Need help with DL packages!

[helenb]

I swear, every time I go to Disney they have completely revamped all of their packages and benefits and such. I haven't been to DLR since 2008 (went to WDW in 2009 and 2010) and everything is all new, it seems. I have a couple of questions.

I'm looking at a AAA package and a direct-from-Disney package. The direct package is about $50 cheaper (giving me a AAA rate on the hotel room at GC). Why is this? Is there something offered in the AAA package that the Disney package doesn't have?

My AAA rep (who was clueless) mentioned something about free parking, but is that right? I thought parking was a daily $15 fee that was automatically charged by the hotels? If there is free parking in the AAA package, which parking garage/area does it apply to? Can I use that 'free parking' to get a discount on valet parking at the GC?

Another question: MM/early entry. I thought anyone staying at a DLR hotel automatically got MM/early entry. Now I'm told that this comes along with the park hoppers but you get it only once during your stay. So which is it? Do I get MM every day it is offered during my stay? Or is it just once?

And I know this is a long shot, BUT... we went to DL the year that AAA was offering the multiple fastpasses at once deal. That was AWESOME! Is there any way to get that deal now?

Lastly, I get that WOC is a water/light show like Fantasmic, but what is the deal with fastpasses? Do you have to reserve time to go see the show? I thought it was outdoors for general viewing?

Thanks for any help you can give! I feel like a newbie again...

 

[sonnyjane]

My AAA rep (who was clueless) mentioned something about free parking, but is that right? I thought parking was a daily $15 fee that was automatically charged by the hotels? If there is free parking in the AAA package, which parking garage/area does it apply to? Can I use that 'free parking' to get a discount on valet parking at the GC?

I believe AAA packages allow you free parking at THE PARKS (so the Mickey & Friends lot, Toy Story lot, and Pumbaa one if it is open). That discount doesn't apply to free parking at the on-site resorts so, if you're planning to stay on-site, that perk isn't valuable at all since you can't park overnight at the theme park lots.

Another question: MM/early entry. I thought anyone staying at a DLR hotel automatically got MM/early entry. Now I'm told that this comes along with the park hoppers but you get it only once during your stay. So which is it? Do I get MM every day it is offered during my stay? Or is it just once?

A park-hopper ticket of three days or more includes one MM day no matter where you are staying. Staying on-site allows you entry to MM any day that it is offered (almost always Tues, Thurs, Sat, and Sun), no matter what kind of ticket you have.

And I know this is a long shot, BUT... we went to DL the year that AAA was offering the multiple fastpasses at once deal. That was AWESOME! Is there any way to get that deal now?

They are not doing anything like that at this time.

Lastly, I get that WOC is a water/light show like Fantasmic, but what is the deal with fastpasses? Do you have to reserve time to go see the show? I thought it was outdoors for general viewing?

It is outdoors, but not for general viewing. You can get a free fastpass in the morning to come back at a certain time that night, you can buy a $15 picnic lunch that gives you a FP to the same viewing area as the free passes if you don't have time to pick one up in the morning, or you can buy a $40 dinner package that includes a pass to a slightly better "preferred" viewing area. If you don't have any type of FP, the only place you can watch is from behind the projectors on the other side of the lagoon, away from the sounds and images - in other words, don't even bother. Here is the WOC Superthread to help you learn more: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2542717

Thanks for any help you can give! I feel like a newbie again...

 

[helenb]

Thank you! I appreciate all the information!

 

[sonnyjane]

Thank you! I appreciate all the information!

Yup! I did want to add that depending on the time that you will be traveling, the value of the "extras" can be marginal. For example, if you go during the off-season, you'll have no trouble getting a seat for It's Tough to Be a Bug or Muppets, so why pay for the "preferred seating?" Also, a recent thread mentioned that even though you get "preferred seating" for Aladdin, you still have to show up 30 minutes prior to the show, whereas people without preferred seating could just walk up after they opened the doors. It's almost always cheaper to book the room and tickets separately, so I encourage you to price it out both ways and decide if the extra "perks" are worth the price difference!

 

[helenb]

Normally I would agree with you, but we're going in July, so other than AAA, there are no discounts to be had.

 

[sonnyjane]

Normally I would agree with you, but we're going in July, so other than AAA, there are no discounts to be had.

Yes, but what I'm saying is the price of the room and tickets separately with no discount might be less than the price of the AAA "discount" package because of all the unnecessary extras they include. Just make sure you price them out separately to compare. There was a post not too long ago about AAA and the fact that you can find cheaper prices for the on-sites through Expedia and Orbitz than you could with a AAA discount package.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Normally I would agree with you, but we're going in July, so other than AAA, there are no discounts to be had.

Any summer discounts won't be announced until the current promo is done in April, so it's possible there will be some discount in July.

 

[DahliaRW]

I definitely wouldn't book a package until you know the summer promos. You can book a room only reservation directly, if you want to make sure you have a room, and then convert it to a package or apply a new rate whenever just by calling. Fully cancelable as long as you do it 5 days in advance. And I agree with the PP, usually booking everything seperately is cheaper than the packages. So price it out.

 

[helenb]

I did price it out (using AAA room only rate at GC + park tickets from Ares Travel) and it was about the same (within $20 for 4 people). I don't mind getting a room only reservation and changing it, but I thought ticket prices were supposed to go up in May? I didn't want to wait around to buy tickets and lose out.

 

[Huff]

You may look into costcotravel.com Disney packages. They are the same price as Disneyland.com but includes dining at a premium character meal location which is a substantial savings.

However, I find booking seperate and getting the best deal I can on each usually saves more. Not sure this works well for onsite stays rather than good neighbor hotels.

 

[wdwfan22]

Sonnyjane answered everything. But I will say that I am really surprised booking it separatly did not lower the price. For every pkg I have checked, I always found it for much cheaper booking separate. My guess why it did not is that Disney hasn't released there summer room only specials. If it were me, I would book the hotel now, and keep an eye on prices. When they announce summer specials, you can adjust the price. I have not heard of tickets going up in May, I think they usually increase later in the summer, but who knows. You can always buy the tickets now if you want, or wait and if you read they are going up for sure, buy them then.

 

[Mama Who]

You may look into costcotravel.com Disney packages. They are the same price as Disneyland.com but includes dining at a premium character meal location which is a substantial savings.

However, I find booking seperate and getting the best deal I can on each usually saves more. Not sure this works well for onsite stays rather than good neighbor hotels.

I just checked Costco and even accounting for the free character meal and $20 gift card our week in DL is still almost $200 cheaper booking with getawaytoday.com . I have to check AAA too, but so far GAT has consistently been our best price and we've had excellent luck with them. Two adults, one teen, one infant we're looking at about $1200 for park tickets and hotel.

 

[blackjackdelta]

Three years ago the costco package was less expensive than pricing things out separately with the current specials at that time. Best to compare.

Jack

 

[DahliaRW]

Usually booking seperately is cheaper when there are specials on park tickets. Packages still charge full value for tickets. That tends to be the difference.

I've gone 2x in recent years. The first time booking a package was something like $20 more, so I did that for the perks since that wasn't much. The last time a package was a good $600 more, so we booked seperately.

 

[helenb]

Usually booking seperately is cheaper when there are specials on park tickets. Packages still charge full value for tickets. That tends to be the difference.

I've gone 2x in recent years. The first time booking a package was something like $20 more, so I did that for the perks since that wasn't much. The last time a package was a good $600 more, so we booked seperately.

That's pretty much what I've found in the past as well. I just wasn't expecting any 'specials' for summer, since it was high season.

I appreciate all the good advice. I'm going to book the room only at AAA rate and then check later to see if good specials come up in May. Hopefully if I check *right* at the end of April/beginning of May then I can still snag some passes at the lower rate (if indeed ticket prices are going up in May).

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

Have you checked with the folks at Dreams Unlimited Travel - the ones that own and operate the DISboards? They might be able to help you find the best price.

Just a thought.

 

[helenb]

I did. They said there were no discounts right now.

 

[tanyaewa]

The AAA parking perk is daily free parking at Mickey & Friends lot. It is a great savings if you are staying off-site. We hotwired a $39 hotel room & used AAA 5 for the price of 3 passes last year - and it was a very great deal.

Keep poking around. I am waiting until post April 14th to see what will be available for our Sept 2011 Dl trip.

 

[nancy drew]

Can I piggyback a question?

I'm in the pre-planning stages for a potential late August trip, and have been pricing out hotel/ticket packages. Am I understanding, from this thread, that in the coming months the park ticket price may increase, or that there may be specials offered on the park tickets?