Dawning realisation we just can't afford it! - Oh wait we can just!!!!!!!!!

[UKDEB]

I think we must be living parallel lives, london75! Shortly after Christmas (maybe even the same day you started this thread and certainly not more than a couple of days out either way) we had a similar epiphany and decided we simply couldn't afford to go this year. Even though we're DVC members, have PAPs which don't expire until November and are willing to cut back on some of the luxuries we've become accustomed to (flying economy rather than PE, not staying at the airport the night before, eating at fewer upscale restaurants) we were still looking at a major financial outlay. It was such a weight off our shoulders. 2013 would finally be the year we could do a few more things because we wouldn't be saving every penny in the build up to the trip, and neither would we be skint afterwards, so no Christmas on a shoestring. No siree. Not for us. Not this year! Cue collective sigh of relief.

BUT... after around a month or so of basking in this new-found pressure-off state of bliss, the familiar checking of flight prices and conversations about how we might be able to make it happen started to creep back in. For the past few weeks we seem to have talked about nothing else. Guess what we did yesterday afternoon?

 

[Tony Toon]

BUT... after around a month or so of basking in this new-found pressure-off state of bliss, the familiar checking of flight prices and conversations about how we might be able to make it happen started to creep back in. For the past few weeks we seem to have talked about nothing else. Guess what we did yesterday afternoon?

You can make all the arguments you want as to the benefits of not going - I'm sure the majority of DISers would agree we might be in a far better place financially if we hadn't discovered the Disney magic - but it really is like a magnet. For us it didn't start with a mouse, it started with the purchase of a pair of little boy shoes ...... (??) I have told this story a few years ago but if there are requests then i might repeat ....

 

[2Tiggies]

For us it didn't start with a mouse, it started with the purchase of a pair of little boy shoes ...... (??) I have told this story a few years ago but if there are requests then i might repeat ....

I'm listening

 

[Laurafoster]

Me too

 

[Claire Bear]

And me!

 

[Disneynutinlondon]

and me

 

[Tony Toon]

Oh alright ...


I was always one of those people who believed it was always someone else who won competitions with glamorous prizes until ....
DS was just turned 7 and it was time to buy new shoes, a situation that was all too common with two growing kids (DD was 9) so Mrs TT made her regular visit to Glasgow's Argyle Street to see what there was in Clarks. They were each handed a scratch card as they entered the shop and DW &DD quickly found they had won nothing. They were also aware of Cal tugging on mum's sleeve "I've won something mum". DW initially thought that they had perhaps won some cinema tickets but DS was certain that wasn't it. Not believing that prize mentioned could be correct DW looked for confirmation from the staff. The reaction was unbelievable and it became clear that DS had indeed won the star prize in this national scratchcard promotion - a fully paid vacation for all the family to Los Angeles with spending money, car hire AND tickets to Disneyland and Universal Studios for the duration of our stay. This was in 1996 and at that time we had never any real desire to visit what we considered a glorified amusement park. However when presented with such an opportunity .....
We visited LA a few months later 1st Jan 1977 (Christmas season still) and had an amazing holiday. We saw for ourselves the magic that is Disney, finally leaving the park on our final evening with both DW and myself in tears after seeing Fantasmic for the first time with both young children asking why we were crying.

So thats our story. For us it all started with a pair of shoes. We are all visiting WDW again in the summer, the first time we have all gone separately, DD with Bf and DS with his Gf a little later while Mrs TT and I will be going in July. I suppose you could argue that that pair of shoes has cost us a fortune over the years but I wouldn't change a thing.

 

[Claire Bear]

Oh wow! When I was 14 we won a free 2 week holiday to Florida, it was through a RNLI competition we entered while we were on holiday in Wales! So lucky and if was very exciting.

 

[orangetiggs]

We won a trip to us dance film festival all expenses paid with a London radio station was so exciting

 

[Disneynutinlondon]

Oh alright ...


I was always one of those people who believed it was always someone else who won competitions with glamorous prizes until ....
DS was just turned 7 and it was time to buy new shoes, a situation that was all too common with two growing kids (DD was 9) so Mrs TT made her regular visit to Glasgow's Argyle Street to see what there was in Clarks. They were each handed a scratch card as they entered the shop and DW &DD quickly found they had won nothing. They were also aware of Cal tugging on mum's sleeve "I've won something mum". DW initially thought that they had perhaps won some cinema tickets but DS was certain that wasn't it. Not believing that prize mentioned could be correct DW looked for confirmation from the staff. The reaction was unbelievable and it became clear that DS had indeed won the star prize in this national scratchcard promotion - a fully paid vacation for all the family to Los Angeles with spending money, car hire AND tickets to Disneyland and Universal Studios for the duration of our stay. This was in 1996 and at that time we had never any real desire to visit what we considered a glorified amusement park. However when presented with such an opportunity .....
We visited LA a few months later 1st Jan 1977 (Christmas season still) and had an amazing holiday. We saw for ourselves the magic that is Disney, finally leaving the park on our final evening with both DW and myself in tears after seeing Fantasmic for the first time with both young children asking why we were crying.

So thats our story. For us it all started with a pair of shoes. We are all visiting WDW again in the summer, the first time we have all gone separately, DD with Bf and DS with his Gf a little later while Mrs TT and I will be going in July. I suppose you could argue that that pair of shoes has cost us a fortune over the years but I wouldn't change a thing.

Oh WOW was a lovely story ... I've never won anything but I still count myself very lucky each of the men in my life have had serious medical issues (Ethan was born 17 weeks early, Josh has scoliosis and Paul had cancer) and they all made it though so I consider my family to be my jackpot prize and we've all very lucky to have been to WDW many, many times

 

[dixonsontour]

What a fab story

 

[Wills Mom]

Awwwww it all starter with a pair of shoes!!! That is the sweetest ever I'm sat here with tears in my eyes! Got to love that Disney magic!!

 

[joolz1910]

Oh alright ...


I was always one of those people who believed it was always someone else who won competitions with glamorous prizes until ....
DS was just turned 7 and it was time to buy new shoes, a situation that was all too common with two growing kids (DD was 9) so Mrs TT made her regular visit to Glasgow's Argyle Street to see what there was in Clarks. They were each handed a scratch card as they entered the shop and DW &DD quickly found they had won nothing. They were also aware of Cal tugging on mum's sleeve "I've won something mum". DW initially thought that they had perhaps won some cinema tickets but DS was certain that wasn't it. Not believing that prize mentioned could be correct DW looked for confirmation from the staff. The reaction was unbelievable and it became clear that DS had indeed won the star prize in this national scratchcard promotion - a fully paid vacation for all the family to Los Angeles with spending money, car hire AND tickets to Disneyland and Universal Studios for the duration of our stay. This was in 1996 and at that time we had never any real desire to visit what we considered a glorified amusement park. However when presented with such an opportunity .....
We visited LA a few months later 1st Jan 1977 (Christmas season still) and had an amazing holiday. We saw for ourselves the magic that is Disney, finally leaving the park on our final evening with both DW and myself in tears after seeing Fantasmic for the first time with both young children asking why we were crying.

So thats our story. For us it all started with a pair of shoes. We are all visiting WDW again in the summer, the first time we have all gone separately, DD with Bf and DS with his Gf a little later while Mrs TT and I will be going in July. I suppose you could argue that that pair of shoes has cost us a fortune over the years but I wouldn't change a thing.

What a great story and a fab prize.