GG budget? Help Budget ideas needed.

[LovesTimone]

I'm going to make a long story short.
I'm planning (I do all the planning) a GG for family and friends who are family, for Christmas 2011.

The normal group we travel with is on board with r normal plans which include a moderate resort, PH passes and DXDDP - but we will have my DB and family joining us for this trip, and possibly my parents for only 2 maybe 3 nights.
So my DB is really cheap and I know that he will want to stay at a value resort, here in lies the problem. I know that the rest of the group will not stay at a value we all prefer the moderates. I know that he can book whatever he wants, but that creates problem with meeting up, its easier with everyone at 1 resort. We have tried different resorts we stood around doing alot of waiting on each other. So how can I convince him to stay at the moderate?
Normally we have a BBQ and I lay out all the plans and we talk it over. We are planning on booking in August when the rates come out for next year.
So.. I was thinking of suggesting that this year for Birthdays, anniversary what ever other celebrations that we give disney gift cards to each other?

As for my parents - Is there a way to have them stay with us mid trip for 2 nights and just pay for them staying in the room? There are enough rooms that we can move everyone around between rooms (6) for them to stay in the room with us for. We are planning on giving them tickets for Christmas and then paying for their meals OOP.

Any suggestions on how to save money for this trip. I need to be ready with a plan for my brother.

Thanks any suggestion will be much appreciated.

 

[hffmnheidi]

Please don't take this the wrong way...

If he really wants to stay at a value, it's his decision and probably won't be able to be convinced to stay at a moderate. He may choose to stay at a value since he might not be planning on using the room that much. You can't choose where someone stays-it's their perogative, as much as you want him to stay at a moderate. As for him being cheap, he just may choose to spend his money a different way than your family does.

Perhaps you guys can do your meeting up at a park or downtown disney instead of the resorts? If you're eating a meal at the resort, maybe your family can all ride to the resort together from the park?

The Disney Gift Cards as gifts are a really neat idea. The kids will have their own spending money that they've saved and not have to ask mom and dad for money. Excellent Idea!!

 

[LovesTimone]

Please don't take this the wrong way...

If he really wants to stay at a value, it's his decision and probably won't be able to be convinced to stay at a moderate. He may choose to stay at a value since he might not be planning on using the room that much. You can't choose where someone stays-it's their perogative, as much as you want him to stay at a moderate. As for him being cheap, he just may choose to spend his money a different way than your family does.

Perhaps you guys can do your meeting up at a park or downtown disney instead of the resorts? If you're eating a meal at the resort, maybe your family can all ride to the resort together from the park?

The Disney Gift Cards as gifts are a really neat idea. The kids will have their own spending money that they've saved and not have to ask mom and dad for money. Excellent Idea!!

None taken
I won't give him grief if that's what they decide to do. But I know him and he will regret not booking with the rest of us. Then he will complain he should booked with the rest of us and I should have told him.
Everyone will want to hang out at the pool. At night normally all the kids (not really kids 21 to 13) will get in one room and watch movies or play games, while the old folks go hit the hot tub.
Will they be able to hang out at our resort and use the pool? I did not think that was allowed?

We have tried the meeting up at a parks and at DTD but to be honest we were not successful at it. Once you get off the bus everyone is ready to head inside the park. Also with early ADR for character breakfast you have to be all together to go in the park early. Then we are backing to waiting.

I think I might do a $$$ comparison for him, I don't think that it will be all that much in price difference and show him our recent trip ADR's and plans for the day.
Maybe if I show him on paper he will have a better understanding of why we should all be at the same resort.

 

[hffmnheidi]

Good idea to show him all the numbers and how little the difference is between the two resorts. He might just be one of those guys, like my dad, who need to see all the numbers and how it breaks down. I would also highlight the differences between the values and the moderates-like pools, restaurants, bus service(I think it's better at the mods, but that's just my opinion), ect...

And please let us know what happens.