when did a trip to WDW become a 6 time a year thing? Looking for opinions.

[k.hunter30]

I posted a reply once (in semi-jest) about funding one's IRA first for someone who indicated they just received their bonus from work and were booking their trip. Man did I take a lot of heat for that one!!:goodnevil I believe I was called "Downer Debbie".

We are in the once every 13 month phase but have been considering DVC. I am not sure what we will do but we do love WDW and maybe we are spoiling our kids, but they are not driving BMWs either. (granted they are 2 and 4:animwink

That said I would never go into debt for a vacation.

Peace,
mg

:lookaroun ... **blushing** I believe that was me that called you "Debbie Downer". I'm sorry.

Despite what some on here have been saying ("It's none of our business to say that other people going into debt is wrong," etc) I feel that it is my business to say something. I used to work for a man whose ministry was to help people gain financial freedom - to break the chains of debt. I am with that that whole-heartedly. If I can help someone by simply educating them of how to wisely manage money, or at least pointing out the traps, then I feel like I'm doing some good. I'm sure people on here will say "keep you opinions to yourself," but I have seen too many people have a sense of freedom by turning their financial life around to keep quiet.

So, mgraef - you were right on track with that other post! I apologize. :animwink:

...
We live in such an "entitlement" society.
...

How true!

...
I love the person who wrote:

There was a home equity loan commercial (for some bank, I'm sure) on TV this morning as I was getting ready. I'm with you. To me, "Hey, lets put our home at risk just so we can go on a vacation we can't afford before we actually deserve to go," is not a very bright idea...:shrug: __________________
That's so true. :animwink:

I love you too! :lookaroun

 

[Since1976]

I went with an older relative to WDW recently. It was her first time going, and when she got there she was amazed to discover that many of the parkgoers around her were repeat visitors (My wife and I were on our third trip together). She would point out older folks strolling around the park, and remark that they were probably visiting WDW the one time before they die. Privately, I was thinking that it was just as likely that they were lifelong Disney fans visiting for the 20th time.

It was noteworthy that when we initially bought our tickets, and we asked if she wanted non-expiring multi-day tickets she could keep for later, she said "Why would I go again?" I wasn't sure whether to be sad that she wasn't open to the possibility, or to be understanding of her belief that she could see and do all she wanted to in one trip.

When the trip was over, she didn't say anything about visiting again, but she did say that she was glad she finally got to visit WDW.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

I only get to go once every two years or so, I really value my trips. That being said, people can go as often or infrequently as they want. As far as bratty kids, it is caused by many parents who can't say "no". Not every kid, and not completely, but there are many people who have completely lost control and their kids run the family. I've seen it in my own extended family, and every day at work.

 

[blackerbys17]

Well, I've lost count how many times we have gone in the past year but I think the number is around 10 or so but we do have annual passes and only live 4 hours away. It is a lot of fun and as I type, I was actually thinking of going for a weekend before our passes expire in June even though I went less than a month ago, lol!:ROFLOL:

However, I will admit that sometimes, it gets old (and yes, EXPENSIVE) because we have seen it soooo many times. Yet, once I'm back home, I start missing it again!:brick:

My solution? Stop going to WDW for now. My husband thinks it is time for a change and we should vacation somewhere else. I totally agree so our next vacation will be at............................... Disneyland!:sohappy: :ROFLOL: :sohappy:

LOL, I know, I know, it is practically the same thing but we have never been there before and I am dying to compare and contrast the differences. And... I have a conference to attend in Burbank, CA in July and since I have earned 3 free round-trip flights on Southwest Airlines and my company is paying for my airline ticket and hotel and rental car, why not right? So on July 21 of this year my family of 4 is flying up to LA and then we are staying at the Grand Californian for 4 days/3 nights to check out the west coast mouse and his original house.

CAN'T WAIT!:sohappy:

 

[DWGIRL]

We went 6 times last year but only to get the most use out of our APs. This year we already went once last week and that will be it for awhile.

 

[wdwmomof3]

Well, I've lost count how many times we have gone in the past year but I think the number is around 10 or so but we do have annual passes and only live 4 hours away. It is a lot of fun and as I type, I was actually thinking of going for a weekend before our passes expire in June even though I went less than a month ago, lol!:ROFLOL:

However, I will admit that sometimes, it gets old (and yes, EXPENSIVE) because we have seen it soooo many times. Yet, once I'm back home, I start missing it again!:brick:

My solution? Stop going to WDW for now. My husband thinks it is time for a change and we should vacation somewhere else. I totally agree so our next vacation will be at............................... Disneyland!:sohappy: :ROFLOL: :sohappy:

LOL, I know, I know, it is practically the same thing but we have never been there before and I am dying to compare and contrast the differences. And... I have a conference to attend in Burbank, CA in July and since I have earned 3 free round-trip flights on Southwest Airlines and my company is paying for my airline ticket and hotel and rental car, why not right? So on July 21 of this year my family of 4 is flying up to LA and then we are staying at the Grand Californian for 4 days/3 nights to check out the west coast mouse and his original house.

CAN'T WAIT!:sohappy:

Oh my goodness, I was thinking the same thing about Disneyland. I still want to go back to WDW one more time and then plan a trip to Disneyland. Maybe buy the time I make it there, they will have another park.:lol:

Like I said, I wish I could go more often but it does give Disney time to get some new attractions into the parks. Look, I am happy for anybody that is able to go. I just think that people should use their heads and not go into debt to do it. It's hard to manage money, I have learned this, but it's all about behavior. Did I just quote my husband or Dave Ramsey? LOL

 

[beachclubbasics]

I'd like to go to DL once, but I've heard from people who have been to both DL and WDW that after you go to WDW, DL is a bit disappointing. That may have changed though since DL seems to get ride upgrades before WDW does. We're going to TDL/DS in 2009 because we have heard how awesome it is...like the differences in the Pooh ride.

If I lived closer and had an AP I could see myself going more often too. I would liken that to having an AP to our local SF park. When we had APs we went 2 x per week. I live in NJ so it can be expensive just to travel down to WDW. One reason I'm working at WDW when I retire is for the park privileges.

What gets to me is the people I know who put themselves into major debt to maintain these 2+ trips per year.

Dave Ramsey is great, isn't he?

 

[k.hunter30]

I'd like to go to DL once, but I've heard from people who have been to both DL and WDW that after you go to WDW, DL is a bit disappointing. That may have changed though since DL seems to get ride upgrades before WDW does. We're going to TDL/DS in 2009 because we have heard how awesome it is...like the differences in the Pooh ride.

If I lived closer and had an AP I could see myself going more often too. I would liken that to having an AP to our local SF park. When we had APs we went 2 x per week. I live in NJ so it can be expensive just to travel down to WDW. One reason I'm working at WDW when I retire is for the park privileges.

What gets to me is the people I know who put themselves into major debt to maintain these 2+ trips per year.

Dave Ramsey is great, isn't he?

"FREEDOM!!!!!!"
Yes, yes he is.

 

[slowbee]

You know.. it's an interesting statement, but you also have to ask why do people do things they do when it's non-Disney.

I live outside of Chicago and we go at least twice a year.. sometimes more. My wife is my CFO... and when I get an inching to go.. she tells me if I've been good enough (Saved) or if I need to sell off a few pints of blood. Yes, it gets expensive.. but would I put up my home, my 3 little girls future, etc just to go see Mickey.. Never. We live with in our means and never charge anything more than a rental car on Visa. When ever we go, we pay in cash(or debit card) so that when we do get home, we're not eating Ramen Noodles for 3 weeks for dinner (nothing is wrong with Ramen if I offended anyone).

I have no sympathy for anyone who can't be responsible for their own actions and know where to draw the line. If you are stupid enough to cash in your house and family for a vacation (disney or otherwise).. then you're fodder for the WDWMagic message boards.

 

[beachclubbasics]

I read Dave's books and Suze Orman's. Another really great book is "The Millionaire Mind".

Following their advice made it possible for me as a widow with 4 kids, to buy my own home that I only owe 1/3 of its value on, send my kids to college, buy them each their first car (junkers, though a junker in NJ is 3-4K..lol)and still go on a relatively extravagant Disney trip once per year. I'm sending my 18 year old to Japan this year for 3 weeks with his Japanese class. Plus we still have money in the bank. These days you never know what's going to happen to your retirement pension, 401K, etc.


Ok I'll admit it..I'm just cheap...lol

I'll also admit that maybe my kids are a little spoiled, but that's because my firefighter hubby died in the line of duty. After he died they needed a little bit of spoiling.

My parents never had a credit card or a car loan...I think that's where I get my ideas from. My dad also worked until he was 70. Unfortunately he seemed to fall apart after he retired, so that another reason why I'm going to retire and then continue to work...hopefully at WDW.

 

[beachclubbasics]

You know.. it's an interesting statement, but you also have to ask why do people do things they do when it's non-Disney.

I live outside of Chicago and we go at least twice a year.. sometimes more. My wife is my CFO... and when I get an inching to go.. she tells me if I've been good enough (Saved) or if I need to sell off a few pints of blood. Yes, it gets expensive.. but would I put up my home, my 3 little girls future, etc just to go see Mickey.. Never. We live with in our means and never charge anything more than a rental car on Visa. When ever we go, we pay in cash(or debit card) so that when we do get home, we're not eating Ramen Noodles for 3 weeks for dinner (nothing is wrong with Ramen if I offended anyone).

I have no sympathy for anyone who can't be responsible for their own actions and know where to draw the line. If you are stupid enough to cash in your house and family for a vacation (disney or otherwise).. then you're fodder for the WDWMagic message boards.

You are right. I also don't understand the obsession with sports, cars, fashion, entertainment, etc. People think it's weird that when we go to WDW we spend 75% of our time in Epcot and skip MGM and AK (though this year I AM going to go on Everest). We spend most of our MK time in Liberty Square, Adventureland, and Tomorrowland. Yep, my family is a bunch of geeks...lol

I happen to live in a very Disney obsessed area of Southern NJ..the obsession even extends to our local HS..don't get me started on the whole senior trip debacle...lol. Needless to say, for the past two years my kids were screamed at by the principal for not showing good "Disney school spirit" because they chose to go to Japan with their Japanese class instead of going on the senior trip to WDW. It doesn't matter that they only have 300 slots available for 700 kids either...he harasses everyone who doesn't go...lol. Kind of turns you off to the whole Disney experience, now what I mean? It borders on mental illness down here...lol They even thank Disney for making the school year great in the graduation speech...like what did they do, donate money or something? lol

We go to WDW every summer so the kids and I felt that the 3 weeks in Japan was a definite once in a lifetime thing that they needed to take advantage of. The kids live with a Japanese host family and attend a local HS for a week, then they tour the country for the next two weeks staying at traditional Japanese minshuku (Bed and breakfasts). They even climb Mt Fuji, but alas, no TDL....

Ramen rocks! LOL Ask my 18 year old, he live son that stuff even though there's other food in the house.

I do charge my trip, but I have the money in the bank to pay the bill and it is paid before we get home (I bring my laptop with me...lol). This way I get the rewards points. Last year I made almost $1000 just by charging everything and paying it off (I also charge groceriesand drug store items...pay it off as soon as I get home from the store...and the charge hasn't even hit the card yet....lol). I have 2 free rooms for the trip down and enough points saved for free meals for most of the trip.

 

[Mr. Friendly]

This is an interesting topic. Choices are choices. It's all about your priorities. I had to buy my own clothes and pay for my own lunches since I was 10, and my parents were rich. I wish I got to go to Disney World or had deer meat in the fridge. Kids can suffer in the most unlikely of places. You try to go to college and not qualify for any aid because your parents make to much. All I know is that my kids will go to disney world and have their clothes and lunch paid for. A deer meat sandwich would have sounded pretty good when I was ten.

 

[mgraef]

:lookaroun ... **blushing** I believe that was me that called you "Debbie Downer". I'm sorry.



So, mgraef - you were right on track with that other post! I apologize. :animwink:


No offense here, I actually thought it was funny.

From someone who has been fiscally conservative all my life, I am getting to the point where I feel the need to get on a plane every year for a vaca. But I have built a financial foundation and went camping for a lot of years instead of more glamorous trips. Camping this Summer, WDW in December!!!~

mg

 

[beachclubbasics]

I've always wanted to stay in the cabins at Fort Wilderness! Have you camped there before? (oops, I thought that you were camping at WDW! lol).

I'm not a camper, but had been there several times in my youth to go horseback riding. As a Native American, my dad insisted that we learn to ride .

 

[beachclubbasics]

This is an interesting topic. Choices are choices. It's all about your priorities. I had to buy my own clothes and pay for my own lunches since I was 10, and my parents were rich. I wish I got to go to Disney World or had deer meat in the fridge. Kids can suffer in the most unlikely of places. You try to go to college and not qualify for any aid because your parents make to much. All I know is that my kids will go to disney world and have their clothes and lunch paid for. A deer meat sandwich would have sounded pretty good when I was ten.

My kids were telling me that a lot of their friends are kicked out of their homes the day they hit 18 whether or not they are still in HS. Several have had to drop out. Then there are the friends they have had whose parents cleaned out their college savings accounts (mainly for gambling..I live 30 minutes form Atlantic City).

How were you able to pay for things at 10? Were you able to work in a family business? My kids have worked on and of since they were 14, but their money all goes into their own savings accounts for their own use. Now that my daughter is in college she buys her own clothes and car insurnace, but my kids receive money from the trust that from their late dad's fire department set up for them when he died specifically to buy whatever they woud need for college such as clothes, books, insurance etc.

One of the most neglected kids I have ever heard of was...Robin Williams, His dad was a VP for Ford. They lived in a mansion. And yet, his parents never paid any attention to him. He states in interviews that he decveloped the manic personality and comedy as a way to get some attention outside of his homelife.

 

[RedBaron]

Sadly there are too many people that just dont know how to manage their money. And sadly I know a few of these people. (They dont spend it at disney, but have no income coming in and still feel it is necessary to buy/drive BMW's to keep up appearances). I bet that most people who can go 6 times in a year are people who live very close to the magic where it is no problem to drive for a few hours and spend a weekend? Heck if I lived in Florida Im sure I would spend many long weekends there too. I also dont know how the average bear can get that kind of time off from working these 3 jobs you speak of?? After working at a company for 10 years I only got 3 weeks a year, so time management is just as important as money?

 

[Cole'sMom]

Times are changing. People, in general, make more money than they did when the parks opened. Society has changed-people are finally traveling more, esp after 9/11. I have put a WDW vacation on a credit card before, but we don't carry balances. It is personally none of anyone's business how people pay for vacations. If people want to go multiple times a year on an AP or FL rate, good for them. If I lived within reasonable driving distance, I would frequent WDW more often. We know a couple who moved to Celebration to be closer to WDW- I am jealous, but would never pay the insane prices those homes go for. We may be returning in Sept for free dining and MNSSHP, but that will be both of our birthday presents to each other. If you can pay for it, why not go multiple times?

 

[Imaginationeer]

It is not a problem or an addiction, its like going home, to the movies, or anywhere else. Before i moved to Florida, i lived in New York. I still came to WDW at least 5 times a year. Some people follow sports teams around the country, others like to get away from reality. Sometimes it's nice to go to an entirely different world where your only real problem is getting a lunch rservation on the spur of the moment.

 

[RedBaron]

As for putting the vacation on a credit card, how else do you do it?? It is not like you can send them a big envelope filled with cash. It is just the persons own responsibility to pay it off. I just booked my trip for September on my Disney rewards card. Quite honestly I am trilled to get the points for future trips. Can I afford my trip? Yes I can.

 

[mgraef]

I've always wanted to stay in the cabins at Fort Wilderness! Have you camped there before? (oops, I thought that you were camping at WDW! lol).

I'm not a camper, but had been there several times in my youth to go horseback riding. As a Native American, my dad insisted that we learn to ride .

My camping is in a tent in a forest at higher than 200 feet, so it is not in Florida. :animwink:

mg