Free DDP - can you stay at Disney, with a few nights elsewhere?

[MichelinMan]

After a little DLP fix this year, we are now starting to plan our Summer 2012 WDW holiday. However, I have noticed on the Virgin website that the free Disney Dining Plan dates have now been extended - living in Scotland, the summer school holidays were just a bit too early to take advantage of the original dates, so I had discounted the possibility of getting free DDP until now.

I had decided to spend a few days (possibly a week) at a Universal hotel (probably the Royal Pacific), followed by up to 2 weeks at a Disney hotel (trying to decide whether we can afford the AKL, otherwise it might just be POP).

But my question is, can you do 2 different hotels and still get the free DDP, or do you have to stay the whole holiday at a Disney hotel?

There doesn't seem to be a way of doing multi-hotel bookings on the Virgin website, so I can't check this out, or play around with different hotels to get quotes.

 

[wayneg]

I believe you can if you ring VH but not available on their site. Not 100% sure but I think thats what I read recently somewhere.
Have you considered Booking flights seperate then RPR direct with Loews & AKL direct with Disney.co.uk with tix & free DDP. Its how many of us book trips.
VH started getting too expensive about 3 years ago for us. Next years trip they are quoting around £10,000 for our 3 week trip to OKW, 3x 21 day tix & car hire. I expect to buy all seperate for between £5-6k.

Only thing you can't do is collect your Disney tickets more than 3 days before checking into your Disney hotel, the reason some people stay in Disney 1st them move elsewhere, you can use your tickets until they expre after checkout, only a concern if you want to go in a Disney park early in your trip while at RPR.

 

[beth01dog]

Hi
You can price up twin centre hols online with Virgin. Go to http://www.virginholidays.co.uk/brochures/florida/info/multi_centre/
and you can put in 2 stops selecting 2 different hotels. I've priced up 14 nights at OKW 2 nights at Hard Rock Hotel and a week on the Gulf coast but coming out mega bucks. Hoping to do it all separately to get in budget!

 

[orangetiggs]

To get free dining at two different hitels you would need to do two seperate bookings and buy two lots of tickets

 

[MichelinMan]

I believe you can if you ring VH but not available on their site. Not 100% sure but I think thats what I read recently somewhere.
Have you considered Booking flights seperate then RPR direct with Loews & AKL direct with Disney.co.uk with tix & free DDP. Its how many of us book trips.
VH started getting too expensive about 3 years ago for us. Next years trip they are quoting around £10,000 for our 3 week trip to OKW, 3x 21 day tix & car hire. I expect to buy all seperate for between £5-6k.

Only thing you can't do is collect your Disney tickets more than 3 days before checking into your Disney hotel, the reason some people stay in Disney 1st them move elsewhere, you can use your tickets until they expre after checkout, only a concern if you want to go in a Disney park early in your trip while at RPR.

Thanks for the info Wayne - didn't realise I could book direct with Disney, thought I had to use a tour operator (like Virgin). I was going to get a quote from Virgin as my starting point, then see how I can make savings. I can get a corporate discount with Virgin (up to 13% supposedly) but I still think they will be too expensive.

Do you find getting quotes from Loews direct cheaper than other places - for example, I was thinking of using Octopus travel because they seem to be advertising some great rates.

Staying at Universal first won't be a problem for us - we want to do Universal, Sea World, Aquatica and Discovery Cove, so staying a week at Universal first makes sense as it is closer to all those parks. Then we will get our Disney fix after that.

 

[wayneg]

Thanks for the info Wayne - didn't realise I could book direct with Disney, thought I had to use a tour operator (like Virgin). I was going to get a quote from Virgin as my starting point, then see how I can make savings. I can get a corporate discount with Virgin (up to 13% supposedly) but I still think they will be too expensive.

Do you find getting quotes from Loews direct cheaper than other places - for example, I was thinking of using Octopus travel because they seem to be advertising some great rates.

Staying at Universal first won't be a problem for us - we want to do Universal, Sea World, Aquatica and Discovery Cove, so staying a week at Universal first makes sense as it is closer to all those parks. Then we will get our Disney fix after that.

There is no consistantly low way of booking a trip, sometimes a VH package, sometimes DIY, Sometimes direct with Loews other times with Octopus. You have to check all options.
Many like to book direct with Loews, if you see a lower price at any point you can get it instead of your original rate, other companies like Octopus often have cancellation fees even no option to cancel, direct are far more flexible.

For Disney Hotels with free DDP most use either direct with Dsiney.co.uk and get 3% cashback with Quidco or Complete Orlando, usually lower prices and no messing with cashback.

Some people prefer to book a package, they are easier to book(usually) and you only pay deposit only instead of all upfront for flights but DIY and you can save a small fortune.