Banned until 2010

[H20Babie]

I bought a house in August and then lost my job right before Christmas. I had a one year teaching contract (graduated just last year). The teacher I was replacing was on leave for a year to travel. When the economy collapsed, he decided to return ... 7 months early. My contract was worded "one year or return of the teacher" so I was out of a job.

I had just taken my December trip, Christmas was on the way, and I had to take two subbing jobs plus I went back to work at the law firm where I had worked my way through school. I am pretty much living paycheck to paycheck, and robbing Peter to pay Paul, if you know what I mean. On top of that, my ex-husand is refusing to pay child support, "due the economy." Doh!

I know I could scrounge and save for another trip in 2009, but my head and good old common sense is telling me otherwise. Instead, I come to WDWMagic to get my fix, and plan my late August 2010 trip so I'll have something to look forward to.

What's killing is me is that I am the WDW-go-to-gal in the office and I have 3 co-workers who I am helping to plan their WDW vacations.

Anyway, I have banned myself from WDW until August 2010. I just had to share this with people who would understand, commiserate and help me get through this.

 

[Ilovewishes]

I'm with you on this. We have our trip planned for this Oct but we're staying off site as we are bringing quite a few family members with us and budgets are tight!

But before this trip, my last trip was Sept 2007! Oh, what I could tell you about my withdrawal symptoms!! And after this trip, I don't know when we'll get back.

 

[sbkline]

Oh, I totally understand and feel your pain! In fact, right before seeing this thread, I was actually thinking of my own WDW withdrawl due to our circumstances this year. We aren't going until April 2010 (of course, that's not even 100% certain this far out), but in our case, it was planned. We were hoping/planning for my wife to be pregnant with our second child this year and really hoping that the child would be born earlier rather than later this year. The baby is due June 26, so all the money that would have been used for a vacation will instead be used on the expenses pertaining to the birth: time off work beyond the paid time off (my wife is taking 3 months off), hospital bills, etc. Add to that the unplanned hospital bills that I will now have because of my kidney stones in the past month. Between those two things, it will wipe out our entire tax refund, plus a good chunk of our health savings account...but that's what it's for, I guess.

Anyway, 2006 is the only year that we haven't gone to Florida, and that year we stayed parked all year because of the birth of our son. Starting in 2003 (when we got married), we've gone on a Florida trip every year except 2006. And in 2005, we went to Texas AND Florida! So I'm right there with ya on the withrawl thing! We always go in April (except 2006, when we did Texas in April and Florida in May), and at this time of year, I always get excited to see spring just around the corner, seeing the countdown whittle down to less than two months, approaching single digits, etc. So this year, it's kind of a bummer for me. I have seen springlike weather in the past week or two, I'm seeing all the spring/summer merchandise go up at Walmart where I work, and everything keeps telling me that there should be a trip coming up...but there's not! Granted, it's a happy occasion that is keeping us home...even happier since the sonogram seems to indicate that it's a girl and I've been longing for a "daddy's little girl" for a long time now. So happy occasion that it may be, I'm still bummed out not to have a trip coming up. I just hope that everything works out okay to have a trip next spring...with both kids! But, like you, I have to get my fix here, by watching stuff on TV, and by waiting for the latest issue of "Celebrations" to arrive in my mailbox.

In some ways, I guess it's a good thing that we're sitting out this year, though. I don't know what it was, but something wasn't quite right on last year's trip. I just didn't feel that magic that I had felt on previous trips. I don't know if I overplanned, or what it was, but it wasn't as magical as previous trips. Hopefully by sitting out a year, the absence will make the heart grow fonder, as the saying goes, and the trip next year (if there is one) will have a renewed magic to it, since it will be newer and fresher, having been two years since I've been there.

 

[mouselvrmom]

I feel your pain! I think that you're being sensible by waiting though. And your ex should know that while the economy may be making it hard to pay his child support, it is also making it harder for you to raise your son. Men.

We aren't going until 2010 either and it is really hard seeing commercials on tv or articles in the newspaper and know that we aren't going for awhile. Hopefully the time will just fly by.

 

[WDW_Emily]

i understand completely! we normally go every year and stay at a value resort but this year we can't go because of the funds. So we're going in April 2010. Only 428 days away!(I know i'm crazy for having a countdown this early.)

 

[sbkline]

Just a little suggestion for everyone, though...stop referring to it as 2010 and start referring to it as "next year". At least for me, it makes it seem alot farther away to say 2010, than it does to say "next year". And in my case, I know that in just another couple months, I'll be at the one year out mark, so that will make it seem alot closer, too. :lol:

 

[MMFanCipher]

<Quote>And your ex should know that while the economy may be making it hard to pay his child support, it is also making it harder for you to raise your son. Men. </Quote>

This ex-husband is not a man. He is male. A real man would take the responsibility of helping to raise his son more seriously and come up with the money somehow.

From proud father of 4!

 

[mouselvrmom]

<Quote>And your ex should know that while the economy may be making it hard to pay his child support, it is also making it harder for you to raise your son. Men. </Quote>

This ex-husband is not a man. He is male. A real man would take the responsibility of helping to raise his son more seriously and come up with the money somehow.

From proud father of 4!

Just to clarify, I had thought after I posted that some men may take offense at my comment. I was not refering to all men, just the OP's ex. And I guess some men who don't take responsibility for their children. :lol:

 

[sbkline]

Just to clarify, I had thought after I posted that some men may take offense at my comment. I was not refering to all men, just the OP's ex. And I guess some men who don't take responsibility for their children. :lol:

This man didn't take offense. I spent six years working in an office full of women, not to mention all the other time I've spent in other jobs surrounded by women. So I'm quite used to hearing how women talk about men such that nothing offends me. :ROFLOL:

 

[NewfieFan]

Hang in there! I had to go 14 years between trips once! It could be worse... and "next year" is not that far away!:animwink: Maybe save some extra money and next year treat yourself to a nice dinner at an expensive restaurant or buy something you've always wanted but never wanted to pay the price! You need to reward yourself for being such a patient girl!

 

[MMFanCipher]

Not offended, just stating my opinion of OP's ex.

 

[mouselvrmom]

This man didn't take offense. I spent six years working in an office full of women, not to mention all the other time I've spent in other jobs surrounded by women. So I'm quite used to hearing how women talk about men such that nothing offends me. :ROFLOL:

I knew he wasn't offended, I was just clarifying for anyone else out there.

And from listening to my husband's construction buddies, I know that the men give as good as they can get when it comes to smack talk. :lol:

 

[GoofyDadKB]

I know the feeling.

We have to replace our roof and our front steps this year. So until further notice all of our Disney plans are on hold. To make it worse, my son (3 years old) keeps asking when we can go back to the Magic Kingdom.

 

[happymom52003]

I'm so sorry. I know how you feel about the Disney trip. Chances are pretty high we are going to have to postpone our January 2010 trip for the same reasons.

And I am really sorry about the child support. Is there any way to fight that? I'm not familiar with the laws in Canada regarding child support.

I sure hope things start looking up for you soon!

 

[sbkline]

Not exactly on topic necessarily, but regarding what I said earlier about my kidney stones and my wife's pregnancy...

We have a health savings account insurance plan with a high deductible (2,500 dollars), and I was always under the impression that each family member on the plan had to meet his or her own deductible. For example, I thought I would have to pay the first $2,500 for my doctor bills for the kidney stones while my wife would still have to meet her first $2,500 for her childbirth expenses. However, I just called the insurance company to double check and I was told that this is incorrect. It's just one $2,500 deductible for the whole family and my wife's expenses and my own expenses both count towards that! So rather than have to meet $5,000 in deductibles between the two of us, we only have to meet the first $2,500. That trip next April now seems much more attainable with that knowledge! :sohappy::sohappy::sohappy:

 

[H20Babie]

sbkline: Congrats on that! Must be a major relief!

happymom52003: As for my ex and the child support, because he's in hospitality and 90% of his income is in tips, there is no way to collect/garnish his earnings. I had to go to court a couple of years ago just to prove how much he actually makes and the court (luckily) agreed with me.

WDW is my sanity saver. In addition to everything else, I have my son pretty much full-time and every weekend to boot. In other words, I have no social life or time to myself so my annual WDW vacation with my son is my reality break and my something to look forward to. Lol.

So, I'm saving my airmiles and looking for permanent work. August 2010 is only 18 months away, and "next year" sounds so much better. I figure I'll wait until this August and then book. And, because I'm not going this year, I'm planning to go for longer next ... 2 weeks instead of one.

Thanks for everyone's comments and encouragement

Here's to Next Year!

 

[Monty]

So sorry you have to ban yourself, missing Disney is always a sad thing (I'm already missing it and am in MCO waiting to fly home!

And all men are not like your Ex, just ask mine!

 

[sbkline]

sbkline: Congrats on that! Must be a major relief!

happymom52003: As for my ex and the child support, because he's in hospitality and 90% of his income is in tips, there is no way to collect/garnish his earnings. I had to go to court a couple of years ago just to prove how much he actually makes and the court (luckily) agreed with me.

WDW is my sanity saver. In addition to everything else, I have my son pretty much full-time and every weekend to boot. In other words, I have no social life or time to myself so my annual WDW vacation with my son is my reality break and my something to look forward to. Lol.

So, I'm saving my airmiles and looking for permanent work. August 2010 is only 18 months away, and "next year" sounds so much better. I figure I'll wait until this August and then book. And, because I'm not going this year, I'm planning to go for longer next ... 2 weeks instead of one.

Thanks for everyone's comments and encouragement

Here's to Next Year!

Since your trip is in August, at least you'll have the advantage of having the 2010 rates come out right around the time you book. I thought about booking in April, but I'll still have to wait several months for the year's rates to come out. Of course, I'm also waiting to see what kind of specials, if any, they will have for next year. I don't want the economy to continue to be crappy, but on the other hand, I sure would like to see another deal similar, or better, than the one that's out right now.

I have a coworker going down there in less than a month, so I keep telling her that since I don't have my own trip to be excited about, I'll just have to be excited about hers! LOL I told her to make sure to bring me back plenty of pictures!

 

[DISMOM]

ok, I feel everybody's pain, including my own. LOL. We are on the Dave Ramsey plan and remodeling...with cash.
So, 2010 is a short 'maybe' and the long 'maybe' will be even more years than that.
The silver lining of all of this is that we have WDWMAGIC and our Disney Visa Rewards dollars. We are sitting on approx $350 at this time and they will be put to good use when we finally do get back to the Magic.
Hang in there everybody and stick together. This economy can't defeat us if we stick together and keep in touch by WDWMAGIC.


That's all the pep talk that I can muster.

 

[EpcotServo]

Ouch.


Oh well, you can always put it in perspective. At least you have a time you will get to go. I've always wanted to go to Tokyo Disneyland and not only will I have NOT visited by that date, chances are slim I'll EVER get to go.

That's the perspective I can give.
:lol: :wave: