Please Read: How do you guys do it??????

[s&k'smom]

What a fabulous topic and I have to add my two cents. Next Oct when we go to WDW it will have been four years. We had gone back in 96 and my husband said not again for a while. No sooner had he said that that our friends called and were getting married there in 97 so back we went. Two months after that our son was diagnosed as mildly autistic. So we have not been able to go but have continued our Disney dream and are madly saving to go next year. Like the others we could have saved the $$$$ we have spent to go and stay but we want our memories. Life is absolutely too short. My sis and bro in law have more money than God and they are the cheapest two I have ever met. They don't go anywhere. Money is so important to them. We prefer to fill our lives with wonderful memories and Disney trips are a part of that. I so agree with everyone who said life is to short you have to live for today. Vacations are a wonderful way to enrich your life and children will remember these trips with mom and dad forever.

 

[idontknow]

When I was a kid, our family took 2 vacations. 1 to Seaworld in Ohio and 1 to a timeshare in Tenn. We did camp a few times when I was a small child, though. I always thought it was "neat" that the kids in my class went on vacation every year. Now that we have a DS, I want him to experience as much as possible. (you now the old addage about wanting more for your kids that you had) We have, amazingly, gone to WDW 10 times since 1996. I never thought that would be possible. I do as much bargain shopping as possible. Our grocery bill averages $30 a week because I use coupons and stockpile when things go on sale. DS knows if it is not on sale and we don't have a coupon, we don't get it. (there are exceptions like everything in life. LOL) By far we are not rich. But our housepayment is less than $300 a month for a nice house. (I didn't want a morgage that was $700 a month. If something happened to DH or myself, we would not be able to pay it. As it stands, if we needed to, we could collect cans from the side of the road and be able to make our house payment.) DH is a kitchen manager, so when DS and I eat out, we eat there for free. DH works 10 -12 hour days, 6 days a week. Any time off he gets I want to make as relaxing as possible. We take one long vacation at the begining of the year, and then if there are air sales, we go back once or twice during the rest of the year. DH's job has given him high blood pressure. He loves his job and hates it at the same time. He has pondered quitting, but he has taken a kitchen that was horrible and loosing a lot of money and turned it around. He has been offered other management possitions in the company, but the kitchen he is in is his "baby" and he doesn't want anyone to run it into the ground like it was before. He is friends with all of his kitchen help which makes it easier....sometimes. LOL I just want our family to get as much joy out of life before we are too old to enjoy it.

 

[Tigger's Friend]

This topic is wonderful and the replies are great. Here's my 2-cents worth (a bit long, so maybe more than 2-cents...sorry)

I look at my WDW trips as precious time to spend with my Mom. Making memories to last us a lifetime. My father left when I was 2, my Mom was left to raise two children on her own. For several years we were on the welfare roles until Mom was able to find a job and work her way off the roles. Even then, the money she made was barely enough to meet the essentials so WDW trips (or anything else for that matter) were out of the question. In second grade I was surprised to find that my Aunt & Uncle were taking me to WDW as a Christmas gift. From that point on I fell in love with WDW. However, I knew that I might not ever get to see it again during my childhood. For my 16th birthday, and then again for graduation, my Mom and my Stepdad (at the time her boyfriend) sent me to Florida to visit my Aunt & Uncle (living in Fl by now). While there, my Aunt & Uncle took me to WDW again. Each time I would return from WDW and tell Mom about my vacation and show her the pictures her face would light up and I would wish she could have been there with us, but I knew financially that was not an option. So, I decided that some day she would get there. So, after I started working I made sure that no matter how much I was making I always put a little aside each paycheck into a savings account for a trip to WDW. I never told Mom. For WDW's 25th celebration I surprised my Mom with a Mother's day trip to WDW. It was just the 2 of us (Stepdad has no desire to visit WDW) We went for 15 days. The look on her face the first time she saw the castle was worth every cent. She was transformed into a child (like every other visitor to WDW). We stayed at the ASMu so this way I could spend the money on Mom for character meals, momentos, pictures, etc.. We had such a great time. I took her again for the Millennium celebration for 15 days. It is just so much fun spending some quality time with her without the distractions of every day life. She has become so addicted that we are going again in May 2002 (15 days) and Dec 2002 (16 days). Plus, we got one of those very elusive postcards this week and she has "begged" me to go Dec 2001, so we have a 7 day trip planned.

I am single with no children and now earn about $48,000 gross. For all those years Mom struggled to make ends meet I am determined that as long as I can afford it, whenever she or I get an urge to go to WDW, I will make sure we do it. Mom is getting up there in years (she would probably biff me off my head if she heard me say that ) so I want to cherish the moments I have with her. I can't think of anyplace better to do that than at WDW where you check your everyday life at the airport.

 

[Dancind]

Tigger's Friend, I've got tears in my eyes. Your story is so SWEET! Your Mom did a good job raising you, she deserves Disney! My DD, now 10 1/2, has been twice to DL, once to WDW right after she turned 8, next trip in two weeks. I saved for two years for the first WDW trip, and have been saving for 2 1/2 years for this one. We're paying cash, but something sort of happened in the middle here. I got to thinking about our last trip, and the Magic that happened. Not only Disney Magic, but family magic. Memories, fun, closeness. And I decided that vacations need to be moved up in priority for us, at least one good one a year! I make a decent salary, nothing spectacular, my DH makes much less, and we're pretty much budgeted out all the time. And looking at private school for our especially smart DD. But we loved our Disney trip, so we're buying AP's on this trip, just made arrangements to buy into the DVC, and got incredible airfare - so we're going again at the end of Dec., and I'm looking at the end of May too! We may skip the year after and try for two trips the following year. And this is from New Mexico! It can be done, and it's so very worth it.

 

[zurgswife]

I go to Disney at least once a year. Hopefully twice if I'm really lucky. Except the past 12 months where I have been extremely luck and my DH and I are about to take our third trip.

I don't make excuses for what I want because I enjoy Disney and I enjoy being at Disney with my family. We don't take any other vacations it's strickly Disney for the past few years. About 3 years ago we purchase DVC; which makes the cost of room dramatically less because of what we have put out is a spread out in payments over the course of many years. Our room is a deluxe and large then anything we could afford if we were to get reservations at a hotel. At least two rooms are needed for our family of six. The DVC room we get has a full kitchen so we eat 90% of our meals in our room. We purchase AP's most years so we go to the parks at least some part of every day we are on any given vacation. By the time our current twelve month AP will end in Oct 2001 DH and will have 23 days used on our passes.

Yes we have to much credit card debt but I realize it is my choice to take these vacations and I realize that some day I will have a full time job instead of a part-time one. And I will pay down lots of my debt. But it is my choice and I wouldn't do it any other way.

I live life to the fullest and have a blast at disney......

 

[Poohbear123]

I am 43 and my Dad died when I was 3. My Mom had to raise 3 kids, 3, 8 and 17 years of age by herself! There was NO Public assistance back than. She had part-time jobs cleaning Houses and worked in a Church. We took a weekend now and again, but NOT till I was about 16. My Brother had a girlfreind who's Mom had a camper/truck. We would pile in and ride to WDW and sleep in the back of the truck, or only go for a day. When I was 19 my Mom and I would take Bus trips to WDW. It was 50.00 a person, and that included a 2 day pass and the Hotel room for ONE night! It was great, we did that till I met the "man of my Dreams" and we got Married. (it was MORE of a nightmare)! I was 23 and 24 when I had my DD and DS! Flash forward to 1989 and my "New" Man. (who I am still with today!) This was my kids first trip, but my DH(I call him that, even though we are NOT married) did NOT really like standing in long lines in the HOT FL. Sun! (This was BEFORE the Internet)! Anyway, I was working at Publix Supermarket (still am after 14 years) and I have gone to WDW since 1996. (the year my Mom died). I would take my Income Tax money and "do something Special" with it and this is what it is.......I GO TO WDW WITH IT! My DH DOES NOT go to WDW but he goes along sometimes and hits the Flea Markets and Yard Sales in Orlando! (He is a heavy-duty antique buyer/seller)! I am a Heavy Duty WDW LOVER! We kind of meet in the middle, I tolerate his expensive Habit, and he tolerates my "foolish" one! We are a Match made in heaven! LOL!

 

[Robin]

I have been to WDW twice as a child.
The first time was when my mother and stepfather got married (I was 5 years old) between the two of them they had 5 children and decided that they would take us on their honeymoon. Dad was in the service so money was tight but we had a great vacation. Dennis my stepfather was at least 100 times the father my bio-dad ever thought of being.

The next time we went I was 14, Dennis had been in the hospital for over 4 months due to cancer. When we asked what he wanted for Christmas his answer was simple "I want to take my family to Mickey Mouse's house" Mom and I put everything into this trip...I babysat, mowed lawns, delivered phone books, cleaned office buildings, sold flowers on street corners...you name it we did it. One of the nurses on Dads floor had a brother that worked for Disney so we were able to get free passes. We drove from Dallas to Orlando in an old Winnebago motorhome and stayed at Fort Wilderness. I flew in his 2 DD's from LA to join us on the trip....Dad could not have been happier. I have great memories of that trip...his cancer went into remission and we thought everything was ok... We were wrong..he died 4 years later and we never were able to take another family trip.


We have 2 trips booked in the next year. I have been diagnosed with MS and want to take DD while I have energy.

I made roughly 65k last year....but due to my health and the fact that I want to be home moe with my DD I have stepped down and changed directions. I now only make about 30k. I clip coupons, only buy what is on sale, love clearance racks, cringe at the thought of paying full price for ANYTHING. I drive a yucky 93 minivan that makes a weird noise when ever I drive in any direction but to the left ( I love my car...it's ummm PAID for)

My wonderful SO works 60+ hours a week as a network design engineer and makes 100k+. This will be his first trip to WDW..you should have seen his face the day the plane tickets came in...he was SO excited. Dan never gives the cost a second thought. He orders stupid gadgets off sharperimage.com (who really needs tie organizer???), only shops at Whole Foods, uses $28 bottles of conditioner, and other wasteful things. He drives a brand new Cadillac Seville with all the add on options.

It is in my mindset to cut corners and skimp on the things that really dont make or break a trip. Dan said that this is my vacation...to book the best and he would cover it. I just simply can not do that. I have booked the CSR at 99 a night for 7 nights in Dec and am just tickeled pink not to have to sleep in a motorhome (I have no problems with nice ones but the Winnebago was a fire hazard to say the least). I am going to MVMCP and havinga couple sit down meals...but will still watch what I spend. This trip is very imprtant to me...I think it will be very healing to remember Daddy when he wasn't so sick...all the memories I pull up now are after he was diagnosed.

 

[3boys]

When my two oldest sons (now 16 & 14) were very young, they always wanted to go to WDW. I used to jokingly say that we'd get there before my oldest went to college. That was before I became a single mom 7-1/2 years ago. After being out of the work force for a couple of years, I was suddenly in a position to have to provide for my 3 boys (who at the time were ages 9, 7 and 9 months). It has been a constant struggle, but I've been able to purchase a home and provide them with the essentials. We've been able to take small vacations (3-4 days) the past three years to the mountains or beach. But they've still dreamed of going to WDW...and those college days for my oldest are not too far away! So I decided earlier this year that we are going to do it - I've got reservations @ ASMu for 10/17-10/21. It's not for very long, but we are all excited and I know it will be wonderful. I've been trying to figure out how to cut every corner, pinch every penny, and have enough to make the trip something we'll always remember. My boys have been very good about knowing that we have to be on a budget and have done their best not to complain. We live in an area surrounded by huge, beautiful homes where the children/teens have every luxury they could hope for. We live modestly, in a very small home, but I hope they have learned that 'things' will never make us happy. Still....this trip means a lot to me, I suppose b/c of what it represents. To me, it is just another reminder of how God has blessed us in the midst of a heartbreaking divorce. After years of abuse, it has taken me a while to rediscover myself -and I'm looking forward to the chance to become a kid again, if only for a few days.
Well, I hope I didn't get too far off topic, but thanks for letting me share my little story.

 

[BrerMom]

bumping this wonderful thread.
Also made me sad to read Robin's post.

 

[Muziqal]

l

 

[Alice28]

I decided to be a stay at home mom this last year...my DH makes about $55-60 thousand a year. We have only gone to WDW 3 times, but plan on taking a trip in 2005. How do we do it? Part responsibly, part reckless!

Responsible part- we are able to stay at Shades of Green due to my DH's military status. We're talking only $70 to be in a great hotel, right smack dab in between the Poly and the GF. We were able to stay at the CONTEMPORARY twice last year with this same rate as they were rehabbing Shades. NICE! I also was diligant with the Southwest Airlines website- I hit the jackpot with $164 R/T from Oregon to Orlando 6 months in advance of our trip and I jumped on it. We also ate every single breakfast in our room for our 10 day trip and I bought a case of bottled water at a grocery store in Orlando. We had about $1000 budgeted for food and $300 ($200 of this was in Disney Dollars we saved for for 6 months- we saved change, put $5 in the jar every now and then, etc.....this was the kid's fun money for toys, sweatshirts, treats) for souveniers. Let's just say we "kinda" (HAHA) went over that amount and put about $1,000 on our credit card. But we didn't care! IT was great and I would do it again in a heartbeat. At the end of the trip I would say we were about $2,000 in debt, but it truly was a trip of a lifetime and it was paid off in 4-5 months. I was able to go back in the fall with my mom and she paid for a lot of it (my airfare, 3 of the 5 nights at Shades and the rental car), and they had the $99 military 5 day passes which were TOO good to pass up!

For our next trip I am sure we will go the Shades route again and the Southwest airlines route as well....gotta have my Disney fixes!

 

[GailT]

When I was married we went every other yr., my ex hated it but due to me we went. When I got divoced I started going every yr. I make peanuts, less then 20 grand a yr but I go. $ yrs ago I found out I had MS so that made me even more strong willed to go once a yr to a place that I love cause I don't know what tomorrow brings. I have bills up the ying yang but I look foward to my vacations and getting away to ease my mind on my health issues and such.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

DH and I aren't blessed enough to go every year or even every other year. However, when we do go it is a blessing that I have a job where I can save and have the trip paid for in no time. I'm a waitress and those dollars and loose change add up quite quickly. Our last trip was in 2001 and our next won't be til 2006 but I'm just happy to be able to go. I know so many who have never been to Disney or have not been as often as I have. A close friend of mine hasn't been since 1986!!!! WOW! Her and her DF are going to try and go with DH and I when we visit again for our 15th anniversary celebration. :happy1:
I figure that whenever DH and I can afford to go to Disney it is a blessing. I don't own charge cards so I'm not like others that will charge their whole trip and pay it off later. I know me...I wouldn't pay the bill off immediately upon arrival back home, and would only regret it later.
DH and I have been blessed to do a lot of traveling over the last year, Nashville, New Orleans, and now Columbia South Carolina! It's quite exciting to always have someplace to go every year! Hmmm, I have to figure out where we're going in 2005. Nothing planned yet, and we can't have that now can we? That would break my tradition I just spoke of.

 

[cocowum]

Disney is magic pure and simple. I grew up in the Bronx (NYC)poor. My family never went on vacation, stayed at a hotel or flew on a plane. When I was 18 I joined the Army. Fast forward 15 years. I have a wonderful life. Great DH and DD. DH works 2nd shift and I work 3rd shift so our DD always has someone home. We both forgo sleep more often than not so we can spend time together. Needless to say niether one of us likes our job. But were happy. Two years ago we decide DD is old enough 7yo for Disney world. I had always loved disney movies and the disney store but never even thought about disney world. Always thought it was for rich people. Well DH went when he was a kid and wanted to take us. We called Disney booked a 5 day stay CBR. rack rates. did not know anything about all these great sites We had The time of our lives. It was worth every penny!! and took six months to pay for!!! well I've learned a thing or two and we are going again in april this time for two weeks POFQ and the best part is for all my planning It's going to cost us the same price as our 5 day stay 2 years ago. the point of this long drawn out post is if you plan it right you can cut the cost way down. BTW mousesavers.com is a jewel. My DH laughs at me because I'm constantly saying oh Mary says... We have so much fun planning and talking and remembering. So i don't care that I drive a 1994 saturn w/ 123,456 miles on it because we're going to disney!!

 

[tidoublegger]

We are bound and determined to pay for our March 2005 trip with cash. We're renting a 4 bdrm. house for $600 for the week and will be paying it off over the next year so it'll be paid for prior to us leaving. We also have a huge change jar to roll towards passes. I will be buying one every other month (4 day park hoppers) starting in April and will tuck them away. I plan on watching SW airlines for good fares from Providence to Orlando for the 5 of us and will use our tax refund for the rental car/spending money/meals while we're there. NOTHING will be charged!! I am a part-time EMT and nursing student so I make about $5000/yr and DH makes around $60000. I am just getting out of credit card debt now so refuse to charge a trip!!! I finish nursing school in December and this is my REWARD/GRADUATION gift to ME!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[floridagirrl2]

We live in Florida and were just sprinkled with pixie dust last year (we'd been to Disney before, but it was never magical until last year). For plenty of inexpensive Disney vacations, move to Florida and purchase Florida Residents Seasonal Passes.

 

[BelleBeautyandtheBeast]

Oddly enough (or maybe not) this post has inspired me to buy a smaller house and take more vacations.

So many of you have such touching stories that you shared!

I only visited MK once, for a day, as a child. I was hooked and dreamed about going back. Unfortunately my family had very little money. We did drive to Florida every year, but we stayed with realtives and spent our time at the beach. I have wonderful memories of those vacations.

When I was 24 I flew to Florida with my two oldest kids who were 24 & 6 months at the time. We stayed with my relatives and drove to the MK for a one day visit. My oldest never stopped talking about Disney!!!

When the oldest two were 32 and 14 months old I decided to forget everything and take a spontaneous trip to Disney. The 3 of us enjoyed our little 3 night 4 day adventure. 2 months after we returned from the trip I decided DH needed to visit Florida & Disney World, he had never been! We took a 2nd honeymoon and left the kids behind with their grandparents. DH loved Disney World, but is not as obsessed with it as I am. And the kids had a great time spending 4 days with their grandparents.

I haven't seen Disney World in four long years. We have fallen on some very tough financial times and are happy to have a place to live and food to feed our 3 kids. We drive old used cars, live in a cheap mobile home that is paid off and do almost anything to save a few bucks.

I CAN"T WAIT ANYMORE! I am taking my 3 adorable kids to Disney World this summer, they will be 6, 4 & 2 years old.

My DH was recently blessed with a nice new job (which pays less than most of you make $30k/yr), but this is more than he has made in the past. I am a SAHM & full-time college student. I will graduate in December and we plan on buying a house next summer. We have been looking at houses near the top of our budget but I now see that it isn't a house that is all that important. It is family and sharing memories. I talked to my DH today about buying a slightly cheaper fixer-upper, and he agrees it is a good idea. We would have plenty of money left over to save for DISNEY!! (and other vacations LOL).

 

[Misty89]

my DH is a roofer, i test car for emissions, and i also run a custom wedding cake shop, and i also teach cake decorating classes-
we are lower middle class
...we made 35k last year.
we going to WDW in either dec 04' or jan 05' and we have been trying to save and earn money for out trip since we decided to go in october last year....so almost 16 mths of saving and planning.
I save 1/2 of my paycheck every week and all if not most of my profits from my cake business are put into a special savings accct for vacations.....we are hoping to stay at WDW for 6 days....and have a good time while we are there, we have chosen a FW cabin becasue we can make some meals there if we want to to save some $$ for teh parks. we have only been to WDW MK 1 time, and only that park....so this time and probly the ONLY time we will get there so we are going with the mindset of that( we will vacation like we are rich LOL) by working hard and saving big all year.
we take other vacations...but driving vacations like WI dells a few times a year, etc. but never anything like WDW where we actually need thousands of dollars before we go!
i sell on ebay and have a change jar.....my children are not informed about our trip because it is going to be a surprize for them when ST NICK brings thier stockings on december 5th.....so they are not earning WDW dollars.

 

[PamNC]

Disney is expensive. My husband and I are both self-employed. He is an opera singer (doing quite well) and I am a freelancer in the advertising industry. When we were first married...we were quite poor. That was 10 years ago. We are so blessed and fortunate now. We're not tehcnically "rich" but we sure feel that way. I think it's all about priorities. Disney fanatics make Disney excursions a priority. When we were first married, I doubt we made about $37,000 between the two of us. Now we make about $100,000 - and I can tell you that even when we made the lower amount we still went to Disney. We went for our honeymoon and we were hooked. We stayed in a value resort and went to Disney on a shoestring budget. My husband worked 4 jobs one summer just so we could go. For the past two years we've only gone once a year - but in the past we've gone twice a year. We're hoping to go 2-3 times this year (already been once and planning to go back in July). We're also like to visit different Florida beaches.

It can be done. No matter what you make.

PamNC

 

[frannn]

I have not been able to read all the replies yet, but I will, and I'll enjoy it! I went to WDW as a young child, and don't remember the trip. DH and I honeymooned there in 1999, and since then, I have been hooked (DH, not so much). I have always been frugal (taught by my mom)-won't ever pay full price, stretch meals, never buy the most expensive anything, deny myself a lot of "wants"-until I found WDW. All of a sudden, I live like a rich person in WDW (and in DS and ebay). I "pack" lunch for work (now I work from home, so it's not so hard), food shop by the sale circular, buy most things of ebay and from the dollar store. DH is a police officer, and I am an accountant, and we have 3 kids (2 from my prior marriage, 1 of our own). We bought a house in late 2000, and even though it is worth a lot more today than when we bought it, the bills (NY) are still very high. The only time we booked a pkg for WDW was for our honeymoon. Once I found these boards, I saved $$ by booking everything myself. We go off season, only stay at the AS, the only sit down meals are character meals, eat counter service, off site, shop at outlets, and buy AP due to the amount of days we stay. We only average 1 trip/year, but try to time them so we can get two uses out of the APs. That saves a LOT. We have also been lucky enough to go the last few times without the kids, which saved a lot of $. I was thrilled about not having to buy passes for this coming trip, plus we had airline credit from a previous trip (fares decreased, plus we got additional credit for them losing our luggage twice), so we would have only had to pay for hotel and 1 plane ticket....but DD11 may go this time, so it will probably tack on almost an extra 1000. Not so bad in relation to the many years of memories it will create. I guess I feel a bit guilty for all the $ we spend on and at WDW, but.....then I realize saving it forever, I will deprive myself & my family of necessary "us" time. Also, we do save, have a 401K and an IRA. At the very least, I am racking up reward dollars on my Disney Visa. The memories we create are priceless.