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[FayeW]

Because we choose not to pay for Disney parking fees....

So, in order to save giving Disney $11 per day for parking, you give them an extra $49. per day in room cost. Wouldn't the tax on that $89 per night just about equal the parking fee???

 

[GrammyJudy]

Absolutely the memories are worth the $$$Our first trip to WDW was in 1983. My parents gave it to us for Xmas when my DD was 3 and DS was 5. That was the beginning of our addiction. We stayed in the old Fort Wilderness trailers.We wnet in 1985,86,87,88,89 to DL,91,94,95,05 and 07. The last 2 were with my grandson!We have stayed at CBR, POFQ, ASSp, ASMo, POP and off site a couple of times. We have gone other places also as family vacations have always been our priority. But WDW is the best!!!Now working on Jan 2009 with a new grandchild also.We save , do without some luxuries but mostly just budget it in. Well worth all the money, and I don't dare add that up, and will go as long as we are able

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I will always stay on-site when I pay, but if I somehow got an offer for a free vacation, even off-site, I would go anyway, since I'd still get to go to Disney.

 

[lovingmy2boys]

We are also "real" people who save for their Disney trip. We are currently in the process of saving for our trip that we will take next May 2009. I will be buying our park tickets one at a time between now and then. We are planning on paying cash for this trip. Our last trip we charged and since we are now not using credit cards it willbe all cash. It will feel so good to come home from vacation and not owe a dime. We are on a budget that will allow us to spend a good 7-10 days in Disney at a nice rsort eating whatever we want and enjoying our time. Our kids love Disney as do we. We could not afford to go every year but every two years is doable with the right saving.

 

[cnj]

I've been following this thread for awhile and I think it is sad how many people judge other people on what they choose to do with their money. It does not affect me what they do with their money, and I am certainly not going to laugh at them.

I, of course, being one of those silly people that would be thrilled with a 40% discount on the Poly next year (I will settle for a AAA discount). We love the Poly and plan on staying there next year. Is it more expensive? Of course. But, I am cheap everywhere else and always have the vacation paid off before we go. The hotel we stay at is important to us and I would certainly hope that no one would be laughing at us for our decisions. But, when I am relaxing at the pool or beach with my husband and watching my kids play, it really doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. We are happy.

 

[ThreeMusketeers]

We took our dd when she was 3, and we had NO MONEY! Trust me.

We stayed in a value resort during off season and we bought basic park passes with the dining option, which we were never hungry off of (and belive me we are eaters...).
We found value fares, b/c we booked early and kept an eye out for sales. And we still had money left over to rent a car while there.
We did limit souvieneer buying, but we still ended up going to downtown disney and enjoying the world of disney store. We bought a mug and some things for dd (spent under $50).

We had an amazing time, and we spent less than $2500. On the entire vacation from start to finish.
I love that about Disney Vacations, b/c you can spend as little or as much as you want and you are GAURENTEED a Fantastic, memorable vacation!


Good Luck. With a little saving and a dream, disney is attainable for anyone, IMO.

 

[disneysteve]

I don't want to cook my own meals. I don't want to rent a car. I don't want to have to drive everyday to get to the park I want to get to. I don't want to not take a break in the middle of the day because we are staying 20-30 mins away and it would be pointless to leave.

I totally respect that everyone has different likes and dislikes and I didn't mean to turn this into an offsite/onsite debate, but I want to address some of what you said.

We stay offsite but we don't cook our own meals. We use the fridge but hardly ever use the rest of the kitchen. We almost always take a break midday because the place we stay is actually closer to the parks than some of the Disney hotels. I timed it a couple of years ago and it took 4 minutes to drive from Animal Kingdom to our condo and about 7 minutes from MGM. I wouldn't stay somewhere 20 or 30 minutes away either. We also don't need to rent a car since we drive down, so that isn't an issue for us.

The great thing about the Disney area is there are hundreds of options for every budget, taste and preference.

 

[Adi12982]

The great thing about the Disney area is there are hundreds of options for every budget, taste and preference.

And that is EXACTLY what the OP needs to hear - whether you have $500 or $5000 to spend on your Disney Vacation, you can do it. . . growing up we used to go to the MK every year - we are from FL and we would go in august (back when FL Resident tickets were only sold then), we would cram into a motel room for one night, bring in sandwiches, eat off site, etc.. . . I know that it was expensive for my mom but she did it for us (the three of us) for a couple hundred. . . now DH and I love staying on site with the DDP, so we only go when we have saved enough. . .

Real people can afford it by adjusting for what you can actually afford. . . if you can't afford to stay on-site but want to go anyhow, you can stay off site. If you can't afford to pay the prices on food, bring in some sandwiches, snacks and bottled water. If you can only get base tickets, the hoppers are too much, then do it that way. . . everyone does with what they have, some pay cash, some credit, some go yearly, some go every few years. . .but really people afford it by only dong what they can afford

 

[disneysteve]

Real people can afford it by adjusting for what you can actually afford. . .

but really people afford it by only dong what they can afford

Exactly. I can't tell you how many times someone has told me they would love to take the family to Disney but they can't afford it. When I talk to them about it, I almost always learn that they are under the impression that a week in Disney costs thousands and thousands of dollars, because that's what people they know have spent. When I tell them that we can do a week for under $2,000, they say, "Oh, we can afford that" and then start asking for details.

Disney can be a very affordable trip if you want/need it to be.

 

[disneysteve]

I would probably raise the hair on your neck if I told you what I paid for a hotel in France, just to be able to look at the Eiffel tower from my bedroom. Was the price obscene? Yes! Was the experience worth it? Yes! I just measure my vacations in more than $$$$.

Oh, don't think we're all about the money because we most certainly aren't. I've paid $30 for a hotel room. I've paid $300 for a hotel room. All depends on the location, situation and available options. I will say, though, that even when we book high-priced luxury accomodations, I do my best to get the best possible price. No reason to spend money needlessly.

 

[DisneyDotty]

To the OP--
We afford Disney because we want to. Vacationing at Disney with my family is how I like to spend my money. I save money where possible:
**buy a 10 day non expiry PH at about $45/day vs. a 4 day PH at $65/day
**take my friend up on his offer to book us a room at his CM discount
**search airfare sites like Kayak and Tripwatcher to find the lowest airfare
**eat two meals a day at WDW rather than 3
**use WDW's transportation, which is included in the cost of the room
**subscribe to Mousesavers and this website for great ideas to stretch our vacation dollars at Disney

Sure, I could save a lot more money by NOT going to WDW. But I wouldn't trade my family's memories of past (and future!) trips for a bundle of money!
And, as someone who will only stay onsite at WDW, I'm thankful to those of you who prefer offsite accommodations! (More chance of my getting my preferred resort! )
Happy trip planning!

 

[madge]

And that is EXACTLY what the OP needs to hear - whether you have $500 or $5000 to spend on your Disney Vacation, you can do it. . .

where is the OP, anyway?

 

[disneysteve]

And, as someone who will only stay onsite at WDW, I'm thankful to those of you who prefer offsite accommodations! (More chance of my getting my preferred resort! )

You're welcome.

 

[the Fidge]

where is the OP, anyway?

WDW!!!!!! Where else???

 

[eliza61]

Oh, don't think we're all about the money because we most certainly aren't. I've paid $30 for a hotel room. I've paid $300 for a hotel room. All depends on the location, situation and available options. I will say, though, that even when we book high-priced luxury accomodations, I do my best to get the best possible price. No reason to spend money needlessly.

We do too, I guess I just take a little offense when people post saying stuff like "Why would someone pay those prices to stay on site?" or "why would anyone stay in a deluxe resort" It sort of sounds liike its the worst thing in the world. We do it because it's what makes us happy, which is what the "D" is all about, after all it is the Happiest place in the world.

 

[disneysteve]

We do too, I guess I just take a little offense when people post saying stuff like "Why would someone pay those prices to stay on site?" or "why would anyone stay in a deluxe resort"

I understand. I hope I didn't say that. What I have said is that I, personally, would never stay at a Disney Deluxe. It just isn't worth it to us and isn't the way we like to travel. But I'd never fault someone else for doing it, as long as they can comfortably afford it and don't mind paying the price.

What I will fault someone for is staying onsite and then complaining about how expensive their trip was. You can't have it both ways. If you don't mind the price, go and enjoy. If, however, value is important, don't choose an expensive onsite hotel. There are plenty of very nice inexpensive options offsite.

 

[DisneyDotty]

What I will fault someone for is staying onsite and then complaining about how expensive their trip was. You can't have it both ways. If you don't mind the price, go and enjoy.

Exactly. I've never understood why anyone complains about "how expensive" any vacation is. A vacation is not a requirement. You don't have to take a vacation if you don't like what it costs. Do something else.
And it's not like the cost is a surprise. You know in advance what it's going to cost. (Unless, God forbid, you go to WDW without doing the research. But that's another thread!)

 

[nelson84]

One word "VISA"!

 

[natenapril]

One word "VISA"!

OOHHH!! That is the biggest crime to admit to on the budget board. Who would ever use their CCs

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

This family must be a bunch of WDW snobs I guess....

Will ONLY stay onsite, if offsite was in the mix this snob family wouldn't bother going.
We only stay in deluxe resort but I do agree with other posters that Disney deluxe hotels are below the standards of deluxe resorts in the real world.
Sometimes we rent a car, sometimes we don't depends on what we plan on doing that trip.
We go several times a year so we do switch hotels.

Like OPs we do travel other places in the course of the year..I/we think it is very important to see as much of the world as possible.
There hasn't been a place in the world that we haven't enjoyed.