What's the longest time you've saved for Disney

[Tiggerlover91]

I'm just curious to know how long each of you save for your Disney trips. My last one I didn't really have to save. DH and I came into some money and trip was paid for in full loooooooong before we went. The time before that, it took me a little over six months to save. I put every paycheck, every bit of loose change, and $25 of my tips into my change jar for six months. It worked out great!!
My next trip isn't until 2006, so I will probably start saving for that one in January of 2005. I've already got things budgeted to about $1100, and that's food, hotel, and tickets.
So how about the rest of you, how long do you save for Disney?

Also curious, what's the most you've ever spent on a trip to Disney and was it worth it? I spent $2700 on my last trip and in some ways it wasn't worth it. I didn't research what was then called the Discovery Magic Package and lost A LOT of money on wishes by using them at buffets and breakfast meals. Had ultimate hopper passes and 3 days DH and I didn't go into the parks. We did do DisneyQuest one of those days, so it wasn't a total loss I suppose. I just didn't know then what I know now. But hey...it's NEVER too late to learn.

 

[cassie]

I save up yearly. Ten months out I book a room and knowing that's the highest I'll pay I adjust my credit union holiday savings account..Usually I'm able to get a code price to lower the price. I always figure in plane fare. I've been lucky that I don't get sick, so I get my sick pay in January and that goes towards my spending money. I generally spend $1500 - $2000 for a weeks stay, and I have never regretted it.

 

[TIGGERSMOM]

My first trip with my DS. I didn't know how to work any discounts so paid top dollar, we had a blast but if I had known the inner workings would have saved about 50%.

So I saved for about 18 months fo rthat one. On of those if I only knew then what I know now.

 

[DocRafiki]

All of my trips have been on the cheap. I went w/a friend once for about 4 days on less than $200. My grad nite trip cost about $300 for 4 days. Those were the days when it was actually FUN to have 4 people in an off-property motel room.

I saved all my senior year to partially pay for senior expenses including grad nite, so I can't say specifically how long I saved for grad nite. After that, I never actually saved for one.

 

[Cindy B]

I found the DIS/Mousesavers after my first trip, so who only knows what I could have saved! (I'm sure I could have found a code somewhere!)

As for the longest, I think our last trip (August 2003) we started saving about a year in advance.

 

[newholiday]

Id have to say 41yrs! lol
We bought DVC in 01 and it "expires" in 2042. So basically our room $ have been put aside until then.

I save for about a yr for the rest since we have been taking yearly DVC vacations.

 

[Melissamoo]

For our Feb 03 trip (18 days), my DH and I we saved for about 9 months - since we'd be there longer, we be spending more. We save for our trip this past January for about 5 months.
Our next "planned" trip is going to be May 2006 - we are going to Star Wars weekend - so it coincides with the release of the LAST Star Wars movie

We have APs - so that helps alot with discounts on our resort ressies.

I usually start looking for codes and deals for our next trip when we get back from our last trip What I research most I guess is car rental deals, I made our car rental ressie last Sept. for our Jan. trip - for 9 days - i got a 4 door Sunfire for $110.00 - w/the taxes, etc. it came to 150.00 through ALAMO. We didn't pay for insurance since we brought proof of insurance and a notarized letter from our insurance agent stating OUR own insurance covers us if anything we to happen, etc....

 

[skiwee1]

All of our trips usually run between $4000-5000. That is for 2 adults and one child. That also doesn't include APs. It is for food, resort, and souveniers.

 

[Kitty 34]

Our first trip was paid for by the extra money I made doing a very long term subbing job. Instead of getting used to those kind of checks coming in as it wouldn't happen again on a regular basis.......we decided to use it for something fun.

We were all set on Myrtle Beach but by the time we left the TA (I don't even go to a TA now, thanks to the DIS!! ) we had a trip to Disney booked!!!

We had so much fun that within two years of that first trip we learned how to just "budget" the trip into our regular bills.

 

[joats]

We don't really actively save sort of speak. I'm in the habit of always putting money into a savings account. We just take some money out of th account for our trips.

The most we spent on a trip was an obscene amount Pre-DIS for our honeymoon. I think it was over $7,000. But, clearly worth every single penny!! Of course if I could have a do-over, with my DIS knowledge, I think we could have had the same honeymoon for about 1/2 of the amount.

 

[jipsy]

edited to take foot out of mouth - my apologies

 

[joats]

jipsy:

FYI
Part of the original post included this:

Also curious, what's the most you've ever spent on a trip to Disney and was it worth it? I spent $2700 on my last trip and in some ways it wasn't worth it.

 

[skiwee1]

delete delete delete!

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Originally posted by skiwee1
And to answer the first part of the OP's question since you really want to know, we don't have to save up to go to WDW. The money is there and so I spend it! back at ya!

SHOW OFF!!

 

[skiwee1]

delete delete delete! !

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Originally posted by skiwee1
So now I'm a show off for answering your question? Actually I was avoiding that part of the question as I didn't want to come across wrong. But after being blasted for answering the second part I thought I would answer both. I've never had an OP blast someone for answering her own question. How strange!

I put the smilie faces there to show you that I was just kidding. I think it's WONDERFUL that you don't have to save to go to Disney. I would love to be as blessed as you. I apologize you took my comment the wrong way.

 

[disykat]

10 years - LOL! We went on to WDW and did the Big Red Boat for our honeymoon. We decided then to return for our 10th anniversary, hopefully with kids. When my grandma left me a small inheritance three years later, we put it aside for this purpose. So, years later we did WDW and DCL Grandma's treat. Since our travel budget also needed to include airfare, an eleven day trip for four including a 4day cruise would not have been in our budget otherwise!

We budget a vacation every year, but for us a WDW trip is more money than a typical vacation and involves extra savings - even though we technically have the money available.

 

[*Flower*]

For our last BIG vacation (17 days in December/January) I started saving as soon as I got an inkling that the trip was going to happen.

You see, we'd gone home for a visit in 08/02, and treated my DB and his family to a weekend at DLR at the Grand Californian. He'd been under a lot with my Mom and Stepfather- and needed a break. They all had such a great time experiencing the 'real' Disney vacation that I suggested that they think about joining us for the Christmas/New Year holidays at WDW.

Needless to say, as soon as we got back from CA, I started saving for the trip. I wanted them to have as good a time as possible- and we're DINKS, so we picked up part of their tab.

Anyway- I saved for about 16 months or so and found that I had a bit of extra savings after all of the bills came in. They bought their plane tickets and paid for half of the hotel for the nights of their stay. They also took care of some of their meals. They had a fantastic time, and except for me stressing that they wouldn't like the plans I'd made- we had a great time watching them ooohhhing and aaahhhhing about all of it!!!

 

[skiwee1]

Originally posted by Tiggerlover91
I put the smilie faces there to show you that I was just kidding. I think it's WONDERFUL that you don't have to save to go to Disney. I would love to be as blessed as you. I apologize you took my comment the wrong way.

Oops! I saw the rolling of the eyes and thought I was getting hollared at again! LOL! Tell you waht. I am deleting my response to Jippsy since she took hers off and will delete the one in response to you. I don't want to turn this into a nasty thread!

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Originally posted by skiwee1
Oops! I saw the rolling of the eyes and thought I was getting hollared at again! LOL! Tell you waht. I am deleting my response to Jippsy since she took hers off and will delete the one in response to you. I don't want to turn this into a nasty thread!

Not a problem!! Visit my then and now thread...it should be fun!