips for us. We are going in June, then in July I'm taking the girls with my parents and brother while hubby stays to work, then hubby and I are going for our ten year anniversary in February and finally for spring break next April.

Normally we wouldn't do so many trips, but we're using our DVC points for stays in studios which requires less points to really stretch our AP. The next DVC use year we'll try to go to VB and HH instead of buying APs again until the next year.

Even if we only took this June and then next spring break in April the following year it comes out cheaper than buying two sets of 5 day park hoppers.

Go to mousesavers.com, it explains the AP and ways to max it including room discounts, such as the AP discount i got at Pop Century for $59. Here's a link -
http://www.mousesavers.com/wdwtixadvice.html#ap
An example from her site -
For a surprising number of people, an Annual Pass is the most economical choice. Generally speaking, if you will be going into the Walt Disney World theme parks for more than 8 days in a year, an Annual Pass is well worth considering.

An Annual Pass is good for 366 days. If you buy one on April 8, 2004, it will be valid through April 8, 2005! (Yes, you get an extra day, except in Leap Years.) So if you take an annual vacation to Walt Disney World, just make it a little earlier the second year, and you can use the previous year's pass. For instance, if you bought and activated your pass on April 8 and vacationed April 8-14 this year, come back next year from April 2-8 and your passes will still be valid. Bingo - "free" admission on your second vacation!

 

[EsmeraldaX]

It's just me and my boyfriend. We pay very low rent where we live, and we both have very steady, average income jobs. He's still paying off school loans from when he was in college (but he likely will be for the rest of his life ) and I have credit card debt (around average) from what i will just call an unfortunate situation I found myself in several years ago, which I am still paying off. I also have a car payment each month.

However, we are able to pay our bills on time (I always pay double or triple the minimum on my two credit cards) & eat and I see nothing wrong with saving money from our paychecks (not using credit cards, I will only use credit cards for emergency situations) for trips together to WDW.

My last trip, we stayed offsite in his mom's timeshare condo which we paid her $650 to use for the week. We got a great deal on a rental car. We used frequent flyer miles for airfare.

Our biggest expense was food And we are light eaters. We typically order a light meal, even at the sit down places. But we'd have no interest in something like V&A's for instance. We're much more into the Sci Fi Diner.

Our upcoming trip came to about $359 a person for POP for 3nights/4 days plus UPH passes. We plan to eat light, go to MVMCP one night. The only other thing we need is airfare which we have not found yet. It's still too early.

There are ways to do Disney cheap and not go into debt for it.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by karylrocks
I am always wondering this myself. I can usually scrape together a few hundred dollars, but other than that I use credit cards. DH is a psychologist and up until last year I have worked full-time, but we never have any money (mental health does not pay as much as people seem to think; DH will be 77 before we will have his student loans paid off). We were able to afford to buy a house just last year, and we have two adult children. I guess you just use your money for what you think is important; I have friends who never go on vacation and I could never be that way.

This is so true. DBF and I could buy a house, or rent a bigger apartment or buy nicer furniture, but that's just not our thing. We are quite happy the way we are. Living life to the fullest is more important to us than having expensive things.

 

[denman007]

Please tell me this was said tongue in cheek!!!

Yea...I was just kidding. Thanks for the comment on the pics!

Off the topic, but how did you get such beautiful pictures? We are usually in such a rush we feel lucky to get any picture at all. At the breakfasts the lighting is never good enough to get great pictures.

Just be ready to snap when it's your turn. I'll autofocus from where I want to shoot from before our turn - I don't feel so rushed. Anticipate what's going to happen. Get down to your child's level(I snap these off from 1 knee). Know your camera and take as many shots as you can. All these little things help. You can do it!

Also, call Disney info from your room to get specific time and locations for a each character you want to see. That was a big help on some days.


Ok...back On topic...

AP passes and AP discounts...that's how we go!

 

[autumnblue]

I have a lot of additional monthly expenses because of a disability, live in a high rent area and will be paying for grad school until the day I die. However, I manage to put away $75 a paycheck, I save my tax return and have started selling avon. I think I also sold about $700 on ebay and I've become obsessed with rewards programs. Right now I'm just trying to pass out all of my ING direct referrals to pay for a night at the Poly.


Autumn

 

[barbeml]

We consider our annual trip to WDW just as important as food, water and heat. We work hard and need the stress relief.

It also helps that we have no kids (by choice) and live below our means. We live in an affluent neighborhood, but in a small townhouse, not a McMansion. We drive well-maintained but modest (paid for) cars. We spend plenty, but the rule is we pay off the cards in full every month. We live to our own standards and are not competing with anyone (we have some cousins who are going into huge debt trying to outdo each other with houses).

Our combined income would probably make us seem rich in some areas of the country, but in NJ money does not go far. Our investments are deducted automatically, we paid off both cars a couple of years ago but continue to make those payments into our savings account, I try to bank most of my salary (I am a consultant and need to set aside $$ for quarterly tax filings anyway).

To save for WDW, I have a giant crayon bank into which we deposit all our change and singles (plus $100 from my salary each month).

At WDW we always stay on site and this year we got APs. We have also found that too many big sit-down meals just make us bloated and tired, so we do more counter service and only one big meal at most each day. We have learned so many savings tips on the DIS that our stays get longer each year.


Just my 2 cents!

Barbe

 

[Divamomto3]

People ask me that all the time. We budget vacations like we budget for the mortagage, tuitions, or utilities. Part of my check every week goes into my vacation club at the Credit Union. Disney World or any annual vacation for us is a necessity, like food and electricity... not a luxury!

 

[PamNC]

because WDW is certainly an expensive venture. We don't go into debt for our trips, but I do make the trips a part of my life and I budget for them. We have APs, and that saves on ticket media and rooms. We also drive - saves tons of money and we only live 9 hours away so it's not a biggie.

I can't imagine how a family with a HHI of something like $40-$50 a year and a couple of kids could go - but I guess they would simply budget acoordingly. And people who make more $$$ budget accordingly - so in short...it's all a matter of planning for it and making it a priority.

I do think that the cost of dining at WDW is outrageous! Ridiculous even. I don't mind paying for the resorts because they are so special - and I don't mind paying ticket media. But I'm tired of paying $100+ for a nice sit-down meal. I actually started a thread on this subject on the budget board a couple of weeks ago and it was a popular thread.

However, no matter what I say or how much I complain about the $$$, I'm sure I'll still eat in the dining establishments that I've complained about. So I'll shut up.

PamNC

 

[lenshanem]

I can't imagine how a family with a HHI of something like $40-$50 a year and a couple of kids could go - but I guess they would simply budget acoordingly. And people who make more $$$ budget accordingly - so in short...it's all a matter of planning for it and making it a priority.

That is what makes the values so wonderful. I imagine there are many families that wouldn't normally be able to go that now can save for a dream WDW trip. And let's face it, staying onsite adds all the more magic than staying at some offsite inexpensive motel somewhere. We are all very lucky. Many can only take that one trip in their lives.
I have read threads before with people complaining about the values and the crowds they draw. Unbelievable, but yes I have read them. I think the values are fabulous, gives people the opportunity to stay onsite. Not everyone can afford the GF, doesn't make them any the less deserving. And I can bet some of those guests staying at the values are much more appreciative of their trip than those who can afford to stay at GF often.

I know if we had to add airfare into the mix we probably wouldn't have joined DVC and we sure wouldn't be going as much. Luckily we are only eight hours or less away.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by PamNC
because WDW is certainly an expensive venture. We don't go into debt for our trips, but I do make the trips a part of my life and I budget for them. We have APs, and that saves on ticket media and rooms. We also drive - saves tons of money and we only live 9 hours away so it's not a biggie.

I can't imagine how a family with a HHI of something like $40-$50 a year and a couple of kids could go - but I guess they would simply budget acoordingly. And people who make more $$$ budget accordingly - so in short...it's all a matter of planning for it and making it a priority.

I do think that the cost of dining at WDW is outrageous! Ridiculous even. I don't mind paying for the resorts because they are so special - and I don't mind paying ticket media. But I'm tired of paying $100+ for a nice sit-down meal. I actually started a thread on this subject on the budget board a couple of weeks ago and it was a popular thread.

However, no matter what I say or how much I complain about the $$$, I'm sure I'll still eat in the dining establishments that I've complained about. So I'll shut up.

PamNC

No offense, so please don't take it the wrong way, but, where are you eating that a sit down meal costs $100?

DBF and I ate at some great place and only had one meal that the entire bill was above $45 (Marrakesh ran us about $86 but that was because we added some drinks)

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by lenshanem
That is what makes the values so wonderful. I imagine there are many families that wouldn't normally be able to go that now can save for a dream WDW trip. And let's face it, staying onsite adds all the more magic than staying at some offsite inexpensive motel somewhere. We are all very lucky. Many can only take that one trip in their lives.
I have read threads before with people complaining about the values and the crowds they draw. Unbelievable, but yes I have read them. I think the values are fabulous, gives people the opportunity to stay onsite. Not everyone can afford the GF, doesn't make them any the less deserving. And I can bet some of those guests staying at the values are much more appreciative of their trip than those who can afford to stay at GF often.

I know if we had to add airfare into the mix we probably wouldn't have joined DVC and we sure wouldn't be going as much. Luckily we are only eight hours or less away.

I can afford the GF but I think POP looks way more fun

 

[lenshanem]

I can afford the GF but I think POP looks way more fun.

Ya know, my six year old is way more excited about staying at Pop Century than she is BWV, even with that huge slide!

 

[Phrank40]

If my wife and I went into an Epcot restaurant, say Italy, and just had a couple of the less expensive entrees and some water to drink it probably wouldn't be that expensive. The problem is despite the best of intentions you can wind up with a couple of appetizers, a bit more expensive entree, a glass or two of wine or beer, maybe a dessert, a tip and before you know it getting close to $100. I think there is something in the air at the restaurants that just causes you to open your wallets and say "Here, take what you want".

Phrank

 

[jimmiej]

We DO NOT go into debt to pay for our trips to the Mouse House. Tax refund, I work as a part-time painter, extra music gigs, monthly savings, piggy bank (LOL), etc., just like most of you. Our summer vacations are a necessary "life raft" in our hectic world.

 

[aprincessmom]

I consider travel a neccesity.

We travel all over the place, not just WDW. Because travel is important to me and my DD, it is one of the first things in my budget. I make a very good salary which most certainly helps. I don't own a fancy house, big car, or fancy clothes. We live modestly with splurges every now and then. I shop around for the best airfare and accomodation prices. I take my lunch to work most every day, as does DD...we shop sales, bake our own breads and cookies, eat out once a week, primarily drink water, are avid library users. All those things really do make a difference.

I have no debt but my mortgage and I live well within my means yet I'm able to take great vacations because that's a priority for us and what brings us pleasure.

I'm sure I could find other things to spend my money on but I wouldn't have as much fun doing it

 

[TJA]

OMG jimmiej, I LOVE the picture of the Rocket!!!!!!!!! Though I miss him tremendously here in NY.

As for the subject of this thread....well, we save like everyone else does. Extra money, bonuses, etc., we put in a vacation envelope. We also consider vacations a part of our budget, so vacations are never an added, unnecessary expense, but an expected, planned-for expense.

 

[The Duchess]

We only go on a "real" vacation...to WDW...once every other year, and we go to YC on the Platinum Plan. I don't even want to think about budgets on my vacation. It's Room Service, Mini-bar and all the perks.
Off years, we go camping or long weekends to Maine or Vermont.

I pay off as much of the WDW vacation as I can in cash in the year before the trip, and charge the rest and pay it off the year we don't go.