Second, my unexpected expenses this summer were not as trivial as school supplies. My mother is in an assisted living facility, and there have been some out-of- pocket expenses there (we had to pay over $3000 for a couple of ambulance trips to the ER, for example) that my brothers and I split. Also, my younger DD was invited to participate in a workshop sponsored by a couple of Broadway performers --- a very prestigious opportunity, but it was rather costly. I decided to go ahead and pay for her to do it (since in another DIS thread, I was called a "jerk of a mother" for not doing everything in my powers to help her pursue her dreams, LOL!). Last but not least, my older daughter signed up for 3 Gemini classes at school, and that was an extra $440 that I had not budgeted for.
This is where I would absolutely think that I need to not take the trip. Those unexpected expenses that you spent extra on could come back next summer too. Or, those expenses could hit again next month, while you're still smarting from the first set of unexpected expenses. Until you have a decent emergency fund built back up, I wouldn't be thinking about vacations (unfortunately).
Third, I actually do have a payment option in mind. For the year(s) before we go, I'm planning on taking money that used to go payments that I no longer have (braces, refrigerator/stove that quit on me last year, and cc that I paid off), and putting the money into a special account. After the trip, I'll continue to use that money to pay off the cc.
This is a good idea for sure! But just IMO that money should be diverted to an emergency fund that can help with unexpected costs in the future - costs associated with applying for college, or unexpected sickenesses/surgeries, or even your Mom). Then once you have a few thousand put away in it, you can start looking at saving for that trip!
As for my "few department store cards with less than $500 on them" -- wow, did you guys jump all over that! I just looked them up for you, so here you go: Kohls is the highest at $427, Old Navy is next with $213, and Macys is the only other one with $170. Once I start getting regular paychecks again, I will be able to pay those down with no problem.
Yes, on a budget board we would jump on that. You already have over $800 in debt, so adding to it without paying that off first doesn't seem like the best decision. I'm glad to hear that you will be able to pay them off again quickly though!
I'm still planning on taking the trip, but just not sure exactly when. I was raised by a single mom who made less than $12K a year, and didn't even have a car for most of my childhood; and I never ever ever went on a family vacation. And guess what --- it DID matter! I feel like I really missed out. I know it wasn't my mom's choice, but I *do* have a choice to have these great adventures with my precious daughters while they're still home with me, and I choose to do it.
I was raised by a single mom too. At some points, she had to work three jobs to keep us above water (she had only a high school education). For most of my childhood we had spent many many weeks at Disney, at the lake, camping, etc., but once the divorce happened we were struggling all the time. We went on two Disney trips in 8 years - and those were only because she was entitled to some special one-time sums of money from my Dad on those two occasions.
One Christmas when I was 15, we only had two presents under the tree - one small one from her to me, and one small one from me to her. I still remember that dearly as one of the most fun and wonderful holidays we ever had. It's the people that make the memories, not the places. She had a savings in place so that we would be taken care of if there were any emergencies (and there WERE, including an unexpected surgery for both of us) - would I have liked to take that money and go to Disney?? YOU BETCHA!!! Would it have been the responsible thing to do? No way, ever.
Nothing we say will change your mind, so I wish you the very best time with your kids while you prepare for one of them to move away and start their adult life! Good luck to you!
I suggest Royal Pacific. Maybe stay somewhere very budget within an hour of the parks the night before you arrive and the night after you leave? This way you can maximize your time in the parks both days. I would also check out HP books on CD from the library and listen to them on the drive there, when tired of the books pop in a CD of HP music. Build the experience from the moment you get in the car. If you don't care about FOTL, then stay somewhere less expensive offsite and stay two nights, with 3 days in the parks 
), but we found that the summer between junior and senior years of high school was much more hectic than the summer after high school graduation. We spent the "in between" summer taking road trips to look at colleges, researching those we couldn't visit, etc. DD was busy starting on the Common Application, and making lists of all the things different schools required: SOme just the Common App, some required a supplemental app, additional essays, recording deadlines for financial aid, early decision, early acceptance, etc. The summer before senior year, and right up until Christmas OF senior year, was the busiest time ever! Second semester of senior year settled down to a waiting game: Waiting to see who accepted her, waiting to hear about audition and financial aid decisions, waiting for graduation (because grades still had to be maintained). AFTER graduation, all DD really did was work part time, attend a dance intensive and a dance workshop, and pack for college- which, as she is a list-maker, wasn't all that time-consuming.
