December 2005 Info, Code, Dining, & Special Package Watch! :)

We have CAA (apparently the same thing as AAA), but I thought the package with dining seemed like a good deal. Here is what we booked: 6 nights at CSR, 2 base park tickets (as we still have 2 hopper days from last year's trip) and the dining package. We are paying rack rate for the room but I didn't think you could get the dining package if you booked a room only rate. Is this a deal or should I try and get the CAA/AAA discount? How do the rest of you AAA people book your vacation?

Thanks for any of your input.
 
Buzzfan said:
We have CAA (apparently the same thing as AAA), but I thought the package with dining seemed like a good deal. Here is what we booked: 6 nights at CSR, 2 base park tickets (as we still have 2 hopper days from last year's trip) and the dining package. We are paying rack rate for the room but I didn't think you could get the dining package if you booked a room only rate. Is this a deal or should I try and get the CAA/AAA discount? How do the rest of you AAA people book your vacation?

Thanks for any of your input.

I would call AAA - they should be able to incorporate the AAA room discount into a MYW package - that's what I did and I saved about $500 on 2 GV rooms at Poly, w/ 4 day park hopper and dining in December for 5 adults, 1 child.
 
I just booked our trip for 11/29 - 12/6 at ASMo for 2 adults and our 13 year old son. I booked a "preferred room" for 7 nites with 7 day PH passes with the Magic Plus Pack and Dining for $2299.05. I was told by Central Res that AAA rates were available but that I could not add the dining option if I also used the AAA rate. (Disney views the dining option as a discount!!!) I then checked with AAA as I am a member and was told that I could book the package with dining through them but that the ASSp or POP were the only resorts with AAA rooms available. They quoted me a price that was 10% off what Disney was going to charge me for a savings of approximately $230 which equates out to 32.85 per day. I have the option of rebooking at one of the alternate resorts with AAA and getting the 10% savings, but I must cancel my Disney res and wait on the refund and must at the same time place another $200 deposit with AAA. The TA also advised me that if the free dining package is extended into Dec that it can be applied back to the package and the current dining plan would then be removed from my reservation or refunded. Just wanted to post this in case anyone else was going through something similar.

Also just FYI the same 10% discount applies to moderate resorts. There was AAA availability at POR and CBR as of yesterday. I didn't check the deluxe resorts.
 
Thanks guys!! I just called CAA and rebooked our rooms through them and saved $180.00. It's not a whole lot but it all counts!! I was still able to do the MYW package with dining. Also my TA said that she could get that package at CSR which is where we were booked originally. :cool1: :Pinkbounc :cool1:
 
For those of you who have traveled to Disney in December are there any "can't miss" restaurants for the holidays?

And at Chef Mickey's do they dress for the holidays? Or at any other character meals?
 
100AcreWood said:
For those of you who have traveled to Disney in December are there any "can't miss" restaurants for the holidays?

And at Chef Mickey's do they dress for the holidays? Or at any other character meals?

I think the "most special" restaurant for us last December was dinner @ Liberty Tree Tavern. It had an old fashioned Christmas feel to it; and the characters were wonderful! :goodvibes
 
RachelTori said:
I think the "most special" restaurant for us last December was dinner @ Liberty Tree Tavern. It had an old fashioned Christmas feel to it; and the characters were wonderful! :goodvibes
Oh yay! I booked an ADR for this place before my MVMCP and this is exactly what I was hoping for!
 
Stacy's a freak said:
Oh yay! I booked an ADR for this place before my MVMCP and this is exactly what I was hoping for!


I didn't think you could book the liberty tree tavern until 3 months out? I would like that before one of our party nights as well.
 
If you have tickets for Mickey's Christmas Party, you can book ahead of time. I booked Tony's Town Square.
 
PrincessMo said:
I didn't think you could book the liberty tree tavern until 3 months out? I would like that before one of our party nights as well.
My TA booked me without a problem - so go for it :) I think for special events like MVMCP you can book further out. :teeth:
 
I am wondering if Disney has ever had a special or discount during the Christmas season? We are booked at Pop for Dec. 25 to Jan 1 and I didn't even ask if there were AAA/CAA rates available because I thought this period was blacked out historically.
 
Can someone suggest a good non-Disney activity. I normally visit Seaworld on my non-Disney day but I'm Seaworld'd out.

I assume the pool will be too cold :cold:

:earsboy: :earsgirl: princess: (3)
 
Do you want totally non Disney, or just not parks? Plenty to do at the World outside the parks and also outside WDW property. What kind of fun are you looking for?
 
100AcreWood said:
Can someone suggest a good non-Disney activity. I normally visit Seaworld on my non-Disney day but I'm Seaworld'd out.

I assume the pool will be too cold :cold:

:earsboy: :earsgirl: princess: (3)

I wouldn't assume the pool would be too cold. You never can tell. We have swam both years we have gone to Disney in December. The pools are very warm. Some days I wore shorts to the parks, and those were of course the best days to swim. Some days were much colder, so we didn't swim. The weather in Florida in December can vary so much. Pack your swimsuit because you never know.
 
Kaitysmom said:
Do you want totally non Disney, or just not parks? Plenty to do at the World outside the parks and also outside WDW property. What kind of fun are you looking for?


I'm open to suggestions! I just need something my 3 year old dd would enjoy! I want to see KSC but I believe we should wait a couple years so she can enjoy it too. Do you have any ideas?
 
Depending where you are staying at WDW they usually have a playgound. My DS used to really enjoy playing when we weren't in the park. Also, in Dec the pools are at about 82 degrees. If it is a warm day you should be able to swim. Most moderates and deluxe resorts have kiddie pools and our DS used to like to hang out there. The other thing you can do is take the bus to the different resorts and when arriving you can visit the playground area. There are lots of cool playgrounds around the "world" and when you get tired you can visit the food courts or snack bars. There is always DTD that you can visit ... lots of room to move ... they have some small rides for kids but you have to pay for it. They also have the huge figures that small kids typically like to look at, etc. It is fun just to roam in that area, too. You might also schedule a late character breakfast at Beach Club, Grand Floridian, Contemporary, Polynesian, etc. for around 10 or 10:30 .. then just do some touring at the hotels and DTD or go back and swim if it is nice.
 
"Can someone suggest a good non-Disney activity. I normally visit Seaworld on my non-Disney day but I'm Seaworld'd out.

I assume the pool will be too cold "


We were in Disney in early Feb 2004 and went swimming 6 of 10 days -- 2 days in Blizzard Beach.

For stuff to do on site -- how about mini golf, taking out a "mouse boat", fishing with a pole at POR, walking the boardwalk, checking out the shops at DTD (including the lego shop -- if you've never been to DTD, check out the HUGE lego sculptures), go over to Fort Wilderness to the petting zoo......

Have fun!

Wendy

ps - we'll be ther ein Dec also -- I need to get one of the countdown thingy's.... :banana:
 
Yesterday I got a call from Disney Guest Services regarding my lengthy letter on the Best Rate Program. The gal was wonderful and did an excellent job in answering my questions, being honest, and assuring me that others "up the line" would definitely "hear" my concerns and comments. Below is a quick summary of our discussion, as an FYI.

We talked for about 1/2 hour. Basically, what it came down to is this ...

1) Disney is saying that there will not be any new AP rates that come out other than through the BRP. But she said they originally said the 120 days wouldn't change and obviously it did -- since they just lowered it to 60 days.

2) She said they are being bombarded with emails and letters about the BRP. While she wouldn't specifically tell me their leaning she very much "implied" that there were many, many, many, many people upset about the new BRP program. Bascially, we talked about the fact that most don't like the non-refundable deposit and are concerned Disney is going to change the refund policy on both pac kages and room only. Again, she indicated that this seemed to be a common concern among MANY.

3) If a new AP rate were to come out those with ressies under the BRP would not automatically get that rate. They would have to call and have the new rate applied. She said that many people are voicing the opinion that they are VERY upset about this. We talked about the fact that I felt, as many on the boards also felt, that the lower rate should be automatically applied to a ressie that was in the BRP since the program was suppose to be the best AP rate available... She told me that lots of emails were also voicing this concern, too.

4) She was very sympathetic to my concerns and said that ALL emails, letters, calls are being documented and ALL info is being passed on up the line. She indicated that the 120 days was changed to 60 days out --- she assumed -- due to the enormous influx of correspondence from AP holders.

5) I explained my concern to her regarding the huge increase in price from last year's AP rate to this year for same time/same property.... and how I felt it was way too much of an increase for one year. We talked about the fact that if Disney continues on this route that the "most loyal and fanatic" Disney AP holders will probably alter their vacation spending habits and look to spend their money elsewhere. She said that they had also received many emails and letters stating just that.

Overall, she told me that, the official word from Disney is that they will not be offering any lower AP rates, but that I should "stay tuned" as things seem to change regularly. Also, that the NO BRP reservations would automatically receive a lower AP rate if it were offered -- that would still be handled how it was in the past by the ressie holder calling and having it applied to the reservation.
 

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