Help! Poly Room-only or Package???

[MamaToDavis]

We are planning our first Disney trip in 9 years, so I'm a bit rusty!!

2 adults/1 two year old child and we're going 6 nights, early Dec, Poly Garden View Concierge with 5 day hoppers. The AAA agent quoted us $3002.84. We may add the dining plan later but haven't decided yet. Not sure if this is the best deal I can get or not. I want to go ahead and book before AAA rates are sold out in this room category. Although, I don't want to shoot myself in the foot by booking too quickly!

Should I just book room-only now and add tix later? Are there any advantages to room-only?

Thanks very much for any suggestions!

 

[d4est]

With room-only, you have to put down one night's deposit & can cancel (I think) up to 5 days before check-in. With a package, you put down a $200 deposit & the total is due 45 days before you check-in.

If you are going with dining, then you have to have a package. You can start out with room-only & convert to a package at a later date.

If a better deal, say a code, comes out, your AAA TA can try & have it applied. It all depends on if there are rooms left for the code.

 

[MamaToDavis]

Thanks for the help!

 

[jjohnson]

You may want to skip adding the park hopper with a 2yo. Also come on over to the restaurant board. There is great advice on the dining plan.

 

[MamaToDavis]

Yeah, I was wondering if we really needed the hopper with our toddler. I will take a peek at the restaurant board, thanks!

I just spoke with out TA and the Poly GVC is not available w/ the AAA rate for our dates. It was available last night and I wish I had booked it then. She said she'd keep checking and hopefully it will open up. Even the lagoon view is booked. Drats!!

 

[jjohnson]

I would call CRO directly & ask for a room-only rate with AAA discount for your dates. I just booked memorial day weekend a few days ago & the AAA was available. You don't need a TA to get the room-only AAA discount. It doesn't hurt to doublecheck. Also rooms open up all the time. Last year a PLVC room became available 2 weeks before our trip.

 

[MamaToDavis]

I was thinking of doing that but was feeling kind of bad about booking it myself after she's done so much research for me, KWIM?? I really don't think I NEED the AAA agent now since we've decided against the Dining Plan.

Thanks again!

 

[Marthasor]

I was thinking of doing that but was feeling kind of bad about booking it myself after she's done so much research for me, KWIM?? I really don't think I NEED the AAA agent now since we've decided against the Dining Plan.

Thanks again!

If you aren't doing the dining plan I would DEFINITELY recommend booking directly with Disney - you have so much more control over your trip, requests etc. AND still get the AAA room discount - good luck on getting your rooms!!!

 

[MamaToDavis]

If you aren't doing the dining plan I would DEFINITELY recommend booking directly with Disney - you have so much more control over your trip, requests etc. AND still get the AAA room discount - good luck on getting your rooms!!!

Yikes! You're right. When I first spoke with her yesterday I didn't really know what we wanted. I only knew for sure where we wanted to stay. She suggested the Dining Plan and Tickets as a package. After talking to my DH about it, we decided that the Dining Plan probably isn't for us. So is this TA going to be really ticked if I tell I'm doing it myself? I know she's made several calls to WDW for me, and I feel bad that she did that work for nothing.

Also, can I get a AAA discount on tickets? That's another reason why I considered the package. She said there was a discount on tix if I purchased a package.

Thanks again for helping this newbie!

 

[jjohnson]

Go to mousesavers.com & sign up for the monthly newletter. In it will be a link to ticketmania to purchase tickets in advance. Combined with the additional mousesaver discount it was the best price I found last year.