The Economy

Went to Epcot in 1986 and stumbled into the premier of Captain Eo, which was cool. After we went bar-hopping til late. Dragged ourselves back to my buddy's cousin's place -- she was a columnist at the Tampa Times -- and she said we were the drunkest people she'd ever seen. I disputed her claim from the living room floor, which is where I landed after falling off the couch.

 

Outing: Driftwood is Ric Flair.

 

Went to DisneyWorld on our honeymoon. Debated an oh the cost and thought about going somewhere that we could drive too and my Mom said, “You only have a honeymoon once. Go to Disney and put it on your credit card.”

Cost roughly $2,500 in late 90s dollars. Took a few years to pay off on a newspaperman’s salary. Priceless memories, though.

 

Or Goalmouth based on his story.

 

A dollar in purchasing power in 1990 is equal to about $2.40 now. Let’s assume wages have also risen at least some during that time.

U.S. population in 1990 was about 250 million. Now it’s about 330 million.

That $1.1 trillion is carried by about 30 percent more people than in 1990, whose wages are possibly two to three times what they were in 1990.

Not saying there still isn’t more relative credit card debt, but throwing out the raw numbers as if that puts a QED on things isn’t the soundest thing to do, in my opinion.

 

DriftWOOd

 

If you haven’t been to Disney as an adult, just imagine you’re waiting in line at the DMV, and … that’s it.

— Jim Gaffigan

 

Oldest ride, longest line!

 

I gave up personal credit cards years ago. No humongous debt, but now I get turned down applying for a card because I have no credit history...

 

I read somewhere, long ago, kids remember most of their youth as between the ages of 8 yrs - 12 yrs. So I took it to heart and did Disney during a Thanksgiving break, part of it missing school, but it coincided with a family reunion in GA. Then we did skiing in Colorado; California from San Fran to LA; and Lake Winnipesaukee in NH. They do think we always had great vacations. ONCE to Disney. Never again. Often to Lake Winnipesaukee. Never with a loan to pay. I could take my grandkids for 2 nights in a local "Comfort Suites Hotel" and it would be a memorable vacation with the indoor pool. People need to think.