Even the biggest Disney World experts make expensive mistakes.
There’s no denying that a Walt Disney World vacation is expensive. However, veterans of the park often know how to navigate a trip to the “Most Magical Game on Earth” without breaking the bank. However, that doesn’t mean they’re impervious to mistakes. We asked some of the biggest Disney experts we know — OUR READERS — to let us know some of their costliest Disney World financial faux pas.
Let’s start with reader Sarah, who explains how a small moment of forgetfulness led to a huge commitment. She began, “My husband forgot his toothbrush. Went to the market at Pop Century & started talking to the DVC guy…had an appointment to “check it out” the next day….bought into DVC. That’s an expensive toothbrush!” However, they do specify that in the end this “mistake turned out for the best”, writing that it had “…has paid for itself!” A mighty feat considering that costs for DVC are thousands and thousands of dollars.
Meanwhile, reader André expressed a sentiment familiar to many parents, “Buying too many souvenirs when the kids were little. Could have financed another trip with all the junk we brought back home.” Several readers expressed similar souvenir sentiments, lamenting spending money on everything from Disney pins to collectibles.
Reader Tracey shared the expensive ramifications of misplacing a personal heirloom at the parks, writing that her family’s most expensive mistake was, “My husband taking off his wedding ring to remove a bandaid and wash his hands at the bathrooms by TRON and forgetting to put it back on after drying his bands and realizing it a few hours later. So of course, a report was filed with lost and found, but they closed it after a week as it wasn’t turned in.”
Several readers expressed regret at staying off the property, including writer Michelle, who wrote, “Wasting time and money staying off property and renting a car to get around. The cost of the room with the discounts isn’t that much more when I subtract the time and hassle of a rental car.”
Finally, many responses revolved around the dangers of booking a trip to Central Florida during Hurricane season, with many readers lamenting that their trips were affected by weather-related issues.
These are just some of the financial mistakes our Disney expert readers shared with us. Stay tuned to AllEars for more on how to best avoid issues on a Disney vacation.
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What was the worst financial mistake you’ve ever made at Walt Disney World? Let us know in the comments below.
Buying into the whole lightening lane program .total waste of money.most lines were not that long.the rides we wanted for the day were already unavailable.It rained and then our ride for the fast pass was shut down.
To be honest NONE, I am older now a great grandpa. I look back at the trips to DW even back to 73 with my mother. No, back then we were not rich enough for souvenirs, When I started a family, there was no cost cap. We have stayed in every Disney resort at hand. Eaten the buffet at the Swan Dolphin, eaten at every park rest, bought more pins balloons and hats than most visitors. I even tried to buy the hat off the head of the Peter Pan pirate they have in a greet and meet, Disney said all they have to offer has a price, well, I found out that hat is off limits. I also bought seasonal items, begged for things to be brought back, and begged for DW not to let complainers or threats of boycotts change their design. Some they listened, some they ignored and gave into complaints, I will never forgive the change to the fudge. But all in all, let me ask, those tired out kids, those smiles of a lifetime, the pina coladas in pineapples or the mai tais in the polynesian resort shared with our wife and family, those countless smiles, how do you put a price on that?? IMHO WE have visited all over this planet and when it comes to WDW the memories the smiles always come back when visiting, My fondest memory is eating ice cream off main street at the Sealtest Shop with my mom in 76, when is was so crowded they shut down entry.