.

[madison66]

.

 

[ilovefh]

WOW! That is a lot of money to spend in only two days! I agree it was not exactly budget!

 

[Cyndiu]

You're right. $450/day, really isn't budget! We've done it for less lots of times!

 

[TRAPPED-PARENT]

What a joke! I'd like to see a Disboard person write an article and get it published about being on a budget. My family of 4 (me, DH, DS (18), DD (17) were there last spring and spent $3,000 for our trip of 12 days (3 travel days from SW Mich and 9 nights at Ft W and 2 nights at $80+ hotels). If challenged, I could have easily shaved off $500 from that total!!

First off wasn't that cheating getting a Florida resident to get a discount on the room? Secondedly, what were they doing at Fulton's Crabhouse if they were on a budget?

I agree, what budget??

 

[Kristi1357]

Where did they buy one-day park hoppers?

 

[Cinders]

Talk about misinformation!!!!!!!! First off she has no right to the FL resident discount! There are no 1 day hoppers that you can buy at the resort. And if she calls not doing her research and eating at expensive restaurants doing it on a budget she's nuts. Wonder if there is a place to email her boss to let them know her budget is no budget.

I did find an email address for the Travel Section if anyone else wants to write to them and let them know how bogus that article really is to us. travel@ajc.com

 

[CarolA]

I agree that she had no right to the discount. The parkhoppers however are probably legit. She is probably getting the LOS (whatever it is called now!) for her stay which you can get for one day and you can park hop.

I may write the AJC since it has factually incorrect data and they are suppose to have a fact checker!

 

[kfeuer]

I saw this in the paper yesterday and agree with everyone else--it was very poorly done. $900 for 2 days? It sounded like a very poorly planned out trip done by someone who knows very little about Disney.

 

[CarolA]

I decided to write

Dear Editor,
I find it very disappointing when major newspapers print articles that contain inaccurate facts and/or violations of travel rules. For you to provide this data to your readers is not providing a service. I read an article today that seemed to me to be missing some of the basics of journalism.

I quote "We checked into the All-Star Movie Resort, a value-priced Disney hotel that we got at a deal through a friend who's a Florida resident (less than $44 a night for a room that normally would cost $77). If your reporter had bothered to do her homework, or your fact checker had done their homework, they would have discovered that the reporter was NOT eligible for the $44 rate. That rate is for Florida residents, which your reporter does not appear to be. For travel writing to be useful to your readers, it needs to be accurate and have data they can use. Unless all your readers also have friends in Florida and are willing to take the chance of being caught what good was this information.
Also, I prefer my travel writers to have done SOME research prior to going to their destination. Your writer was clueless and it shows. Let's start with her meal at Fulton's. The menu is posted outside the restaurant. Can she read? Why was she so surprised that her meal cost so much? She only ordered one of the most expensive items on the menu. Perhaps a basic math class might help her do a better job in the future.
All in all I was very disappointed and I expect more from a paper of your stature.

 

[Sarahsmom85]

One persons budget the same isn't always anothers.
I am a penny counter and a friend of mine is not. She thinks nothing of only eating in the finest restraunts. Eating chicken there instead of lobster is budget to her. When she shows me something she got on a good deal I can undercut it for far less.
Some people believe budget means cheap, other means not spending more than they have.
I'm just cheap. But then I get more, see more, have more and do more. the new to

 

[Cyndiu]

I hear you Sarah'smom, sometimes you can afford more, but, I'm like you... cheap! I never like to spend more on vacation than I have to. I figure that then I can go back sooner!

 

[disneyatl]

TRAPPED-PARENT, my thoughts exactly - Fulton Crab House .....

 

[crisi]

Huh? She took a trip on a budget. Not a budget trip. Her budget was $900. For my last week long trip, my "budget" was $10,000. Yeah, it isn't a cheap trip, but I did it within our "budget."

 

[Cinders]

Huh? She took a trip on a budget. Not a budget trip. Her budget was $900. For my last week long trip, my "budget" was $10,000. Yeah, it isn't a cheap trip, but I did it within our "budget."

Everyone's budgets are different but I must say spending $10,000 on week's vacation does not compare with her trying to spend $900 or less for 2 days. Her article implies she's trying to save money on her trip and that its amazing she was able to stay within her budget. Had she not gotten the FL resident discount, that she was not entitled to, she would not have been able to stay under $900. I cant imagine the problems WDW will have having had her put that in her article. Also, she needs to clarify the ticket she used. Since there are no 1 day hoppers available at the resorts we can assume she used Length of Stay or I believe its new name is Ultimate Park Hopper.

 

[crisi]

I agree completely with the Florida residents rates - ding her for that - please do. And she is unclear about her tickets - bad research for a journalist. But I don't think she should be dinged for having a $900 for two days budget. Everyone's budget is different. And everyone's idea of a budget trip is different.

Had she been trying to save money, she wouldn't have dined at Fultons or bought souvieniers. I got the feeling that the article was more about sticking to a budget rather than sticking to a small budget.

 

[floridagirrl2]

The heading of the article explicitly mentioned "keeping expenses down." In that context, it was a rather silly article, because the author seemed to be making minimal attempts to keep expenses down.

If one is trying to "keep expenses down," one doesn't eat at a restaurant without knowing what the menu prices are.

Of course, some people just like to brag about how much money they spend (under the guise of "keeping to a budget)!"

 

[lizziepooh]

Since she lived out of state, a 2 day trip hardly sounds worth the effort to me. How much could they really have seen in one day of park hopping?

 

[FoodLover]

Well, everyone has different priorities, but I must say I found this a VERY odd article.

I agree that it sounds as if she abused the Florida resident discount... no, actually her friend must have been a Cast Member. There's no way she could get the All Stars for that amount, even with a Florida Resident rate. That's a CM rate.

That also explains where the 1-Day Park Hopper came from. CMs are able to get those.

In both cases, she's using discounts that are NOT available to the public. That's very misleading.

I notice her budget only includes one lunch. Also, presumably she didn't count any of the meals on the way to and from Orlando. Apparently a table service dinner each night was important to her, which is fine, but she picked some expensive options!

Her souvenir expenses seem really over the top. It's hard to say "no" to kids, but for heaven's sake, most kids are thrilled just to BE at Disney World. They don't have to be deluged with expensive souvenirs, too. Why not give each child $20 and let them spend it on whatever they want, but tell them that's all they're getting? In my experience, most kids love having their own money -- and they quit asking for everything they see.

And why drive an 800-mile roundtrip from Atlanta (presumably) to Orlando at a cost of over $100 in gas, and then go to the theme parks for only ONE day?

Here's what I would have done with the same $900. In my scenario, they would drive to WDW on the first day and spend the first night in a Priceline hotel.

First thing the next morning they'd drop off their luggage at the All Stars and get their room key with 1 night/2 day Ultimate Park Hopper on it, then head straight to the parks and spend the full day at the parks. They'd spend that second night at All Stars.

In the morning, they'd check out, store their luggage at All Stars and then head out to the parks early, spending the full day enjoying the parks. That night, they'd check in to a Priceline hotel. Next morning, they'd drive home.

Everything below includes taxes, fees and tips.

Gas $106

First night: 2.5-star hotel using Priceline $35
Second night: 1 night All Stars, with AAA discount $68.50
Third night: 2.5-star hotel using Priceline $35

1 night/2 day Ultimate Park Hopper (2 adults, 2 kids) $436.66

Souvenirs ($20 to each child) $40

2 breakfasts in room, from food purchased at local supermarket $10
2 counter service lunches in parks for 4 people $42
Afternoon snacks (2 days) $20
Dinner at Jungle Jim's (2 adult entrees, 2 kids meals, 4 soft drinks and free appetizer w/coupon) $50
All you can eat buffet dinner for 4 at Trail's End $57.50

Total: $900.66

They now get TWO days of park hopping and THREE nights in a hotel, and they still get souvenirs, 2 counter service lunches (instead of the 1 in her budget) and 2 nice sit-down dinners.

 

[ceecee]

Articles like that make people think Disney is out of their reach. I can't believe they could even get the FL or CM rate, weren't they checked??? Fultons.........................I'm still LOL over that. We did 8 nights for 3 (including airfare) for $1500.00 one year.

 

[beatnik]

Haven't read the article, but as regards to getting the CM rate: my cousin is a CM and she can get some really great rates for us (usually about half off rack rate for that season). The CM does not need to be staying with you for you to get that rate. Believe me, she knows all the rules- she used to work in reservations. Its perfectly legit, although admittedly available only to those with "CM connections," so the criticisms people make of the article are well taken...

Beatnik