benefit of buying a package?

[robinbutterfly]

I have never done a package. We always rent points from a DVC member, or use a room discount and always buy our tickets through AAA or Undercover tourist. I am seeing so many people buy through packages. Can you please tell me the benefit of doing that? We might buy through a package this time if there is a benefit in doing so.

Thanks!

 

[aaarcher86]

A lot if people just prefer having everything together. Some people like the DDP and that requires a package.

The only real 'benefit' aside from just personal preference is that a package comes with some discounts and coupons - 2 free mini golf rounds, discounts for the spa, etc.

 

[seashoreCM]

Generally a package makes financial (as opposed to convenience) sense only if there is something special about it such as free dining.

Two free Mini golf or Disney Quest admissions quickly turn to worthless if you end up adding water park fun to your park passes anyway.

Still, YMMV. Check your math for the bonuses included in your particular package versus paying for those items out of pocket (or foregoing them).

 

[Robo]

Remember that a resort "package" generally requires buying (from Disney) at least a minimum number of "days" ticket for every member of your party.

If you'd rather buy park tickets from a discounter (or if you already have valid tickets left over from a previous trip, or have days left on a non-expiring ticket) then you must choose which tickets to use on your "package" trip and which tickets to hold for future use.

 

[scjo68]

I have never booked a package. I have always booked room only and gotten tickets separately. I have to link my tickets to MDE on my own, This isn't difficult. It was tricky last year to link my AAA cards to MDE, because AAA still had the old style tickets. This year we ordered Undercover Tourist tickets and they were easy to link. I'm sure any tickets you buy now would be easy to link.

If a really good package discount (like free dining) is offered, you would need to book the package to get it. However, if you "do the math", you may find you save more on a room-only discount. We have found that to be the case for us.

We like the more liberal cancelation policy of booking only.

 

[dbramer]

The other consideration is timing. The only times we can travel are times when there are traditionally no RO discounts (i.e. sunmmer, spring break, etc.) Therefore, there is no sense to booking RO and buying tickets through a reseller. I did do the math with UT and only came up 96$ difference between Disney and UT. We also get the DP for convenience of not having to watch our wallets when dining. I hate going on vacation and perusing the menu for the lowest priced items and worrying about a food budget.

Personal preferences...what it boils down to. Plus, we usually stay value and the RO discounts are really only good if you go moderate or deluxe. 15% isn't really much of a discount when you have to factor in all the other headaches of RO (i.e. budgeting).

 

[robinbutterfly]

The other consideration is timing. The only times we can travel are times when there are traditionally no RO discounts (i.e. sunmmer, spring break, etc.) Therefore, there is no sense to booking RO and buying tickets through a reseller. I did do the math with UT and only came up 96$ difference between Disney and UT. We also get the DP for convenience of not having to watch our wallets when dining. I hate going on vacation and perusing the menu for the lowest priced items and worrying about a food budget. Personal preferences...what it boils down to. Plus, we usually stay value and the RO discounts are really only good if you go moderate or deluxe. 15% isn't really much of a discount when you have to factor in all the other headaches of RO (i.e. budgeting).

Is there usually a room only discount end of May/ beginning of June?

 

[3CW]

I'm too risk-averse to be comfortable renting DVC points, and with only 2 of us, the savings of getting tickets through UT generally doesn't seem like enough to bother with the hassle of it. Especially now with FP+ and people reporting issues with getting tickets linked properly and all of that. The first time we went that we paid ourselves (2009), Disney was running the "pay for 4 days, get 3 free" promotion which was a package deal, and ever since we've just compared what we're spending to what we spent then, and what we're getting for that money.