It's "simple" money management. First off, don't be deceived by other people's lifestyles. There are oodles of people who go to WDW, including many who participate within these forums, who have no business being there: people collecting government assistance, people who spend their entire savings on Disney vacations, and of course, people heavy in debt and spending on credit. Surveys show that 55% of Americans, and nearly two-thirds of Millennials, lack sufficient savings to cover a $1000 emergency. And more than half of those aged 55 and over have absolutely no savings set aside for retirement (including 401K). Yet isn't it amazing that every person who spends lavishly at Disney tries to convince you that it's within their means?
I worked for years as a volunteer financial counselor (and yes, I have the qualifications) for a local nonprofit. I know how ignorant people are with their money, and how they convince themselves that they are entitled to every luxury they desire. What I admire most about Disney, is its ability to convince people to part with their money. There's oodles of people within this forum who don't think twice about dropping $25K at Disney every few years, and wouldn't spend less because that one-week vacation just isn't magical. Yet, for some reason, they would never consider driving a Porsche when all they can afford is a Honda... even though for what they're paying for Disney, they could get many years of magic, and not just days, out of that Porsche. But do you know what else is magical? Having sufficient savings to pay for a new furnace when the incumbent one fails, or having sufficient savings to pay for their daughter's braces or having a sufficient savings to help their son out with college. But of course, one week at Disney in a concierge floor at the Polynesian Resort, stuffing themselves silly on the dining plan while riding It's A Small World for the 100th time seems to prevail. Sorry, honey, you'll have to fix those crooked teeth yourself! And son, I'm sorry that you'll be more focused on repaying tens of thousands in student debt when you graduate college than a job, but hey, we didn't have the money!
That said, you can easily enjoy many vacations (that you can afford) at WDW - again, it's all about money management. When we were in high school and college, my (slightly) older brother and I worked the same job. I was the first person to ask if there were any extra shifts I could pick-up. He was the first person to volunteer to give his up. Later, we met up with our then-girlfriends at a popular chain steakhouse My girlfriend and I each ordered the Monday special -- an 8 oz. steak with a salad, side, and brew for $10; we paid about $30 (w/tax and tip) for our meals He and his girlfriend started with onion rings, then each ordered the surf & turf and washed it down with a few beverages. They paid over $100 for their meal, much of it left behind (they HATE the idea of re-heated food). I didn't get a flat screen TV until 2012, when the price on a 40" dropped below $300. We've upgraded our main TV, but we still use that one in one of the bedrooms. My brother bought his first flat screen TV in the early 2000s, chucking out a few grand. He's spent tens of thousands since upgrading his set - he tells me that my 2012 is so bad, he can't stand to watch it (while we don't notice a difference). Last week, my brother told me that his family cut the cord on cable, after years of spending hundreds of dollars per month for the best package. My family has long used "bunny ears" to watch OTA TV and was an early adapter of Netflix -- beyond that, we've never paid for subscription TV.
My niece loves strawberries, and last month my sister-in-law showed me the beautiful strawberries she purchased from Whole Foods for $5.99 (per lb.) My family purchased the exact same strawberries from a traditional supermarket for .99 (per lb.) Later, we met-up at Starbucks. This is an occasional treat for my family -- we prefer to make our own drinks at home, but we do enjoy an occasional treat at Starbucks and on this day they had all drinks BOGO - plus, we purchased a gift card for $10 on Groupon. My sister-in-law reminded me that they go to Starbucks "all the time."
Obviously a boring narrative, but you get the idea. Your goal should be to stretch your dollars, and pick-and-choose your luxuries.
