January 2009. . . Calling all Snowbirds ~ Part I !!!

[Momof2Disneyboys]

When the codes/discounts come out later in the year, can it be used on an existing package?

Okay - again a comment based solely on what I've read on the boards but I do remember reading that, even though you have already booked a package you can still apply a discount to it. The following thread is from Jan 2008 and it sounds as if lots of people did it. I'm really happy that the room rates haven't skyrocketed - maybe Disney is trying to be nice to our empty little pocketbooks.

Yes, you can definitely call back and change your package if a discount comes out!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Congrats to all that are booking their packages today!

I am currently pricing out the different DDP's they are offering so we can decide what's best for us!

 

[coffeehousemom]

Hey Snowbirds I need your help!! It sounds like we will be doing the quick plan so that means we will have to pay OOP for character dining. I need some opinions for where to go. Where can you get the best food choices with the best character interaction. We will only be doing the one so I really want it to be awesome. Info---- me love any character, Dh doesnt care, MIL will enjoy anything, DD9 NO PRINCESSES!! her request "I'm so past them mom", DS6 Pluto or Goofy maybe.

TIA

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Hey Snowbirds I need your help!! It sounds like we will be doing the quick plan so that means we will have to pay OOP for character dining. I need some opinions for where to go. Where can you get the best food choices with the best character interaction. We will only be doing the one so I really want it to be awesome. Info---- me love any character, Dh doesnt care, MIL will enjoy anything, DD9 NO PRINCESSES!! her request "I'm so past them mom", DS6 Pluto or Goofy maybe.

TIA

I would definitely go for Chef Mickey's if I were you!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Well, after looking at 2009 rates and packages this is what I've come up with. Roughly ~

CS Meal Plan Adults $29.99/day Children $8.99/day
Basic Dining Adults $39.99/day Children $10.99/day

I'm only coming up with a difference of $168 for 7 nights/8 days of the dining plan to do the CS option instead of the regular/basic DDP. I really thought that option would be way cheaper. That's not big enough of a difference for us to do the new CS option. So, we will either stick with the basic plan or pay OOP. . . I will have to do the math on that now!

Anyway, looks like the room rates have stayed the same as 2008. The basic DDP either stayed the same or maybe went up just a touch. I think the ticket prices must have gone up. I'll have to go break that down next! I'm such a math nerd!! You can't tell I was a banker before becoming a SAHM, can you???!!!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

This is what I've come up with for my family (2 adults, 2 kids) 7 nights/8 days ~

CS DDP - $545.72 total ($77.96 per day)
Basic DDP - $713.72 total ($101.96 per day)

Difference of $168 for the week.

 

[peach3es]

This is what I've come up with for my family (2 adults, 2 kids) 7 nights/8 days ~

CS DDP - $545.72 total ($77.96 per day)
Basic DDP - $713.72 total ($101.96 per day)

Difference of $168 for the week.

That's really not that much at all...and it would seem to me that you could easily eat less than $30/day CS meals and snacks. I guess it just doesn't seem like such a bargain to me. I'd have to nearly double the savings since we'll be traveling with 3 adults and 4 kids...but still, not enough of a savings to draw me to change our plans, especially since I know we'll do at least 2 of the character dining meals anyway!

 

[debbieandroo]

Anyway, looks like the room rates have stayed the same as 2008. The basic DDP either stayed the same or maybe went up just a touch. I think the ticket prices must have gone up. I'll have to go break that down next! I'm such a math nerd!! You can't tell I was a banker before becoming a SAHM, can you???!!!

From what I can tell, the main ticket increase is for the park hopper option - from 45.99 to 50 bucks a pop! Here's hoping that Disney will offer that option as a free upgrade for snowbirds [apparently they've done this the past few years].

Not being a math nerd, all this figuring is giving me a And I have more questions now than I did before! I read that AAA will give a discount to a room only ressie but not to a package. I could do that one....but Disney may or may not be offering a discount on packages in October/November that would be more economical that AAA.

Added to this is the dining plan complication - Shelly's revelation that it really won't save that much money to do the QS plan puts a whole new spin on things.

Still added to this, I don't even know who all is going yet, much less what they want to do as far as a dining plan goes.

I guess the long and the short of it is -- more waiting

 

[trixiequilts]

I guess the long and the short of it is -- more waiting

WAITING STINKS! But we're here for you.

 

[KatiebugsMom]

Ughhhh!! I am glad that I do not have to wait for room rates, etc. Being DVC and all. But Dining Plan has me in a quandry.. First since I have changed my eating habits for health reasons, I just cannot justify the DDP Basic anymore. I rather skip the desserts, or have a choice with an app instead, and the gratuity on top really was not a savings anymore this past January when we did the Basic DDP. DD3 just does not eat that much food also. I was seriously going to just pay OOP for everything this 2009 trip but now the CS plan has my DH intrigued.

I told him if we do this CS plan, then we cut out 2 of the TS we were going to do. He was ok with that. Well doing the math, both the CS plan and Basic Plan are about the same cost for all 3 of us. The CS plan we will have to add about $350 OOP for the TS meals we do want to keep. But with the Basic DDP I have to add in the cost of refillable mugs (DH always buys them each trip) and average cost of gratuity per day. It is hitting about even.....

If I factor out the Yachtsman dinner and chalk this up to a special event cost (celebrating 10th anniversary). Then I save with the CS plan even OOP for Boma and Askerhaus. Sorry now my head is spinning with what to do......I really do not want to have to do another trip with TS each day especially going to Universal for a day. Help!

 

[debbieandroo]

WAITING STINKS! But we're here for you.

Thanks - that's exactly what I needed to hear! Y'all are so wonderful...

My original plan was to hold on to my room-only, then, in Oct/Nov, watch for further discounts and decide who, between AAA or Disney, would offer the best discounts. Then I read on another board that it's a good idea to ask for the AAA discount asap because the discounted rooms are limited. Whoa - didn't know that?!??! [so, now, why do I pay AAA fees if there's a chance that I wouldn't get to use the discount it offers???!?!] All that to say, to anyone who is a AAA member, you might want to go ahead and ask to get the discount applied. Then, if something else better comes along, you can apply it.

I just did this and it saved me [drum roll please] -- $38.54 per night, $192.70 total. Not too shabby for 5 months out. Hopefully that discount will be a drop in the bucket compared to what we might get later.

 

[trixiequilts]

If I factor out the Yachtsman dinner and chalk this up to a special event cost (celebrating 10th anniversary). Then I save with the CS plan even OOP for Boma and Askerhaus. Sorry now my head is spinning with what to do......I really do not want to have to do another trip with TS each day especially going to Universal for a day. Help!

I think you answered your own question!

 

[trixiequilts]

I just did this and it saved me [drum roll please] -- $38.54 per night, $192.70 total. Not too shabby for 5 months out. Hopefully that discount will be a drop in the bucket compared to what we might get later.

Congrats, that's great! Way to go!

 

[KatiebugsMom]

I think you answered your own question!

LOL maybe I did. Yeah just chalk Yachtsman up to special event.....It's not like I am getting Princess and Pirate party tickets or a VIP tour guide this time like last trip......This time I am just hoping to surprise DH with an Aqua seas snorkel tour in the Living Seas. Throwing the Steakhouse meal into this category won't be too bad.

 

[SplashMtnCrew]

Good Afternoon Snowbirds!

We just got back in town from a family reunion and the first thing I did was check WDW site Got all the info I was after. However, disney has made me mad

If you buy the cs dining plan you get a mug!
If you buy the dxdp you get a mug!
If you buy the bddp you don't get a mug!
I truely do not understand that at all and it really bothers me. DH told me to email disney and tell them how I feel, maybe I'll just call the concierge IPO and tell them what I think, I doubt it would do any good though. B/c they included it with the cs plan they should now at this point be offering it to anyone using any type of dining plan, make it a perk/bonus for everyone to enjoy It is just a mug and I won't change my plans over it And I'll still shell out $40 for 3 new ones if I have to

 

[sharadoc]

Thanks - that's exactly what I needed to hear! Y'all are so wonderful...

My original plan was to hold on to my room-only, then, in Oct/Nov, watch for further discounts and decide who, between AAA or Disney, would offer the best discounts. Then I read on another board that it's a good idea to ask for the AAA discount asap because the discounted rooms are limited. Whoa - didn't know that?!??! [so, now, why do I pay AAA fees if there's a chance that I wouldn't get to use the discount it offers???!?!] All that to say, to anyone who is a AAA member, you might want to go ahead and ask to get the discount applied. Then, if something else better comes along, you can apply it.

I just did this and it saved me [drum roll please] -- $38.54 per night, $192.70 total. Not too shabby for 5 months out. Hopefully that discount will be a drop in the bucket compared to what we might get later.

Hey Debbie. Now I know you ARE a Snowbird!!!!

Are you in a Family Suite (per your note on the other thread)? My AAA discount wasn't that much. I think it was around $27 a night (give or take a few pennies). I figured it to be 15%. My room cost is $156.40. Or are you still doing POP?

 

[SplashMtnCrew]

I got my new rates this morning for my room only reservation for my upcoming january trip. I went from $505.00 a night (peak season before 09 rates released) to $340 a night with new 09 rates and AAA discount for a club level room at the Wilderness Lodge. I am so excited to go, especially now that I owe so much less.

We check in on Jan 18

We are very happy with the $340/night (AAA) for WL club level too The $505 a night had a hefty price tag, now we can pocket the difference!!

 

[2tinks2pirates]

Hello snowbirds!!! We'll be joining you Jan. 23-30th at ASMu. One Family Suite for me,dh and kids and one pref. room for my MIL. This is a surprise trip (Christmas morning reveal) for the kiddos & I can't wait!!!

Our ADRs so far: 1/24 CRT 10am, 1/27 Chef Mickey's 8:35am Lots more I'd like to do, but waiting for Oct. and doing the dining plan math.

 

[MissMagnolia]

2tinks3pirates - welcome, can I ask what rate you got for a family suite? My friends are thinking about it.

 

[Kazooie01]

We finally got to book our package! We’ll be staying in a preferred room at All-Star Movies. January 21st won’t get here soon enough!!!!!