Free Dining Question

[TCO]

Hi again everyone

We are planning a trip most likely for September 2014

The problem is the money being saved for it is tied up in a sharesave plan that doesn't cash in till August next year so I won't be able to book in advance unfortunately

I know there is no guarantee of any dining offer for 2014 anyway but are they normally only available until a few months in advance and not if you book late?

My other option is wait for the sharesave to cash in and then book for the following may if it would work out better (ie a chance of the Saratoga offer)

 

[wayneg]

To me it looks like Disney are trying to encourage people to book early.
For this years deals it was far better to book last year than it is now, OKW & SSR both had regular free DDP, now only QSDDP. If you booked early you also got $200 gift card, now only $100.

I still havn't booked this summer, I probably would have stayed onsite again with the early prices but the current offers are not good enough for me so we are planning offsite.

If you see a deal you are happy with book as soon as you can, pay deposit and then the balance 2 months before you go, leave til nearer the time and I suspect you will miss the better deals.

 

[TCO]

Thanks Wayne

I think I'll put aside whatever I can and then assess it once disney release their prices for September 2014 (about a year from now is it)

It may be a case of booking next September to go the following May, have you any experiences of going in May?

 

[wayneg]

If they follow the same pattern as previous years they will release the whole of 2014 early April 2013, approx 2 months from now.

 

[MrRomance]

Wayne is absolutely spot on, as usual!

In the past couple of years the early bird gets the best deal. The free dining and gift card deal goes on and off. For example, we booked for our Oct trip in June last year, just before the SSR deal with free regular dining and $200 gift card offer ended. The offer then went away and later came back with QSDP and $100 card, which ends today. It will be interesting to see what deal comes out in the next 6 weeks or so before the 2014 deals come out usually in April.

My advice would be to book early. The deposit is fairly low (we paid £50 a person in June) and the balance isn't due until the end of August. That way you will secure the best deal for yourself and your funds should be available when you balance is due. The only downside to booking early is that flights are not out and you have to add the later.

 

[TCO]

Wayne is absolutely spot on, as usual!

In the past couple of years the early bird gets the best deal. The free dining and gift card deal goes on and off. For example, we booked for our Oct trip in June last year, just before the SSR deal with free regular dining and $200 gift card offer ended. The offer then went away and later came back with QSDP and $100 card, which ends today. It will be interesting to see what deal comes out in the next 6 weeks or so before the 2014 deals come out usually in April.

My advice would be to book early. The deposit is fairly low (we paid £50 a person in June) and the balance isn't due until the end of August. That way you will secure the best deal for yourself and your funds should be available when you balance is due. The only downside to booking early is that flights are not out and you have to add the later.

Thanks for your Input much appreciated

I think I will see what offers are on when they are released and if there is anything outstanding ill book then and try to make sure the cash is there when its due somehow or other

If there's nothing amazing ill hold on and risk paying a bit more

 

[WiganTony]

It may be possible to book a Disney US (rather than UK) package as they have previously offered QSDP with value resort bookings, but they tend to be made available later in the year.

May be worth keeping an eye on the DIS advertisers/sponsors to see if/when offers come out for this year.

As an alternative, if the UK offer comes out in April this year for 2014 dates, could you pay the deposit now then 8 weeks before you travel, if your policy has not paid out by then, maybe take out a 0% credit card to pay the balabnce off then repaying in full as soon as your money is released?

 

[royal99]

Went to Thomson Shop today (we restricted as we getting thomson vouchers for our wedding in april) We got flying virgin, transfer 14 nights okw studio in november 13, all priced up.

We added 7 for 14 days tickets and upgraded from the free qsd to ddp offer. We got 4,300 for two weeks. As mentioned restricted to Thomson shop should we wait until after wedding april or should get it now, will hotel prices stay the same? by the look of things the above deals wont be around so how much more do you estimate we looking to pay on the ddp and tickets in april?

 

[orangetiggs]

How many is it for?

 

[scoobydooby]

I would get it now. I've never known packages get cheaper! That's not a bad price do what you got and in a package. Cost me twice that much for 4 in August with Virgin flights so it seems about right.

 

[orangetiggs]

Im paying 4800 for virgin flights, 15 nights plus dining plan and tickets for 2 adults amd two children

 

[wayneg]

You only have another 4 days to book free DDP deal, it expires 11th Feb.
Possibly be extended but can't know.
http://wdtc.disneyinternational.com/Special-Offers.asp?ID=8

 

[wayneg]

Can't find availabilty for a studio at OKW but priced up studio at SSR which is the same.

Studio for 2 weeks in Nov, 2x 14 day tix, ugraded DDP cost £2900 so you are paying £700pp for flights. Probably more than booking DIY but for a package it seems OK.

 

[orangetiggs]

Nov this year we are paying 1800 for four flights with virgin atlantic so 700 for flights in november is quite expensive

 

[wayneg]

Nov this year we are paying 1800 for four flights with virgin atlantic so 700 for flights in november is quite expensive

I could book VA flights for £900 and the hotel package for £2900, total £3,800 saving at least £500 but they are tied to a Thomson package, packages are always going to be more expensive.
Only other option is try book flight only to use vouchers and book hotel package direct with Disney. Would that work?

 

[scoobydooby]

Im paying 4800 for virgin flights, 15 nights plus dining plan and tickets for 2 adults amd two children

I'm going in August. Wish I could go in November but its not a school holiday. I did not book my flights early this time and have suffered accordingly

 

[royal99]

I could book VA flights for £900 and the hotel package for £2900, total £3,800 saving at least £500 but they are tied to a Thomson package, packages are always going to be more expensive.
Only other option is try book flight only to use vouchers and book hotel package direct with Disney. Would that work?

Thanks for this

Its a difficult one as we thinking on rough estimate we going to get between 1,500 -2,500 in vouchers (see how much people like us ) so with that maybe best to buy the hotel, tickets and ddp with thomson and look for flights elsewhere, may pop in tomorrow to get a estimate on Just that. If I just got flights that would leave me a lot of vouchers left over!

 

[wayneg]

I looked on VA for the flight prices but they varied a lot depending on dates. Are you flexible on dates? maybe the TA priced up dates that were a higher cost.
If you are flexible it might be better you finding the cheapest dates to fly then asking for a price, could affect the package price.

 

[royal99]

I looked on VA for the flight prices but they varied a lot depending on dates. Are you flexible on dates? maybe the TA priced up dates that were a higher cost.
If you are flexible it might be better you finding the cheapest dates to fly then asking for a price, could affect the package price.

Quite flexible, all of november or last two weeks of september. Chances of ddp offer being extended or it returning? Are we looking at a big rise?

 

[wayneg]

Quite flexible, all of november or last two weeks of september. Chances of ddp offer being extended or it returning? Are we looking at a big rise?

No-one can predict what Disney will do, I suspect this will be end of free DDP this year, they way its gone recently the better deals were if you booked last year, as each offer as come out its had less benefits, Gift card down from $200 to $100 and DDP being dropped to QSDDP.
But if Disney want to attract a few late bookers they will do an offer, only they know what will happen.