How do people my age afford to go to Disney so much?!

Joined
Apr 10, 2017
I am in my mid 20s. College graduate, professional job, but still low on the totem pole. I follow a lot of people on Instagram who go to Disney like 5 times a year. And I get it if you live close and can drive, which I used to, so I went more frequently. Now I have to fly. A particular person I follow has to fly. And she goes multiple times a year! And I don't get how!

Let me say that I'm not hating on these people in any way, I ask this question because I WISH I could do that! Like how do you get that much time off? How do you afford that many flights? They go on weekends, which isn't always the cheapest time to fly. Obviously they have annual passes, which I plan on getting, but it's still mind boggling!

I totally get how people who are older afford it, as they probably make a lot more money than me, have more time off accrued, etc.

I'm guessing maybe credit cards? Man, I wish I knew how to go that much because I would!
 
I wouldn't be surprised to find out a lot of it is paid for using credit. I also think the internet and social media has made it APPEAR that a lot more people do uncommon things than the ACTUAL number of people do them. Does the average 20-something just starting their career make frequent trips? Probably not. But the ones who do are all over social media so that it looks like more people are making it happen than actually are.
 
I am one of those people - yes it’s credit cards points. I live close to Houston & Southwest has very reasonable direct flight to Orlando. I’ve already been twice this year & going 3 times this next month. Just weekend trips cause I work & take my son with me. I have the SW Companion Pass (so my son fly’s for free) and mine are covered with points. My rooms are covered with points as well. Chase is my primary points earning cards - I charge everything (all monthly bills & regular spending then pay them off in full every month). Chase Sapphire Preferred is a good Card paired with the Freedom. Check out The..... I Love Credit Cards Board on here. It’s very informative. You CAN do it!
 
I am one of those people - yes it’s credit cards points. I live close to Houston & Southwest has very reasonable direct flight to Orlando. I’ve already been twice this year & going 3 times this next month. Just weekend trips cause I work & take my son with me. I have the SW Companion Pass (so my son fly’s for free) and mine are covered with points. My rooms are covered with points as well. Chase is my primary points earning cards - I charge everything (all monthly bills & regular spending then pay them off in full every month). Chase Sapphire Preferred is a good Card paired with the Freedom. Check out The..... I Love Credit Cards Board on here. It’s very informative. You CAN do it!

I read a story once of a dad that took child for one day. Flew in early , had backpack with change of clothes, left late at night. Only went to MK. They lived maybe a state or two away, so short flight.
 


We save our pennies lol. We dont go out to eat or movies but rarely. We dont buy a bunch of stuff We try to save for 12 months if possible. Last year we went 3 times in a calendar year because of 2 bonuses I got at work.
 
Uh well for us we didn't. Took over a decade off post college(went 4 times in college)while we got our finances in order before we went again. Plus we did a few other trips in that time like London, Paris, Tokyo, Denver, San Francisco, Portland, Rhode Island, Bahamas, Jamaica and Hawaii.
 


We usually fly out Friday evening or Saturday Morning & fly back Sunday evening. So we don’t miss school & work.

Also you can check out The Points Guy - he’s got some good info.
 
We save our pennies lol. We dont go out to eat or movies but rarely. We dont buy a bunch of stuff We try to save for 12 months if possible.
Yes, this. I don't have an expensive phone, buy expensive clothes, shoes, purses, get my nails done etc. Eating out is a big expense. Many people spend atleast $20 a day on just breakfast, coffee and lunch. That's $5,200 a year. Of course I do see people spend money on disney and lots of other things and I'm not sure where they get the money. My guess is some of them are getting money from their parents and some have credit card debt.
 
First everyone (well most) puts their time in when they first start out over time a lot of people will make more to a lot more money.... How they choose to spend this money is a personal preference -- Bigger house, cruises, expensive cars, Designer clothes, save a lot, retire early or maybe take more trips to Disney. We use to go more often now it is once a year we also will go somewhere else for a week ranging from a cruise to??? and few other shorter vacations that are local.... I remember being in my early 20's taking the boat to MK and dreaming of staying at the Poly and wondering how.... I also remember playing office when I was a child... how things change over time... don't rush it 20's are a good time and something you will enjoy looking back on.
 
Credit card points! Come join us on the credit card thread! I've been to either WDW or DL every year since 2015, and went to both DL and WDW last year. My husband and I are paying for our whole family (parents and brother) to go to Disney for a week this year and almost the entire cost of the trip will be paid for with credit card points.
 
Many reasons why/how they might/can do it. Combination of the below thoughts

Using their rewards
Use Airline mileage
Work bonus
Charging their trip and might not be able to afford it
Buy APs
Live close by/within driving distance
Stay at Value Resorts
Stay at DVC Resorts
Great discount resort code
Save their pennies/can be done on a budget
Buy Base tickets/Military tickets
They can simply afford to and/or have the time (off) to do it
Parents/grandparents help finance the trip
 
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Credit card points! Come join us on the credit card thread! I've been to either WDW or DL every year since 2015, and went to both DL and WDW last year. My husband and I are paying for our whole family (parents and brother) to go to Disney for a week this year and almost the entire cost of the trip will be paid for with credit card points.
I think it's certainly doable to go once a year. I've been going every year since 2013 and I take solo trips often. I went to both DL and WDW last year as well. But trying to go 5 and 6 times a year, while flying, just seems insane to me.
 
My guess is some of them are living off their parents still and the posts of fantastic trips are kind of an illusion.....(i.e. still not making their own living yet) OR they could be paid bloggers etc. Seems like a lot of people manage to make money like this....OR it could be misusing credit cards....OR it could be they read the Live credit cards thread and learn lots of good tricks there... Or they could be just rich to begin with! And I'd say AP is a must for multiple short trips in a year.
 
I think it's certainly doable to go once a year. I've been going every year since 2013 and I take solo trips often. I went to both DL and WDW last year as well. But trying to go 5 and 6 times a year, while flying, just seems insane to me.

There are several people on the credit card thread who go multiple times a year and fly from other states to do it, often just going for a long weekend. Of course, it depends on your vacation time, but it can easily be done with credit card points or cheaper flights depending on where you are.
 
My 24 year olds travel everywhere, they live cheap they live in a house, rent the other rooms including the master off for rent. Cash cars.
Fly ultra low airlines. Hotwire or stay of sky auction. They ski Colorado, stay in fancy hotels in south florida, so when they spend 2-300 on park tickets thats there biggest expense.
 
I think it depends. Yes, credit cards, but some people just have more disposable income than others.
 
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I'm a bit older than you but...
I live with my parents (no shame. my older sister lives here too and with my parents now in their 70's we all help each other out in different ways).
I'm also single and only have to pay for myself.
While I've been solo once I usually am traveling with my sister or friend so the room rate is split.
Also when I want to go multiple times in a year (wen 3 times in 2018) I am sure to book discounted rooms or packages, stay at values, and keep the trips short.
My next trip is coming up in July and this is the first time we are splurging. Its my sister and I and we are staying CL at the Contemporary. We got a BB RO discount of 30%.
This trip is basically costing the equivalent of 2 trips therefore we opted to make it in the middle of the year and its the only trip we are taking this year.
Since we don't plan on doing it again any time soon we will be able to afford 2 trips again next year.
As far as actually paying for it. I am disabled and don't really have that much money to spend which is one reason we keep the cost low to begin with (usually). Then I just put the balance on my Disney visa which gives 6 months 0% so I can make smaller payments and don't incur interest charges.
 

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