At the risk of sounding like a historical figure: I have a dream! I desperately want to take my kids to Disney World. I mean I want to take them there so bad that I'd give up damn near anything to be able to take them. I just know that it would be the most amazing thing for my two crazy kids. The only thing is, I'm afraid that if we took them there, their heads would actually explode from excitement! Stacy and I would be considered the absolute greatest parents to ever walk the earth, and that's a feeling I'd like to know.
They are already spoiled. Rotten!
Lately it has become painfully obvious that my kids are spoiled beyond belief. It worries me really. It's that bad. Sydney has taken to using the following phrases: "I NEVER get anything I want." "You guys are so mean to me!" And my favorite and the one that drives me the craziest, "NO, I don't have to do what you say!"
Now Denny on the other hand doesn't have as good a grasp on the language so his demonstrations of spoildness are a little different. When he doesn't get his way, he literally throws himself on the floor and screams and kicks. He has taken to throwing things at the rest of his family, on top of hitting all of us. That's not even mentioning how this afternoon when I made him sit at the table to eat lunch, he got pissed and reached out with his hand and just swiped at my wife's drink in an attempt to knock it over. It slopped all over, but he didn't quite get it. I think that pissed him off further! So yes, my kids are spoiled rotten. I'm trying really hard to eliminate the mentioned behavior, and I think that's part of the problem. I think they are so used to getting their way, that now when I push back a little, they have a really hard time dealing with it. And yes, I want to spoil them further by taking them to Disney World! What am I thinking huh?
A couple of years away.
So yeah, I really want to take my family on a Disney World vacation. Stacy and I have been talking about for a couple of years now, and a big(actually the biggest, hugest factor) is money. A while back I purchased a couple of books about how to go about planning a Disney vacation and learned a lot about how to do it. Walt Disney World will let you pay on your vacation for a year before you go, and that is going to help. However, we are at least a year away from being able to start a year long payment plan. We are hoping to use part of this year's tax refund to get us started. Then use next year's refund to start the payment plan. We have looked into the type of vacation we would like, and the cost of it. I realize that packages are going to change in the next couple of years, but at least we know sort of what we would like to do. The thing is, the cost of the vacation through Disney leaves out a lot of expenses. We live in Michigan, and Disney is in Florida. I think it's cheaper to drive, so gas is a cost. Of course, I'm not driving straight through to Florida with my wife and kids. I did that as an 18 year old high school senior, and this is not the same type of vacation. Although to an 18 year old guy, Daytona Beach is sort of like Disney World! Anyway, we would have to spend the night in a hotel on the way there, and on the way home. So there is another expense. On top of that, all four of us in this family have developed this horrible habit that we all have to do each day. For the life of me, I can't quit. And, neither can my wife and kids. It's called eating. We all do it, everyday. So food is another expense. I suspect that while we are at the park there will be a few items(and by a few I mean a gazillion)that my kids will HAVE to have. If I'm taking them to Disney World, how can I tell them no to five different types of stuffed toys? So, yet another expense. At least the vacation packages offered have food built into them so we won't have to pay for food at the park. So where I'm going with this is, we will have to save above and beyond just our lodging and park passes in order to make this happen.
Those commercials.
Disney doesn't play fair when it comes to this either. They have these commercials where the parents surprise the kids in different ways of letting them know that they are either at Disney, or are going to Disney. I really want to see that reaction from my kids that the kids in the commercials have. I want to see the pure joy and excitement on my kids faces. I want Stacy and I to be those parents who get to watch their kids go crazy because they know they are going to Disney World. Yes, I know that a vacation isn't what should define happiness for us, but dammit I really want to take them to Disney World. That is one of the many dreams I have as a parent.
Ideas?
Thank you and I hope you have had a great weekend.
My man and I want to take our kids to Disney World too! We just decided to start putting away money from every paycheck to make it happen. We're starting a savings account next week!
ReplyDeleteGood luck. And yes, definitely push back with your kids. They will thank you for it later, as adults, when they don't get their way and they handle it just fine. :)
Well if Disney is what you want, then go for it! But you won't be seeing me there anytime soon. The older I get, the more that I hate amusement parks. We do Hershey Park about once a year and that is enough. And that's only because we are given free tickets.
ReplyDeleteDisney World? I could think of a billion other things to spend a couple of thousand dollars on.
But if you do go, post some pictures of it.
Your Friend, m.
I hope your Disney dreams come true this year, and you can look into a camera and say, much like Super Bowl winners, "WE'RE GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!!!!"
ReplyDeleteHowever, you might want to bring a few extra plastic bags with you, you know, just in case the heads of your children explode from all the excitement. Because it totally could happen.
One can never be too prepared...
HA! I haven't been to disney world or disney land since I was a teenager (grew up in SoCal). I went to epcot center the same year that it opened, and when everything, as I remember it, was perfectly spotless and shiny new. Wow! Good memories. Your post makes me think that maybe I should see about taking my kids someday soon.
ReplyDeleteWe are starting to save to take our three for their fifth birthday. We are also not going to tell them until we get there. Disney has some pretty good deals going but it is still VERY expensive. My Brother in law went with his in-laws and 13 out of 16 of them got the stomach flu:(
ReplyDeleteYou gotta start teaching them about ramifications. They don't "have" to do what you ask but then they suffer the consequences. Lay out their choices and let them decide. One day I ended up putting ALL of their toys away and they had to earn them back. No treats, no favorite foods, etc.... Heck, make some up. I often times throw out there "too bad you all have not been behaving today, I was going to take you all to Chuck E Cheese but you don't get to go because of your poor behavior." Sure they scream for an hour but it is REALLY funny:)
My ex wife took the kids their with the Trainer, on her parental's ticket. I'm fine that I missed it, I've been once without kids and never care to go again.
ReplyDeleteAs a thought, its much cheaper if you go off season...stay away during the summer and spring breaks, etc. Choose some random week like October or something where most kids are in school and they offer much cheaper rates. Also I'd stay off of the resort and you can usually get a much cheaper hotel rate then staying on resort unless you get a package deal.
As far as kids being spoiled, all kids are spoiled to some degree. Its just keeping it reigned in that's the problem.
Ditto to what ChopperPapa said. Besides the cheaper aspect, there will be a lot less people. I've only ever been to Disney Land, but imagine it's similar. Don't be surprised to see a $15 ham sandwich in some of the places. At Disneyland they have the Downtown District. Nice places to eat and they're a lot cheaper than in the park itself. Don't know about Disney World though.
ReplyDeleteThank you everyone for your comments. ChopperPapa, we are planning on a May 2013 visit and we are going for a package, we want to be right on site.
ReplyDeleteTexas Trio, we also are going to surprise our kids with the trip. I can't wait to see the reaction.
Keith, you should. It's a trip every kid should make. I went once as a kid and once in high school. Always cool.
Mark, I usually hate crowds but I'm willing to put up with it for my little ones. I'll have to try real hard not be cranky about it though.
Clare, thanks for the idea of plastic bags! I'm sure the kids will be that excited that the heads will go boom!