DIS Members - Please Help Me Make A Decision

[tbowman]

Okay, here are my options.

I am currently booked at All Star Music Suite from October 16-28 with a 20% room discount.

Room Discount = $750 12 Days

I could do a room only at All Star Music from October 16-18 then switch to a Free Dining Package at All Star Music from October 19-28.

Dining Discount = $1368

On the surface the second option seems preferable as I would be saving $618 over the first option. But the second option comes with some significant concerns on my end.

1) My touring plans calls for us to be in Disney World parks on October 17, 18. Many on this board are suggesting I can pick up park tickets 3 days early at a Guest Relations desk at the parks or at DTD. The gal I talked to in reservations on the phone today said that is absolutely not the case and thought I was crazy to consider it. I am scared of showing up at Magic Kingdom guest relations on October 17 with my entire family in tow and being told I can't get it in the park. If I had to spring for two day park tickets at that point all my savings would be wiped out. Do I take the risk? Is it a risk?

2) If there is a risk I'm wondering if $618 in savings is worth it. Between my wife and three girls none of them are huge eaters. If I stay with the the 20% room discount and forgo any Dining Plan we may save the $618 in food anyway.

Does this make sense? What would you do? Help!

 

[weedles]

Okay, here are my options.

I am currently booked at All Star Music Suite from October 16-28 with a 20% room discount.

Room Discount = $750 12 Days

I could do a room only at All Star Music from October 16-18 then switch to a Free Dining Package at All Star Music from October 19-28.

Dining Discount = $1368

On the surface the second option seems preferable as I would be saving $618 over the first option. But the second option comes with some significant concerns on my end.

1) My touring plans calls for us to be in Disney World parks on October 17, 18. Many on this board are suggesting I can pick up park tickets 3 days early at a Guest Relations desk at the parks or at DTD. The gal I talked to in reservations on the phone today said that is absolutely not the case and thought I was crazy to consider it. I am scared of showing up at Magic Kingdom guest relations on October 17 with my entire family in tow and being told I can't get it in the park. If I had to spring for two day park tickets at that point all my savings would be wiped out. Do I take the risk? Is it a risk?

2) If there is a risk I'm wondering if $618 in savings is worth it. Between my wife and three girls none of them are huge eaters. If I stay with the the 20% room discount and forgo any Dining Plan we may save the $618 in food anyway.

Does this make sense? What would you do? Help!

I understand your concern but you can absolutely pick up your tix up to 3 days early. And while u say your dw and dds aren't bug eaters you all do have to eat. At a value you would be getting the cs dining so I don't think that's overkill at all. Good luck with your section making !!

 

[MMS1125]

I agree with the PP I'd use the room discount for the first 2 days then switch to FD. You will spend more than then 600+ you were saving in meals. Food for 5 adds up! If you upgrade to regular dining you could do some character meals and such. I'd also price staying at a moderate instead of ASMu since the upgraded dining is included for a mod and it's usually cheaper than the suite @ ASMu. POR sleeps 5 and it's a beautiful resort! I assume you are staying in the family suite?

 

[MMS1125]

wow I'm blind. Just realized you said suite in your original post. I'd DEF price out POR with free dining. I think your savings will be even greater

You can pick up your tickets early. There was a thread about this yesterday and the sticky in the tickets forum is very accurate with information and updated regularly!

 

[momofkids]

On Friday night, I was pricing out rooms for our November trip on Disney's site. The little window to ask a CM questions popped up. I asked about picking tickets up 3 days early. Gilmore (CM) told me that as long as your tickets are for longer than your stay, they can be picked up at the desk at the resort where you booked. I also confirmed this with a CM on the phone. She said the same thing. She also told me that the tickets can be picked up 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Like you, I was very nervous about booking but including my tickets with the second stay. I have heard that you can pick up early regardless of ticket length, but I haven't heard that from Disney. I just like things to be confirmed before I commit. By the way, not every CM in reservations knows about this. At a different time, I had a CM tell me that you could not get tickets early.

 

[momofkids]

I would try to get another CM to answer your questions or ask to speak to a supervisor. Whatever you do, do not talk to Patience on the pop-up question window. She doesn't seem to know very much at all about packages and such.

 

[tbowman]

Thanks for your help and insight everyone! Went ahead booked at split stay to take advantage of free dining and was able to keep my 20% discount for the first three days of room only.

Saved over $800.

The CM again insisted I could not get my tickets 3 days earlier. I never thought I would trust members of a message board over an official Disney CM, but after talking it over with the wife everything looks legit. I'll let everyone here know if we run into any trouble.

MMS thank you so much for the idea to move to POR. It wasn't even on my radar. My wife and I talked it over for a couple days. We would have saved a ton of additional money - over $1000 on top of the $800 we already saved.

BUT - with a family of 5, we decided the extra room was crucial for us to have a special vacation. This will likely be the one and only time we do Disney and we are willing to splurge on certain things.

Thanks again!

 

[jenlov]

I think you made a good choice. It all comes down to that $750 you'd be saving for your room discount for 12 days. You'd definitely spend more than that eating for 12 days at Disney. Splitting your stay like was definitely the way to go to make the most of your savings! BTW, you may have read this, but I believe the person who wrote this thread actually works as a CM in this particular department.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1452684

 

[momofkids]

Read letter "I" for the thread posted above. That should be the one that applies to your tickets. In that post it says that you can pick up you tickets early at the park. I have read where a lot of people have gotten tickets early. I will be nervous until we go at the end of November, but I had to take the risk too.