Never afford Disney

[Swordandpanda]

When I was 10 my Grandma took me to Disneyworld Florida. I remember it being the most magical experience of my life. I now have 3 kids 8 years and under. I would love to take them so much but 10k-12k for a holiday is completely impossible. We are doing average money wise and we prioritise house maintenance (roof repairs, plumbing) and the children’s hobbies. Am I bu to feel sad that my kids will never get to experience the joy I felt.

No one in our family has been. Don’t feel we’ve missed out.
I’d prioritise holidays that you’d actually be interested in.

The most magical holidays my kids have had are camping. Running through streams and trees ..getting muddy with no adults watching. Staying up under the stars round a fire. You dont need commercial stuff to make childhood.

I went to Disney as a child and it really wasn't my favourite holiday.
My holiday memories are being with my family, playing games, playing in the pool etc which can be done anywhere.

Paris but don’t stay in the hotels and make sure to use public transport. Eat a big breakfast before you go

Drive to Paris, stay at the Davy Crockett ranch and self cater, I actually prefer Paris to Florida, mostly because I love that it had unique attractions though it seems some have closed since I last went replaced with duplicates from Florida

Do Paris. Get the train straight there so you get off at the park and your cases go on to the hotel: it's worth the price for an extra half day at the park.
It still isn't cheap but the look on your child's face when Mushu strokes their face or Mickey holds their hand isn't affected by the distance you've travelled.

I never went growing up and the only kids that did seem to be because one of their parents had recently died and people fundraised to send them, or they had a sick sibling and a charity paid. I took mine to California when tiny then Florida a big older because we lived in the USA then and it was relatively affordable, we still only did 3 days in Florida which is plenty enough, the parks sound system does my head in!

DH and I went to Paris Disney before kids. It was ok but not magical like Florida. The staff seemed bored and everything was crowded.

@Swordandpanda

Florida is crowded now too! They let far more people in each day than years ago. I noticed a huge difference the last time I went to previous trips ... and that was still 10 years ago Ive realised, apparently it's even busier now (when I went fast pass tickets were free for instance)

With kids your ages, I’d take them to Paris. It’s magical for little ones (although I just saw your post saying you didn’t like it before kids). Did you stay at a Disney hotel? They do make a lot of effort with kids. I’d only do Florida for teens to be honest. Disney is magical for me because I went as a kid (albeit to Florida). I wanted that same experience for mine so took them to Disney Paris because of their ages. Absolutely worth it for little ones (in my opinion!) and without the high costs of Florida which I didnt think I could handle with 3 young kids in tow!

We could have afforded it but by the time DD was old enough for the queuing etc she preferred do to real things.

Take them to Disneyland Paris if you can't afford Florida - that's what it's there for.

There are currently deals for May and June - inclusive of hotel with buffet, Eurostar ticket and three-day park entrances for £350 pp. A long weekend is plenty of time to have the magical experience. Eat at MacDonalds, just outside the park, at lunch times to keep the costs down (park food is very expensive) - you won't be spending more than 2k all in for all four of you.

YABU - there are other joys to experience other than at Disney!

I've never been to Disney and don't feel I've missed out at all. My husband did go as a child and thinks we should take ours. I don't see the need. Our children love our UK based holidays, and they are only very occasionally.

I grew up in a family that didn't do annual holidays, we only ever had one family holiday in my whole childhood (UK-based), so I don't see holidays as a priority at all, unlike my husband who did grow up in a holidaying family.

Have you been to Florida since you were 8? Did it not occur to you that the reason it seemed magical compared to France was because you were viewing it with a child’s eyes vs an adults eyes? If you took your kids to France it would likely seem magical to them, kids don’t notice or care about whether the staff look bored or about crowds! I bet if you went to Florida now you would notice things you didn’t see or care about as an 8 year old.

Disney has changed loads.

I suspect you remember the fast pass days and quieter capacity.

As an adult, all you see is the endless queues or expense and bored children in constant lines. You're either paying a fortune for Genie to make it bearable and looking at all the poor fuckers with kids waiting 1.5-3 hours in the baking sun for the big rides or you are one of the poor fuckers waiting 1.5-3 hours for a big ride. The smaller rides arent much better. Download the park app and take a look for yourself.

The kids dont know the reality of Florida Disney. Better it stays a dream tbh. And if you dont tell them about it and build it up, they'll never give it much thought.

Have a look at some recent reviews for a reality check.

Think how many times you could go to Disney Paris with Genie queue jump AND take a few weeks all inclusive in the sun.

I never went on holiday as a child, not even to a caravan. My first holiday was with my now husband when I was 18 I'm now 38. Did I miss out? Absolutely not! I had the best time as a kid brought up with my grandma, I have compensated with kids taking them to Disney wolrd, twice which they loved but it hasn't made any difference to life. Kids just love being with their parents no matter the cost. Would I spend 10k to do it again? No I wouldn't, I think I probably went just to foreful my dreams as a kid really.

Where is the best place to find those deals? Thanks

@Sonora25 - I found them on the Disney Paris website.

I have never wanted to do Disney but this has really cemented it for me, sounds awful!

I could afford it but wouldn't spend that kind of money on a theme park holiday.
While they are young take them to efteling it's wonderful.

Go to Paris Disney instead then you can afford many more magical experiences.

I am a Disney regular and have made a few trips to each of Paris, Orlando and Anaheim. I think the staff in DLP are not as pleasant or enthusiastic as in the US parks. But I don't see why first view of the castle from the end of Main Street would be any less magical.

Regardless, yes I think YABU to be sad that your children won’t go to Disneyworld. Most children won’t go to Disneyworld and are perfectly fine.

We did Paris when DTs were about six, they were underwhelmed, best part of that holiday was the couple of days in Paris sightseeing.
When they were about 15 we visited a California park as part of a roadtrip.
When asked now about family holidays they say the very best were in Cornwall/Devon/Jersey.

We were fortunate enough to go a few times with our young and then older teens. They preferred Universal Studios being big Harry Potter and roller coaster fans. However a couple of days at Disney Florida were always magical. That was some years ago. I believe since Covid, Disney have ruined the experience a bit by taking away effective fast passes and making other cutbacks.

With smaller children and given budgetary constraints I’d agree with others that there are many fun, more economic, alternatives. Have you ever looked at Efteling or Duinrell in the Netherlands? If you do a search, you’ll see lots of threads on here from happy holidaymakers there and lots of recommendations. With due respect to my dear Dutch relatives, the Dutch can be ahem thrifty.. so you can expect more value for money and accommodation options.

I went to Disney in Orlando when I was six and it was a trip that has stuck in my mind. We went in the 80s, the year Epcot opened. But it wasn’t so much Disney itself that stuck in my mind it was that humidity when I stepped off the plane, the accents and difference in plants and animals. Yes I loved Disney too but it was a small part of a whole trip.

You could give them those kind of memories going anywhere abroad that is very different in climate and culture to here.