I got a 40% off Moderate Resorts coupon...

[blessedmommyX4]

We recently booked a stay (Dec 6th- Dec 16th) at a nearby condo (Grand Palms). Today, in the mail we received a coupon that states "You can save 40% off per night, plus tax, at select Disney Moderate Resorts in a standard room" Must be booked by March 31st. It has certain dates listed..of which Dec 7th-17th are included.

We had thought about going during Sept for the free dining. Sept is also has some dates listed- can we get the 40% off plus free dining? I figure not- but that would be awesome if we could!!! I know that we would have to book the room, then call and add the free dining if/when they offer it.

We would need 2 rooms at Disney resorts since we have 6 in our party. Do you think they would let us use the coupon for both rooms?

We have only had 1 family vacation and that was to Disneyland. We did not stay on site. Is on site really that great? I did like the benefit of whatever we buy they can send back to the room. Also, if we stay on site, we could possibly fly and then we wouldn't need a rental car...would we?

What do you think we would be better off doing?

The 3bd condo with a full kitchen is costing us $850 tax included for 10 nights.

Thank you all for your help!
Jenn

 

[lovetoscrap]

I am going to move this to our Codes and Rates Forum. I think they are probably the best ones to help you with this.

 

[blessedmommyX4]

I am going to move this to our Codes and Rates Forum. I think they are probably the best ones to help you with this.

sorry, i didn't know where to put it! thanks for helping me out!!

 

[Rylee]

If I did my math correctly...
During your time frame, the cost of a moderate starts at $149 per night. If you need 2 rooms, double that. A 40% discount is almost as good as it gets, however, I think it will still cost you over $1000 more than what you're paying for the condo.

We always stay at a Disney Resort (family of 7) and I always recommend it but that is quite a difference in price. Only you can decide if it is worth it.

Some things to consider...

• What are the ages of your children?
  
• Are you interested in the Disney Dining Plan?
  
• Will you be visiting other Orlando attractions?
  
• How much is the car rental? And parking fees?
  
• Do you plan to return to your condo/resort for afternoon break/nap/swim?
  
• Are you interested in the Extra Magic Hours for Disney Resort guest?

 

[blessedmommyX4]

If I did my math correctly...
During your time frame, the cost of a moderate starts at $149 per night. If you need 2 rooms, double that. A 40% discount is almost as good as it gets, however, I think it will still cost you over $1000 more than what you're paying for the condo.

We always stay at a Disney Resort (family of 7) and I always recommend it but that is quite a difference in price. Only you can decide if it is worth it.

Some things to consider...

• What are the ages of your children?
  
• Are you interested in the Disney Dining Plan?
  
• Will you be visiting other Orlando attractions?
  
• How much is the car rental? And parking fees?
  
• Do you plan to return to your condo/resort for afternoon break/nap/swim?
  
• Are you interested in the Extra Magic Hours for Disney Resort guest?

We could also get the 40% off of value resort.

children are 14, 12, 5, 4

can you tell me how you make disney more affordable by staying onsite? we are first timers. i only have $700 saved so far! after i get my mission trip to africa paid off, we can save a lot more. but for now- we are putting all of our vacation budget towards that!

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!

 

[CoolPool]

If you stay onsite and come by air to MCO then you get free Magical Express transport to/from the airport. You will not "need" a rental car as Disney provides free buses, boats, and monorails to get around the parks and between the parks and hotels.

Free dining. You have quite a crew! By Disney calcs, your party consists of 4 adults and 2 kids. (4 x 37.99) + (2 x 9.99) x your length of stay. Then add tax which I believe is 6.5% to the total. That's your oop if you PAY for the dining plan (you don't have to be on a dining plan if you think you eat less).

So you have to look at how much your hotel costs are at 40% off and pay for the dining plan and compare that to paying rack rate at the resort and getting that same dining total for zero.

Start there. Think about the totals. Compare it to offsite (including rental car) and see where you'd rather be and where the money is best spent.

 

[MODisneyfan]

If you want to do onsite I would consider the September dates that they might have free dinning..

 

[luvindisneyworld]

You would need to get 2 rooms and no sorry you cannot combine the 40% off and free dining.Yes you can use the discount at a Value resort to.

 

[MomofKatie]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm 99.9% positive that you can't "double dip" your discounts. If you use a 40% off code, you won't be eligible for Free Dining- and if you book a Free Dining pkg, you can't use a 40% off code.

I'd do what CoolPool suggests- figure what the 40% off deal would cost vs the Free Dining, and go from there.

 

[CampbellScot]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm 99.9% positive that you can't "double dip" your discounts. If you use a 40% off code, you won't be eligible for Free Dining- and if you book a Free Dining pkg, you can't use a 40% off code.

I'd do what CoolPool suggests- figure what the 40% off deal would cost vs the Free Dining, and go from there.

yep that's true. no double dipping discounts!

last year we couldn't decide if we wanted to do two rooms at a mod and get free dining or take 40% off a deluxe room with bunk beds and pay for the DDP. We decided on the deluxe w/ the bunks w/ 40% off the room. It saved us more! And hey...it was DEEEE luxe!!!

 

[WDW~Lover]

yes, I got that same postcard today. I did throw it out, I had booked AKL for May with AP rate.

 

[minmate]

The All Star Music Famliy Suites sleep 6 and are $184 a night during value season so that's 110 a night (plus tax) -- which is going to run you $1100 for ten nights. For this extra $250 you will get the benefits of staying on-site... the most significant of which are likely to be access to the EMH hours, free use of Magical Express to and from MCO airport (no need for a car), ability to purchase the Dining Plan (if you wish) and perhaps shorter travel times (others may or may not debate this). With the shorter travel times, you will have better ability to go back to the room for a nap or dip in the pool mid-day, if that becomes important to you (considering the little ones). You will also have the ability to have packages sent back to your resort while you continue to enjoy the parks.

Is that $250 worth it? Possibly b/c it may cost you that much just to rent a car for your family of six. (We're a fam of 6 too!).

Granted the 3 bdr condo will allow you more space and privacy but only you can answer what will make your vacation more enjoyable. Also -- not that I would ever want to cut a Disney trip short... but with extra EMH - and some good planning - you *could* shave a day or two off the trip since you'll be able to do more in those parks with extra hours... again, NOT THAT I WOULD SAY THAT'S THE BEST OPTION... I mean who ever wants to cut vacation short!?

I will say this, staying off-site at Disneyland is more common simply b/c Disney didn't own the property around it and other places put up their hotels/motels. Those off-site properties are much closer to the entrance gates of Disneyland than any other off-site hotels in the WDW area. Someone else here can tell you better about the specific location you are currently booked in and it's true distance from WDW theme parks as I'm not sure on that....


Best of luck!

 

[Rylee]

We could also get the 40% off of value resort.

children are 14, 12, 5, 4

can you tell me how you make disney more affordable by staying onsite? we are first timers. i only have $700 saved so far! after i get my mission trip to africa paid off, we can save a lot more. but for now- we are putting all of our vacation budget towards that!

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!

If you can use your discount at the Value Resort, I say go for it!

The All-Star Music Family suites book fast, if you are interested I'd quicky make a reservation. Or, book 2 rooms at a value and request connecting rooms.

Your 2 oldest children are considered "Disney adults" for tickets and the Dining Plan, but not for resort room occupancy.

As a Disney Resort guest, if you'll have your car or a rental, parking is free.


When my entire family goes to Disney...

We fly from NY, and don't rent a car. (I search for the cheapest airfare.) We use Magical Express, to and from the airport and Disney transportation around the World.

We usually get 2 rooms at a value resort. The Values are fine... clean, with fun themes and great pools. We have also stayed Deluxe but have no less of a Disney experience at the Values. We could probably stay cheaper off-site, but we like what on-site provides...

• 1) The feeling of leaving the real world behind and being surrounded by Disney magic.
  
• 2) The transportation - DH doesn't mind driving, we drive almost everywhere else... NYC, Boston, DC, Myrtle Beach, Toronto, etc., but at Disney, he likes to let someone else do the driving... no direction or traffic worries.
  
• 3) Extra Magic Hours for resort guest. We enjoy these hours and find we can see and do a lot.
  
• 4) The convenience to quickly return to our resort. Since we use the EMH, morning and evening, we sometimes take afternoon breaks at the resort, for naps and swims, and then return to the parks.
  
• 5) The ability to split-up with ease, if we choose. Our children are 20 years apart (not a typo ) from youngest to oldest. Sometimes my DH and the older kids stay at the parks later at night, while I take the younger children back to the resort.
  
• 6) On-site allows you to book the Dining Plan (DP), which we do use.

The Dining Plan is $ 38 for adults, and $10 for children ages 3-9, times (X) the number of nights you are staying. I would be miserable if I had to eat Counter Service (CS) food all week. Even before the DP was available, I always scheduled 1 sit-down meal per day. The DP works for my family, we get to have some great meals and experience many restaurants. (It is also a nice break from the parks.)

We also share some CS meals... for 7 of us, I might order 4 complete meals with sandwiches, salads and fries, and 3 seperate sandwiches. I find I am still throwing away fries, etc.

We bring some breakfast and snack items from home... granola bars, pop-tarts, juice boxes, fruit snacks, etc., to have in the room and eat while we are getting ready.

We buy a couple of refillable resort mugs... DH likes his coffee in the mornings and we get a couple of sodas to have at the pool in the afternoon.

(You can read menus and prices at the allearsnet site.)

We don't purchase the park ticket "hopper" option, just Magic Your Way (MYW) base tickets. We don't visit the Water Parks, we use the resort pools. (We have tried the Water Parks a few times and will probably go again sometime in the future, but DH feels we can visit WP's in NY. We have also had the hopper option at times, but don't feel it is necessary.)


What are your thoughts? Driving or Flying? On-site or off? (When they are announced, be sure to check park hours... sometimes MK will close early during your dates for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. There is a seperate ticket needed for this, so you might want to visit a different park on those dates.)

 

[so_are_you]

We recently booked a stay (Dec 6th- Dec 16th) at a nearby condo (Grand Palms). Today, in the mail we received a coupon that states "You can save 40% off per night, plus tax, at select Disney Moderate Resorts in a standard room" Must be booked by March 31st. It has certain dates listed..of which Dec 7th-17th are included.

We had thought about going during Sept for the free dining. Sept is also has some dates listed- can we get the 40% off plus free dining? I figure not- but that would be awesome if we could!!! I know that we would have to book the room, then call and add the free dining if/when they offer it.

We would need 2 rooms at Disney resorts since we have 6 in our party. Do you think they would let us use the coupon for both rooms?

We have only had 1 family vacation and that was to Disneyland. We did not stay on site. Is on site really that great? I did like the benefit of whatever we buy they can send back to the room. Also, if we stay on site, we could possibly fly and then we wouldn't need a rental car...would we?

What do you think we would be better off doing?

The 3bd condo with a full kitchen is costing us $850 tax included for 10 nights.

Thank you all for your help!
Jenn

you can use it for 2 rooms and add the tickets and dinning on we are going dec 7 to 14 me dh 2 dc under 9 and the total package for us with a water veiw room is $2709 at the CSR
you can even use it for more then one trip if you book in time we were thinking about summer too and the CM said that yes we can use it for as many trips we want as long as they are on the right dates and booked before the end of March