Can you turn a Room Only deal into a Package deal?

[peteykirch]

Can I book a room only deal now, and then in a couple months if I want to, add tickets and the dining plan?

 

[mickeynut1]

Can I book a room only deal now, and then in a couple months if I want to, add tickets and the dining plan?

If you book room only now and want a package later, the room only will have to be cancelled/refunded and a package booked, requiring a new $200 deposit. Since room only and packages are different reservation systems, money paid toward one cannot be applied to the other. You can book a package and apply a room discount, which would apply to the room portion only, but you would still have a package with tickets and DDP.

 

[peteykirch]

If you book room only now and want a package later, the room only will have to be cancelled/refunded and a package booked, requiring a new $200 deposit. Since room only and packages are different reservation systems, money paid toward one cannot be applied to the other. You can book a package and apply a room discount, which would apply to the room portion only, but you would still have a package with tickets and DDP.

I see, the one reason I asked was just for the fact the room only deal doesn't have to be fully paid until check in, versus what is it? 45 days out for a package.

I also wondered just in case for my future stay if all that was available were Package Discounts not Room Only discounts.

 

[Sue M]

There are package and room only discounts put out. Personally, even if I book a room only, I make monthly payments so that I'm paid around the 45 day mark anyway. You can phone to make room only payments, or pay on line for packages.

 

[mickeynut1]

I see, the one reason I asked was just for the fact the room only deal doesn't have to be fully paid until check in, versus what is it? 45 days out for a package.

I also wondered just in case for my future stay if all that was available were Package Discounts not Room Only discounts.

You are correct. The balance on room only is due at check in, while the balance on a package is due 45 days prior to check in. It is possible to book room only now and change to a package later by cancelling the room only and rebooking the package. However, if you do this after the room discount promo has expired and/or there is no longer availability at the resort you have booked, you will need to speak with someone in guest services to make the change (without losing the discount) as the regular reservation CMs don't have access to expired promos and cannot change from one reservation type to the other without cancelling and rebooking (which could result in the loss of your resort/room type). Just remember that the deposit you pay toward the room only will have to be refunded, with a new deposit paid toward the package (or payment in full if this is done 45 days or less from arrival). Good luck.

 

[TDC Nala]

There's no way to keep the existing cancellation/change policies for a room only reservation once you have rebooked the reservation so it includes tickets and a dining plan. As soon as you do that, it's a package and the package policies apply.

 

[peteykirch]

There's no way to keep the existing cancellation/change policies for a room only reservation once you have rebooked the reservation so it includes tickets and a dining plan. As soon as you do that, it's a package and the package policies apply.

How about going the opposite direction? Package to Room Only?

 

[mickeynut1]

How about going the opposite direction? Package to Room Only?

Same thing applies......the package needs to be cancelled/refunded and room only booked, requiring a new deposit equal to 1 night's room rate + tax with balance due at check in.

 

[TDC Nala]

You can keep a room-only reservation and buy the tickets separately so it isn't a package...but not the dining plan. If you want a dining plan you don't have a choice but to eventually book a package.

The only exception to this is DVC reservations. Yes, annual passholders and military can book a dining plan without tickets - but that's still a package.

 

[peteykirch]

If I book a package, does the $200 deposit go into the total bill, or is it separate?

Also, everything is 100% refundable as long as the cancellation is prior the 45 day mark?

 

[DebbieB]

If I book a package, does the $200 deposit go into the total bill, or is it separate?

Also, everything is 100% refundable as long as the cancellation is prior the 45 day mark?

The $200 is applied to the balance.

Package is 100% refundable before 45 days, a room only is refundable before 6 days.

 

[peteykirch]

The $200 is applied to the balance.

Package is 100% refundable before 45 days, a room only is refundable before 6 days.

Usually when do the Fall Discount Rates come out?

If I'm looking to check in at 10/27 that means I'll have to cancel roughly by 9/12. That's more than enough notice to find out if my room would be eligible for whatever discount is available at that time?

 

[boundfordisney]

We are arriving at disney September 26th already have our flights booked but not the room as yet. will book tomorrow a package with tickets and the dining plan, then hopefully in April free dining will be available for our trip and then will apply that. The free dining is usaually good until the 29 of September, somewhere in that range, at least for the last few years so am hopeing it will be the same this year. Just got back from a cruise on the fantasy this morning and already Im starting to plan this next trip in September as around the end of the month will be able to do our dining reservations. we stayed 2 nights at okw before the cruise, had a room only discount, but prefer the free dining offers as they work out cheaper for us.

 

[Wood Nymph]

You can keep a room-only reservation and buy the tickets separately so it isn't a package...but not the dining plan. If you want a dining plan you don't have a choice but to eventually book a package.

That is what we did for our vacation last month. I booked a room only in July. When a RO discount was announced in October, I called and got that applied to the room. Then at the end of December, when the discount period was due to end, i called to make sure that I would not loose my room discount if I added the dining plan in January, which was after the discount had expired. I was assured that I would not loose my discount. So then I told the CM that as long I was on the phone with her, I might as well buy our tickets. So I bought the tickets in December, had to pay for them in full of course, but didn't have to pay the balance of the room yet.

Then I called about eight days before our trip began to add the dining plan. The very first thing that the CM said to me was that she saw that I had a really good discounted rate for the room and that she was going to be sure to keep that for me. Then she cancelled our original reservation, refunded everything we had paid to date, which was the one night deposit and the price of the tickets, and gave us a new reservation number. We had to pay in full at that point since we were within the 45 day period for a package. There was no mention of whether or not my room was still available for the discount. I was already told that I wasn't going to lose it.

I had waited until my credit card billing period had rolled over so that the refund and the new charge were all in the same billing period. It took a week or more for the refund to show up in my account. It all worked out very well.

As long as there isn't free dining offered, I can't see any reason to buy it ahead of time. I was able to keep my discounted room and not have to pay for the dining plan until after my trip was over.
ETA: At the time I took my vacation, which was Feb 5-11, 2013, the only two discounts available were the stay, play and dine plan, or the room only discount. Since I saved more money with a room only discount, I was able to add the tickets and dining plan later. If I had wanted the stay, play and dine plan then I would have had to book the package from the very beginning.