Do people not appreciate your budget strategies?

[MyGoofy26]

I've told many people how to save $$. Many just think that by using a TA they are in good hands.

I think that's exactly right. There are certain things I wouldn't necessarily *mind* going to a travel agent for, but I wouldn't allow them to just build an entire package for me. I prefer to customize my own vacation.

A few years ago, some family friends were planning a trip for the two of them, their two kids, and two grandparents. They called a travel agent, had her fax them a quote with a breakdown of everything included - then they called me. I went down, sat in their kitchen (occassionally running to the computer) crunching numbers and explaining step by step what I was doing. I ended up upgrading their rental car, upgrading their hotel, switched their tickets from UPH to regular parkhoppers with a couple pluses that would satisfy all of their needs. . . and saved them $1200 from the travel agent's quote because of various codes and discounts - all in less than an hour!

Carrie

 

[klmall]

We too have some very close friends of my husband who spend freely (travel to gamble at least once a month dropping hundreds) and they know I'm a Disney fan. When they asked me for some WDW travel hints I only took them half-seriously, especially since I knew they were staying in a glitzy timeshare quite a distance from the parks....

But when they came back and recited how they had used the different casual hints and ideas I had dropped in a half-hour conversation on PSs, FastPasses and touring strategies I was flabbergasted! They had been listening and my efforts had not been wasted.

So, I guess if your audience uses even one of your hard-learned ideas it can be worthwhile (and they brought back two beautiful pins for my collections!)

 

[my3kids]

I wasn't trying to even put them into a cheap vacation....just tips on that you could purchase passes at discounted prices, that AAA membership would qualify you for a small discount on the room, that you could call for PS 90 in advance....that type of thing. I guess I got my feelings hurt when one said "Well, if you know these things, then surely a travel agent will know the same things for saving money and trip planning" yadda yadda yadda

We're spending a king's ransom on our upcoming trip, but without my tenacity in discount finding, I guess we'd be spending a king AND queen's ransom.

 

[MELSMICE]

We're spending a king's ransom on our upcoming trip, but without my tenacity in discount finding, I guess we'd be spending a king AND queen's ransom.

Every little bit helps - we just saved another few dollars/night on a WL ressie. In my opinion those few $'s will pay for a few more Mickey bars.

Hey - let those people keep spending their hard earned money at WDW - makes the price of the stock I own in Disney go up!!!!!

 

[DisDarling]

I hear more and more "WDW is too expensive, etc.." and I always giggle and think "Not really if you play your cards right." Research is HUGE when going to WDW, not only on saving money, but time and chaos!! I remember going wih my family for the first time in 1991. I was SO EXCITED!! What was funny then was that we had NO CLUE what park hopping meant, that there was more to Epcot than the big golf ball, and that staying there would have been so much easier than catching a bus back into Orlando every night!

From these boards and others, I have gained so much knowledge, that I feel almost "obligated" to help others when I hear them making trips. I want to be a Disney TA some day, hopefully within the next couple of years, just because I LOVE to share with people what magic truly is and can be when you plan ahead and plan smart!
D.D.

 

[MrsPete]

Research is huge no matter where you're going!

 

[DisneyElf]

Heh -- I managed to pay 80% of our mortgage payment (I own a house with my sister and usually we split the payment 50/50 - but she was sick in the hospital for almost 2 mos. last year from the flu), pay for a DCL cruise & a week at the WDW.

Used Cruisecompete site to get the best price (after I checked all the other sites so I would know if I got a good deal) and WDW had the pay 5 get 2 nites free deal.

Sure - I was broke from May up to the day we left -- but I paid for the trips in cash! But without research and codes I would never have afforded the trips.