Disney World Packages

[CapeCodTenor]

Because I've not had to pay full price for a Disney World vacation (I was a cast member the last 4 times I went and got discounts), I went online to Disney's site and priced out a 6 night/7 day package, just to get a starting point. So I entered the dates I'm looking at, Sept of next year (actually going in Sept. of 2017, but using next year as a gauge). WOW!!! $2000 for a value resort package?! I was expecting it to be expensive, but not $2000. I was hoping for around $1600 or $1800, but $2000?! *whew* Please tell me there are ways of getting that under the $2000 mark. I know from talking to a friend on the train that some places will offer gift cards for booking through them. I think she said that her and her husband got something like $100 gift card for booking through BJ's, so that's an option. But still, hoping to get that cheaper.

Edited to add:
I should have mentioned that this trip will be for 3 people, me, my wife and our daughter, who will be 4 at the time of the trip.

Thanks

 

[Disneylover99]

There will most likely be some kind of discount offered next September. It could be free dining or a room only discount. Those discounts will not be announced or available until some time next year. Prices are going up and up and up though.

 

[CapeCodTenor]

There will most likely be some kind of discount offered next September. It could be free dining or a room only discount. Those discounts will not be announced or available until some time next year. Prices are going up and up and up though.

I'm hoping some kind of discount will come along at some point. My friend went through AAA, I think, and he and his wife paid $1800 for CBR. A moderate! I looked at packages for a value and got a price more than what he paid for. I'm definitely going to have to keep looking.

 

[aaarcher86]

I'm hoping some kind of discount will come along at some point. My friend went through AAA, I think, and he and his wife paid $1800 for CBR. A moderate! I looked at packages for a value and got a price more than what he paid for. I'm definitely going to have to keep looking.

AAA and Disney no longer work together.

Your other package options can make a difference too.

 

[CapeCodTenor]

AAA and Disney no longer work together.

Your other package options can make a difference too.

They don't?! When did that happen? I was just on AAA's site and found Disney packages and ticket offers.

 

[aaarcher86]

They don't?! When did that happen? I was just on AAA's site and found Disney packages and ticket offers.

They don't have any exclusive benefits anymore.

You can still book through them because they're a travel agency, but it's the same stuff you can do yourself. They get the same discounts.

There used to be exvlusive stuff like a parking parking pass, room discounts, etc. they just stopped that.

 

[CapeCodTenor]

They don't have any exclusive benefits anymore.

You can still book through them because they're a travel agency, but it's the same stuff you can do yourself. They get the same discounts.

There used to be exvlusive stuff like a parking parking pass, room discounts, etc. they just stopped that.

Well that stinks.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

Although I haven't tried it, some folks have had luck booking parts of their trips separately on Orbitz (when there is a Disney ticket deal like buy 3 days get 2 days) or on UK Expedia (when they have great room discounts). These deals come and go so you have to be on the lookout for them. You can also sign up for ebates to get cash rebates when you purchase from these sites which gives you an even bigger discount.

http://www.disboards.com/threads/undercover-tourist-or-orbitz-tickets.3378386/

http://www.disboards.com/threads/di...y-offer-on-uk-expedia-ended-31-march.3222577/

I usually use one of the discount methods for purchasing Disney gift cards to get a decent discount on my trip. There are tons of different strategies. My preferred method is buying Disney gift cards when my local grocery store has 4x fuel points. If you purchase them with a rewards credit card, you can increase your discount even more.

Some other ways I've saved on trips:
the free dining discount
stayed off site in timeshares (Wyndham Bonnet Creek, Vacation Village at Parkway)
group rate for resort/dining/tickets with Disney's High School Spring Training
10 day no expire hoppers with water park fun & more from UT (I am so sad these are no longer sold!)

 

[minnie mum]

There's a definite sticker shock when you look at rack rates. Even more so if you've been away for a few years and are looking at them after having only been used to the old CM discounts. I noticed you had an earlier thread asking about deals people got in the past. There used to be great deals to be had. But those days are pretty much gone. Looking at historical records of discounts doesn't really help since it has become apparent that Disney is scaling them back. Way back. Even when discounts are announced, they are for shorter times, with lower % off, and with fewer rooms available for each.

Many people seem to beg for free dining, but you'd still be paying rack rate for the resort and full price tickets, with mandatory PHs. And the free DP still only covers 2 meals a day and has its own restrictions. We've never been able to make a DDP save any money for us. And RO discounts are only 10-15% off for values, so really just a drop in the bucket. AAA no longer offers exclusive discounts to its members.

Really, the only way to do Disney on a budget is to stay offsite at an inexpensive hotel, stay at a nicer place on points, or rent a condo where you can cook some of your meals. Then buy tickets from a place like Undercover Tourist, which can save you some money on longer tickets.

We just suck it up and budget/plan for what we want. We like staying onsite at a mod, so we budget for that and are happy if we can take advantage of a room only discount. We don't do packages, because we can get cheaper tickets elsewhere. We don't do the DDP because we can eat where we want and how we want less expensively OOP. We don't do free dining because we don't want to pay for park hoppers, prefer a RO discount, and, as I said above, can get cheaper tickets elsewhere.

VSome people have waited to book their vacations until a discount is offered and then book thru Orbitz in order to stackvthe Orbitz 10-15% discount ( but this isn't always available).

 

[bsblady01]

one way to make it cheaper is to not get the meal plan. and stay off site.

 

[CapeCodTenor]

There's a definite sticker shock when you look at rack rates. Even more so if you've been away for a few years and are looking at them after having only been used to the old CM discounts. I noticed you had an earlier thread asking about deals people got in the past. There used to be great deals to be had. But those days are pretty much gone. Looking at historical records of discounts doesn't really help since it has become apparent that Disney is scaling them back. Way back. Even when discounts are announced, they are for shorter times, with lower % off, and with fewer rooms available for each.

Many people seem to beg for free dining, but you'd still be paying rack rate for the resort and full price tickets, with mandatory PHs. And the free DP still only covers 2 meals a day and has its own restrictions. We've never been able to make a DDP save any money for us. And RO discounts are only 10-15% off for values, so really just a drop in the bucket. AAA no longer offers exclusive discounts to its members.

Really, the only way to do Disney on a budget is to stay offsite at an inexpensive hotel, stay at a nicer place on points, or rent a condo where you can cook some of your meals. Then buy tickets from a place like Undercover Tourist, which can save you some money on longer tickets.

We just suck it up and budget/plan for what we want. We like staying onsite at a mod, so we budget for that and are happy if we can take advantage of a room only discount. We don't do packages, because we can get cheaper tickets elsewhere. We don't do the DDP because we can eat where we want and how we want less expensively OOP. We don't do free dining because we don't want to pay for park hoppers, prefer a RO discount, and, as I said above, can get cheaper tickets elsewhere.

VSome people have waited to book their vacations until a discount is offered and then book thru Orbitz in order to stackvthe Orbitz 10-15% discount ( but this isn't always available).

Yeah, it looks like I'm just going to have to suck it, get what I can and deal with it. It's not like we're going every year. Thanks for the suggestion.