Big ressie dilemma, need help!

[AnnieDan_Artlover]

Hi,
Planning my first trip to WDW with my mom (her 2nd, but last one was more than 30 years ago...). We've figured out the resort and time (not the best for cost nor attendance, but other things factor in), and that is going to be :
POFQ, April 30th to May 14 2008 (unless something very big changes that before I make the ressie, and that's the soonest possible!)
We'll be renting a car and driving there.
*We're CAA members

Where I need the help, the DILEMMA...
I did a lot of research everywhere I possibly could think of (and more!), read these boards almost through and through,
and here are my options... and I need to know which is the best choice :

-Book the room and 10 days Magic your Way tickets + park hopper option for 2 through CAA

-Book the room and 10 days MYW tickets + park hopper option for 2 direct from Disney and ask for the CAA discount (I called and the guest service lady told me the CAA discount would apply... but she couldn't tell me the price... I'd had to make a reservation for her to check the discount and give it to me... while the CAA lady told me I had to book through a CAA agent for the discount to apply... I guess it's because they're paid for that?!)

-Buy 1 Annual Pass and buy the Disney Dining Experience and make a ressie only when my AP gets me the discount, and then take a 10 days MYW tickets + park hopper option for 1, all direct from Disney, so I don't have to go through a travel agent and get discounts at restaurants and on souvenirs on top of everything

-Buy the AP and the DDE, make the ressie directly with Disney whatever the discount (or with the CAA discount if there is one) with the 10 days MYW tickets + park hopper option for 1 and then call regularly hoping there's a better price for the room, either with the CAA or AP discount... But will having bought the 10 days MWY tickets (package) prevent me from getting a further discount? Can you get a later available discount only when you reserve a room-only?
-In that case, should I buy the AP and the 10-days MYW + park hopper option for 1 aside from the ressie? (like, from The Undercover Tourist, or simply in a separate order)

-Buy the AP and the DDE, make the ressie at Disney following the strategy just mentioned (if possible and/or worth it), but buy the 10 days MYW tickets + park hopper option through CAA (since they do have a good discount!)... Of course it only works if they offer the discount even if you only buy the tickets...
Or does Disney have discounts on MYW tickets too when you have the AP? (or does the Undercover Tourist have discounts as good as CAA?)

I'm going crazy!...
I want to make the ressie, quick! But I also want the best price possible! We want a good vacation, but aren't very wealthy! If one option can save us 200$ it would be wonderful... but if another prevents me from maybe saving more later, well...

Thanks a lot!

 

[calliemom]

Wow, you've got me confused! Seriously though, I have booked my last 2 trips directly with Disney. The first time I booked I was given a CAA/AAA discount on the hotel only portion of the trip (I don't believe there is a discount provided with CAA/AAA on the meal or ticket portion of your trip). If Disney is unable to confirm the rate, you can always hold a room only rate with your credit card and once you receive the rate you can call back to add the tickets and meal plan.
To be very honest I am very confused with the rest of your questions. I think you need to decide first and foremost what you want..ie/ do you need the meal plan, will you want to hop from park to park, and will you require a full 10 days worth of park admission. The benefit of booking with Disney on a room only basis is that only 1 nights room rate will be added to you cc before arrival. The balance is then payed upon check in. Also if you book it now and then a discount code comes out for that time frame, you can simply rebook at the lower rate, providiing there are rooms available at the resort you want.
Am I making any sense????
Anyways, good luck in your planning and I hope you get a lot of feedback to help in your decision making.

 

[AnnieDan_Artlover]

Hi Calliemom!
You are making sense! (more than me... and I'm not surprised you're confused, I am!)

No, I don't want any meal plan... I only want what I mentioned...

I talked about either 10 days magic your way tickets + park hopper option for 2, or taking them only for one and taking 1 annual pass, because yes we will be using worth of 10 days park admission and we will "park hop" (we will usually go back to the resort in the middle of the day, and we want to have the possibility to go to another park for the rest of the day if we want to).
And also because I know of the Disney Dining Experience (DDE), which is not a dining plan, but a card, costing 65$ for annual passholders, offering 20% discount on many restaurants in WDW (on top of the disounts already available for the annual passholders!).

That's why we hesitate between having on AP or not because it costs more but holds the possibility of many discounts, including for the room.

One part of the dilemma is : would the discount be higher from the AP or the CAA discount?

Also, we wonder if it's "safer" or wiser to go through CAA (where we know we would get a big discount, looks now at about 385$ for tickets and room) or go directly through Disney and maybe get a higher discount, or at least, discounts on food and other stuff (like the tours, which we want to take), using the AP...

I know it's a lot of info, a lot of different options, and very confusing... but that's why I need help...

You still helped me! : If I get your answer right, what you tell me is, that thing about calling back regularly to check rates... it's not really that they just change your rate... it's like double-booking... so if there are no more rooms left, except the ones you already booked, you're doomed. You can only cancel you're previous ressie and hope noone will get them before you book under the new price... is that it?
So I guess you'd tell me to forget the AP "maybe one day" discount, and go for the CAA discount (and buying directly at Disney)? Unless of course I do hear about a discount code and there are rooms still available.
But what I mean is I just shouldn't count on a possible discount with the AP, because it could be my loss...

Thanks!

 

[calliemom]

I would probably repost your original question on the Theme Parks Attractions and Strategies Forum, You will get a lot of experienced Disney travelers and they will more than likely have a lot of info for you. Good Luck!

 

[amw]

Hi Calliemom!
You are making sense! (more than me... and I'm not surprised you're confused, I am!)

No, I don't want any meal plan... I only want what I mentioned...

I talked about either 10 days magic your way tickets + park hopper option for 2, or taking them only for one and taking 1 annual pass, because yes we will be using worth of 10 days park admission and we will "park hop" (we will usually go back to the resort in the middle of the day, and we want to have the possibility to go to another park for the rest of the day if we want to).
And also because I know of the Disney Dining Experience (DDE), which is not a dining plan, but a card, costing 65$ for annual passholders, offering 20% discount on many restaurants in WDW (on top of the disounts already available for the annual passholders!).

That's why we hesitate between having on AP or not because it costs more but holds the possibility of many discounts, including for the room.

One part of the dilemma is : would the discount be higher from the AP or the CAA discount?

Also, we wonder if it's "safer" or wiser to go through CAA (where we know we would get a big discount, looks now at about 385$ for tickets and room) or go directly through Disney and maybe get a higher discount, or at least, discounts on food and other stuff (like the tours, which we want to take), using the AP...

I know it's a lot of info, a lot of different options, and very confusing... but that's why I need help...

You still helped me! : If I get your answer right, what you tell me is, that thing about calling back regularly to check rates... it's not really that they just change your rate... it's like double-booking... so if there are no more rooms left, except the ones you already booked, you're doomed. You can only cancel you're previous ressie and hope noone will get them before you book under the new price... is that it?
So I guess you'd tell me to forget the AP "maybe one day" discount, and go for the CAA discount (and buying directly at Disney)? Unless of course I do hear about a discount code and there are rooms still available.
But what I mean is I just shouldn't count on a possible discount with the AP, because it could be my loss...

Thanks!

I'm going through booking dilemmas myself. From what I read on your second post this is my opinion...

I would not book a room through CAA. I also have CAA, but I wouldn't go through them. From what I've heard, once it's booked, you can't apply newer discounts should they arise. Also, I find their customer service lacking. I've been waiting on a quote for over a week now. Incidentally, the rate they will quote you on a room will be the same as the CAA rate with Disney. The only thing they do slightly cheaper is the whole Package (room, dining, tickets) because they apply the room discount to it.

I would go ahead and book a room-only through Disney with a CAA discount. Then, I would keep my eyes open for Annual Pass discounts. Should they arrive, you can then purchase an AP, and revise your room-only CAA rate. Otherwise, you are shelling out the extra $$ for an AP when a discounted rate may not come out.

A room-only reservation can be cancelled if you change/revise your plans.

 

[AnnieDan_Artlover]

Thanks!
That makes sense!
(can't believe someone understood my options and such!)

Wanted to say I followed calliemom's suggestion and re-posted my thread on "Theme Parks Attractions and Strategies"... I had posted here first because I figured : CAA question = Canadians...
(I used the opportunity to try and make the post a little more understandable... not sure I succeeded tough)

But I guess they'll be able to help more and have more experience and opinions about, well, strategies!

I'm still leaving this thread here, unless a moderator judges different of course... Because, like I said, I'm asking specifically about CAA.

Then again, back to your suggestion, amw, it's a very good idea... Book room-only CAA rate through Disney, check often, and jump on any opportunity.
And maybe I'll take the AP anyways, if the money's there, because it's great savings too (that's what I'll need to weigh in if there's no AP room discount)... especially with the DDE : food, stores and tours!

(for what you're saying about the CAA's agent... I didn't have that problem... got my quote in less than 24hours, and many answers to my questions. But not all answers, and some contradictory to what Disney said... like mini-frige was 10$/night in moderate resort... Disney lady said it was included, as I read many places... And as I written in my first post, the CAA lady told me I couldn't get the CAA discount directly at Disney, that I had to got through a CAA agent... maybe they're paid to say that, but it's not honest)

But, see, that's one option I didn't think of!

Thanks!