Help w/resort quote and free dining plan

[Daisysmom]

Ok - want to take 3 adults, 3 kids (one is an infant) to WDW 9/26-10/1. This qualifies for the free dining plan.

Right now I have a WDW saved quote for $1895 (resort, dining plan, park tix for 5 days). Lodging at Port Orleans. Can I do better than this on the rate some way? I thought the free dining plan was only included at the VR, but All Music wasn't available so it took me to Port Orleans...does that sound right?

Thanks for all your help! My son almost died this past year and I want this to be a special trip for all of us!!

 

[cobbler]

In order to get the free dining you would have to pay full price (rack rate) for your room.

Not sure what VR stands for - value resorts maybe? In that case free dining is avail at every resort. There are just a certain number of packages per resort that have the free dining offer I believe.

The reason it took you to Riverside is because of the number in your party, you have over 4 and the value resorts only hold 4 guests. Also the new All Star Music family suites are exempt from the free dining.

 

[cobbler]

Oh and there is an extra charge for more than 2 adults per room. And Riverside is the only moderate that will hold 5 because they have trundle beds. The other moderates will only hold 4.

 

[Daisysmom]

Oh, I see. Yes, VR meant Value Resorts. So is the dining plan a good idea for us? I didn't realize we'd pay rack rate to get it...thanks!

 

[Daisysmom]

And is there a cheaper way you can see for me to book this trip? Can anyone offer insights as to the best way to book i.e., travel agent, AAA, Disney web site, etc?

 

[cobbler]

Again if you want the free dining you HAVE to pay full price for your room. You can't stack discounts. If you want a cheaper room rate then you can't get the free dining, you would have to pay for it. It doesn't matter if you book with AAA, Disney or a TA, the price will be the same.

AAA may give you an extra perk like being able to park in their diamond lot or something but that is about it.

Also if you book with AAA or a TA then they have control over your reservation. Meaning that if you need to change something you can't call Disney and have them do it for you. You will have to go through your TA or AAA agent.

Really if you want the free dining, then that is the price you are going to pay. If you want to try to do it ala carte, you can call Disney and get a AAA discount on your room but you will have to pay out of pocket for your food.

With the dining plan you will receive one table service meal, one counter service meal and one snack per person per night (with the exception of the infant, they are free at buffets but anything else you will have to pay for them if they want something). And it also included your tax and tip. So you will have to sit down and see how much your family will eat.

But honestly the amount you would save in free dining will more than offset the room discount you may get. Rack rate at Riverside is 139/night because it is value season. With an AAA room only discount, it would go down to 111.20 a night. You would save $31 a night after taxes are added with the AAA room only discount. Tickets would be the same, you might be able to get them a touch cheaper but not much. So do you think you can feed a family of 5 on less than 31 a night? Probably not.

 

[cobbler]

I see a 5 day ticket for adults will cost you 211.94 and 172.53 for a child. You can get the cheaper through here
http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/tickets.htm

So based on the AAA rate savings of 31 a night x 5 nights = $155. And the ticket savings of $20.82 for adults and 5.06 for the kids that is a total of 180.88. If you take that 180.88 and divide by 5 nights that is $36 and some change in savings each night. It would be hard to feed the family of 5 on that per day.

You could wait for a room only discount offered through Disney, it might be a little less than the AAA room rate but not by much. Plus they aren't guaranteed to be offered either so it's a gamble, you might get it or you might not.

Only AAA is guaranteed in the respect that it is out and avail, but they are limited to only a certain number of discounts per resort.

Remember if you do want to take advantage of the free dining you have to book by June 4th.

 

[lovetoseemickey]

That is value season so I don't think you would be saving that much by purchasing a room only package. I know annual passholders only get like $25-40 off a night for value and moderate hotels. Make sure when you book it has free dining on the screen. If you don't click on special offers, you won't get free dining. I don't think it is that bad of a deal for six with tickets, hotel, and meals. We stayed at the Riverside in Dec. It was a beautiful resort, but the hotel didn't have elevators and just so you know, the trundle bed is built for a child. It is a very spread out resort. I'd request building 14, because it was close to everything. Hope you all have a great time and what a great way to celebrate life!!

 

[Daisysmom]

thanks to both of you for your help! I am also looking at different combinations like booking 2 rooms at Pop Century, etc. I will come up with something affordable! It looks like I might be able to just put a deposit down now, and pay the balance at a later date. Need to do some more research I guess. I was at WDW last year (first time) and used the DDP. It was great! But it was almost too much food for me and a 6 year old. I agree though that it's a wonderful bargain and a chance to try the better restaurants. I know we saved a lot of money using it.

 

[lovetoseemickey]

Almost forgot-- I would decrease days in the park by one day and then purchase tickets to the Mickey's not so scary Halloween Party- which should take place on Sept. 29. The tickets aren't on sale yet-probably May 1.
This is a great event where the kids can dress up in their costumes and trick or treat throughout the park. You can enter the park as early as 4 pm. and it stays open until midnight. They have special parades and fireworks and they do free stuff throughout the park. It is great. We go every year (for the past three years). The kids love it and it is cheaper than buying a day ticket into the park- around $40 for adults and $25 for kids 3 and up! Hopefully they don't raise the prices this year. They also limit the number of tickets to this special events. We walk on to almost all the rides, but the kids are too busy collecting handfulls of candy. This event will sell out and most likely won't be available on the day of the event. I always hear families leaving the park (because it closes at 6 to the public) asking if they can purchase tickets. The whole park transforms into Halloween. Look for photos on special events at the Magic Kingdom. Not to be missed.

 

[cobbler]

To give you a little perspective too. Its $1895 for 6 people, that is a great deal. But for ease sake lets say 5 because you don't really pay for the infant.

So $1895 / 5 people is only $379 per person for a 5 night trip. $379 is pretty darn good for a room, meals and tickets for 5 nights. If you want to break that down even more it's $75.80 per person per night. A one day ticket isn't much more than that. So for just a little over the price of a one day ticket per day you are getting a room, tickets AND food.

 

[Daisysmom]

Cobbler, you are an awesome accountant! That is a great deal! I am thinking of using the 0 percent interest card at the WDW web site to pay for the vacation, so I can take my time paying instead of putting it all on my Visa and paying the interest - I will have it paid for by our September visit. I still have to find cheap airfare, but it is looking like Southwest might be the answer to that.

As for the Halloween party, I took my son to it last year and had a blast. I never considered getting a one-day-less ticket package and using the Halloween ticket for that evening.

Keep those tips coming! This is a great site.

 

[lovetoseemickey]

Remember even though the Halloween party starts at 7 pm -- you can enter as early as 4 pm. This isn't advertised- a Cast member let me in on this tip.

 

[lovetoseemickey]

Two rooms at Pop are cheaper for your group and it will be a lot more comfortable than having one (plus you'll have two bathrooms). I came up with $1860 but I wasn't sure of the children's ages so I guess that you had one infant and two under 10. Also- it is cheaper to do the 5 day than to decrease a day and do the Halloween party.

The key to a great vacation is to plan ahead!!

 

[Daisysmom]

Yes, an infant, a 7 year old, and a 4 year old, plus me, my son, and daughter-in-law. I didn't come up with the same price as you on the 2 rooms at POP. One room priced out at $817 and the other at $1103. Did I do something wrong? And by "do the 5 day" are you referring to the tickets? thanks for all of your help!

 

[lovetoseemickey]

I tried 5 nights at Pop with 5 day tickets (NOT park hoppers/ NOT PREFERRED ROOMS) Make sure you look to see if they are charging for preferred rooms and if they tack on the trip insurance. They will automatically do this. You have to UNCHECK these items or they will increase your vacation price. It is hurrican season, so you might want to think about the trip insurance. See if you are covered by your credit card company, homeowners, or if it is cheaper through a different company. It can add a couple of hundred onto your bill!
We are going at the end of Sept. and decided to take our chances. Keep your fingers crossed for us!

2 adults one infant--$862.48
1 adult two kids (7 & 4) $997.85

Yes, I was talking about the 5 day tickets. It is cheaper to buy the 5 day than to decrease the number of days and buy the Halloween tickets. BUT I love the Halloween Party. I bought my tickets today for the Halloween Party.

Go ahead and make dinner reservations if you haven't already. We will be eating like kings and waddling around the park

 

[Daisysmom]

I will try again! I did what you did above, and also had selected the free dining plan option. Not sure why mine came out higher. I still don't get why it would be cheaper to get the 5 day tix...and I do plan to get the Halloween tix too. I thought one less day (the day of the Halloween party) would decrease my total cost for park tix. Does that make sense? We will be there at the same time!

 

[lovetoseemickey]

I don't know why yours was higher. To clear things up-- in my original post I was telling you to decrease the number of days to see if it would save you a lot of money on the park ticket and then purchase the Halloween ticket instead of one day at the park. However, the more days you purchase the cheaper it is to get in the park. So a five day ticket compared to a four is only like $9 more for each person. Compared to buying a $40 Halloween ticket. Do you understand my point?
I think the Halloween party is worth it, especially for the kids.

I booked 5 nights/Pop for 2 adults 2 kids with one day of tickets for $680 (somewhere around there) and all of our food. I paid $125 for our Halloween tickets ( I got a Annual Pass discount). I actually added a night onto the hotel b/c some of the restaurants that we are eating at took two TS meals and it was cheaper to get a extra night at the hotel than to pay out of pocket for the dinner. Plus we will get an extra CS meal and snack for each person in our party, which will come in handy at the F&W festival!
We usually drive down and we don't hit the park on the day we check in or check out. However since I added a day I figured we could go to Ft. Wilderness or take the kids swimming or minature golf.

We are lucky enough to go a few times a year. We leave in 2 days to go to the Pop for five nights!! I am an annual passholder, so I paid $400 for 5 nights and we have our tickets already. I couldn't pass it up.

I think it is great that you are doing this. It is worth every penny to see the facial expressions on the kids. They are so cute when they see stuff for the first time. Get your camera ready!

 

[ash&abby'smom]

Don't you have to have a park ticket as well as the halloween ticket to get in? Or do you just need the halloween ticket?

edited to add: I found my answer. Thanks

 

[Daisysmom]

You can get in with just the Halloween party ticket, but not until 4:00 PM. If you want to go to the park earlier, you do need a park ticket.