Save money or go to Disney?

[summersalt]

It's been 8 months since my last Disney vacation.
I have the second week of November off and can't decide if I should save the money or go to Disney. I really miss the "magic"! Please help me decide.

Reasons not to go:
The economy sucks and I feel quilty spending money
Christmas is just around the corner
I only have have Friday - Tuesday *** my daughter's in school

Reasons to go:
Mickey, Minnie, Pooh, Goofy... I miss them all!
I need to get away. I work from home and my job is extremely stressful.
Free dining (maybe?)

 

[stopher1]

Of course you could see all of those practical reasons and say you won't go - but your arguments FOR going are all great too! Go to Disney!

 

[kelleigh1]

We haven't been in 11 months, and we're not going to be going again anytime soon. As much as we miss it and always want to be there, we just know that we need some financial stability before we go again.

Our plan was to focus on paying off our debt while also trying to save some. And we've been doing well at that, but just learned last week that hubby getting laid off as of 12/31. So, we're glad that we didn't plan a trip this year because we may end up needing what we've saved to help us through if he can't find another job before the end of the year.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

Well, you probably won't like my answer but I would say save the money and skip it. The economy is so unpredictable right now. We are cutting out most of our unnecessary spending. Gas and food prices are already pretty high and we have no idea how much worse it's going to get before it gets better.

That's just my take on it. My husband and I tend to be very practical with our money. We took a cruise earlier this year but since the economy went south, we're not planning anything major until we get a better picture of what's going to happen. Are there any places near your home that you can get away to? Perhaps a shorter, less expensive trip would fit the bill?

 

[Disney Dreamin]

I've had the same turmoil. We have a trip planned for Dec. The one reason keeping me going is knowing I'll smile for the next 57 days as the excitment builds and imagining the smiles as we walk into the Magic Kingdom. Does anyone ever regret going once they get back? Make your reservations......life's too short to pass on Disney!

 

[lovetoscrap]

Only you know what your financial situation is. Do you live paycheck to paycheck? If so then I would say no.

Do you have cc or other debts that you need to pay off? Then I say no.

But if you have some cushion in your income, then you just need to figure out what the cost will be and if you can absorb it.

Would you drive or fly?
Can you get really cheap airfare?
Are you okay with a value resort?
Can you get free dining? That is a great deal if you can!
Can you leave on Thursday after school to add some more time? Maybe have your dd miss one day of school on Wed to maybe add a little more time?
Do you know what your Christmas expenses will be? Maybe make this a part of the Christmas gift?


I am a pretty frugal person. If I really wanted to go I would probably drive bringing a cooler of food for in the car to save money on fast food meal stops. I would bring breakfast foods to eat in the hotel room. Then with Free Dining I would use my credits for lunch, snacks and dinner. You can save by not getting the Hopper option on your passes and just planning to be in one park the whole day (have to work your ADR's around that).

If you have that money available then go and have fun! If you have to put it on credit cards, paying interest until you pay it off, then it may not be a good idea.

 

[Kaler131]

I would save up and maybe try to take a trip in the spring....

 

[PoohlvrLynn]

I would go, we only live once , so I feel if you can afford it, then go for it and have a great time.

 

[jjjmranch]

Like the old saying: "You can't take it with you." I'd go for it.

 

[SydneyFalco]

I'm with Lovetoscrap. Only you know what's going on with you, and I'm not playing enabler today. At least not blind.

Dizzy (or "Dis-y") as I like to get here along with everyone else, I sometimes have to remind myself that some posts are from working folks and others from people who can stay at the Grand Floridian every year. Some posts are from people who lives right next door to the parks, some from the UK, or at least the west coast.

Then there are people in the world--and I'm not saying this is you--but there ARE people who have no qualms, or fears, about getting themselves into mountainous debt. (I know a few personally.) And I'd hate to enable a person like that, even casually.

In my own life, I'm so "in love" again with WDW that I'm going to be facing similar choices myself down the road. And I don't know what I'M going to do, even though I have all "my" facts on hand. (Yay! Government job and no kids! Boo, frugal personality and wife who wants to travel the REAL world a lot more than Disney.)

What I say instead is "good luck in your choice."

P.S. I have now used the word "enable" or some form of it four or five times on this site. And I have never, in my life, used it anywhere else.

 

[ToddyLu]

Went 2 months after Katrina and 6 weeks after losing FIL. I would say go for it if you can--however financially we were OK, we had flood insurance.

 

[DisCopper]

You're not listing any reasons that convince me that you shouldn't go.

"The economy sucks." Yeah. So what. What is YOUR financial situation like (you don't really have to tell us). Are you worried about saving for retirement? Etc...

"Christmas is around the corner." Yeah. So what. Do you do a lot of Christmas shopping? Are you a big Christmas spender? Do you have a lot of people to shop for? Do you need to save for it?

The economy sucks, but personally, I'm doing fine. Christmas is around the corner, but, even though I spend liberally on presents, I just don't have that many people that I exchange presents with.

Guilt is not a reason to skip a trip. Legitimate financial concerns are. Evaluate your finances and make a decision based on that.

 

[judy21049]

I say go to Disney. I work at a doctors office in a small town. I get to see patients come and go, literally. Too many wait to do things and then never get to do the things they waited all their lives to do. For instance a patient today in early sixties just inherated close to if not more than a million dollars. Today he found out he had kidney and bone cancer. Very sad. Go to Disney when you can. Your bills will be there when you get home.

 

[gsmbaby19]

Haha, I think this is the wrong place to ask that question

 

[Colleen27]

Stimulate the economy - take your trip!

Seriously, if your own financial situation isn't bad, why not go? It doesn't do any good to stuff your money in your mattress because you feel bad that other people are struggling.

Yes, Christmas is coming, but there's something I've found with my kids - They care more about the things we do together than the things we buy them. We had a fairly low-key Christmas last year because we were going to Disney in January, and they couldn't have been happier.

 

[MO Nurse]

As others have said if you feel you will be ok financially then I would say go. We are in a situation where the state department is buying our property for a new 4 lane highway coming through our house. I struggled with whether or not to continue with our March trip or wait until after we are in our new home. We are still deciding on a new home but are pretty sure we have found the one we like. We have been working on cleaning up our credit since July hoping we can get a mortgage in today's economy. We got a call yesterday that we are going to be able to get a mortgage so we are going.

 

[pepe of ohio]

My 2 cents, nothing you can do about the economy. Our philosophy is you're only going around once, I'm seen a lot of people not make the whole trip, and putting off anything to us is a no. We work hard all year just to have a relaxing vacation, whether the economy rises or falls, life goes on and we need a break from the rat race. We can just as easily blow 2000 dollars staying at home instead of going to WDW doing needless things to our home or buying stuff we really don't need and working around the house not enjoying the time off from work, but the same money at WDW rejuvenates our body and soul so we can continue to go to work and earn for the future. Others with children, ours are gown and married, they are young for such a short time and leave the nest to bigger and better places so taking them and seeing their eyes light up and making lifetime memories of those days are priceless. Children have no idea what the economy is or what it means, they have the right perspective and live for today only, all good things and depriving a youngster the time of their young life of a trip to WDW over the economy is robbing them of their youth. There are jobs out there, some easier to find than others but can be had, life will go on the sun will rise and set and we will never cancel a WDW vacation based on what the future may or may not hold.

 

[summersalt]

Our financial situation is ok. We don't have alot of debt and have a little saved up. We both still have good paying jobs. What worries me is I see my retirement go down a little more each day. My grocery bill gets higher every week as well as my electric bill. I don't normally spend a lot for Christmas but I'm afraid what few gifts I do buy will take twice as much. Thank goodness gas prices are coming down.

On second thought, we could drive instead of fly. It's a 12 hour drive from here and that's doable since our chikd is 12 years old. The rates for the dates we want to go are fabulous! 3 nites at Pop with free dining 864.00 for all 3 of us. I just can't pass this up! I'm gonna stop this conpulsive worrying!! I'm keeping my reservations and I'm not gonna feel guilty about it!

 

[lovetoscrap]

Our financial situation is ok. We don't have alot of debt and have a little saved up. We both still have good paying jobs. What worries me is I see my retirement go down a little more each day. My grocery bill gets higher every week as well as my electric bill. I don't normally spend a lot for Christmas but I'm afraid what few gifts I do buy will take twice as much. Thank goodness gas prices are coming down.

On second thought, we could drive instead of fly. It's a 12 hour drive from here and that's doable since our chikd is 12 years old. The rates for the dates we want to go are fabulous! 3 nites at Pop with free dining 864.00 for all 3 of us. I just can't pass this up! I'm gonna stop this conpulsive worrying!! I'm keeping my reservations and I'm not gonna feel guilty about it!

Have a great time!!!

 

[nurse.darcy]

I like a lot of the answers you have here. The economy does suck. But I am only going to live once and my son, who is 15 and will be 16 in December, still LOVES to go do Disney. I am going to make as many trips with him as I can because these are our bonding times. Its just awesome to see his face when we are walking around world showcase looking through the various shops from the different countries (this is something HE loves to do). And watching him get excited over taking pictures during the Kilimanjaro Safari at AK. I am a nurse and therefore not affected much financially by the economy. My debt is ONLY credit card and I usually pay that off each month.

Go to Disney. Have a great time.