Recently, I read an article on another site that asked the question, “Does Disney Ever Help with Low Income Families Visit Disney World?” (their wording, not mine). Of course, I knew the answer to the question being asked, but as a Disney NUT, I was curious how this question was to be answered. The response was, as I expected, “no,” Disney does not offer any specific service to assist low-income families with their Walt Disney vacation. What I did not expect, was the alternative suggested by the author. The writer went on to suggest that a person’s best approach would be to finance their vacation; either through your personal bank or a credit card.
No… Let me say again, No…
A Walt Disney World vacation is an absolute amazing experience that you and your family will treasure for years to come. What you don’t want to do, especially if you are on a limited income, is to have the expense of that vacation follow you home for years to come too. I am a big believer that everyone NEEDS a vacation. We all need that opportunity to allow our personal batteries to recharge while we reconnect with our loved ones. However, financing your vacation, at what can be ridiculous interest rates is not the way to go (as of the writing of this article, the Disney® Visa by Chase® has a 16.24% interest rate, ouch).
Let me offer you an alternative, and one of the great benefits of working with a Disney Travel Agent like the folks here at ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE TRAVEL, LLC (AIOT TRAVEL). A good agent will listen and get to know you. Many of us take pride in developing personal relationships with our clients while working with you to plan that memorable vacation. That’s what we do, we work for you, and that includes understanding your financial situation.
We know when Disney typically releases their deals and can help plan accordingly. Are you worried that there may not be a discounted offer when you’re ready to book? Book anyways, many times Disney will announce these discounts up to 4 months ahead of time. Your AIOT TRAVEL Consultant is constantly checking for these great offers and will automatically apply them to your vacation when they can.
If you find yourself struggling with the idea of how you will pay for your Disney vacation, let’s talk! We can help you plan your vacation several months or years in advance. Did you know that Disney prices are available up to 499 days in advance; that’s almost a year and a half of saving! If you can put away $100.00 a month for 16 months, you’d have $1,600.00; $150.00 a month would equal $2,400, and $200 a month… Well, that would give you $3,200.00 to put towards your dream Disney vacation. Hey, this is just putting money in a sock drawer, I’m not even going to discuss compounding interest! 😉
Your AIOT TRAVEL Consultant will also help you budget out and plan how much you will need to save to meet Disney’s “Paid in Full” deadline (typically 45 Days prior to arrival).
Not a natural saver??? That’s OK. Many direct deposit companies will allow you to set up an allotment that allows a portion of your paycheck to go into a designated account.
Afraid of having easy access to and spending the money, Disney can help with that!
Disney now offers the “Disney Vacation Account (DVA)!” This tool, operated by Disney, is an online savings plan that can help you save for your Disney vacation. When you’re ready to book, your AIOT TRAVEL, Independent Travel Consultant will book your reservation and then provide you with a confirmation number. All you will need to do is contact DVA and they will deduct the money directly from the account. Your AIOT TRAVEL Consultant will handle all other arrangements for you beyond that.
So please, take the time to contact an AIOT TRAVEL Consultant. Our time is free and many times we can save you money.
-Rob Edwards
adventureisouttheretravel.com 