Do you book a package or room only reservation?

[Library Lady]

We book room only because my husband is retired military. They will add the dining plan to it if we want, but we get our tickets at the base.

 

[scrapquitler]

We always do room only, but mostly because we have AP, so we have no need to buy tickets. When we don't have APs, I still generally purchase our tickets independently from booking our room. I like the conditions of room only better (one night deposit, better cancellation, balance due at check in), it works better for me than a package does because we usually book on fairly short notice, and if I booked a package, I'd likely have to pay the full balance up front at booking, or very soon after.

 

[Disneylover99]

We only get a package when we're doing free dining. Otherwise, we book room only.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

We bounce back every year free dining so get no choice. Package plus hopper...blah blah blah.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

We've only ever done packages so far. 4/3 deal, free DDP and TA deals that include room discount and discounted tickets.

We don't do the DDP anymore so if I were booking directly through Disney I would do room only and buy tickets separate at a discount. But the travel agent I use has park tickets cheaper than UT and other places so I just do a package.

 

[Tigger's ally]

room only here. Flexibility is the key. Wife is an AP holder. We do use UT for all other tickets except for short stays. Sometimes get the dining, sometimes don't.

 

[ChimCher-ee]

I was just asking a question related to this on another thread. In the past I've booked only packages but next time I'm going RO with tickets separate. Here's why.

I bought a package last September for this July, 7 days at Pop with 10-day tickets (we're doing a split stay adding a couple nights on at Contemporary). When discounts came out this spring, I was so disappointed that they would not save me money. That's because I'd have to buy park tickets again, at the higher 2017 rate, which would offset the room discount.

So disappointed!

 

[kmdrago1783]

I was just asking a question related to this on another thread. In the past I've booked only packages but next time I'm going RO with tickets separate. Here's why.

I bought a package last September for this July, 7 days at Pop with 10-day tickets (we're doing a split stay adding a couple nights on at Contemporary). When discounts came out this spring, I was so disappointed that they would not save me money. That's because I'd have to buy park tickets again, at the higher 2017 rate, which would offset the room discount.

So disappointed!

So when I was pricing out tickets it looks like my tickets for 7 day park hoppers only increased about $5 each from 2017 to 2018... Your tickets increased that much? More so than the room discount?

 

[luvmy2boyzz]

I've always booked a package. I like the convenience of booking everything at once.

 

[isabellea]

Room-only or ticket-less package the one time we wanted to try the dining plan. I always get our tickets for less at Undercover Tourist or with points from Airmiles (Canadian site). I prefer the flexibility of the room-only.

 

[ChimCher-ee]

So when I was pricing out tickets it looks like my tickets for 7 day park hoppers only increased about $5 each from 2017 to 2018... Your tickets increased that much? More so than the room discount?

That's what the CM told me. I think it had to do with the fact that I had brought "water park and more" tickets, which aren't offered any more, so to get something equivalent at the new prices.

But you're right, it did sound a little strange that either a) the room discount was so little or b) the ticket increase was so high that I wouldn't be saving anything. I questioned the CM but didn't see how I could force the issue. I chalked it up to "just my luck" but I'm going to try RO reservations in the future.