Question About Teresa's $2500 Challenge

[mjaclyn]

I'm a latecomer to Teresa's challenge so I have a quick question. If the challenge is to plan on a budget as most of us do and try to be the 'average' planning guest with an 'average' budget, why are Florida resident discounts allowed? I bet at least 90% of WDW guests aren't from Florida and those discounts are not available to everyone. Now, if you had an annual pass I could see you using it because although not everyone has one, it's still available to everyone. That's not the case with Florida resident discounts...

 

[newmouse2008]

In the beginning there was a lot of discussion as to what I could do and not do. In the end this is what the bosses decided. I do have annual passes, but, was not allowed to use them. And up until this point I don't believe I have done anything as a Florida Resident. My trip so far is based on Free dining, which is available to everyone. The La Nouba tickets we are talking about getting have not been purchased yet. Maybe to be fair, I shouldn't wait for the discounts.... What does everyone else think?

 

[peanut1967]

Teresa as I was listening a question came to mind...

The money you have been allocated do you have to buy everything from that? Is that all the money you are going to take or are you going to take some 'personal' cash with you?

Angie

 

[WaltD4Me]

I dont see a problem with using the Florida resident discount for La Nouba. I often see discounts for La Nouba, this is just one that is available. I think you can find La Nouba discounts even if not a Florida resident, so I think it's okay. IMHO.

 

[mikelan6]

Teresa's challenge was to plan a trip to WDW. Whether she got a Florida resident discount, AAA discount or Disney Visa card discount, she did what was best for her and I think that's great. Even though you may not live in Florida, there are still discounts out there.

 

[newmouse2008]

Teresa as I was listening a question came to mind...

The money you have been allocated do you have to buy everything from that? Is that all the money you are going to take or are you going to take some 'personal' cash with you?

Angie

This is the only money I am taking. Everything must come out of the budget. Right now I will have over 800.00 to spend on whatever..... Less if we get the La Noube tickets.

I have a question for everyone: IN the past when we have gone on a trip, my girls usually have alittle money that they take to spend. I am wondering if I should alot them some of the budget money or let them take their own to spend. In "real life" they would use their own money for a special something I wouldn't buy. Talk amongst yourselves.........

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Yeah, if she didn't have a FL res discount for La Nouba, there are plenty of other discounts out there. And La Nouba isn't necessarily something a lot of people would come to WDW to see, since Cirque De Soleil performs all around the country.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

There's usually discounts around for La Nouba so I say a Fl resident discount should be allowed.

I'd let the girls bring their own money for something special. That's how we do it and it's seperate from the regular vacation budget. Around 4-6 months before the trip, my kids start saving part of their allowances for that one special something they have to have at Disney.

 

[peanut1967]

This is the only money I am taking. Everything must come out of the budget. Right now I will have over 800.00 to spend on whatever..... Less if we get the La Noube tickets.

I have a question for everyone: IN the past when we have gone on a trip, my girls usually have alittle money that they take to spend. I am wondering if I should alot them some of the budget money or let them take their own to spend. In "real life" they would use their own money for a special something I wouldn't buy. Talk amongst yourselves.........

Like you say in 'real life' your kids would have saved or had birthday money for there trip, I see no problem with them taking there own money for there own spending money.

Angie

 

[jewjubean]

I've saved lots of money going on trips by using discounts. I am not a FL resident, at one point I was a CM,but the trips i'm talking about wernt using the CM discount.

 

[Yvet]

You can do both.
Let them safe money themselfes but if their is some money "leftover" you can buy something for them.
(or for me )

 

[Kaa]

At times, there are AP holder discounts for La Nouba. Since the AP is available to anyone, perhaps you should check for that discount.

If you normally make the girls buy their extras with their own money, I would stick to that rule.

If you have that much of a surplus, what would the cost be to upgrade to a moderate? (Sorry Dan!)

 

[kahblue]

Questions, questions, questions!

First, let the kids bring their own money as usual. It's good for them to budget their money and make good decisions about how to spend it. I think you can take some of the extra money and buy them one thing. That's what we do.

I know there is a $2500 budget but why not save the company a little money? I think you should use the FL discount when paying but don't figure it into the total cost when letting us all know what the final package price is. Do you know what I mean? You are way under your budget anyway.

I watch alot of the money shows and i guess it's rubbing off on me!!

KIM
POP Century 08/25-09/03

 

[newmouse2008]

Questions, questions, questions!

First, let the kids bring their own money as usual. It's good for them to budget their money and make good decisions about how to spend it. I think you can take some of the extra money and buy them one thing. That's what we do.

I know there is a $2500 budget but why not save the company a little money? I think you should use the FL discount when paying but don't figure it into the total cost when letting us all know what the final package price is. Do you know what I mean? You are way under your budget anyway.

I watch alot of the money shows and i guess it's rubbing off on me!!

KIM
POP Century 08/25-09/03

The Company spends $2500 no matter what I do. The challenge was that any money remaining after my stay goes in my pocket. Having said that, I will try and save what I can to put in my pocket. I really don't see much left over in the end. I know how much one stop in the candy Store or Littlemissmatched can cost me. I want this to be a wonderful experience for my family. and I hope I don't have to say too many times, "no, we can't afford to get that". If the last day of my trip comes and we have money remaining, Great!!!!! If we spend every dime, I know It was money well spent for the memories.

I will be keeping a trip log. and writing down every dime we spend. should be interesting to see where it all goes.

Who doesn't go to Disney and come home wondering " what the heck did we buy?" I do that everytime. This time We will know.

If I was a member of AAA I would look for discounts there. I think part of the idea was show what can be done with alittle research and planning.

 

[SnackyStacky]

Just wanted to throw in a quick update on this - Teresa was initially booked on a Florida Resident discount, and she was scheduled to check in a day earlier, on August 14th, for 5 nights. Still staying 5 nights, but checking in on the 15th with the free dining promotion actually was substantially cheaper than the Florida Resident discount. And the Florida Resident discount was lowering the price on the room and the theme park admission. The Florida Resident discounts are not always the best way to go. In fact, just looking at the room portion - the annual passholder rate has always trumped a Florida resident rate, in my experience.

Unfortunately though - no moderates are showing available on August 15th for 5 nights with the free dining.

In terms of La Nouba, there's discounts for Passholders, DVC members, Florida Residents, and military guests. All of them expire on July 2, except for the military discount, which is available until September 30. And just as with the resort rooms - the discount for passholders is 35%, whereas Florida Residents get 30% off. So even with the La Nouba tickets, if the discounts are re-upped, the passholder discounts would probably be the better way to go.

 

[maroo]

aw...I would totally give them a budget out of the "pot." If you want!

 

[Becx N Gav]

The Company spends $2500 no matter what I do. The challenge was that any money remaining after my stay goes in my pocket. Having said that, I will try and save what I can to put in my pocket. I really don't see much left over in the end. I know how much one stop in the candy Store or Littlemissmatched can cost me. I want this to be a wonderful experience for my family. and I hope I don't have to say too many times, "no, we can't afford to get that". If the last day of my trip comes and we have money remaining, Great!!!!! If we spend every dime, I know It was money well spent for the memories.

I will be keeping a trip log. and writing down every dime we spend. should be interesting to see where it all goes.

Who doesn't go to Disney and come home wondering " what the heck did we buy?" I do that everytime. This time We will know.

If I was a member of AAA I would look for discounts there. I think part of the idea was show what can be done with alittle research and planning.

I say make the kids take their own money, they will appreciate it more and learn from budgeting

Will you be doing a trip report? (on the boards)

 

[tlcoke]

Teresa, You are doing a good job. Make the discounts work for you any way you can. That's what I did in 2008 in part thanks to the DIS and the information I found on the Budget Board and Resort Board. I originally booked at Rack Rate (which at the time I thought was a decent rate for staying at a Disney Resort) - then found the DIS and began applying discounts I found. I was able to save enough money on the trip off of Rack Rate to cover the Cost of my airfare, the Registration fee to the Conference I attended in Orlando while I was in Florida and was able to add in the cost of the Backstage Magic Tour and Dine w/ an Imagineer lunch with my savings all from finding the DIS and doing my research which is what you are challenged to do with the $2500 budget.

For Stella & Grace you could take a small amount of the money and put it on a Gift Card for each of them and surprise them with it on the First Day of the trip to use as they want to..then once that money is gone, they must use their own money.

 

[WaltD4Me]

This is the only money I am taking. Everything must come out of the budget. Right now I will have over 800.00 to spend on whatever..... Less if we get the La Noube tickets.

I have a question for everyone: IN the past when we have gone on a trip, my girls usually have alittle money that they take to spend. I am wondering if I should alot them some of the budget money or let them take their own to spend. In "real life" they would use their own money for a special something I wouldn't buy. Talk amongst yourselves.........

I think the girls taking their own money is fine. When I take my nieces they always bring their own money...not that auntie doesn't buy them stuff too, but they bring their own too and usually use it for something I can't bring myself to pay for. Like those hair wraps that cost $3 an inch or whatever.

 

[book_junkie]

Just a thought, you might want to sign up for the Cirque Club and see if that helps out ticket wise... When we went to Vegas a few years back, my husband and I got discounts on a couple of their shows there, and have gotten discounts on some of the touring shows by being in their free membership: http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/cirque-club/default.aspx