New offer is out - I waited for this???

[disneyfantotheend]

First, different deals work out to save different amounts for different families. It drives me crazy when people make a flat statement like the percent off deal is a much better one or the free dining deal saves so much more money. It is okay when people say it saves "our family" so much more. Then it is a fact and not a statement telling everyone to book that deal. Many of us know that, but some new members may come on and take your advice and some other deal could save their family much more.

Second, I totally understand your frustration OP. I don't get why people always attack those who cannot pay premium prices to go to WDW. If you can do it that is great, but not everyone can. I am assuming the OP needs at least 2 rooms with 2 adults and 4 teens. That could be where the price discrepency comes in. Then again they may feel, why stay value, when they can stay at the beach in a much nicer hotel cheaper. Nothing wrong with that. Because you choose Disney over the other options doesn't mean everyone will?

I am sorry you could not use the pin. I too am waiting for a fall deal, but I do have a percent off deal that is saving me a little money, so if worse comes to worse we will be sticking with that. I am sure something will come up, but understand your frustration and I know many people can not wait until the last minute to ask for time off work and such. I hope you have a great vacation wherever you decide to go.

 

[leahjade]

You just need to stay at a less expensive hotel.

How can we get less expensive than All Stars????? I just did a quote again and it's 4000 for 6 people for 7 nights with tickets so I'm not sure why I'm getting all this sarcasm. Then you add another $1200 for flights and food - no way it will happen without a good deal offer.

Sorry but it sounds like you arent living within your means here?

WHAT???? We pay cash for all our vacations, have no credit card debt so not sure what you are talking about??
But we do have a vacation budget of $5000 and it will not happen without a good offer and being a responsible person, I will look for a great deal, Disney or not!

 

[tallen429]

I have the Disney Visa and I would love to get that deal! Not complaining, we are already booked for June with the $500 GC but for our family, free QS dining would be worth a few hundred dollars more that the GC.

 

[leahjade]

I hope you have a great vacation wherever you decide to go

Thanks so much Disneyfantotheend. I was started to feel attacked for trying to be financially responsible for our family! We are not looking for DELUXE, that's for sure. With a family of 6, we count pennies and WDW is not always large- family friendly with their hotels. We would love to stay onsite, but as you said, we need to make a decision soon with six work and school schedules, etc. And I won't put our family in debt to take a vacation that's not a great deal and within our budget.

 

[Bridge203618]

Thanks so much Disneyfantotheend. I was started to feel attacked for trying to be financially responsible for our family! We are not looking for DELUXE, that's for sure. With a family of 6, we count pennies and WDW is not always large- family friendly with their hotels. We would love to stay onsite, but as you said, we need to make a decision soon with six work and school schedules, etc. And I won't put our family in debt to take a vacation that's not a great deal and within our budget.

Just curious if this is 2 adults and 4 kids (either teens or adult children). The only reason I ask is that I plan to go back to Disney again in about 5 years and I figure my 19 year old (then) won't want to. Do you have teens or young adults that still enjoy this as their family vacation?

 

[damone]

How can we get less expensive than All Stars????? I just did a quote again and it's 4000 for 6 people for 7 nights with tickets so I'm not sure why I'm getting all this sarcasm. Then you add another $1200 for flights and food - no way it will happen without a good deal offer.

No sarcasm - I'm being serious. 2 rooms at the All Stars for 7 nights should run you no more than $1,400. Then tickets for 6 days for 6 people should run you about $1,600. That's only $3,000. Are you going just by rack rate, or are you trying for AAA?

Another option is buy an annual pass. There are AP discounts for August right now that would bring the total of the rooms down to about $1,000 - For both. Now you're down to about $2,700.

The problem is, you're putting all of your eggs into the free dining basket.

 

[Bridge203618]

I priced it too during summer rates because I thought 4k was crazy. But if she is going in the summer, one room at a value resort with 7 day tickets was 2k. Now that might be with park hopper and water park but maybe that is what they need. It is 4K for the suite, it wasn't any cheaper rack rate for 2 rooms.

 

[damone]

I priced it too during summer rates because I thought 4k was crazy. But if she is going in the summer, one room at a value resort with 7 day tickets was 2k. Now that might be with park hopper and water park but maybe that is what they need. It is 4K for the suite, it wasn't any cheaper rack rate for 2 rooms.

I just priced it out for the 1st week of August, and I got 2 rooms at All Stars, plus 6 day tickets for 6 people for $3,300, with the current promo being offered.

If $4K is too much, then you're better off going someplace else. With 6 people for 1 week, that's a completely realistic number.

 

[DISNEY1975]

Just curious if this is 2 adults and 4 kids (either teens or adult children). The only reason I ask is that I plan to go back to Disney again in about 5 years and I figure my 19 year old (then) won't want to. Do you have teens or young adults that still enjoy this as their family vacation?

I went 2 years ago with my DS17 and DS15 and DD5. during Thanksgiving week. MK was open until about 11 - 12am each night.

This is how my week went....

Got up each morning to take DD5 to character breakfasts at around 8:30.

Got phone call from boys around 11:30 saying they finally woke up and were at the entrance to the parks.

Walked miles to go find them because they couldnt get up with the rest of us.

Went to lunch with them..god forbid the place had characters, then we got the rolling eyes.

After lunch, got to listen to grown teens whine that they want to go back to the room to ...WATCH TV!" Or, even better, wanted $150 each to go jetskiing, wakeboarding etc..

Went to dinner with whole family.

Boys watched TV all night because they slept so late, they were not tired. The next morning they couldnt get out of bed because they watched TV all night and the whole cycle repeated.

Im so happy I spent thousands for our "family" vacation!

 

[leahjade]

We were pricing the family suite for a week with tickets and got $3900 so when you add on the airfare, food and tips, I'm way over my budget. It's doable with free dining - this is the first year we've been able to go during that time period so I've been hopeful. A 40% off package would work, too, but I doubt that will happen! Not much else I could cut out so for us, it's free dining or the beach - I just would like to get our plans done soon before everything books up - WDW or beach condos!

I figure my 19 year old (then) won't want to

Bridge, my kids are all teens and still love WDW. They like the coasters and can come and go on their own now which is great. They like downtown Disney, going to the pool, Disney Quest and the waterparks. I know every child is different, and we do alternate vacations between the beach and amusement parks so no one gets bored!

 

[mac_tlc]

My FSIL got a PIN offer - he is an annual passholder, no Disney Visa. Free quick service dining through 8/14/10. Value resorts start at $530 pp, 4 nt / 5 Day. Moderates start at $689 pp.

 

[kdm0516]

Disney Rewards offer:
If I log onto my account at www.chase.com and click on disney rewards they have the offer if booked by April 24, (I think) it is free dining for the kids. It is valid until Aug 14. Maybe the online offer is different for each account.

 

[disneyfantotheend]

Kids play and eat for free through Disney Visa has been out for awhile now. It won't do the OP any good though, her kids are teens and therefor Disney adults.

 

[dd50]

How can we get less expensive than All Stars????? I just did a quote again and it's 4000 for 6 people for 7 nights with tickets so I'm not sure why I'm getting all this sarcasm. Then you add another $1200 for flights and food - no way it will happen without a good deal offer.

WHAT???? We pay cash for all our vacations, have no credit card debt so not sure what you are talking about??
But we do have a vacation budget of $5000 and it will not happen without a good offer and being a responsible person, I will look for a great deal, Disney or not!

How can it be $4000 to stay at All Stars. We are going in July to Pop and for two rooms without a discount it is $1,942 and we are staying for 7 nights room only. With a discount it will be cheaper.

 

[damone]

How can it be $4000 to stay at All Stars. We are going in July to Pop and for two rooms without a discount it is $1,942 and we are staying for 7 nights room only. With a discount it will be cheaper.

She's adding the price of tickets in as well, and because she's holding out for free dining, she has to pay rack rate.

$4,000 for 6 people for 7 days, with 2 rooms, isn't all that bad. No one ever said Disney was cheap.

 

[leahjade]

$4,000 for 6 people for 7 days, with 2 rooms, isn't all that bad. No one ever said Disney was cheap.

$4000 doesn't count airfare or food so in these uncertain financial times, I will be holding out for a great deal. Those who can afford to pay full rack rate for their trip, more power to you! But I have a budget (saved in cash) that I won't go over for vacations. That's why my family has no debt and I want to keep it that way!

 

[damone]

$4000 doesn't count airfare or food so in these uncertain financial times, I will be holding out for a great deal. Those who can afford to pay full rack rate for their trip, more power to you! But I have a budget (saved in cash) that I won't go over for vacations. That's why my family has no debt and I want to keep it that way!

You don't have to pay rack rate - That's the whole point. You're only paying rack rate because you're holding out for free dining. In the meantime, you could just book with one of the discounts out there, and if free dining comes out and is cheaper, then just switch it.

 

[DAZY3BYZ]

$4000 doesn't count airfare or food so in these uncertain financial times, I will be holding out for a great deal. Those who can afford to pay full rack rate for their trip, more power to you! But I have a budget (saved in cash) that I won't go over for vacations. That's why my family has no debt and I want to keep it that way!

Good luck to you. I hope you get the free dining you're hoping for. I understand your pain with having teenagers to feed and how expensive that is at DW. Free dining saved us a TON of money last year!! We're booked this year with a 40% room discount. We're staying at AKL and that discount saves us a lot but not as much as free dining does when all your kids are considered "adults". I'm not complaining though baecause if we didn't have that pin offer we couldn't afford to go. Have a great vacation wherever you end up.

 

[Mama Steph]

OP, I am right there with you. We are going for 10 days at the end ofAugust and is FD is not offered, I may have to change some things. Dh and I have 5 kids (3 Dis adults) and my sis is joining us. I have 2 rooms booked at POP with a 30% PIN but FD would save more and is really what we need. Even QS dining would be good for us. We will be going either way and have airfare booked but we may stay offsite for some or all of the trip.

 

[luvdisney00]

You don't have to pay rack rate - That's the whole point. You're only paying rack rate because you're holding out for free dining. In the meantime, you could just book with one of the discounts out there, and if free dining comes out and is cheaper, then just switch it.

There are NO discounts out for after 8/14 unless you were lucky enough to get a pin. We are booked at rack rate because there isn't anything else at this point. We are hoping for FD but would take anything that they offer...anything would be better than full price.