*Here’s a fun blog I did back when I still lived in Michigan. I think it rings true to a lot of people who have a long way to travel to get to their favorite Disney destination! Enjoy! ~M
Like a lot of Disney fans, I’m always looking out for the latest deals. Granted, I can’t always afford said deals, but it’s fun to look. Do you ever find yourself going to the Walt Disney World website, plugging in dates and numbers, just to see what the figures would be? I do. I’m not sure why though, sometimes dreaming is just torture, because it’s hard to gather up the funds to make those Disney dreams come true. So, there comes a point when I have to ask myself, do I continue to “dream it” or do I just “do it?” The answer isn’t easy.
For my family, we usually travel to Disney every other year. I’m not really comfortable with flying, so we drive, and it takes roughly 18 hours from my driveway to the WDW Resort. It’s really not “that” bad of a drive, and it saves money, especially since airfare has gone up so much, and you have to pay for luggage and what not. I always take an extra bag for souvenirs, so driving works, I don’t want to pay to ship my Disney goodies home! So, that’s one way that I can cut costs.
Second on the list, would be searching, or waiting for Disney travel specials. For our family, we have previously gone during the Free Dining promotions. We had kept track of our meal receipts, and added up the costs at the end of the trip, and realized how much money Free Dining actually saved us. If we weren’t able to go during a dining promotion, we would just eat smaller meals, and probably not go to any of the more expensive places to eat. You do what you’ve gotta do, right? I guess it all depends on how bad you want to go, or when the best time would be. Timing is important too. We tend to go during the “off” seasons due to less crowds, usually in the late Summer. It’s hotter, but usually cheaper and there aren’t as many people. So after deciding to drive, go during the off season, take advantage of Free Dining, etc… what’s left? Money.
Now to come up with the money to go. What to do….. what to do? Do we use our rainy day funds? Yard sale? Sell stuff on Ebay? I’ve probably done all of the above, but there’s a struggle. My conscience gets the best of me, and I always second guess myself. Do I really “need” to spend the money on a vacation? Could that money be used towards something else? Well, of course there are more “responsible” places to use that money towards~ bills, home improvements, just the everyday cost of living. But what about building “memories” for your family? What about giving yourself a much deserved break from reality? It’s a hard one.
In the past couple of weeks, I have seen TMSM Members comment about this very subject, and to my surprise, a lot of people say the “memories” are worth spending money on. There’s a big movement about the whole “you only live once” philosophy. Some people feel that there will always be a debt to pay, or something to spend money on, so why not just take the leap and go? I completely understand their point, I just wish I could do it. We haven’t been to Disney in a while, and we’re way overdue. I really want to go. The kids really want to go. So, do we go? That’s the question, and it’s a hard one. I can’t say for sure what we will do. Life changes all the time, situations come and go, and some things can’t be planned out. I’m on the fence between responsibility and going to the one place I love. Everyone needs a break from the day to day grind every now and then. Disney provides that break. Reality doesn’t exist once our car drives onto the beautiful Disney property. I love that feeling. Breaks are good. In the meantime during my indecision, I’ll continue to watch for specials, maybe have a yard sale, and keep that Disney dream alive.
Michele also contributes theme park news for Fox 35 Orlando 11pm news and on the radio on WDBO.
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