Got Fun? Four Out of Five Americans Say No

Vacation may not be in the cards for many people this summer, but a new national survey reports that Americans refuse to throw in the towel on fun, despite the state of the economy. The Dave & Buster's Summer Fun Survey, conducted by Kelton Research, examines the outlook for fun in summer 2009 and attitudes toward vacation, fun and play. While we know that summer getaways are taking a back seat this year, the survey also revealed that the 2008 staycation trend was in need of an injection of fun for 2009. Instead, an affordable "playcation" - a staycation plus a splash of play - may be just what the doctor ordered for a dose of summer fun. The survey found that:

Vacations are vanishing

With the state of the economy looming large, it's not surprising to learn that vacations are taking a hit in 2009.

• 70 percent of Americans won't be taking a vacation this summer due to the economic climate.

• In place of a vacation, nearly half of survey respondents (48%) plan to stay home and enjoy time with friends and family.

Americans are fun-deprived

Despite the dismal state of the economy, survey respondents recognize that fun is still important. One in three Americans say they are more in need of a dose of fun this summer than they are in need of financial relief.

• 40 percent of people would give up their cell phones for a full week in exchange for one month filled with fun every single day; 6 percent of people would be willing to forgo showering; 53 percent would give up dessert.

• For one in three respondents, it has been more than six months since they last had a truly fun night out. In fact, 14 percent can't remember the last time they had a fun night out.

• Meanwhile, 65 percent say they have difficulty finding affordable, fun activities to do when making plans for the summer.

"Americans just aren't having enough fun due to the economy, stress and the many obligations of everyday life," said April Spearman, vice president of marketing for Dave & Buster's. "Our job at Dave & Buster's is to provide an environment that embodies fun for our customers at an affordable price - a place where they can go to play, unwind, escape those everyday stresses and feed their fun."

Now what?

What to do if you are forced to skip the vacation this year? Instead of a staycation, a "playcation" could be a better choice. Elizabeth Scott, a play and life balance expert who writes for About.com, suggests these tips for creating an affordable playcation that you and your family and friends can enjoy this summer:

• Grab your friends and family and head to Dave & Buster's for a "play day," and take advantage of more than 300 state-of-the-art games! Get your game on with heart-pumping, action-packed games like Dance Dance Revolution and Mocap Boxing or get retro with popular classics like Skeeball and Donkey Kong to win the ultimate Dave & Buster's "Fun Champion" title. Take advantage of 1/2 price games on Wednesdays for extra affordability.

• Traditional hide and seek gets a technology upgrade with geocaching. Seek out treasures hidden all over your own hometown using just a GPS device and your own two feet. It will bring you to places in your hometown that you've never seen before.

• Check out the action at your local ballpark, whether it's watching a pro team or just the local Little League. Many parks offer freebies, post-game fireworks and other specials throughout the week. Bring a picnic, eat some peanuts and cheer on the home team!


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