Install new septic system…
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Yikes. Would that fall under Emergency or Home Improvement Fund?
Sludge fund 
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Oh no, I feel for you, we just had to have our whole sewer line replaced. It was the least fun thing to spend money on.
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We did have some notice, fortunately, and had the design work taken care of already. Unfortunately, the covid restrictions on construction activities last year caused our installer, and a number of others, to get out of that line of work. We paid a Disney vacation more than we were planning to spend. “Good thing” our 2020 Disney vacation was cancelled. 
I agree with this, and I think it will bite them in the butt long-term. I though of an analogy to explain what I think is going on with people and Disney. I mentioned this on Disboards so it might be a repeat for some people.
For some people, they are in love with Disney. So, just going and being there and seeing the castle fills their hearts with joy. They are like a couple in love, just being together is good. It is like a happy memory I have with DH. We sat and talking in the car in a friend’s driveway for over an hour because the friend was confused on the time. Really happy memory.
What went on this summer was like a couple going on a date where she’d spent money on a dress and getting her hair done because she was told they going someplace fancy. But the car broke down and all they did was sit in the car and wait for a tow truck. Her attitude would be “Well, stuff happens and I did know his car was on its last leg”:
Now we are moving into the range where he tells her to spend money getting ready for the date, then the planned activity is to sit in the car and talk. For those not deeply in love, there would be yelling and screeching and no next date.
The problem is, there are a lot of families like us that told our kids 'We are going to Disney." Even those without kids, they emotionally invested in a Disney trip by planning it and many have money tied up in Disney and plane tickets. So they are going regardless, and that will probably last for the next year. But if the parents think the vacation wasn’t worth the money spent, they won’t go back. If the kids memories of the trip is mostly of waiting in lines, they won’t want to take their kids.
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Yeah right now they are able to reap rewards because of the post-pandemic travel surge. This will not last forever, but they might get a year or two out of it ---- so they’ll do it while it works.
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Agreed. I don’t think it’s a long term strategy, but they’ll milk it for all it’s worth and then change tactics when the profits drop.
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Maybe my kids need to be introduced to UOR next trip… I hate being nickel and dimed, and WDW is already insanely expensive. I was already thinking that we might stay offsite next time we go down because of all the onsite benefits that were scrapped. (RIP DME and luggage transfer!) UOR resorts are certainly offsite 
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I have to say, we purchased Universal Annual Passes this year and we had one trip so far and it was wonderful. DS is a daredevil and he loved all the big coasters. Plus, we’re both Harry Potter nerds. Loved the money we saved (Hard Rock Hotel for less than $300 - I can’t remember the last time I got Disney Deluxe at that price!). We used it to splurge on a VIP tour, which we never could have afforded at Disney! I have 3 more universal trips booked on my AP as of now.
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I saw an article a day or so ago saying that a study said people making under $75K polled as most likely to want to go to Disney, but also as not being able to afford it. The study concluded that what’s keeping people away from the parks isn’t the virus, but the cost.
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Do you have that link? Not that I’m challenging you - I’m intrigued.
Ha just reading the bullet points tell you Disney will fail w/ their current plan.
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Riding in the car so scanning article.
They don’t talk about size of travel groups do they?
it’s always been a place where middle class schmucks like myself can feel like we’re on a luxury vacation
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No.
Here is link to an article within the posted article. They look at the average family of 4 in their numbers.
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Yes, this was the same article. I take all things like this with a grain of salt, with their generalizations etc., but I do see the point. WDW is definitely one of our most expensive endeavors so far–although I haven’t yet tried international travel with the whole family, due to the cost. (I was just about to start that when the pandemic interfered, due to my kids getting older.) I am also aware that I’ve been very lucky to have been able to take advantage of the military discounts to Disney, which are really generous.
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Here’s the thing that gets me about those articles. For sure, Disney is not cheap and even years ago I was wondering how so many families with several kids could afford it.
Having said that there are all kinds of ways to save money that these articles don’t address. It is possible to have a great time at a Disney park without going conpletely broke, just by doing some planning. In that one article a woman is complaining about a bottle of water costing $5. Well, you could bring reusable water bottles and get cups of ice water for free from QS or water fountains (if they’re useable at this point). Don’t buy Disney merch at the parks if you can get same/similar at Target or wherever. Or, if you have a car get over to the Disney outlet in Orlando.