Best Price for Booking - Package, Costco, Augh?!

[WaltsMartini]

After much back and forth, we are going to splurge a little during our CA trip from April 28 - May 6, 2023, and stay for two nights at the Disneyland Hotel. This is my DREAM stay and I am so excited! It will be just me and my 7 year old son and 5 year old daughter, DH is staying home due to his hatred of travel and Disney.

So, my question - what is the best way to get the best price? Since bookings don't open until tomorrow (8/18) for 2023, I've been comparing the same timeframe in October across multiple sites. I have priced out booking room only and buying tickets from a wholesaler; have compared a package through Disney; and have compared a package booked via Costco travel. While it is a few dollars cheaper to book room only and use wholesaler for tickets, the Costco package offers a $185 gift card, which brings them back out on top for the best deal.

However, if I book through Costco, I'm concerned that if there is a better deal down the road - like a 25% of room deal closer to my travel date - that it will be a pain to cancel and re-book.

Also, I'd love to book using Dreams, but I don't know that I can book both through Costco Travel and through Dreams - I'm assuming it's one or the other, right?

Thanks for any guidance you folks can provide!

 

[milieu_mouse]

We initially booked with Costco and when Disney announced a better discount, it was a BREEZE to change to a Disney package.
Disney refunded the overpayment that resulted within a day or two and were very accommodating.

 

[kirstyfly]

I am not sure if I am allowed to mention it on here as I know some groups you aren't allowed to mention other travel places.

I booked with a place that price matches. All I had to do was screen shot them the pricing I found for hotel and tickets and they price matched it for me. I also got a $10 discount ontop by using a link from a facebook group I belong to.

 

[katyringo]

I am not sure if I am allowed to mention it on here as I know some groups you aren't allowed to mention other travel places.

I booked with a place that price matches. All I had to do was screen shot them the pricing I found for hotel and tickets and they price matched it for me. I also got a $10 discount ontop by using a link from a facebook group I belong to.

This is get away today right? I think that's allowed to be mentioned here.

Unless it has changed the only drawback with get away today is if you aren't able to pay in full for your tickets you have to wait until you pay them off to make your park reservations.

 

[kirstyfly]

This is get away today right? I think that's allowed to be mentioned here.

Unless it has changed the only drawback with get away today is if you aren't able to pay in full for your tickets you have to wait until you pay them off to make your park reservations.

Yes that is correct.

 

[WaltsMartini]

We initially booked with Costco and when Disney announced a better discount, it was a BREEZE to change to a Disney package.
Disney refunded the overpayment that resulted within a day or two and were very accommodating.

Milieu, would you share more about this scenario? This is exactly what I’m hoping to do - book through Costco now, and then if a discount becomes available call and ask for the difference to be applied to my balance. However, in reading the fine print, it says something along the lines of “this is a package and cannot be priced separately.” So, would I only be able to get a discount if they are offering a certain savings on packages, or could I get room only discount if they offer it?

Also, the Costco package offers the $185 Disney gift card, but I can’t find info on when that is provided. I would assume either after final payment or upon arrival?

Thanks for these tips!

 

[milieu_mouse]

Milieu, would you share more about this scenario? This is exactly what I’m hoping to do - book through Costco now, and then if a discount becomes available call and ask for the difference to be applied to my balance. However, in reading the fine print, it says something along the lines of “this is a package and cannot be priced separately.” So, would I only be able to get a discount if they are offering a certain savings on packages, or could I get room only discount if they offer it?

Also, the Costco package offers the $185 Disney gift card, but I can’t find info on when that is provided. I would assume either after final payment or upon arrival?

Thanks for these tips!

I'd be happy to share my experience, but I know things change and there are many possible scenarios.

The Costco package we purchased was the same as yours. We booked 4 nights at GCH (standard view + club level) initially with 3 single day tickets. I paid for this in full on the Disney website.
It was a discount for Disney Visa cardholders that was announced. After calling GCH to confirm savings - the 25% discount was $770 I quickly applied for and received the Disney Visa and made the change.

Disney did have to make a new reservation, so they ensured that everything was available before canceling the Costco package. I had a new confirmation number and needed to make park reservations again - I was assured that there would be park availability for us as hotel guests, and it wasn't a problem.

I have read that the Costco gift card comes electronically a few days before the trip. The lanyards, pins, and stuff are provided by Disney - when we changed our package, Disney said that we would also receive these.

I hope this helps!

 

[WaltsMartini]

@milieu_mouse Thank you - VERY helpful! I'm going to go ahead and book today and keep an eye out for discounts closer to our trip. Nothing I love more than booking a Disney trip!

 

[mamacatnv]

I'd be happy to share my experience, but I know things change and there are many possible scenarios.

The Costco package we purchased was the same as yours. We booked 4 nights at GCH (standard view + club level) initially with 3 single day tickets. I paid for this in full on the Disney website.
It was a discount for Disney Visa cardholders that was announced. After calling GCH to confirm savings - the 25% discount was $770 I quickly applied for and received the Disney Visa and made the change.

Disney did have to make a new reservation, so they ensured that everything was available before canceling the Costco package. I had a new confirmation number and needed to make park reservations again - I was assured that there would be park availability for us as hotel guests, and it wasn't a problem.

I have read that the Costco gift card comes electronically a few days before the trip. The lanyards, pins, and stuff are provided by Disney - when we changed our package, Disney said that we would also receive these.

I hope this helps!

How did you learn of the Disney Visa discount? We are currently booked with Costco for a December package and I do have a Disney Visa.

 

[milieu_mouse]

How did you learn of the Disney Visa discount? We are currently booked with Costco for a December package and I do have a Disney Visa.

Hi! I waited and waited, and an announcement finally came. I kept a window open (this one: https://www.mousesavers.com/historical-information-on-walt-disney-world-resort-discounts/), but I may have heard it first on a Disney blog or here!

 

[milieu_mouse]

Hi! I waited and waited, and an announcement finally came. I kept a window open (this one: https://www.mousesavers.com/historical-information-on-walt-disney-world-resort-discounts/), but I may have heard it first on a Disney blog or here!

Sorry, wrong link but same site!

 

[discreet]

I'd be happy to share my experience, but I know things change and there are many possible scenarios.

The Costco package we purchased was the same as yours. We booked 4 nights at GCH (standard view + club level) initially with 3 single day tickets. I paid for this in full on the Disney website.
It was a discount for Disney Visa cardholders that was announced. After calling GCH to confirm savings - the 25% discount was $770 I quickly applied for and received the Disney Visa and made the change.

Disney did have to make a new reservation, so they ensured that everything was available before canceling the Costco package. I had a new confirmation number and needed to make park reservations again - I was assured that there would be park availability for us as hotel guests, and it wasn't a problem.

I have read that the Costco gift card comes electronically a few days before the trip. The lanyards, pins, and stuff are provided by Disney - when we changed our package, Disney said that we would also receive these.

I hope this helps!

Was the Visa card deal applied to your Costco package (and end up with an updated Costco package) or did you have to cancel Costco in the process and end up with a new package direct from Disney? Thank you!

 

[milieu_mouse]

Was the Visa card deal applied to your Costco package (and end up with an updated Costco package) or did you have to cancel Costco in the process and end up with a new package direct from Disney? Thank you!

Hi! It was a new package direct from Disney.

 

[discreet]

Hi! It was a new package direct from Disney.

Thanks for your reply! Did you have any problems canceling the Costco package? I know usually packages that have tickets cannot be cancelled. Thanks again!

 

[milieu_mouse]

Thanks for your reply! Did you have any problems canceling the Costco package? I know usually packages that have tickets cannot be cancelled. Thanks again!

You betcha. There was no trouble at all - in fact, the Disney rep on the phone handled the cancellation. I know that experiences vary, but when I did it, it was very easy.

 

[discreet]

I already had a Costo package (GCH + tickets + park hopper + Genie+) when Disney dropped the Disney Visa offer valid through Dec 15, 2022.

This offer: https://disneyland.disney.go.com/offers-discounts/visa-2022-fall-room-offer/details/

The offer is not compatible with the Costco packages.

First I called Disney (which was a mistake). The cast member told me he cannot apply the offer to my package. He also told me there are no rooms available at all for the Visa offer anyways which was not true. I was browsing the website during the call and there were plenty of rooms available. I quickly realized he was not in a magic mood so I thanked him nicely and I moved on.

Then I called Costco Travel and that's where the real magic happened. The lady on the phone had a much nicer tone and she really did everything she could to help me save some money. She tried to edit my initial package, but then she realized she couldn't do it because the Visa offer was not compatible with the Costco package. So she booked me a new package using the Visa offer and cancelled my initial Costco package. I lost the $225 gift card from Costco, but I got the Visa discount (which was bigger) and she told me I'm still getting the pins and the lanyards along with an insulated cooler bag. She told me I'll have to make new park reservations using the new reservation number. She even checked the park availability for me before doing the switch. I linked my new package and it looks like a regular Disney booking (the Costco logo doesn't show up anymore). It was a very pleasant interaction. It's a mystery to me how a Costco employee was able to book a Disney vacation for me while a Disney CM couldn't.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

We used Costco for DLR. it was very easy!

 

[tenneycjt]

How do you pay for a costco package on the disney website? do they actually use disney travel?

 

[discreet]

How do you pay for a costco package on the disney website? do they actually use disney travel?

You start on the Costco Travel website and it takes you to a custom page on the Disneyland website. That's where you do the booking and pay an initial $200 deposit. When done, you link the reservation number into your Disneyland account and it will show up as a regular reservation (with a small Costco logo in the corner of the page).

 

[tenneycjt]

You start on the Costco Travel website and it takes you to a custom page on the Disneyland website. That's where you do the booking and pay an initial $200 deposit. When done, you link the reservation number into your Disneyland account and it will show up as a regular reservation (with a small Costco logo in the corner of the page).