I need some Reservation help - getting odd information from CM/TA regarding package type

[Pookie9922]

I could use some help getting our reservation figured out.

We have a basic package for the Beach club in March. It's for 2 rooms - one for us and one for my BIL's family. We have 2 reservation numbers but they're linked together. I didn't put tickets on it because I thought we'd do military salute (BIL) tickets. We called when the military room discount came out and were able to get that discount added to both rooms. (Yay!)

However, both DH and BIL are nervous about buying the salute tickets because if anything goes wonky due to covid, we are tied into using them in 2022, since they are non-refundable. We figured the safer bet was to add tickets onto our basic package and that way we have until 30 days from our trip to pay for the balance or cancel, or only be out $200 if we cancel less than 30 days out.

When we added the military discount though, they wouldn't let us add the tickets on without paying in full. So we didn't mess with it at that point, but now we are at a spot were we could pay for everything in full, providing the cancellation policy doesn't change. SoI had the TA check into again and it turns out it wasn't the balance of the room package we needed to pay in full, it's the tickets only. The tickets wouldn't be a part of our package AND they aren't refundable! They wouldn't be tied to the same date restrictions of the salute tickets, but still not what we want!

We believe it has something to do with the military discount added to the reservations. If we had tickets on the package in the first place, we'd have the normal 30 day cancellation policy with no problem?

Can anyone confirm that the CMs aren't just being dumb? (it's two different CMs saying this, but since I'm going through a TA, I'm not on the call to hear all the conversation.) Is there a way to not lose our military discount on the room, but add the tickets AND have them be a part of the package? If so, what can I tell the TA to say to get through to the CM?

Thanks!

 

[brockash]

I could use some help getting our reservation figured out.

We have a basic package for the Beach club in March. It's for 2 rooms - one for us and one for my BIL's family. We have 2 reservation numbers but they're linked together. I didn't put tickets on it because I thought we'd do military salute (BIL) tickets. We called when the military room discount came out and were able to get that discount added to both rooms. (Yay!)

However, both DH and BIL are nervous about buying the salute tickets because if anything goes wonky due to covid, we are tied into using them in 2022, since they are non-refundable. We figured the safer bet was to add tickets onto our basic package and that way we have until 30 days from our trip to pay for the balance or cancel, or only be out $200 if we cancel less than 30 days out.

When we added the military discount though, they wouldn't let us add the tickets on without paying in full. So we didn't mess with it at that point, but now we are at a spot were we could pay for everything in full, providing the cancellation policy doesn't change. SoI had the TA check into again and it turns out it wasn't the balance of the room package we needed to pay in full, it's the tickets only. The tickets wouldn't be a part of our package AND they aren't refundable! They wouldn't be tied to the same date restrictions of the salute tickets, but still not what we want!

We believe it has something to do with the military discount added to the reservations. If we had tickets on the package in the first place, we'd have the normal 30 day cancellation policy with no problem?

Can anyone confirm that the CMs aren't just being dumb? (it's two different CMs saying this, but since I'm going through a TA, I'm not on the call to hear all the conversation.) Is there a way to not lose our military discount on the room, but add the tickets AND have them be a part of the package? If so, what can I tell the TA to say to get through to the CM?

Thanks!

Yes, there should be a way to keep your military discount on your room and add tickets to your package...not sure what they're doing there.

 

[CBMom01]

Did you book your rooms through WDW travel?

 

[Pookie9922]

Did you book your rooms through WDW travel?

No, through a TA friend. Kicking myself because I'm too type A for this! But I wanted to give her some business since it doesn't cost me anything. Well except for a sense of control!

 

[cmarsh31]

Do you have a room-only reservation, or a ticket-less package? That could be the issue...

 

[Pookie9922]

If it makes a difference - my reservation is listed as a "Military Salute Basic Package", rather than a regular basic package. According to MilitaryDisneyTips.com, this is a new(ish) thing. But the article still says my package should be modifiable up to 30 days before the trip.

 

[Bjkandma]

Your room reservation "Military Salute Basic Package". Your travel agent booked your room as a package without tickets. She didnt book a " military discount room only discount". If she would have booked the room only discount, you would have paid one nights stay, per room as a deposit. The only way I know a way around this would be to let in alone or see if your TA can modify your reservation. If they can, you may be able to add regular tickets.

 

[Pookie9922]

Your room reservation "Military Salute Basic Package". Your travel agent booked your room as a package without tickets. She didnt book a " military discount room only discount". If she would have booked the room only discount, you would have paid one nights stay, per room as a deposit. The only way I know a way around this would be to let in alone or see if your TA can modify your reservation. If they can, you may be able to add regular tickets.

Wouldn't a room only reservation mean I need to buy the tickets separately and they aren't refundable?

I think I'm saying the opposite - I want a package with tickets, so that if we cancel, we can cancel the tickets as well.

We paid a $200 per room/reservation deposit when we booked so I know we originally booked a package. That's what I was advised to do so that I could add tickets to the package at anytime if we couldn't get/didn't want the military salute tickets.

 

[lanejudy]

With a $200 deposit and 30-day final payment terms, you have a package. Does your TA do a lot of WDW bookings? It sounds like she doesn't know about a "basic package" and therefore thinks you have a room-only reservation. Is it possible for her to do a 3-day call with her, you and WDW to try and sort it out? You should be able to add regular tickets to the basic package, regardless of the rate.

 

[Pookie9922]

I finally had some time to sit in the waiting queue to get answers directly myself.

According the CM, they do not have ticket packages with the military discount. Our choices are removing the military discount from our room package or buying the tickets separately - either through Disney or get the military salute tickets. I forgot to ask what the situation would have been if we had already had tickets on our package - would we have been able to add the military discount? Or maybe we would have had to separate the tickets?

But she did give me information that the value of the military tickets (or the regular tickets) doesn't expire - so if for some reason we have to cancel, we can use apply the value to future tickets. And we can get travel protection for less than we're saving on the salute tickets, so I guess we can be covered either way.

 

[DebLovesPooh]

In my experience, you cannot add the military room discount to a room and tickets package. If you had wanted to add the room discount, they would have needed to change the reservation to room only.

 

[plutolovr]

You cannot add tickets to a basic package that includes the military discount. You would have to change the basic package to room-only, then purchase tickets separately, which puts you in the same situation as the tickets would be non-refundable. In your case, I would just book as a standard package with tickets and hope that a different discount comes out later that can be applied to your package.