11/27 -12/6 Trip Planning Reservations

[rmb]

Hi! Haven't been on the board in a LONG time. We are planning a trip for 2 adults 11/27 - 12/6 and want to stay at the new animation hotel. As far as park tickets, we are only wanting them 11/30 -12/5. I currently have a 5 day park hopper that I can use if needed. So, I am asking all you experts out there

1) would you plan this trip thru Disney online?
2) when would be the best time to make reservations (hoping there might be a discount during some part of our trip)
3) would you do a package with park tickets or use the ticket I have for 5 day, purchase additional day?

I am out of the loop on this and just need some advice. My boyfriend and I have had a terrible last 3 years due to my mother passing then me getting in a car accident that put me in the hospital for 1 yr. Finally I am at a place where I feel comfortable to go on a nice long vacation and want to surprise him for all the help he has been during this time. When my mother was alive the two of us went to WDW 6 times a year (two of those trips included 10 night stays) so I'm ready to go back, but won't lie it will be hard without her. (there's my story) So again, any advice is GREATLY appreciated!

Thanks friends!
Robyn

thanks!

 

[Wood Nymph]

Hi! Haven't been on the board in a LONG time. We are planning a trip for 2 adults 11/27 - 12/6 and want to stay at the new animation hotel. As far as park tickets, we are only wanting them 11/30 -12/5. I currently have a 5 day park hopper that I can use if needed. So, I am asking all you experts out there

1) would you plan this trip thru Disney online?
2) when would be the best time to make reservations (hoping there might be a discount during some part of our trip)
3) would you do a package with park tickets or use the ticket I have for 5 day, purchase additional day?

I am out of the loop on this and just need some advice. My boyfriend and I have had a terrible last 3 years due to my mother passing then me getting in a car accident that put me in the hospital for 1 yr. Finally I am at a place where I feel comfortable to go on a nice long vacation and want to surprise him for all the help he has been during this time. When my mother was alive the two of us went to WDW 6 times a year (two of those trips included 10 night stays) so I'm ready to go back, but won't lie it will be hard without her. (there's my story) So again, any advice is GREATLY appreciated!

Thanks friends!
Robyn

thanks!

I'm sorry to hear about your mother and your accident. You deserve to treat yourself after that.

We were at WDW from Nov 30 - Dec 5th last year. There was a room discount for the period we were there, but the Art of Animation regular rooms were excluded from the discount. Only the suites had the discount. The AoA is often excluded from any discounts. Disney didn't offer free dining at that time, only room discounts. I think that the discount was released in August, but I'm not exactly sure of that. I always like to book through Disney. It becomes cumbersome to make changes if you have to use a travel agent to do it. I like to do it myself.

As far as your tickets go, I would add a day to your 5 day park hopper. You add purchase tickets from Disney without making it a package.

 

[txnana]

You could luck out and have this be a "free dining" promotion time. Those dates will be released soon as well as other discounts. We stayed for 2 weeks at AOA last year. I loved the resort and the food court, but the Little Mermaid rooms are a long way from the other parts of the resort.

 

[dissupermom]

AoA is often excluded from free dining discounts and the rooms are often discounted at a lower percentage than other resorts.. it's a beautiful resort!! but I love Pop!
going through disney does give you total control of your vacation to allow you yo make changes on your own. I choose AAA as my travel professional because I find them great. I don't get any other discounts than whatever WDW gives, but there are extras that I value!!

 

[purple figment]

Hi! Haven't been on the board in a LONG time. We are planning a trip for 2 adults 11/27 - 12/6 and want to stay at the new animation hotel. As far as park tickets, we are only wanting them 11/30 -12/5. I currently have a 5 day park hopper that I can use if needed. So, I am asking all you experts out there

1) would you plan this trip thru Disney online?
2) when would be the best time to make reservations (hoping there might be a discount during some part of our trip)
3) would you do a package with park tickets or use the ticket I have for 5 day, purchase additional day?

1. I like to plan my own trips so that I have control over all aspects of it, but there are many who prefer to use a TA. Just make sure you have an agent who is a Disney World expert.

2. Since you're planning to check in on Thanksgiving Day I would make the resort reservation as soon as possible since that time frame books up early. The week after Thanksgiving has seen some discounts (we've had Free Dining during that period), but it depends on the dates for Pop Warner week. Typically that week isn't included in public discounts. If a FD discount comes out you may have to do 2 reservations since FD is based on check in date. At the AoA resort, the suites have usually been included in recent discounts, but not the Little Mermaid rooms.

3. The only reason to book a package is if you want to add the dining plan. Otherwise, you can book a room only reservation and link/use the tickets you already have.

If your 5 day hopper ticket has never been used, you can add another day. If you bought the ticket from an authorized third party broker or as part of a previous DW package, be sure to use the ticket at least once to enter a theme park before adding the 6th day. This will bridge the ticket price - meaning you will get the value of the 5 day hopper as of the day you use it, rather than the price you paid for it originally.

If you have 5 days left on a ticket you already used on a previous visit, you will not be able to add another day to the ticket. All upgrades have to be done within 14 days of the first time the ticket was used. In this case, you might want to save the ticket and use it on a future 5 day trip and purchase a new ticket to cover all the days you need for this trip.

If you decide to include a dining plan on this trip, you will have to purchase a 1 day ticket for a paid dining plan or 2 day ticket for free dining. You can add days to this ticket to cover this trip.

I am sorry about your Mother and your accident and hope that the upcoming trip will be the first of many more.