Travel Plans 2026

eightdotthree:

I don't think anyone here really knows what the colors mean either. I've tried to follow one when I was bored one day and missed a turn. That was that.

My grandfather lived in Allegheny County, PA for 70+ years of his life and swore he knew exactly how the belt system worked, how to use it, and did that old man thing where he looked down condescendingly on anyone who couldn't figure it out. Yet anytime you asked him to explain it with any sort of detail he would get all frustrated and change the topic.

Jeff:

Was Disney ever a "middle-class" vacation?

I don't think so. Of course as others have said it was really nothing like it is today back in the late 80's/early 90's. A trip to WDW in 1984 when I was 7 is the only family trip (divorce happened shortly after, which always makes me wonder what that dynamic was really like) I remember other than our countless visits to Cedar Point.

We were solidly 1980's/90's middle class; dad was a full-time foreman at General Motors in Defiance, Ohio (which still paid a "living wage" back then). But the only reason we even went to WDW was because we got in for free. General Motors had built a ride called "World of Motion", and my dad had gotten free tickets due to his position at the plant. We (5 of us total) all piled in our brand new green 1984 Pontiac Bonneville and drove to Orlando.

Didn't go back until 1991 with my high school's marching band, which I joined for the sole reason of being able to go to WDW, and then subsequently quit, which went over real well with the band director.

My family was also firmly middle class with my dad working in manufacturing. We went on a Griswaldian Disney trip by car from Texas in 1984. I think we spent 4 days at the 2 parks, went to a character breakfast at the river boat restaurant at what is now Disney Springs, and spent evenings swimming at the hotel on I Drive. We left Orlando, attempted to watch a shuttle launch from across the Indian River, and ended up in Pompano Beach to visit my great aunt. We thought we were going to see the launch the next day from there, but it ended up being the first ever scrubbed launch after main engine start. I believe we were gone for a total of 14 days.

I say all of that to point out that this was far from a middle class vacation for us. We had never been on a vacation that grand and we never went on another one as a family until I was in my 30s. We went on a few Texas beach trips (I was a full adult before I realized that all beaches weren't muddy) and some ski trips to Colorado, but that was it for epic trips. I went on a trip by myself after my junior year to see my cousin in Maryland and felt like I was living large. That cost my parents air fare and some spending cash.

kpjb:

That surprises me, actually.

Same. I was prepared to get currency my first week there but after using my card all week to get settled in, I decided to see how far I could get with only my credit card. Turns out, I was able to complete 9 months abroad with only my cards. Now in full transparency, there were two occasions when I wanted to use a bathroom so a friend gave me a few coins to save time, but I could have still made it happen without.

kpjb:

When I was in Munich a couple years ago there were a lot of places that did not accept credit cards. Most restaurants, everything at Wiesn, lots of stuff around town.

Our first trip to Germany in 2019 most everything was cash. Card wasn't taken most places all around Germany (not just Bavaria). Fast forward to post-covid, our last two trips there have taken a complete 180... Now everything is mostly card, very few cash only places. Much preferred.

In Japan a few months ago you still needed a bit of cash, mostly to recharge your Suica card to travel around on public transport... But otherwise, you almost could manage without any cash.

OhioStater:

We (5 of us total) all piled in our brand new green 1984 Pontiac Bonneville and drove to Orlando.

Yooo. My folks' red 1984 Pontiac Bonneville was the car I learned to drive on! That interior was dope, as the kids say. Was the interior green as well?

Ours had a matching painted roof, not the vinyl one. And I'm pretty sure we didn't have wire wheels. But otherwise, same car:

We drove in my mom's early 80s Oldsmobile Cutlass that was pretty similar to the Bonneville.

SteveWoA:

Our first trip to Germany in 2019 most everything was cash. Card wasn't taken most places all around Germany (not just Bavaria). Fast forward to post-covid, our last two trips there have taken a complete 180... Now everything is mostly card, very few cash only places.

Interesting, my experience is from 2023. I'm going back next year, so remind me to update this thread when I get back!