Free Nights Package Offer for January-June 2009
Disney is offering a fantastic "free nights" vacation package offer. This is probably the best offer I've seen since 2003. It is valid for stays January 4 through June 27, 2009 (with April 5-18 blacked out).
Here are the details:
Buy a 4-night/4 day vacation package, get a 7-night/7-day package. That's 3 FREE hotel nights and 3 extra days on your theme park admission tickets!
Travel between January 4 and March 29 and you will also get a $200 Disney Gift Card, redeemable for dining, souvenirs and more at Walt Disney World! (Travel after March 29 does not include the Gift Card.)
So how much will this save you? Here are three examples (amounts approximate):
Family of 4 (2 Adults, 1 Junior age 10-17, 1 Child age 3-9), staying at a Value resort, Standard room, January 8-15 (7 nights): $276.75 savings on hotel room + $38.33 savings on tickets + $200 gift card = $515.08 total savings.
Family of 4 (2 Adults, 1 Junior age 10-17, 1 Child age 3-9), staying at a Moderate resort, Standard room, January 8-15 (7 nights): $502.88 savings on hotel room + $38.33 savings on tickets + $200 gift card = $741.21 total savings.
Family of 4 (2 Adults, 1 Junior age 10-17, 1 Child age 3-9), staying at Beach Club resort, Water View room, January 8-15 (7 nights): $1383.75 savings on hotel room + $38.33 savings on tickets + $200 gift card = $1622.08 total savings.
As you can see, the primary savings are on the hotel room portion, so the higher category hotels offer the most total savings. The hotel discount works out to 43% off the room rate when you book 4 nights and get 7 for the same price.
To calculate your approximate savings on a 7-night package:
Multiply the room rate times 3 (savings of 3 nights' room rate).
Add $9 per person (approx ticket savings for the 3 extra days).
Add the $200 gift card if you will be traveling by 3/29.
The total is your savings.
You must buy a package that includes at least 4 nights' accommodations at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel plus minimum 4-day Magic Your Way Base Tickets to qualify for the FREE nights and the extra days on your tickets.
You can stay longer than 7 nights (up to 10 nights) with this package, but there is a maximum of 3 free nights and 3 extra days per ticket, per stay. You can stay less than 7 nights, but you still must purchase 4 nights, so you'll end up with less than 3 free nights/extra days: stay 5 nights, get 1 free; stay 6 nights, get 3 free. Obviously a 7-night stay is the best deal!
Note: though it is not advertised, this package can be booked online with a 1-Day Base Ticket. You will not get extra days on the ticket if you do this, but you'll get the free night(s) if you book a 5-night or longer stay. This option may be worthwhile for Annual Passholders or those who already have tickets, especially if you are traveling during the period when the $200 Gift Card is offered.
You can add the Quick Service Dining Plan, the regular Dining Plan, or the Deluxe Dining Plan, but you will pay full price for your dining plan (no free days of dining). This offer cannot be applied to the Premium or Platinum packages or to "split stays" (for example, 4 nights at one hotel, 3 nights at another).
Don't forget, if you happen to celebrate your birthday during your 2009 Walt Disney World vacation, you can receive a special birthday treat, such as a "fun card" in an amount equal to the price of a 1-Day/1-Park Base Ticket ($75 for an adult, $63 for a child) you can use toward merchandise or recreation. You can also choose from other options. (The birthday treat is available ONLY on your actual birthday. This is a 2009 Disney Parks promotion available to anyone. It does not require purchase of a vacation package.)
You must book this special package by 12/20/08.
Thanks to Small World Vacations for info. Small World Vacations agents will be booking this package for their clients tonight until 10:00 pm EST!
With the $200 gift card factored in, we saved $688 US on our 6 night/7 day stay at POR!!! 
I was able to upgrade to WL for our week in Feb!!!! For an extra $200 it was worth it!! Thanks for your help!
