Comments please, about "camping"/EMH strategy

[TinkerbellMama]

EMH is nice if you have it but it really has no cash value.

Sorry, I just don't get it...

EVERYTHING has cash value. Seriously. Money is simply a currency, meaning it represents something else...time, effort, unique skill. Not to sound too much like a college professor, LOL, but TRUST ME...everything has cash value! If you don't believe me, go spend an hour on eBay!

 

[eeyore45]

Dont forget the Dining Plan element, you must be able to book a pkg to get the dining plan... and i realize its not as cost effective for some, for others the DP is a deal -

(wonder if this was in issue back in the day of vouchers?)

 

[mrzrich]

We have camped at FW several times in the last five years and I must tell you another way that this stinks for us, other than not being able to book a last minute getaway, which by the way we used to do often......

We used to get great deals...like FL resident $27 a night deals....now, the Fort is always full, so we don't get deals any more. I was quoted $69 a night for my May trip, a lot of money for camping..by the way I can get POP for $74 with my AP during the same trip.

But we camp because we like it and it gives us the ability to visit Disney several times a year because we cook two meals a day at the campsite making it more affordable. We are a family of six which also puts the hotels out of our price range for frequent trips.

 

[samijam]

I never realized the camping was so popular!!

 

[irishbosoxfan]

GOOD Question...actually, I would not change the ressie. My point in check'n was more of to see if occupancy was due to high season (which I think to be the case) Truth of the matter is no one really knows the reasons to which a campsite might be booked. I feel no remorse. I'm paying just like anyone else. As many have said on the camping board, it's not always a money saver. Many spend way more on their camping stuff than many that book a value. This topic for me is a red herring/slippery slope. If you went with the argument that people that can only afford a tent site are missing out, you could go even further to say that people that make min. wage can't afford a vacation, therefore no one should take a vacation.

How this makes sense to some I don't know! But if the roles were reversed maybe then some would see where me and some others are coming from.
Fw is the affordable vacation for many who make minimum wage. If you can afford a house for a week that costs $1850 not including taxes(this is from your link in your posts)so everyone can have their own room and pop for a non family member to join you(which is nice and/but shows you have more money to work with than most) then why not continue w/the spending spree.
But if money is the issue then why don't you just stay at FW and forget about the mini mansion and join me in the only WDW vacation I can afford.

The $1850 your dropping on the house is equal to 1/2 of my entire WDW vacation.--I am a 33yr old married mom to 5(1SDD) my DH has been in the Army for 10 years and this year is the first time we will be taking a vacation.
In an earlier post I mentioned a family w/use or lose vacation that was us last year.Dh had 6 days he had to use by a certain time or lose them entirely(no cash for them either)My sister was going to Fw w/her family so we figured this'll be great we can all stay at FW and go do stuff together,my sis had planned her vacation a year before and we only had 2 months notice on the use or lose and we called 2 days after DH received notice but were unable to get a spot---After my sis returned she told us she didn't know why we weren't able to get a spot because she noticed quite a few open--2 in the loop she was in alone hadn't been occupied the whole time she was there!
Dh ended up losing 3 of the 6 days.

This year we said ok were going to do this early and set up at FW back in January--this past weekend my sis(Active duty Army also) drove up to visit and when we told her we were finally going to be able to go she said she wanted in-I showed her what we had planned she said it was fine and she called from my house Friday afternoon and it was a no go-no spots available they said to keep calling back to check for availability OR she could drop a couple of hundred more to stay at a different kind of site.

So there's you and others like you who can afford to stay in a mini mans AND pay to have a site at FW and then theres me and others like me who cant afford to even stay in a value hotel and are willing to sleep on the ground,share a bathroom w/50 ppl and ride a bus to visit the parks just so our kids can say "I went to Disneyworld"

And as for ppl on other boards looking for rates for values and mods and such-At least they have that option FW doesn't have them and we don't qualify for the free upgrade now available for the hopper and water parks like everyone else does.Yeah Disney knows whats going on and it makes me wonder if thats the real reason behind us campers inability to get the same perks other resort guests receive.

 

[dj2]

my DH has been in the Army for 10 years

Check out http://www.afvclub.com/

you can sometimes get a 2 BR condo very near Disney that will sleep 6-8 people for $299/week! that includes all taxes, so it works out to be as if the place cost about $39/night! this might even be less expensive than camping, and you can cook all your meals in the kitchen to save money.

there's a sister site for other government employees who aren't military

www.getravelop.com

this is one even available to teachers, who are often employed by their State.

camping isn't the only low cost housing available

 

[hezell123]

If you can afford a house for a week that costs $1850 not including taxes(this is from your link in your posts).so everyone can have their own room and pop for a non family member to join you(which is nice and/but shows you have more money to work with than most) then why not continue w/the spending spree.

Due to a booking error on the homeowner's part, and also being considered "last minute", I got a good deal for this week. The prices you see are not always the prices you pay

As for a mini-mansion, in my world this is a mega-mansion.

then why not continue w/the spending spree.

Ha! I wish. My other family members are chipping in. We only go on vacation every 3-5 years. So $4200 for a group of 8 doesn't seem so bad.

 

[samijam]

Well I am not one to judge anyone but it does seem after reading all the post people are taking advantage of a loophole. I guess I could do the same thing, but it is not cool for those who really want or need to stay at the camp sites. I chose to stay onsite for my whole trip in a moderate and I am spending approx 800.00 more than i would have liked but I thought it was worth it. I guess my point is do those who rent the campsite and not use it really need to overconsume so much !! I did a family trip a few years back and rented a Villa offsite and it was nice. I never thought of scamming the campsites. (would I if I thought of it? Probably not) I only try to use what i need in life and leave the rest for my fellow man.

In the end anything can be rationalized, but try to remember the person who had to change dates or not go on vacation because a camp site was not available. while you drive past all the empty ones to your off site hotel. Oh but I'm sure you wouldn't feel bad about cutting them in line on their first DW visit either

I guess the old verse is true those who can overconsume will.

 

[RescueRanger]

First let me preface my comments by stating I am a camper and we are staying at FW for 2 weeks end of May/first of June. We don't always camp at WDW but we like it for a change of pace. Do I care if someone is renting a space and not using it? No, abolutely not. It is their money and they can do what they want with it. I am sorry, but all this moralistic-loophole talk is a joke. It is not a loophole. It is someone purchasing something and using it how they choose. If you want a space, then plan far enough ahead and get one. It is simple as that. People have gotten very spoiled when it comes to WDW. It used to be if you wanted to stay onsite, you would have to plan two years in advance. People should feel lucky it is no longer like that. To say that FW is someones only way to go to WDW is not being truthful. There are others ways people could go cheaper. That may include staying offsite, but they can still go without spending a fortune. I can honestly say that I have never had a problem reserving a site at FW. However, if I did, I wouldn't be crying about it and blaming others. I would either make other resort arrangements are go at a different time. Alot of this complaining is just sour grapes. No flaming intended towards any one person, this is just my personal observations and opinions.

 

[CarolA]

Does Disney not have a camping time limit? I know most places here allow only 2 weeks at a time. I thought Disney would be the same.

I don't think so.. I met a man once who camped there for the entire winter while he worked at Disney. I have also read trip reports on www.mouseplanet.com where folks stayed for three and four weeks (and they did not mention checking out)

Disney even used to have a "long term" deal during the winter, but I haven't seen it in a while.

I have also read trip reports where people got there thinking "I will camp at Disney because it's so CHEAP" and then one night into it, packed up and moved to a hotel, because "its so HOT" LOL! Of course, morally I am sure they just committed a sin on here, but.....

 

[NeverlandClub23]

Not really an accurate comparision - leaving your hotel room empty when there are thousands of them on site vs. 788 campsites at FW. You bought it - you can do what you like.. is fine - but in this instance the impact on others can be tremendous.

I clearly said it's not breaking Disney rules nor is it illegal. People can do as they please. I just think it's not nice. This is not using refillable mugs repeatedly, nor hogging up a pool chair at a resort that's not your own.This "trick" means "hogging" up space and depriving others of their affordable vacation.

It's just extremely wasteful and thus deprives many others of any Disney experience if they are campers. Very un-Disneylike.

I completely agree. It's not illegal, it's just not nice.

 

[traciedee]

As far as I'm concerned if you pay for it you have the right to the benefits whether you stay there or not. You are not ripping Disney off cause they are getting their campsite money.

People on these boards are always looking for ways to economize and while it seems like a lot of hassel to me to rent a camp space, it must work for others. A lot of folks want to be able to go to EMH and use the dining plan, but can't afford the price of a nice room at Disney, especially if they have a large family. Staying offsite may be their affordable option.