Disney World, What is the Appeal?

[Jeannie in NJ]

I have posted quite a few times on this thread but here is one more. Not only me, dh and our dc are Disney nuts but his entire extended family is. Last year we took one of my sils with us. A few years ago, dh went as a vender to the Homeschool Convention there, he took one of his sisters to help him at the convention and his other sister to take our son to the parks (it was Star Wars week). A month ago, my nephew, his wife, 2 dc and his mother went. We go once a year at Christmas, we had to cancel this year because of Sandy (we needed to use the money for repairs, as no one is getting insurance money yet). We are still bummed we had to cancel.

 

I just thought of another experience we had there. It was Dec 9-18 a few years ago, the parks had no one is them, the weather was hot {at least by NJ winter standards), . One day, at Animal Kingdom, dd and I went on the white water raft ride (can't recall the exact name right now). Well we would get off the ride, run all the way around to the ride's entrance, snake thru all the winding lanes that usually contain the line of people, and jump back on the ride. After about the 3rd time of doing this, the cast member that let people on and off the ride told us we could just stay on the ride as there was no one else in line. There was another mom and her son on the ride and they stayed also. We just this for several more times, we were soaked and laughing like crazy, my dd was having the best time. I love that my dc love Disney so much, but then so do dh and I.

[Χά�ων]

I have posted quite a few times on this thread but here is one more. Not only me, dh and our dc are Disney nuts but his entire extended family is. Last year we took one of my sils with us. A few years ago, dh went as a vender to the Homeschool Convention there, he took one of his sisters to help him at the convention and his other sister to take our son to the parks (it was Star Wars week). A month ago, my nephew, his wife, 2 dc and his mother went. We go once a year at Christmas, we had to cancel this year because of Sandy (we needed to use the money for repairs, as no one is getting insurance money yet). We are still bummed we had to cancel.

 

I just thought of another experience we had there. It was Dec 9-18 a few years ago, the parks had no one is them, the weather was hot {at least by NJ winter standards), . One day, at Animal Kingdom, dd and I went on the white water raft ride (can't recall the exact name right now). Well we would get off the ride, run all the way around to the ride's entrance, snake thru all the winding lanes that usually contain the line of people, and jump back on the ride. After about the 3rd time of doing this, the cast member that let people on and off the ride told us we could just stay on the ride as there was no one else in line. There was another mom and her son on the ride and they stayed also. We just this for several more times, we were soaked and laughing like crazy, my dd was having the best time. I love that my dc love Disney so much, but then so do dh and I.

 

Honestly, of everything you have listed nothing seems to be over the top exclusive to Disney. I have experienced many similair acts of kindness elsewhere, including staying on a ride when no one else is in line.

 

I am happy that you found something you love but I do not think being child/visitor friendly is exclusive to Disney.

[Lady Florida.]

I never understood how the average middle class family manages to pay for transportation to Orlando, lodging, food, AND WDW tickets without going into debt. Sure some save up and pay cash, but those who use a credit card ARE going into debt. That's what a cc is: debt.

 

I've been to many theme parks both in and outside the state of Florida. I went to WDW when it first opened and was only one park, then I went to each new park (except Ft. Wilderness - never been there) as it opened.

 

I'm tired of WDW after 43 years. It's not by any means my favorite theme park.

 

And yet...

 

No one does theme parks as well as Disney. No one.

[QueenCat]

I never understood how the average middle class family manages to pay for transportation to Orlando, lodging, food, AND WDW tickets without going into debt. Sure some save up and pay cash, but those who use a credit card ARE going into debt. That's what a cc is: debt.

 

We drive, which helps with transportation costs. I'd rather have my own car than rent one, when possible. It's one full day each way (12 hours).... A cc is not always debt. Using a credit card and paying it off when the bill comes in is not debt in my eyes. It's all budgeted for but I'm not about to carry a couple of thousand dollars around to pay for hotels, meals, etc. To me, that would be insane.

[Forget-Me-Not]

I don't consider it a debt if I can pay the balance off the next month. We will have the money in our savings account, but prefer to use CCs when we travel for convenience/protection.

[Lady Florida.]

We drive, which helps with transportation costs. I'd rather have my own car than rent one, when possible. It's one full day each way (12 hours).... A cc is not always debt. Using a credit card and paying it off when the bill comes in is not debt in my eyes. It's all budgeted for but I'm not about to carry a couple of thousand dollars around to pay for hotels, meals, etc. To me, that would be insane.

I don't consider it a debt if I can pay the balance off the next month. We will have the money in our savings account, but prefer to use CCs when we travel for convenience/protection.

 

In both of your cases you actually have the money, you just choose not to carry it in cash. That I understand. There are plenty of people though, who charge their vacations and end up paying for it for a year or more. I'd rather save for a year or more, then take the vacation, but to each his own.

[I.Dup.]

I went quite a bit when I was younger and loved it (we lived in Orlando). We went as adults for the first time in 2011 and took our 5 kids. We paid for everything in advance or using our debit card and never went into debt (we don't have credit cards). I also took my daughter for a girls' weekend in 2012, we met MIL there. It was worth every penny both times. My MIL and my husband are both not very fun skeptics, but even they were converted by the magic of Disney.

 

It truly is magical. They cater to everything for you. We have food allergies also and there is nowhere in the world that will be so kind and accommodating. They will immediately bring the head chef out to talk to you and answer any questions and they KNOW THEIR STUFF. I was rudely awakened in the airport on the way back home when I asked at a restaurant there if some of their dishes contained egg and no one had any clue, and they all looked at me like I had 2 heads. We vacation also at Great Wolf Lodge and the customer service there is like the 9th circle of hell compared to Disney.

 

I wish we could afford to go more often, and know we could if we had fewer children, but the work of planning and saving up is always so worth it.

[DianeW88]

I use my Southwest airlines visa to pay for EVERYTHING, and then I pay it off at the end of each month. This allows me to accumulate enough points to get my airline tickets to Disney for free. Using the cc actually saves me money.

 

We also have a "Disney fund", which I periodically convert into Disney gift cards. I also take advantage of Target's pharmacy rewards and their "but this item, get a $5 gift card" offers and save those up. When I have $50 worth, I exchange it for a $50 Disney gift card. Free money.

 

I also wanted to say that we don't only go to Disney every year. We take two vacations each year...one to WDW and one to somewhere else. My kids have been everywhere...and they still love Disney.

[Jennifer in MI]

I went quite a bit when I was younger and loved it (we lived in Orlando). We went as adults for the first time in 2011 and took our 5 kids. We paid for everything in advance or using our debit card and never went into debt (we don't have credit cards). I also took my daughter for a girls' weekend in 2012, we met MIL there. It was worth every penny both times. My MIL and my husband are both not very fun skeptics, but even they were converted by the magic of Disney.

 

It truly is magical. They cater to everything for you. We have food allergies also and there is nowhere in the world that will be so kind and accommodating. They will immediately bring the head chef out to talk to you and answer any questions and they KNOW THEIR STUFF. I was rudely awakened in the airport on the way back home when I asked at a restaurant there if some of their dishes contained egg and no one had any clue, and they all looked at me like I had 2 heads. We vacation also at Great Wolf Lodge and the customer service there is like the 9th circle of hell compared to Disney.

 

I wish we could afford to go more often, and know we could if we had fewer children, but the work of planning and saving up is always so worth it.

 

 

YES!!! Isn't hard to travel sometimes now? I compare everything to Disney and we have yet to find a place that is as good at customer service.

 

I use my Southwest airlines visa to pay for EVERYTHING, and then I pay it off at the end of each month. This allows me to accumulate enough points to get my airline tickets to Disney for free. Using the cc actually saves me money.

 

We also have a "Disney fund", which I periodically convert into Disney gift cards. I also take advantage of Target's pharmacy rewards and their "but this item, get a $5 gift card" offers and save those up. When I have $50 worth, I exchange it for a $50 Disney gift card. Free money.

 

I also wanted to say that we don't only go to Disney every year. We take two vacations each year...one to WDW and one to somewhere else. My kids have been everywhere...and they still love Disney.

 

 

We travel twice a year too. My kids have been to plenty of "real" places, but they keep asking to go back to Disney.

[Forget-Me-Not]

My kids have been to plenty of "real" places, but they keep asking to go back to Disney.

 

 

Yep. Same here.

[Lisbeth]

Until I went for the first time, after dh begged to take the family, I didn't get it either. There is just something magical about the place. We went for the first time in 2001, and will have been six times come this June. But I wouldn't go into debt for it....

 

 

I was a cynic, too, and instant convert when we took our kids the first time. We all had fun, it was really special.

[whitestavern]

I never understood how the average middle class family manages to pay for transportation to Orlando, lodging, food, AND WDW tickets without going into debt. Sure some save up and pay cash, but those who use a credit card ARE going into debt. That's what a cc is: debt.

 

 

 

We are lucky in that our yearly vacations other than Disney are "cheap". We go to Martha's Vineyard, but dh's parents have a house there so it's free. We camp at Acadia National Park, which is about $500 for the week (campsite, food, park passes, gas, etc).

 

We spend about $3500 for most of our Disney trips. We budget and put our money aside prior to going down. We take the auto train, which is about $800 round trip and covers our car and four passengers so no need to rent a car down in FL. We stay offsite for $600-800/week (although next year we're trading our RCI weeks to stay onsite at one of the villas). The biggest expense is our food because we're foodies, and there are some really good restaurants in WDW and park tix.

 

We love Disney. Even dh loves Disney and he was barely looking forward to our first trip! Next year will be our 4th. We feel the magic. We also love escaping the cold winters of the northeast. I will agree with previous posters that a bit of research and planning go a long way in making a great trip. We refuse to stand in line for any rides, and we don't get too caught up in buying "stuff". I think our kids really like that we enjoy it as much as they do.

[Heidi]

I've been planning our first trip the last three days! I'm worn out! This thread and other disney threads have been loads of help. Thanks for all the tips!

 

We are going May 5th- May 11th.

I rented a six-bedroom house with a heated pool/hot tub.

I bought 4-day passes for friends and family.

We've got a bunch of littles ages 1-8 years old in tow, so we are hitting Magic Kingdom on Tues & Wednesday (crowd level 3), Epcot without the babies on Thursay, and Hollywood studios on Friday. (No animal kingdom; not a fan of zoos). We're going to eat at Whispering Canyons on Monday night (too late for reservations at other places I would have liked to have gone). We will probably have a few lunches at the parks, but for the most part we'll be eating at home. And we are taking that nap/swim/break between lunch and dinner every day.

 

That's all the plans I have so far. I have the book Unofficial Guide and I subscribed to touringplans.com and have looked at all their iteneraries. I think I'm all Disney'ed out, but I am super excited!

 

ETA: This trip is costing less than $2000 total: gas round trip, lodging, tickets, food, stuff. It is coming out of our tax return.

[Orthodox6]

None. No appeal.