Hi! I'm new here and have a Q about AP tickets/DINING/packages! Please help!

[fireofmarajade]

Hi! I'm new on the boards and have overloaded my brain with ideas on ways to save money on multiple trips to Disney World this year...

I'm sure you all know that feeling of what now and strange questions that arise.
So let me first say hi and hope you can help! Also apologize for my verbose and slightly confusing post/problem.

I have booked a tentative reservation for May Star Wars Weekends for 5 nights at Pop Century.
As it stands now it is for an AP (Annual Passholder), which i do not currently have, ROOM ONLY. I was told that I needed it to check in but I will be able to get it beforehand so Hakuna Matata.

But with the package deal that they are currently offering at a 300 gift card back, i feel that might be a better deal.
And I think i would then get the DINING or QUICK package added...
HERES THE MIXUP
i would then have them separate my key to the world room pass from my magic your way ticket to the theme parks (which i believe can be easily done)
CHECK IN AS USUAL, and once i decide to head to the parks, UPGRADE to an annual passholder (SHOULD I USE THE PASS FOR ONE DAY BEFORE I DO THIS? or is it not needed since bought at disney's price through a package)
HERES THE Q!!!!
WILL THAT MESS WITH THE DINING PLAN???

and thats just may!

Here's a hiccup...
I am returning in AUGUST for a MAGICAL GATHERING for 16 people for 7 nights.
I am already booked WITH the group at ALL STAR MUSIC FAMILY SUITES and of course the reservation has us ALL with the same things which is MYW plus DINING.

Q2: Again my thoughts are you simply separate my park ticket from the room key and save it for later leaving it UNUSED for the trip.
Either to use it later for me in 2011 after the AP expires or later in the year for someone else - since its unused it doesnt have to be used by me only the same person the entire time is what i understand.
BUT WOULD THIS MESS WITH THE DINING PLAN THEN AS WELL IS MY QUESTION
since the ticket to the park that i would be using would be the AP not the regular MYW bought with the package...

my other option for august is to book a single room separately using AP DISCOUNTS plus add passholder dining and i do know that would work out fine. But there are no deals out as of now so i do not think it would end up saving me anything. Even using the offers taht are out now such as 40% off room and 30% off dining as if they would extend those offers the numbers work out to about the same so simply holding on to the 300+ value of the park ticket seems to be the most economical. (and easiest for the person that booked the trip since the idea of me getting AP is freaking them out as if it messes everything up!)
IF IT WORKS the way that i think it does... and my first scenario of keeping this as they are and simply holding a unused ticket would work...

Ideally i would like to do the package i think will work for MAY as long as dining doesnt become null once i upgrade the ticket to an AP...
and then simply go ahead with the magical gathering in august as it has been booked and save the unused ticket for later use...
AS LONG AS THE DINING PLANS DO NOT BECOME VOIDED BY DOING THOSE THINGS...

Family has tried to talk me out of getting the AP all together but i really want that card in my wallet(!!!!????!??!?!!) and things do come up for AP only like pins and discounts that are better than the disney visa so.... no sure if its enough to justify getting it!
Please let me know your 2 cents!

Also want to note that its possible i might join a group going in OCTOBER and then if i get the AP i would plan a holiday vacation in time to see the Christmas decorations! So there are possible 2 more vacations in 2010 that i would get out of the AP...

I really hope that someone can help me out and stop my brain from hurting! I have been hashing this out for a few weeks now by myself. My friends and family no longer really want to hear it and the numbers are starting to blur together!
Thanks again and can't wait to read everyone (anyones!) input!
fireofmarajade

 

[fireofmarajade]

Hoping someone can help!

 

[Metro West]

 

[Mrs D]

Good Morning and to the DIS!

You have a pretty good handle on how things work already. I have not done what you are asking but will do my best to answer (in your post in red). Some of the scenarios are a little confusing, but I think I understand what your asking.

I have booked a tentative reservation for May Star Wars Weekends for 5 nights at Pop Century.
As it stands now it is for an AP (Annual Passholder), which i do not currently have, ROOM ONLY. I was told that I needed it to check in but I will be able to get it beforehand so Hakuna Matata. Yup, just head to a park first to get the AP then check in whenever you return to the resort.

But with the package deal that they are currently offering at a 300 gift card back, i feel that might be a better deal. Quite possibly could be - makes it worth doing the math for it.
And I think i would then get the DINING or QUICK package added...
HERES THE MIXUP
i would then have them separate my key to the world room pass from my magic your way ticket I would elect for a 1 day ticket on the packageto the theme parks (which i believe can be easily done) Yes indeed.
CHECK IN AS USUAL, and once i decide to head to the parks, UPGRADE to an annual passholder (SHOULD I USE THE PASS FOR ONE DAY BEFORE I DO THIS? I don't THINK it matters since you will be paying current gate price. or is it not needed since bought at disney's price through a package)
HERES THE Q!!!!
WILL THAT MESS WITH THE DINING PLAN??? As long you have the ticket separated out at the time of check in they will code your Key to World card to be just a room key and dining plan credits and it will not effect your dining plan.

and thats just may!

Here's a hiccup...
I am returning in AUGUST for a MAGICAL GATHERING for 16 people for 7 nights.
I am already booked WITH the group at ALL STAR MUSIC FAMILY SUITES and of course the reservation has us ALL with the same things which is MYW plus DINING.

Q2: Again my thoughts are you simply separate my park ticket from the room key and save it for later leaving it UNUSED for the trip.
Either to use it later for me in 2011 after the AP expires or later in the year for someone else - since its unused it doesnt have to be used by me only the same person the entire time is what i understand. All the above is correct.
BUT WOULD THIS MESS WITH THE DINING PLAN THEN AS WELL IS MY QUESTION again if you have the ticket separated out at the time of check in they will code your Key to World card to be just a room key and dining plan credits.
since the ticket to the park that i would be using would be the AP not the regular MYW bought with the package...

my other option for august is to book a single room separately using AP DISCOUNTS plus add passholder dining and i do know that would work out fine. But there are no deals out as of now so i do not think it would end up saving me anything. Even using the offers taht are out now such as 40% off room and 30% off dining?? as if they would extend those offers the numbers work out to about the same so simply holding on to the 300+ value of the park ticket seems to be the most economical. (and easiest for the person that booked the trip since the idea of me getting AP is freaking them out as if it messes everything up!)
IF IT WORKS the way that i think it does... and my first scenario of keeping this as they are and simply holding a unused ticket would work...

My thoughts on this are that although you are a grand gathering and have a grand gathering code # each room is a seperate reservation. To qualify for a grand gathering you do not have to be paying the same rate, be on the same package, or even at the same resort. It is only the people in each room that must have the same # of tickets and dining plan NOT the entire grand gathering. If you have a ressie # for YOUR family in YOUR room you may modify the ressie any way you wish and STILL be a part of the grand gathering.

If the person who arranged this all has everyone currently booked at Rack Rate (meaning no discounts) they are doing the group a disservice. If you do decide to go the AP route I would certainly use it for an AP discount (it will likely be released in the next few months). Even if you do some type of general public offer - such as free dining I would change my reservation to include only a 1 day ticket versus 7 days. You still qualify for the package and shell out $85 versus $250.




Ideally i would like to do the package i think will work for MAY as long as dining doesnt become null once i upgrade the ticket to an AP...
and then simply go ahead with the magical gathering in august as it has been booked and save the unused ticket for later use...
AS LONG AS THE DINING PLANS DO NOT BECOME VOIDED BY DOING THOSE THINGS...

Family has tried to talk me out of getting the AP all together but i really want that card in my wallet(!!!!????!??!?!!) and things do come up for AP only like pins and discounts that are better than the disney visa so.... no sure if its enough to justify getting it!
Please let me know your 2 cents!
Do the math to see if it's worth it for you. Based on a 5 day ticket and a 7 day ticket you would be paying more for the AP. But the AP room discount *could* bring it to breaking even.


Also want to note that its possible i might join a group going in OCTOBER and then if i get the AP i would plan a holiday vacation in time to see the Christmas decorations! I don't think Christmas decorations come out until November, but the Halloween party would be fun to go to (I'm doing it this year)! So there are possible 2 more vacations in 2010 that i would get out of the AP... IF you were to do this trip as well the AP would be a no brainer!

Here are a couple of places you could find out a little more and ask more questions.

This is the Everything You need to Know about WDW Tickets FAQ

You could ask specific AP ticket questions in the Theme Parks forum

You could ask questions about the AP room rates in the Codes & Rates board of the Resorts forum


I hope this helps and have fun planning!

 

[fireofmarajade]

Mrs D-
THANKS SO MUCH for your reply!

When i wrote this the other day that is what i had been told and researched to be true.

However every talking to the dining people today to make our groups 180 ADR they were even more "helpful" than anticipated!

Some knew what i was talking about and agreed that it could be done however one SWORE that the ROOM KEY could NOT be separated from the TICKET....

Another believes that using the dining "activates" the 14 day of first use policy.

And another said it could not be separated BUT as long as the room key did NOT go INTO a turnstile for a ticket form to enter the parks the ticket as left used and i could use it whenever later.

So now i have a BUNCH of conflicting stories!!!

But you and afew other have confirmed that what i believe is possible and true adn again never know who you get at check in right?!?! so smile be polite and psyched to be there!

Anyways Back to what you were saying....

I have done the math (more times than id like to think about again) and gift card was BARELY the way to go
BUT i ahve a disney visa so more upfront on a resort means MORE rewards!!! yea

Why do you think it matters to do a 1 day vs a 5 day as suggested? I figured its just paying upfront and the total didnt matter since i had to go up to 489 + tax anyways!

I meantioned the 40% as a AP discount they had and same with the 30%off dining...

Currently our Magical Gathering is booked at full rate for 180 ADR but as soon as the deals come pouring in we are ready to change and here is hoping for free dining!!!! (One family just had ANOTHER kid hit 10! so that makes 2 of 4 for them! they are hoping!!!)

QUOTED FROM YOU: "If you do decide to go the AP route I would certainly use it for an AP discount (it will likely be released in the next few months). Even if you do some type of general public offer - such as free dining I would change my reservation to include only a 1 day ticket versus 7 days. You still qualify for the package and shell out $85 versus $250."

As i understand this you are suggesting on doing own room using AP discount. then get a 1 day ticket and add Dining... but how can i add dining for only one day? thought it was for the length of your ticket... (or lightbulb... length of stay as long as you buy on ticket???)

FYI OCTOBER trip is for a friend of a friends wedding so they dont have to travel alone.
then NOV Decorations is a separate trip for me! iwth a friend

So now at the end of a long day that started at 6am with phone call after phone call i feel like some cast members reallly know what they are talking about overall while others mainly only know the parts for their jobs...

and no one has a definite answer as to which is correct...

but i think i got it and your help does help a lot! lmk if you ahve any other thoughts and thanks!
fireofmarajade

 

[disneyworldaddict]

I just went on WDW website and signed in as a passholder. It appears as though I can book a room with a passholder discount and add a DDP option without having to purchase a park ticket to be removed later. Is this true? The way I understood it was that I had to purchase a park ticket in order to add DDP but at arrival I could remove it. But, when I went on the website it seems to allow me to bypass that step and book it the way it should be booked. Has anyone done this, and if so, were there any gliches? Has WDW finally updated the way passholders can book DDP?

 

[lovetoscrap]

I just went on WDW website and signed in as a passholder. It appears as though I can book a room with a passholder discount and add a DDP option without having to purchase a park ticket to be removed later. Is this true? The way I understood it was that I had to purchase a park ticket in order to add DDP but at arrival I could remove it. But, when I went on the website it seems to allow me to bypass that step and book it the way it should be booked. Has anyone done this, and if so, were there any gliches? Has WDW finally updated the way passholders can book DDP?

Since this is an old thread you might want to start a new thread with your question, probably on the Disney Dining Plan board (found within our Disney Restaurants Board).