Confused about booking through the Disneyland site

[gethane]

Thanks for the encouragement I received a few weeks ago about taking a trip, even if it was only a short one.

As I try to book a hotel stay + tickets, I notice a few things and wondered if others could confirm this and/or explain a way around this.

If I try to book the 2 day 30% off offer, "spring offer" it only seems to affect the first 2 nights of the trip?

If I try to add a park hopper ticket to the hotel offer, it does not seem to use the promotional $149 for 3 day hopper price?

Do I have to book a hotel. Then separately book the special hopper price separately?

I'm just really confused because the "package" rate just doesn't break things down. I have no idea how much they are charging per room (and it seems like its more than the promotional pricing would offer) or per hopper ticket (and again, it seems like it must be more than what they state).

At this point I'm thinking of buying the promotional hopper tickets but just booking a hotel somewhere else because I feel like I'm getting ripped off by a couple hundred dollars buried somewhere within the "package" "offer" shown to you on the website.

Tips/tricks appreciated!

 

[jennifur25]

I was confused about the same thing. We are staying at the La Quinta. Looking at Disneyland's booking website, the total was $1125 for a king suite. Booking through the hotel, the total for 3 nights at the hotel was about $225 for a 2-bedroom suite, add in 4 parkhoppers for $596 and it only comes up to about $820. Where is this other $300 that Disney is charging??

 

[iLUVdisneyLAND]

I too have noticed the same thing. I once called and asked a cm about it and she did not give me
a clear answer. We are going in May and staying at the GC. I am going to book the hotel and then buy the tickets seperately.

 

[jennifur25]

I'm talking to a cast member on their live chat about it right now. I'll be right back with her answer

 

[bumbershoot]

The package offer will NOT break things down for you. Not at all. [Now, if you get a package and then upgrade those tickets, you will get the value of the prepurchase disneyland website rate tickets towards the upgrade, but that doesn't mean that's how they were initially valued.]

So it's good that you're doing your homework!

The promo on tickets is just stand-alone tickets. If you can get those, and then book a room for a good rate, you've done well!


The 30% off offer does state that it's only 2 nights: "Stay in the heart of the magic and save up to 30% on the Hotels of the Disneyland® Resort for the ultimate vacation experience! Rates as low as $165 per night are valid for 2-night stays most nights between January 5 and April 29, 2010." And it's a hotel-only deal.

 

[jennifur25]

This is what she said. I asked her if there was anything else included that I'm missing that explains the nearly $300 more price.

Adele: Hello and welcome to the Disneyland Resort California! There are several reasons for the difference in price between packages and pricing everything separately. First is because the package includes tax and nightly hotel fees for the entire stay. In your search for the separate components you may have seen them without the tax added and when purchasing the hotel by itself the nightly resort fee will not be included until you arrive...

Adele: Another reason the difference may be is because of a component called the Vacation Protection Plan. It is $59.95 per adult (ages 18 and up) and children are covered at no cost. You can be covered for up to thousands of dollars of unexpected out of pocket costs. It is an optional component that you can exclude from your package, but I do highly recommend this option since you never know what can happen before, during or on your way home from your vacation, and it can help you can concentrate on having a magical time while you are here....

Adele: Yet another difference of the package, though these are complimentary, are the package inclusions that are provided to help make your stay more magical. There are all sorts of inclusions we cannot provide if everything is purchased separately. Are you familiar with these package inclusions?

I also got my question answered about the character meal. She said that Minnie & friends prince including tax and gratuity is $31 adults and $16 kids, which is exactly the same price as getawaytoday so I guess GAT wouldn't be saving us any money on that, especially after paying shipping.

 

[gethane]

Thanks for all the explanations and input!

 

[drag n' fly]

I actually priced out both ways last week before booking. It was 30 bucks cheaper to book the 5/3 package than seperately plus you get all the little package perks thrown in

 

[gethane]

more questions. After looking through the wonderful pictures of hotels thread, someone mentioned the "getawaytoday" website. I went there and could book a "package" much much cheaper than buying tickets and hotel separately. Is this a legit site? Are there downsides?

 

[petrymom]

I actually priced out both ways last week before booking. It was 30 bucks cheaper to book the 5/3 package than seperately plus you get all the little package perks thrown in

I tried to upgrade our package the other day to PPH instead of Embassy suites South - Thought it was cheaper to buy separately - well, long story, but in the process found out that when pricing separate, many times there are Hotel fees etc. that will come up at the end of the trip and CM told me in the package, this is all built in....

For what it is worth.

 

[CrazyDuck]

more questions. After looking through the wonderful pictures of hotels thread, someone mentioned the "getawaytoday" website. I went there and could book a "package" much much cheaper than buying tickets and hotel separately. Is this a legit site? Are there downsides?

Not sure if getawaytoday (GAT) rolls the hotel fees and taxes into their packages. Something to look in to. Also GAT doesnt ship you the park hoppers. You have to pick them up at a ticket booth. If you are planning on doing a MM on your first day take that into consideration.

 

[gethane]

I have found a huge discrepancy in trying to book a hotel only, vs doing the "special" two nights free with a 5 day hopper.

for my time frame

651 hotel only
97.65 tax
36.00 resort fee
----
784.65
600.00 3 day hopper "special price"
----
1384.65
80.00 price difference to upgrade 4 3-day to 5 day
-------
1464 total

with me so far?

well if I try to book this through Disney, thinking, hey if I'm thinking of 5 day hopper for partial days on arrival and departure, why not get the two free nights at the hotel right?

WRONG.
Package through the website quotes this as

1865 - a whopping 400 dollars more! Doesn't seem like those 2 nights are free at all!

 

[drag n' fly]

Are you staying weekend nights? That really jacks the price up also. I wonder if its the season etc? Maybe the 2 free nights is the weekday rate. Maybe they do that and make up their money on the weekend rate? It can be whatever 2 days they want. Weird my pkg was only 30 bucks less than booking it seperately but definitely not more and we are staying one weekend night?

 

[reynmagsmom]

Getawaytoday includes fees and taxes..and are per room not per person!!