Should I move my trip up?

[DisneyFan09]

Okay, I really need some advice from some budget-minded people!! We originally had a trip planned for Oct. 2006 and I have been slowly saving money to pay for it because I really like to have everything paid for in advance. Anyway, along comes the free dining code and I'm thinking wow what a great deal!! So the question is do I move our trip up to this Sept. to take advantage of this great deal (I can get POR for 2 adults, 1 junior, 1 child with 1 day base tickets for $1142) when I only have about 1/4 of the money saved (I'd have to charge the rest and pay off when DH gets his bonus in Feb.) or do I stick with my original plan and continue to save?

If I go this year it would be a bit shorter (we'd go 6 nights instead of 8)and we would not stay at our first choice of WL. Plus since dh is a non believer he says it will be another 3 or 4 years until we get to go back. If I go this year I will miss Expedition Everest which I was really looking forward to. Next year just seems soooo far away and the free dining is such a good deal and for us it would be such a treat because we are always so cheap when it comes to eating out. We always try to order one of the cheapest entree's and we NEVER order appetizers or dessert.

Please someone be my voice of reason and help me decide which would be better!!!

Thank you!

 

[georgina]

I know it's hard - we're not going until July 2006, and that free dining looks good. I'm hoping Expedition Everest is ready by our next trip too. I would never charge a vacation on a credit card that I would have to pay interest on because I don't believe in borrowing for vacations. Personally, I would hold out until next year, but only you can make decisions for your family.

 

[DisneyFan09]

I would never charge a vacation on a credit card that I would have to pay interest on because I don't believe in borrowing for vacations.

I totally agree and under normal circumstances wouldn't even consider it it's just that I know we would pay it off when dh gets his bonus but that's not until February. I'm not sure I could even enjoy a credit card vacation. I know the right thing to do is wait. As I was writing my op I realized that I pretty much answered my own question. I just didn't like my answer.

 

[frannn]

once the interest from using the credit card is factored in. Plus, I would take into consideration the 2 days we'd be missing out on by going this year. If you figure it out on a cost per day basis, your decision will be much clearer. Maybe you could take a much shorter trip now with free dining (using the $ you have saved), then start saving again more extensively for the trip next year. I was considering moving our trip up (the free dining and value season is over three days before our scheduled trip!), but it would not jive well with our work schedules, and the cost to change the plane tickets, etc would cut into our savings. Don't forget that this dining special is during peak hurricane season, and that it is predicted to be bad this year (I'm sorry for pointing this out, guess I'm just trying to help justify not changing the dates). Hopefully the weather-guessers are wrong and everyone will have a great trip with great weather.

 

[CheapMom]

I would wait and save. There may be great incentives next year too. I might make sure my dates for the 2006 trip were in that Sept- early October period for the best chance of getting a good discount/offer.
You will enjoy it so much more knowing that no big fat credit card bill awaits you at the end of the trip.

 

[tlbwriter]

It sounds like you'd be giving up some things you really want (WL, Expedition Everest, two days of your trip) in order to save some money. Which is more important to you?

 

[DisneyFan09]

Thanks you guys!! I think I will wait. Although the dining plan is such a great incentive I think that having more than a year to save up will make it that much more enjoyable. Going this year would have to be on a really tight budget and I think we'd have a lot more fun if we could splurge a little! I'm already thinking of how stressful our summer would be because we would be skrimping and saving every last penny.

 

[ckoncurat]

Having made the play first-pay later mistake a few times, I would say- definitely wait. I have a credit card debt right now that has to wait for my DHs october bonus to pay off, and its an awful feeling. It puts extra pressure on him, and it steals some of my joy now. Go next year, stay at the WL, PLAN some nice dinners, and who knows- maybe they will offer the dining plan again.

 

[luvmyfam444]

Ok I have to go against the majority here! Well not completely - I agree with NOT charging it...BUT I also think that the rates are too darn good to wait! I would go this year w/the $ you've saved - it's prbably enough to stay in a value resort - & they aren't bad!!! (we loved the AS music!) we wern't there much anyway!
I'd just take a shorter visit---BUT then I didn't see where you're traveling from - personally I can't imagine taking an 8 day trip - 6 days is our MAX (ALMOST TOO LONG---we'd rather do 4!) BUT of course that depends on if you're driving/flying & if there's any down time days - you know what I mean -IF YOu can do 2 shorter trips for around the same rate as 1 longer trip in a fancier hotel then that's what I'd do - but then my dh LOVES Disney - so that makes it a little different.

OK _ NOW I"VE totally confused you (AND ME!!! HA HA! )

 

[DisneyFan09]

Ok I have to go against the majority here! Well not completely - I agree with NOT charging it...BUT I also think that the rates are too darn good to wait! I would go this year w/the $ you've saved - it's prbably enough to stay in a value resort - & they aren't bad!!! (we loved the AS music!) we wern't there much anyway!
I'd just take a shorter visit---BUT then I didn't see where you're traveling from - personally I can't imagine taking an 8 day trip - 6 days is our MAX (ALMOST TOO LONG---we'd rather do 4!) BUT of course that depends on if you're driving/flying & if there's any down time days - you know what I mean -IF YOu can do 2 shorter trips for around the same rate as 1 longer trip in a fancier hotel then that's what I'd do - but then my dh LOVES Disney - so that makes it a little different.

OK _ NOW I"VE totally confused you (AND ME!!! HA HA! )

You're too funny!! I'm coming from Iowa and we would fly so that's a huge cost. I was just thinking about doing a 4 day trip with just dd's then we could stay at a value and be comfortable and save on airfare and hoppers but dh won't go for it. Plus since I usually take dd's out of school it would be nice to go again before oldest dd hits junior high. But we've had a tough year, had to replace washer, dryer and diving board which all amounted to about $1000+ so if it wasn't for that I probably could've won the fight!! Oh and I got a new van this year too so I better just consider myself lucky and wait it out!!

 

[mistydoodles]

Okay, I really need some advice from some budget-minded people!! We originally had a trip planned for Oct. 2006 and I have been slowly saving money to pay for it because I really like to have everything paid for in advance. Anyway, along comes the free dining code and I'm thinking wow what a great deal!! So the question is do I move our trip up to this Sept. to take advantage of this great deal (I can get POR for 2 adults, 1 junior, 1 child with 1 day base tickets for $1142) when I only have about 1/4 of the money saved (I'd have to charge the rest and pay off when DH gets his bonus in Feb.) or do I stick with my original plan and continue to save?

If I go this year it would be a bit shorter (we'd go 6 nights instead of 8)and we would not stay at our first choice of WL. Plus since dh is a non believer he says it will be another 3 or 4 years until we get to go back. If I go this year I will miss Expedition Everest which I was really looking forward to. Next year just seems soooo far away and the free dining is such a good deal and for us it would be such a treat because we are always so cheap when it comes to eating out. We always try to order one of the cheapest entree's and we NEVER order appetizers or dessert.

Please someone be my voice of reason and help me decide which would be better!!!

Thank you!

I have to say wait. I have been trying to decide the same thing for myself but when I sat down and did the math you are only saving approx $500.00 by taking this new package.

Which, Yes $500.00 is a lot of money, (I don't dispute that one bit) but over the long run you would probably be able to save up more money for your trip if you just waited until next year like you were originally planning.

The free dining sure sounds nice but I don't think it is really worth changing all your plans for.

I have decided to keep our trip exactly where we have it instead of having to be stressed out trying to come up with the money so quickly.

Just my opinion.

Mistydoodles