Save money and don't go to Disney this summer?

[mermaidwannabe]

From our first trip to DW in 2005, I've been hooked and we've returned there and gone to DL and San Diego three times. I've always wanted to expose my kids to different locations, but every year I turn to Disney and the beach. The Disney tickets run our family about $1000 each year which is a big chunk of change. We usually drive if it's in California, so we save on airfare, but just wondered if there any of you who go to DL or DW every year and then try something different and cheaper? We've been to Oregon twice and really enjoyed it, but I don't want to risk being disappointed going somewhere else and maybe it wouldn't even be cheaper.

Any thoughts??

 

[Marionnette]

From our first trip to DW in 2005, I've been hooked and we've returned there and gone to DL and San Diego three times. I've always wanted to expose my kids to different locations, but every year I turn to Disney and the beach. The Disney tickets run our family about $1000 each year which is a big chunk of change. We usually drive if it's in California, so we save on airfare, but just wondered if there any of you who go to DL or DW every year and then try something different and cheaper? We've been to Oregon twice and really enjoyed it, but I don't want to risk being disappointed going somewhere else and maybe it wouldn't even be cheaper.

Any thoughts??

It's a big world and Disney is a tiny part of it. There are plenty of places that you can take the kids without breaking the bank. Not all of them are theme parks with fuzzy characters milling about. But they can still be pretty awesome. All you need to do is research your destination a bit. My favorite trips were the ones that were NOT Disney!

 

[kkmcan]

We've taken our kids lots of different places and they have loved them all! They love exploring new cities, checking out the museums and historical places. We always have fun and its nice to get out there and see something new! Sometimes we miss Disney while vacationing somewhere else but that's ok because we still love going somewhere we've never been before.

So far my kids have been to Branson, San Francisco, Washington DC, Williamsburg, Bahamas (Disney Cruise), Puerto Vallarta (DCL), Cabo San Lucas (DCL), Las Vegas, San Carlos (Mexico), San Diego (dozens of times), White Mountains in Arizona, Sedona and the Grand Canyon, Denver, Las Vegas, Oklahoma City, and of course Orlando and Anaheim.

We've got a possible Philly/NYC trip in the works for next summer. Kids are so excited about that!

And we've got our DL APs so we'll do a driving trip once or twice out there this year as well.

 

[arthur06]

We are hooked on Disney as well. We were planning on taking a year off and returning in 2013. I just have a hard time doing it. When I look at the places I just kind of think "it's nice, but it's NOT Disney".

We decided this year, that we will probably go to Mexico in early November as one of our trips. We are going to Wisconsin Dells in 3 weeks for a weekend. I think this will be the year of a few weekend trips and Mexico.

I know exactly what you are saying, it's tough, but worth trying new places.

 

[C-CMom]

It's a big world and Disney is a tiny part of it.

Add a vote here!

 

[drinkme]

Every year we do 1-3 family trips, then I take the kids to do a Disney or Universal trip.

That way, I get my theme park fix and my dh gets to travel somewhere besides Disney (he's so done with Disney).

To travel to WDW with just me and my 2 youngest kids can be done kinda cheap. I wait for free dining or a great discount on the rooms. Look for good airfare, and try to be flexible. Also, we usually only go for 4 nights.

We got planned for 2012 so far: ski trip with family in Feb; NYC trip for dh & dd13; and tentatively planned: short cruise during Thanksgiving week; Universal Orlando with just me and the kids.

I just have so much fun in Orlando. If I had to choose just one destination every year it would definitely be WDW, DLR, or Universal. I'm fortunate that we can choose more than one.

 

[CAFarmerGirl]

My kids would rather go to Cancun than Disneyland. My dd mentioned that she much preferred trick or treating door to door in our neighborhood than Mickey's Not so Scary Party.

I talked everyone into DW this summer only because we'll be driving and hitting over a dozen states along the way there/back! I am the only one excited about the destination, DW.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

We are hooked on Disney as well. We were planning on taking a year off and returning in 2013. I just have a hard time doing it. When I look at the places I just kind of think "it's nice, but it's NOT Disney".
We decided this year, that we will probably go to Mexico in early November as one of our trips. We are going to Wisconsin Dells in 3 weeks for a weekend. I think this will be the year of a few weekend trips and Mexico.

I know exactly what you are saying, it's tough, but worth trying new places.

I can definitely relate to this. I would love to book a 2012 WDW trip; but I have to remind myself of the reasons why we wanted to wait until 2013 to go back instead of going two consecutive years in a row (we went this past August 2011). We have considered planning a Sea World/Legoland trip for the fall, but that kind of trip would cost us close to what it would cost us to just go back to Disney since we would have to purchase airline tickets. I know there are a lot of other great vacation destinations and my family also likes to explore and try new things, but it's so tough when Disney has hooked and reeled you in

 

[pigletto]

We're in a pretty heavy Disney phase of our life. It wasn't always, and won't always be this way. We are lucky in that we get to travel a few times a year and see other places. Dd has been to Chile, other provinces in Canada, many Carribbean Islands, several U.S. cities, and the Bahamas. Ds is younger and has been a few less places but still is pretty well traveled for an 8 year old.
I was able to go to Scotland with my sister this year! We have a road trip to the mountains planned this summer, and Dh and I are discussing Dublin for next year.
As for Disney.. as a family.. that's where we want to go right now. Not going to sweat it too much. If we can afford it, and we want to go, we will.

 

[englishteacha]

Feeling your pain! We'll have a newborn this summer...no big trip for us! Who knows what our future vacations will be? Could you maybe rent a camp/cottage for a few days and relax at a lake? Swim, paddle a canoe, grill burgers? That sounds like fun and relaxing, and not too pricey if you can find a decent rental.

 

[vegasnative]

Like anything in life, it is all in what you make of it. Some of our best trips have been cheapie camping trips close to home. That's not to say we don't enjoy going to DL. Personally I LOVE So. Cal., and would go all the time if I could. Yep, I could totally see myself sitting on Huntington Beach tomorrow. However, I really want to visit other places too, not just So. Cal. all the time.

I would ask your family what they want to do. Take a poll. If they all want to go back to DL, then go, that's what you all want to do. If they want to try something new, then go do that, and make the most of it...and enjoy.

 

[DawnM]

I don't know that cheaper is the right word. We take other trips and don't find them cheaper than Disney, but we do enjoy visiting other places.

Dawn

 

[hsmamato2]

just look at it this way,life changes all the time,so mixing it up is good too! That said, we have been going to DW yearly for a lot of years,and the kids and I love it, DH is done..... we went to DL this past fall,and that is it for disney for us for the year I still feel a pull- but it's not happening financially this year. I'm sure we'll do other smaller shorter trips elsewhere... and I keep reminding myself that with all the closures and construction going on at DW right now,I do want to wait anyway......

 

[momto2inKC]

There are so many neat places to visit, I'd definitely try somewhere else! Disney isn't going anywhere. Now cheaper might get a little tricky. Disney is quite a great value. We tend to find that we spend the same as Disney if we go to Branson or wherever.

 

[java]

We took a year off this past year not by choice. But we ended up having a great time in OHIO! Yes we had a blast. A week in Ohio and Indiana (both places we have never been to turned college tour into a week long vacation) Cost us practically nothing. Hotels were running under $100 a night and we did stop at Cedar point. We loved it and will go back there for sure.

As others have said Disney is fun but there is a whole world out there.

 

[nilseks]

I grew up going to marvelous places all over the country, and I always said, "we are not going to be THAT family that goes to Disney every year." We had a whole big world to explore. And then we found ourselves going to Disney 5 years in a row. Before the trip, I told DH, this is really it, we are off Disney for a while after this. At the end of the trip, oldest DS said it is not as much fun anymore because we go so frequently. He is ready to venture out. My 8 year old DS is not so convinced--he's sad that we are not going back to Disney next year.

We have already decided on Niagara Falls/Football Hall of Fame/Cedar Point for next year, and I don't think we'll hit Disney in 2013 either. Maybe 2014. It will bother me not to go but I want to open my kids' eyes to other things, including some national parks!

 

[mermaidwannabe]

Thank you for your replies! It sounds exciting to go somewhere else. It would be nice to go to a few places per year though . Hopefully some place will be in our budget and sound fun to everyone. Hard to do that when we live in montana and airfare is so expensive.

 

[edk35]

We change it up sometimes, but we still include Disney. We went to Busch Gardens in VA this past summer. Have been to Ocean City (BLECH) and have now been to NYC as of two weekends ago. We are trying our first cruise in June. We have been on a couple of Gulf Coast Beach trips (loved these), we live between Baltimore and D.C. so we have done all of that. We lived in Japan in the mid 90's so we saw and did a lot over there...yet when we came back to the states for a visit...WE WENT TO DISNEY. When we moved back in 98....we went to Disney within 2 weeks of moving back to the states. There is something about Disney trips.... I go into some serious withdrawal if we don't go every year. Now we are thrilled that our daughter is going to be down there Jan. 6th through June 1st for the college internship program. That means MORE TRIPS in 2012.

 

[crisi]

Not necessarily cheaper, but I really believe that Disney is only a small part of the world.

Last summer it was Washington DC. Great trip. We've done San Francisco, Germany, Hawaii, Mexico, the Bahamas. Our cheap trips are up to the North Shore of Lake Superior or to visit relatives in Des Moines (there aren't a lot of places that are really exciting within easy driving distance of the Twin Cities - but the Twin Cities itself has a lot to offer -historical sites and museums and arts events - probably more at my fingertips than yours - we are a lovely place to visit in the summer, and a longish drive from Montana).

When the kids were little, Disney - or the Disney cruise - was so EASY. Now that they are older, there is so much more to expose them to - that is frankly just as easy.

 

[Planogirl]

We enjoy visiting places within driving distance and that can save a considerable amount of money. A person can stay at places like LaQuinta or Holiday Inn Express and visit often free or at least low cost state and national parks and such places. Exploring old towns and historic sights won't normally break the bank either. Plus there's camping which I prefer to do in a cabin.

Montana is a huge state though so a lot depends on what part of Montana you're located in. Northern California would be my pick if it's doable. Or maybe Canada.