Best way to book

[oddboysmum]

Hi everyone ... we are going to be driving to WDW (from the Ottawa area) in September 2011 (so super excited) it is our families first visit!

I just want to find out the best/cheapest/easiest way to book our vacation. There are 5 of us (Me, DH, DS15, DS6, DS4) We plan on staying at the suites in the Music Value Resort and want 7 days/nights with the dining plan, and park hopper. Is it best for Canadians to book through an agent or the Walt Disney World website directly. Also do you have to pay all upfront, or is there a way you can pay in installments as long as it's paid in full before you go.

Thanks .... now off to design a ticker!

 

[Ted in Halifax]

I have booked through an agent and also booked through Disney directly.

I prefer booking with Disney directly. You need a deposit upfront. I simply keep paying an amount prior to my trip, so that it is paid off well in advance. I forget the exact time frame that it needs to be paid by.

Free Advice: Since there are 5 of you ... why not select a Moderate that has a trundle bed. It would be cheaper than a Value Suite.

 

[oddboysmum]

Thanks for your reply ....

I was thinking of the Moderate - but I think the suites gives us a little more room and is a little more kid friendly. I see you stayed at the Port Orleans - Riverside before - did you prefer that over the Value resorts?

 

[Ted in Halifax]

My personal preference ... having traveled with 2 adults, and 3 kids (similar age spread to yours but older) would be the Port Orleans Riverside. (if it was 2+2 I would go POP). Port Olrean Sept 2011 Ranges from 160 to 175 a night. Value suite would run 195 to 215.

Also, if free dining was offered (and yes, you could change your Disney Vacation to get it if so), then the Moderate would attractive the DDP (Disney Dining Plan) rather than the QSP (Quick Service Plan) that the values would have.

The choice is yours. The downside is the someone has to sleep in a trundle bed. Worse case, is that you save 35 to 40 a night in the moderate. For me, that would be $250-$300. Goes a long way ....

Another thing to consider is that driving to Disney may be the same price as flying.

Ted

 

[CdnCarrie]

Just book with directly with Disney. You don't need a TA.

 

[Pumba's Truth]

Another thing to consider is that driving to Disney may be the same price as flying.

Please tell me where you're getting your flights .. UGH .. I've been working on this one over and over, and over again. For just two adults flying out of Ottawa it's a bundle to get down there.

We go down to FL at least once a year and have driven more times than flown. I don't think we've flown down in at least 4 years.

Depending on number of nights on the road, food on the road, and the additional time off work, I guess it might come close.

In our case, we're headed down to CSR in November, we are driving should end up costing us about $400 in fuel and we're using Airmiles for some Bestwestern Travel cards to cover a couple of nights on the road (we'll have a total of 3 nights to pay for). Other than that we budgeted about $100 for food suffs and what not.

OP. Sorry to go OT there. As for booking, we've booked direct with Disney (phoned them up) both trips. All of the TAs only found the same pricing as I could on-line, and they didn't seem to offer much in the way of Cust. Service. I almost felt like I was being an imposition. Just my two cents.

 

[MellieluvsDisney]

We have booked with AAA Vacations agent (CAA-Québec here) and they book directly with Disney. We've had wonderful service and there are available to answer any questions we have.

We'll definately book with them again. Just my two cents.

About flying VS driving, we've never drove down to FL but I'm sure it's cheaper than flying. Our flights are booked with Air Transat and it comes to 425 $ per person round-trip.

 

[Ted in Halifax]

I was figuring that driving from Ottawa would take 24 hours each way, so I guess the following for 5:

Each way
Gas $240
Hotel $200
Food $150
Tolls? 50?
So over $640 each way ($1280 total)

I figure that a 7 hour drive from Ottawa to Manchester NH, (BUF may be cheaper ... but I dont fly out of there). Pick up one of US Airways $118 rt fares (would work out to just under $800 taxes fees in for 5 people). So take the $800 and say 140 gas (7 hour plus 7 hours of driving .. a park and fly hotel ($100) and say $100 in food. Total $1,040. add bag fees in and some airport food and its a near amount.

Just looked at Sept flights (although they are 2010), worked out to $804 taxes and fees in for 5 people return. Use usairways.com flexible fare finder.

Edit: From Sherbrooke this would be a 3.5 hour drive. You would just need to park at the airport ...

Ted

 

[Pumba's Truth]

Ted,

Thanks a bunch for the ideas. I'll have to look at it a bit more and see what I can find out.

As for cost going down. Hmmm This is what we have. I think I see where the difference is. You're right that it's 24 hours to get there, but figuring 1 night on the road each way shouldn't be too bad.

Round Trip
Fuel - 400 (Malibu 4 cyl.)
Hotels - 220 (About 75/night US ++)
Food - 150 (75/day should cover off)
Tolls - 50 (Round trip, shouldn't be 50 one way, might depend on your route)

Total: 820 Round trip.

** Obviously with 5 folks in a vehicle they'd need a different size so fuel cost could go up to about 600. We just went to FLL for a cruise in an SUV with 4 adults and it cost just under that.

But thanks again, obviously with flying there's parking costs, but still it might be a viable option.
Cheers.

 

[oddboysmum]

I keep toying with the idea of flying, but my DH wants to drive down (he is a truck driver and used to driving) also we plan on WDW for 7 days/nights, but maybe adding SeaWorld and maybe Myrtle Beach or Hilton Head Island on the way home (thinking it might be relaxing after WDW) - our trip will be two weeks in total.

Ted ... do you really think the POR is alot nicer than Music? Now I am trying to research this and find the best resort for us.

 

[Ted in Halifax]

Music is better if you like pool entertainment ... for your kids (MUSIC is better than the other All star and POP in this regard). September is still hot, so in that category Music beats POR. You will need pool time in September to avoid kid meltdown ....

It all boils down to what is important to you .... if spending the extra money, to get the extra space of a suite is important. Then Music is the choice.

I'm not sure if your suite has a fridge ... that is one thing I can't answer. Regular Music room does not, but a Moderate does.

Either way ... its whatever you feel comfortable with. Anyway .. keep posting questions, there are lots of people here to help you plan!

Ted

 

[oddboysmum]

Thanks Ted ... that was very helpful!

 

[CrystalS]

A travel agent won't be able to get you a cheaper price than booking directly with Disney, but they can offer extra services and most agents do not charge for their services.
(such as booking your dining reservations for you, setting up any requests you might have about your room, helping you to plan your stay to make the most out of it, etc).

Yes, those are all things you could do yourself and just book directly through Disney, but if someone else is willing to do it for you for free? Why not?

We booked our last WDW/DCL trip through an agent and things went very smoothly, and I never had to pick up the phone and call Disney and wait on hold for long periods of time or anything. I felt taken care of

If you decide to use an agent feel free to PM me, I know a Canadian agent that would love to help you.

 

[GrtWtNorth]

For your first trip, I would suggest using a travel agent that is a Disney expert, if there is one in your area. (I've had difficulty finding a WDW expert in BC -- they cover Disneyland well, but not WDW.) A good travel agent, like the ones that sponsor the disboards, will have good first-hand knowledge of all the deals available to you with respect to rooms, packages and dining. Airfare is harder to get deals for, and if you're using a US travel agent, you may want to book the flight from Canada yourself.

FYI, I booked my first WDW trip through a travel agency on the ground floor of Bayshore mall. I can't remember the name, but it's likely still there. PM me if you want me to ask my 'still-living-in-Ottawa' friends for the name of our agent.

However, hindsight 20/20, I would be more inclined to use a reputable Florida-based travel agency over an Ottawa-based "I was there 3 years ago" travel agent. The disboards and disunplugged podcast gives me a fair amount of confidence in the qualifications of Dreams Unlimited Travel.

 

[CdnKayDee]

Per All Ears the suites are 520 sq feet and POR rooms are around 314 sq feet.

I have never stayed in the suites but have stayed in a regular room at All Star Music and stayed at POR. All Star Music was fine but after staying at POR could not go back. We actually tried once. Stayed one night and switched to POR second day.

For POR in order to get the trundle bed you will need to stay in the Alligator Bayou section. There is a water slide at the pool. The All Stars do not have that. There is a double sink outside the bathroom at POR so 2 people can be getting ready at the same time. The food court at POR would be less busy than the All Stars and has better selections in my opinion. There is a boat to downtown Disney at POR. There is Piano Bob at POR. I could go on and on. It is our favorite resort!

Here is the Disboards info on POR:
http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/Resorts/portriverside.htm

Here is the Disboards info on the All Star Suites:
http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/resorts/asm.htm

There is a link on the All Star Music page for a review on the Suites.

Have fun planning your vacation!

 

[DisneyCapers]

Hi,
We stayed at both POR with a trundle bed and AS Music in a family suite. For space I definitely say stay at AS Music. You have an extra bathroom, plus a fridge and microwave in the kitchenette area along with 2 tv's and room for 6. There were 5 of us my family of four and my mom. It worked out well for us and it was worth the extra$$. The only downside is now you only get the QS dining plan with the values.
Good luck with your decision!