To think a (not Paris) Disney holiday is possible for the average working family?

Eh?

I went to a hen do in Disneyland almost 35 years ago, the wedding was in California a week later.

We took DS to Disneyworld and stayed in one of the cheaper Disney resorts, 18 years ago. I remember it cost 5k for everything and it seemed like a lot then. We had a week at the resort and then a week at a hotel right on the beach at Sarasota. I also ended up with my final night in hospital, it cost $6000, insurance covered it fortunately. One of the Mums at school was a travel agent and booked it all for us and got us a great deal. Imagine going to a travel agent these days.

We can afford it and are on low to average incomes (one being part-time!). But it was always part of the plan before we had children that we wanted to be able to afford holidays like this so we overpaid our modest mortgage for years before our family expanded. We paid it off completely shortly after our first child was born. I have been to Disney twice, once as a child, once as an adult. I always knew I'd rather live in a more modest home to enable us to make more exciting memories with exciting holidays and experiences.

So thank the lord going isnt mandatory for anyone.

If you think you’ll enjoy it, and can afford it, go. If not, don’t. If you think your kids will enjoy it but you won’t, you still don’t have to go. No one has to go I promise you. In fact please stay away. It’ll make the queues that tiny bit smaller.

Have a look at Efteling and Europa Parc, infact there are lots of theme parks in Europe that are cheaper than Disney (and in my opinion better - unless you need to hug Mickey mouse that is!). Shorter queues and great theming.

I remember the Disney world advert on my Cinderella VHS as a child in the 90s. There may be cheaper alternatives, but except perhaps Universal, I’ve never been to a theme park that has quite captured the otherworldliness of Disney, people don’t just go to Disney as it’s a theme park with rides, it’s the overall theming and atmosphere which is next to none. Not for everyone of course, but it’s one of the few things in life that for me meets the hype, and I’m not a Disney nut or anything!

But the OP hasn’t suggested that she wouldn’t enjoy it. So why wouldn’t she go?

@NeverHadHaveHas

and plenty don’t

There's a massive theme park in Germany called "Europa" that would be cheaper and has some very unique / memorable attractions that might help your dd forget about Disney.

But yes, Disney is ridiculously expensive. I don't know when it started becoming such a thing for kids. There are plenty of cheaper alternatives.

It's a thread about going to Disney land, which is a world literally made for TV. But i'll leave it there. Each to their own.

Plenty of adults love being there.

I agree. But it was their kids, now adults, that were watching it during their formative years. Maybe i'm overthinking it. I know many of my own family dynamics where absorbed from tele. My mum loved the soaps, and acted like she was in one. Its not a huge assumption to think these programs we watch for hours a day, have influenced how we think and feel.

Not putting money into Trump's coffers !

Surely such an expensive holiday should be something that all the family would enjoy, not just the kids?

Ok but this is a thread about holidays and money management, not the impact of watching too much tv?

I went when I was 11 and it really was a holiday of a lifetime for me at the time but I just don’t see it the same way now as it’s so expensive and crowded. I worked a summer at DLP as a young adult and it was all great fun back then, took my kids last year and just found it to be a master class in extracting every last euro out of you and the queues were insufferable.

Even the kids agree that it wasn’t worth saving the extra thousands to go to Florida so we won’t be doing that

I know a few fairly low ish income families who’ve been but they’ve either saved foe YEARS and gone without loads in the meantime or a loaded family member has paid.

Define average - 2 *35k so taking home 4600 a month between you. Rent average 1300 leaves 2k for normal living and 1k a month to save for your holiday ? don’t wee why not

add in a large commmuting or nursery cost or a spending habit on none essentials and no

They need the op to know how highbrow they are.

People easily apply rational thinking when choosing a mortgage, but can't apply the same thinking to their relationships, or emotional situations. I personally think that's a taught behaviour from watching TV, to some extent at least.

Not sure how many Disney princesses and rollercoasters her 9 year old would get to see on that kind of holiday.

It doesn’t appeal to me but I would go for a few days as part of a holiday seeing different areas. If you did something like that would the price be lower?

Don't put it on a credit card. That is how people end up with debt they cannot afford and do not need. A credit card should be seen as an emergency fund. Or to use for the month then pay off in full.

People always say 'life is short enjoy it' yes it is. But I don't think stressing about paying off a credit card would be enjoyable

Why do so many people feel it’s very important to tell the OP how much they’d HATE a Disney holiday?! She wasn’t planning to take you. It isn’t compulsory for you to go. She’s been before and wants to go again and so she presumably loved it?! I would hate 2 weeks on a quiet island but it would be other people’s idea of bliss - that’s fine?! OP, I don’t think there’s an amazing trick to a cheaper Disney holiday unfortunately. We just had to save lots, prioritise it over other things and be as flexible as possible on dates. Some savings can be made of indirect flights, flying from different U.K. airports etc but none get you down to a particularly cheap trip.

I was making the point that filling our kids heads with Prince charming, snow white and all the other architypes Disney explore, has probably led to a less than rational approach to relationships
Haha, the divorce rate was much lower when these were out at it's peak of popularity!

Ok…but sorry what’s that got to do with holidays and mortgages?