To think going to Disney is a ridiculous indulgence?

[thoroughlymodernmummy]

Now, maybe i would feel differently if I could afford to go without completely skunk ring myself but as it stands, we can't and I can't help but think that spending such huge amounts on one holiday is crazy!

We watch Disney and enjoy it, and I'm well aware that it's people's money to spend how they like but I just can't help but think it's a silly wage of money? Anyone agree?

We're going next year. I inherited some money, and this is what the kids want for their dream holiday. Personally, I would do a different holiday the thought of Disney actually fills me with dread but the kids are old enough to enjoy and remember it forever, and we'll do lots of other things there too, not just Disneyworld. We're also going for private villa and pool - do we can have some chill time.

I can't think about the cost too much - but a day in Discovery Cove, for the 5 of us, at peak time will cost more than the villa for a week (well over £1000)

We love all sorts of holidays, Disney is just one of them. DS will be doing his main holiday with friends next year.
Would love to do a Disney cruise though. Both at 'WiFi in bed top priority age' so need to choose holidays carefully.
At least with Disney we are out all day doing stuff they still want to do.

Park tickets are expensive but no more than many other parks it's just a lot because you are paying for up to 2 weeks of park.

Flights are the killer. We just went (in peak season no less) and food was cheap (especially if you drive and nipped out of the park and went 2 mins Down the road) hotel was cheap (£60 a night for a good sized room with 2 beds and sofa bed that slept 6 and buffet breakfast each day) hotel even had a free shuttle bus to Disney if you didn't have a car.

Kids loved it. I just can't describe that utter joy.

Going to Disney is a lot cheaper then getting extension or can be!

Go out of season
Stay in a villa and hire a car
Buy food at supermarkets, and take food into the parks
Buy autograph books and other memorabilia before you go (Ebay etc)

It just depends what you prioritise.

I have paid for holidays on credit cards in the past but prob wouldn't do now a days. But I would get into debt for an extension, But that's me!

Oh and you can take your own food in. They do bag searches and tonnes of people had packed lunches and they didn't bat an eyelid.

We have always had UK holidays (didnt have hols every year anyway) until this year. I took my kids to Orlando and we had a whale of a time. I was as bad as them (probably more excited )we did Disney and Universal and other stuff.

I didnt get into debt, I paid for it all myself. Yes it was a lot of money but I scoured the net for good prices, had a lovely appartment in a hotel complex with pool, breakfast included etc for the same price it would have cost for something similar in spain! It was our holiday of a lifetime, next one will cost a fraction of that, unless I win the lottery!

If its something you want to do then its fine, nobody else needs to do it too!

TBH going to a 'tourist resort' and lying on a beach for 2 weeks is my idea of hell. We would go sightseeing checking out the local history etc, as well as doing stuff for the kids.
But thats just me and I dont care what anyone else does on their hols.

I know people who take a cruise every year at the same time, their kids love it too. Horses for courses.

I'm with you op. A Disney holiday is my idea of hell. I hate crowds and I hate rides. It would be a complete waste of money.

I hate crowds. My best ever holidays have been at DisneyLand Paris. We went off season, stayed in the Disney Hotel nearest the park and went down to the park early in the morning and later in the evening before the day trippers arrived and after they'd left - we also stayed on a weird combination of days so we were there when most of the other guests were leaving/changing over. At the time it didn't seem all that pricey but we were better off in those days. We've been a few times with Sprog and a couple of times without. I probably won't go again because they last time it was looking a bit tired and lacklustre - maybe I've grown out of it at last.

skunk ring

immature snort

Anyway, it is a ridiculous price, but this is because it really is an amazing experience (for most). I wish I could afford to take DCs at the moment. My dad is apparently planning on taking us, my sis and her child and my mother there soon..he won't say how soon, could be years away but I am ridiculously excited for it.

I have been to the Orlando one 3 times as a child/teen and I loved it. As a teen disney was quite boring (except for the fireworks which are fucking amazing no matter what age) but we only spent 2 days at disney and the rest in the other parks.

YAB so U!

We went a couple of years ago and I had a lot of the negative preconceptions that people have said above and thought it'd be so childish and just exhausting.

I was wrong. There were so many times I was just in awe of what Disney have done and can do. They put an absolute fuck ton of money into it all and it is seriously good because of that. It's not all Disney princesses and whatever film is big at the moment, there's much more to see and do. I really enjoyed the shows: fantasmic, the Epcot fireworks, and they had a lion king show which was of course excellent.

It was exhausting, but that was because we spent every hour of every day doing something - got to get your money's worth!

I was expecting to hate the crowds and queues, and although I did dislike them, actually Americans seem to be unfailingly polite and friendly so the experience in that regards was far more positive than being at a UK theme park or in Euro Disney.

It cost us a few grand and it was worth every pound.

or is it silly to put yourself in debt to go when you can't afford?

Your argument is not making sense. Of course it is silly to get into debt for luxuries like holidays and expensive Christmas presents. Lots of people do it though.

However not everyone who has expensive holidays (to Florida or anywhere else) gets into debt to do it. If you book with one of the main tour operators you pay a deposit and can then pay it bit by bit. Or you book independently, stick it on a 0% card and do the same thing.

It really is none of the OP's business how people choose to spend their money or where they choose to go on holiday.

I plan to take DD in a couple of years. I will save my arse off. She would love it and so would I. We may only do it once but we want the experience.

I worked at Eurodisney when it opened.
Hell on earth.
YANBU
If you knew what I knew... eerrggh no.

Disney gives me the creeps, so for me it would be a total waste of money. But I would splash a wad of cash on going to somewhere without the sinister compulsory happiness vibe.
All holidays are a luxury, so I suppose that strictly speaking anything other than staying at home and batch-cooking for the year ahead is a waste of time and money. Sometimes time and money ought to be wasted.

I think I get what the OP means

It's not about disneyland in itself, it's about how so many people say it's a must do experience for childhood and will scrimp and save to tick it off the childhood bucket list when IMO you could do 10 amazing childhood experiences for the price.

Its the way people talk about it, like it'll be a dream come true, it's just a themepark holiday, which are fun, but there's nothing particularly special about disney compaired to other cheaper themepark holidays

there's nothing particularly special about disney compaired to other cheaper themepark holidays

Have to disagree with this. The standards of service, cleanliness and repair in Disney parks in Florida knocks spots off Legoland or Alton Towers. We were in Legoland this summer and were really disappointed with the state of Mini Land which is looking very tired, very grubby, stagnant water in the "rivers" and buildings which haven't been spruced up in 20 years. Disney is a much more slick operation. Can't comment on the Paris one as I've never been, but i've never been anywhere so tidy and well-maintained as Disney in Orlando.

I thought disneyland paris was shabby and sparce, like they were really tight with how much you were allowed to enjoy if you "only" paid for paris and not america… it was "you know you should have paid a bit more for the america one if you seriously wanted to enjoy this" land.

The way disney land in america treat their staff is very off putting for me I couldn't relax and enjoy it.

There is something very, very special about Disney compared to other theme parks. Any theme park in the UK is light years away from a Disney theme park. Really, truly.

My whole impression of paris was you can have a LITTLE bit of fun… but we can't really let you have all the fun since you've only paid for the budget option..

Most theme parks take a few days, DL paris is done in one.

Miniland is fucking hillarious, I feel like I"m on LSD on those boat rides :-D but the thing aboutlegoland is that you can go 20 times for one trip to Disney so it is better in that respect

I can't understand why you think Disney is so expensive to be in the category of indulgence. Are you only talking about the one in Florida. As in once you have paid your airfares it's very expensive?

Just did a quick google currency exchange. For me, DH and DD1 to go it's just under £200 for a two day pass. In comparison, paultons park is £140 for the three of us. DD2 is free to enter both. It's not that much more expensive and Disneyland is way better than paultons. I have never heard anyone saying going to peppa pig world is a ridiculous indulgence.

I'm using paultons park because it is local to me. My parents live local to a Disneyland so we go there everytime we visit. It's really not my cup of tea and I wouldn't be going except for the DC. They love both, but prefer Disneyland.

but i've never been anywhere so tidy and well-maintained as Disney in Orlando.

Yes, for me this extends to the other parks there too. Universal Studios especially. We went in October and they had some halloween horror night thing on and I have done similar things in the UK before buy my god..it was so fantastic. It honestly was like being smack bang in the middle of a horror film in so many ways and the outfits were so realistic and everything. I never thought I would experience anything like that.

So yeah, the Orlando parks shit all over the UK ones tbh, and then some. I can only conclude that anyone who says other parks are just as good..have never been to the Orlando ones, or had an extremely bad experience there for some reason or other..as everyone I know who has been has been amazed at it all, even as adults.

I'd say to anyone If you'd enjoy it and can afford it then go for it!

Personally if I had the same money I'd rather do something else - like another family holiday to Mallorja.

If you do go to Florida then try to get to the Everglades National Park too - that's amazing!

Haven't been to Universal - planning it for the next visit. I think though in terms of service and attention to detail anywhere in the US is better than Europe. Yes the constant smiling and "have a nice day" can be wearing but I'd rather have that than the bored, surly, disinterested youths who were employed at Legoland.

No interest in Paris Disney either as I have heard that if you go expecting to have the same experience as in Florida, you'll be very disappointed.

Agreed Luna Disney is nothing like any other theme park. It is spotlessly clean, the queuing systems are amazing and if you go off season you never have to wait, the staff are incredible, and the service is 2nd to none.
I totally get that it's not for everyone but if that's what you enjoy then it can never be a waste of money.
My OH and I went a few years back (before DS) and i think he thought it would be like a bigger shinier version of alton towers with palm trees but he was absolutely blown away. He really didnt think he was going to enjoy it at all but he is itching to go back. We've booked for next November and are doing it relatively cheaply. 2 weeks in a 4* in Spain was no cheaper.

That sort of preened sterile maintained to an inch of it's life look is more an american thing than a disney thing.

You don't have to do disney to experience that (if it's your thing, gives me the creeps)

I maintain there's nothing special about disney that is unique to disney