Has anyone ever used the Disney Platinum Package or...

[queenofhartz]

is this a big waste of money? DH and I are planning a trip to Disneyworld for the last week in April, 2008. We will be there for 7 nights/8 days. I have reserved the Polynesian on the Deluxe Dining Plan. I looked at the Platinum Package, and it includes some nice features (La Nouba tickets, VIP fireworks viewing, mini golf, parasailing, boat rentals, horseback riding, select tours, etc.), but it's $1100 more than the Deluxe Dining Plan. We will definitely be attending La Nouba, there are two-three tours that we want to try, and we would do the boat rentals, parasailing, and mini golf if it were included in our package (DH has mentioned several times that he really wants to play mini golf-this is so strange to me-who goes to Disney to play mini golf? Anyways, we will DEFINITELY be playing mini golf.)

However, personally, I didn't see how this could total up to $1100. Does anyone feel that this plan is a good value? I'm not sure if I'm maybe missing something, and I want to get the best bang for our buck.

Thanks!

 

[Lynne M]

This plan is a good deal for some people, and a colossal waste of money for others. It's not really a way to save money, it's just a way to pre-pay for your recreation.

You'll need to add up the cost of the activities you plan to do, and see if it works out to be a good deal for you.

If you don't plan to spend a lot of time in the parks, and want to fill your days with other activities, it might work out well for you. If you'd intended to be in the parks a lot, you may find yourself feeling pressured to do the recreational activities instead, just to get your money's worth.

 

[CanadianGuy]

For almost everyone.. you can save money by simply booking the things you reasonably expect to do separately.

The Platinum Plan, unless you have a party of four or more who split up to do different activities every day, just doesn't add up in my book.

At roughly 11$ a round paid out of pocket, your fiancé and you could play 30 rounds of mini golf EACH and still save money. I dunno where you'd find the time to do anything else tho.

Hope this helps!

Knox

 

[Ellamay]

My dh and I did it several times and love it we didn't have to worry about money to do anything while we were there. It was nice to have eveything payed for before we got there. Only one time which was the last time we were there I got sick and mainly had to stay in the room the hole time we were there (not fun) and we already had all this paid for and didn't use even half of it. Room service at the YC was very good that was about all I got to use. We love doing all the backstage tours so if you don't get sick do it.

 

[clownfish1452]

I have not done the plantium plan, but I did do the premium plan this summer and I loved it. It was really nice to do anything you wanted and it was all prepaid and like already said the room service is really nice. We did get to any tours because my sister is to young to do most of them, but I still think it was worth it the pairasailing was so much fun. We wanted to mini golfing but did not have time. I would never go to Disney without atleast the premium plan and also you can eat the signture rest. for only one credit.

Sarah

 

[Pakey]

My DH and I have done platinum plan while staying at the Grand Floridian. I think it has its pros and cons, like anything else. I don't know if it was a fluke or it was supposed to be this way, but we got seated immediately for all of our meals. We had ADR's but as soon as we checked in, we were told to stand off to the side and we were then immediately seated at each place. That was the best thing about this plan and I don't even know if that's really a part of it!!!!! The priority viewing places for the fireworks were not all that great--there are better places to view them; you can buy La Nouba tickets with great seats on your own. And how many tours can you possibly go on in one trip? Parasailing is great, spa treatments great but again, you can book these on your own and even if you are on the plan, the gratuities are not included. DH golfs (not mini-golf so can't tell you about that) so the golf being included was nice. Still, to make up the $1100 difference, you are going to have to go on a lot of tours!!!

 

[Xiarra]

is this a big waste of money? DH and I are planning a trip to Disneyworld for the last week in April, 2008. We will be there for 7 nights/8 days. I have reserved the Polynesian on the Deluxe Dining Plan. I looked at the Platinum Package, and it includes some nice features (La Nouba tickets, VIP fireworks viewing, mini golf, parasailing, boat rentals, horseback riding, select tours, etc.), but it's $1100 more than the Deluxe Dining Plan. We will definitely be attending La Nouba, there are two-three tours that we want to try, and we would do the boat rentals, parasailing, and mini golf if it were included in our package (DH has mentioned several times that he really wants to play mini golf-this is so strange to me-who goes to Disney to play mini golf? Anyways, we will DEFINITELY be playing mini golf.)

However, personally, I didn't see how this could total up to $1100. Does anyone feel that this plan is a good value? I'm not sure if I'm maybe missing something, and I want to get the best bang for our buck.

Thanks!

We used in in 2004 for our wedding/honeymoon at Disney... We stayed at the AKL... WE LOVED it... and I definately think we got our money's worth...
We did the following all pricing is estimates:
Golf - The fees for this we estimated would have been about $300.00 (rental clubs, golf cart, tee fee, private lesson that DH took)... all included
Swimming with the Dolphins - we both did this, it was fun but you really don't swim with them... but it was educational ... about $300.00 150/each
Aqua Seas Tour - We snorkled in the Epcot tanks... IT WAS SO MUCH FUN... people were waving to us.. they actually though we were a show!!! LOL... this too was about $300.00 $150/each
Cirque Du Soliel (sp?) - Great show, this was about $160 80/each....
Safari Tour - Behind the scenes of the safari tour... this was nice, but wow do you lose some of the magic when you know the secrets... LOL...
Parasailing - We had great fun doing this.... $100 50/each
Spa Treatments - Wonderful Spa Treatments... I used both on me in 2004 you got 1 per person but they allowed me to use both... that was about $300.00
Illuminations Cruise - I am guessing that would have been about $75-$100....
Used Watercraft for free - would have been charged about $150 for the amount of time we used on the watercraft....

We ate like a King and Queen (yes my belly was a bit bloated after 10 days of that...LOL...)... as you can see from above... we definately got our money's worth... but we did so many things on the plan... if you aren't going to do the special items then I don't think it would be worth it, but for us the plan enabled us to do sooooooo many things we wouldn't have otherwise done!!!!!

 

[honeymo78]

We've done the premium several times and are doing platinum for our anniversary this year. We really don't like going without this package (our 2 winter trips didn't include it b/c we weren't going to do outdoor activities and were much shorter, but even those just weren't the same). I agree with previous posters that if you aren't actually going to do any tours, watersports, room service, etc then you will waste your money. We generally do get our money's worth - one year we even "saved" over $1000 just b/c of how many times my brother went water skiing (basically an entire afternoon) and the family went parasailing. I've stopped keeping track of exactly how much money we would have spent OOP since we know we'll get our money's worth. Plus we like to pay for everything in advance and really only worry about spending some money on a bottle of wine or two and some t-shirts. Yeah, we could get a prepaid visa or gift card but this is what works for us. We also like having 3 sit down meals a day - I hate counter service - and like eating at signatures most nights (5 of our 7 dinners are "signature"). We would spend an insane amount of money just on food without the package. Plus we are taking out jet skis 3 or 4 times, parasailing twice, a tour, the fireworks cruise, massages, and the sea raycers a few times as well. We like to spend the morning in the park, afternoon at the pool or on the lake and evenings back in the park. This type of package suits us to a tee.

This is how I've been vacationing at disney for the past 15 years (I blame my mom) and to switch to anything less just isn't the same. And as long as DH and I can afford to do it, we'll keep doing it this way.

 

[jw50]

Only you can decide if it is really "worth it" or not.

If you want to maximize your time in the parks then it probably is not worth it. If you want to eat TS every meal, and take advantage of all (well most, there is no way you could do everything in 7 days) of what the Platinum Plan offers then it is definitely worth it.

We did the Platinum Plan last month and did 5 tours (Wild by Design, KTTK, Dolphins in Depth, Around the World on a Segway, and SeaAqua) in 8 days.

And don't forget that Victoria and Albert's is included as a Platinum Plan dining option (that was $295 for two).

You also get the services of the Island Planning Office to make all of your reservations. This can be done all by e-mail and if you provide them with all of your requests before the 180 day point you will pretty much be guaranteed to get everything that you request at the times you request.

I don't think I would do this plan every time but if you can afford it everybody should do it at least once.

And a last word of advice if you do go with this plan, don't try to eat everything on your plate at every meal, regardless of what your mother taught you