Land/Sea combined w/Magic Your Way/Free Dining. Anyone?

[Jilly123]

I have several quotes for a Land/Sea pkg. in September (3 days land Polynesian, 4 days sea Cat 4). The best quote I received was $3800, which is not too bad, But I was wondering if anyone has booked the cruise separatley, then taken advantage of the Magic Your Way Package that includeds FREE DININGfor the land portion? Any advice?
Thanks!
Jill

 

[Lisa345]

Jilly,
I am going to bump you because I am trying to figure out something very similar. We are going in Feb 2006, so far the free dining is not an option, but I may want to buy the dining and can't with the land/sea pkg. My TA says that the price of each part separately would be a lot more money, but I am not sure. I am trying to do the math, but it is getting confusing.
Help, someone!

 

[fletchers]

I have several quotes for a Land/Sea pkg. in September (3 days land Polynesian, 4 days sea Cat 4). The best quote I received was $3800, which is not too bad, But I was wondering if anyone has booked the cruise separatley, then taken advantage of the Magic Your Way Package that includeds FREE DININGfor the land portion? Any advice?
Thanks!
Jill

I book them separately. I think I saved us over $300 because we didn't want to spend too many days at the parks. It was so good that I did because I found out about the free dining later (saved another $500 or so). I called Disney, and they added it without any questions asked. They will pick us up at the Carribean Beach resort just as if they would if we purchased the land/sea pkg.

 

[Bee]

We were originally going to book a land/sea package.. and then we found out you cant get the dining with that package. So, we booked each on its on and have 5 days at the park and 3 day cruise with food and it was less expensive. Booked thru AAA and get their discounts.

Hope this helps.. B

 

[mmouse37]

You should price both portions out separately....and make sure you compare apples to apples....but lately it seems that most people have been saving money by booking the WDW portion and the cruise parts separately.....especially with the that dining package offered right now at WDW.

Some times of the year the land/sea package is a better deal so it all depends on what time of year you are going and what your preferences for a hotel at WDW are.

Sometimes it is worth the effort to price them separately.

MJ

 

[Traveleer]

By booking seperately you also get your choice of resorts.
I did 6 days at wilderness lodge with a 4 day back in 1999.
On our final day we packed up and brought all our gear over to poly and just waited for pick up like everyone one else

 

[kcashner]

You can usually do better on cost by booking separately, but the only way to know this is to price them out both ways. The biggest savings on booking separately come if you choose a different category of resort than is normally used with your cruise cabin. THis can be a huge difference. Another trick is to keep your eyes open. WDW frequently has off season "deals." If you book separately and see a hotel deal that is cheaper than what you paid, call them--they will change you. Currently, with the free dining plan...it almost can't be beat.

Do remember that on the land/sea, you will get a 7 day ticket with park hopping and water parks....for an additional $55 per person, you can make this a "never expire" ticket so you can play free on your next trip!

 

[FFerret]

Do remember that on the land/sea, you will get a 7 day ticket with park hopping and water parks....for an additional $55 per person, you can make this a "never expire" ticket so you can play free on your next trip!

Wait, wait, wait--for $55 extra per person those days I'm on a cruise become never-expire park hopper tickets????

 

[ibouncetoo]

Yes, your 7 day park hopper would never expire, so you could do 3 or 4 park days, cruise and come back even months later and use the rest of your park hopper. Without the $55 add on, your 7 day hopper is valid 14 days from first use. So you can park hop a few days, do a 7 day cruise, and hop some more, all within a two week period.

****This is effective 1/1/06 I believe*****

 

[FFerret]

Yes, your 7 day park hopper would never expire, so you could do 3 or 4 park days, cruise and come back even months later and use the rest of your park hopper. Without the $55 add on, your 7 day hopper is valid 14 days from first use. So you can park hop a few days, do a 7 day cruise, and hop some more, all within a two week period.

****This is effective 1/1/06 I believe*****

ok--I"m a natural blonde so I'm going to need you to talk slowly -- I'm getting the 4 night land and 3 night sea package. If I pay an extra $55 per person I'll get seven day non-expired park hopper tickets that I can use whenever (even a couple of years down the line?)???

Wonder why my travel agent hasn't mentioned this...

 

[kcashner]

That's right. When you book the land/sea, you get a 7 day ticket good for the parks, park hopping, and the "more Magic" or whatever exactly the new term is (it means the water parks and pleasure island and Disney Quest). That ticket expires 14 days after the first use. So...if you go on a 4 day cruise/3 day land, you might choose to go to Magic Kingdom, Blizzard Beach, and Animal Kingdom (one each on your 3 days). That would leave you a bunch of STUFF on that ticket. For $55 per person, you can convert it to a "never expire" option. That means that ALL the unused days at theme parks as well as the water park stuff will never expire. You can use it in 20 years if you want.

The only kicker is that the tickets are tied to a specific person--only that person can use those tickets.

So, in the above example, you used 2 park days and one option. You would have 5 park days and 4 options remaining! All for $55!!!!

 

[FFerret]

That's right. When you book the land/sea, you get a 7 day ticket good for the parks, park hopping, and the "more Magic" or whatever exactly the new term is (it means the water parks and pleasure island and Disney Quest). That ticket expires 14 days after the first use. So...if you go on a 4 day cruise/3 day land, you might choose to go to Magic Kingdom, Blizzard Beach, and Animal Kingdom (one each on your 3 days). That would leave you a bunch of STUFF on that ticket. For $55 per person, you can convert it to a "never expire" option. That means that ALL the unused days at theme parks as well as the water park stuff will never expire. You can use it in 20 years if you want.

The only kicker is that the tickets are tied to a specific person--only that person can use those tickets.

So, in the above example, you used 2 park days and one option. You would have 5 park days and 4 options remaining! All for $55!!!!

woooooooow

pretty sweet!

We've only been to WDW once (with UPH tickets in 2003) and we were sick during some of them so we lost those days...wish I knew about that then!

ya lost me on the option part though--don't the water parks and disney quest use up a park hopping day even though no park was gone to?
BTW I really appreciate all these answers--I knew there was a reason I make DIS a daily place

 

[GuardMusic]

Yep! We just figured that out last month too. It's the only way that the Land/sea package was a good "deal" to actually book as a package for us!

 

[jeannief]

That's right. When you book the land/sea, you get a 7 day ticket good for the parks, park hopping, and the "more Magic" or whatever exactly the new term is (it means the water parks and pleasure island and Disney Quest). That ticket expires 14 days after the first use. So...if you go on a 4 day cruise/3 day land, you might choose to go to Magic Kingdom, Blizzard Beach, and Animal Kingdom (one each on your 3 days). That would leave you a bunch of STUFF on that ticket. For $55 per person, you can convert it to a "never expire" option. That means that ALL the unused days at theme parks as well as the water park stuff will never expire. You can use it in 20 years if you want.

The only kicker is that the tickets are tied to a specific person--only that person can use those tickets.

So, in the above example, you used 2 park days and one option. You would have 5 park days and 4 options remaining! All for $55!!!!

That must be new. We did 3 day land and 4 day sea in Feb/05 and got 4 days of park hoppers. The non expiry option was not one for us since we were on the old tickets. I find it hard to believe though that the park tickets would be for 7 days... it just makes no sense. If that is the case though when we go again then we'll probably do the same thing.

The only other thing to consider is if the cost difference is minimal to book together, you may choose to do that for the convenience of one check in.

 

[kcashner]

Yes, it is new...since WDW started the new ticket structure and pricing. It isn't the UPH any more. No, a water park does not use a theme park day and does not count as park hopping.

All the information is available at the WDW web site.

There's always a twist, of course. You can't add the Dining Plan (free or otherwise) to the land/sea package. You obviously can do the dining plan if you book the land and sea sections of the trip separately, but then you will have whichever ticket you choose to purchase...not necessarily the 7 day with options deal.

 

[FFerret]

No, a water park does not use a theme park day and does not count as park hopping.

All the information is available at the WDW web site.

QUOTE]

First--thanks for all the help

Second--ferreting out the info at the WDW site wasn't easy, but I did find this:

"The number of Magic Plus Pack visits depends on the number of days in your Magic Your Way Ticket:
1-3 days 2 visits
4-5 days 3 visits
6 days 4 visits
7 days 5 visits "

So since the Land and Sea is 7 days, if I pay the extra for non-expireds I can have 5 visits per person that don't expire to the water parks, disneyquest, or Pleasure Island??? And these visits don't oount as park hopping days?

Or am I just being blonde?

 

[FFerret]

Well, I just found this out at Dreams Unlimited for Land and Sea:

"Your resort stay includes Magic Your Way Premium Park Tickets. You'll be able to visit the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Disney MGM Studios. You'll also have three admissions to your choice of Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach, Pleasure Island, Disney Quest and the Wide World of Sports Complex. If you choose the 3 day land/4 day sea package, you'll receive a 4 Day Magic Your Way Premium Ticket. If you choose the 4 day land/3 day sea, you'll receive a 5 Day Magic Your Way Premium Ticket."

So I don't get 7 hopping days but 5? Soooooo confused.......

 

[Lisa345]

Now I am going to have to call the TA because she did say that we get 7 day park hoppers. There was no mention of the 'plus' part, but I remember the 7 day because I thought that was a waste since we wouldn't be there for that many days. Now it may be a bigger waste since we won't have time to use the 'pluses' either. That is where the no expiration makes the most sense.

 

[FFerret]

My wonderful Dreams Unlimited TA Jason has now confirmed:

Land and Sea gives you only 5 hopping days for 4 day land/3 day sea--not 7.
You get with that 3 visits per person to the water parks, disney quest, etc.

So, for $55 extra per person I'm still going to have to think about it...

Thanks to everyone for their help!

 

[FFerret]

That's right. When you book the land/sea, you get a 7 day ticket good for the parks, park hopping, and the "more Magic" or whatever exactly the new term is (it means the water parks and pleasure island and Disney Quest). That ticket expires 14 days after the first use. So...if you go on a 4 day cruise/3 day land, you might choose to go to Magic Kingdom, Blizzard Beach, and Animal Kingdom (one each on your 3 days). That would leave you a bunch of STUFF on that ticket. For $55 per person, you can convert it to a "never expire" option. That means that ALL the unused days at theme parks as well as the water park stuff will never expire. You can use it in 20 years if you want.

The only kicker is that the tickets are tied to a specific person--only that person can use those tickets.

So, in the above example, you used 2 park days and one option. You would have 5 park days and 4 options remaining! All for $55!!!!

Really curious about this--are you sure you get seven days? My TA says I get 5 hopping days (I have a 4 nights land/3 sea). I'm hoping you're right Maybe that's a new thing for 2006???? My cruise is Dec 1, 2005.