eating in the room to save

[budafam]

This thread has gotten too funny indeed!!!!!!

I completely agree!!!

 

[Deb & Bill]

...On one of our trips my daughter and I were in the food court of one of the All Stars when we ran into a soldier that I had served with during my military career. There were three young children with him and his wife. I noticed that they were making sandwiches with a loaf of bread they had purchased and refilling water bottles (Notice I said water bottles not soda.) from the sink at food court. They were making lunch for later in the park. The kids were eating Pop Tarts for breakfast.

No matter how tight money was those kids were having a great time. They were at Walt Disney World! We encountered them several more times during the week. At the pool one night, he and I were talking. He told me if it wasn't for the special military tickets and rate that Disney had given that vacation wouldn't have been happening.

It was a vacation they he probably couldn't afford financially. Who knows what bills hadn't been paid that month. It also was a vacation that he couldn't afford not to take. He was deploying for yet another tour in the Middle East upon their return to Fort Bragg.

His kids won't remember that as the trip where they were too poor to eat at Cinderella's Castle. Instead they will remember that they had the best time of their life. The time they met Mickey Mouse. The time when Daddy took them to WDW. Those will be the pictures he'll look at while serving overseas.

I shared this with you to say, not everyone can afford to stay at the Grand Floridian and eat at the signature restaurants. Try not to judge others when you are there. Enjoy your trip and let them enjoy theirs.

And he didn't have to get "creative" or "improvise". My hat's off to him and his family.

 

[GinnyEmma]

I know somebody who would do just what you said in the first paragraph. This was at his work cafeteria. They told him if they see him do it again he would be fired for theft from the company. It is for partons to use with their purchases. I do not know if they would have fired him but he never did it again.

Some people are just cheap and don't care whose money they take to save their own.

We managed many budget vacations as children and as parents. Somehow we have managed to bring what we need, or buy it for my family.

If a disney employee took a package there would ramifications. Disney sees this as theft in the workplace.

The whole laughing at how funny the thread is standard form from those who have no basis. Well, that and a spelling attack. I personally wouldn't fund it amusing if my child felt taking things was appropriate. You all have an odd sense of humor.

 

[KigerKat]

People it is a VACATION. And more importantly it is Disney. I absolutely refuse to get stressed over a vacation. Have consideration for other while on the vacation and try not to judge.

Many times we judge people based on what we see or believe. We don't have all the facts and we don't know what is in other's minds. People take vacations for a lot of different reasons. Often time the financial situation can change between the time a vacation is planned and when it happens. Every person's situation is different and after all this is a budget board, where we talk about ways to save money.

On one of our trips my daughter and I were in the food court of one of the All Stars when we ran into a soldier that I had served with during my military career. There were three young children with him and his wife. I noticed that they were making sandwiches with a loaf of bread they had purchased and refilling water bottles (Notice I said water bottles not soda.) from the sink at food court. They were making lunch for later in the park. The kids were eating Pop Tarts for breakfast.

No matter how tight money was those kids were having a great time. They were at Walt Disney World! We encountered them several more times during the week. At the pool one night, he and I were talking. He told me if it wasn't for the special military tickets and rate that Disney had given that vacation wouldn't have been happening.

It was a vacation they he probably couldn't afford financially. Who knows what bills hadn't been paid that month. It also was a vacation that he couldn't afford not to take. He was deploying for yet another tour in the Middle East upon their return to Fort Bragg.

His kids won't remember that as the trip where they were too poor to eat at Cinderella's Castle. Instead they will remember that they had the best time of their life. The time they met Mickey Mouse. The time when Daddy took them to WDW. Those will be the pictures he'll look at while serving overseas.

I shared this with you to say, not everyone can afford to stay at the Grand Floridian and eat at the signature restaurants. Try not to judge others when you are there. Enjoy your trip and let them enjoy theirs.

So true! If some of the people feel the need to speak out, then I sure hope they wouldn't do it to someone's face while they are trying to enjoy their vacation. They seem to feel fine about passing judgment on people all day long when it's through their computer, but I bet they would think twice about embarrassing someone they saw making a jelly sandwich or using the microwave to nuke their mac 'n cheese in the resort food court.

We don't do either of these things, but I'm certainly not going to pass judgment on someone who does. I think someone a little higher up has that job.

I hope that soldier's family had a wonderful time. I'm sure he had a lot of fond memories to think about when he was overseas.

 

[mom to minnie&mickey]

People it is a VACATION. And more importantly it is Disney. I absolutely refuse to get stressed over a vacation. Have consideration for other while on the vacation and try not to judge.

Many times we judge people based on what we see or believe. We don't have all the facts and we don't know what is in other's minds. People take vacations for a lot of different reasons. Often time the financial situation can change between the time a vacation is planned and when it happens. Every person's situation is different and after all this is a budget board, where we talk about ways to save money.

On one of our trips my daughter and I were in the food court of one of the All Stars when we ran into a soldier that I had served with during my military career. There were three young children with him and his wife. I noticed that they were making sandwiches with a loaf of bread they had purchased and refilling water bottles (Notice I said water bottles not soda.) from the sink at food court. They were making lunch for later in the park. The kids were eating Pop Tarts for breakfast.

No matter how tight money was those kids were having a great time. They were at Walt Disney World! We encountered them several more times during the week. At the pool one night, he and I were talking. He told me if it wasn't for the special military tickets and rate that Disney had given that vacation wouldn't have been happening.

It was a vacation they he probably couldn't afford financially. Who knows what bills hadn't been paid that month. It also was a vacation that he couldn't afford not to take. He was deploying for yet another tour in the Middle East upon their return to Fort Bragg.

His kids won't remember that as the trip where they were too poor to eat at Cinderella's Castle. Instead they will remember that they had the best time of their life. The time they met Mickey Mouse. The time when Daddy took them to WDW. Those will be the pictures he'll look at while serving overseas.

I shared this with you to say, not everyone can afford to stay at the Grand Floridian and eat at the signature restaurants. Try not to judge others when you are there. Enjoy your trip and let them enjoy theirs.

So True! Although this has nothing to do with jelly packets and microwaves it has a lot to do with judging someone. My dh and I were at POP's parking lot late one night about 11p.m. packing up the car for an early morning departure. The lot was deserted except for us and a young man of about 25 years old who was not far from us. He was just leaning against a car and kept staring. I was supposed to go back to the room to get more bags but I refused to leave dh alone as I was sure he would get robbed. You know when you get a creepy feeling? Anyways, he started walking towards us and I reached for the cell to call 911 if need be. As he approached he asked dh in a quiet voice if we were from Canada as he had seen our license plate. When we answered yes in a confused voice he extended his hand to dh and said he wanted to thank us for all of our country's help in Afghanastan. He was an injured soldier recently returned from there and it was a Canadian soldier who had saved him. My eyes instantly filled with tears (and shame for what I had been thinking).
So you see if any one of you knew his story would you embarass him if you saw him using a jelly packet or the microwave? BTW, the food court and its amenities along with the pools, chairs, laundry room is for all resort guests to use. If you are paying for a room then you have access to them. I have verified this with many cm's over my 4 stays at POP as my son is extremely difficult when it comes to food and I have no choice but to bring outside food like mac and cheese, ravioli, canned macaroni and heat them at the food court. However, the rest of my family always orders food.

 

[MamaJessie]

I highly doubt anyone uses the free "jelly packets" as their reason to plan a Disney vacation. Seriously?

Kids we're going to Disney, they have, get this, FREE JELLY SANDWICHES!!! Sure we'll be spending $3,000 to GET to the free jelly sandwiches but who can pass on something as great as FREE JELLY SANDWICHES!!

Lol, no kidding. How being wasteful is compared with taking stuff without paying is smoke and mirrors.

Being wasteful is just as bad. Knowingly being greedy and taking more than you plan on using is setting just as bad an example for your kids and affecting Disney equally in the finance department. Only difference is, it is pure waste.

We managed many budget vacations as children and as parents. Somehow we have managed to bring what we need, or buy it for my family.
The whole laughing at how funny the thread is standard form from those who have no basis. Well, that and a spelling attack. I personally wouldn't fund it amusing if my child felt taking things was appropriate. You all have an odd sense of humor.

I think people are finding this so amusing is because for some reason people have found it their duty to be the moral police of jelly packets. And that, is funny.

 

[luvthemouse71]

My dad used to do this ALL the time. The trips were with my mom, me, my DH and our daughter so it wasn't like we were a young family struggling to make ends meet. Finances were not a problem for my dad, he was just into "beating the system". I was completely embarrassed!

Now that my dad is in the final stages of Alzheimer's, I'd personally go make him that salad from the condiment bar without batting an eye, just to have him with us on another trip. Sorry to hijack the thread.

I have relatives who do this and they aren't struggling either. Some people just get off on getting something for nothing. Some look at being cheap as a badge of honor. Look how prideful some are here on the budget board over how much they claim to save, sometimes mocking other people that don't budget like they do.

I don't have an issue with using the microwaves..rather have that than someone setting the resort on fire because of the crockpot or hot plate in their room. Those people ARE crazy..

I do think making a meal out of condiments is just sad and I agree if you're that hard up, maybe you should rethink your priorities.

 

[luvthemouse71]

We managed many budget vacations as children and as parents. Somehow we have managed to bring what we need, or buy it for my family.

If a disney employee took a package there would ramifications. Disney sees this as theft in the workplace.

The whole laughing at how funny the thread is standard form from those who have no basis. Well, that and a spelling attack. I personally wouldn't fund it amusing if my child felt taking things was appropriate. You all have an odd sense of humor.

ITA.. It's funny how when the arguments start to get a little thin, the "don't judge" card gets played. Sorry, there is being frugal, and being ridiculously cheap. Again, most of the people doing these silly things aren't struggling in the conventional sense. It just comes back to a sense of entitlement.

 

[rumrunnergirl]

And he didn't have to get "creative" or "improvise". My hat's off to him and his family.

Well, some people on this thread would disagree with you - because the family only bought a loaf of bread at the food court (are you sure they got it at the food court and not from home??) and were using the water (is that considered stealing?) while hogging up a table and eating Pop Tarts. Maybe the wife was using "stolen" jelly packets to make those sandwiches. Maybe the food court was really crowded and a *paying* customer couldn't get a table because this family was busy making sandwiches. Heaven forbid if the Mom wanted to heat up a Pop Tart and a *paying* customer had to wait for the toaster!

Then they'd go on to say that if the family had to scrimp that bad, they can't afford a Disney vacation and should have stayed home. You know, the old "If I had to do *that* while at WDW, I would just not go or cut my vacation short!!!"

Let's not forget that many service people and their families get WIC and food stamps, and quite a few on this board think it's a big NO-NO to go to WDW if you receive any kind of government aid.

I agree, this thread has gotten very funny indeed.

 

[MamaJessie]

I have relatives who do this and they aren't struggling either. Some people just get off on getting something for nothing. Some look at being cheap as a badge of honor. Look how prideful some are here on the budget board over how much they claim to save, sometimes mocking other people that don't budget like they do.

Isn't sharing budgeting tips what the budget board is for?

 

[Deb & Bill]

Well, some people on this thread would disagree with you - because the family only bought a loaf of bread at the food court (are you sure they got it at the food court and not from home??) and were using the water (is that considered stealing?) while hogging up a table and eating Pop Tarts. Maybe the wife was using "stolen" jelly packets to make those sandwiches. Maybe the food court was really crowded and a *paying* customer couldn't get a table because this family was busy making sandwiches. Heaven forbid if the Mom wanted to heat up a Pop Tart and a *paying* customer had to wait for the toaster!

Then they'd go on to say that if the family had to scrimp that bad, they can't afford a Disney vacation and should have stayed home. You know, the old "If I had to do *that* while at WDW, I would just not go or cut my vacation short!!!"

Let's not forget that many service people and their families get WIC and food stamps, and quite a few on this board think it's a big NO-NO to go to WDW if you receive any kind of government aid.

I agree, this thread has gotten very funny indeed.

From what I read, they weren't using condiments that they didn't pay for. I saw they were making sandwiches, maybe using their own food supplies. Maybe they needed to borrow a knife.

And I agree that using the microwave and toaster is preferred to cooking in the room. If they only had one microwave and one toaster, I could see people who paid for something that needed to be toasted or heated up getting angry. But there are several, so it's my opinion that they expect any of the guests to use the microwave and toaster.

And that's just my opinion.

 

[maxiesmom]

Isn't sharing budgeting tips what the budget board is for?

There is a line between being frugal and being cheap. And I don't mean cheap in a good way.

Frugal--Bringing sandwhich fixings from home, storing it all in your cooler, and having sandwhiches in the room.

Cheap--Going to the food court, taking a bunch of ketchup and water and making tomato soup for your kids to eat.


I always thought that once you paid for something in a restaurant or food court that entitled you to use anything they have provided you with to make your meal complete. Napkins, ketchup, salt, whatever. I don't think it is ok to just swing by the food court to grab a wad of napkins, some ketchup and forks to complete the meal you are eating in your room.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

Let's not forget that many service people and their families get WIC and food stamps, and quite a few on this board think it's a big NO-NO to go to WDW if you receive any kind of government aid.

I agree, this thread has gotten very funny indeed.

Sorry - a Disney vacation is not needed for a fulfilling life. If you are on WIC and food stamps - that means you cannot afford to FEED your family. And NO should not be going to Disney on vacation.

 

[budafam]

Sorry - a Disney vacation is not needed for a fulfilling life. If you are on WIC and food stamps - that means you cannot afford to FEED your family. And NO should not be going to Disney on vacation.

I disagree with this. I think WIC is an excellent program and it is NOT meant for people who cannot AFFORD to feed their family. It is provided so that children & women can eat healthier. You can't buy snacks & soda on WIC (you can on food stamps). The two programs are completely different. WIC has an allotted amount of money given to the program each year. It's not like the tax payers are paying for it.

I have been on WIC and just hate when people put it in the same category as food stamps. When I was on it, it's not like we were being lazy. My husband worked full time and I used coupons religiously. I paid very little for groceries each week and that helped us to give our children a better home.

Since when is Disney World only for rich people? To be honest, some of you are making me worry about our upcoming trip and the snobs that we may run into while down there. Sad...

 

[dvcgirl]

I haven't been around here for awhile, but when I saw a thread about "eating in the room" had gone 7 pages....I knew that there had to be some controversy . I figure that people had run out of ideas about ramen noodle casseroles and oatmeal souffles after page two or so.

Seriously though, we've stayed in studios and other villas at DVC resorts and always eat breakfast in the room. It's not just a way to save money, it's nice....relaxing. And we have way better coffee than Disney does .

I guess for me personally (and that's just me), it gets a little weird/tacky? if a family is using the toaster and microwave as their personal campfire to make food they've brought from home. Like if a family of five walks into a Disney food court with a loaf of wonder bread....and someone walks up to the condiment counter and goes back to the table with an armful of jelly packets and plastic knives and they dig in. That's a little bit much I think.

I'm all for stretching your dollars, but if you want jelly, bring it from home. And if you're only eating your food and not Disney's I'd think that you probably just eat in your room. I mean, whenever we were in DVC studios, we were able to enjoy our breakfast in our room or on our little balcony with food that we purchased on our own.

It's been a long time since I've been in a Disney food court....I think late 80s at the CBR is the last time I was in one. But I remember there being times when tables were tough to find. I don't know if that's the case anymore. At that point, I'd think I'd be a bit miffed if I had a tray full of food court food, was waiting for a table to open up, and I saw a family with a loaf of bread and jelly packets....lol.

Like others said though....Disney doesn't have signs up saying, "tables for paying customers only". Then again, like others have said, Disney would *never* say that....they're not in the habit of pissing off families....cheap or otherwise. So, it's up to people to police themselves. Hence the problem.

 

[maxiesmom]

Since when is Disney World only for rich people? To be honest, some of you are making me worry about our upcoming trip and the snobs that we may run into while down there. Sad...

A trip to WDW (or anyplace) is for people who can afford it. A vacation anywhere is not a right. And I have to agree that if you are on government assistance to feed your family (which means you are using money from the rest of us) then you cannot afford a vacation.

A vacation is a luxury, not a necessity.

 

[GinnyEmma]

A trip to WDW (or anyplace) is for people who can afford it. A vacation anywhere is not a right. And I have to agree that if you are on government assistance to feed your family (which means you are using money from the rest of us) then you cannot afford a vacation.

A vacation is a luxury, not a necessity.

exactly. We didn't take luxury vacations as children and managed to make it through.

And, if you can't afford to feed your family healthy food you have no business wasting money on non essentials. The sense of entitlement is amazing.

 

[budafam]

I get it's a luxury but I also think that a family should be able to go once in their lifetime. I'm not saying making a yearly tradition out of it like a lot of people do on here. This will be the first time I have ever been there in 28 years... I really don't look at it as being a luxury, more of a once in a lifetime vacation that we worked hard for.

We could easily "make it" without WIC but WIC provides us with healthier foods for our kids until age 5. It doesn't extend beyond that. It also does not cost taxpayers anything. So why complain about it? Educate yourself first.

 

[MamaJessie]

There is a line between being frugal and being cheap. And I don't mean cheap in a good way.

Frugal--Bringing sandwhich fixings from home, storing it all in your cooler, and having sandwhiches in the room.

Cheap--Going to the food court, taking a bunch of ketchup and water and making tomato soup for your kids to eat.


I always thought that once you paid for something in a restaurant or food court that entitled you to use anything they have provided you with to make your meal complete. Napkins, ketchup, salt, whatever. I don't think it is ok to just swing by the food court to grab a wad of napkins, some ketchup and forks to complete the meal you are eating in your room.

Oh I totally agree, I was responding to the quote where someone was being condescending about how people wear their bargains as a badge of honor. That I do! I would never, ever plan a meal around free condiments. In my first reply in this thread I mentioned that you should just buy a jar of goober and not rely on freebies.

exactly. We didn't take luxury vacations as children and managed to make it through.

And, if you can't afford to feed your family healthy food you have no business wasting money on non essentials. The sense of entitlement is amazing.

I think sometimes DISers overuse the word entitlement. Entitlement DOES apply IMHO when someone takes jelly packets because they don't want to bother buying jelly. It does NOT apply when someone decides what THEY want to do with their limited income is different than what YOU want to do with yours.

 

[ilovemk76]

I get it's a luxury but I also think that a family should be able to go once in their lifetime. I'm not saying making a yearly tradition out of it like a lot of people do on here. This will be the first time I have ever been there in 28 years... I really don't look at it as being a luxury, more of a once in a lifetime vacation that we worked hard for.

We could easily "make it" without WIC but WIC provides us with healthier foods for our kids until age 5. It doesn't extend beyond that. It also does not cost taxpayers anything. So why complain about it? Educate yourself first.

WDW is not a right. Most people in the US never step food in a Disney park.

How is it not costing taxpayers money? Who do you think pays for all of your free food?

WDW is not just for the rich but for all who can PAY their own way in life and want to visit WDW.