09 vacation plans---planning changes?

[frenchieinme]

This 2008 summer marked a big difference in how and when tourists travelled in various parts of the US. Do you forsee yourself making slight, medium or drastic plans in your 2009 travel plans and expenses for such? With this uncertain economy we saw more people traveling closer to home this past summer. Will it carry thru to 2009 for you and your family? Where do you fit in this equation?

frenchieinme

 

[Luanne]

Our plans for summer 2009 haven't changed. We'll spend two weeks on the big island of Hawaii, both in timeshares. Flights were procured using ff miles.

 

[lprstn]

I have changed my plans...

- I gave away 2 of my weeks (Grand Caymans / Acapulco)
- I am still going on my flying trips but its ify ... they are Los Vegas/Cancun and Wisconsin Dells

For 2010...only 1 flying trip planned... (Europe)

 

[klisow]

We have altered our plans. We were supposed to go to Cancun in March, or possibly, Puerto Penasco, MX but have decided to drive down to Wilderness Club at Big Cedar in MO, instead. We just couldn't see spending that kind of money on airfare for a family of 5. In addition, we will be going for 4 days to the WI Dells and staying at Wydham's Glacier Canyon. Both of these are supposed to be great resorts, and while they don't have the warmth of the sun, they provide plenty for a family to do.

In addition, we have planned a lot of little trips within 4-5 hours from here. We use Last Call all of the time. Next weekend we are heading up to a resort in northern WI for a fall getaway for 4 days. My family cherishes this time we spend together, and I really think they look forward to these trips more than the huge, pricey ones. As long as we are making memories together, that's all that counts.

 

[IngridN]

No changes for us...DH and I live frugally and well within our means, so as long as our jobs are secure (which they are), we haven't and don't plan to make any changes in our lifestyle or vacation plans. I do realize that I am fortunate to be in that position, but then again, there are lots of things in life I would love to have (like a new car every 3 years!), but don't because I want to be in this type of position.

2 weeks in Aruba in '09 are already in place and we're not sure where we'll spend the other 2 weeks.

Ingrid

 

[rsnash]

We have our next three trips already planned and tix paid, so I'm good until after May 2009. Hopefully we won't have to make too many adjustments. An interesting side note however... one of our sidelines is writing about the food industry and we've been inquiring of some NYC restaurateurs if they have had to or plan to make adjustments. Many of their big spenders were Wall St. types. In the more locally oriented restaurants they are looking into spending less on luxury items. But one said that since most of their business is tourist, rather than locals, they haven't seen much difference in their revenue yet. But, as the tourists take fewer trips to expensive places like NYC, I have a feeling that might change. Right now those tourists are on or will be on vacations planned months ago. I'm curious what their take on it will be in 6 months when the revenue stream slows.

 

[senorak]

Have decided to limit ourselves to one "family trip" to Florida in late June and I will be traveling to San Francisco w/ my 2 younger children in late July. Normally, we take 3 or 4 TS trips during the summer.....but with my youngest planning on playing travel baseball, (and his team will go to Cooperstown in August), and my daughter starting high school, (and thus having the August hockey practices), we are limiting our trips. Hoping that I will be able to use some FF tickets for the SF trip.....and keeping my fingers crossed that I can find decent fares to Florida. Unfortunately, it doesn't look as if we will be making our annual trek to Hilton Head during the summer of '09. And I'll probably be renting out our week in the Poconos.

DEB

 

[UWSurfer]

No changes here:

1 week in Orlando, flying five of us flying from the west coast spring break

1 week at San Clemente Inn, week of July 5th.

3 nights at HGVC Flamingo for my mom's B-Day

Also have 4 nights booked in Vegas at HGVC LV Hilton stay for a tradeshow.

We're now figuring out our 2010 plans, thinking about a week in Kaui and a week in Maui, plus likely usage of our week at SCI.

 

[caribbeansun]

1 week Cayman in Jan
2 week Caribbean cruise in Feb
1 week Hilton Head in May
1 week Outer Banks in May

No changes yet but we did briefly discuss not going on the cruise.

 

[vivalour]

So far it's a typical travel year for our family, with some new plans for 2010. We also like to drive to the NE U.S. for short summer trips to visit extended family & shop. So far:
October 11-15: Nashville (business & leisure)
December 27 -Jan 2: Turks & Caicos
April 8-15: Vancouver & west coast
Just booked tickets for the winter Olympics (2010) yesterday.

 

[summervaca]

Our plans have very much changed. Last spring and summer, we did quite a bit of travelling but this year we will be sticking close to home. Our furthest trip will be Branson but otherwise, we will be staying in WI and MN. It's beautiful in the spring and summer but boy will I miss a spring trip to a tropical locale!!!

 

[Timeshare Von]

Ordinarily we would be booking our FF tickets for Hawaii late next summer, but right now we're in a holding pattern. We may still proceed but I'm leaning towards buying tickets and racking up some miles for the 2010 Alaska trip we want to do (which takes fewer miles for relatively the same cash value for the seats).

 

[Passepartout]

We throttled back on travel early last summer with the gas price increases. There has been some deferred landscape work to do and this seemed like a good time for that. (Contractors were finally available)

We are leaving for Europe on Friday (TS exchange), then have San Diego booked for January- instead of the usual mid-Winter break in Mexico. That's a little less than usual, but we did a LOT of international traveling in the last 10 years, so it doesn't hurt too badly. As the economy sours and we watch our 401(k)'s turn into 201(k)'s, other adjustments may be made.

Jim Ricks

 

[Judy]

We're retired. Travel is what we do with our time. But that might have to change. We live on our pensions and use investments for travel expenses. Everyone knows what's happened/happening to investments

 

[Big Matt]

I've completely changed my approach for 2009. I'm only going to go to resorts that I can drive to within 8 hours of my house.

I'll save money on airfare, car rentals, and I can bring most of the basic food stuff with me and avoid buying once I'm there.

 

[pianodinosaur]

We are using our HGVC points for a Spain-Canary Island cruise during the winter of 2009. We will be using our HHonors points for the hotel rooms in Barcelona immediately prior to and following the cruise. We made an RCI trade to the Red Wolf Lake Side Lodge by Lake Tahoe for the fall of 2009. We have submitted an RCI search for Barbados during the winter of 2010 but have not yet heard anything.

 

[mecllap]

Fortunately our two weeks in Grand Cayman are paid for already (except car) for the upcoming holidays -- but am backing out of planning two weeks in SoCal next Christmas. Just going to do driving trips in the SoEast, and no flying. And am no longer thinking about trying to go to China in 2010 -- I expect 2010 will also be close to home (altho still hope for one Caribbean week).

So, I'm in the "scaling back" group -- and envious of those who won't have to (altho glad that they'll be out there keeping the vacation industry going!). I'm really glad I'm not currently employed in the vacation/leisure industry.

 

[irish]

2009 vacations will be very different from past years. no ARUBA for us. will spend 2 winter weeks in florida instead. no flying to michigan see the grand kids. will be driving UGH!!! and possibly no october trip to ARIZONA but that i'm still thinking about. going to be a real change as in past years we were on a plane to somewhere about every 3rd month. oh well, the cats will be happy.

 

[KCI]

We decided months ago to plan all our timeshares within driving distance of our home for 2009. We live in SC so we can go in many directions to timeshares without having to spend a night in a motel. Our future plans include Longboat Key, Florida, Gatlinburg, TN, Marble Hill, GA, Charleston & Hilton Head, SC so far. We didn't change plans to exclude flying because of the cost, we just figured it would be a real pain to fly until the airlines figure out how to get everyone where they need to be with less planes, etc. We may break down and take one flight in 2009 but that's a big if. We have a lot of frequent flyer miles on 3 different airlines but we're just not sure we want to fly anywhere in the near future. Linda

 

[london]

Vacation Choices

No changes for us...DH and I live frugally and well within our means, so as long as our jobs are secure (which they are), we haven't and don't plan to make any changes in our lifestyle or vacation plans. I do realize that I am fortunate to be in that position, but then again, there are lots of things in life I would love to have (like a new car every 3 years!), but don't because I want to be in this type of position.

2 weeks in Aruba in '09 are already in place and we're not sure where we'll spend the other 2 weeks.

Ingrid

Your post is well taken. We are retired and make choices all the time.

Travel is important to us, and we value our travel experiences very much.

We don't need a new car every three years, so we enjoy our travel in country and out of country.

That said, with the economy on the decline, we will most likely reduce our travels.