a little info please

kim7a · Apr 4, 2015

hi can anyone tell me when is the best time to book for aug2016, and do people find it better booking through disney or travel agents,

thanks

micksn · Apr 4, 2015

I think it's best to book a tickets and hotel package direct with Disney and book flights separateley. Usually the best Disney deal is the first one to come out with free dining and gift card. Although, I booked early one year and the gift card came out later. Flights with Thomas Cook and Thomson will be out soon, but Virgin, BA etc will be 11 months before travel. It has been rumoured that the free dining offer will be released on 23rd April, but if you have a look on the disney web site now you will get an idea of prices for value, moderate and delux resorts. The delux villa resorts such as Old key West and Saratoga Springs haven't been released yet and they usually have a good discount. Hope that helps :tinker:

scoobydooby · Apr 4, 2015

Definitely wait a month and see if we get a 2016 free dining deal. It still might not be the best deal for you but it's worth waiting and checking. If that's no good sit that offer period out and wait a while and then if history repeats itself room only offers will be released. When we go as a family of four free dining is the best deal for us, if it's just me and my daughter the room discount save a the most money.

NatalieMT · Apr 5, 2015

We booked our August 2015 trip in April 2014, for the free dining/gift card offer. Booked tickets and hotel through Disney and flights through a TA and it all worked out great. I like booking the tickets/hotel through Disney as I find it easier to then link to MDE and any problems you just pick up the phone and call.

kim7a · Apr 5, 2015

thanks for you feedback, bit scared about booking flight separate as we have never book to goo abroad, but will keep eye on disney site for hotel and tickets

LiquidSunshine · Apr 6, 2015

When we went last September, we booked the whole trip through Virgin Holidays. We are planning on going back next September, and this time I am going to go down the book separately route - hotel, tickets etc direct with Disney and flights separately.

The Virgin Holidays route (for us) was quite an expensive option, but as it was our first time we didn't feel like we could handle booking everything seperately :sad2:

but DisBoards has some great contributors with plenty of knowledge, advice & tips to help guide you through! :thumbsup2

Have a look the the Disney site now, the current offer is the 14 day tickets for the price of 7 (no free dining plan yet looks like 23rd April) that will give you an idea of price.

ABZDisneyFan · Apr 8, 2015

We always book hotels & park tickets through Disney & flights separately.

kim7a · Apr 18, 2015

hi so cant decide what hotel to book if i book one hotel are you aloud to look around the other hotels ?

micksn · Apr 18, 2015

Yes you are! With free dining you can go to any restaurant in WDW quick service or table service. All of the onsite hotels have themed table service restaurants and quick service restaurants that you can go to. Some of them also include character meals. It's a great way of visiting the other hotels, you can have a look around, visit the pool areas or beaches, watch the electric water pageant at Magic Kingdom hotels or look at the animals at Animal Kingdom Lodge. The only thing you can't do is use their pools. If you have the full dining plan you will need to book restaurants 180 days before travel. For quick service you can just turn up. If the deal is the same as the last few years you will get free dining plan at all the delux and delux villa resorts and quick service at the moderates. Last year the values had a breakfast deal which seemed to include 1 quick service meal per day. You can up grade the dining plan by paying extra if you want to. Have fun choosing :thumbsup2

kim7a · Apr 18, 2015

thanks for the reply is the dining plan worth doing?

Also thought of a few more questions sorry first disney world trip

* i was thinking for sending most of the holiday in disney then a few days in a universal hotel, do people think its worth changing hotel or just stay at disney for the few extra days and drive/bus over to universal studio.
* if i booked a standard room at aoa is there any away of getting a room with 2 queen beds rather then 1 king bed as a family of 4 it wouldnt work lol.
* if i booked a standard room and price of the suite dropped in a few month could i up grade my room for the suite.
* magic bands are my park tickets so if i stayed at universal for the few days would i still beable to use my remaining days left on my magic bands.

thank you all again for all your help

scoobydooby · Apr 18, 2015

If you're doing Universal it's definitely worth staying there for a few days. Choose a Deluxe hotel and get free front of line access and early access for every night of your stay.

micksn · Apr 18, 2015

The Standard rooms at AoA have either 2 double beds or 1 king. You can always change your booking, but usually need to pay a cancellation fee - it used to be £50 per person and then re book. I don't imagine the price would drop by much if at all. If the dining plan is free then it is definitely worth it, although with the full dining plan you need to be mindful of the cost of tips. You might be better in a moderate with quick service dining which would have slightly bigger rooms than AoA and queen beds rather than doubles.

tinkerpea · Apr 18, 2015

We always used to do a package say through Thomson or virgin whoever was cheaper,
But thanks to these boards I've booked direct through disney the last 4 trips,and won't look back unless I can get a far cheaper deal,
I find getting flights separate to be really easy, and at a better price, also disney is really flexible so if you find your flights are cheaper for a certain day when released,just call up and move your hotel booking to that day!
We've done this a few times as being military our leave has been cancelled more them once disney was great and we managed to save money due to them being so flexible,
Plus like others have said no issues when linking tickets, and so no meeting around and fretting when it comes to doing Fp+

a little info please

kim7a

Earning My Ears

micksn

DIS Veteran

scoobydooby

DIS Veteran

NatalieMT

Mouseketeer

kim7a

Earning My Ears

LiquidSunshine

DIS Veteran

ABZDisneyFan

Mouseketeer

kim7a

Earning My Ears

micksn

DIS Veteran

kim7a

Earning My Ears

scoobydooby

DIS Veteran

micksn

DIS Veteran

tinkerpea

DIS Veteran

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