First trip questions...

[REEREEG]

I am in the process of planning my first trip to Disney in over 20 years (& the first that I am planning & paying for myself).

I am hoping to go on April 29th and stay for 8 days.

I see that there are a bunch of deals for rooms and packages on the Disney website but only for rooms through December.

Do they tend to have some sort of a deal that will apply whenever your vacation is scheduled for (ie. Is it a good assumption that there will be a deal for April/May at some point)?

Can you book one hotel room to be able to schedule dining reservations and then change hotels if there is a deal later on without losing the dining reservations?

I've heard that the free dining is the best deal that comes out. Is this true?

do travel agents generally find better prices than you can get through Disney?

Thanks!

 

[eyeblaura]

The only question I can for sure answer is that you can book your dining and keep it if you change resorts.

The value of free dining is much debated for my family of 4 it is a good deal because we love character meals if you don't do a lot of character meals or aren't big eaters a room discount might work out to be a better value.

 

[ErinsMommy]

I am in the process of planning my first trip to Disney in over 20 years (& the first that I am planning & paying for myself).

I am hoping to go on April 29th and stay for 8 days.

I see that there are a bunch of deals for rooms and packages on the Disney website but only for rooms through December.

Do they tend to have some sort of a deal that will apply whenever your vacation is scheduled for (ie. Is it a good assumption that there will be a deal for April/May at some point)?

Can you book one hotel room to be able to schedule dining reservations and then change hotels if there is a deal later on without losing the dining reservations?

I've heard that the free dining is the best deal that comes out. Is this true?

do travel agents generally find better prices than you can get through Disney?

Thanks!

Here's a website for previous year 'deals'. With Disney I've learned what they do one year is not always the case for the following years, but its as good of a guess as any. https://alittlewdwmagic.com/2014/06...counts-planning-a-2015-disney-world-vacation/

Yes your dining reservations are linked to your MDE, so even if you change your reservation all together, you'll still have your reservations. A friend had to cancel her trip and forgot to cancel her dining and she got charged $10 for each dining reservation she failed to show up at.

Free dining isn't always the best discount - you have to figure in which resort (value, moderate, deluxe), how many people are eating on the plan, etc. etc.

I've found I can't get a better deal with or without a travel agent -- however they're good if you want them to watch and apply discount codes if and when they come out, and some will book your FP and ADRs as well.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

There has not been Free Dining for US visitors in April since ~2012. Don't make any assumptions you can get that.

Here are historical discounts, with release dates: http://www.mousesavers.com/historical-information-on-walt-disney-world-resort-discounts/#2016

 

[disnut8]

Dining reservations and lodging reservations are two separate things. You just connect it all on the My Disney Experience. You can change anything on there you want and it will still be linked to your account.

No one knows what discounts, if any will be available in April but you can reserve a room now and then apply a discount later.

As far as free dining, remember that you will have to pay rack rate for your room. You can't do a discount rate and then also get free dining. Also remember what is included in the dining plan and see if you can eat that much in one day. My husband heard "free" but when I told him about the rack rate and then the amount of food he'd have to eat in one day, he said absolutely not. But that's your personal choice.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Also remember that even with a dining plan, you need to tip at Table Service meals.

 

[ErinsMommy]

Also remember that even with a dining plan, you need to tip at Table Service meals.

Except CRT and SOA where tip is included

 

[REEREEG]

Except CRT and SOA where tip is included

What's SOA?

 

[ErinsMommy]

What's SOA?

Sorry - Spirit of Aloha

 

[REEREEG]

Sorry - Spirit of Aloha

Thanks!