Don't believe everything they tell you on "packages"

[amashstat]

I know you people are savvy, but I just wanted to make a point. I just booked room-only discount with a AAA rate. Then added a 5-day hopper pass. Compared to a package (which is *supposed* to be the best deal), the package was hundreds more! I couldn't believe it when I did the math, but it's true. I even went through a AAA agent, and I had to specifically ask her to run the numbers for breaking it up and doing it separately.

Technically, I think I still have a "package" through AAA...just not the dining. But it was a huge savings.

So just a bit of info that I'm passing along. By the way, I'm staying at the Poly, lagoon room.

 

[son3disfan]

With a package, everyone in the room will receive park tickets. It sounds like you said you bought " a" 5 day hopper. Try adding a 5 day hopper ticket to everyone in the room . That' s what the Disney quote will include. And Disney usually includes ALL the pluses on their tickets ( non expire and waterparks and more. ) You usually have to change them yourself. They also ( online ) give you a quote for an upgraded room.
AAA will be cheaper then Disney but not usually "hundreds ".

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

Ok, for interests sake let's run the numbers....

6 nights at POP
Rack Rate
Room Only
Regular Season
Standard Rate
2 adults

$750

5 day MYW w/ Park Hopping
2 adults

TOTAL = $1270

MYW Basic Package
6 nights POP Standard
Regular Season
2 adults
5 day MYW Park Hopper Passes

TOTAL $1197.56

Savings by booking a package = $72.44

 

[son3disfan]

Ok, for interests sake let's run the numbers....

6 nights at POP
Rack Rate
Room Only
Regular Season
Standard Rate
2 adults

$750

5 day MYW w/ Park Hopping
2 adults

TOTAL = $1270

MYW Basic Package
6 nights POP Standard
Regular Season
2 adults
5 day MYW Park Hopper Passes

TOTAL $1197.56

Savings by booking a package = $72.44

Well put , but don't forget the AAA discount....I think it's 20% off rack Value.

 

[disneyfan2]

what part of the package gets the discount? Is it applied to room only, are the AAA park tickets cheaper?

 

[DaParkers]

No offense, but that doesn't seem right. Wouldn't most people notice the difference if it was hundreds more for a package?

 

[amashstat]

Okay. Here are the numbers....

Disney Package:

5 Nights Lagoon View at Poly in Jan.
5 Day Park Hopper Passes for 3
Disney Dining
Grand Total................$3,699


Booking Separately:

5 Nights, Same Room with AAA Discount............................$2,100
5 Day Park Hopper Passes for 3 (2 Adults, 1 Child).........$792
Grand Total.................$2,892

(A difference of $800. And while dining isn't figured into the 2nd equation, dining for my family should only be about $420. So the package is roughly 400 more!)

FYI: I also had my agent check packages both with and without dining, and here's how it came out:

5 Night package with same room, plus dining and tickets
Grand Total..........................$3,699

VS.

5 Night package with same room, plus tickets
Grand Total...........................$2,899

So again, about the same difference. In this scenario, I believe they are allowing a AAA room discount with the tickets package vs. when you add the dining.

The point is: if you can get a AAA room discount, it might be worth booking separately. And even if they tell you that you can't get the room discount with a package, try different scenarios. I took away dining on my "package" and it removed about $800.

I hope this helps.

 

[Aliceacc]

I think I'm finding the same thing for my family of 5 (my oldest will be 10)


hotel: Contemporary garden view: 6@320=1920 - AAA discount = 1632

park tix :3@ 233.34 + 2@ 193.83 + 5(47.93)= 1327.33

(7 day park w/ park hopper, no water parks)

Total: 2959.33

The package price comes to $3492.75 (including 6 nites garden view, 7 day MYW plus park hopper)

What am I missing??

 

[twinspluscade]

Okay. Here are the numbers....

Disney Package:

5 Nights Lagoon View at Poly in Jan.
5 Day Park Hopper Passes for 3
Disney Dining
Grand Total................$3,699


Booking Separately:

5 Nights, Same Room with AAA Discount............................$2,100
5 Day Park Hopper Passes for 3 (2 Adults, 1 Child).........$792
Grand Total.................$2,892

(A difference of $800. And while dining isn't figured into the 2nd equation, dining for my family should only be about $420. So the package is roughly 400 more!)

FYI: I also had my agent check packages both with and without dining, and here's how it came out:

5 Night package with same room, plus dining and tickets
Grand Total..........................$3,699

VS.

5 Night package with same room, plus tickets
Grand Total...........................$2,899

So again, about the same difference. In this scenario, I believe they are allowing a AAA room discount with the tickets package vs. when you add the dining.

The point is: if you can get a AAA room discount, it might be worth booking separately. And even if they tell you that you can't get the room discount with a package, try different scenarios. I took away dining on my "package" and it removed about $800.

I hope this helps.

I'm confused--you said you had the agent check the disney package WITHOUT dining,and it was $2,899. Which is just slightly less than the $2892 when you booked with the AAA deal. Where's the $400 difference?

 

[LMEJ]

If you book room only, with AAA discount through Disney, I believe you CAN'T add the tickets and dining. Of course, you can still buy tickets separately, but there is no way to add the dining plan. When you book directly through AAA (which I prefer not to do, but do for the discount), they discount the room rate, but then allow you to add tickets and dining, so it is a better deal, but only because you are getting the AAA discount on the room.

This is exactly what happened to me with the upcoming CR vacation. I'm saving $400 by booking with AAA.

 

[Trekker]

Please be aware that this is a reservation for 2008 - Disney just put this up on the site and it is glitchy at best.

Also 2008 has different levels of dining plan and if the AAA agent was not aware of this could have included the deluxe dining option which is like $70. per person per day.

Checkout the different packages:

AT THIS LINK

 

[Kanga1]

Trekker is right. Maybe the agent booked you Disney Dining PLUS instead of the regular dining plan.

Packages should never be higher if you're using a room discount (AAA) and comparing apples to apples. For example, your ticket options, dining, insurance is the same.

Here are my numbers for the package I just booked with AAA:

2 adults
1 child

Booking through Disney
-Poly GV 12 nights (1 night regular season/11 nights value season) Total with tax: $4,656.38

-10-day BASE tickets (did not want hoppers and we'll only go to one water park, making it cheaper if we just buy admission on the day we go.): $678.42

-12-night Disney Dining (the "regular" plan): $1,031.64

-Trip Insurance: $120

Total with Disney: $6,486.44


Now booking with AAA...

-Poly GV 12 nights (1 night regular season(10% off)/11 nights value season(15% off)) Total with tax: $3,980.37

-10-day BASE tickets: $678.42

-12-night Disney Dining (the "regular" plan): $1,031.64

-Trip Insurance: $120

Total with AAA: 5,810.43

Total Savings with AAA: $676.01

So, see, the "package" part wasn't more expensive, but we wanted a package to get the dining plan. Booking a package (whether with Disney, AAA, or someone else) is the ONLY way to get the Dining Plan. And yes, we saved hundreds of dollars with AAA, but you have to do the math. Obviously, the amount you pay for your room, the season you travel in, and the length of your stay will affect your discount.

 

[Alesia]

You don't have to add dining to your package.

When I look up a lagoon view at the poly and 3 5-day park hoppers (2 adult, 1 child) and no dining plan at the WDW website, the total comes to $2,814. You're actually paying about $78 dollars more than you would if you booked through disney.

You have to compare apples to apples.

 

[Kanga1]

You don't have to add dining to your package.

When I look up a lagoon view at the poly and 3 5-day park hoppers (2 adult, 1 child) and no dining plan at the WDW website, the total comes to $2,814. You're actually paying about $78 dollars more than you would if you booked through disney.

You have to compare apples to apples.

No, you don't have to add dining to a package, but you have to have a package to get the dining.

I still can't figure out why booking with Disney would be cheaper. Disney doesn't discount tickets when you book through them do they? What does that extra $78 account for?

 

[Mickiethepooh]

For one thing the package quote would include 6 day tickets and as stated unless you specified no extra parks option and park hopper only that would be added as well.
I booked my package including the dining package last friday 6 nights POR water view 7 days park hopper and dining Disney Price $2257 Book it with AAA for $2057.

 

[kenny]

I found the same thing with my trip last year Dec '06 and again this year dec '07.

First I booked a package with AAA. It was for:
2 Adult 9 day hopper
1 child 9 day hopper
8 Nights at CBR - regular room

Total came to just over $2000.

Then I tried separately
2 Adult 9 day hopper
1 child 9 day hopper
8 Nights at CBR
Total came to $1879.

It ended up being about $150 cheaper.

From my understanding with the package you are paying for extra's. Like with AAA you get the parking pass, discount card, special storytime, luggage tags, etc. This is why it cost more.

 

[Kanga1]

From my understanding with the package you are paying for extra's. Like with AAA you get the parking pass, discount card, special storytime, luggage tags, etc. This is why it cost more.

I don't work for AAA or anything...just have a great AAA TA and had wonderful experiences with them...BUT...

You should NEVER be paying more for these extra things. These are "perks" and they are FREE! Like I said before, assuming everything is identical (room, ticket # of days/options, insurance, dining (or not)...a AAA package should NEVER be more than a Disney package unless Disney is offering some kind of deal or promo (which they sometimes do.) If you are comparing apples to apples and your AAA package is still higher, find a new TA.

 

[goodferry]

Could the extra $78 be the travel insurance Disney tacks on?

 

[Buzz2001]

I always book on my own with codes or my AAA discount. Always seems cheaper.

 

[Elmo888]

I found the same thing with my trip last year Dec '06 and again this year dec '07.

First I booked a package with AAA. It was for:
2 Adult 9 day hopper
1 child 9 day hopper
8 Nights at CBR - regular room

Total came to just over $2000.

Then I tried separately
2 Adult 9 day hopper
1 child 9 day hopper
8 Nights at CBR
Total came to $1879.

It ended up being about $150 cheaper.

From my understanding with the package you are paying for extra's. Like with AAA you get the parking pass, discount card, special storytime, luggage tags, etc. This is why it cost more.

That is a difference of about $121, which is about how much insurance is. You could get the package for the same price as booking separately, assuming no discounts on rooms or packages, if you specifically tell the WDW CM that you do not want insurance. (On the Disney web site, there is a box, in small print of course, that you can check to "Decline insurance". Otherwise, it is automatically added.)

To the original poster, it sounds like the difference of $800 is the dining plan plus the lack of the AAA discount. If you booked a package with dining and no AAA discount, I can see clearly how it would be $800 more. If you book separately with the AAA discount on the room and no dining, you certainly will be paying considerably less.