Costco Travel Question

[bumbershoot]

Another Costco booking question....

We booked this evening online but I've yet to get an email confirmation. When and will I get that? I did read our tickets/package will arrive 21 days before our trip. The countdown is on for that!

The probably won't *arrive* at 21 days; they are sent out a few days after the time for final payment, though. And they will be sent by FAST UPS delivery, without any notice, wihtout giving you the tracking number, and they will be sent to the address you gave when you booked the package. This causes problems for some people when both adults in the family work, and they gave their home address. It can't be fun to come home to the "missed delivery" notice, especially if you get home too late to arrange to pick up the package at their facilities.

I have been beating myself up for booking with AAA - I totally missed the whole Costco option. I can make changes, but canceling and re-booking doesn't financially work out.

Aw, I'm sorry. I'm sure it'll be fine. The lanyards you pick up with the voucher you get are a much more fun color than Costco's lanyards. Unless they've changed, that is...I've seen the AAA lanyards in bright red, while Costco's are a sort of dusty light blue.

I just booked after I had a momentary freakout thinking the standard rooms at that rate would run out For those of you who booked through Costco Travel do you find that this is the best deal or do you really end up "paying" for those extras? I don't think I really priced everything separately. Mainly I compared Costco's package to ones offered by Disney and AAA which all seemed to be the same deal except Costco had the free character breakfast & gc.

Well, when we used them, the cost was equal to the cost through AAA and WDTC, plus the cost of the character breakfast. It being prepaid, though, was nice. The one thing that made the Costco deal better was the $20 GC, so basically it edged the others out by $20.

but at the time we went, since we were planning to upgrade to APs anyway, we would have made out MUCH better financially if we'd just booked the excellent-at-the-time AP rate and bought tickets to upgrade, or just the AP voucher, on our own. We ended up replacing the lanyards and lanyard pouches anyway, b/c the lanyards were scratchy and too wide, the pouches are a too-hard plastic that have a reputation for breaking...so we replaced them for the adults with disney ones. But it was nice to experience MTTMM and preferred seating for Aladdin, even if we'd never do those things again (if Aladdin were going to continue of course) and found not much value, or actually negative value when it came to Aladdin seating.

What I'm saying is that having the experience was worth it for me...but we probably wouldn't do it again over booking things a la carte.

I called Costco today and they told me parking & resort fees was included. Maybe I can't bad info...I'm thinking about booking through Costco, but if parking is not included then maybe not. Disney, Costco and AAA sites always crash out on me so it's very hard for me to get info. When you call they don't really want to give a quick answer.

Where are you staying? If you're staying onsite, yes, the resort fee is folded into what you're paying, and therefore parking is covered by that. If at a Good Neighbor, you might not have gotten the right answer, OR there was no parking charge to begin with at your particular motel.

We are most likely booking our trip through Costco because of the "free" Character Dining . . .does anyone know if I can call and make the reservation for the dining before I book anf get my package from Costco. I'm just worried about it filling up before my package arrives in the mail.

The method of payment has nothing to do with the actual reservation at the restaurant. Call Disney Dining!

 

[94bruin]

The probably won't *arrive* at 21 days; they are sent out a few days after the time for final payment, though. And they will be sent by FAST UPS delivery, without any notice, wihtout giving you the tracking number, and they will be sent to the address you gave when you booked the package. This causes problems for some people when both adults in the family work, and they gave their home address. It can't be fun to come home to the "missed delivery" notice, especially if you get home too late to arrange to pick up the package at their facilities.

Actually, my package is due to arrive tomorrow - 20 days ahead of my trip. I believe final payment on a package is usually due 1 month ahead of the trip - assuming you book that early.

Also, I received an automated call from UPS today stating that there will be a delivery tomorrow that requires an adult signature. There was an option for getting the tracking number.

However, you can't do anything to change the delivery until they've actually attempted one delivery.

 

[cooniez]

Well, when we used them, the cost was equal to the cost through AAA and WDTC, plus the cost of the character breakfast. It being prepaid, though, was nice. The one thing that made the Costco deal better was the $20 GC, so basically it edged the others out by $20.

Didn't get much sleep so I apologize if this is a stupid question: The Costco Travel website stated that the Premium Character Dining + $20 gc were BOTH added bonuses, but your post stated we actually end up "paying" for the Character Meal? I just wanted to be sure because I know when I was calling around getting quotes AAA & WDTC gave me the same quote as Costco for the B3G2 free hotel + PH, but only Costco included the Character Meal.

 

[bumbershoot]

Actually, my package is due to arrive tomorrow - 20 days ahead of my trip. I believe final payment on a package is usually due 1 month ahead of the trip - assuming you book that early.

Also, I received an automated call from UPS today stating that there will be a delivery tomorrow that requires an adult signature. There was an option for getting the tracking number.

However, you can't do anything to change the delivery until they've actually attempted one delivery.

LOL, we got the automated phone call half an hour before it was delivered. And the phone call said that they would be delivering it in something like 6 hours. Not so helpful!

Sounds like it's been changing since we had our package done, so that's good!

Didn't get much sleep so I apologize if this is a stupid question: The Costco Travel website stated that the Premium Character Dining + $20 gc were BOTH added bonuses, but your post stated we actually end up "paying" for the Character Meal? I just wanted to be sure because I know when I was calling around getting quotes AAA & WDTC gave me the same quote as Costco for the B3G2 free hotel + PH, but only Costco included the Character Meal.

When we booked, for our time and our hotel, the costs were even across the board except with our Costco package it was exactly the cost of the 3 character meal vouchers more.

The only absolute with packages is that you absolutely have to check it all each time, to make sure you're getting the best deal. For us, when we booked the package we took when we took it, we paid for that character meal, b/c that's the difference in cost. For you, booking the package you're bookign at the time you're booking it, it doesn't work out that way!

 

[maryland24]

Question when ups call you are getting the package today or tomorrow? just miss a call from them (Hawaii time so they call before 6AM) they didn't leave a message.

Problem is that we are having a family retreat down in waikiki we are leaving today and returning friday. Ahhh I really want to have those tickets in my hands!!

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Question when ups call you are getting the package today or tomorrow? just miss a call from them (Hawaii time so they call before 6AM) they didn't leave a message.

Problem is that we are having a family retreat down in waikiki we are leaving today and returning friday. Ahhh I really want to have those tickets in my hands!!

I believe they called the day before...Do you have your tracking #? Maybe you can call UPS and reschedule the delivery since you will not be there to sign for it...or have it rerouted to a friend or neighbor that can sign for them?

 

[maryland24]

I don't have the tracking number costco never email me a confirmation email or a tracking number! I guess I should call them and ask them for it.

thanks

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

I don't have the tracking number costco never email me a confirmation email or a tracking number! I guess I should call them and ask them for it.

thanks

I don't think you get a tracking number, I never did (3 DL trips booked through Costco)... but, one time I wasn't able to be home, and my UPS guy knows me, and I wrote him a note asking to deliver the Disney package to the neighbor (retired people) and he did that for me...

 

[maryland24]

they call again my package is arriving tomorrow, we are going to miss it but I guess that they would try again on friday. We are coming home early around lunch so I think we are going to make it.

funny that when the message was over the machine ask to press 2 if I wanted the tracking number I did and the machine just said thank you for your time! haha

I am so excited about getting the tickets!!!

 

[mrsheppo]

We are planning on going in September for DD's birthday. In looking at Costco and WDTC, the prices are the same amount but Costco includes the character dining and gift card for no extra charge. I priced out tickets and hotel separately and the package actually comes out cheaper.

Very excited to go

 

[Mindy71]

The free character dining did it for me. That came to a $160 value for my family!! The $20 gift card didn't hurt either.

 

[femommy]

they call again my package is arriving tomorrow, we are going to miss it but I guess that they would try again on friday. We are coming home early around lunch so I think we are going to make it.

funny that when the message was over the machine ask to press 2 if I wanted the tracking number I did and the machine just said thank you for your time! haha

I am so excited about getting the tickets!!!

They should leave a tag on your door with the tracking number. They did that with mine. I called them when I got home and my driver was still out so brought it back by the house that night. It was very helpful

 

[maryland24]

received my package yesterday it was ups last attempt! So happy can't stop looking at the tickets! lol I feel more relax now

 

[jacobsmommy]

We booked through Costco also. How far in advance did you get your package in the mail? We leave on June 22nd. I am a teacher and get out of school on June 4th. Will it come before then? If so, I'll have to figure out a way to get it...

 

[Randyman1]

Costco Travel told me that my reservation# IS my UPS tracking#. My tickets should ship in a week, I will keep checking the UPS website(not a valid tracking# at this time)

BTW, this forum is FANTASTIC! So much info. Thanks all!

 

[bumbershoot]

Costco Travel told me that my reservation# IS my UPS tracking#. My tickets should ship in a week, I will keep checking the UPS website(not a valid tracking# at this time)

BTW, this forum is FANTASTIC! So much info. Thanks all!

Does it start with 1Z? That's how UPS tracking numbers tend to start.

If what the Costco Travel person said is true, that's new!

 

[Randyman1]

Does it start with 1Z? That's how UPS tracking numbers tend to start.

If what the Costco Travel person said is true, that's new!

No, it doesn't start with 1Z. This makes me doubt the validity of what she told me. Maybe 1Z followed by the res#?

 

[disneyjunkie99]

I was not given my tracking number by Costco or Disney but was able to track my package when it arrived a couple of weeks ago. You go to the UPS site and track by reference number. The reference number is the confirmation number that you were given when you booked your package. You enter in your last name, your zip code and the reference (confirmation) number. HTH.

 

[Dostert9]

I received my package exactly 21 days before my trip I loved booking through Costco travel and it was the same price as booking through disney except with costco travel we received the $20 GC and the free character meal. That sold me right away.

One cool thing! I ended up using my $20 GC to reserve my world of color picnic meal so it only cost me $9 instead of $29 woo hoo! I am going with daughter only this time but I will be booking through costco travel again next time me go in 2012.