The economy and Walt Disney World

[pershing]

I have leftover airfare for SW which expires on 11/8 and we have tickets.

So far I haven't done anything, I may onload the SW airfare on ebay so I have more money for the podcast cruise, which I booked my airfare already on Delta.

NO SOUVENIRS! Cereal in suitcase, buy milk at gift shop. Bring jar of Peanut Butter, loaf of bread, and jelly. Ramen noodles in the coffee maker at night. Tell the kid's to eat all they can on the Wonder. That's my plan.

I'm interested in the quickie dining counterservice thing, but not enough to book a package.

 

[LilGMom]

I voted that nothing is changing in our vacation plans because as of now that is true. We are DVC so our lodging is pretty much taken care of, we are close enough that we drive (probably spend around $200 in gas getting there, driving around and getting home), we get FL resident Seasonal AP on base to save a little and with us being foodies we aren't going to cut any of our ADRs.

DH usually gets at least one work related conference in Orlando a year so we use that as a cheap vacation since he gets paid per diem for lodging, food and gas. We used one of his conferences in May as a vacation but splurged on the resort so we had to pay a bit more oop for lodging and we know that we'll always spend more eating each day than his per diem. But with the per diem he gets we usually can break even if we stay in a moderate or at SOG. If we didn't get that conference each year we probably still wouldn't cut back in anything OOP, we'd cut back from staying in a one bedroom to a studio though to make our points last longer.

 

[Sk8Leigh]

I voted that I'm going anyway, and I'd say it's true, but I agree with a prior poster that the worst part is the airfare. The park stuff is about the same as it has been, but the airfare is just crazy. I'm lucky that normally a trip is just me. (This fall my parents are going with me, but I'm usually solo.) So at least it's only one plane ticket for me.

 

[racingwench]

We had booked a trip to Disney for September. My hubby and me to the Poly. We cancelled our trip.

Maybe we will get there in 2009 or 2010.

 

[WaltD4Me]

If it weren't for you, Pete, and Dreams Unlimited, I wouldn't be going this year. As it is, even with an AP, I have to stay WAY offsite, rent the cheapest car out there, and eat all my meals at offsite restaurants or cook them myself. I may catch a CS or 2, and possibly a walkup dinner if I can get bar seating, but I plan on keeping my spending under $200 for my 8 day trip. That's for 8 days of gas, food, and anything special I may want to do or buy. Thank goodness the AP gives you free parking!

Wow, under $200 for 8 days? $25 a day. That is ambitious. Do a trip a report! I'd love to hear it how goes, I'll be going on a solo trip in May and may have to do something similiar.

You can do it though. It's alot easier when you are on your own. I would do it in a minute if it meant I could go to Disney. I just HAVE to have something to look forward to. I don't know what I'd do if I wasn't planning a Disney trip. Probably curl up in a ball in bed with the covers over my head.

 

[Annette_VA]

I answered "Not going - maybe next year or the year after." It will have to be the year after, since my next trip was to be the cruise & I had to cancel that because we just can't swing it. I'm used to going every other year & 2009 would've been our next scheduled year. Since we're taking that off, I'm banking on a 2010 trip.

 

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

Funny that you ask this. I just changed my big 40th birthday celebration from a $5500 trip to CR MK View to 2 rooms at POP for $2300. It was just to much money and everything costs more now a days. If you knew me on a personal level this would be totally shocking to you. I am a deluxe snob all the way but $3200 is alot of money "in this economy". We are also driving for about $500 worth of gas versus flying which would have run about $1200. So we are going but cutting way back and changing our ways a bit. Now I wont have to worry about every penny spent in the parks. It is just to hard now a day to throw money out the window on a room with a view.

 

[mikelan6]

We went in June for the Olszewski Main Street USA collection release, and we were thinking of going for the next release, but with the prices as they are, we might just get them by mail.

 

[disneym2m]

I agree with most on the board. Either I cut back on the spending or I have to wait to another time. I only get to go to WDW every five years. I started in 1997 and of course with each trip it becomes more expensive. For my last trip, December 2007, I really cut back on the souvenirs and ended up just taken more and more pictures. As much as I love going to Disney World, life happens and bills have to be paid.
I understand the need for Disney to raise their prices, but they will also have to understand that in today's economy, they will loose business as well. I went for one day in May. I arrived at 4:00 p.m. and had to pay full day's price. It would have been nice to have an afternoon deal for those that didn't start at 9:00 a.m. With the way things are going, I am waiting for Disney to cut down on the fireworks every night and start cutting back on other things as well.

 

[Jennygt]

I am trying for sept 2009, but unless I get a good discount, we won't be going. We just spend more overall these days and have less cash to spend on vacation, I am a BIG vacation person but wdw might have to wait until 2010, I guess I will have to see what disney comes up with to help us out!

 

[*NikkiBell*]

Because we are Disney Vacation Club owners, our vacations are already partially paid. However, the cost of airfare is really hurting things. We will always have at least one trip a year despite this, but adding a few extra trips in-between is not working out so far. An example of this recently happened when I tried to get us down to WDW before AC and PI will close. We would have gone, but the airfare was too high. I can see situations like this continuing if it does not go down.

As far as on-site expenses go, we always use some form of a dining plan except for Food & Wine trips. This lets us have meals taken care of way ahead of time so we do not have to reach into our pockets every five seconds. For our upcoming Food & Wine trip in October, I am putting a bit of money on a Commerce or Disney gift card each weekend starting next month. This will allow me to have that money saved for all of the kiosks. I won't have to deal with bills and change that way.

 

[kimisabella]

I'm going in 2 weeks and nothing was going to get in the way - keep in mind this was booked in January w/a 40% off code at the Poly - however, after this trip, we probably won't be back as a family for a few years (dh and I will be on the podcast cruise) We have gone to wdw once every year for the past 10 years, and slowly but surely we're feeling the squeeze between the airfare, hotel, tickets.....

We have the dining plan, and I really don't plan on buying many souviners, just don't need the extra junk and expense.. I will however, be buying my traditional xmas ornaments from the store at DTD - that WON'T change!!

 

[WaltD4Me]

You know, I'd be really curious to see how a poll like this would turn out on another discussion board, maybe just a regular family or mom's board. Same question to more casual travelers. People who are or were thinking of a Disney trip, but aren't fanatics like us. I know I've had a lull in trip planning for others. Usually I am helping someone plan a trip or answering questions for someone, but recently I've only had one person asking for help and last year around this same time I was helping 3 people with trip planning. I don't know of anyone going after the summer and I almost always know someone who is planning a trip.

 

[DLBDS]

You know, I'd be really curious to see how a poll like this would turn out on another discussion board, maybe just a regular family or mom's board. Same question to more casual travelers. People who are or were thinking of a Disney trip, but aren't fanatics like us.

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[TXYankee]

It is not just WDW that we are cutting back on or waiting longer between trips, it is all vacation travel. The cost of airfair / gas is so high. We want to see our family over Christmas and the flight is $650 each, plus a week in a hotel. The flight is twice what it was last year and we don't have the vacation time to drive. Our income has not increased as quickly as the cost of living. I will only be going to WDW if we get a GREAT deal!

 

[Launchpad11B]

Gotta go on vacation to Disney! Yes, it's expensive, but the memories we build with our DD are worth every penny. Besides, my job is a bit stress filled to say the least. Like DW (cocowum) says, Disney is our thing.

 

[ADP]

Will you offer a dining option? An ADPDP??

Oh! Absolutely! Except I'll keep the filets on my menus. Appetizers and tips included. Additional tips accepted.

 

[disneyholic family]

actually, the bigger problem for me at this point is my ever intensifying fear of flying....it's gotten worse and worse for me over the years...

it's so bad now, i'm seriously contemplating attempting to get to the states by water for the podcast cruise........
i'm not joking about this...
my last trip in june was a major white-knuckle affair for me...
so it's not the money, it's having to be held hostage for hours on end, in a cylindrical metal tube 6 miles up in the sky....

 

[house of the mouse]

My DH and I have often talked about moving a little closer to Disney. I can only imagine how often we would want to go if we were within driving distance. However now with gas going up driving might not be an option.

 

[tmli]

We are not within driving distance but still manage about 4 trips a year to wdw. At this time we have no plans on changing that. When not in WDW we seem to find ourselves on DCL or in DL. Next year in addition to the 2 wdw trips we are already planning and the podcast cruise, we will also be cruising Alaska.