DL Vacation Packages, Good Idea or Bad?

[PeterBanning]

I've recently discover 3rd party websites, not Disneyland.com, that offer lodging and parkhopper tickets as a package. Are these a good idea? It seems like they can save money; but are there things I need to be on the lookout for? Thanks in advance for any input.

 

[bumbershoot]

We booked through Costco Travel for our first big trip. It was a good experience, though I realized as I planned that I could have saved money just using the AP rate at that time (we were already planning to upgrade the tickets that came with our package). The sites most people talk about here are Costco, AAA, Getawaytoday dot com, and Ares Travel.

 

[CrazyDuck]

I always book my packages direct through the Walt Disney Travel Co. (WTDC). You may be able to save a couple of dollars (literally... only a couple of dollars) by booking through a 3rd party but, to me, it's not worth it. Also AAA and Costco use the WDTC to handle all their arrangements so when you are booking on their site you are still going to disneyland.com. Also Costco used to only allow you to book up to 4 nights. I don't know if they changed that. Getawaytoday.com makes you pick up your tickets at the ticket booth at the park. I don't know why they can't just ship em. I never used ARES so not sure whats wrong with them.

edit... I just checked costco for my upcoming trip and actually I would have had to pay about $25 more, but the costco offer includes a character meal so that would make it a better deal. I'm not a big fan of vouchers or coupons so I probably would not have used them.

BTW if you have a Disney Rewards Visa Card and you book a package through then you can pay it off in 6 months with no interest

 

[goldies 5]

We upgrade to AP every other year. This past December I booked through Getaway and saved a few hundred dollars, compared to the usuals: Costco, AAA, and WDTC. Even by buying the character breakfast outside of the package you can come way ahead at times. It is all about the timing. Things fluctuate greatly. But they are reputable too. Each place should be checked to make sure the others do not have the better deals. And check daily if they have the deal today it does not mean they will have it tomorrow.

 

[bumbershoot]

Also AAA and Costco use the WDTC to handle all their arrangements so when you are booking on their site you are still going to disneyland.com.

True. But each has their own little twist on extras, and prices do differ, sometimes, depending on the particulars of each trip.

It is all about the timing. Things fluctuate greatly. Each place should be checked to make sure the others do not have the better deals. And check daily if they have the deal today it does not mean they will have it tomorrow.

Agreed. After a check if you see something you really think is a good deal, book it. During our decision process for the '07 trip, I had all the prices tracked (hadn't heard of getawaytoday or ares at that point), made the decision to book "tomorrow", and on the tomorrow ALL prices had gone up. Not fun!

 

[ryleeranger]

Be sure to check the cost of purchasing ala carte, too! I was going to book our vacation with Costco or with Disneyland but I quickly found out that it saved me a lot of money booking the hotel and buying tickets separately. Packages aren't ALWAYS the best way to go..

 

[blackjackdelta]

I have reserved all the ways you can think of and everything is constantly in a state of flux. Last year Costco was the best deal with the Character Meal and $20.00 gift card. Just keep checking.

Jack

 

[Eeee-va]

I always prefer to buy a la carte. I book my rooms through the hotel and buy my admission shortly before the trip. It is generally VERY easy to cancel a hotel room booked through the hotel, even if you cancel just a couple days in advance. But there may be issues with getting your money back when you book a travel package. Of course you could buy trip insurance, but since I usually drive to get to the parks (or else fly Southwest, where you can get your credit back even with late cancellations) it doesn't make sense for me.

In other words, I'm a control freak, and/or the type who likes to have the OPTION to get out of even delightful things (a trip to Disneyland) should the need arise, so booking separately seems to work for me.

If you buy your tickets at the last minute, the price may go up between when you decide to take the trip and when you go, though.

I THINK I read a RUMOR somewhere that people who book vacations through Disney MIGHT get special seating or standing space for World of Color. I'm not sure that's going to be the case, but IF that happens, then booking through them might be worth it, provided your party is big enough and the cost isn't too high. (There will likely be special seating and standing space that can be reserved and purchased in advance too. One rumor is that if you spent a certain amount of money at certain restaurants you would get guaranteed standing space, which might not be an awful deal. But if you're a party of 2 and it would cost $300 more to book through Disney, then I like to think you would be able to buy reserved seating for cheaper than your package price.)

Anyway, I certainly wouldn't buy a package just because there are rumors that it might help you see a show, but I thought I'd mention the possibility.

 

[aristocat65]

I agree with Eeee-va. I like to book Disneyland ala carte. In this economy especially there are always better prices coming along. I use Alaska for my flights (using a combo of points, companion ticket etc; lately their prices from BC are fantastic though, so I'm saving my points for something else.)

I book my hotels by scoping out prices on travelocity or expedia, then I book directly with the hotel's website. I like to be able to cancel or change my plans and this way you usually have until 6 pm the day of arrival to cancel. I also don't have to pay until I'm there.

Packages often have cancellation penalties and you have to pay all up front. I'd rather not.

Park hoppers also can be purchased online right before you leave.

The place I DO get a package for is WDW, as we stay on property and usually take advantage of free dining or another special that requires a package.

 

[50sjayne]

I always prefer to buy a la carte. I book my rooms through the hotel and buy my admission shortly before the trip. It is generally VERY easy to cancel a hotel room booked through the hotel, even if you cancel just a couple days in advance. But there may be issues with getting your money back when you book a travel package. Of course you could buy trip insurance, but since I usually drive to get to the parks (or else fly Southwest, where you can get your credit back even with late cancellations) it doesn't make sense for me.

In other words, I'm a control freak, and/or the type who likes to have the OPTION to get out of even delightful things (a trip to Disneyland) should the need arise, so booking separately seems to work for me.

If you buy your tickets at the last minute, the price may go up between when you decide to take the trip and when you go, though.

I THINK I read a RUMOR somewhere that people who book vacations through Disney MIGHT get special seating or standing space for World of Color. I'm not sure that's going to be the case, but IF that happens, then booking through them might be worth it, provided your party is big enough and the cost isn't too high. (There will likely be special seating and standing space that can be reserved and purchased in advance too. One rumor is that if you spent a certain amount of money at certain restaurants you would get guaranteed standing space, which might not be an awful deal. But if you're a party of 2 and it would cost $300 more to book through Disney, then I like to think you would be able to buy reserved seating for cheaper than your package price.)

Anyway, I certainly wouldn't buy a package just because there are rumors that it might help you see a show, but I thought I'd mention the possibility.

I have heard that if people stay at one of the park hotels you may get special seating for WOC. That's all I've heard though-- nothing about package deals. I think most people here have AP's hence the package discouragement. I have also seen too many posts by smart women who have priced out disney vacations seperately and have come out way ahead. The only ones I know of that have actually been good bargains that save you money are getawaytoday possibly and priceline last minute stuff. I have also hear expedia has some last minute good package deals. For us- the ultimate cheapos-- seperately pricing us always puts us well under what most people spend.

 

[cari12]

I would recommend a la carte as well. When I was pricing our trip last year on the Disney website, I priced out 4 nights at the DLH and 3 day parkhoppers for 4 of us as a package and then as tickets only and hotel only and the package was around $150 more. And this is all on the Disney website. I emailed them to find out what the $150 was for and did not get a response. That really turned me off for them to charge more for the same thing - doesn't seem honest.
I ended up booking both hotel and parkhoppers on Expedia. They had a great rate on the hotel and parkhoppers were the same price as tickets only on the Disney site.

 

[toby78]

Be sure to check the cost of purchasing ala carte, too! I was going to book our vacation with Costco or with Disneyland but I quickly found out that it saved me a lot of money booking the hotel and buying tickets separately. Packages aren't ALWAYS the best way to go..

I agree, I always do it myself, with everything ala carte...it takes more time to put it together but I save myself more money that way, and i don't get things that i don't need like the lanyards or commemorative coins that come with some packages(which most likely are included in the price).

 

[PeterBanning]

I just wanted to thank everyone for the feedback. I'm always impressed with how helpful and polite people are on these boards. FYI, spent the last couple days doing comparisons and it did end up being less expensive booking everything separately. Thanks again.

 

[Susie63]

When you book through someone other than WDTC, are your resort fees included or do you receive a bill for that at the end of your stay. Better question.....do you get a bill at the end of your stay if you DID book a vacation pkg with WDTC

 

[nunzia]

Be sure to check the cost of purchasing ala carte, too! I was going to book our vacation with Costco or with Disneyland but I quickly found out that it saved me a lot of money booking the hotel and buying tickets separately. Packages aren't ALWAYS the best way to go..

I have found this to be true also. I am currently looking for options for our B & Sil and their GS to maybe join us in May (can we just stay where you are staying? No, it's a timeshare ((looking to see if I may have enough points to gift them, but I don't think so))..well how much is hotel attached to the timeshare?..about 350 a night )) so..looking at packages because I just know that doing it all seperately would be harder for them. So GAT you get a printout and have to pick up actual tickets at the ticket booth..ugh.. the Disney print out tickets were great and you just took them to the turnstiles, so if the price is close I'd rather they go through Disney.