Booking for Summer 2014 - Now or wait?

[Lauren101]

Hi All,

We are thinking of booking for WDW for summer 2014. I would just book accommodation now and sort flights out later. Thinking of going for the Beach Club. I know there is an offer for the free DDP and $200 at the moment. Should we book now or is there likely to be other offers or discounts to make it worth waiting a while? Considering booking either direct with Disney or going through Complete Orlando. Disney is slightly dearer but offer the $200 gift card, whereas Complete Orlando don't. Charter travel are slightly cheaper but want a much higher deposit.

Thanks for any advice on when to book and who with.

Lauren

 

[darthtatty]

Last year after the initial offers stopped, they then did 2 more offers.
Free dining-but no $ gift card
Free dining but it was only quick service and not DDP.

However im not sure if theyre going to do the same this year.
Weve booked for next August

Im surprise CO dont offer the gift card, everyone else seems to.

 

[Elise79]

Depending on who is in your party depends whether it will be better to book now or wait. The first offer with free dining is usually the best offer for that however early in 2013 they offered room only discounts which may be better than free dining at a deluxe depending on your group.

 

[wayneg]

Its so difficult to advise the best way.
How many in the room, if its just 2 people then free dining is probably a poor option, waiting for a discounted room only deal is possibly better.

We used CO last year as they discounted the price instead of giving a $200 gift card. I would rather have the money off upfront than have it loaded onto a card to spend.

Unfortunately Disney pricing has risen too much for me, we are back to offsite again. If I was to stay onsite I would look at renting DVC points in future, way cheaper than any other deals I have seen recently.

 

[Lauren101]

Thanks for the advice. There are 4 of us which does make the DDP a good deal for us. I was thinking of staying offsite for half the time and onsite for half - but the money we would save on the room we would easily spend on food, so have decided to just go onsite.

It just seems really early to book and I didn't want to book and then find that I should have waited for something else. It looks like the current free DDP is probably the best deal we may get.

I appreciate your replies and advice.

Lauren

 

[Disneynutinlondon]

We've booked with Ocean Travel for Oct 2014 at the Yacht Club. They don't give the $200 gift card either but the price we got from them more than made up for the lack of gift card. I think they were about 2.5K less than VH package price and they were also cheaper than Complete Orlando.


My bad it's Ocean Florida we're booked with

 

[wayneg]

Thanks for the advice. There are 4 of us which does make the DDP a good deal for us. I was thinking of staying offsite for half the time and onsite for half - but the money we would save on the room we would easily spend on food, so have decided to just go onsite.

It just seems really early to book and I didn't want to book and then find that I should have waited for something else. It looks like the current free DDP is probably the best deal we may get.

I appreciate your replies and advice.

Lauren

Unfortunately there is no such thing as free dining anymore. 2 weeks at the Beach club next summer will cost £4,102 before adding tickets.
It would require 268 DVC points for the same 2 weeks, if rented at £7/point thats £1,876 so you are paying £159/day for the "free" dining.
If you are going to eat every meal onsite then possibly worth it, if you enjoy offsite meals like us then maybe not, all you are doing is paying Disney upfront for all your food and have you tied.

We have enjoyed the free dining deals upto last year, paying £118/nt at OKW with all our food in it was worth it but at £293/nt its not free dining to me.

 

[feline figaro]

We've booked with Ocean Travel for Oct 2014 at the Yacht Club

Could you please let me know Ocean Travels website
Am intrigued to price up for this Sept & next Sept

VHs prices seem outrageous at the moment !!
We only flew home from Orlando on sat & I'm already trying to rebook

 

[scoobydooby]

Unfortunately there is no such thing as free dining anymore. 2 weeks at the Beach club next summer will cost £4,102 before adding tickets.
It would require 268 DVC points for the same 2 weeks, if rented at £7/point thats £1,876 so you are paying £159/day for the "free" dining.
If you are going to eat every meal onsite then possibly worth it, if you enjoy offsite meals like us then maybe not, all you are doing is paying Disney upfront for all your food and have you tied.

We have enjoyed the free dining deals upto last year, paying £118/nt at OKW with all our food in it was worth it but at £293/nt its not free dining to me.

Points rental is on average up to £8 a point now I think.

 

[wayneg]

Points rental is on average up to £8 a point now I think.

I checked Dibb trade thread, all seem to be £6 or £6.50 odd one at £7, can't see any at £8 but didn't open every thread to check.

 

[scoobydooby]

I checked Dibb trade thread, all seem to be £6 or £6.50 odd one at £7, can't see any at £8 but didn't open every thread to check.

David's DVC now $14 so that's probably nearer £9 actually. Private sellers will be cheaper no doubt.

 

[Lauren101]

Thanks all. I haven't rented points before but it sounds quite complicated. We have done the Dining plan 4 times before and really like it - I know it amounts to pre-paying for food, but we like that that is taken care of and we don't have to worry about what people are ordering when we are there. I think we probably do get our money's worth as there are 4 of us - 3 real adults and one child who is classed as a Disney adult. We have previously stayed at OKW or SSR but fancy a change and like the look of the location of the Beach Club. We normally do some offsite nights and/US before going to Disney but I think to keep things simple in 2014, I think we may just do Disney.

Thanks all for your input.

Lauren

 

[darthtatty]

Thanks for the advice. There are 4 of us which does make the DDP a good deal for us. I was thinking of staying offsite for half the time and onsite for half - but the money we would save on the room we would easily spend on food, so have decided to just go onsite.

It just seems really early to book and I didn't want to book and then find that I should have waited for something else. It looks like the current free DDP is probably the best deal we may get.

I appreciate your replies and advice.

Lauren

I know its way early to book but look at it this way.
you only have to pay £50 per person as a deposit-so £200 and dont have to pay anything else until next summer.

 

[Elise79]

Thanks all. I haven't rented points before but it sounds quite complicated. We have done the Dining plan 4 times before and really like it - I know it amounts to pre-paying for food, but we like that that is taken care of and we don't have to worry about what people are ordering when we are there. I think we probably do get our money's worth as there are 4 of us - 3 real adults and one child who is classed as a Disney adult. We have previously stayed at OKW or SSR but fancy a change and like the look of the location of the Beach Club. We normally do some offsite nights and/US before going to Disney but I think to keep things simple in 2014, I think we may just do Disney.

Thanks all for your input.

Lauren

4 Disney adults will be better than a room only discount if you are set on eating onsite every meal.

Like Wayne we enjoying eating offsite as well as onsite so the DDP isn't good value for us.

 

[scoobydooby]

Thanks all. I haven't rented points before but it sounds quite complicated. We have done the Dining plan 4 times before and really like it - I know it amounts to pre-paying for food, but we like that that is taken care of and we don't have to worry about what people are ordering when we are there. I think we probably do get our money's worth as there are 4 of us - 3 real adults and one child who is classed as a Disney adult. We have previously stayed at OKW or SSR but fancy a change and like the look of the location of the Beach Club. We normally do some offsite nights and/US before going to Disney but I think to keep things simple in 2014, I think we may just do Disney.

Thanks all for your input.

Lauren

The Beach Club is my favourite place to stay. The location is awesome. Particularly if you like Epcot and enjoy eating at Epcot. We never eat off site so the dining plan works well for us too, especially when it's free! Stayed off site one year but its not really for us, although we plan a completely none Disney trip in the next few years when we do a villa and eat off site. I wasn't overwhelmed by the chain food places off site personally.

 

[Lauren101]

The Beach Club is my favourite place to stay. The location is awesome. Particularly if you like Epcot and enjoy eating at Epcot. We never eat off site so the dining plan works well for us too, especially when it's free! Stayed off site one year but its not really for us, although we plan a completely none Disney trip in the next few years when we do a villa and eat off site. I wasn't overwhelmed by the chain food places off site personally.

Fab - that is what we thought. I love the dining in Epcot, so love the thought that you can walk in just for the evening to eat, and see the fireworks and not have to battle to leave.

Ok I think we are doing the right thing and booking now. Although I normally book nearly a year in advance, this would be the first time I have booked before taking this year's summer hols . This year we are just going to France and going to DLP for 4 nights. Looking forward to the short-haul flight for a change

Thanks everyone. I don't post often on here (bur lurk a lot ), so it is very kind of you all to respond.

Lauren

 

[Lauren101]

I know its way early to book but look at it this way.
you only have to pay £50 per person as a deposit-so £200 and dont have to pay anything else until next summer.

Yes I keep telling myself it is only the deposit I am risking/paying for now. Just feels strange committing so early. But I guess we know we are going back next summer, and have been a few times before, so I know what we are getting.

Thanks

Lauren