Age old ? Room only vs. Package

[disdadathome]

Please help. We made room only reservations for December for AKL. Mainly because we thought it was the right thing to do. But now we don't remember why. I think it was because of the more liberal cancellation policy, or something like that. Anyway, after reviewing the MYW dining plan and the fact that it is only available as part of a package, we are reconsidering. I am sure that there are existing posts relating to this question of the pros and cons of each, but is the big benefit to "room only" if you have a special rate?.

What would you do in the following scenario?

We are not annual pass holders. We have no discount that I am aware of. We are planning to pay rack rate for a savanah room 12/2-12/10. (Crazy, I know) It seems that we will not save any money by keeping room only reservations and buying park tix and our own food. While we are certainly NOT in a "money is no object" situation, we only take a big vacation every other year so we don't want to need a vacation from our vacation planning if you know what I mean. We like to check into one place and not move once we are on-site. How would each of you handle rooms, tickets and dining.
The trip is for myself, my wife, and two kids, both under 10. At what point do annual passes make sense for us? 10 days, 2 weeks?

If we decide to make a change can we do so now--room only to package?

 

[golfgal]

I would keep it as a room only reservation until closer to your trip. You won't need to worry about them sending your tickets or anything because if you do a package, the tickets will just be on your room key.

The room only's are much easier to modify and change and you never know if you will get an email code (sign up for the DVD in about August from the Disney site, put in your profile that you are staying offsite and check the box that you want to receive offers from Disney, that will increase your chances of getting an email code). If you get an email code, then you can apply that to your room, they work for packages, too.

Also, if general codes come out to reduce your room rate, it is easier to apply that to a room only reservation. Also, you might change your mind about getting an AP for the DDE discount card for your meals.

We booked our trip in December as a room only. I got an email code and had that applied for a room discount in Feb. Then just a couple weeks ago learned that you could apply the email code to a package, changed to a package and we are leaving in 3 weeks (actually, our travel agent made all the changes for us).

 

[the kabuki]

I also am a room-only type of person. While the MYW dining package is a good value, I personally don't like to be locked into dining in only certain places. Also, we always have breakfast in the room-to save money and time- and IMO I don't see us eating that much food.

The point about the discounts, email & pin codes is also valid. Keep it as it is, you can always add it on before you go, but I wouldn't change it now.

 

[pepe of ohio]

We've always done room only. We like to plan our eating on where we'll be for the day, not locked into their resturants of choice. Plus, the meals are so big, my wife and I usually split meals alot or purchase lunchmeats, buns and chips and have picnics a couple of times at Fort Wilderness. Frees us up to try dessets and hand foods around the parks. We always have alot of snacks in the room and different beverages of our liking to take to the pool or down to the beach so being forced to eat 3 meals a day would not save us money.

As for room discount, we've been AP holders in the past, our daughter was in the college programs a few years back and we were going to WDW 3 times a year, this saved us tons of resort money and park tickets and the following years she moved to Florida for a year and we continued with the AP's for the same reasons. To me, you only save on AP's when you exceed the AP price with a years park tickets. Now, with her back in Ohio, we go twice a year, use AAA discount, 10% on resort rates and will check into AP's if discount is grand enough to up grade to conceirge at deluxes, we usually stay 10-12 nights. Just have to use the Disney sites and do the math.

 

[Dopey's twin Dippy]

we always do room only to. we just kinda play it by ear where we want to eat, cause we have picky eaters. I also dont like to "BE somewhere at a certain time".