Are the "Magical Extras" worth the extra ticket price?

[_19disnA]

We are planning a trip to DisneyWorld for next year and notice that the park ticket offered in the room packages are nearly $400/person higher compared to buying comparable park tickets separately on the Disney website. The Disney person I chatted with on their online website indicated these include various "Magical Extras" (like 4 rounds of mini golf (worth $56) and 10% discounts at various stores), but none of that seems worth anywhere near $400. Are we missing something or what does everyone else typically do?

 

[DisneyGirlMI]

I’m not sure where you are getting the difference. I priced out our trip for next year as a package. I went back and priced the components separately (room, tickets, dining) and I came within $5 of the same price. I do this each time we book and it is always the same.

 

[Dave006]

Are you sure that you are pricing the Park Hopper option in to your numbers vs a single day park ticket(s)? That's where it starts to get expensive if you have 4-5 Disney adults.

Dave

 

[_19disnA]

I just rechecked my math and got that much higher price. Our package includes the meal plan as well at the park hopper option, so I am comparing apples to apples. Comparable park tickets purchased separately are only $500/person. If you setup a bogus reservation in your cart you can easily see the difference. It appears that adding the meal plan changes the price of park tickets which doesn't seem right to me.

 

[Hopefully]

I don’t believe you are comparing apples to apples. I believe, from the incomplete info you have outlined, that you are comparing the package price.

 

[_19disnA]

I am comparing the same options. Park hopper tickets/room/meal plan. 5 day park hopper tickets are $500/person (including tax) if purchased separately, so I would expect the hotel vacation package to show about that same price. I don't see paying a lot of extra money for those "Magical Extras" that would appear to be of only nominal value.

If you look in your cart when you choose tickets/room/meal plan you can easily see the difference in price between NO park tickets and the 5 day park hopper which is a LOT more then $500/person. Assumed others would have noticed this so that is why I am asking the question.

 

[dansdad]

I am comparing the same options. Park hopper tickets/room/meal plan. 5 day park hopper tickets are $500/person (including tax) if purchased separately, so I would expect the hotel vacation package to show about that same price. I don't see paying a lot of extra money for those "Magical Extras" that would appear to be of only nominal value.

If you look in your cart when you choose tickets/room/meal plan you can easily see the difference in price between NO park tickets and the 5 day park hopper which is a LOT more then $500/person. Assumed others would have noticed this so that is why I am asking the question.

Unless they are running a special on tickets, which is rare they are the same price whether you book a room only vs a package. I really don't know why you're seeing a difference. Something else is causing the difference.

 

[Dave006]

For reference:

• 5 Day Admission to 1 Park Daily ticket is $395 + $25.68 tax = $420.68
  
• A 5 Day ticket with the Park Hopper option is $470 + $32.18 tax = $527.18
  
• The Plus feature adds $25 + tax to the 5 Day ticket with the Park Hopper option

Dave

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I am comparing the same options. Park hopper tickets/room/meal plan. 5 day park hopper tickets are $500/person (including tax) if purchased separately, so I would expect the hotel vacation package to show about that same price. I don't see paying a lot of extra money for those "Magical Extras" that would appear to be of only nominal value.

If you look in your cart when you choose tickets/room/meal plan you can easily see the difference in price between NO park tickets and the 5 day park hopper which is a LOT more then $500/person. Assumed others would have noticed this so that is why I am asking the question.

It sounds like, perhaps, you are not accounting for the cost of the dining plan. If you put a room/ticket/dining package in your cart and then remove the tickets, the dining plan is automatically removed as well which would explain why you are seeing such a precipitous drop in the price.

I just priced out 5 nights, 2 adults, AoA Little Mermaid room for 9/16 - 9/21 and got:

Room-only: $995.65
Room with 5-day PH: $1,999.54 (difference of $1,003.89 to account for tickets added)
Room with 5-day PH and DDP: $2,754.42 (difference of $1758.77 which equals $1003.89 for the tickets and $754.88 which is the cost for 2 adults on DDP for 5 nights)

Edited this package and pull the tickets off and the dining plan comes off, too.

Here is an idea. If you would like to purchase a package which comes with the magical extras, but save some money on your tickets, call in your reservation and ask for a "ticketless package". This is the only way you can book a room+dining package (it can't be done online). Then buy your tickets from a reputable reseller like Undercover Tourist (I use them a lot). Currently, their 5-day PH is $40 less than purchasing it from Disney. Depending on how many you have in your group, that $40 can add up really fast!

 

[_19disnA]

^^ Might give that a try. I can get discounted park tickets from where I work, so that is what started this entire thread when I noticed the price difference and wanted to see if anyone felt those "Magical Extras" are the worth whatever extra price they charge. I observed the same thing online you mentioned, namely you have to include the park tickets in order to be able to choose a dining plan. If you delete the park tickets, the dining plan automatically gets deleted and there is no option online to add it back on its own. Will call disney reservations to pursue that option.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

^^ Might give that a try. I can get discounted park tickets from where I work, so that is what started this entire thread when I noticed the price difference and wanted to see if anyone felt those "Magical Extras" are the worth whatever extra price they charge. I observed the same thing online you mentioned, namely you have to include the park tickets in order to be able to choose a dining plan. If you delete the park tickets, the dining plan automatically gets deleted and there is no option online to add it back on its own. Will call disney reservations to pursue that option.

Yes, definitely, if you can get discounted tickets where you work, totally take advantage of it!! Also know, if there is a room-only discount available for the room you want, you can add dining onto that to create a package, but still maintain that room discount - and, yes, call it in! It's a great way for you to create your package, get those magical extras and save money on your tickets!

 

[bumbershoot]

I observed the same thing online you mentioned, namely you have to include the park tickets in order to be able to choose a dining plan. If you delete the park tickets, the dining plan automatically gets deleted and there is no option online to add it back on its own.

Right. Because until the ticketless package started, you had to make a package of room and tickets, and then you could add Dining.

You can’t have a room only with the dining plan (unless you’re booking with Dvc points.

To get Dining without tickets you call for the ticketless package.