Random I know - is Disney worth it ?

[Pisssssedofff]

We went when the kids were 8,6,4 and I remember it being horribly expensive, a bit stressful but yes fun with the Ariel photos etc and we loved discovery bay with the Dolphins.
I have an additional child now that never been aged 6, he loved Lego land and they all really enjoyed Disney Paris at Halloween last year.
I'm trying to talk myself into booking but god it's a lot of money isn't it? I'm looking at £6000 for a fortnight I think being conservative and not eating in Disney ever

[HoneyDragon]

Here

Sign up. It's 28 days till you're eligible for the 7% off.

Plus then you can put you air miles from Florida toward a safari in Nambia to make Pan feel better.

[Pisssssedofff]

That's fab, thank you x

[ZedWoman]

If you're on FB then there's a really useful group called Orlando DIY.

It's all about hints and tips about booking Floriday holidays without doing package tours. I have saved a fortune by knowing when the sales are on for the attraction ticket companies and which things to do/avoid.

We have decided not to do Disney at all. The kids just aren't really interested in Disney stuff and I'm happy to miss it. It has saved us £1200 for the 14 day ticket and that has more than paid for the day at Discovery Cove. We wanted to do SW/Aquatica/Busch Gardens as well anyway, and the DC ticket includes parking at all the parks.

We have also treated ourselves to a night in Loews Royal Pacific Hotel (staying in a villa for the rest) which menas that we will get unlimited express passes at Universal parks for the check-in and check-out days.

[wasonthelist]

6-7k and more on holidays? I find this level of expenditure astounding. Sorry, I know I am off topic but just a bit amazed.

[Pisssssedofff]

It's not every year was, I haven't been away properly since 2010

[Pisssssedofff]

Thank you Zed, that sounds amazing. I am leaning towards minimal days in Disney, just for the little one really but universal, Kennedy etc are the priorities

[Notso]

If I was being treated meaning I could also afford a holiday for me and DH as well I would certainly go Pisssssed
If I could get the 6 of us there for less than £10000 without having to drive over there I probably would too.

Though no way would I swim with a dolphin though ethics aside they are so creepy!

[Pisssssedofff]

Ditch the husband Notso, being a single mum has some major advantages, cheaper travel being a huge one, wish I'd known years ago !!!

[Notso]

Ha! No way Pisssssed I'm a good, old fashioned, SAHM. A visit to the Disney Store would be a stretch if I was self sufficient

[whois]

6-7k and more on holidays? I find this level of expenditure astounding. Sorry, I know I am off topic but just a bit amazed.

Why not if people have it?

Not hard to get up to that much for a long haul holiday for a family.

I've spent £5k so far on holidays this year just for me - but that did include a mega trip and lots of ski weekends which work out very expensive.

I remember going to disney as a kid. We didn't do the whole Disney 'thin' but went to florida quite a bit to see extended family and usually did 1 or 2 days in a park.

[RockNRollNerd]

Don't let driving put you off, it's the easiest overseas place I've ever driven. Big wide roads, automatic cars, plenty of signage, we also take our Tomtom with US maps, they tend to discount the maps before Christmas and they can be quite cheap.

Agree that a villa is an excellent way to do it, we've been twice and done pool days or days with a late start and on into the evening.

[HoneyDragon]

Omg.....only on mnet do people tell you how to spend your money

We're going. Again as ds has been and dd hasn't ....what with her being a very big fucking surprise when we were out there last time. It literally is the Magic Kingdom.

I remember as a child my parents being snidey as fuck about our neighbours who saved their arses off to go to,Florida every couple of years. They smugly pointed out they spend their cash on exotic foods, and cultural holidays.

Holidays with my folks were dull as as shit, full of rows in dull chateaus. I didn't appreciate the expensive wines they drank at home and couldn't give a shite that my parents had a lounge carpet from Axminster and next doors was from Carpetright. I'd much rather have gone to Disneyworld. To make matters worse they PAID for my brother to go to the Stares when he was 18. I was not afforded the same privileges.

So if I want to blow 6k on Florida and have a blast with my dd than I'm going to, no it's not for everyone, but it is for us.

[HoneyDragon]

*spent

*States

Damn my typing.

[AppleSetsSail]

Yes, I think it is. And we were the types to travel through Iran and Libya pre-kids.

[dimdommilpot]

We went last year when DDs were 4 and 1. It was fabulous and DD1 still talks about it frequently. We got the disney dining plan as a 'freebie' so it was just like all inclusive as we didnt have to pay for any meals/snacks/ice cream or soft drinks.
We are considering going again next year now DD2 is starting to get into Disney.

[Philoslothy]

6-7k and more on holidays? I find this level of expenditure astounding. Sorry, I know I am off topic but just a bit amazed.

If you want to go abroad and have a family of 5 or more that is not unusual at all.

[LunaLoveg00d]

Agree that with 3 kids it's an average spend. Also, my eldest is now 13 and classed as an "adult" in many cases, so you're paying for 3 adults and 2 children.

Also agree that it is nobody's business what we choose to spend on holidays. We can afford it, enjoy travelling and don't have to justify ourselves to anyone. Imagine the fuss if someone posted a comment like "I find using vouchers for a cheap holiday in a caravan somewhere astonishing. Just a bit amazed."

[JeanGenie23]

We are going to Tokyo later on in the year and plan to visit disneyworld there, just for the day but I was surprised at how reasonable it is, £50 per adult and free for under 3s!

[Aworldofmyown]

We have been 3 times and love it. The kids love it too.

I think you could do it on that budget, we spent about £8,000 this time (the cheapest so far) and we ate in a lot of disney restaurants.

We bought our park tickets in the uk, they were £1500 for the 4 of us (3 adults, one child and a baby). We used Thomson on this occasion and they were fab, amazing value too.

[Aworldofmyown]

I should add - we had a villa this time instead of a hotel and it was by far the best option for us.

When you have children of such varying ages (like us!) it was godsend to have our own space and pool. That also meant we could make little pack ups, eat at home and have the odd breakfast at home too. We bought massive packs off bottled water in supermarkets for example - saved us a fortune!

[HoneyDragon]

That's why we've gone for the Condo.

Washer/dryer, kitchenette area and separate rooms.

Last time we had a nice motel style room with a laundrette on site, but this will be way easier, and we can pack less clothes and rotate them

[wasonthelist]

I wasn't telling anyone how to spend their money. FFS on on Mumsnet can you honestly express surprise and be told off to fuckery for it. I only have one DD and it's only the two of us for hols so 6k seemed a lot is all. I realise this may mean I was dim for not multiplying by several people and distance/Disney, but I was just genuinely surprised. Note for the moaners - surprise isn't the same as disapproval/ordering people about etc.

[RufusTheReindeer]

We pack really light for florida as we have the washing machine after the first week

[PterodactylToenails]

I love it and so do my kids. I have been about 4 times to the Florida and California ones and I can't wait to go back.