May31-June5 - No discount codes at this time... book now or later?

[LglBlonde]

I've search Mousesavers.com, several other sites, gotten quotes from several online travel agents.

I've been advised for our dates, right now the only discount is a Room Only discount. This would save us $133 on a moderate for 5 nights. I figure we could purchase UPH upon arrival (acc. to Mousesavers.com), and this would actually be good b/c we only need them for 5 days/4 nights. Our total savings over current package available is about $154.

I know we have some time. Would it be better to book now and apply any codes if they come available, or just be patient and wait and see what happens? Is this "enough savings", otherwords would we be unlikely to save much more anyway?

 

[powellrj]

I would book the room now and add codes at a later date. Thats what we did last year when we were there at about the sametime.

 

[tar heel]

We've been that week four of the past five years and have had a discount every time! Usually, we did not get the discount until March, though. Last year, I booked the last two nights (with an AP discount) two days before we left home.

Unless there is a spectacular package like last year, you're going to come out better doing room only any way. Make sure you will really use the UPH before you choose it over park hoppers. Your trip is not very long -- are you sure you will want time away from the major parks/resorts?

 

[LglBlonde]

TarHeel

Our last day is a short one b/c of flights - so I don't see us going to the park on the 5th, so that would be the reason for the 5 day/4 nt UPH. I'd like to be able to have unlimited water parks since it'll be so hot, then again, we could hit the pools at our resort. Hmm... Something to think about. I think it's $37 more a person to do UPH over PHP. I know with PHP we would get two plus passes, would those be enough

ANother good point is that this is our first trip! Will we even have time away from major parks? I.e., i see what you are saying, don't pay for what you don't need!

 

[tar heel]

LglBlonde

I can't imagine you wanting to go to water parks more than twice in four days unless you have bored, cynical teenagers who have decided that there's only two attractions they are willing to do at the parks. Getting there takes a while and is a good bit of trouble IMO and they are crowded in the afternoons, which is the only time we want to go. If you are at a resort with a good pool, you may not want to go at all. The most water park trips we've ever made was one -- on an eight-night Disney trip!

Were DisneyQuest or Pleasure Island a consideration? We don't do PI b/c we're traveling with minors. DQ is not a plus, though and some people buy the UPH b/c they want to spend a lot of time there.

Is your price comparison a 5-day hopper plus? If that is the case, you will go home with a day left which you can use on another trip.

As you can probably tell, I'm not a fan of the UPH because I think most people pay extra for things they don't use.

 

[LglBlonde]

Yep - I was comparing 5 day PHP. PI is sort of a consideration - we are a younger couple w/o kids. I could see us possibly wantign to do that.

OfficialTicketCenter.com has 5 day PHP plus for $256. Mousesavers.com states that 5 days/4 nts UPH is $300 at the resort. OTC.com also has a 4 day plus, that is $216. However, I was figurign the 5 day would have 2 plusses and the four day probably only one. I understand the 4 day PHP is somewhat unusual. I can see us using 5 days - Mon, Tue, Wed, Thur, Fri, but not saturday, since our flight leaves early afternoon. (We are flying in Sat, 5/29, but staying with family Sat & Sun nights in Tampa)

 

[LglBlonde]

I'm not too familiar with Disney Quest....

Just looked it up. DH would probalby be into that. HOwever, OTC.com lists tickets for $23/each so we could add two of those if he'd want to do that and still come out ahead probably.

 

[jeankeri]

You can get DQ tickets as low as $21 (adult) through Ticketmania.com. Subscribe to the Mousesavers newsletter. There are links through that only for subscribers that have special Ticketmania prices. The newsletter comes out the 15th each month. Ticketmania prices include tax and shipping. They also never expire.

 

[powellrj]

One thing to keep in mind is that your park hoppers never expire. If you do buy the 5 day and only use 4 days, you can save the extra day. If you buy the 5 day with 2 plusses and use 4 days and 1 plus, you can come back again to use the extra days. Something you can't do with the UPH.

 

[harleyquinn]

You have to go to PI if your at all into nightlife. Df and I went in August and fell in love with the Adventurer's club ( it's a comedy skit club (not stand up). There's also reagular dance clubs and another comedy club. It's really, really fun. BTW df and I are not really into nightlife when we're not at Disney, bc PI is not normal night life

With df and I the UPH make sense b/c we go to PI probably 3-4 times plus we also go to DisneyQuest twice. So if we bought the passes seperately it would cost us more.

Though since you only have 5 days it would be better to get the regular hopper since you probably won't make it to the extras if you intend to go to all the parks.

 

[LglBlonde]

DH and I discussed last night. First trip for us both, we'd like to get to all four parks. I explained Disney Quest and PI to him. Specifcially about PI he said, I don't think we'd go more than twice...

 

[harleyquinn]

I think the 5-day hopper would work better for you. Then you can relax at the resort or spend time at the parks without thinking "have I done enough to make the UPH worth it?"

I would definitely buy a regular hopper if I could, but df insists on going to PI and DQ too much...oh well

BTW as I planned my first trip last year and am in the process of planning my honeymoon this year, I'd be happy to answer any questions for a fellow "young couple."
you can pm me or email me at triple_s@hotmail.com

we'll just miss you by a week or so

BTW what room only code did you find for that time period? I didn't think there was one and I'm a mousesavers-aholic

 

[harleyquinn]

Oh nevermind I see $133 is the rack rate for that time period...

 

[LglBlonde]

Hey - it's a AAA discount. 15% off standard rate basically.

They said rack rate was $177 ($886 for 5 nts) and we'd get it for ($150/nt or $753 for 5 nts.) I believe that was incl taxes/fees.

Where did you see $133? Would that be before tax?

 

[Straitlover]

Do you get the Mousesavers newsletter? Occasionally, their special is a 5 day PHP w/ 4 plusses.

If you haven't signed up yet, do it soon. The next one goes out 2/15!

 

[LglBlonde]

Just called my AAA agent and boy did that pay off!! I'd save $71 by prepaying the whole five days. That's a nice dinner right there.

Total price for 5 nts May 31-June5 at a moderate, including all taxes and fees = $682. That works out to $136 a night and pretax $121 a nt by my calculations.

Details are that it is full refundable until 5 days out. Within five days, you lose one night.

Will probably book in a few weeks. Agent said it wasn't a deal that would expire or anything anytime soon.

 

[HunnyPots]

I stayed at CBR last year 6/1-6/7 for $94 per night plus tax. I used a code from Mousesavers that was available to anyone. The current codes expire on 2/9 so it may not be much longer before the new ones come out. When they do, you should be able to do much better than $133 per night.

 

[LglBlonde]

Thanks so much HoneyPot - I'm hoping so! I'm considering booking at that rate and it's fully refundable, so I can add a discount code that is better later, or I can cancel & rebook.

Any idea on how good the discount codes were for a deluxe, particularly Wilderness Lodge? We'd upgrade if we could do it reasonably!!

 

[tar heel]

Standard rooms at WL and AKL were in the same range as the moderate price you have with last summer's code. I don't remember exactly b/c we have five people and don't qualify for a standard room.

I still think you will be able to get a better price than that on a moderate.

 

[LglBlonde]

So could we get WL or AKL for the range of $130-$140?