Am I understanding it correctly?

[Brian918]

Everyone,
I am in the midst of planning a trip for Thanksgiving Weekend and the week after Thanksgiving 2012. Since I’m getting close to the booking window, I wanted to make sure I understood the process. We are probably staying deluxe, hopefully CR, MK-view.

If I decide to go with a package, then I should book the package (tickets, dining, room) soon and pay a $200 deposit? If any discounts or free dining come out later, I can then have these applied to get a reduced rate? I think I previously read that sometimes the room discounts (sometimes up to 40% at deluxes) sometimes outweigh the free dining. Is that true? If so, is it a problem to switch from package room to room only at that time?

If I decide to go with a room only, then we pay just the first night’s deposit now? If / when discounts come out, we just apply those to the reservation to get cheaper rates? Then we would just buy tickets on our own and have them put on our room keys once we arrive? Of course, food would be out of pocket as well.

Is there a general rule of thumb on which way is better based on when we are going?

Thanks for any advice you can offer!
Brian

 

[havoc315]

I'll admit I don't fully understand the difference between a room-only reservation and a package, but I do know this.....
When there are "room only" discounts, you can still book a package. It's just that the discount will only apply to the room portion of the package.
Thus, if you had a package for room, dining, and tickets... and then got a 40% off code, the 40% would only be applied to the room. You would still pay full price for the dining and tickets. (Whether it is worth paying full price for the dining plan is an entirely different discussion).

But using a room-only discount, does not require you to buy your tickets separately, it doesn't stop you from using the dining plan.

 

[nrpofp]

Everyone,
I am in the midst of planning a trip for Thanksgiving Weekend and the week after Thanksgiving 2012. Since I’m getting close to the booking window, I wanted to make sure I understood the process. We are probably staying deluxe, hopefully CR, MK-view.

If I decide to go with a package, then I should book the package (tickets, dining, room) soon and pay a $200 deposit? If any discounts or free dining come out later, I can then have these applied to get a reduced rate? I think I previously read that sometimes the room discounts (sometimes up to 40% at deluxes) sometimes outweigh the free dining. Is that true? If so, is it a problem to switch from package room to room only at that time?

If I decide to go with a room only, then we pay just the first night’s deposit now? If / when discounts come out, we just apply those to the reservation to get cheaper rates? Then we would just buy tickets on our own and have them put on our room keys once we arrive? Of course, food would be out of pocket as well.

Is there a general rule of thumb on which way is better based on when we are going?

Thanks for any advice you can offer!
Brian

A room only requires a one night deposit you pay the rest when you check in. If you decide to switch from room only to package you will have to cx the room only and rebook a package and vice versa. They will not transfer the funds. I room only is almost always the best discount on a deluxe room. Free dining is usually the best discount with moderate and values. If you think you want tickets and dining I would just book the package and apply whatever discount they offer. BTW discounts over the past year for deluxes have been closer to 30% then 40%. They seem to be reducing discounts. It's hard to say what will be offerred in 2012.

 

[THERESA522]

Yes, room discount is almost always better than FD when staying dx - which just may be a good thing for you since you're going at a busy time.

 

[Luv2Roam]

My understanding is the only way to transfer funds from a room only to a package is if you pay the deposit by check. Which I am guessing few do.
If you are figuring on ending up with a package, I suggest just save yourself time now and book a package from the start.

 

[Brian918]

Thank you to everyone for your responses. I had always heard that at the Deluxes, you do better with a discount (if available) than free dining (but have no expierence as we have stayed Moderate in the last ten years, deluxes when I was a kid).

I think I am going to reserve room only for now. Main concern is getting the rooms reserved now so we get the MK view that we want.

Thanks,
Brian

 

[Luv2Roam]

By booking a room only for a specific room type/view does not mean you will have the same when you switch to a package.
Your switch will depend on what package code you will be booking at that time, and the availability for that package.