It's a Rich Man's World

I wish I had as much money as Disney seems to think I do.

I’m sure it’s nothing personal, but the Disney Corporation seems bent on making me feel poor. I don’t generally think I am.  We’re a typical family; two incomes, a mortgage payment, two car payments, one daughter who’ll be going to college in a few years, and two dogs.  Granted, I’d probably have more disposable income to send to Disney if I didn’t have Ann Taylor and Williams Sonoma locations permanently programmed into my GPS, but we won’t go there.

But whenever Disney comes out with a new and exciting travel option, I always find myself wondering who in heaven’s name (outside of lottery winners and Hollywood moguls) can afford these things.

Take for example, the 12 Night Northern European Capital Cities Cruise that Disney Cruise line offered earlier this year.  It sounded incredible.  Departing out of Dover, England, the Disney Magic sailed to Scandinavian ports such as Oslo, Copenhagen and Stockholm, then on to Warnemunde, Germany, and St. Petersburg, Russia. The Disney Magic spent the night in St. Petersburg, allowing Disney Cruise Line guests time to experience the “Cultural Capital of Russia” or use the second day to book a shore excursion to Moscow. I think this sounds incredible.  Unfortunately, so does the price.  Prices started, started, at $3,649 per person for a category 11 stateroom, double occupancy.  And this doesn’t include airfare.  So not counting incidentals, for a couple to just fly from Cleveland to London (find your own way from there to Dover; I didn’t see any flights), take the cruise and fly home, we are taking a starting price of $9,176, plus tax.  That’s, um, not in my budget. Neither are the consolation gifts I’d have to buy Kira for leaving her at home.

Equally tempting and yet totally out of my reach are some of the Adventures by Disney options.  These sound fabulous.  There’s the 6-night England and France Family Vacation (Cities of Knights and Lights) that includes a stage show, visits to Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, Notre Dame Cathedral, Versailles, the Louvre, and the Eiffel Tower.  I would love this.  But for Ray, Kira, and I (including airfare from Cleveland to London and then from Paris back home) we are talking a starting price of $14,793.  (You didn’t really want to go to college did you, Kira?)

What actually prompted me to think of this, however, was the latest ABD trip announced by Disney.  The 7-night Egypt Family Vacation includes a camel ride past the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx in Giza, 3 nights in Cairo, a 3-night Nile cruise, and a tour the temples of Philae, Kom Ombo, Edfu, Karnak and Luxor, plus the tombs of Ramses VI and King Tut in the Valley of the Kings. For nothing but the ABD trip and airfare for the three of us, the starting price is a mere $14,777.  (I better not mention this one to Kira.  She might actually choose this over a year in college.)  Also included in of this one, however, is the service of an armed guard.  Disney requires that your group have an armed guard accompanying you at all times.  Doesn’t that just make you feel warm and cozy inside?

I’m not saying that Disney’s prices are out of line.  I’m sure that if I could ever afford them, I’d feel that they were worth every penny.  I’m just saying that Disney is tempting me beyond what I can bear, here!

Am I just out of touch with the cost of vacations these days?  Can you afford these?  And if so, would you like to pay for me to come along as a babysitter for your kids?  Let me know over at http://www.facebook.com/disneygene!