Add on packages at Disney

[fredms]

I love DVC, but one thing that irks me is the fact that we can't get any of the add-ons (food, prince/princess add on etc.).

I am taking my nieces and nephews in Jan 2005 and would love to get the princess add on for the girls.

Just venting - anyone lese agree?

 

[madonna31]

Doesn't bother me...those packages are a complete rip-off and Disney knows it.

 

[Stimpy]

I agree with Madonna31. It seems it would be cheaper to get most of the "extras" on your own. I realize some of the add-ons are "exclusives" but I think we can have similiar experiences on our own.

 

[madonna31]

It seems it would be cheaper to get most of the "extras" on your own.

Yes, you are 100% correct. I am a Disney Travel Agent - I never let my clients get sucked into those packages.

Disney is the only destination where 'all inclusives' are more like 'too expensives'

 

[lenshanem]

What is the prince/priness add on?

 

[Dean]

The ones I've looked at were all more expensive than I could have bought each and every item independently. When I asked Disney about it they essentially said that convenience had it's price. The only program I recall having much real value was the food n fun card early in it's existence but Disney quickly fouled that up also.

 

[tjkraz]

Here's the description from WDW web site:

Special seating*** at select Disney-MGM Studios shows:
Beauty and the Beast - Live on Stage
Playhouse Disney - Live on Stage

Special seating*** at select Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park shows:
Pocahontas and Her Forest Friends
Festival of the Lion King
Tarzan™ Rocks!
Flights of Wonder

One Disney Character Breakfast** per person (priority seating required and may be made up to 90 days in advance)

50 Disney Dollars per child (ages 3-9), which can be used at select locations at the Walt Disney World® Resort for anything you wish.

---

To satisfy my own curiosity, I walked through the booking process on WDW's web site. A 7 night stay, moderate resort, 2 adults, 2 children was $2600 exactly for the Dream Maker package.

With the Prince / Princess add-on, the price went up to $2726. So, for an additional $126, you get $100 Disney Dollars and two Character Breakfasts. That's about break-even pricing.

I'm sure the package as a whole is still padded nicely, but at least it didn't go up another $300 for those meager benefits.

IMO, the "Special Seating" SOUNDS like a nice perk, but it also sounds like a setup for disappointment. I wouldn't be half surprised to hear that people start getting a big, fat "huh?" from the CMs when they ask about their "Special Seating". Those poor CMs don't always seem to hear about the latest and greatest gimmicks that the marketing people cook-up.

 

[lenshanem]

That sounds like a fair deal. Usually thsoe packages seem liek throwing money to the wind. I agree with you, though. I bet many CMs aren't gonna have a clue when the walk up.... LOL
I wonder if you don't have to wait in line, either?

 

[pyrxtc]

Originally posted by tjkraz


To satisfy my own curiosity, I walked through the booking process on WDW's web site. A 7 night stay, moderate resort, 2 adults, 2 children was $2600 exactly for the Dream Maker package.

With the Prince / Princess add-on, the price went up to $2726. So, for an additional $126, you get $100 Disney Dollars and two Character Breakfasts. That's about break-even pricing.

I'm sure the package as a whole is still padded nicely, but at least it didn't go up another $300 for those meager benefits.

IMO, the "Special Seating" SOUNDS like a nice perk, but it also sounds like a setup for disappointment. I wouldn't be half surprised to hear that people start getting a big, fat "huh?" from the CMs when they ask about their "Special Seating". Those poor CMs don't always seem to hear about the latest and greatest gimmicks that the marketing people cook-up.

The character breakfast is for everyone in the rooms (not just the kids between 3-9) so you actually get a little more for the price,.

 

[DrTomorrow]

tjkraz, thanks for the info on the "Prince/Princess add-on". Of course, I had an entirely different idea of the services provided .

 

[pplasky]

Before becoming DVC members, we use to book our packages with the silver plan. It may true that you can pay as you go and come out better, but we like to travel hassle free. With the plan, you can eat at the best places, do all the character meals you want and go out for entertainment every night. If people use the "wishes" wisely, it can make for a very memorable vacation. I would like to have the option of participating in a pre-paid plan, it is nice to do every couple of years.

 

[tjkraz]

Don't you get the same result by just using your KTTW card to pay for everything and then....just don't look at the bill?!?!

 

[ceejay13]

I haven't missed these add-ons at all but the Prince/Princess pkg does sound interesting.

 

[dallastxcpa]

I have to admit that the conv of a package would be nice. I personally would do the silver plan. It would be nice to prepay for a few things. I am so looking forward to my first visit home and not having to worry about paying the resort bill 30 days out.

 

[tjkraz]

Originally posted by pyrxtc
The character breakfast is for everyone in the rooms (not just the kids between 3-9) so you actually get a little more for the price,.

Incidentally I went back and checked my numbers. When running the comparison, I probably used the actual ages of my own children, which would have been "Infant" and "2" when this was first posted back in January. I did the same configuration with two children both age 7, and the difference jumped up to $168 for the prince/princess add-on. Sounds like they are actually charging for the kiddies if over 3.

 

[cruise-o-matic]

We did a P/P add on with our 5+2. Since we already had CRT, we used the breakfast vouchers for those. The vouchers included the tip too. The child's price is $63, but they get $50 back in Disney dollars, so really this washes out as far as the $ goes.

You also get a voucher book for PS's at the shows. One voucher for each show, so like you can't see B&B or FOTLK 5 or 6 times. They link to P/P plan to your reservation, so that you can call CRO and get a P/S for the show. Then you get to go to a special line. Before they let in the masses, they take you to the up front seats. We only used ours for the FOTLK and I gave our books to a man w/his young DD when they were checking in. I'm pretty sure if you showed up with the voucher, they'd let you in w/o a PS as long as there were spots available.