Any diff in "Room only" booking versus "Package" booking?

[Disneyliscious]

Is there a difference to the following scenarios:

Booking on-site stay with tickets as a package.

Booking on site stay with just room only and then buying your tickets later and adding them to MDE.

The price is the same so I'm wondering if there are any advantages of doing this one way over the other?

 

[sheila <3 WDW]

If you book a package you can add the dining plan. Otherwise I don't think there in a difference.

 

[Disneyliscious]

Perfect. We don't do DDP so that won't affect us. I just want to make sure I can get MB's was my main concern. We plan to purchase tix separately then add them to MDE later on.

Thanks for the response!

 

[BrianL]

With a room only you will not get the package of vouchers (2 free admissions to DisneyQuest, 2 Mini Golf admissions, etc.), if you care about such things. For me, If I like to kill my arrival evening at DQ, and if I don't have the Waterparks Fun and More pass then those vouchers are nice to have.

 

[minnie mum]

There should be little to no difference in price unless you buy discounted tickets from a site like UT.

As noted already, one advantage is that you can choose to add the DDP, or take advantage of a FD promotion without canceling your existing reservation if you have a package.

One downside of a package: it must be paid in full 45 days before check in. Canceling after this date results in a fee. With RO, your balance doesn't have to be paid until check in, and you can cancel up to 5 days before check in without penalty.

 

[Disneyliscious]

Very helpful.

We are 3 friends travelling from 3 diff states and each of us needs to buy our tickets individually. I am booking a room for our first night and we are staying there so we can get the MB's and FP+ at 60 days for our 4 park days (60 rolling days out).

Once we get our tix separately then I guess they give me a number off it or something and I can add the tix to MDE that way? We are doing both regular days and MNSSHP and its my first time using MB's or FP+. Thanks again for the help. Just really want to make sure we can buy individually (tickets) then put them all on same MDE.

 

[Skywise]

It's easier to cancel out of a room only reservation than it is a package deal. Otherwise there's not really too much of a difference. I do the room only because various family members will purchase their own tickets.

 

[supersnoop]

The main differences are the payment and cancellation terms.
Room only: the deposit is one night's rate with the rest due at check-in, and you can cancel with no penalty up to five days prior
Package: $200 deposit with the rest due 45 days in advance. Penalties for cancellation and changes begin at that point.

 

[ky.]

With a room only you will not get the package of vouchers (2 free admissions to DisneyQuest, 2 Mini Golf admissions, etc.), if you care about such things. For me, If I like to kill my arrival evening at DQ, and if I don't have the Waterparks Fun and More pass then those vouchers are nice to have.

What is this package of vouchers you speak of? We booked our first trip for August with free dinning (the Canadian one). Will we get free vouchers for Disney quest??

Thanks

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Just a few other things. With a room-only, while you can cancel 5 days prior and get your deposit back, if you buy your tickets separately, they are completely non-refundable. With a package, if you have to cancel, it is always better to simply re-schedule your trip and you won't lose your $200 deposit. So basically, if there is any chance you have to cancel, you are usually better off booking a package and either changing dates or losing $200 than losing the entire cost of tickets purchased separately (of course, you can use these for another trip).

Also, just want to point out, you can purchase a ticketless package consisting of a room plus dining with no tickets. You do not need to purchase tickets in order to purchase a dining plan. The only dining package that requires a tickets purchase is the free dining promo. If you are booking at rack rate or a room-only discount, you can add dining without tickets.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Very helpful.

We are 3 friends travelling from 3 diff states and each of us needs to buy our tickets individually. I am booking a room for our first night and we are staying there so we can get the MB's and FP+ at 60 days for our 4 park days (60 rolling days out).

Once we get our tix separately then I guess they give me a number off it or something and I can add the tix to MDE that way? We are doing both regular days and MNSSHP and its my first time using MB's or FP+. Thanks again for the help. Just really want to make sure we can buy individually (tickets) then put them all on same MDE.

If you buy the tickets in MDE they'll link automatically. If you buy them from a third party discounter like Undercover Tourist, you'll have to link them manually using the ticket number. It's easy either way.

 

[Disneyliscious]

What is this package of vouchers you speak of? We booked our first trip for August with free dinning (the Canadian one). Will we get free vouchers for Disney quest??

Thanks

I did see these vouchers when going through the process of booking as a package too. It tells you at the top you will get the free vouchers. Neither of the vouchers interest us though so it wasn't an issue to not get them but they are there for those who book packages. You may not get them if using another offer such as free dining though.

 

[Disneyliscious]

Just a few other things. With a room-only, while you can cancel 5 days prior and get your deposit back, if you buy your tickets separately, they are completely non-refundable. With a package, if you have to cancel, it is always better to simply re-schedule your trip and you won't lose your $200 deposit. So basically, if there is any chance you have to cancel, you are usually better off booking a package and either changing dates or losing $200 than losing the entire cost of tickets purchased separately (of course, you can use these for another trip).

If you have to cancel a room only package and already have tickets, your tickets wont expire though right? Since they haven't been used you can just save them for whenever you do go back next.

I booked a one night room only package a few moments ago. Our plan is to buy our tickets individually and add them to MDE so we can get the magic bands and FP+@60. If for some reason I have to cancel the room (it was a cam stay) then the most I will lose is $64 as our tickets can be used 5 years from now from what I understand.

Last question.....once we each buy individual tickets, how do I add our tix to my MDE? Does my party just give me like a serial number off their tickets or something?

If you buy the tickets in MDE they'll link automatically. If you buy them from a third party discounter like Undercover Tourist, you'll have to link them manually using the ticket number. It's easy either way.

Just saw this. We each plan to buy tix from Disney individually. I have the MDE account so they will just purchase a tix without an MDE account. Thanks for the help!

 

[BrianL]

What is this package of vouchers you speak of? We booked our first trip for August with free dinning (the Canadian one). Will we get free vouchers for Disney quest??

Thanks

With "Magic Your Way" packages you get a little booklet with some vouchers and coupons in it. The most interesting things are TWO free admissions to DisneyQuest and TWO free admissions for a round of mini golf at either Fantasia Gardens or Winter-Summer Land. The trick with tehse is that you get two of them no matter how many people you booked in your party (so, you know, they can sell you a few more tickets). There is also a voucher for a small pin from Planet Hollywood and $10 off a meal there as well. I think there are a couple of other things, but I never really bother with any of that stuff.

With the package you have I believe you will get the vouchers unless there is a difference with what they offer in Canada. Someone else might know for sure.

 

[ky.]

With "Magic Your Way" packages you get a little booklet with some vouchers and coupons in it. The most interesting things are TWO free admissions to DisneyQuest and TWO free admissions for a round of mini golf at either Fantasia Gardens or Winter-Summer Land. The trick with tehse is that you get two of them no matter how many people you booked in your party (so, you know, they can sell you a few more tickets). There is also a voucher for a small pin from Planet Hollywood and $10 off a meal there as well. I think there are a couple of other things, but I never really bother with any of that stuff.

With the package you have I believe you will get the vouchers unless there is a difference with what they offer in Canada. Someone else might know for sure.

Do you get this at check in or do they send it in the mail? I had some problems inputting my address in MDE so it was blank for a while (its fixed now) so I haven't received anything at all from them in the mail since we book at the beginning of April.

 

[BrianL]

^They send it in the mail. It will be in the same little booklet as your luggage tags (which is also something you only get with a package; the Mickey one, not the Magical Express ones).