4/3 Deal Price Compared to Regular

[Tammy296]

Out of curiosity I did a comparison check...

At first we were interested in the 4/3 deal now I'm not so sure...

Buy 4, Get 3 Deal
Dates: 3/24 - 3/31
Value Resort - Standard Room
8 Day Base Ticket
Dining
2 adults, 1 child age 10, 1 infant

Price: $2117.57

Dates: 9/1 - 9/8
Value Resort - Standard Room
8 Day Base Ticket
Dining
2 adults, 1 child age 10, 1 infant

Price: $2229.92

Difference: $312.35 (if you add the $200 gift card into the equation) That is all you are really saving. Cash wise, you'd be saving $112.35 because you cannot use your gift card toward the trip cost.

I'm not so sure this is a good deal? I figured we'd be saving at least $400 or more!!

-Tammy

 

[scrappinmom]

Yes...but look at your dates for the 4/3 deal..that's spring break - peak season. Isn't it value season in your second choice?

 

[mickeystoontown]

We saved over $400.00 by changing our August dates to May dates. And, that's without the $200.00 gift card.

I agree with the previous poster, I think the difference is because of the seasons.

 

[RFrank9504]

another point is they generally offer FREE dining in September...

 

[Tammy296]

No. I was told by our travel agent that March 24 - 31 was BEFORE spring break and would be a good time to go.

Plus I had to check on flights and the best deal I could get on those were from a Tues - Tues date.

Usually September is the FREE DINING promotion isn't it???

-Tammy

 

[Tammy296]

I bet this year they'll offer the free dining promotion but it will be on the quick service only.... that's a rumor I heard recently....

 

[brentalex]

No. I was told by our travel agent that March 24 - 31 was BEFORE spring break and would be a good time to go.

Plus I had to check on flights and the best deal I could get on those were from a Tues - Tues date.

Usually September is the FREE DINING promotion isn't it???

-Tammy

Your travel agent may have said it is a good time to go, but as far as the seasons, which determine the rate you pay at the resorts, it is peak season. Peak season for the value resorts is from Feb 16 - April 3. The next two weeks are easter weeks which get even a bit more expensive. Regular rates begin April 19.

 

[TagsMissy]

Definitely comparing apples and oranges. The OP should compare prices using the same seasonality.

Good time to go doesn't necessarily mean cheapest time to go. That would be like me pricing and comparing Christmas week to September which is dead dead dead in the parks and a great time to go if you can handle the heat and humidity

Your agent should have given you the correct pricing to compare and let you know if it was Value, Reg or Peak season.

Spring Break for you guys or Florida isn't necessarily spring break in other places. Elementary Schools and High schools will have different dates to College and University etc...

September is usually Free Dining but don't bank on it until it's stated and with the addition of the Counter Service dining plan who knows if free will be regular or counter service.

It's amazing how much money we saved last year with free dining.

 

[Allison]

No. I was told by our travel agent that March 24 - 31 was BEFORE spring break and would be a good time to go.

Plus I had to check on flights and the best deal I could get on those were from a Tues - Tues date.

Usually September is the FREE DINING promotion isn't it???

-Tammy

March 24-31 is smack dab in the middle of spring break time. Hopefully, your travel agent knows Spring Break time is not just Easter week. It's peak season in March vs. value in September. You aren't comparing the same things.

 

[justamy27]

When comparing 3/24-3/31 with and without the 4/3 promo, using the 2 adult, 1 child, 1 infant with dining, 8 day base tix, at a value resort it comes to $2108.00 with the 4/3 and $2592.58 without. The savings on the promo is $484.58. I used ASMU for this comparison.

 

[summermac]

Dumb question - the 4/3 deal is only for the accomodation part, right? *ducking for cover* LOL

 

[rt2dz]

I agree that it isn’t the best deal out there for the entire year, as value season rack rates (if you have flexible dates)do beat or come close to this offer for some people. HOWEVER, for the time period it is a decent deal. You are not comparing apples to apples, more like apples to watermelons. The season makes a HUGE (watermelon) difference in price, so those that don’t have flexible dates are really getting a deal.

As far as free dining goes… Depends on your dining style. Yes, you’ll get a great discount on the dining plan, but if you were to just schedule what you’d want to eat (using the menus and prices as a guide) would you be spending that much on dining? What about other OOP expenses (apps, drinks, falling short because of 2TS credit meals, children who’d want an adult meal, 10+ children who’d rather eat a child’s meal, etc)? Our family saves more by getting a room only discount and paying for food OOP with the ability to buy discounted tickets than paying full price for tickets, rack rate for the room and getting free dining. And we eat a lot of TS due to a child’s food allergies. For some that is good, but for others it’s not.

Now, as far as your TA goes… Get rid of her. She doesn’t know Disney and she doesn't understand travel. She should be aware that spring breaks vary throughout the country. Many, many schools have spring breaks in March. Ours is the week prior to your dates. My sister’s is the week of your dates. And spring break or not, it’s still peak season.

 

[thunderbird1]

Dumb question - the 4/3 deal is only for the accomodation part, right? *ducking for cover* LOL

No, it's also for the tickets, though the difference in price between a 4 and 7 day ticket is less than $10, so there really isn't a huge savings there.

Tammy296--just to reiterate what everyone else is saying, you're right--September is a less expensive time of year to go. When you factor in the higher rates in March, it's about the same price to stay for a week in September as it is to stay for 4 days in March. Which is why when the 4/3 deal was first announced, we determined that we'd be better off (financially) going in September.

Now, we're reconsidering. The difference being, we'd get to go in March, over spring break, and wouldn't have to take our 11 year old out of school. That's why September is so cheap compared to spring break--people don't want to take their kids out of school, especially right at the beginning of the year.

Also, for many, the weather is a factor. Spring will be much cooler and drier than September. Having done Aug/Sep trips the last 3 years, I can tell you that it's hot--really hot, and muggy--really muggy, and it rains. . . A LOT. Personally, I like not having to bring anything heavier than a tank top and shorts (at midnight, it's usually still above 80 degrees). And we're from the Pacific NW, so rain doesn't bother us. But the heat, humidity and rain do bother many people, which is why the cooler months are more popular.

Whatever you decide, have a great trip!

 

[deide71]

Hmmmm, my kids spring break falls during your dates. It is definately peak season.

And honestly I've been to DW in both March and September. The weather in March is beautiful...September, not so much.

 

[TJA]

As everyone else has noted, those March dates are peak season so the rates will be a lot higher to begin with. The thing to consider is there are rarely "great" deals to be had around Easter time, so the 4/3 deal is good, if not great, for that time frame. However, the 4/3 deal may not be as great for value season (Sept., for example) because the rates are naturally lower during value season, plus there are normally great deals offered during value season.

 

[CAJUNWDWFAN]

For my trip in april we saved $1100 on our hotel and was able to upgrade to the Polynesian. It's definitely a great deal.

 

[Lilolvr]

No. I was told by our travel agent that March 24 - 31 was BEFORE spring break and would be a good time to go.

Plus I had to check on flights and the best deal I could get on those were from a Tues - Tues date.

Usually September is the FREE DINING promotion isn't it???

-Tammy

It may not be spring break but it is PEAK season. Peak is from Feb 16 - April 3. Value is from Aug 9 - Oct 1

 

[tzolkin]

Look here to see the dates for the different "seasons" at Disney resorts.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/disney-rates-2009.htm

March is peak season and the price of a value room is $125 week/$135 weekend.
September is value season and the price of a value room is only $82.

So, a week in March would be $895. (If you subtract the 3 free days it would be $520)
A week in Sept would be $574.

 

[silmarg]

Free dining is a better deal vs the 4/3 in my circumstances (we can go in late Aug since schools dont open until after Labor day and a family of 4 gets more free dining value).

That said, we rarely go in the late winter / spring to WDW... And I need my fix.... And the 4/3 deal gave me my excuse to go.

So Disney marketing did it right. There is no way I would be going during Presidents week if they didnt do this offer!

 

[thunderbird1]

Free dining is a better deal vs the 4/3 in my circumstances (we can go in late Aug since schools dont open until after Labor day and a family of 4 gets more free dining value).

That said, we rarely go in the late winter / spring to WDW... And I need my fix.... And the 4/3 deal gave me my excuse to go.

So Disney marketing did it right. There is no way I would be going during Presidents week if they didnt do this offer!

I hear you--when the 4/3 deal was first announced we did the math and decided our free dining bounceback trip was a better deal. Then winter set it, we started to get the Disney itch, and last night we booked a 4/3 deal for spring break, lol.

It's the one time of year we've never been because I can't stand the thought of paying $135 a night for POP (heck, we only paid $149 a night for POFQ last September AND got free dining on top of it!), but deals like this don't come along very often, and are just too good to pass up!