Disney hates poor people

Jeff said:
You don't even want to know what happens when you get into the cruises...

I work with someone who has 5 kids. They took them all on a Disney cruise, and it cost them $16,000 after everything was said and done. That's pretty significant - though a once in a lifetime thing, for sure.

For some.

We were at WDW a few years back going to Magic Kingdom and ended up talking to a family who had been at their cottage in Maine for a month and were now at WDW for a month or so, and they were still deciding whether to go back to Maine or just go home. Oh, to have such decisions to make....

I sat with that same family on the shuttle boat that goes from Port Orleans to Downtown Disney. Only this time they were straight from the cruise ship to WDW for another two weeks, and were just exhausted. (It was their third trip that year, who wouldn't be?) (They liked the boat better last time, this one wasn't quite as nice.)
Oh, and they weren't coming from Riverside, either, they were at the Treehouse Villas. Well, lah-dee-dah.

But I get the once in a lifetime thing, and I thought my very first trip there was probably that very thing. I know many, many folks who either saved up or planned up for their trip to WDW. They went, they took the kids, it was memory-making special, and now for the rest of their lives they'll go back to camping every summer or whatever it is they do. There's plenty of folks who are ok with one-and-done and dont see the value of going back, just like there's plenty of folks who go again and again and wouldn't think of anything else.

I've been rich and I've been poor. Rich is better, by the way.

$16k? Was it concierge level around the Mediterranean? We nailed down a 7-night Alaska for three of us for around $4k (10% on-board booking discount).

Not really sure, but I'm guessing with 5 kids, they needed multiple staterooms or a giant suite and I think they bookended the cruise with a little WDW action. It's possible she was including airfare in what she told me they spent, though. Which, for 7 people, brings the cost up quite high.

That would do it. Most rooms are for four people, though I think some can do 5. Concierge can definitely do 5, and they also have the big suites.

And you don't even want to know how much a minivan or larger rental car costs per day in Orlando.

RCMAC said:

Rich is better, by the way.

Anyone who says money can't buy happiness doesn't know where to shop :-)

Tommytheduck said:
And you don't even want to know how much a minivan or larger rental car costs per day in Orlando.

$20 at the right time of year.

What GoBucks said. I've saved a lot of money spending a little more money to get to a "neighborhood" car rental office on visits to Orlando.

RCMAC said:

I've been rich and I've been poor. Rich is better, by the way.

I appreciate the honesty, I really do.

Oh, sure, glad to help. I'm poor these days and it sucks.

So, I gotta tell you guys and gals. This very evening, after leaving our once-a-month brew pub group, we wound up (as usual) at Max&Ermas. The Original is about 5 blocks from our house and we're in there all the time.
Anyway, the place was about empty save for a gentleman at the bar and the three of us struck up a conversation. And not to be too judgmental, (God forbid...) but the guy didn't look as though he had much. Come to find out he's a high school teacher in culinary arts, two kids, ex wife, girlfriend, blah blah blah. Our conversation turned to vacation, and guess where this guy goes all the time for each and every trip? Disney. He made his first trip a number of years ago, fell in love with all that is Disney, and now goes at least once a year, usually more. He's treated the family, but recommends WDW as a great couple's vacation. He's been to several resorts there, liked Coronado Springs the best but will try Port Orleans this spring, and was charmingly well versed on the parks, dining plans, restaurants, magic bands, etc. etc. He gave us advice as to when's the best time to go, package deals, ways to save money, and so on. He knew what he was talking about, and even used the word "magical" several times!
So I was tickled to death by this man, and thought of this very conversation. Here was this red-necky looking guy who seemed to be about as far away from a Disney-phile as possible, but his priority is to go and he made it a point to let us know he's learned the best, most affordable way to do a nice trip.

I think most of us here are in agreement that folks that put down Disney as a high end experience for elitists only are full of it, right? And there's no real point here, except to say that I found tonight's chance encounter to be entertaining as well as enlightening and affirming, so I thought I'd share.

That's kind of my point... it's not all German cars in the parking lot and Coach diaper bags inside. Far from it. I mean, this...

That's hot.
Maybe she was Disneybounding a character. Not sure who,....

No, it's not all German cars and Coach diaper bags. But folks have to have a certain amount of disposable income in order to go to WDW. Or Vegas. Or the Grand Canyon, or wherever their interests lead them.

RCMAC's friend knows all the ins and outs of planning a vacation in Orlando, but he also has enough money that doesn't have to go to housing, food, clothing, etc that he can enjoy those yearly trips.

^^^ I am not sure what "this" is supposed to mean. And why would you take a picture of some random woman's backside and her apparent daughter? Seems a bit creepy.

People don't wear metallic gold pants to avoid being noticed.

Shades said:

I am not sure what "this" is supposed to mean.

Use your fashion police imagination.

slithernoggin said:
RCMAC's friend ..... also has enough money that doesn't have to go to housing, food, clothing, etc that he can enjoy those yearly trips.

Well, maybe. He talked about money a lot, how things were tight, he can't retire, he lost his ass when his food truck business went belly up, etc. Maybe he's what some of us would consider irresponsible, or maybe he's rolling in it. We can't be sure.

I'm reminded of the job I worked for most of my life as a service rep in the billing/collections department. We were expected to turn each and every contact into a selling opportunity, of course, which seems counter-intuitive. I mean if customers are already facing money trouble, why pile on more, right? Well, it turns out the number one rule in sales is to never be sure how much someone actually has and what they really need, or decide for a customer how or when they'll spend their money. It's theirs to do what they will with it.

And I'm not sure where I'm going with this except to say that this guy, like so many of us, have priorities and find a way to make those wishes come true no matter what.

Jeff said:

Use your fashion police imagination.

Joan Rivers, we miss you....