Do you book a package or room only reservation?

[kmdrago1783]

We are booking a year out. I am hoping to get a room only discount as we get closer, but want to book now just in case the room we want isn't available as we get closer. The package appeals to me since I would only need to put $200 down vs. about $700 with a room only reservation. It also seems so easy to just bundle the tickets with the room.

I do like the terms of the room only reservation-- it seems that if something would happen and we couldn't make the trip travel insurance really isn't necesary as it is with the package. I would only lose my deposit vs. the entire vacation amount. I can buy my tickets from undercover tourist but it's only about $50 cheaper for a $2000 ticket order, which doesn't seem like much.

What is everyone's preference when it comes to this? We don't be doing the dining package, so that's not a factor.

 

[Venym]

We usually do a package because we always get the room, tickets and dining plan every trip. I just made my first room only reservation for September but it's only for one night at a value. We are doing a split stay in December and one reservation is room plus dining, and the other is a room, ticket, plus dining package.

 

[karalecia26]

We have done both. Our first trip was a very unplanned "hey we are going to be in Florida let's go to Disney World!" kind of trip and purchased our room through orbitz and bought tickets through Disney. When we went back 2 years later we did a package and was able to put our $200 down and pay over time and also was able to get a discount when they came out. The same with my DS and my birthday trip this past winter. This July though is different. I upgraded my ticket to an AP so this time I did an AP room only and bought my DH ticket through Undercover Tourist. I am liking this way because it has been a crazy baseball summer and our room balance isn't due until check in and I don't have to worry about it being paid off before we get there.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Room-only reservations all the way for me, even if I didn't have an AP. For me, the flexibility is very important, as is the greater ability to tinker with reservations online.

 

[DisneyFansInNYC]

I agree Room only for us. Even when we didn't have the AP - we did room only. It always came out cheaper for us. We love the flexibility of cancelling up to 5 days before.

 

[AngiTN]

Room only, we have AP, never use dining plan, so no package to book

 

[DisneyWishes14]

You kind of hit the nail on the head. It really depends on how much money you want to put down when you initially book. It's kind of a catch-22, IMHO. You could book room-only and be able to cancel up to 5 days prior, however, then you need to purchase your non-refundable tickets outright. So, while you can cancel the room without penalty, you can't cancel those tickets and if you end up not going, that's a big chunk of money you've just put down for tickets you aren't using right away. With the package, you risk losing the $200 deposit if you cancel within 30 days of check-in. HOWEVER, you can CHANGE that reservation at any point up until you check-in. So, if something happens and you can't cancel, you can reschedule for a future date without losing your deposit (there is a $50 change fee, however, they typically waive it if your new dates cost the same or more than your original dates. If you book a package now, you are also locking in today's ticket pricing. Honestly, I'm a big room-only fan (DS9 has an AP and I still have some old non-expires and we don't use the dining plan), but in your case, since UT is only saving you $50, I would book the package, put the $200 down and, if you have to "cancel" within 30 days prior, I would simply reschedule the trip to new dates to preserve the deposit.

 

[AngiTN]

There are some tickets from UT that are refundable, at least in part. They may have a restocking fee. Details are on their site

 

[Shanti]

We are booking a year out. I am hoping to get a room only discount as we get closer, but want to book now just in case the room we want isn't available as we get closer. The package appeals to me since I would only need to put $200 down vs. about $700 with a room only reservation. It also seems so easy to just bundle the tickets with the room.

I do like the terms of the room only reservation-- it seems that if something would happen and we couldn't make the trip travel insurance really isn't necesary as it is with the package. I would only lose my deposit vs. the entire vacation amount. I can buy my tickets from undercover tourist but it's only about $50 cheaper for a $2000 ticket order, which doesn't seem like much.

What is everyone's preference when it comes to this? We don't be doing the dining package, so that's not a factor.

Room only. I like the flexibility/insurance aspect that you described. I also never buy the dining plan, which is usually more expensive than buying the same food out of pocket. Your resort price is locked in once you book a room-only, just like with a package, as long as you book it after the official prices come out (as they already have for 2018).

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

We get the dining plan, so package for us. With young kids who love character meals, we save a bit of money vs. paying OOP for the same meals. This coming 14 night trip we are saving over $600, which comes out to about 15%. And, this assumes our 8 yr old orders all child QS, but he will probably eat a lot of adult QS meals.

 

[Regan117]

Room only for us.

 

[helenm29]

Yup, same here...room only! we have doing the package thing but it was such a pain doing things and some times having to make changes. We prefer just going on the fly.

 

[DrunkJam]

We always get a package. We get much better rates on tickets from here than if we bought them separately in USA, also dining deals, room deals and other extras, (included memory maker, MDE, etc)

Obviously the deal is not *as* good now, with the crappy exchange rate, but, we booked a while ago, which makes it a bit better.

 

[dansdad]

It's 100% dependent on which discount is best for each trip.

 

[beck00]

We've always done package, and applied available discounts when they became available.

 

[PolyRob]

Room only all the way. I do not use the dining plan and much prefer the flexibility of booking only a room. I have an AP, but I travel with non-AP friends and family. I like purchasing tickets externally for a better value and linking them to my MDE. Packages can become messy. I would personally rather shell out a little extra money up front to make my life easier in the long run.

 

[pixarmom]

Room only - with and without APs. I appreciate the flexibility, especially with teenagers whose schedules change constantly! I think the last time we booked a package was in 2005. When we don't have APs, we purchase tickets at the 60-day mark. If we needed to cancel, we'd just hold on to the tickets and use them later - but no pressure to figure out when "later" would be.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Room only

 

[gillep]

Did a package once, every trip since has been room only. We have APs and dislike the dining plans.

 

[MonaMN]

We have done packages - I simply don't want the hassle of getting tickets separately just to save a minimal amount and we don't go enough to justify APs. We have had dining plan once as part of a spring discount, but I like just getting everything at once and being done. Convenience is key for me.