October 2011 Code Watch

[FigmentChick]

I think it is a good deal, too. We have stayed at the Marriott World Center before, so I know the location is great. I am really hoping for free dining so that we can stay on-site, but this is a great alternative if not. The free breakfast and extra sofa bed are great extras. We always rent a car, so the Disney transportation is not a perk we use, but I would miss the EMH hours.

We are going October 20th to October 31st.

Same here....we always rent a car. I have to be able to sit (have back damage) so it's a necessity. Also, I would miss the EMH, too. But if the price is right....I'm booking!!!

We are headed down October 20th as well, but we are coming home on the 29th. I need to handle end-of-month closing for my company and it is Halloween that day!

 

[crazycatlady]

Thanks to you wonderful ladies, we're now considering it as well. I'd love to stay at POR, but if I can save us $100 or more per night, well...that's $1,000 right there. I'd need free dining to get me to stay on property.

I can thank you enough for the info. Even though I get the mousesavers newsletters, sometimes I am slow to read them and this is an awesome deal. I'm gonna play with the spreadsheet and numbers (including parking and such) and see what's what. The only I think I didn't like with the room layouts was that there didn't seem to be a whole lot of closet space. That is one thing I absolutely love about the rooms at POR....we had enough space for all four pieces of luggage with room to spare.

thanks again!!!!!

I am glad I could be some help, but it was figmentswife that luckily reads her mousesavers newsletter better than we do.

 

[tambam500]

So it could be nothing but thought i would share here.

I got some info today that leads me to think that the next time Disney will advertise a new offer will be after Aug 13th. My husband is a cast member and we just tried to call and add dining to our reservation. It isn't always available for cast to add like it just was when we called. They did tell us to check back after Aug 13th since that is the last day in their system you can book till right now. Hmmmm. Just made me think a bit about maybe that is the next date to be on the lookout for.

 

[goNsoon2WDW]

So it could be nothing but thought i would share here.

I got some info today that leads me to think that the next time Disney will advertise a new offer will be after Aug 13th. My husband is a cast member and we just tried to call and add dining to our reservation. It isn't always available for cast to add like it just was when we called. They did tell us to check back after Aug 13th since that is the last day in their system you can book till right now. Hmmmm. Just made me think a bit about maybe that is the next date to be on the lookout for.

Hmmm... This is not the first mention of August 13th that I have heard. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[ckdisneyfan]

Hi all,

I usually book through disney and do everything myself but went through a travel agent this time to see how it goes...

We booked room only ressies, but if free dining comes out, we will convert to a package in order to take advantage of it. The TA told me that I should book a package now because "The resort pricing can still fluctuate and it is at its highest when free dining is out."

Has anyone else heard of this? I thought that the room rates for October were set? I realize that they will cancel our room only ressie and rebook as a package, but why would our room rate go up? (we have prefered rooms at CBR currently)

Is there something I am missing?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

Hi all,

I usually book through disney and do everything myself but went through a travel agent this time to see how it goes...

We booked room only ressies, but if free dining comes out, we will convert to a package in order to take advantage of it. The TA told me that I should book a package now because "The resort pricing can still fluctuate and it is at its highest when free dining is out."

Has anyone else heard of this? I thought that the room rates for October were set? I realize that they will cancel our room only ressie and rebook as a package, but why would our room rate go up? (we have prefered rooms at CBR currently)

Is there something I am missing?

Thanks in advance.

Do you have any sort of a discount for your room only ressie?

When you book the FD package, you are correct - you will need to cancel your room only reservation thus losing any discount you currently have ... plus with the FD package, there are no discounts on room rates, you will be paying rack rate.

 

[figmentswife]

I don't understand??? Why are so many people hoping for free dining?? I have done the calculations over and over again, and it is better to get a good room discount (at least 30%) then it is to get free dining. So why do so many jump on the dining? Do you get a better hotel choice or something? Please explain. What am I missing?

 

[Tltorrez]

Figments wife, the discounts are higher for better room classes. The numbers are a lot closer for Values. But for a Deluxe we definitely save more on the room-only.

And that's assuming the free dining is a good deal for your family in the first place. The way we eat it would be a total waste. But the truth is Disney makes money on the dining plan and most people don't even realize it. Unofficial has a chapter that goes through the math on why most families lose when they pay for the dining plan. Tack on the word "free" and many people don't do the calculations at all.

 

[crazycatlady]

I don't understand??? Why are so many people hoping for free dining?? I have done the calculations over and over again, and it is better to get a good room discount (at least 30%) then it is to get free dining. So why do so many jump on the dining? Do you get a better hotel choice or something? Please explain. What am I missing?

We have 2 teenagers who can put away a fair amount of food, so if we are paying out of pocket for food (including snacks), we need to budget at least $1,000 or more for our 11 night stay. Since we really like POP, which is only approximately $115-$125/night, the room discount does not come close to saving us $1000+. Plus the added comfort of having everything paid up front, being able to go to almost any restaurant you want, and being able to order anything you want are giant plusses. Desserts with every meal and a lot of snacks is not the way we usually eat, especially when we are out as we could not afford it. Free dining is by far the best savings for our family.

If you have a smaller family, smaller kids who get a price discount on food, or stay at deluxes, then the room discount would help your family out more than ours.

 

[FigmentChick]

We have 2 teenagers who can put away a fair amount of food, so if we are paying out of pocket for food (including snacks), we need to budget at least $1,000 or more for our 11 night stay. Since we really like POP, which is only approximately $115-$125/night, the room discount does not come close to saving us $1000+. Plus the added comfort of having everything paid up front, being able to go to almost any restaurant you want, and being able to order anything you want are giant plusses. Desserts with every meal and a lot of snacks is not the way we usually eat, especially when we are out as we could not afford it. Free dining is by far the best savings for our family.

If you have a smaller family, smaller kids who get a price discount on food, or stay at deluxes, then the room discount would help your family out more than ours.

Ditto. I have two adults according to Disney (an 11 and a 10 year old). And let me tell you...they both can eat me out of house and home (especially when my son is off his medication; which he will be in Disney). And we like to take that break in the middle of the day (we tend to choose lunch ADRs rather than dinners) to take a breather, relax and eat. We like eating where normally we never would.

For us, staying at a moderate, it's six of one, half a dozen of the other. Free dining would roughly break even with a room discount because of the percentage usually given to mods. So, we choose the free dining and get to pick where we want to eat and enjoy food we normally wouldn't. We're really not "table service" people on a regular basis, but free dining allows us to do that and not feel like we're breaking the bank.

Hope that helps, at least from my family's perspective.

 

[milmore104]

I don't understand??? Why are so many people hoping for free dining?? I have done the calculations over and over again, and it is better to get a good room discount (at least 30%) then it is to get free dining. So why do so many jump on the dining? Do you get a better hotel choice or something? Please explain. What am I missing?

If we're staying at Pop Free Dining saves us $1380. A room discount saves us $665. So FD is better for us. If we're staying at AKL it works out the same. Beach club would save us $1600 w/ a room discount. So it would be better than FD.

It all depends on the resort level and how many people are getting the FD. My oldest DD just moved up from a "child" to and "adult". So her DDP is an extra $34 a night.

Trust me I do the calulations again and again in every way shape and form. Trying to find what deal works out best for us!

 

[figmentswife]

Ok, so it seems to depend on the family...We are a family of 4...2 adults and a 16 year old and a 9 year old....the 16 year old is not going with is this trip (CRAZY RIGHT???). We are going to 7 days and I have budgeted $800 for food, we will take in 1 snack and a water. We are normal to smaller eaters so from what every one says about the portion sizes I feel like I would be throwing money away buying the meal package.

I need to back up and tell you this.....We already have our tickets, and we are willing to stay off property (but would LOVE to stay on). We ARE willing to buy a package and either sell the tickets (I have all receipts that can be verified with Disney) or use them for another trip

When I called Disney this weekend and found out we had a pin code I priced out everything again, and if we did the dining at a Value resort, getting only 1 day tickets to use later and still using the 7 day passes we have already purchased, it came out to the same cost that we are paying to stay in a suite off property.

I will say that I really want to space in a room if I can get it, but I am willing to stay in a standard room in a moderate if I can get a good enough deal.

Let me also tell you that I can stay at the Dolphin/Swan for the price most would pay for a discounted Value...but only IF they are offering employee rates (at this time they are not) AND our food would be 1/2 price any time we eat there.

So, I am holding out for 1 of these 2 things......Dolphin/Swan employee rates for my stay, OR very reduced rates at a moderate Disney.

This my be way the FD doesn't work out for me.

 

[sjs314]

Hi all,

I usually book through disney and do everything myself but went through a travel agent this time to see how it goes...

We booked room only ressies, but if free dining comes out, we will convert to a package in order to take advantage of it. The TA told me that I should book a package now because "The resort pricing can still fluctuate and it is at its highest when free dining is out."

Has anyone else heard of this? I thought that the room rates for October were set? I realize that they will cancel our room only ressie and rebook as a package, but why would our room rate go up? (we have prefered rooms at CBR currently)

Is there something I am missing?

Thanks in advance.

The room rates are set, as someone mentioned when FD is offered to get it you have to pay rack rate. I do know that if you book a room only and FD comes out you can not just apply it to your reservation if available for your dates/resort/room catagory but will need to have a new reservation/deposit as package deposit and room only deposits are not interchangable.

I would say the TA want you to book a package now so that if FD comes out it will be easier for her to change over if FD is offered without needing an additional deposit from you at that time.

Ex.....you book a room only at a value now and put down the deposit of one nights room rate(required) say aprox $100 , then FD is released and you now book that which is a package requireing tix etc your new deposit amounts needs to be $200 so the TA will need an additional $200 from you to book the FD

Will be easier for all involved

I don't understand??? Why are so many people hoping for free dining?? I have done the calculations over and over again, and it is better to get a good room discount (at least 30%) then it is to get free dining. So why do so many jump on the dining? Do you get a better hotel choice or something? Please explain. What am I missing?

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It all depends on what level resort you stay at and how many people on your reservation.
I know for DH and I the savings is very little over the 20% pin we are now booked with I think when I did the calculations it was around $90. If they would come out with a better % off GP say of 30% that would save us an additonal $200.

Basically your savings go down when your catagory of resort rises since you have to pay rack rate which offsets the savings of the FD promo based on number of people on the reservation.

 

[ckdisneyfan]

The room rates are set, as someone mentioned when FD is offered to get it you have to pay rack rate. I do know that if you book a room only and FD comes out you can not just apply it to your reservation if available for your dates/resort/room catagory but will need to have a new reservation/deposit as package deposit and room only deposits are not interchangable.

I would say the TA want you to book a package now so that if FD comes out it will be easier for her to change over if FD is offered without needing an additional deposit from you at that time.

Ex.....you book a room only at a value now and put down the deposit of one nights room rate(required) say aprox $100 , then FD is released and you now book that which is a package requireing tix etc your new deposit amounts needs to be $200 so the TA will need an additional $200 from you to book the FD

Will be easier for all involved

That is what I was thinking - since we are already paying full price for our room, the room price will not go up....thank you for the info

 

[disneygal58]

Another Monday, another week of hoping for a GP discount...

 

[k9muttlover]

I don't understand??? Why are so many people hoping for free dining?? I have done the calculations over and over again, and it is better to get a good room discount (at least 30%) then it is to get free dining. So why do so many jump on the dining? Do you get a better hotel choice or something? Please explain. What am I missing?

Like others have said, it depends on your eating habits and where you stay. My husband and I like to have sit down dining and would include the dining plan on our package regardless of if it were free or not. For us, it's still cheaper than paying OOP for our meals (because we like to eat!). We have a different discount on our package right now, but if FD became available, it'd save us another $400.

But it's different for everyone and it's important to do the math so you know what discount is right for you.

 

[brea]

I don't understand??? Why are so many people hoping for free dining?? I have done the calculations over and over again, and it is better to get a good room discount (at least 30%) then it is to get free dining. So why do so many jump on the dining? Do you get a better hotel choice or something? Please explain. What am I missing?

Not everyone looks at the pure dollar value of a given discount even with the countless breakdowns that exist here that talk to it. They consider food to be the largest because it hits their pockets the most when at WDW. Notice I said it the most while there. The costs they pay up front for room, transportation, tickets, etc... are in a different category in their mind as they're gone from consideration once paid for.

Plain and simple they're trying to address situation costs vs. overall value/savings.

 

[MikeP22]

Does anyone think it's likely that there will be a code for late October? Notably, we'd like to stay for two nights in a savannah view room at the AKL. Does that seem like something that might come through, or is that very unlikely?

 

[VroomVroomLightning]

Like others have said, it depends on your eating habits and where you stay. My husband and I like to have sit down dining and would include the dining plan on our package regardless of if it were free or not. For us, it's still cheaper than paying OOP for our meals (because we like to eat!). We have a different discount on our package right now, but if FD became available, it'd save us another $400.

But it's different for everyone and it's important to do the math so you know what discount is right for you.

Not going until November but we are in the same situation! We currently have a room discount of 20% but if we get free dining that will take our cost down about another $400!

 

[DJ Disney Kid]

Last year the codes came out on August 16th