Wednesday, August 19, 2009

OK, I just vented at Mickey Mouse *sigh*

I just got an email asking for input on an article for Family Fun about all-inclusive vacation spots. As part of their "reader panel", they wanted to know what places I would suggest for a future article. Since I use their magazine often to spend LESS money, I was a bit irked. In a fit, I just hit "send" on the following:

"Are you serious? In this economy? All inclusive vacations? Who has money for those?

I live in Michigan and my husband works in the manufacturing field. Our county is in the top 3 for highest unemployment rates in the state. My husband's hours have wavered between 24-40 hrs/wk since January - a cut of 2/5 of our income. He's in school full-time as well (covered by a full-ride grant/scholarship) for a career change/retraining so he cannot get a 2nd job nor watch the kids so I can go back to work. If we hadn't had some savings, we'd have lost the house in April. I'm feeding four of us on a $65/week grocery budget.

We haven't been on vacation for longer than a 3-day weekend in nearly 6 years. We've cut up all our credit cards so it would take us YEARS to save up enough to take a vacation like that. We have Chicago an hour away and South Bend 45 min away and we hadn't been to either in over a year. Michigan Adventure and Great Wolf Lodge are within a half-day drive and we have NEVER been to either.

I understand your parent company is Disney but c'mon!"

Why do I get the feeling I'm gonna have Mickey Mouse show up at my door in retribution now? LOL

4 comments:

sara said...

Well that was one marketing technique that backfired on them.

rebecca said...

Amen. I mean, the only people who an afford things like cruises are going on their once in a lifetime trip and are in their 70s.

The closest we get is a trip (by PLANE! cause that's a big deal) to visit grandparents who pay for everything while we are there. They also give very generous birthday gifts ($$$) to help pay for the tickets. Other than that, we don't travel. Travel is for people that have extraneous income or like debt.

The Happy Housewife said...

Well I think you could take Mickey if he showed up, he is really short in real life, lol!
I agree with you. You have every right to vent. Times are hard right now! How about an article on staycations or something about saving for the future!
I know you all have had a rough year, but I admire you for hanging in there!
Toni

Kimberly said...

It is so hard in these times! After a year of me with no job and mounting bills with dwindling savings... I got a small part time job. The money for that is going to vacations. We were given free condo stays, and had to cancel last year... Sometimes I doubt that decision, but after what my family went through last year... We decided life is too short to not vacation. IF we can pay all cash and not get in debt. Hoping that works out for us.

Hang in there mom! And a little venting at Disney is worth it! ;)