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

[Lilylouis]

DD is nearly 9 and has wanted to go on a Disney holiday for years.

We took her sibling who is 11 years older to Florida, before DD was born (not thinking we’d be able to have another) and it was a once in a lifetime experience and nowhere near as much money back then- we both also had better paid jobs and our mortgage wasn’t as high add onto that the COL.

We wouldn’t do Paris for personal reasons I’d rather not go into.

Do any average families do any Disney holidays?

Currently we have to save hard for a week in Spain!

How do people do Disney?

They need the op to know how highbrow they are.

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

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.

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

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

Not putting money into Trump's coffers !

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.

Plenty of adults love being there.

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.

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.

@NeverHadHaveHas

and plenty don’t

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

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

Eh?

Many families don’t go.
We saved for 3 years to go and took on extra work.

There are so many variants.

Go on somewhere like the DIBB or DIS forums. They will give you tips and ideas and will also be able t9 help with budgets.

That said, there is no doubt that Disney has become more expensive in the last 8-10 years and not just against inflation. They have added extra costs that used to be free and taken away offers that, imo, helped British families with the cost.

I think these additional costs and removed offers does make Villa/car hire or off site hotel/shuttle/Uber/Lyft more attractive as less to lose (previously on site would get your bigger windows to book free fast passes for rides and often gave you free dining plans but now there is no such thing as a free fast pass and the dining offers aren’t as comprehensive).

Staying off site will significantly reduce your food bill too. But be aware of the eye watering high car parking fees at the parks.

If you are entirely stuck to English school holidays, avoid Easter and Christmas. Look at the last two weeks of August when American schools are generally back . If your term starts first week of September, try and push the return into that too as flights will be cheaper.

From age 10 you child will be a Disney adult (tickets and food).

Look at flying into Melbourne rather than Orlando. Or consider indirect flights.

Unless huge Harry Potter fans or love a fast roller coaster/ride, don’t bother with Universal (although I think Universal is much better value but obviously won’t give you the Disney feel that your daughter seems to be looking for). Day tickets are so expensive for both Universal and Disney so tickets for 5/10/14 days are usually better value.)

If only doing a few days in the parks avoid the weekends, look out for American holidays and plan your day around opening times, show times and work out whether Lightening Lanes (previously free fast passes) or are worth paying for. And look at Busy Day Guides. All these things help you budget to make sure you get the most for your money. (Doesn’t make it cheaper, I know, but help you work out if X is worth the cost.)

Consider a week doing Disney and week on the coast (if doing last two weeks in Aug, maybe do the coast first as I think by the last week of Aug/into Sep, you will go into the realms of mid season rather than high season thus reducing the cost.

But still taking all the above into account, I think it is an expensive holiday. Only you can answer if worth saving for a couple of years and forgoing other holidays to do it.

@BabyRuthless That's exactly what we have done we have now both retired by 56 and have just bought a Motorhome and will be off out and about all over the UK for 3 months out of the next 5, then off to Europe for Jan/Feb.

We managed it by saving for four years - had very cheap local holidays during that time), staying off site, self-catering as much as possible, and not buying anything relating to queue jumping (we were very strategic about what parks and rides we did in what order on what days).

I enjoyed it but much preferred Universal. But I'm a huge Harry Potter fan. It's not a holiday I'd rush to repeat, we only really did it for my step kids.

Disney is cheaper this year due to Epic Universe opening. Disney bookings are down so they've released various discounts. For example one of their on-site hotels is on offer for $99 a night.

We went a couple of years ago. We could afford it but we’ve done it and wouldn’t go back. Had a great time, but I don’t want to visit the USA again.
If I were you I would be going to Disneyland Paris rather than Florida. Don’t give any of your hard earned cash to the USA

I don’t think the average family can afford Disney no.