OT - Skyrocketing travel costs

[o_Hot Rock]

No offense, but this sounds like the dumbest, most expensive vacation ever. Sure, it will be great for a few days, but I don't know how it works in your household, but as soon as my wife found out that "and I mean anything" equals cocaine and hookers, she's going to be pissy and file for a divorce that will be more expense and hassle than if we had just gone to disney. I mean, probably just barely more expense and hassle, but still more.

Yes, hookers blow could be had there but we didn't participate, not even in the Mary Jane smoke. Not my style, if it were, my wife would have left long ago. We chose things like legit massages - no finishing moves, a house band for $100, guide to local spots etc...

Did I mention the pool on the roof?

Expensive? The them park cost about $50 for a day - jeep ride in jungle, you driving, Zip Lining, and swimming in the Cenote in the CAVES and that was for each couple. We got all the theme park stuff we wanted. Very cheap compared to in the States.

Chichen ITZA - Mayan Ruins were awesome. I loved that day ... $30 for a tour guide for about 2-3 hours for whole group and gas out there. Expensive? Several went Scuba diving that cost a bit but I don't Scuba dive. I did the snorkeling thingy and well worth that little bit of $ maybe $20 for boat ride out but opt in for the wet suit, you are in the freaking Ocean dropped off at least a mile from shore and you need it. A school of Jellyfish ain't no joke.

Beach is there every day and free.

Only expensive thing all week was the car we rented, the house came with bicycles that we used to run around the neighborhood. Split that rental a couple ways and it gets cheap quick. We paid for all the rental since it was a wedding. Everyone just had to buy their plane tickets but that's a helluva deal for them as the wedding was only one day of the week.

You need to find the perfect house to rent. It can be in the States and share it with another couple or two. Near a place you want to go. Mtns? We did Cashiers NC a year or so ago and drove over. Nice place... hiking, just a place to chill for a few days. I have found VRBO rentals in Eureaka Springs, Natchez, Gulf Coast, Mtns, Mexico, St Thomas, New York, Chicago, Domican worst food ever there - restaurants stink and expensive - don't go but house was great and played a great golf course (Teeth of the Dog) but way too expensive.

Decide where you like to go and see what's there to rent. Hell, we rented a house in Nashville for a Titans game walking distance from Stadium cheaper than a hotel and had a freaking house. Sure, we split cost with the wife's son but the concept is sound if you have a travel couple or two.

 

[HulksStache]

I assume a mental disorder whenever I meet an adult who loves Disney. Got to be some psychological scarring there…
Carrying a disabled child or carrying the young ones is different…. But an adult who loves it is strange.
17 Disney

 

[The Peeper]

Does she wear the costumes in the bedroom?***

In the immortal words of Jackie Wayne Sherrill, it would be a "big big plus" if she did

 

[bolddogge]

I'm too old for a tent but seriously thinking about a truck camper or building out a cargo trailer.

I picked up a used class A diesel pusher and Jeep to pull behind it. You can get a good deal if you're selective and take your time. We mainly use them going to Starkville for long weekends and stay at Moreland's. However, we've also taken them to the smokeys and orange beach. I fell in love with Yellowstone a couple of years ago. When I retire about 7 years from now, I'm taking them up there when the roads open up in the spring and staying till the snow chases me back south in the fall.

 

[Podgy]

Hotels have gotten absurd. VRBOs don't seem to have gotten as absurd. It's crazy to me to see bottom rung Marriott, Hilton, and IHG chains charging $300+ a night in non-vacation destinations.

The disney adults are sad to me. And Disney is going to kill itself long term. They aren't really coming out with childhood defining movies anymore and they are pricing out a lot of families. If you don't indoctrinate people with Disney nostalgia, the parks are pretty damn unappealing. I took our kids when they watched Mickey mouse and donal duck and whoever and were young enough to be excited about the characters, and it was fun, if expensive, but I'd have to come across a hell of a deal or otherwise be a lot more well off to get far enough down my list of places to go to go back to Disney.

ETA: I like 30A, but it is so absurdly overrated at this point it's comical. Particularly Seaside, Watercolor, Alys beach, and Rosemary. Some of the older spots sandwhiched in between, and particularly west of watercolor are not as bad. But going during peak season is down my list.

The best thing about Disney is Epcot. Instead of Epcot, just go to Europe and have fun. It's likely cheaper or not much more expensive. Spending a week in Paris later this year and including flight and entrance fees to museum's concerts etc. it's running me about $5 grand.

 

[She Mate Me]

Can’t believe you’d talk about your own offspring that way***

It's like he pre-shat on his pre-kid.

 

[kired]

It's the boomers retiring and blowing their money on travel. Have you eaten breakfast in a hotel lately? It will be full of people over 60. They're taking cruises like maniacs. Taking the entire family to Disney so they can spend a week with the grandkids. Going to all the places they couldn't when they were working.

Google it. I'm serious.

 

[Leeshouldveflanked]

 

[ronpolk]

But a woman by herself wearing those ears might be a crazy good time after the park closes.***

You think it’s fun…. Until you’re wearing those ears getting pegged***

 

[ronpolk]

Yes, hookers blow could be had there but we didn't participate, not even in the Mary Jane smoke. Not my style, if it were, my wife would have left long ago. We chose things like legit massages - no finishing moves, a house band for $100, guide to local spots etc...

Did I mention the pool on the roof?

Expensive? The them park cost about $50 for a day - jeep ride in jungle, you driving, Zip Lining, and swimming in the Cenote in the CAVES and that was for each couple. We got all the theme park stuff we wanted. Very cheap compared to in the States.

Chichen ITZA - Mayan Ruins were awesome. I loved that day ... $30 for a tour guide for about 2-3 hours for whole group and gas out there. Expensive? Several went Scuba diving that cost a bit but I don't Scuba dive. I did the snorkeling thingy and well worth that little bit of $ maybe $20 for boat ride out but opt in for the wet suit, you are in the freaking Ocean dropped off at least a mile from shore and you need it. A school of Jellyfish ain't no joke.

Beach is there every day and free.

Only expensive thing all week was the car we rented, the house came with bicycles that we used to run around the neighborhood. Split that rental a couple ways and it gets cheap quick. We paid for all the rental since it was a wedding. Everyone just had to buy their plane tickets but that's a helluva deal for them as the wedding was only one day of the week.

You need to find the perfect house to rent. It can be in the States and share it with another couple or two. Near a place you want to go. Mtns? We did Cashiers NC a year or so ago and drove over. Nice place... hiking, just a place to chill for a few days. I have found VRBO rentals in Eureaka Springs, Natchez, Gulf Coast, Mtns, Mexico, St Thomas, New York, Chicago, Domican worst food ever there - restaurants stink and expensive - don't go but house was great and played a great golf course (Teeth of the Dog) but way too expensive.

Decide where you like to go and see what's there to rent. Hell, we rented a house in Nashville for a Titans game walking distance from Stadium cheaper than a hotel and had a freaking house. Sure, we split cost with the wife's son but the concept is sound if you have a travel couple or two.

With all this sharing rental houses… don’t lie, you have a pineapple by your front door don’t you?*****

 

[FreeDawg]

It’s supply and demand. More families prioritize traveling so it’s more expensive due to lack of supply. Families damn near take a 2nd mortgage to tell their friends they went to 30a. The emerald coast is insane in the spring summer but they get cheaper august and give it away by late fall. Meanwhile, the Fla keys or Fort Lauderdale/Boca is cheaper summer and crazy in winter.

Me and my wife always go on a weekend trip the weekend after NYE for my birthday and it’s dirt cheap everywhere because no one travels then.

Gotta plan and research to find the gems. They are there if you look. That said, it blows my mind what people will pay to go to Gulf Shores, Alabama. Rental house for $6k? Shiiiit, I’m going to the 305 and spending less and having a blast.

 

[desotodawg]

I try to leverage my corporate discounts as much as possible. I work for a company that has negotiated lots of discounts with hotel chains and rental cars ( and other discounts phones, computers, etc). I also have friends that work at Hilton so get to use friends discounts. And of course AAA discounts. Every bit helps. Also, we will get gift cards from Kroger before paying for big items or food chains that we may eat at. That 4x gas points comes in handy.

 

[o_Hot Rock]

With all this sharing rental houses… don’t lie, you have a pineapple by your front door don’t you?*****

Nope, but there is a pink flamingo under a magnolia tree in front of my guest house at my lake cottage and a few weird as statues and a metal chicken hidden.

 

[ckDOG]

…wife was so mad I almost didn’t get any that night.

So you're saying she rode space mountain twice that day?

 

[OG Goat Holder]

Say this again 1000 times. People complain about things they want like its things they need.

I want a 2024 chevy tahoe.
I need a 2014 toyota corolla.
(FYI i have a 2024 chevy tahoe but i'm not complaining about things i need or want)

I want to spend $300 a week on groceries and dining out
I only need about $100 a week for food

So is NIL a want or need?

 

[OG Goat Holder]

It’s supply and demand. More families prioritize traveling so it’s more expensive due to lack of supply. Families damn near take a 2nd mortgage to tell their friends they went to 30a. The emerald coast is insane in the spring summer but they get cheaper august and give it away by late fall. Meanwhile, the Fla keys or Fort Lauderdale/Boca is cheaper summer and crazy in winter.

Me and my wife always go on a weekend trip the weekend after NYE for my birthday and it’s dirt cheap everywhere because no one travels then.

Gotta plan and research to find the gems. They are there if you look. That said, it blows my mind what people will pay to go to Gulf Shores, Alabama. Rental house for $6k? Shiiiit, I’m going to the 305 and spending less and having a blast.

Truth. Absolute truth.

If you can’t bring free yourself from the Jones stuff you can do alright.

 

[paindonthurt]

So is NIL a want or need?

Gonna let your double digit IQ figure that one out

 

[Pilgrimdawg]

We have relatives that go to Disney at least once every year with their adult age children and then complain for the rest of the year about how little money they have. I just shake my head. In the words of Ron White, you can’t fix stupid.

 

[patdog]

l

In the immortal words of Jackie Wayne Sherrill, it would be a "big big plus" if she did

I agree.

 

[DAWGSANDSAINTS]

We have good friends that are Disney adults. They bought lifetime passes years ago plus they have some kind of membership to Disney that allows them to stay free. They say it's not a time share but it's a time share. We went to Disney with them and had a blast. They knew how to get on rides without spending a fortune or standing in line for hours. They planned every day to optimize our time. They knew every shortcut. They go 4-5 times a year. Their Christmas decorations are Disney , their dinner plates are Disney, his golf bag is Disney, their couch pillows are Disney. It's an experience.

I’d go maybe couple of times and just drink/eat my way around Epcot!

 

[dawgman42]

I'm still waiting for PooPops to weigh in with an obligatory Buc-ee's vacation reference, of course.

 

[Dawgbite]

We are actually going to Disney Friday. Can confirm it’s expensive. We won’t go again for a while, but honestly as the OP mentioned travel everywhere is expensive especially in the US. Made a trip to New York a year and half ago and my goodness there was major sticker shock. Just me and the wife and our spend rate was more than a Disney trip.

I think we’ll try some camping next year to keep costs down. I’d love some other suggestions too.

Be very careful. Camping will turn into glamping and it gets expensive.

 

[johnson86-1]

The best thing about Disney is Epcot. Instead of Epcot, just go to Europe and have fun. It's likely cheaper or not much more expensive. Spending a week in Paris later this year and including flight and entrance fees to museum's concerts etc. it's running me about $5 grand.

That’s what kills me about Disney adults. We have friends that talk about going and eating and I just can’t imagine doing that instead of Chicago or New York or New Orleans or basically any decent sized city at thisbooont. You’ll be able to get better food and drinks for as cheap without dropping $100 per head to enter the park.
To me it’s not so much that Disney is terrible (although to me the crowds are), but I just don’t understand what it offers that you can’t get better and/or cheaper somewhere else, unless you are taking kids with you.

 

[FormerBully]

You think it’s fun…. Until you’re wearing those ears getting pegged***

Don’t knock it until you try it.***

 

[Dawgbite]

This is just weird. If a guy showed up to the course with a Disney golf bag me and the other members would roast him so hard he might not come back or drink himself to death. I would bet he is not into it, and she wears the pants. I can hear the jokes now, "Does she use that bag to carry the toys she pegs you with?"

No, he into it too. Two stories. Disney sells collectible pins. They have booths in each park maned by staff that you can trade any of your pins for any pin on the table. The goal is to complete themed sets, of course there is always one pin of every set that is in limited supply. You can also trade with other people gathered around these booths. He always carries this backpack big enough for a carryon and has a portfolio full if these collectible pins. Some of these pin sets are worth hundreds and possibly thousands of dollars to other collectors once completed. I’ve watched him bargain with 10 year old kids over pins and swap them a $3 pin for a $200 pin because they didn’t know what they had.
Second story. We leave for animal kingdom one morning, sun is shining and it’s fairly warm for February but rain is predicted later in the day. An hour after getting to the park it starts to drizzle ever so slightly and we’re in shorts , T-shirt, and sneakers. We’re all four standing in line waiting for the safari and he pulls a full rain suit, rubber boots, and an egg sandwich out of that backpack and proceeds to change right in line.
I initially thought it was weird but I’ve since become a little envious. I wish I had something that I was that passionate about. Everyone needs something in their life that makes them feel 12 years old again.

 

[John Deaux VII]

That’s what kills me about Disney adults. We have friends that talk about going and eating and I just can’t imagine doing that instead of Chicago or New York or New Orleans or basically any decent sized city at thisbooont. You’ll be able to get better food and drinks for as cheap without dropping $100 per head to enter the park.
To me it’s not so much that Disney is terrible (although to me the crowds are), but I just don’t understand what it offers that you can’t get better and/or cheaper somewhere else, unless you are taking kids with you.

I agree with this 100%. I like to travel, eat, and drink. I was on the fence about Disney and one of my wife's selling pitches to me was the food - "its fabulous food" she said, "you will love the food" she said, "they sell beer in the parks" she said. The food at the parks is better than what you get at Six Flags or the State Fair. The nicer restaurants in the parks and at the resorts are certainly good, but it's also not worth what you pay and nothing compared to what you get at nice dining establishments in Orlando or in Jackson for that matter. We've been twice over the past three years and Del Frisco in Orlando has been the best meal I've had.

 

[FormerBully]

No, he into it too. Two stories. Disney sells collectible pins. They have booths in each park maned by staff that you can trade any of your pins for any pin on the table. The goal is to complete themed sets, of course there is always one pin of every set that is in limited supply. You can also trade with other people gathered around these booths. He always carries this backpack big enough for a carryon and has a portfolio full if these collectible pins. Some of these pin sets are worth hundreds and possibly thousands of dollars to other collectors once completed. I’ve watched him bargain with 10 year old kids over pins and swap them a $3 pin for a $200 pin because they didn’t know what they had.
Second story. We leave for animal kingdom one morning, sun is shining and it’s fairly warm for February but rain is predicted later in the day. An hour after getting to the park it starts to drizzle ever so slightly and we’re in shorts , T-shirt, and sneakers. We’re all four standing in line waiting for the safari and he pulls a full rain suit, rubber boots, and an egg sandwich out of that backpack and proceeds to change right in line.
I initially thought it was weird but I’ve since become a little envious. I wish I had something that I was that passionate about. Everyone needs something in their life that makes them feel 12 years old again.

This has honestly left me speechless. I want to laugh but it is very impressive. I mean at least it makes him happy. My joy, State sports, does the opposite and none of my collectives are worth anythingZ

 

[Dawgbite]

This has honestly left me speechless. I want to laugh but it is very impressive. I mean at least it makes him happy. My joy, State sports, does the opposite and none of my collectives are worth anythingZ

They have a T-shirt printing thing set up in a spare bedroom. They make matching themed tshirts for every day at Disney. Sometimes it’s the whole family with the kids and grandkids but most of the time it’s just the two of them

 

[RotorHead]

As far as my traveling to and from these places? That is cheaper than ever for me. I had a Yamaha Roadstar that my wife and I would take trips all around the south. That bike got 60 mpg or so and I thought that was cheap. My EV gets the equivalent of 120 MPG to drive, you ICE burners are dumb. ****, I can drive across this whole country for $100.

Then Air BNB or VRBO etc... meet another Couple or two and share the house expenses. (Usually, our adult children and their kids).

We rented a house in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico for a wedding $5,000 for a week a few years back. Sounds high... 12 bedrooms, 5 levels, a bar level, a separate semi outdoor area for just massages at $20 ea, concierge that cost $50 a day that house owner paid. That guy could get you anything and I mean anything. House came with a French Chef who didn't speak English but the Concierge spoke 5 languages. He charged $7 a person per meal to cook and you bought the groceries and cook he could. Great meals! That concierge saved us $100's avoiding the mafia controlled Taxi's etc.

Split that with four or five families and you got a helluva vacation near great Scuba diving, X-Treme Park - zip line, jeeps in jungle, underground swimming in Cenote', Chichen Itza (Pyramids), beach and a guy that can get you whatever. Vegas ain't ****. Biggest expense was plane tickets.

17 AirBnB or VRBO. Tried to get one recently. Due to me not having “guest reviews” I couldn’t get one because they didn’t trust me. Screw them and the horse they rode in on

 

[karlchilders.sixpack]

This has probably been said, but during covid, a large number of motels rooms and restaurants shut down.
This is not the type stuff you flip a switch and start back up.
I've seen numerous motels torn down, bulldozed, etc.

 

[dorndawg]

This has probably been said, but during covid, a large number of motels rooms and restaurants shut down.
This is not the type stuff you flip a switch and start back up.
I've seen numerous motels torn down, bulldozed, etc.

Everybody else reads his posts in Carl’s voice, right? I add in the Mmmmm Hmmm.

 

[mcdawg22]

Well, frozen came out 12 years ago. I guess I was thinking none of their movies in the past 10 years have really been childhood defining like it was, although Moana isn't quite 10 years old. I'm probably not giving enough credit to how much staying power a lot of their movies have. I'm sure young girls still love frozen (probably helped by frozen II coming out). Toy Story movies and lion king are probably still staples. So that with the traditional micky, donald, pluto, goofy type stuff is probably still creating nostalgia that is a huge advantage to them.

I do think the Harry POtter franchise and its tie-in to Universal is a challenge unlike Disney has had. Mario land (or is it nintendo land?) is also going to maybe be a challenge to them that is stronger than they have had I think.

I’m not sure what you mean by Harry Potter challenge. My daughter is a generation after the movies and several of her friends loved the books and love Universal because of it. I personally love Universal for Velocicoaster, Hulk, Mummy, Hagrid’s, Rio Ride Rocket, and Volcano Bay, but I’m an adolescent manchild.

 

[horshack.sixpack]

I'd rather live next door to an axe murderer than a disney adult.

Every Disney adult I know is a Disney travel agent to offset their addiction cost.

 

[horshack.sixpack]

That is exactly what they are saying, and yes, it is absurd. They live among us.

You can recognize them by their mouse ears.

 

[horshack.sixpack]

I assume these are the same people who go out for a romantic dinner at Chuck E. Cheese.**

 

[johnson86-1]

I’m not sure what you mean by Harry Potter challenge. My daughter is a generation after the movies and several of her friends loved the books and love Universal because of it. I personally love Universal for Velocicoaster, Hulk, Mummy, Hagrid’s, Rio Ride Rocket, and Volcano Bay, but I’m an adolescent manchild.

I mean challenge to disneys dominance as far as childhood defining intellectual property. They haven’t faced anything that I can think of that can challenge Disney’s hold on childhood the way Harry Potter can. A little apples to oranges as Harry Potter is for ages after Mickey and friends, where universal still can’t compete, but I can’t think of another series/franchise that is a threat to them like that. Star Wars probably was a potential threat to them, but they bought it and set it on fire. avengers is a great IP, but it’s for a little older crowd and they have probably hurt the potential for it to be generation crossing by over saturating that market and not just allowing there to be a cool off where people 15 years apart grew up with the same movies before rebooting.
There’s probably something I’m not thinking of, but it’s the only zip that comes to like that has had people obsessed over multiple generations.

 

[mcdawg22]

I mean challenge to disneys dominance as far as childhood defining intellectual property. They haven’t faced anything that I can think of that can challenge Disney’s hold on childhood the way Harry Potter can. A little apples to oranges as Harry Potter is for ages after Mickey and friends, where universal still can’t compete, but I can’t think of another series/franchise that is a threat to them like that. Star Wars probably was a potential threat to them, but they bought it and set it on fire. avengers is a great IP, but it’s for a little older crowd and they have probably hurt the potential for it to be generation crossing by over saturating that market and not just allowing there to be a cool off where people 15 years apart grew up with the same movies before rebooting.
There’s probably something I’m not thinking of, but it’s the only zip that comes to like that has had people obsessed over multiple generations.

Gotcha. Yeah i misunderstood. It is hilarious to me Universal has the Marvel Super hero town and Simpson’s town and Disney owns Marvel and the Simpsons now. From all accounts the Suoer Nintendo World at Epic is unbelievable. But to your point Shrek, How to Train Your Deagon, and Minions are not going to have the same staying power as the rat.

 

[She Mate Me]

They have a T-shirt printing thing set up in a spare bedroom. They make matching themed tshirts for every day at Disney. Sometimes it’s the whole family with the kids and grandkids but most of the time it’s just the two of them

I gotta be honest. I'm beginning to think your friendship with these people should bring your SPS cred into question.

 

[jethreauxdawg]

I’m not sure what you mean by Harry Potter challenge. My daughter is a generation after the movies and several of her friends loved the books and love Universal because of it. I personally love Universal for Velocicoaster, Hulk, Mummy, Hagrid’s, Rio Ride Rocket, and Volcano Bay, but I’m an adolescent manchild.

We went to universal a few years ago, didn’t want to go. Had a blast. Went back this year. Those roller coasters are a blast…until my head starts to hurt.

 

[jethreauxdawg]

I mean challenge to disneys dominance as far as childhood defining intellectual property. They haven’t faced anything that I can think of that can challenge Disney’s hold on childhood the way Harry Potter can. A little apples to oranges as Harry Potter is for ages after Mickey and friends, where universal still can’t compete, but I can’t think of another series/franchise that is a threat to them like that. Star Wars probably was a potential threat to them, but they bought it and set it on fire. avengers is a great IP, but it’s for a little older crowd and they have probably hurt the potential for it to be generation crossing by over saturating that market and not just allowing there to be a cool off where people 15 years apart grew up with the same movies before rebooting.
There’s probably something I’m not thinking of, but it’s the only zip that comes to like that has had people obsessed over multiple generations.

Mario. Universal just built a new Mario themed park.