Teresa should have to count the granola bars.

[kaligal]

Not that my opinion counts. I know it doesn't.

But I think she should have to count whatever food she buys at home into the cost of the trip. It counts. If I had $1000 in a drawer, I couldn't say, "Well, this doesn't count. It was already in the house."

If it goes toward the trip expenses, it counts as a trip expense.

On the flip side, they'd have to eat at home, anyway. So maybe they shouldn't count. I wouldn't count shampoo, since I'd have to wash my hair anyway.

Maybe I'm wrong.

Anyone else have an opinion?

 

[TeriofTerror]

As I understand it, the $2500 is the average amount spent on a WDW vacation booked through Dreams. That being the case, Dreams would have no idea what people generally spend on snacks brought from home, so no, I don't think it should count. Further, when I'm giving my DH estimates on the price of a WDW trip, you can bet I don't include in-room snacks and breakfast items brought from home in the total!

 

[jeanigor]

When I travel, I grab whatever snack food I have for the airport and if I want a snack in the room. I don't go out and purposely buy stuff. I take what I have. I don't think it would be sportsmanlike conduct if she went to Sam's or Costco and spend $300 on snack food solely for the trip and didn't count it. However if she picks up a box or two of granola bars at the grocery store when she is doing her normal shopping and brings them, that is fair game.

 

[chaoscent]

I agree. In fact I stop at the Dollar store for ponchos, gifts for the nieces/nephews, throw away laundry basket, laundry supplies and filters and don't count that in the cost of my trip. I would include anything I had to buy once I got to Florida. Penny

 

[SaraMc]

Maybe its because I live far away. But I don't count food in my original budget to get me to WDW. Now that there is the dining plan we get that and that's fine. But I dont include the extra snacks I bring for the kids ( cherrios, granola bars, gold fish etc) as part of the budget to actually get us the 17000 miles to get to WDW. I include that in the budget of the money I have in my pocket to spend while Im in the world. That's never part of my original budget.

 

[kaligal]

The challenge is to provide room, tickets and food for her family. They're not even counting airfares and rental cars and gas and all that jazz.

If the challenge includes food, she should back all food out of the $2500.

But you guys make some really good points.

And I like Teresa and want to side with her, lol.

I don't know.

 

[Michele]

I agree with Teresa's position on the last podcast.

They gave her the $2500 budget based on what the average family spends to book a package through Dreams Unlimited.

The average family booking through DU doesn't include food they bring from home so hers shouldn't have to either..

 

[PeterPan09]

I agree with Teresa's position on the last podcast.

They gave her the $2500 budget based on what the average family spends to book a package through Dreams Unlimited.

The average family booking through DU doesn't include food they bring from home so hers shouldn't have to either..

I agree-that's exactly how I feel. When I vacationed here, I never counted the stuff I brought from home as a part of the cost of the trip.

 

[catycatcat4]

i don't think it should count as long as she didn't spend me more bringing food that she would if she was home

 

[georgemoe]

It's really very simple. If you have to "buy it", you have to "count it".

 

[jeanigor]

It's really very simple. If you have to "buy it", you have to "count it".

Then by that logic, they must include the cost of their clothes in the formula. Which, if they were specialty clothes, I would agree. If I were going hiking in the Canadian Rockies, I would include the appropriate gear in my budget. However, I am not factoring in any apparel/gear into my budget for the DIS Sweet Meet at Hershey in August....

 

[TXYankee]

I think Teresa's Challange shows how hard it can be for a family to plan a trip to WDW in their budget. Add in transportation costs most of us pay and it can really be expensive for a family.

On average, the snacks I bring from home averages $5 - $10 per person. Unless it is an adult trip and adult beverages ase shipped, then it is more.

Maybe we could come up with a 'value' of stuff she can bring and not count.
Based on what I am reading, many of us who book through Dreams bring snacks.

What is the average Per Person value of the snacks you bring?

 

[WaltD4Me]

I agree with Teresa's position on the last podcast.

They gave her the $2500 budget based on what the average family spends to book a package through Dreams Unlimited.

The average family booking through DU doesn't include food they bring from home so hers shouldn't have to either..

I totally agree. When someone books through DU that is what they spend on average for their trip and it doesn't include anything they might bring from home. And really....how much would it really be? We aren't talking a freezer full of meat here.

When I save for a Disney trip, what I put aside in the budget doesn't include anything I'm bringing from home on the trip, I usually buy that stuff here and there before I go. Snacks, sunscreen, travel toothpaste, film (in the old days) camera batteries, ect...didn't come out of my trip budget and even if it did, I wouldn't call DU and say "My budget is $2600, but $100 of that is for snacks and incidentals I will buy before the trip."

 

[Halloweenqueen]

Please...no flames, but I really do not like this challenge. It seems Teresa is more annoyed than anything. Maybe because I'm a Disney planning nut, but she isn't approaching it the right way.

I think the challenge was for her to come up with her own plan. It is fast becoming a commercial for DU. (I like DU, btw)

In these difficult economic times it would have been nice to see how she made this work...compromise, budget, etc...without having to debate if she is going to bring her own snacks.

Having a large family myself, I feel her pain. Disney onsite lodging is very expensive for any party over four. It would have been interesting to see her consider off site lodging, food, etc.

It seems she is a little spoiled by her past dining/loding experiences. It is the most difficult thing to be the planner and satisfy the desires of your entire family or party. That's where the tough decisions happen.

I'm starting to loathe these segments. (I know I can fast forward, but I really would like to see Teresa take a more active approach to this project)

I guess my opinions are a little bit jaded. I would LOVE to have Teresa's problem. I would gladly show Pete how a family of seven could do Disney for $2500. I'll even pay for my own airfare!

 

[WebmasterJohn]

I'm not sure if it made it into the last show or not but we did agree to let Teresa bring snacks/food items from home and these would not be counted in the $2500.

However, I did tell her she has to be 'reasonable' - she can't bring her whole pantry and/or she can't keep running back home everytime they want a different kind of cereal.

I have told Teresa several times she's getting too bogged down in the details (will each person get a drink mug, can I bring snacks from home). But I also think these are things people planning a first trip go through and think about -we get these questions (and more) all the time.

I recognize that it can be frustrating for those of you who are more experienced with planning a trip like this. Trust me - on more than one occassion I felt like saying 'oh let me just do it for you' - but I think that's part of the fun of the challenge.

I think Teresa understands the challenge better now and has a clear direction on how to proceed.

If you have ideas for Teresa that might help her then let her know - I think she would appreciate the input (or her head might explode).

 

[georgemoe]

Then by that logic, they must include the cost of their clothes in the formula. Which, if they were specialty clothes, I would agree. If I were going hiking in the Canadian Rockies, I would include the appropriate gear in my budget. However, I am not factoring in any apparel/gear into my budget for the DIS Sweet Meet at Hershey in August....

Clothing/gear was never part of the equation Todd. Food is. But I agree that someone who only had so much money for a trip would need to appropriate some of their budget for gear they needed and didn't have. But this was not part of Teresa's challenge.

 

[newmouse2008]

I do understand the challenge. I also understand that being a mother and planning a trip you have to think of all aspects of the trip. Shocking as it may seem I have planned trips in the past for my family on a budget. The difference being that it was my money and my rules or lack of rules. When planning a trip, I wouldn't normally be talking about "snack issues" I would just be dealing with it. Hard to believe but I am a "planning nut" I plan, make lists and check things off and ask a million questions. My family has been on many well planned , thought out trips in the past.Always within a tight budget and wondering (to my self) if we could truely afford to go.

I started this challenge with a list of what my family wanted on this trip, adding and crossing off things as I went. Hammering out the details of what was to be included in the $2500 was just the beginning of this process for me.

Asking all of the seemingly stupid questions on the show was the only way I found to get my point across about the things a mom has to think about when planning a trip or anything else for that matter. These conversations wouldn't be taking place In the "average home" I would just be making my list, getting what I needed, saving or finding the money to pay for our Disney adventure, checking out websites for the deals, booking my trip and packing my bags!!

The fun for me has been "bugging" John with the tiny details and waiting for his Head to explode.

I big part of this challenge for me was the fact that it has made me learn more about the Disney product (part of Pete's plan). Learning by doing!!

My dates have been chosen, my plans are moving forward.... Stay tooned....


ok, back to your discussion.........

 

[*NikkiBell*]

I agree that food brought from home should not count and am glad this was decoded. Otherwise, clothing, toiletries, etc. would have to count as well.

 

[jcb]

I truly enjoy this segment. Not because I like debates over counting granola bars (or purchasing hiking gear) but because of the banter it permits among the podcast team.

Whether I need help planning a WDW trip isn't the point. Most of us hard core folks don't. But it takes me back fondly to the days, before I bought my mickey mouse cuff links, when planning a trip wasn't so easy.

Peoples' heads exploding is just a bonus.

 

[wishspirit]

Not that my opinion counts. I know it doesn't.

But I think she should have to count whatever food she buys at home into the cost of the trip. It counts. If I had $1000 in a drawer, I couldn't say, "Well, this doesn't count. It was already in the house."

I think that $1000 is completely different to cereal!

Teresa, I come all the way from England and I bring cereal, squash (do you have it there, its fruit flavoured stuff which you add water to?), granola bars etc as part of the course.

I wouldn't imagine going without them, they are just on the packing list!

I don't think they should be an extra expense as I guess most people do this, since Disney allows your own food in the parks it agrees with their policies.

I would also recommend Teresa that you go offsite for some of your meals, plenty of people drive down/ rent cars, and this can really save you money! We used to go to places like Bob Evans and Pondarosa since we really don't have that kind of food here! Next time we go with a car I want to try Cracker Barrel too!