dvc/great package deals

[the who #3]

we have been dvc owners for about 10 yrs now and always love it. we are proud to be dvc owners.

that being said. i constantly see terrific deal for packages including free dining and sometimes park passes. i realize that so much of my money is being used for dining and passes. is it possible to buy a package and then stay in my dvc units instead of staying in the package unit that i purchased?

it is not my desire the cheat disney at all. just realizing that the savings to me could be tremendous and make more disney trips possible.

 

[vicki_c]

Anyone can book a a package through Disney, subject to whatever requirements are there for a particular offer.

It is hard to see though, how you would be saving money to book a Disney package AND use your DVC points on the same trip.

Free dining, for example, requires the guest to pay full price for the hotel room, purchase park tickets (minimum 2 days currently) and stay a minimum number of nights. So you will be paying those costs plus a cost to use your membership (opportunity cost I guess, in that you wouldn't have those points to use in the future).

I haven't seen any great deals on park tickets in packages except a day or a few free type things, and you can do better with outside ticket resellers in most cases.
It doesn't seem very sensible to me.

 

[Sandisw]

In the past, when the values offered the regular dining plan for free, I read about members who had families of 4, all adults, that reserved a room via Disney and booked a DVC room.

It did save money and people did it...so, is it possible? I believe that it is...

 

[twinsouvenirs]

So how would this work with Magic Bands now I wonder? Would you have both reservations loaded to My Disney Experience?

 

[Chuck S]

The system may now check for duplicate reservations, since the Disney Resort software now talks to the DVC reservation software. It would probably be flagged. There were reports a couple years ago of unused free dining rooms being cancelled when housekeeping say no one was using the rooms and moneys refunded.

Seriously, with DVCs access to Tables in Wonderland, it really would be hard to justify paying for a room to get free dining. Especially as the value resorts no longer get the regular package, only the QS package.

 

[Meggysmum]

We have got the 40% discount at SSR or OKW with free dining and have used these deals a couple of times and saved our points.


We upgrade the included tickets to discounted PAPs and then have another trip using our points and the PAPs. Always a good excuse to return!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

In the past, when the values offered the regular dining plan for free, I read about members who had families of 4, all adults, that reserved a room via Disney and booked a DVC room.

It did save money and people did it...so, is it possible? I believe that it is...

I think that worked out to an advantage prior to them changing the free dining package for the values and campsites to include the QS options and not the regular dining plan.

OP - you could always rent out your DVC points and book the package if it worked out better for you.

 

[Chuck S]

We have got the 40% discount at SSR or OKW with free dining and have used these deals a couple of times and saved our points.


We upgrade the included tickets to discounted PAPs and then have another trip using our points and the PAPs. Always a good excuse to return!

Yes, that UK deal is a great price. It isn't available to us in the states.

 

[MagicRat]

We just saved about $1000 buying (4) PAPs as DVC owners which is certainly nothing to sneeze at.

 

[hakepb]

So how would this work with Magic Bands now I wonder? Would you have both reservations loaded to My Disney Experience?

Some have said that Magic Bands not linked to MDE might currently work in-park kiosks to get extra FP+. But I'm sure that is a limited time exploit.

Just like in the old FP- days, if you want to get extra FP+ nothing is really stopping you from buying 2 sets of park tickets, entering 2x and using both.
You may have to convince MDE that you are a family of 8 instead of 4, though.

 

[bakerworld]

Really would like to see how using a pkg and our pts would be cost effective.

Twice now we've found a pkg price for room and air that was less expensive than using our DVC pts. The pkg price has only worked because we have APs.

 

[the who #3]

thanks for all the input.

it would be nice to find a savings that would allow an extra visit for a disney loving family. i am always in the mood for another trip. i will keep watching and comparing.

come to think of it, i have not seen those packages with free dining and passes in a long time.