GCA $259, DL Hotel $169, Paradise Pier $159, 8/24-12/18 2008

[mo3bys]

I think tax is 15% now.....Not sure but for some reason that sound familiar

 

[Sherry E]

I think tax is 15% now.....Not sure but for some reason that sound familiar

Oh, yikes! 15% per night or just applied to the whole total? And did I include everything else in my breakdown? Parking is included, if I recall. I am just trying to figure out from anyone on here who has already used the PIN # discount to book their room, for, let's say, a 2-night stay, what the final, final total was so I know exactly what I have to come up with. I have completely blanked out on what Central charged me for last year when I stayed at PPH! I think, because I paid with a debit card and not a credit card, the money was taken care of and gone right away and there were no payments in the months to come, so I forgot all about what I paid!

 

[Queenbillabong]

I think the tax is 15% - but doesn't the resort fee cover parking? I thought it was newspaper, parking, little things like that....

 

[Sherry E]

I think the tax is 15% - but doesn't the resort fee cover parking? I thought it was newspaper, parking, little things like that....

You are definitely right about the resort fee covering the newspaper (which they did NOT give me last year and actually credited me back for some change!), but I can't recall if it covers parking because their darn parking is so expensive on its own. You might be right, though. It has been 10 months since I was at PPH, and I tend to think that resort fee also covered somethng else too, but can't recall. 15% tax per night is outrageouos!

 

[sydangel68]

I think the tax is 15% - but doesn't the resort fee cover parking? I thought it was newspaper, parking, little things like that....

I booked the GCH using my pin and have the email confirmation in front of me. Here is what it says about the resort fee for GCH:

"The resort fee entitles you to: High Speed internet access, weekday newspaper delivered to your room, access charges for calling cards, collect and toll free calls, local calls within a 12mile radius, self parking and unlimited use of the health facility and other privileges as may be extend by the hotel."

Hope this helps.

Tax is definitely 15% "bed tax".

Cheers
Angela

 

[princessLoLo'smom]

Sherry-
I was told when I called to put a comp. hold on room at GCH for OCT that parking was in the resort fee, along with the newspaper, gym access and internet access. Those are the things in the resort fee!
-Lynda

P.S. Does anyone know whether it is better to book through AAA with this deal... is that even possible? I know they have little extras on packages like preferred seating, lanyard, luggage tags, coupon booklet, etc... but is that worth the fee they charge for the package? I just don't know who to book with???? Does it matter about the deposit who you book with or do you have to pay one full nights cost up front to reserve regardless of who books it(ie: travel agent, AAA, me)?

What about tickets through AAA? Are they cheaper than Ares travel(cheapest according to Mousesavers)?

 

[Sherry E]

Sherry-
I was told when I called to put a comp. hold on room at GCH for OCT that parking was in the resort fee, along with the newspaper, gym access and internet access. Those are the things in the resort fee!
-Lynda

Thanks, Lynda! I figured they had to come up with some way to justify that resort fee in addition the super high resort tax (ugh!). So you put a room on hold with the PIN discount thing or some other way? But you didn't make an official reservation yet? Or maybe I misunderstood?

 

[Sherry E]

I booked the GCH using my pin and have the email confirmation in front of me. Here is what it says about the resort fee for GCH:

"The resort fee entitles you to: High Speed internet access, weekday newspaper delivered to your room, access charges for calling cards, collect and toll free calls, local calls within a 12mile radius, self parking and unlimited use of the health facility and other privileges as may be extend by the hotel."

Hope this helps.

Tax is definitely 15% "bed tax".

Cheers
Angela

It helps! So, the room rate per night, resort fee per day, 15% tax per night and that is it? Or are there any other hidden charges they stick on that I have forgotten? I never trust Disney hotels. It seems like they tell you on the phone everything you will need to pay and then when you get there, there is some other mysterious charge applied, like a 'Helpful Cast Member fee'! In the old days, there was no resort fee. They used to take a phone deposit up front and refund you when you left, or just get your card number and apply any charges to it that you incurred during your stay.

 

[princessLoLo'smom]

Sherry-
I put 3 nights at the GCH on a complimentary hold last Sunday. I am going to do something today, I just am trying to find out if I should let a travel agent book it or maybe AAA? I want to get the most bang for my buck you know? I talked to someone with AAA and if I pay a bit extra fr a package there are extras! I just don't know if they are worth $158 or not. I mean dining discounts, priority seating, a lanyard and luggage tags??? I don't know if I'm better off just booking it myself over the phone with Disney?

They will do a complimentary hold for you for 7 days and they send you a letter in the mail detailing what you have on hold and when it expires if no reservation is made! I'm glad I did it b/c I think the rooms are filling up with this pin code deal. I had called to ask about some other dates and all they had at GCH was club level!!!

I did find out that if I go into the AAA office here in AZ and buy my park tix that they are the cheapest I've found so far: 3day hoppers for $154/adult/$127 child!

Someone please tell me how to book this... is the AAA package worth the money or are their extras just minor stuff that I don't really need and won't really save me any money?

 

[Sherry E]

Sherry-
I put 3 nights at the GCH on a complimentary hold last Sunday. I am going to do something today, I just am trying to find out if I should let a travel agent book it or maybe AAA? I want to get the most bang for my buck you know? I talked to someone with AAA and if I pay a bit extra fr a package there are extras! I just don't know if they are worth $158 or not. I mean dining discounts, priority seating, a lanyard and luggage tags??? I don't know if I'm better off just booking it myself over the phone with Disney?

They will do a complimentary hold for you for 7 days and they send you a letter in the mail detailing what you have on hold and when it expires if no reservation is made! I'm glad I did it b/c I think the rooms are filling up with this pin code deal. I had called to ask about some other dates and all they had at GCH was club level!!!

I did find out that if I go into the AAA office here in AZ and buy my park tix that they are the cheapest I've found so far: 3day hoppers for $154/adult/$127 child!

Someone please tell me how to book this... is the AAA package worth the money or are their extras just minor stuff that I don't really need and won't really save me any money?

Hmmm....I might do that comp hold thing. I don't think I knew that they did that. It would be good to hold a room with the PIN# discount and then take the next week to figure out how to pay for half of it now. Thanks for telling me about that. The CM I spoke to yesterday - Sonya - was very nice and she said that many of the November and December rooms are booking up but not so much the other months yet, and I don't trust trying to wait a few more weeks to book a room when I figure out money so I might very well do the comp hold thing.

I got those same extras in my WDTC package last December for the GCH, including free pins too, and, while they were nice to have, I don't think it was ultimately worth the price of a package to have them. I think booking through Central was best for me.

 

[princessLoLo'smom]

Sherry-
Which phone number did you call to book through Central?

 

[Sherry E]

Sherry-
Which phone number did you call to book through Central?

You mean when I went last year? Let me find the number...one second...

Okay, here they are (Central Reservations has two numbers that I found):

714-956-6425

714-520-5045

But actually, I think that PIN discount # thing that some of us got has a number for central too, though those folks are likely handling just the PIN reservations!

 

[princessLoLo'smom]

Well I have gotten 2 complete morons on the phone when I've called, and was curious if I should try a different number?

They had no idea what I was talking about and were not helpful at all, just seemed to want to rush me off the phone!

BTW I have called 714-956-mickey

 

[Sherry E]

Sherry-
Which phone number did you call to book through Central?

Off topic for a minute - I couldn't help notice that you are in Gilbert. Some friends of mine moved to Gilbert two years ago (they escaped L.A.). They live on Juniper Ave., I think. Do you know where that is, or is that the same thing as asking me (I am in L.A.) if I know where Hollywood Blvd. is? I was born in AZ (Fort Huachuca in Cochise County), but I know nothing about it as I have been in L.A. my whole life. I think of AZ and I think EXTREME HEAT. I don't think I could live there!

 

[Sherry E]

Well I have gotten 2 complete morons on the phone when I've called, and was curious if I should try a different number?

They had no idea what I was talking about and were not helpful at all, just seemed to want to rush me off the phone!

BTW I have called 714-956-mickey

You mean Central had no idea what you were talkiing about in terms of booking a room, or what exactly? The AAA thing? I know you can book through Central and forego all the package extras, and still get a AAA discount on the room. It is cheaper than trying to do a package.

 

[heatherleigh]

When I called to hold a room, I was required to pay one night w/ tax. Because of the dates we are going (first week in Nov.) we actually have to pay $179 per night, rather than the $169 advertised. It came out to $205.85. That was what was charged to my card. Once we get there, we will have to pay $12 per night, plus tax. The CM who held my reservation was very vague as to what that tax would be. I am hoping it will merely be tax on the resort fee. Be prepared to pay more for certain times though. Btw, we're staying at the Disneyland Hotel.

 

[princessLoLo'smom]

I think I've driven past it so i don't think it is far from me. I live in Val Vista Lakes and I really like it here. I am from Florida and we decided to live here when we married because we thought we be more capable of living on one salary here than in FL. I miss the beach and my family, but I feel safer here and my house is on a man-made lake so I don't have the typical no backyard at all track home you usually find here. I was so shocked when we started looking at houses... no one has a yard here and all the unfinished dividing walls... so ugly! Nothing like that in FL!

Gilbert is nice and the schools here are rated pretty high so we'll see, I wish we could afford private school, but on one modest income there is no way. Maybe when they are both in school all day and I can work and thus bringin more money we can switch them over, but then that is less money we can save for college???

I really like being able to walk places... can't do that safely in St Pete FL!!! Too many creeps out to hurt you there! There are also so many young people with families here and everyone is so friendly and helpful. The heat is intense, like being in an oven, but we are in the pool a lot so we like it. If you have to drive around and wear a suit it would be unbearable

 

[princessLoLo'smom]

They had no idea about the pin code deal?

 

[Sherry E]

When I called to hold a room, I was required to pay one night w/ tax. Because of the dates we are going (first week in Nov.) we actually have to pay $179 per night, rather than the $169 advertised. It came out to $205.85. That was what was charged to my card. Once we get there, we will have to pay $12 per night, plus tax. The CM who held my reservation was very vague as to what that tax would be. I am hoping it will merely be tax on the resort fee. Be prepared to pay more for certain times though. Btw, we're staying at the Disneyland Hotel.

Thanks Heatherleigh! I appreciate knowing what I am up against, money-wise. Are you staying more than one night? It sounds like they already added tax or something extra to what you paid because you paid $205.85 rather than just $179. So maybe when you get there they charge you for the remaining nights' tax and resort fee? You think? I am still going to attempt to ask them to do a comp hold to give me a week to ponder my money!

 

[princessLoLo'smom]

Sherry-
I looked up Juniper and it is off of Gilbert rd between Guadalupe and Elliot, which is not far from me at all. The next major road east of Gilbert is Val Vista and we are right near Guadalupe... so like a ten minute drive to where your friend lives.