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[drakethib]

I just start laughing at people who think they have gotten a "great" deal with the 40 percent off rate, but the rooms are between 400 and 500 dollars with a rack rate!!! If we stay in a hotel, I rarely pay more than a hundred dollars. I guess I am just cheap. I got back from a doctor's meeting with my husband and they wanted us to pay 350 dollars a night at the hotel. Instead I found a great condo for us to stay at for 80 dollars a night that was a 5 minutes free shuttle from the meeting/ski slopes. We payed 1600 total for the two of us to fly, stay and get a rental car. We would have paid more that that for just the hotel if we had stayed there. So I look at all these people and think....who is paying this much money to stay there???? Are there houses paid off, kids colleges saved for, etc. The money could go to a much better use!!!! That said, I am thinking we are going to stay at the All-Music Suites but at 111 it is more than I usually pay to stay anywhere. I guess it just worries me that "real" people are mortgaging their futures for a trip. This will be our one and only trip and I am really trying to keep us under 3000 for the 5 of us for the week, which still seems REALLY expensive for a vacation!!!

Christine

Different strokes for different folks.

We go a fair amount and do not go into debt in doing so.

Do we splurge and spend money that could be put in a savings account, sure.

As many times said on this thread, it is about priorities.

Example, (even a rough one) Why would a person buy Charmin Toilet Paper with Aloe for a much higher price then buying a generic, sandpaper type toilet paper?

They both serve the same function.

Why drive a car when you get ride a bike?

Why have a gas operated lawn mower when you can get one of those old blade types?

Internet or telephones? Why not carrier pigeons?

Air condition or heat? How about a fan or blanket?

electricity?? who needs that? Candles put out lights and are much cheaper.

Grocery stores? Why use those? Go drink out of a puddle or river and hunt or fish for your food.

A house? Heck live under a tree or in a cave.

Clothes? Go live on a nude beach (This would kill 2 birds with one store eliminating a house and clothes)

Maybe these sound silly but if you think about it, most everyone are spending money needlessly if you get right down to it.

Disney is not cheap. Period, End of story. It is a source of entertainment. My last trip to WDW after paying for DDP and some additional sit down meals made me say to myself, this is just too much for this. I do feel that the mouse has gotten greedy and is trying to get at my wallet much more then he should.

Are there ways to do in less expensive? Sure.

We may not enjoy concierge services, but others do. Heck it is their money and it that is what brings them happiness, why not?

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I always stay at value resorts because I don't see the point of saving and spending so much more just for a nicer room, that I'm really only in to sleep.

 

[Cinerbelle]

I'm not calling you a liar, I'm just saying I would need to see proof. Just because someone does not take something at face value, does not mean they think the person is lying.

Hope you got the pic...I was having issues with it.

 

[pbharris4]

Everyone is "real." We go to WDW because our "real" income allows us to do so..even though we have "real" bills to pay off, we still save some "real" money for vacations every year as well.

 

[cbusweety]

I am new to this....Just wondering what ADR means??? Sorry, probably a silly question thanks!

 

[Lucky'sMom]

I'm a SAHM, but ever since my youngest was about 9 months old, I got a part-time job to finance our Disney vacations. I first started out working a couple of nights a week at the Disney Store, so I could get the CM "perks" that also saved us money on our trips. Then, after the Children's Place took over the stores and we lost those WDW perks, I got a job as a Banquet Server at a hotel. I only need to work one Saturday shift a week to make well over a $100. I can easily pay for our Disney vacation every year or so this way. Now, I know this wouldn't work for everyone, and I certainly could be putting this money toward our mortgage...but these WDW vacations have filled our lives with very magical and special memories of family time together. I don't mind saving all this money for our trips. I use direct-deposit into my own vacation checking account, and don't touch the money for any other purpose (unless it was an emergency).

 

[raysnkaysmom]

Wow....how ridiculous the income accusations have become over family vacations to Disney...

Anyways

YAY to all who go to Disney regardless of what or how they pay

 

[mickeyfan2]

I am new to this....Just wondering what ADR means??? Sorry, probably a silly question thanks!

Not a silly question at all.

ADR - Advanced Dining Reservation

It is like when you call the restaurant before Valentine's Day to have a table for you. You do this at Disney too. They start taking them 180 days before you want to the reservation for.

 

[chobie]

Wow....how ridiculous the income accusations have become over family vacations to Disney...

Anyways

YAY to all who go to Disney regardless of what or how they pay

You're right. The bottom line is that is not really anyone's business how others are paying for their trips, and we are all "real" people.

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

I'm not seeing how your sisters numbers are adding up. How many sports does she coach? The average stipend in that district for coaching is around $3,000. So that gets her up to $69,000 with base. Now 4 weeks of summer school for 4 hours a day would be 80 hours total and though it doesn't say how much the hourly rate is for summer school they do pay hourly for that. By my calculations that would be $280 an hour they would have to be paying her to get up to $93,0000 and that's just not happening.

Who really cares?

 

[PiratesRock]

I'm not a "real" people. My daughter says she knows she's a princess because her Mom is the Queen!! I'm bringing her up right!!

 

[chobie]

Who really cares?

The mods have asked us to stop talking about this.

 

[mickeyfan2]

You're right. The bottom line is that is not really anyone's business how others are paying for their trips, and we are all "real" people.

NO I am not a "REAL" person. I have already proved it, so stop tying to call me "real".

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

I'm not a "real" people. My daughter says she knows she's a princess because her Mom is the Queen!! I'm bringing her up right!!

very cute!

 

[chobie]

NO I am not a "REAL" person. I have already proved it, so stop tying to call me "real".

Sorry, I forgot about your unfortunate lack of 2.3 children.

 

[fireman1]

Income tax rebate baby. thats how we ''little people'' get to go

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Income tax rebate baby. thats how we ''little people'' get to go

I'm sure I'll be getting a nice little rebate this year. Hopefully enough to pay off the rest of this year's vacation.

 

[mickeyfan2]

I'm sure I'll be getting a nice little rebate this year. Hopefully enough to pay off the rest of this year's vacation.

Your rebate is $600. That will come after May.

 

[jodifla]

I just start laughing at people who think they have gotten a "great" deal with the 40 percent off rate, but the rooms are between 400 and 500 dollars with a rack rate!!! If we stay in a hotel, I rarely pay more than a hundred dollars. I guess I am just cheap. I got back from a doctor's meeting with my husband and they wanted us to pay 350 dollars a night at the hotel. Instead I found a great condo for us to stay at for 80 dollars a night that was a 5 minutes free shuttle from the meeting/ski slopes. We payed 1600 total for the two of us to fly, stay and get a rental car. We would have paid more that that for just the hotel if we had stayed there. So I look at all these people and think....who is paying this much money to stay there???? Are there houses paid off, kids colleges saved for, etc. The money could go to a much better use!!!! That said, I am thinking we are going to stay at the All-Music Suites but at 111 it is more than I usually pay to stay anywhere. I guess it just worries me that "real" people are mortgaging their futures for a trip. This will be our one and only trip and I am really trying to keep us under 3000 for the 5 of us for the week, which still seems REALLY expensive for a vacation!!!

Christine

Have you even ever been to WDW? (I haven't gotten a chance to read the whole thread yet, sorry. From your message, it sounds as if you haven't been yet, by calling it yoru one and only trip.) Disney hotels offer a lot of service and vacation value that you won't get at a plain jane hotel.


After years and years staying in cheap places, it's been nice to graduate to really nice suites. We did it by joining DVC 12 years ago. So we do our share of laughing too...at people who squeeze into dinky hotel rooms or unremarkable condos while we luxuriate in WDW quality and our hot tub in our room. We get our bus service when we want it, wake up calls from Mickey Mouse and fireworks off our balcony.

But it's just different strokes for different folks. Some people plunk down the big bucks for the Grand Floridian. I couldn't do it...but that's just me. I'd rather have my two bedroom villa at Old Key West.

Good luck at getting places for less than $100 on a regular basis. By the time they thrown in taxes, even Days Inns are pushing a hundred bucks a night.

You say it's your "one and only" trip. For most of us on the DIS boards, WDW is sort of a lifestyle, so we figure out how to make it fit within our budgets.

If you live anywhere in the Southeast and can drive, it's really a pretty economical vacation for the amount of service and quality that you get.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Your rebate is $600. That will come after May.

It's always been a little more then that.