Discounts

[Minniemex]

I am planning my first trip to Disney in Dec 07 - I do not want to pay full price if I don't have too & am finding that I am very confused also trying to figure things out - I do not have a preference yet for where I stay, am very interested in adding dining but am finding that it costs alot of dollars - so if anyone can educate me as to how I can save some bucks, please, please, help me!!

P.S. My dates are 12/4/2007 - 12/9/2007 - dates are somewhat flexible but have to be there on the 5th for wedding -

 

[Bride In The Attic]

First of all, welcome to the DIS - you will find a lot of helpful people here so ask a bunch of questions....Disney can be overwhelming but after a while on these boards you will know more than any "outsider " and hopefully be able to have a wonderful vacation within your budget.

The first thing I would do is to give Disney a call. Have them check to see if you are eligible for any discounts or specials during the time you want to go - you never know, you may be surprised at the rates they quote you. If there aren't any specials now then you can book through a travel agent that specializes in disney like Dreams Unlimited. They will then monitor your reservation and apply any discounts that come out down the road to your trip.

Are you a AAA member? AAA members receive discounts on rooms so that is something else to keep in mind.

Again, welcome!

 

[ninaeve]

Also check out the Budget board here on DIS. They have some great general tips.

As far as room discounts...the least expensive choice is definitely offsite. If you want to stay onsite(which we do bc of all the perks), then your best choice would be the Value resorts(All-stars and PopCentury).

If you aren't one of the lucky owners of a discount PIN(chosen randomly adn sent by postcard through the mail or email), then you can still ask for AAA discount(10-20% off limited amount of rooms).

Also another popular choice here is buying an annual pass if you plan on a longer trip(5-14 days). Great discounts on the rooms often come out and you save a lot even factoring in the extra for the ticket. Plus you have a whole year of Disney tickets! Only one person has to have it per room for the discount(must be an adult). You don't have to have it to book, but you do when you check in or lose the discount. If you go this route, then keep a watch on this codes boards, and jump on making your reservation as soon as you hear about the codes for your time frame. They go quick.

I am sure you will find lots of great advice. Keep browsing and search, serach, search for past threads.

Welcome.

 

[Minniemex]

First of all, welcome to the DIS - you will find a lot of helpful people here so ask a bunch of questions....Disney can be overwhelming but after a while on these boards you will know more than any "outsider " and hopefully be able to have a wonderful vacation within your budget.

The first thing I would do is to give Disney a call. Have them check to see if you are eligible for any discounts or specials during the time you want to go - you never know, you may be surprised at the rates they quote you. If there aren't any specials now then you can book through a travel agent that specializes in disney like Dreams Unlimited. They will then monitor your reservation and apply any discounts that come out down the road to your trip.

Are you a AAA member? AAA members receive discounts on rooms so that is something else to keep in mind.

Again, welcome!

Ok, what is the Disney # - is there a special one??

Yes, I have AAA - do I still call Disney or do I call AAA??

Thanks again for the help - it really is appreciated!!

 

[Minniemex]

Has anybody have any ideas on opening a Disney Visa Card?? Have they gotten any discounts because of that??

Also, I have read about people talking to a CM - I am having a hard time with these abbrs. & this one means "cast member" - are they actually people who book you trip??

Again - thanks!!

 

[KodakFigment]

You mentioned being there for a wedding... If it is a Disney wedding, just hold tight. They offer great discounts for guests of Disney wedding guests. The couple should get a code or reservation # they can share. The last time we went to a wedding (2005) we stayed at GF for less than $200/night, my sister stayed at ASMu for $55/night. There was also a small discount on the tickets. Keep watching the boards and Mousesavers too, for any new discounts that come up.

 

[kelleigh1]

For AAA, you can either call Disney directly (sorry, don't have the number handy) or you can go through a AAA office.

The difference is that calling Disney directly, they will only be able to give you the discount on the room and you can't add the dining to that.

If you work with a AAA travel agent (TA), they can book a package for you with room and tickets and dining, with discounted rates. (Bottom line is that the discount only applies to the room, but you can still package everything together.)

However: two things to keep in mind: there are a limited number of rooms available with the AAA rate and once those are gone, they will quote you the rack rate. Your dates are far enough out though that you may not have a problem with this. And, second, not all AAA travel agencies have someone who really specializes in Disney and that can make your first WDW trip planning a very taxing affair. If you want the name of a AAA TA who is something of a Disney expert and highly recommended around here, let me know and I'll refer you to the one handling my trip plans.

The very first thing I would recommend you do is spend some time at the Disney website www.disneyworld.com and price out your vacation with them. You do not need to book it then. Then contact AAA and perhaps some other travel agents (Dreams Unlimited is sponsored here at the DIS) to see what rates they can get you.

Good luck and happy planning!

 

[Bride In The Attic]

Disney's number is 407 WDI SNEY

 

[ninaeve]

If you use the online system, make sure you double check every selection. I have been having issues with it adding on a lot things to the pricing, like suites, park hopping, water parks, trip insurance(don't see it until the 3rd or 4th page), etc. So the price may seem outrageous, but once you take the extras off, it isn't too bad.

I would call the number.

 

[hockeybabe]

The toll-free # for Disney is 877-939-3732

 

[Trekker]

I'm really sold on Dreams Unlimited Travel - they have handled many trips for me in the past and I've always been very pleased.

They are also a major sponsor of these boards -

You can go to this LINK and request a no obligation quote for your dates - put in the notes section any of your questions and the agent will try to assist. If you do book with them they offer some awesome services regarding watching for discounts and making dining reservations to mention a few.

 

[LisaBi]

This past year, there was a room only discount available to the general public for early December. I stayed at CSR for I think $115 a night from Dec. 9 to 13. If I remember right, I booked it in Sept or Oct.