Premium Plan for One Night Just for the Tours, LaNouba, etc.??

[wdwkimberlee]

Hey 2ofus. Thanks so much for all that useful info!

I've been going to sleep each night lately thinking about all this fun stuff! (And it's invading my every waking hour, too!) Aren't we Disers so lucky to have Disney planning to dream about!

Happy planning!

Kim

 

[2ofUs]

So true. With my CDO (that's OCD in alphabetical order - as it SHOULD be) I, too, found nearly every waking (and some sleeping) hour consumed by these plans.

Once I finally decided - using a spreadsheet with all possible options and combinations - what we would be most comfortable doing without killing ourselves, I made all reservations and am now good-to-go. Figured even though our trip isn't until September, if & when they announce Free Dining, ressies will be much harder to come by so I was driven to get it done.

Now I just have to buy airfare and then figure out how to pay for everything - but at least we are getting a LOT of stuff for the additional $170 per person!

 

[Leigha]

They say this is cheaper to book through AAA. If you do, are they only in control of the room reservation?? I don't like for others to be in control of my reservations but I might could let them be in charge of the room only if I could do all the others like restaurants, tours and shows. How much is AAA now??

 

[beautifultomorrow]

They say this is cheaper to book through AAA. If you do, are they only in control of the room reservation?? I don't like for others to be in control of my reservations but I might could let them be in charge of the room only if I could do all the others like restaurants, tours and shows. How much is AAA now??

You can still make all your own plans and reservations for restaurants, tours and shows.

 

[Mom21]

They say this is cheaper to book through AAA. If you do, are they only in control of the room reservation?? I don't like for others to be in control of my reservations but I might could let them be in charge of the room only if I could do all the others like restaurants, tours and shows. How much is AAA now??

I can give you an idea based on my reservation. Nov28 for 3 nights/Platinum package/AKV Jambo House Deluxe Savannah view/ 2 one day tickets/ 3 nights Platinum for 2 adults AAA 2597.58

About the same price Disney quoted me for a regular/standard (not deluxe studio with kitchen area) savannah view room/same package.

I will do all of my own reservations including restaurants, tours, etc. I don't trust anyone else and also don't like the going back and forth when something I want isn't available. I like being able to do that one on one with the reservation agent.

 

[Mom21]

Well ladies. I am beginning to doubt myself. Help me decide. I have a 3 day Platinum. I planned things out. Just thinking what will happen if an AP rate of 40% comes out and I have TIW. I think I could actually do it cheaper on my own with the same things. I'm going to list my estimate for 2 people. Let me know if I'm off. I'm not including TIW discount as that will take care of tip. Also only listing the price that would include what Platinum plan would include so no alcohol at Vic and Alberts for example

here are the plans:

Sun: lunch somewhere $50
spa massage $150
Victoria and Alberts $250
Epcot cruise (I really am not counting the entire $300 towards this as i hear you can be put with other people. I have done it before and shared with people of my own choosing off this board so thinking maybe $50 a person for this) $100

Day 2 Breakfast: Boma or in room--depending on how late we sleep $50
Dolphins in Depth (Not really into this as we have swam with dolphins so many places--just thought a chance to do it that I likely would never pay for) $350
parasailing $135
Jiko $125
I would love to do the Wayama Safari if allowed but I don't see that listed anywhere

Day 3 Breakfast in room $50
Coral Reef Lunch $60
Cirque 6pm (did this in Dec so not a necessity) $200
Fultons 9pm $125
Characters in Flight (not included anyway just want to do it)


Day 4--check into Poly
Late breakfast at Akershus or CRT $100
Aqua Tours 12:30--dd not so sure she wants to do this $280
Hoop De Review 7:15 $120
Carriage ride at Ft Wilderness 9:30 $45

Total is $2190 I am paying 1320 for the Platinum plan. Leaving me an advantage of 870. But then I'm looking at the 3 most expensive items (Aqua Tours and Dolphins and Cirque--all of which dd says she doesn't care about) costing $830. So is it worth it to me since I have been so many times there really isn't much left for us to do that I can't cover with that price. And then add in I had to buy 2 one day tickets and no room discount. I think with a room discount of 40% we could do all we wanted for less. Also adding in using TIW would tak care of the tips which I would have to do out of pocket in addition to this package price. Am I thinking right? Am I just caught up in the lure of the Platinum Plan?

 

[Mom21]

Another thought. Is the only thing in my plan not allowed on the Premium the Vic and Alberts? If so I may be better off to go Premium not platinum. I'm so confused.

 

[Leigha]

I don't think the Dolphins or Aqua tours are included on the Premium are they?? It might not be worth it for you...

 

[beautifultomorrow]

Another thought. Is the only thing in my plan not allowed on the Premium the Vic and Alberts? If so I may be better off to go Premium not platinum. I'm so confused.

The things I see on your list that are included in platinum, but not premium are:
Victoria and Albert's
spa treatments
fireworks cruise
Dolphins in depth/Aqua Seas

Although you did note that some of those were not really that important to you.

Honestly, it sounds like you might be doing a lot of the activities just to get your money's worth, not because you would have done them anyway. Have you condsidered just doing the plan for one night? that would make it a lot more affordable. You could use a discount for your other nights, and if you stay at the same resort, you might not have to move rooms.

I am planning to do the platinum plan for one night on our honeymoon because we plan to eat at Victoria and Albert's, have a massage, do a portrait session and order a photopass cd anyway. Those things alone equal the roughly $600 additional the plan will cost us (also factoring in the rack rate we'll have to pay for that night that we wouldn't have had to otherwise). Plus there are a lot of other activites and meals we'd love to do so it's totally worth it to us. We couldn't afford to do it for more than one night though.

 

[goodferry]

I agree that it does sound like you are doing a lot just because you have the plan. I have gone through and carefully looked at the discount I could get on the room and compared it with what we will pay for the Platinum plan, only considering those things we for sure were going to do, and we come out about even and plus we get some extras we have never done. We are going to do it for two nights before our DVC stay.

What we for sure were going to do plan or no plan:
Massages for each of us
Victoria and Alberts
Cirque de Soleil
Segway Tour
Deluxe Dining Plan

What we will do that we have never done before or really want to do again because of the plan
Photo session
Photo CD
Richard Petty Driving Experience (DH only)
Mouseboats
Preferred viewing for fireworks/cruise (not sure which)
Fulton's Crab House dinner (always on the dining plan and it's not included)
Lunch at Rainforest Cafe (not on dining plan and DH has fond memories of dining there before the plan back when you could buy those meal vouchers)
Room service for breakfast

A question about the photopass cd, can that include pictures from the rest of our trip being as we will actually be there five days after our package ends?

 

[beautifultomorrow]

A question about the photopass cd, can that include pictures from the rest of our trip being as we will actually be there five days after our package ends?

Having never done it, I don't know from experience, but I am almost certain you can do that. (we plan on putting pix from our entire trip on there too). You enter the photopass card numbers on the website after you get home and then order your cd so I don't know how they could keep you from putting other days on there. Now, I dont think you can add your portrait session pix to the same cd but I am not exactly sure how that works.

 

[Leigha]

I've never gotten the Premium package but have gotten the Photopass cd many times. The last time we did do the pictures at the GF and it was all on the same cd no problem.

 

[maggiew]

I've never gotten the Premium package but have gotten the Photopass cd many times. The last time we did do the pictures at the GF and it was all on the same cd no problem.

You can put them on the CD that you order from the Disney website after you come home and enter all your photopass card numbers.

However, you also get a CD of the images from the resort photo session that day after the session. That is a separate CD. However, we also got a photopass card in that CD case and then we were able to enter that code on the website and have those pictures included with the other pictures from the Park photopasses.

Hope that makes sense.

Maggie

 

[beautifultomorrow]

You can put them on the CD that you order from the Disney website after you come home and enter all your photopass card numbers.

However, you also get a CD of the images from the resort photo session that day after the session. That is a separate CD. However, we also got a photopass card in that CD case and then we were able to enter that code on the website and have those pictures included with the other pictures from the Park photopasses.

Hope that makes sense.

Maggie

So when you do a portrait session you have to buy a separate cd but, you can also get a photopass to put the portrait pix on your regular disc, is that correct?

 

[maggiew]

So when you do a portrait session you have to buy a separate cd but, you can also get a photopass to put the portrait pix on your regular disc, is that correct?

When you say "you can also get a photopass to put the portrait pix on your regular disc", if you mean you also get a photopass CARD, then yet. That is correct.

I think if you do the resort photosession and only get the print package (and not the CD), you might not get the photopass CARD that allows you to put those pictures on your PARKS photopass CD. I'm pretty sure that when I did this, the only way to be able to get your pictures on the Disney website to add the borders, etc. was to buy the CD.

I bought the resort photopass CD and I got the photopass card with that. Then when I got home I was able to add those pictures to the PARKS photopass CD that I had preordered. I was able to add the borders, etc. to them.

So in essence, I have 2 different CDs that have my resort photo pass pictures on them. One of them also has my PARKS photopass pictures.

Maggie

 

[beautifultomorrow]

Yes, the photopass card, that is what I meant. Thanks so much for the info, that is what I thought but I wasn't sure!

 

[Mom21]

I just noticed on the Platinum plan it says you get pretrip planning coordination. I haven't seen a number or who to contact listed anywhere. Does anyone know about this?

 

[Mom21]

Found my own answer. Funny what happens when you do a little research

So talked with the IPO at AKL. Gave her the things I wanted and general times. I wanted Le Celliers for lunch one day. She seemed a little hesitant. I thought it is because it is hard to get. She said something about it not being the best steak place on property. I told her I knew I just like the soup and bread and haven't been able to get a reservation in about 2 years. So she said ok if that's why. I said well if you can't get it then Coral Reef will be ok. She said it wouldn't be a problem. So do they get first priority? I hope so. Another reason to use Platinum every few years. Has anyone not been able to get any reservation they wanted using IPO?

Also reference the Wishes cruise, are you guaranteed a music boat? I forgot to ask her. Also how will you know if you are being put with others. I want to order some drinks and things for the boat and always share. I'd hate to over order, but I want enough to share with those on our boat.

 

[2ofUs]

Another thought. Is the only thing in my plan not allowed on the Premium the Vic and Alberts? If so I may be better off to go Premium not platinum. I'm so confused.

I totally agree with the poster who suggested you change your plan to 1 nite and drop to a Premium pkg UNLESS Victoria & Albert's is a required.

By doing Premium, you would save $56 pp for the nite, and $220 pp per nite for the other 2 nights ($992). Even keeping Platinum, you would still save $220 pp per nite for the other 2 nights ($880).

Either way you STILL have 2 full days (you would get 4 days w/3 paid nites) for all activities (pkg is good on check-in day and through midnight of check-out day) so you could spread out your 3 meals pp to include 2 signature dinners and 1 signature breakfast (CRT) or lunch (HBD).

If you are not TOTALLY sold on staying deluxe, you can also stay ANYWHERE using Premium (we are doing POP since not much time will be spent in our room).

You still have to buy a 1 day ticket for each no matter where you stay. Since you already have an AP, you don't need to wait until the package begins to access parks, so choose room-only for the 1st & 3rd nights and you can ALWAYS go back and apply the 40% discount to those nights. All you need to do on the second PACKAGE day is go to the front desk and switch room keys.

Seriously, there are ways to do your trip for less $$$. Consider suggestions, confirm with your DD what she REALLY is interested in doing, look at the time available to do THOSE things, then make your choices. Otherwise, you will wear yourself down with all the indecision. Trust me since I just went through this! Once I decided, booked all activities and meal ADR's, then CANCELLED the ones I knew we won't need, I have felt a huge relief. Now all I have to do is get through the next 5 months until our trip.

Below are my personal thoughts on your schedule. By eliminating the things that may not bring you pleasure and including those that will, everything will fall in to place to help you decide. Have a great trip!

Sun: lunch somewhere $50 OOP CS
spa massage $150 only on Platinum
Victoria and Alberts $250 only on Platinum
Epcot cruise (I really am not counting the entire $300 towards this as i hear you can be put with other people. I have done it before and shared with people of my own choosing off this board so thinking maybe $50 a person for this) $100 only on Platinum - but can get reserved preferred viewing on Premium

Day 2 Breakfast: Boma or in room--depending on how late we sleep $50 OOP CS
Dolphins in Depth (Not really into this as we have swam with dolphins so many places--just thought a chance to do it that I likely would never pay for) $350 Skip
parasailing $135
Jiko $125 Do this as one of your 3 signature meals
I would love to do the Wayama Safari if allowed but I don't see that listed anywhere Use some of the money you save to pay for this?

Day 3 Breakfast in room $50 OOP CS
Coral Reef Lunch $60 Good use of LUNCH meal if you don't want to do HBD signature
Cirque 6pm (did this in Dec so not a necessity) $200 Always a good choice - the show is never the same, even though the entertainers are
Fultons 9pm $125 Good meal choice, we prefer Citrico's. Narccoossees, Cal Grill, Jiko, Artist's Point - all signature
Characters in Flight (not included anyway just want to do it) Again, use your 'saved' money for this


Day 4--check into Poly
Late breakfast at Akershus or CRT $100 Good breakfast choice, could do CRT for signature or 1900 PF since you are close
Aqua Tours 12:30--dd not so sure she wants to do this $280SKIP
Hoop De Review 7:15 $120 We have done this 2 x and it isn't really our favorite, but if you like it, this is a good opportunity to see it .
Carriage ride at Ft Wilderness 9:30 $45 Nice to do, may be harder to book depending on when you go.

 

[Mom21]

Thanks for the great review of my plan 2ofus. I have until June 1 to decide what I want to do I believe. I gave IPO my list and I'm afraid I will be stuck with things Like Cirque tickets if I decide not to do it at all. I think everything else I can cancel. I am definitely set on Victoria and Alberts as that is my birthday. DD and I have wanted to go for several years, but I had a hard time justifying the cost. I could do like you said and do the Platinum plan on day 2 but I would need to switch my day 2 and day3 so cirque when be on my Platinum night but then Vic and Alberts isn't covered. I thought about canceling all together and paying out of pocket, dropping the Aqua Seas and The Dolphins but I didn't come out ahead. Decisions; decisions.