Wow...over $40,000. Disney is just part of our budget. If we weren't going there, we'd probably still spend it on travel. We choose to have a small house, no cable, prepaid cellphones, etc., etc... Also, if it ain't broke, we don't replace it and certainly not with the latest and greatest. It doesn't work for everyone but it does for us.
This is us....we've always been big Disney people and took the kids quite a bit when they were little, (even when we couldn't afford it) and no regrets. We stayed offsite at DLR and one big splurge trip to WDW and stayed at the Beach Club. Then as kids were older did sporadic type trips, then started going alot again starting in 2001. We love helping our kids take their kids on Disney trips, which is why
DVC was in the plans. We also became spoiled with the Grand Californian on that 2001 trip and decided that we didn't want to stay anywhere else, so the villas became a no brainer. Yes..huge outlay, but it's gone, so it's time to enjoy with just the yearly fees. Cars are a pretty huge outlay too, but I don't get as much enjoyment from them
We live cheap in our day to day life and vacation large. Disney trips have really become VERY cheap. Room is done, we have APs, we take the train, eat light and really buy no extras except little grandkid gifts.
As an aside. I really get frustrated hearing people talk about how 'expensive'
Disney is..you really have to look at the what you get for the cost. Where else can you hang out for 15 hours, do everything you want, see shows, parades, fireworks have a bunch of cheery (mainly) people around to assist you, have beautiful grounds and a wonderful atmosphere at that price? It's a bargain!. I've dropped a ton at our crappy little county fair, rickety expensive rides, crummy expensive food, dust, bees, questionable characters
)). Really..Disney is a bargain...
So..I've spent alot..and it's worth it
) 
