Magic Your Way packages...worth the money?

[5starmom]

Do most of you get packages or do you find that getting your hotel rooms, park tickets and meals, etc. separately gives you the better deal?

Has anyone used a Magic Your Way package? I am SO not a bargain hunter when it comes to some things. I just want to get my planning over with and enjoy myself! LOL!

Thanks for your help!

 

[Focusdude]

I am planning a trip for December, 2005. I had looked at the price at the packages, and then priced out the entire trip by booking room only, and buying passes. My price with doing it separately - my cost was $1315 (family of four). This morning I did a Magic Your Package, with the same room and passes, and it was $1303! It would be so much easier to go with a Disney package - I think I may actually book it directly through Disney. I was going to buy an Annual Pass to bring my costs down - I may not bother now - since that is hit or miss whether I will actually get the discount.

Hope this helps!!

 

[jodistar]

I am planning a trip for December, 2005. I had looked at the price at the packages, and then priced out the entire trip by booking room only, and buying passes. My price with doing it separately - my cost was $1315 (family of four). This morning I did a Magic Your Package, with the same room and passes, and it was $1303! It would be so much easier to go with a Disney package - I think I may actually book it directly through Disney. I was going to buy an Annual Pass to bring my costs down - I may not bother now - since that is hit or miss whether I will actually get the discount.

Hope this helps!!

Wow, I didn't get a chance to price the package vs. booking everything separately.....I guess I should go with the package. We have a be a bit more carefull - We are planning a wedding and paying for everything ourselves. I hope to do some pricing over this weekend. What is the number to deal with Disney directly? Does anyone know if there is a toll free number?

 

[G00fyDad]

All I can say is that I changed my res to a MYW plan + Dining and now I am saving over $500 for the week.

 

[Focusdude]

I pulled out my information for my trip and looked at it again after I did my last post - it is really a much better deal to go with the package in my case. When I priced it out individually - I priced in 5 day Park Hoppers - the package I priced had 6 day Park Hopper!

The Central Reservation number that I have is: 407-934-7639 (no toll free!) - but you can book it directly over disneyworld.com!

Hope this helps!!

 

[jodistar]

I pulled out my information for my trip and looked at it again after I did my last post - it is really a much better deal to go with the package in my case. When I priced it out individually - I priced in 5 day Park Hoppers - the package I priced had 6 day Park Hopper!

The Central Reservation number that I have is: 407-934-7639 (no toll free!) - but you can book it directly over disneyworld.com!

Hope this helps!!

Thanks so much! That is also the number that I have - but it makes me feel better that everyone is having success with the package deals hopefully this will be true for me too!

Thanks again!

 

[javaj]

We were able to book a package (with the MYW dining plan) for May using an email discount code for the room, so make sure to look into that if you are eligible for any discount codes.

I was under the impression that you had to pay rack rate for the room to get the package so we were pleasantly surprised. Unfortunately, we did have to buy passes to get the dining plan, so we got 1 day passes (we already have APs), hoping we can just use them for a future trip.

Our total for 8 nights with 1 day passes and 8 nights dining plan at WL courtyard view is $2372 for 2 adults and 1 child. Rack rate for room only for the 8 nights would've come to $2676, so our package sounds like a great deal to me (although I'm still hoping to get availability for a WL standard view room or availability for CR standard when APs or other codes are released)

 

[5starmom]

All I can say is that I changed my res to a MYW plan + Dining and now I am saving over $500 for the week.

Which hotel or resort you're staying at?

 

[G00fyDad]

We are staying at the Carribean Beach Resort. I have heard a lot of good things about it. Safetymom has a thread or two devoted to CBR. The bad things (just a few) I have heard seem to come, for the most part, from people that seem to bring trouble on themselves. That or the reviews were from several years ago before they rennovated the resort.

 

[jodistar]

We were able to book a package (with the MYW dining plan) for May using an email discount code for the room, so make sure to look into that if you are eligible for any discount codes.

Where does everyone find these discount codes? Can someone explain MYW dining plan? Or does anyone have a link to information on the MYW dining plan?

TIA - Jodi

 

[G00fyDad]

here: MYW + Dining

 

[MemoryMakers2669]

We were able to book a package (with the MYW dining plan) for May using an email discount code for the room, so make sure to look into that if you are eligible for any discount codes.

QUOTE]

You got an email code and they let you book a package?? They wouldn't let us, room only! I really wanted the package. I am going to call them back and see about this.

 

[G00fyDad]

You may have tried to book a package with a "room only" code.

 

[jodistar]

here: MYW + Dining

Thank you so much - I just read the material and it seems like a good deal.

 

[G00fyDad]

I think so. It saved us a ton.

 

[MemoryMakers2669]

You may have tried to book a package with a "room only" code.

So the email one you got was for a package? The one my friend got says nothing about either really. Obviously they see that we can't book it as a package. Oh well. I called back and they said no still. I will wait and see if a special comes along and we will switch it maybe.

 

[G00fyDad]

No. I've never gotten an email code but I have heard here on DIS that there are "package codes" and "room only" codes.

 

[drumflower]

Be sure you check out the restarants that are included in the dining plan. A lot are not included in Epcot (sitdown and counter service). Plus Brown Derby and Le' Cellier are now equal to 2 of your sitdowns on the plan. Rainforest Cafe is not included, Pepper Market,and Maya Grill. Beaches and Cream is now a sitdown place instead of counter service. I just found out that anyone can get a DDE discount card for $75.00 and you get 20% off most sitdown meals including wine and beer! For a family of 4 , we break even on the 2nd day of dining. I have tried again to see if I could get the dining plan added to discounted room and they said no, I have to pay rack rate! This is with the BDP code from last November.

 

[WDWBetsy]

Even with the majority of Epcot restaurants not participating in the dining plan, there are still plenty of restaurants to choose from. I have a list that I still have to narrow down - but there's plenty of time before I have to make PSs.

As others have posted, those non-participating restaurants at Epcot and Coronado Springs are not owned by Disney, so I can somewhat understand why they are not included as it is up to them whether they want to do so. However, I do wish that the originally released list of participating restaurants had been accurate.

I think we're going to have lunch at Le Cellier that we'll pay for separately. I've been wanting to try their cheese soup! This will also give us an extra meal to use on one of the other days we're there.

I strongly feel that the dining plan is a great bargain for us. Not only are our meals prepaid, but we'll save $$$ and enjoy lots of tasty meals.

 

[jennwdw]

If you are looking at a package please check the AAA rate. If you are not a member it may be worth the $ to buy a membership. We are doing a package in December and the AAA rate is $355 less. A terrific savings and worth the cost of the AAA membership. Right now it doesn't seem like Disney is interested in discounting packages so that may be the way to go. For us the meal plan is a really great deal. I know for sure when we went in sept we spent more than $90/day for food for the family of 4. And we had a kitchen available (DVC member)

FYI - Our plan 12/3-12/10 7 nights at the Polynesian w/dining and 7 day Park Hopper.(no plus, expires.)

Disney - 3875.42
AAA - 3520.04