Am I normal?

[disneymomma2010]

Everyone thinks I'm,well, nuts! My friends and family are not disney nuts like I am, except my sis in law has a love for disney too but not as obssessed as me. So here's the deal..... Our family has been almost every year since, well, just look at my signature. So last trip all 14 of us went again and I said this year no trip! Im going to be more responsible and finally pay of the credit card bills and such. And more importantly, we need a bigger house.
So, I have been weakening myself I guess from coming on here every day getting my fix. First i told my husband if we happen to change our mind I would like to go in september next time. Then disney announced free dining for september! :party: We always go during free dining. It's part of the fun for us, and the savings can't be beat for us. So I of course I send my sis in law a little text letting her know. A week later she calls and says she's dying to go. So I say let's go! I budget it and say yeah, a little sacrifice but let's go anyway! I start planning the trip, posting questions about dining, and have already made one reservation.
The problem is, we haven't even booked yet. As a matter of fact, we haven't gotten a complete ok from our husbands yet either, although i never really do, I just tell him we are going and I pay for it.
Does anyone else jump the gun like this? Am I too obssessed? Knowing its not the most resposible thing I need to be doing with my money? I just can't help myself! We have the best time at disney :mickey: and there's is not a day that goes by, ever, that my boys do not ask to go back. This would be the last time that they could go as a child price and they are growing so fast.

[dnickels]

You probably won't get much push-back from this board. For me personally, if I had credit card bills I don't know that I'd be doing it, but to each their own. I'm sure I own some Visa/Mastercard/Amex/Discover through my 401(k) so it sounds like a win ($$) for me, and a win (via the trip) for you. :D

[Gator]

Oh yeah. Once I have a set of dates in mind, I start making ressies once we're in the 180 window. And if we're more than that, then I'm looking at airfare - even if airlines haven't posted for that time yet. Crazy.

[BrerGnat]

I feel you! I do the same thing. However, will you feel guilty if you go instead of making some financial headway? Can you live without a bigger house? I don't know that I could do it in good conscience. We are paying down debt and we have to travel a fee times this year due to family obligations. I am already dreading seeing the credit card bills go up each time I book another portion of a trip. It's frustrating. I would feel really awful if all that financial progress was halted for an unnecessary trip. Waiting a year is not as hard as it sounds.

[tinksmom02]

I don't think there's anything wrong with you booking dining before the trip is officially booked--I did that just a few weeks ago for an August trip that's still not definite.

So I say, yeah, if you can swing it without too much hardship, then go for it. Should you use the money to pay down your debt instead? Probably. BUT, if you're like most moms, you don't do nearly enough for yourself, and you should probably treat yourself once in a while.

However, if taking this trip is going to mean forgoing your dream house for another year or something, I might reconsider.

[disneymomma2010]

Well, It's really not as bad as I made it sound. I do not have a tremedious amount of credit card bills. I guess compared to most people I really don't have much at all.I just figured I should try to be debt free to feel proud of myself but honestly I will probably always have a little debt. And as far as getting a house a disney trip would only be a little dent in that plan, not that bad.
I was just wondering if I was being childish because I would much rather spend my extra money on a trip instead of being a "responsible" person, which my husband totally is. I just think disney has some kind of addicting hold on me! :pixie:

[GrumpySue]

We have been going every year for the last 16 years and decided to take this year off. Well, that didn't last long, I was so depressed, I love going to Disney. So I told my husband "It's 2012 - what if the world ends in December, this could be our last trip !!"

We are booked for October, getting ready to make our ADR's April 3rd. :secret:

[sweetsavannah]

I'm a single mom and don't make a ton of money, so there are definitely "better" things I could be doing with my money. However, my daughter will only be young once, so the time spent together and memories we make are worth far more to me than a nicer car or new carpet...I say if it feels like the right thing to do, go for it. We only get one life,after all.:mickey:

[pdrlkr]

As crazy as I am! :mickey:

[joonyer]

This is probably the worng place to ask about being "normal" I don't think any of the regular "Intercotees" are "normal". We are all Disney nuts. :D:woohoo::laughing:

[disneynarula]

Personally for me I can't ever see myself going into any sort of debt (minus a mortgage) to go on a vacation.

We do trips here and there but never anything too expensive.

We go to WDW every three years and I miss it but I feel better knowing it's paid for. We have never held a balance on our CC. We have a Disney Visa and we usually accumulate quite a good amount of points. Our first trip was paid for with only points, no out of pocket money. We went during free dining back when Value resorts had the full dining plan and tips were included!

DH just got promoted so we can finally afford to stay at a moderate and my MIL is paying the difference to upgrade to OKW.

Of course my kids would love to go to WDW every year but we feel it is important to teach them to be responsible with money as well.

That being said... we do go without other things (newer cars, bigger house, etc,) so we can afford to take nice trips. The memories are priceless and worth every penny!

[tjstrike]

Take the trip, and give your family the memories that will last a lifetme. The bills will still be there when you get back...trust me.

[spoiledraf]

I'm the same way. Just about every year for the last ten. Retireing this year and do have some debt and should really pay that off before running up some more. Told the wife, not this year. Just can't do it. Then due to some problems that have popped up health wise, she decided you don't live forever so go while your still healthy. So Poly, Club level, here we come. With grandchildren! And daughter and daughter in law. Son and son in law will enjoy a better vacation staying home for a week without kids or wives. :thumbsup:

Will I feel a litle guilty for spending cash meant to live on in retirement? Yes.
Will it break the bank? No.
Will I have to get a part time job to pay for my Dastardly Disney fix every year? Probably.
But we all have needs. Mine only vice is Disney! Oh, and junk food.
88 days to Disney
222 days to retirement.
Not sure which I'm looking forward to more. :mickey:

[Terra]

I'm a single mom and don't make a ton of money, so there are definitely "better" things I could be doing with my money. However, my daughter will only be young once, so the time spent together and memories we make are worth far more to me than a nicer car or new carpet...I say if it feels like the right thing to do, go for it. We only get one life,after all.:mickey:

This :) Though my DH and I both hold Bachelor's Degrees and I have a Master's, when the economy went down jobs were lost, found other jobs, they don't pay as much....yada yada.

Like previous posters have said to each their own and everyone is different in how they approach it. For us, we know that we are paying bills. Bills will always be there, but like this poster, we realize our boys are only young once and we choose to enjoy this time as well.

We also realize that the "magical" age they are at now, will be gone sooner than we think so we choose to act now because they will never be 3 and 5 again! So from me, I vote GO! Enjoy your family, make memories! :mickey:

[Tink#64]

This is probably the worng place to ask about being "normal" I don't think any of the regular "Intercotees" are "normal". We are all Disney nuts. :D:woohoo::laughing:


Take the trip, and give your family the memories that will last a lifetme. The bills will still be there when you get back...trust me.

:exactly: To both! :D Well can ya tell where I stand on things? LOL Many years ago I paid off our credit card debt & we bought a house the same month! Hello credit cards! LOL Our first trip (the following year) DS's were 4 & 6, I had planned it for years, never imagining that we'd go back again & again! Now 7 trips later, it all feels surreal! But now my DS's are to the age that if they ask to go to WDW, I plan immediately, with the fear that this might be the last year they want to go! We've actaully cancelled beach plans more than once because DS's have said they wished we were going to WDW! My point is - life's short enjoy all that you can if it's not going to cause you pain or hardship in the long run. My guess is, tha if this was going to cause a hardship for your family, you wouldnt have given it a second thought! So - go - enjoy the magic & make lifelong memories! :mickey:

[disneymomma2010]

Well, you've got me convinced to go! :thumbsup: Now I just have to convince my husband! :pixie: Wish me luck!

[minnie04]

What a great post!!! I am usually the one that tells everyone lets go. Once it’s said out loud then I run with making the plans...lol... I have plenty of debt and I pay it off slowly, could I pay it faster if we didn’t go and do these trip of course!!, but is it worth waiting years to do it....NOOOOO I say go if you can afford it at the time you want to be there. The bills will be here when you get back as they always are. As long as we can make it happen we do. I wouldn’t trade the memories for a zero credit card bill ever!!! That’s just me. Plus it's all cash now. I don't add on to the debt I already have I just pay cash (debit), so when I get back there is no harm to my credit cards..

I just got back last week and I have already booked a room for Xmas time. :mickey:

As for you DH, do what I do . I plan it all out hotel , tickets, food etc. So when he asks "how" are we going to make it happen. I have all the answers...I book far enough in advance to pay the hotel and tickets off before we go then we only have to worry about food and for that I book a room with a kitchen (we dont always cook), but it is nice to save on a meal or two. He always agrees and off we go..

[SBETigg]

It's hard not to go, and life is short. But... it feels so good to be debt free and have the bigger house. Well worth trading a few years of Disney time, honestly. I wouldn't trade all my vacations for it, no. But going every other year to save more instead of going every year, very doable and not a big sacrifice. It makes you love it more when you go. Delayed gratification. It's really a tough call. Right now, you're thinking how great it would be to be there. We all do it. But, overall, what do you want more?

[minnie04]

It's hard not to go, and life is short. But... it feels so good to be debt free and have the bigger house. Well worth trading a few years of Disney time, honestly. I wouldn't trade all my vacations for it, no. But going every other year to save more instead of going every year, very doable and not a big sacrifice. It makes you love it more when you go. Delayed gratification. It's really a tough call. Right now, you're thinking how great it would be to be there. We all do it. But, overall, what do you want more?

so True...The thought of being there at the moment does out weigh everything else, but If you plan it right you can have both. Like I said maybe use as much in cash verses credit cards it can be done. We budget everything out (well I do, hubby just thinks he is getting deals when im the one hunting them down). for instance we go at Xmas time when they have the Merry Xmas party because tickets are cheaper (we are 5 and my DD(20) boyfriend goes now so 6 ) We stay off property and do a 2 or 3 bedroom with kitchen . Also we plan only 4 days at a time doing a park or two. I know its a little easier on us we live here compared to the flying expense. I just think the key is give yourself a budget and if you can make it on that with out breaking the bank then go for it !!! We went through a huge remodel last year and I was still able to pull a few dollars together to make our Xmas trip with 6 plus my mom and we didnt want for anything.

I hope you are able to pull it off and go, but may i just suggest coming when they are done the big make over (fantasyland) this way its really worth the money. :mickey:

[polarbear72834]

If your not normal, then I'm not normal either. I have a trip to DW coming up in May, Just me , my two grown girls and grandbaby. Already I am beginning to plan a trip in either Jan. or Feb for me and my hubby. It's 1000 mile drive for us, I am a stay at home nana and I get 50.00 a week to just blow on what ever I want ,and that is what I use to save for our disney trips.. So it's not just you, I've got it bad to ! lol

[disneynarula]

It's hard not to go, and life is short. But... it feels so good to be debt free and have the bigger house. Well worth trading a few years of Disney time, honestly. I wouldn't trade all my vacations for it, no. But going every other year to save more instead of going every year, very doable and not a big sacrifice. It makes you love it more when you go. Delayed gratification. It's really a tough call. Right now, you're thinking how great it would be to be there. We all do it. But, overall, what do you want more?

Agreed! You also have to figure how much interest you are paying on top of the actual cost for the vacation. If more people were willing to delay gratification the economy might be in better shape.

I would choose a Disney Trip over some other things but I would never go if we had to go into debt to do it.

If you don't have the "cash" on hand, you can't afford to go.

[disneymomma2010]

I never put our trip on credit cards. I always have it paid in full with cash before we go. I usually pay for it over a span of 6 months. The credit cards I was referring to are just a few small credit cards from some stores. Not alot of amount accumulated on them, but enough to be some debt. If we go again I will pay for it the same way. We can afford it. We just have to sacrafice some things during that time and pay minimum payments on cards instead of larger payments that would eventually pay them off.

[DizNee143]

Go for it! You only live once!! :mickey: