Please help me make sure I understand my booking

[whatname]

Hello. I'm planning a trip to wdw for August 2015. I have read other threads but please check my understanding before I spend my money.

1. I just put a deposit down on booking, right?

2. I pay later. I don't want to get trip insurance to save some money, but I can cancel until a certain day with a refund? After the refund period, if I have to cancel, will they just let me rebook for a later time or am I just out all the money?

3. Do I have to add the dining plan now? Any reason to wait or just go ahead and do it? We do want dining.

4. If deals come out later - percent off, free dining, etc, can I call and have those applied to my ressie?

Anything else to think about? Thanks for helping!

 

[Gr8t Fan]

Yes, it's a $200 deposit on a new package. Keep an eye on discounts. If there is a new offer that comes out, they will adjust your package but only after you call. They won't do it automatically. We never use trip insurance. Packages must be paid in full by 45 days before the trip.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I would check with Disney on their refund policy if you have to cancel less than 45 days prior. I could guess but I think I'd be mixing it up with DCL's policy.
I do know for sure if you book as room only (no tickets) you can cancel without penalty up to 5 days prior.
If you would risk losing all your money with a last minute cancellation and you're ok with that I'd skip the insurance. If you would be pleading for mercy to have them bend on their policy, I'd get the ins. Insure my trip is much more reasonably priced than what Disney offers. They offer a variety of plans and insurers to choose from.

 

[davedmaine]

If you're trying to save money, don't do the dining plan..

 

[usd2bmd]

Hello. I'm planning a trip to wdw for August 2015. I have read other threads but please check my understanding before I spend my money.

1. I just put a deposit down on booking, right?

Deposits of at least $200 are due at booking.

2. I pay later. I don't want to get trip insurance to save some money, but I can cancel until a certain day with a refund? After the refund period, if I have to cancel, will they just let me rebook for a later time or am I just out all the money?

After 45 days there is a $200 cancellation fee if I remember correctly, plus any fees assessed by 3rd parties.

3. Do I have to add the dining plan now? Any reason to wait or just go ahead and do it? We do want dining.

You don't have to add it now. You can wait.

4. If deals come out later - percent off, free dining, etc, can I call and have those applied to my ressie?

This is why we book through Dreams unlimited Travel (they are associated with the DisBoards. They do all of that legwork for you. If a deal comes out after you are booked they will change the reservation for you to save you money. This to me is worth it. It doesn't cost you anymore to book through them and they will give you an itinerary that you can print out before your trip. They will make all of your dining reservations or any other plans you might want.

Anything else to think about? Thanks for helping!

As a previous poster mentioned Insure my trip in my opinion has better coverage options and is less expensive that the insurance through the Disney Travel Company. I know that they just recently switched companies as well.,

 

[Ladygoldenhair]

Hello. I'm planning a trip to wdw for August 2015. I have read other threads but please check my understanding before I spend my money.

1. I just put a deposit down on booking, right?

2. I pay later. I don't want to get trip insurance to save some money, but I can cancel until a certain day with a refund? After the refund period, if I have to cancel, will they just let me rebook for a later time or am I just out all the money?

3. Do I have to add the dining plan now? Any reason to wait or just go ahead and do it? We do want dining.

4. If deals come out later - percent off, free dining, etc, can I call and have those applied to my ressie?

Anything else to think about? Thanks for helping!

Trip insurance is inexpensive and considering how far away the trip is, you may want to reconsider. Mainly for the airfare if you are flying.
In order to cancel for varying reasons the insurance must be purchased within 14 days of the initial booking.

You have limited reasons to cancel after the 14 days. I had my Mom have a heart attack, right now my sister is very ill, my dh had a stroke earlier this year, you just don't know.

We had medical emergencies that the medical coverage didn't cover out of state bills. We had a dental emergency that was out of pocket. Just trying to save the $150 wasn't worth the added cost to our trip.

 

[Lewisc]

Trip insurance generally offers coverage if you need to cancel for specific, covered reasons. Some people think coverage is more extensive then it is.

 

[stsomewhere]

You can buy cancel for any reason insurance within 10 days of deposit. But it is more expensive than regular basic insurance.

You can get cancel due to work insurance- more expensive. You need to have note from emploer stating that you are needed at work.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Trip insurance generally offers coverage if you need to cancel for specific, covered reasons. Some people think coverage is more extensive then it is.

True. One should read the details of what's covered and what isn't.
I personally like the "cancel for work reasons". Now that my employer has combined sick & vac time in one bank, a serious illness or accident now could potentially drain all my time off. Then i wouldn't have enough hours in my bank to take vacation, even if the time off was approved far in advance.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

You can buy cancel for any reason insurance within 10 days of deposit. But it is more expensive than regular basic insurance.

You can get cancel due to work insurance- more expensive. You need to have note from emploer stating that you are needed at work.

Or the note can state the employee is unable to have off work on the dates of the trip.

 

[lttlmc3]

Let me see if I understand this. I book a package and put down $200 to hold it. Then, I take the rest of the time to pay it off until all is due until the actual trip. If I cancel before that 45 day mark, I get all my money back?

 

[Marionnette]

Let me see if I understand this. I book a package and put down $200 to hold it. Then, I take the rest of the time to pay it off until all is due until the actual trip. If I cancel before that 45 day mark, I get all my money back?

If you book a package:

• You will place a $200 deposit down at the time of booking.
• The balance will be due 45 days prior to your arrival.
• If you cancel with more than 45 days to go before your arrival, you will get all of your money back.
• If you cancel with 2-44 days remaining before your arrival, you you will be assessed a $200 cancellation fee and get any remaining money back.
• If you cancel with a day or less remaining prior to arrival, you lose 100% of your payment.
• If you make a change to your package with 44 days or less remaining until your arrival, you will be assessed a $50 change fee. This is often waived if the change results in a more expensive package price.

 

[lttlmc3]

This clears it up for me! Thank you!

 

[whatname]

Thanks for all the replies. If I can cancel at least 2 days out and lose only a couple hundred dollars, I'm o.k. with that. There would have to be a major reason for us to cancel that close. I know it happens, but I'll take a chance. Thanks for letting me know how it all works. I'll look at the Dreams Unlimited too.

I can't wait! We've only been one other time, about 5 years ago.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

If you book a package:

• You will place a $200 deposit down at the time of booking.
• The balance will be due 45 days prior to your arrival.
• If you cancel with more than 45 days to go before your arrival, you will get all of your money back.
• If you cancel with 2-44 days remaining before your arrival, you you will be assessed a $200 cancellation fee and get any remaining money back.
  [*]If you cancel with a day or less remaining prior to arrival, you lose 100% of your payment.
• If you make a change to your package with 44 days or less remaining until your arrival, you will be assessed a $50 change fee. This is often waived if the change results in a more expensive package price.

Thanks for clarifying. I was on my lunch break earlier and I wasn't 100% sure on that and didn't want to give misinformation.

To me, this is all the more reason to buy park tickets elsewhere. If you buy from Undercover Tourist and have to cancel last minute, your tickets are still yours and you don't lose $ on them.
I never used to buy insurance or worry about cancelling until my grandmother started getting older and having a lot of medical problems. Then my inlaws started too.
3 yrs ago my MIL had a heart attack the morning we were supposed to fly down for a Disney cruise the next day. I was so glad to have ins and know we wouldn't be out several thousand $. (She ended up with 2 stents and felt so much better by 2 pm and insisted we go. Really if it were my mother I would have cancelled but she insisted to dh and we cruised.)

Anyway, I'm showing my age. I never used to worry about such things.

 

[lauradis]

Hello. I'm planning a trip to wdw for August 2015. I have read other threads but please check my understanding before I spend my money.

1. I just put a deposit down on booking, right?

2. I pay later. I don't want to get trip insurance to save some money, but I can cancel until a certain day with a refund? After the refund period, if I have to cancel, will they just let me rebook for a later time or am I just out all the money?

3. Do I have to add the dining plan now? Any reason to wait or just go ahead and do it? We do want dining.

4. If deals come out later - percent off, free dining, etc, can I call and have those applied to my ressie?

Anything else to think about? Thanks for helping!

Check your house insurance sometimes they have "travel insurance"
AAA member has travel insurance too,
Disney travel insurance is way overpriced

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Thanks for all the replies. If I can cancel at least 2 days out and lose only a couple hundred dollars, I'm o.k. with that. There would have to be a major reason for us to cancel that close. I know it happens, but I'll take a chance. Thanks for letting me know how it all works. I'll look at the Dreams Unlimited too.

I can't wait! We've only been one other time, about 5 years ago.

If you're looking to save money you could skip the dining & book a room only reservation. The dining plan sounds nice but many people find it costs more than just paying for what you'd normally eat. A room only reservation requires you pay for the first night but that is fully refundable and cancellable up to 5 days prior to check in (no cancellation fee). If you cancel less than 5 days out you'll be out the first night charge but nothing else.

During part of August, Disney typically will have room only discounts that will come out in March or April. Here's a list of historical discounts offered: http://www.mousesavers.com/historical-information-on-walt-disney-world-resort-discounts/ Disney also might do a package discount with free or discounted dining or discounted tickets but it seems rarer during August.

You can buy the tickets separately from Undercover Tourist and save money on that too (I'd wait to do this until closer to the trip in case they release a package discount - If one doesn't come out by May you could go ahead and buy your tickets.)

 

[whatname]

Thanks for all the info. I'll check out different options for trip insurance and keep an eye out for any discounts. Plan to book soon! Really soon.