Dec discounts- 5 people plus dining, where to begin?

[kellia]

We are thinking of going to Disney the first week of Dec and staying on site for the first time. We'd need a room that fits 5 (kids 14, 7, 7). I am clueless where to begin! I've never gotten a PIN and no clue how to look for deals. We wanted the dining plan, so I guess we have to buy tickets in a package. If we do the Day of Service, would that apply to the package?

Any help would be appreciated!!

 

[su_A_ve]

Look at the sticky on tips on how to get a pin though no guarantees. I've just gotten my first one a week ago after going to disney over 10 times and being sub to their mailings for 4+ years

For Dec, chances are the FD promo for the general public OR a Disney Visa Rewards FD promo would come out in mid-late august.

It will depend on how many advanced reservations they get.

Bounce back for Fall 2010 happened in Fall 2009 for FD
PINs have beeing going out this month for Fall 2010 FD
In the past, other FD promos came out in August. Public one in 2008, DVR holders on 2009

If an FD promo doesn't come out, chances are there will be a discounted room rates. They only other thing you need to look for is if the week you are going there isn't something big going on (Pop warner typically happens at that time) and that might affect availabilty at the type of resort you are looking for.

Finally, for 5, you will need to look at the deluxe resorts. Or the familiy suites at the value/mod.

 

[marcielm]

If we do the Day of Service, would that apply to the package?

Ditto on the previous post, and I wanted to add info about the day of service vouchers.

If you get one, you can either use it for a 1 day ticket, or exchange it for a special fast pass card (good for yourself & up to 5 more people). This IMO is a better option for your family! Each day, you can exchange 1 voucher for the 5 FP's, and use them... your family would have 5, so you can use 1 at each park, and then use the last one for a repeat park. We are doing this for our trip in March.

If you swapped it for the "ticket" you would only get about a $3 per ticket value, as you will need a multiday ticket, and any days over 4 on a MYW ticket have a value of about $3. The only way to get the full ticket price value, is to NOT purchase tickets (but then you can't add the dining plan to your reservation). Exchange the voucher for a ticket, go into the park, and then go to a guest service center and UPGRADE the ticket to the number of days you need for your stay.

Let me know if you have any other questions about it. It's a little confusing, I know!

Also, the cheapest option for your family is to stay at the Port Orleans Riverside. One of your kids would sleep on a trundle, which isn't very big. Otherwise, you can try for a Cabin at Ft. Wilderness or the family suites at All Star Music. The fam suites are cheaper than the cabins typically (unless there is a better deal for Mods vs. Values). We love the fam suites, there is a QS bed in the bedroom, unlike at the cabins (where it is a full!).

 

[Missytara]

I go the same week. The first week in December is already considered value season, so you won't see a whole bunch of regular discounts.

Also, if a discount does come out, it depends on which resort you are staying at.

If you are going moderate with 5 people, you will most likely be at POR, which allows 5 people in Alligator Bayou.

When the 4/3 deal was released, I called to find out if I qualified at POR - they weren't even including POR because it was already booked solid for that week - it tends to be the most popular mod at the time.

 

[Missytara]

For Dec, chances are the FD promo for the general public OR a Disney Visa Rewards FD promo would come out in mid-late august. It will depend on how many advanced reservations they get.

If an FD promo doesn't come out, chances are there will be a discounted room rates. They only other thing you need to look for is if the week you are going there isn't something big going on (Pop warner typically happens at that time) and that might affect availabilty at the type of resort you are looking for.

Finally, for 5, you will need to look at the deluxe resorts. Or the familiy suites at the value/mod.

Considering what the news says about the economy today may be bouncing back - my opinion is don't expect FD in December this year.

The first week in December is considered value season already, so I wouldn't expect room discounts, especially in light of the news today.

Pop Warner doesn't occur until the second week in December, however they do start arriving late on Thursday. However, they do stay at POR, which is one of the options in the moderates for five people. The fifth person would be on a trundle bed, or you could bring an inflatable bed (many people do that). The other option is the FW cabins.

 

[marcielm]

The first week in December is considered value season already, so I wouldn't expect room discounts, especially in light of the news today.

Since 2006, Disney has offered a discount for the first of December. Check out Mousesavers.com for their list of previous discounts & offers!

 

[Letsbgoofy]

When we did the FD in 2008 the week of Pop Warner was blacked out from the FD offer (FD didn't start until the Sunday aftr they left) - anyone know if this happened in 2009? We are planning to go down 12/10-12/15 (12/10 is a Friday, the last day of Pop Warner) and I would love to be able to just have 1 reservation.

How do you find out what resorts Pop Warner will be staying at?

 

[jonw]

We go with 5 people and stay at Port Orleans Riverside. Its the cheapest single room that allows five people. The fifth person has to sleep on a trundle bed. As long as that person isn't too tall its not to bad a place to sleep. My 9yo actually prefers it to sleeping so close to someone else in the smallish double beds.

The past two years we've gone the week before Thanksgiving gotten free dining, park hoppers (without water parks) and stayed at POR for 8 days 7 nights and paid about $2800 each time. 2A, 14, 9, 7

 

[PrincessTiffany]

Finally, for 5, you will need to look at the deluxe resorts. Or the familiy suites at the value/mod.

Animal Kingdom Lodge and Wilderness Lodge are both Deluxe resort that only sleep 4 (unless the 5th person is an infant), so they couldn't stay at either of those resorts. As a pp stated the cheapest way for a family of 5 to stay on-site is at Port Orleans Riverside, the next cheapest option would be two connecting rooms at a value and then the All-Star Music suites.

I do have to agree about the December free dining. I don't think it will come out for the general public this year either. I think it will be the same at 2008, where it was offered through select pin codes.

 

[Letsbgoofy]

In 2008 FD (in December) was offered to Disney Visa holders.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

In 2008 FD (in December) was offered to Disney Visa holders.

During that time frame in 2008, Disney Destinations sent out some emails that offered free dining pin codes for select dates in October, November and December - the exact dates were 9/28-10/11, 11/9-11/22, 12/14-12/20/08.. The only December dates were December 14 - 20. If you checked in by the 20th you could get the free dining offer through the 31st. Those emails were random, not for the general public, and the codes were non-transferrable. About two weeks after that Disney Visa sent out a free dining code for their card holders for the same select dates in October, November and December. Those pin codes were not part of the regular Fall Dining promotion and there was no general public fd code offered for any of those dates.

 

[kellia]

Thanks for all of the helpful replies!! I would love it if they had free dining in Dec, that would be great! We could do before Thanksgiving if need be, just wanted to go when they had the Christmas decorations up.

For the Disney Visa discounts, do you have to put your trip on the Visa? We have one we are paying off and it is 3.9% until paid off, but anything after that would be a higher rate, so I wouldn't want to use it.

 

[kellia]

If you swapped it for the "ticket" you would only get about a $3 per ticket value, as you will need a multiday ticket, and any days over 4 on a MYW ticket have a value of about $3. The only way to get the full ticket price value, is to NOT purchase tickets (but then you can't add the dining plan to your reservation). Exchange the voucher for a ticket, go into the park, and then go to a guest service center and UPGRADE the ticket to the number of days you need for your stay.

So, if we had the day of service, they would give us the discount at the end? So, we'd get a 5 day at 4 day price, for example? I was hoping they'd credit a 5 day pass with the 1 day price, $82 or whatever off the 5 day ticket price. Darn!

 

[PrincessTiffany]

Thanks for all of the helpful replies!! I would love it if they had free dining in Dec, that would be great! We could do before Thanksgiving if need be, just wanted to go when they had the Christmas decorations up.

For the Disney Visa discounts, do you have to put your trip on the Visa? We have one we are paying off and it is 3.9% until paid off, but anything after that would be a higher rate, so I wouldn't want to use it.

They start putting the Christmas deocorations up during the first week of November and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas parties start about November 10.

To qualify for a Disney Visa Card discount or have it applied to a reservation, you just have to put the minimum $200.00 deposit down.

 

[tiki23]

We're a family of 5 and stay in connecting rooms at a value resort. (We love Pop Century!)

2 value rooms only cost about $15 more per day than 1 mod room however the values do not have fridges ($12 per day to rent) and free dining at the values is now only for Quick Service; you have to upgrade to the regular Disney Dining Plan at the cost of $10 per day for adults (not sure about the kid prices.) Mod and Deluxe resorts come with the regular dining plan - no upgrade needed.

You might want to look at the two dining plans to see what might work best for you. If you don't want to do the sit-down table service meals, then maybe Quick Service is the way to go. The kids and I would be fine with that, maybe pay out-of-pocket for a character meal or to eat at one of our fave restaurants but DH wants a "real dinner" every day on vacation.

For my family, we'll pay the $10 upgrade and stay in two value rooms...with TWO bathrooms.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

We're a family of 5 and stay in connecting rooms at a value resort. (We love Pop Century!)

2 value rooms only cost about $15 more per day than 1 mod room however the values do not have fridges ($12 per day to rent) and free dining at the values is now only for Quick Service; you have to upgrade to the regular Disney Dining Plan at the cost of $10 per day for adults (not sure about the kid prices.) Mod and Deluxe resorts come with the regular dining plan - no upgrade needed.

You might want to look at the two dining plans to see what might work best for you. If you don't want to do the sit-down table service meals, then maybe Quick Service is the way to go. The kids and I would be fine with that, maybe pay out-of-pocket for a character meal or to eat at one of our fave restaurants but DH wants a "real dinner" every day on vacation.

For my family, we'll pay the $10 upgrade and stay in two value rooms...with TWO bathrooms.

That's not entirely true. Ever since September of 2005, when they started offering the Free Dining discount, the general public offer has ALWAYS included the Basic Dining Plan - 1TS, 1CS and 1Snack per day, per person at all levels of resorts. Also, every year, including this year, the free dining bounceback has been offered it has also been for the basic dining plan. All of the current free dining pin codes also offer the basic dining plan at the values. This past October, November and December "free dining" offer was the first and only time the Free Dining Promo included the Quick Service Plan for Values. The general public free dining offer for this fall won't come out until the end of March/or beginning of April. I think it will be for the basic dining plan for all resorts, just as it has been for the previous 6 years.

 

[tiki23]

This past October, November and December "free dining" offer was the first and only time the Free Dining Promo included the Quick Service Plan for Values. The general public free dining offer for this fall won't come out until the end of March/or beginning of April. I think it will be for the basic dining plan for all resorts, just as it has been for the previous 6 years.

Thanks for posting. As I'm one of those that has never received a pin code I was going on the last info I'd seen from Oct/Nov/Dec. I hope you are right - it will save me some $!...but I'll build the other $10 in my budget just in case.

 

[Letsbgoofy]

Actually I have seen some posts saying that the pin people were offered for FD this fall 2010 was the QSP for the values (don't know for a fact but saw it posted here). Personally I think Disney is foolish if this isn't what they do from now on (no flames please, I plan to book a value). If you are 2 adults and 2 juniors in a room, it would cost you $40/day to upgrade to the regular DP. If you are going to pay $40 more...then maybe you will just upgrade to a moderate. We were there this summer for FD and the values were sold out - CS where we stayed was empty!

I got my first pin ever, it was a discounted room for this late summer/fall. Then I got 2 pins that ended in June - all 3 within 2 weeks.

 

[mousiemom]

you picked a great week to go, btw. we went this week last year and it was low crowds, and you can beat the fabulous disney christmas decorations. we got the disney visa free dining promo last year and i believe it came out around 1st of sept. now, what we do is go ahead a book a room only ressie and then when the promo comes out modify your reservation. be sure and make your 180 advance dining ressies too!! this is a must. i'm actually hoping for the quick service deal so we're not tied down to reservations. stay on this board for all of your tips! we are disney professionals here on the disboard! we've been there/done that many, many times!!
have fun planning!

 

[dmoore718]

We are a family of 5 as well, but we will have an infant so we can stay at Pop. Last year, we only had 4 people so we stayed at ASM, we had quick service dining and a gift card. We paid for the dining and go the buy 4 days get 3 free plus a $200 gift card. So we did use the GC for one character dinner and some souvenirs. Our kids were only 2 and 3 so QS was fine for us since they were exhausted. Next time, For next year, Jan or Feb, we are hoping for a GC offer so we can decide either to skip the QS and just use the GC for our meals, since our kids eat so little anyway.