Is there a way to get discount/savings using WDW Travel?

[DeterminedOne]

The cost of our next trip is climbing fast! We're looking at close to $6000 for the package we would like to get. Are there any discounts available if we book through WDW travel? Even if it was just a few hundred dollars? Back in the days of Disney Club we were able to get nice discounts, but nothing like that seems to exist anymore. In 2004 we got two free nights by using the Disney Visa but I haven't seen anything like that since then. Am I missing something or am I just SOL by booking through Disney.

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

When are you going? Are you determined to get a package or are you willing to book the "parts" in order to save some money? Would you consider staying offsite or is onsite important to you? Do you have AAA or a Disney VISA? How many people and what ages? How long is the planned trip?

To me $6K is a lot for a WDW trip, but you might be traveling with 5 people, staying concierge and getting the dining plan for 10 days during holiday season.

The only codes available right now will get you free hopping and magic plus addons to your MYW base tickets when you book a package. You'd have to hurry to book it b/c the codes expire 12/18/2005 for stays 1/1/2006 - 3/8/2206. Codes for the room + tickets package are YRA and YQS. If you want the package plus dining, one code to use is YQX.

 

[DeterminedOne]

We've pretty much decided on the package 'cause we had something similar a few years ago and loved it! It's me and DH traveling but we're staying ten nights at a deluxe plus flying. The previous package we had was over $4K but we stayed fewer nights and had somewhat of a lesser package. So the fact that this next strip is close to 6K isn't at all shocking , but if we could save a few hundred dollars that would be cool, too. Thanks!

 

[plutolovr]

It looks to my by your signature that you're going in October and plan on staying at the Yacht Club. Disney had a nice package this past October, so maybe you'll get lucky and another one will come out. Although that one was for checkins through Oct. 8, so if you're going later in October I'm not sure they'll be any special discounts. If you book through AAA they discount the room portion. Also, if you book with WDWTVL now, under regular package prices, you can check here and other places around July/August to see if a discount is in the works. Most times you can call WDWTVL and apply the discount code to your existing package.

You can also use a TA, one that will keep checking on these things for you.

 

[plutolovr]

It looks to my by your signature that you're going in October and plan on staying at the Yacht Club. Disney had a nice package this past October, so maybe you'll get lucky and another one will come out. Although that one was for checkins through Oct. 8, so if you're going later in October I'm not sure they'll be any special discounts. If you book through AAA they discount the room portion. Also, if you book with WDWTVL now, under regular package prices, you can check here and other places around July/August to see if a discount is in the works. Most times you can call WDWTVL and apply the discount code to your existing package.

You can also use a TA, one that will keep checking on these things for you. (like me )

 

[DisFlan]

Wow. For $6k, you could buy the better part of a DVC membership (or all of a smaller one) and stay prepaid until 2042. DVC will also have the Dining Plan available in April '06.

We paid for the big ticket packages for years. I wish we'd bought our DVC a LONG time before we did. We'd have saved a big bunch of money.

I'm not sure what type of package you're getting or which part is important to you. If it's a Premium or Platinum package, you wouldn't get a lot of the stuff that comes with it. If it's just the basic package, you might look into renting DVC points for a DVC resort from a member. You'd save money, even after adding tickets and a Dining Plan. And you'd be getting first class accommodations.

DisFlan

 

[Markstudy]

My best tip-

On a 7 day trip to a deluxe resort, I saved $1,000 by changing my view to "non-lake view"

Disney really jacks up the price for the "view". We are always on-the-go and the short amount of time we spend in our room looking at the view, just doesn't pay. Its nice enough from the "standard view" rooms to save $1,000 in 7 days.

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

If it's just the basic package, you might look into renting DVC points for a DVC resort from a member. You'd save money, even after adding tickets and a Dining Plan. And you'd be getting first class accommodations.

DisFlan

I didn't think it was possible to get the dining plan unless you booked a package. Has something changed recently for DVC owners that now makes it possible? That would be great if it is!

To the OP, if a package is what you've got your heart set on, then the only available discount for Oct. 2006 is thru AA (at the moment). You can only book a AAA package thru a AAA TA. The others (like DreamsUnlimited) can book room-only AAA discounts but not the packages.

Like plutolover said, there may be discounted packages announced mid-summer or later for October stays. You best option would be to book now thru AAA and then keep your eyes open on these boards for any discount codes that come up. Your AAA TA should be able to apply them to your ressie if there are discounted packages available for your dates and location.

 

[DeterminedOne]

My best tip-

On a 7 day trip to a deluxe resort, I saved $1,000 by changing my view to "non-lake view"

Disney really jacks up the price for the "view". We are always on-the-go and the short amount of time we spend in our room looking at the view, just doesn't pay. Its nice enough from the "standard view" rooms to save $1,000 in 7 days.

Good idea! If we go with a standard view at both hotels we'll save hundreds! Funny I hadn't even considered doing that. And as others suggested I will look into AAA discount as well as any discounts Disney may offer between now and then. Thanks for the advice, folks!

 

[Markstudy]

Good idea! If we go with a standard view at both hotels we'll save hundreds! Funny I hadn't even considered doing that. !

It is funny.

I travel a lot. At most places you get use to saying-

"give me the good-view for an extra $20 a night"

I say it so often, that I never thought to check at Disney... until I noticed $3,400 vs.... $2,500 for the week and I'll I did was skip the lake view

Gee...I guess Disney charges more than $25 bucks a night for the lake view?

 

[DisFlan]

I didn't think it was possible to get the dining plan unless you booked a package. Has something changed recently for DVC owners that now makes it possible? That would be great if it is!

Yup. Starting in January, the dining plan will be available for DVC bookings for stays after the beginning of April '06. Same info: $37.99 adults and $10.99 for kids, per day. One TS, one CS and a snack. The DVC dining plan is not connected to either packages or tickets. It's simply added to the DVC ressie. It's for length of stay and everyone in the party has to have it.

Not everything has been fleshed out yet. We haven't gotten definitive answers to everything, yet. Like - do you have to make it the same time as the ressie, or can you add it at check in? Will point renters have access to it? (Most likely yes.) Will the premium plan also be available? (Probably not.) We'll know more in the near future.

DisFlan

 

[DeterminedOne]

Okay folks - did I say 6K? Well, that was with my own research and calculation. I just got off the phone with WDT and do you know what they quoted me? Are you ready for this? Are you sitting down? I'm glad I was.
For ten nights, split stay between WL & YC plus Platinum Package ...
$8329.58! I don't think so!

We'll probably downgrade to the Premium, stay eight nights instead of ten.
Decisions, decisions! And yes I can split the stay between resorts. What they do is one reservation with two seperate prices.

 

[DisFlan]

Okay folks - did I say 6K? Well, that was with my own research and calculation. I just got off the phone with WDT and do you know what they quoted me? Are you ready for this? Are you sitting down? I'm glad I was.
For ten nights, split stay between WL & YC plus Platinum Package ...
$8329.58! I don't think so!

We'll probably downgrade to the Premium, stay eight nights instead of ten.
Decisions, decisions! And yes I can split the stay between resorts. What they do is one reservation with two seperate prices.

We've done both the Platinum and Premium packages (or whatever they were called in the past). The one with Everything and the one with a Little Less Than Everything. We didn't need even half of what they included. They were nice, but honestly, we felt they weren't worth the price.

They're both pretty much overkill. Do you or your husband play lots of golf? Do you plan on fishing, parasailing or horseback riding? Do you have kids who will be using the kid's clubs a lot? Do you feel you HAVE to view parades and Illuminations from special viewing areas? Do you plan on doing lots of tours? Do you see lots of shows? Do you always eat 3 table service meals a day? Do you normally order lots of room service? Do you really need a "personal planner"?

We felt it was less costly to go with a basic package in a deluxe hotel w/dining and hoppers, pick the things we really wanted to do and just pay for them. (It WAS much cheaper, in fact, and my husband's a golfer.) Disney KNOWS you probably won't do half of what an expensive plan includes. So they make money on it. Those plans definitely aren't where you get the best bang for your buck.

But - if you can afford it and it's what you really want, go for it.

DisFlan

 

[DeterminedOne]

We've done both the Platinum and Premium packages (or whatever they were called in the past). The one with Everything and the one with a Little Less Than Everything. We didn't need even half of what they included. They were nice, but honestly, we felt they weren't worth the price.

They're both pretty much overkill. Do you or your husband play lots of golf? Do you plan on fishing, parasailing or horseback riding? Do you have kids who will be using the kid's clubs a lot? Do you feel you HAVE to view parades and Illuminations from special viewing areas? Do you plan on doing lots of tours? Do you see lots of shows? Do you always eat 3 table service meals a day? Do you normally order lots of room service? Do you really need a "personal planner"?

We felt it was less costly to go with a basic package in a deluxe hotel w/dining and hoppers, pick the things we really wanted to do and just pay for them. (It WAS much cheaper, in fact, and my husband's a golfer.) Disney KNOWS you probably won't do half of what an expensive plan includes. So they make money on it. Those plans definitely aren't where you get the best bang for your buck.

But - if you can afford it and it's what you really want, go for it.

DisFlan

I see what you're saying 'cause those packages do seem like overkill and aren't the way to go for most people. But we've done a similar package in the past and loved it. It took a lot of time and preplanning to arrange all the dining and recreation, but I did a pretty good job if I must say so myself.
It cost over $300 for DH and I to rent clubs and play a round at Magnolia. Well, that's what we would have paid w/o the package. So the package deals work for us and make the trip to Disney all the more exciting.
I think we're going to downgrade from the Platinum to the Premium. The difference is $1700. There aren't too many differences in the plan. We still get three meals a day and unlimited recreation. We don't get room service, or the Illuminations cruise and some stuff like that but we can live w/o it.