Are Mousesavers Ads Misleading?

[dwolstenholme]

I'm a little confused. I received the mousesaver ad that stated 25% off the platinum package copy and pasted below-

25% Off January-June Platinum Package
Get 25% off a Platinum Package when you stay January 4 through June 30, 2009. I have never before seen a discount offered on this ultimate package!

The all-inclusive Platinum Package includes accommodations at a Disney Deluxe resort or a select Deluxe Villa (DVC) resort (Beach Club Villas, Boardwalk Villas or Villas at Wilderness Lodge), plus three meals and two snacks per day, unlimited recreation and theme park tours, a spa treatment, an evening at Cirque du Soleil, a fireworks cruise and lots more!
With this offer, you really do get 25% off the entire package! For that reason, it might make sense to load up the package with 10-day tickets and get the Park Hopper, Water Parks Fun & More and No Expiration options, since you're getting 25% off those too -- an unprecedented discount on tickets. If you stay less than 10 days, you can alway use the remaining features on your No Expiration ticket during a future visit.

Availability is limited: some dates and resorts will be not be available. Reportedly April 5-18 are blacked out completely. You must book by 2/15/09.

Because of the complexity of this package, I strongly recommend booking it through a Disney Specialist travel agency such as Small World Vacations. They can help you take full advantage of all the many package inclusions.


I need to know if anyone else would be under the assumption that if something is "included" that it would come with the price stated or if I am really not sure of what the word "included" means.

-Disappointed in Daphne

 

[Willow1213]

Can you clarify what you mean here? You are talking about things being included in the price stated, but they don't state a price at all
The platinum package by default is a deluxe / deluxe villa resort with deluxe dining, etc. Meaning, the platinum package cannot be for a value resort with basic dining. Please clarify so we can get you a correct answer.

 

[dwolstenholme]

Thanks for the reply! The mousesavers ad stated 25% off of the Platinum package rate of $209 per adult and $144 per child (mine would be for 6 of us-$1189 times 75%=$891.75 per day. The ad clearly states as I will post here that accommodations are "included" in the price but when I called and tried to book it they said even though it says "included' it doesn't mean included and that anyone who knew anything about Disney would know that. I was FLOORED! The mousesaver ad says to book it through Small World Vacations which I did and gave them the code FZL but she said the room wasn't included.

Copy and pastes of mousesaver ad and Disney website describing plan-

Get 25% off a Platinum Package when you stay January 4 through June 30, 2009. I have never before seen a discount offered on this ultimate package!

The all-inclusive Platinum Package includes accommodations at a Disney Deluxe resort or a select Deluxe Villa (DVC) resort (Beach Club Villas, Boardwalk Villas or Villas at Wilderness Lodge), plus three meals and two snacks per day, unlimited recreation and theme park tours, a spa treatment, an evening at Cirque du Soleil, a fireworks cruise and lots more!

Package Details
See what's included in the Magic Your Way Platinum Package, such as, luxury accommodations, customizing your Theme Park tickets, dining plan details, unlimited recreation activities, shows and spa treatments, and learn about Resort Guest benefits such as complimentary transportation and extended Park hours.


Show Details
See what's included in the Magic Your Way Platinum Package, such as, accommodation choices, customizing your Theme Park tickets, dining plan details, unlimited recreation activities, shows and spa treatments, and learn about Disney Resort Guest benefits such as complimentary transportation around the Walt Disney World Resort or to and from Orlando International Airport to your Disney Resort hotel and Extra Magic Hours.

Disney Resort hotel accommodationsWhen you book this package, you receive accommodations at Disney Deluxe Resorts or Disney Deluxe Villa Resort.

I really can't see how included can't mean anything else except included!

 

[Willow1213]

Ok, I see where you're getting this. The platinum PACKAGE includes room, tickets, dining, recreation, etc. This is just like any other Disney World PACKAGE (like Magic Your Way with Dining, etc.) The platinum package is only good for stays at deluxe resorts (since it is a deluxe package, imho)
You pick the accommodations, and pay for the type of room you pick. Example, a standard room at AKL or WL is NOT the same price as a room at Grand Floridian, etc. So, yes the package includes room, but not ANY room. Think of it as more of a starting point.

Also, with dining, the package price includes the deluxe dining plan. This is where they are getting the food information.

Here's the info I could find on Disney's website

4-day/3-night Deluxe Resort Platinum Package
$4091**
3 Nights at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
4-day Magic Your Way Base tickets
Disney Platinum Plan
Just $256** a day per person!
**Price based on 2 adults, 1 junior, 1 child occupying one standard or studio room. Rates valid for stays most nights 1/01 - 2/12/09, 4/19 - 12/17/09.

The person you spoke to on the phone was rude, I admit, but please, call Disney directly for clarification! This package is VERY expensive, and if you're spending that much money, you should be very comfortable with what you're getting. I hope this helps!

 

[PoohHappens]

I do not see on Mousesavers where they gave any pricing information other than the %off. Maybe I missed it. So I was wondering where you got the price info. The platinum package is all inclusive of the things listed, however the price will differ by selection of resort. A week for my family of 3 runs about 6500-10,000 depending on resort, room class, tickets and time of year. Then I think it would be a straight 25%off the total. Hope that helps.

 

[dwolstenholme]

If you click on a link within the ad here is what it says-

Magic Your Way Platinum Package for 2009
Available only at Disney-owned-and-operated hotels, Disney's Magic Your Way Platinum Package gives you the ultimate Walt Disney World vacation. This package costs $209 per adult per day and $144 per child per day more than a standard Magic Your Way Package and must be purchased for your entire reservation.

The Platinum Package includes:

Accommodations at a Deluxe Disney resort or select Deluxe Villa (DVC) resorts (Beach Club Villas, Boardwalk Villas or Villas at Wilderness Lodge)


The Magic Your Way Package ads in the Disney site state things like $100 per person per day and the Platinum Package is an additional $209/$144 per day which would be for me with 6 $991 per day.

 

[dwolstenholme]

Thanks for the replies everyone. It was going to be expensive but I figured at $1,000 per day, the room would be included. Granted some of the rooms or villas have a rack rate of $1,000 plus, very few people pay those rates and I figured they should be happy having someone giving them $7000, which in this economy is quite a sum of money.

 

[PoohHappens]

Ok thankyou for that, I think that must be the link in the newsletter. I think where the issue is that the price is the amount more than the plain base MYW package. So you would pay the price of the base package plus the amount per day listed per person for the addition of the platinum features. You cannot add that to any value or moderate packages, only deluxe. The price per day per person depends on the resort selected and the ticket selected. Keep in mind just the hotel portion of the package at a deluxe can be $400 a night depending on where you stay. Also with a party of 6 you would need two rooms unless some are under 3. If you go to the disney world site and put platinum package in the search, it will bring up a link with info and then the option to book/price one of these, but not with the discount. Hope this helps. It is a very expensive trip because of the use of extras like golf, recreation etc.....

 

[PoohHappens]

I am happy to help you try and figure this out if you want. With 4 kids it may not really be the package for you, but that depends on their ages and what features you would use. However it is hard to say with the discount how much more it would really be than booking without and adding the DDdxp. The 4/7 deal might be good for you since you may need 2 rooms.

 

[dwolstenholme]

Thanks Poohhappens (cute name, wish I was that clever
I think what I had a problem with was that it appeared as though with the additional 209/144 you could stay at any of those places.
The 4/7 deal is what I went ahead and booked with no meal plan yet.
Thanks so much! I love this board! Everyone is SO friendly and patient.

 

[PoohHappens]

Glad that worked for you. Hope you have a wonderful trip. Will this be your first? I can see how you thought that. And yes for that much MORE you can add the feature to any of those deluxe resorts, but you are still going to pay accordingly for the base portion. As far as poohhappens, I was trying to toilet train my DS now 7 when I found the DIS, hence the name as that is what my day was full of. I was so glad for the DIS as a place to "talk" to another adult with the same love of Disney as me. It was a nice break from the pooh.

 

[dwolstenholme]

My wife and I have been to DW once BC (before children) and again in 2000 with 3 kids. Now we have 4 (youngest is 5) and we are heading back. We've booked a cabin at Ft Wilderness since it sleeps six and there is a lot do do just in Ft Wilderness in general plus it is SO convenient to Magic Kingdom. I keep second-guessing myself though because for $200 less we could get a 2 bedroom suite at Saratoga Springs which is closer to the rest of the parks. Who knows, we may change our mind again and book that since I doubt we will go to MK more than 2 days.

 

[PoohHappens]

I am surprised the 2 bedroom villa at SS is cheaper than the cabin. We have stayed in a 2bedroom at SS and I would stay there again in a heartbeat. The pool was really fun, loved all the activities for families because it is DVC and the space was great to spread out. The 2 bathrooms was also nice, and the kitchen. If you could get in there cheaper I would really consider it, there is a lot more space than a cabin I think. Of course this is just my opinion. I am sure you will have a great trip no matter where you stay.

 

[dwolstenholme]

First off, THANKS so much for all of your help!
I am starting to lean towards SS but wanted to know what the transit time between there and AK, Blizzard Beach, Epcot and Typhoon Lagoon was? Are they all by bus? Ft Wilderness can take a boat from there to Contemporary then from there to Epcot and it only looks like 5 miles or so. But can you get from Epcot to other parks down there?

 

[PoohHappens]

First off, THANKS so much for all of your help!
I am starting to lean towards SS but wanted to know what the transit time between there and AK, Blizzard Beach, Epcot and Typhoon Lagoon was? Are they all by bus? Ft Wilderness can take a boat from there to Contemporary then from there to Epcot and it only looks like 5 miles or so. But can you get from Epcot to other parks down there?

OK I would have a hard time telling you exactly how long the bus trip is to each place. It is always relative as to how long a wait there is for the bus first. Blizzard Beach and Downtown Disney are very close. I do not remember any of the bus rides being too long, but we do not mind the rides. Now from Ft. Wilderness you can take a boat but not to Epcot. You can take the boat to MK and then take the monorail to the Ticket and Transportation Center and then a monorail to Epcot. The only resorts that you can take a boat to Epcot are Beach Club, Boardwalk, Yacht Club and Swan and Dolphin. Now while the boat ride is very pleasant from Ft Wilderness to MK it is not always speedy, But it is convienient.

 

[dwolstenholme]

Thanks! My wife was under the impression that it could take up to an hour to get from one side of the property to the other. I'm going to see if there is a transportation pamphlet posted somewhere around here.
Thanks again!

 

[RCDisneyFan]

First off, THANKS so much for all of your help!
I am starting to lean towards SS but wanted to know what the transit time between there and AK, Blizzard Beach, Epcot and Typhoon Lagoon was? Are they all by bus? Ft Wilderness can take a boat from there to Contemporary then from there to Epcot and it only looks like 5 miles or so. But can you get from Epcot to other parks down there?

I've stayed at AKV and the bus ride from there to Downtown Disney (the furthest point) is about 20-25 minutes. So...everything else would be more less in between?

I don't think there are any direct links to Epcot from the bus lines - you probably have to hop the monorail to the TTC and grab a bus (AK), jump onto a boat (Disney Hollywood Studios) or hop onto the other monorail line that services the Magic Kingdom, Contemporary, etc. If you don't have a copy of it, you might want to pick up The Passporter - it lays out transportation options and times very nicely.

 

[crisi]

Thanks! My wife was under the impression that it could take up to an hour to get from one side of the property to the other. I'm going to see if there is a transportation pamphlet posted somewhere around here.
Thanks again!

It can take an hour. It won't take an hour to get from SSR or Ft. Wilderness to the parks (unless you make a mistake), but if you want to go to AKL for dinner from Ft. Wilderness, it can take an hour using Disney transportation. Resort to resort involves switches buses - buses should arrive every twenty minutes (or so). So if you arrive at the bus stop and wait twenty minutes, arrive at your transfer location having just missed another bus - its easy to spend an hour going from place to place.

Or you can make a mistake - my sister went recently with us and wanted to go from the MK to the Boardwalk. They took the monorail to Epcot - now from the front of Epcot they could walk through, but they didn't want to walk - but for some reason, took the bus to Hollywood Studios, then took the boat to the Boardwalk - needless to say - that was longer than an hour....They could have also just caught a bus from the MK to the Boardwalk - for some reason, they didn't.

And every so often buses aren't timely.

All this is true no matter where you stay. Some people will rent cars simply because of possible delays in buses - we've found buses to work well enough if you understand the system and do a few cabs to suppliment for the really inconvienent trips.

 

[Laurabearz]

My wife and I have been to DW once BC (before children) and again in 2000 with 3 kids. Now we have 4 (youngest is 5) and we are heading back. We've booked a cabin at Ft Wilderness since it sleeps six and there is a lot do do just in Ft Wilderness in general plus it is SO convenient to Magic Kingdom. I keep second-guessing myself though because for $200 less we could get a 2 bedroom suite at Saratoga Springs which is closer to the rest of the parks. Who knows, we may change our mind again and book that since I doubt we will go to MK more than 2 days.

I find once your own the bus the time goes by quickly. It's the waiting for it that sucks. And that can happen at any resort.

I would suggest trying a 2 bedroom over at SSR for your family. The extra room is WONDERFUL. Plus being so close to DTD makes traveling from SSR to other resorts a bit faster than other resorts.

 

[dementia412]

I wish they would invest in some waiting benched. The cost couldn't possibly be that bad.