Anyone experienced the '42%' offer?

[joolz1910]

I'm having an idle moment (don't have many) and I have priced up OKW for two weeks with the free DDP plus park tickets on the Disney.uk site. It's coming up as £3882 for 5 of us. I would have to add flights on to this (thinking either over October half term or last two weeks in August) so I'm probably looking at around £6000 in total.

Is it worth it? Would I be better off staying off-site and eating at cheap places???

I'm not thinking of going this year, just trying to see what the future holds.

 

[wayneg]

I find best way is to knock off tix as you will buy them anyway(maybe slightly cheaper but there abouts) Does that make it a 2 bed villa around £2,646.00?

That works out at £189/night, work out roughly what you will spend on food, we usually have lunch in park and offsite in evening, 3 of us averages $80-90/day with no breakfasts. So for 5 I would say approx £100+/day for food, could be less but could be a lot more depending where you eat. knock that off your £189 and you are paying about £89/night for the resort. What can you get offsite for that? but consider free parking onsite, Internet fees onsite, EMH etc. I would say for you its border line, whichever you want to do as cost will be similar either option.

For us only being 3 and can fit in a studio cost was a lot less, £91/night, knock off food and we are probably only paying around £30-35/night for the studio. and hopefully getting some nicer meals(time will tell on that)

 

[joolz1910]

Thanks Wayne. That's what I figured too. I know I could get cheaper accommodation off-site but the whole 'on-site' experience appeals to me. I will wait for your trip report to see how you rate your experience at OKW!

Being a family of 5 is darn expensive.

 

[paulh]

we did similar this year,only 6 nights at SSR on free ddp.we priced it factoring food and its just profitable.But then we will have flex tickets for the rest of our stay on points at AKL.we will save our normal tickets for another trip
Paulh

 

[joolz1910]

Yes, it's a pretty 'borderline' decision in terms of profitability. I've never been to WDW, and at these prices it will be several years before we go again! (I know that this trip won't be once-in-a-lifetime but maybe once a decade) I guess I'm wondering whether the extra cost is justifiable - is staying onsite really that much nicer?

I keep thinking that the free DDP makes it worth it, as not having to buy food and snacks all the time for 5 of us will save a lot of money.

 

[thumper1970]

We've had the same dilemma, being a family of 4 (plus a baby) we could have squeezed in to a studio, but now the in-laws are coming, we can have a 2 bed villa for a good price. It will be a once in a lifetime for us, staying on Disney, helped by the excellent flight prices that we've got for the end of October (only £300 each, indirect)

The dining plan being free has swayed it for us, and we'll take full advantage by ensuring that we visit at least, making it very worthwhile for us!

Le Cellier
Chef Mickey
California Grill
Crystal Palace
Whispering Canyon
Trails End
Ohana
Turf Club
1900 Park Fayre

 

[joolz1910]

Make sure you do a trip report Thumper! I'd be interested to see what you make of the offer and whether it will be worth it. I would have liked to have squeezed into a studio - now that is quite a price difference.

What are your flight like? How long etc?

 

[tubtruck]

It also more than just a financial decision, depending on how tight your budget is and your own attitude to money. Some people will want to squeeze the maximum value out of every thing they do in life, others want more but may have to pay considerably more to get it.
My own personal opinion about the offsite/onsite thing is that if the food, transport and accommodation were free offsite I would still be spending a considerable amount of my holiday onsite.
I dont really care (within reason) whilst on holiday if that meal costs more than down the road, I am paying for ambience as well as the food.
I know I can get accommodation for less money, again I pay more because its the accommodation I want. Although there is only the two of us, this year we are staying in a 1 bedroom, we could have easily stayed in a studio but to us the extra money is worth it, to others it would be looked on as totally extravagant and unneeded.
This year there have been some very competitive deals with disney making it not a great deal, if at all more expensive than offsite, make of them whilst they are here. As soon as the US economy picks up many of these will evaporate as disney are well know to charge fairly high prices.

 

[pauldents]

We took advantage of the 42% discount offer. We are staying at SSR for 10 nights in a one bedroom villa on the DDP with park tickets included.

The total cost for the 3 of us was £1678.00.

Take out the tickets that leaves £1080.00

Take out the dining @ £100 PN leaves £ 80.00!

£8.00 per night at the SSR. Not bad!

DDP meals booked to date:

California grill (2TS)
Once upon a Breakfast (2TS)
Le Cellier (1TS)
Liberty Tree Tavern (1 TS)
Chef Mickey's Breakfast (1TS)
Crystal Palace lunch (1TS)
Coral Reef (1TS)
Garden Grill (1TS)
Hollywood & Vine (Fantasmic dinner package)

 

[igk]

We're staying in a 1BR at OKW for a week at the end of Oct/beginning of Nov.
I personally think it's an absolute bargain. Looking at the accommodation rates before adding tickets, we're paying £139/night. Compared to the Disney UK rack rate that's actually a 36% discount (Aug rates are cheaper), but compared to the Disney US rack rates it's about 50% off, and that's at 1.60.
I've stayed at OKW a couple of times before, but only for 2 or 3 nights at a time, and tbh I thought that I probably wouldn't again as it had got just too expensive. This deal plus the free DDP made it a no-brainer for me. I think I would have probably booked it even without the DDP.
OK so OKW and SSR are the least up-market of the DVC resorts, and OKW being the oldest there have been some reports of some units that haven't been refurbished being a bit run down, but I've stayed there before and loved it, and if I'm unlucky enough not to get a good room I'll try to change it.

The DDP isn't really free as there's the 18% or so tip, plus alcohol if you drink it and appetisers (though I don't suppose we'll be getting them), but again, with my kids 10 and 12, eating onsite every night and paying for 4 adults without DDP would have been prohibitively expensive, but on the other hand I wouldn't have wanted to pay 4*adult DDP as it wouldn't have been worth it at their age. If the DDP hadn't been offered we'd probably have eaten offsite most of the time and just had 1 or 2 onsite meals.

Then there's the usual onsite benefits like EMH and parking as well so taking everything into account a great deal!

 

[joolz1910]

It seems that the studio or 1 bedroom accommodation represents more of a saving.

As I have never been to WDW, I really wanted to know if staying onsite and the DDP were things people would highly recommend. As I will be paying for 5 of us, I do want value for money, but I am more than willing to pay the maximum I can afford to have the best experience for my family. My 'attitude' to money is largely dictated by the limited amount I have - but I prefer to spend it on creating memories than possessions.

 

[igk]

It seems that the studio or 1 bedroom accommodation represents more of a saving.

As I have never been to WDW, I really wanted to know if staying onsite and the DDP were things people would highly recommend. As I will be paying for 5 of us, I do want value for money, but I am more than willing to pay the maximum I can afford to have the best experience for my family. My 'attitude' to money is largely dictated by the limited amount I have - but I prefer to spend it on creating memories than possessions.

On the Oct prices the Studio, 1BR and 2BR all were 36% off the rack rates, at £101, £139 and £202. The 2BR is actually a 1BR + Studio, so that's why it's expensive, though still cheaper than adding the prices together.

As for the onsite/DDP recommendation, I have never done the DDP before, but I have stayed onsite and eaten in the restaurants. It's a matter of your personal preference, and whether the extra onsite 'magic' is something you value. To some it's worth every penny, to others it's just too 'full-on'.
I was perfectly happy with my offsite plans, but when I realised this deal was available I jumped on it.

 

[joolz1910]

I am being seduced by the idea of onsite. When I went to DLRP, I was booked in at the SL but upgraded to the DLH. It was worth every penny to me - so I guess I've really answered my original question. I loved everything about the hotel, yet many don't rate it very highly, or think it is over-priced. My children loved it too. They were so pleased to see the characters at breakfast and to look out over the castle in the morning. I also prepaid my meals in the form of HB vouchers, this was after much deliberation and questioning on the DLRP board....I'm starting to see a pattern emerge.

I just hope the 42% deal is still on when I can finally afford to book!

 

[thumper1970]

Make sure you do a trip report Thumper! I'd be interested to see what you make of the offer and whether it will be worth it. I would have liked to have squeezed into a studio - now that is quite a price difference.

What are your flight like? How long etc?[/quote

We're leaving Heathrow at 0850 on Northwest (Delta) landing in Detroit at 1.10pm. Departing from Detroit at 3.10pm and arriving at MCO at 5.45pm. We'll spilt our party up there, with me picking up the 7 seater Durango (none available at Disney Car Care) and driving to Disney, and the others relaxing on board the Magical Express. We then stay 11 nights at SSR, before dumping the car off at Disney Car Care, and getting the Magical Express back to MCO.

We leave MCO at 12.30, flying to Minneapolis, arriving at 3, with a three hour stopover until flying back to LHR.

All in all, reasonable flight times, and a great price.

Trip report will indeed be done!

 

[team harris]

We are a family of 4 (2biguns & 2 middlesized 'uns)
Works for us - we are happy to fit into a studio at OKW this August and with the 42% discount it seemed rude not to!
To be honest, wouldn't be going this year if discount wasn't about - simple as that.

 

[igk]

I am being seduced by the idea of onsite. When I went to DLRP, I was booked in at the SL but upgraded to the DLH. It was worth every penny to me - so I guess I've really answered my original question. I loved everything about the hotel, yet many don't rate it very highly, or think it is over-priced. My children loved it too. They were so pleased to see the characters at breakfast and to look out over the castle in the morning. I also prepaid my meals in the form of HB vouchers, this was after much deliberation and questioning on the DLRP board....I'm starting to see a pattern emerge.

I just hope the 42% deal is still on when I can finally afford to book!

It's on until 15th july:

This incredible offer is available for all bookings made between 1 April -15 July 2009 and for hotel stays between 2 August - 17 December 2009.

The risk is that the room availability might get used up if you leave it too long...

 

[joolz1910]

It's on until 15th july:



The risk is that the room availability might get used up if you leave it too long...

I only wish I could afford to book for this year. Can't even afford next year. We're planning in advance - possibly 2011 or 2012.
I like to over-plan pretty much everything I do.

 

[orangetiggs]

think the 42% is on for next year as well as disney uk its only about £50 more than port orleans for saratoga springs or old key west just like the prices were for this year

 

[stephensmum]

We are staying at SSR for 14 nights from 20/8 in a studio with 14 day park tickets & free dining. For 2 adults & 1 11 year old it is £1931. We were staying at Pop Century on the 14 nights for price of 10, with tickets offer until this offer came up & found that if we wanted to add the DDP it would cost us £60 more. A no brainer for us. We are hoping to book for next year, although I do woory about not having the flights first. This year will be our first time on DIY. Our flights, thanks to Wayne, were £300 each.