Premium Plan for One Night Just for the Tours, LaNouba, etc.??

[scottmel]

I have a 12 year old girl.

After looking everything over I decided the only way to go was Platinum.

This adds the Spa service (10 and up get it) which most girls love, I know mine will.
Dolphins in Depth and Aqua Seas tours (both indoors and allow younger guests)
Victoria & Alberts (which my foodie child will love)
The fireworks cruise, a treat at any age
And the Photo CD, which we often buy.

All in all we'll get a lot more value on this plan than Premium. Although we tend to stay at the AKL so the need for a Deluxe room was not a part of my math.

We booked AKL room only, AKL package, AKL room only to avoid having to change rooms. This is not the cheapest way to do it, but I am sick of resort hopping.

Thanks Haley. Help me understand the cost if you could. So you booked the full stay at AKL and will have premium every night? We usually stay Club Level at YC but I don't think I could swing that rack rate - no way. I would be willing to lose club and stay standard if it meant not resort switching but would this require me to keep the premium plan the ENTIRE stay? Or do you mean you stay at AKL but change rooms to terminate the package early? Would you mind sharing your exact touring plan with me thanks!!!

 

[let'sgo]

Does anyone know the times that the Richard Petty ride along is offered on the Platinum plan?

 

[Symans3honeybees]

Does anyone know the times that the Richard Petty ride along is offered on the Platinum plan?

They end the rides at 4pm.

 

[weHEARTmickey]

If you are just booking parasailing and the like try the direct number for Sammy Duvall Watersports Center (407)939-0754 I am pretty sure I booked our premium plan ressies directly thru them. Fast and painless. Tell them you are on the PP, but you will still have to leave a credit card guarantee.

I went parasailing and you remain completely dry. However, whenever we did sea raycers I got soaked. When another boat goes by, the wake will sometimes come right up the front of the boat and dump inside. DH was the one at the wheel, and once he stayed dry, but another time he got soaked, the same as me (passenger). If you absolutely don't want to get wet, rent a larger boat. Just a heads up.

Thanks guys! We booked parasailing after my DD & I ride horses. DH & DS7 will get to do it too. (We're hoping they even get to golf since DH is STILL on crutches after 4 weeks with a grade 3 calf tear.) Can't believe we're only 2 weeks out!!!!

 

[HaleyB]

Thanks Haley. Help me understand the cost if you could. So you booked the full stay at AKL and will have premium every night? We usually stay Club Level at YC but I don't think I could swing that rack rate - no way. I would be willing to lose club and stay standard if it meant not resort switching but would this require me to keep the premium plan the ENTIRE stay? Or do you mean you stay at AKL but change rooms to terminate the package early? Would you mind sharing your exact touring plan with me thanks!!!

What I did was string three reservations together with only 1 night on Platinum. I booked Club Level for all three stays and then contacted them to double check that they could keep us in the same room (which they said was no problem). Additionally we'll be able to grab a really quick breakfast before early tours and they can handle all the checking in/out in the lounge so that aspect will be less of a hassle as well. Since we are view snobs at AKL upgrading to CL makes a ton of sense, it is very little more than the preferred savannah view.

 

[HaleyB]

They end the rides at 4pm.

Also it is not something you can book a time for, you just show up and they fit you in as soon as they can. I have never sdone it but have had several people tell me to budget about an hour to an hour and a half for it. HTH.

 

[PureTcrazy]

PureTcrazy:


I have a thought regarding your meals. Instead of paying OOP for Coral Reef, why not pay OOP for mom & friend at BREAKFAST and let them use the plan credits for the CR meal since it will be more costly and includes an appetizer, entree and dessert!

Great Idea! Thanks!!

 

[Bronte]

I was thinking about doing this ... Is it possible to get all this into a "one night" package ???
Friday Night to Saturday Night for four adults ...
In order of importance here is what we would like to do ...

Dolphins in Depth and Aqua Seas tours
All the Segway Tours
Parasailing
La Nouba
Behind Our Steam Trains Tour
Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show
Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue Dinner Show
Breakfast at the Castle

Here is another question
The Dolphins in the Depth and Aqua Seas Tours are not listed under the Premium Plan for 2011 ... are they not included anymore ???

 

[gibbersome]

I was thinking about doing this ... Is it possible to get all this into a "one night" package ???
Friday Night to Saturday Night for four adults ...
In order of importance here is what we would like to do ...

Dolphins in Depth and Aqua Seas tours
All the Segway Tours
Parasailing
La Nouba
Behind Our Steam Trains Tour
Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show
Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue Dinner Show
Breakfast at the Castle

Here is another question
The Dolphins in the Depth and Aqua Seas Tours are not listed under the Premium Plan for 2011 ... are they not included anymore ???

Nope, they never were under the Premium plan as far as I know. Those two tours are only offered under the Platinum plan.

 

[beautifultomorrow]

I was thinking about doing this ... Is it possible to get all this into a "one night" package ???
Friday Night to Saturday Night for four adults ...
In order of importance here is what we would like to do ...

Dolphins in Depth and Aqua Seas tours
All the Segway Tours
Parasailing
La Nouba
Behind Our Steam Trains Tour
Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show
Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue Dinner Show
Breakfast at the Castle

Here is another question
The Dolphins in the Depth and Aqua Seas Tours are not listed under the Premium Plan for 2011 ... are they not included anymore ???

As stated by gibbersome, Dolphins and Aqua Seas are only available on platinum plan (and don't forget you must stay rack rate at a deluxe to do platinum).

You could do MOST of that stuff. The problem is a lot of tours are offered at the same time. If you finesse the schedule you might be able to fit two tours in per morning, but I am not sure if there is enough transportation time. Also I dont know how early CRT opens and how long that would take.

Basically, these are the available tour times according to wdwinfo.com, all tours may not be offered everyday.

Steam Trains 7:30 am (3 hrs)
Epcot Segway 7:45, 8:30, 9, 9:30 (2 hr)
Ft. Wilderness Segway 8:30, 11:30 am (2 hrs)
Dolphins in Depth 9:45 am (3 hrs)
Aqua Seas 12:30 (2-3 hrs)


I am guessing for the dinner shows you could probably do the 6pm showing of La Nouba and a late dinner show or vice versa.

Regarding the platinum plan, if it is really important to you do to the tours at the Seas you might want to consider adding more of the platinum "exclusive" offerings -- Victoria & Albert's, spa treatments, Richard Petty driving experience, fireworks cruise, etc. -- otherwise it might not be worth the significant upcharge ($100's when you factor in hotel costs) to do platinum. All of the other activities you mention can be done with the premium plan.

 

[2ofUs]

I was thinking about doing this ... Is it possible to get all this into a "one night" package ???
Friday Night to Saturday Night for four adults ...
In order of importance here is what we would like to do ...


Behind Our Steam Trains Tour
FW Segway Tour
Epcot Segway Tour
Parasailing
Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show
Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue Dinner Show
La Nouba
Breakfast at the Castle

Here is another question
The Dolphins in the Depth and Aqua Seas Tours are not listed under the Premium Plan for 2011 ... are they not included anymore ???

Dolphins in Depth and Aqua Seas tours - NOT PART OF PREMIUM

TOURS:
Behind Our Steam Trains Tour (7:30 - arrive by 7:15 / can be done by 10am)
FW Segway Tour (11:30 - arrive by 11:15 / out by 1:30)
Epcot Segway Tour (as early at 7:45 - arrive by 7:30)

ACTIVITIES:
Parasailing

EVENINGS:
Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show (5:15 - check-in by 4:45 or 8:15 - check-in by 7:45)
Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue Dinner Show (3 shows: 5 / 7 / 9?)

La Nouba (6pm - arrive by 5:30 or 9pm - arrive by 8:30)

Breakfast at the Castle (first generally at 8:00 am)

Others have discussed the Dolphin/Seas tours, so you know they are not available on the Premium Plan.

For Segway tours, YES, you can do BOTH, but you would have to give up both mornings, meaning no other tours and no breakfast at CRT.

HOWEVER, you could tie the 7:30am Train Tour together with the FW Segway @ 11:30.

This tour gets you into MK before ANY OTHER guests, even those going to CRT for breakfast. The tour is over by 9:30-9:45, but you end up at the train station where the guide shares a lot of information and gives out the tour pins.

When you gather outside MK at 7:15, tell the guide (probably Jim depending on the day) that you need to leave his tour to be at the MK boat dock by 10:15-10:30 to catch the boat over to FW. (You have to allow transport time as once you get to FW, you still need time to use an internal bus to Mike's Bike Barn to be there by the 11:15am check-in time.) He will make sure you get your pins and can leave the group discussion.

You will be done with the FW Segway tour by 1:30 so you could then either boat over to Contemporary and do some Parasailing then head to your room to change for dinner - or - just go to your room to rest.

Plan to do the FIRST dinner show for either SoA or HDDR and you will be out in time to get to the 9pm La Nouba. You should be at the voucher-to-ticket exchange window by 8:20 or so to be inside and seated well before the show begins. There is a bit of a pre-show activity (for about 20 min) that is fun to see and sets the scene for the show.

HDDR is more time-consuming as far as transportation goes than SoA. But HDDR is right by an area that offers carriage rides (part of the package) that you could take before the meal.

In both instances you will get category 1 seating on the Premium Plan.

Both serve beer/wine/sangria at no charge as well.

Personally, we prefer the food at SoA - chicken/ribs/pork, salad w/Hawaiian bread, steamed veggies, some sort of chocolate mouse for dessert - I didn't eat mine. There is a show during the meal that is okay but rather unstimulating. The AFTER dinner dancing greatly improves and ends with the fire dancer.

HDDR has the rib/chicken thing along with beans and corn, don't remeber dessert - strawberry shortcake I think? The entertainment is corny but fun.

For your second morning you could start with the earliest Segway tour at Epcot (cool to see an empty park in the early morning) and be done by 9:45. You would then have time to spend time at Epcot and have a nice lunch; or head over to DS and have an early Signature lunch at HBD (one of our favorite places); or catch a monorail up to MK and do CRT for lunch; or go over to AK and take the Backstage Safari tour at 1:30.

You didn't mention this tour but it is one of the only ones offered in the afternoon. There is another AK tour (Wild by Design) that has a morning time that works nicely with the other tour if you wanted to do both of those back-to-back. WbD offers a light breakfast break mid-tour as well.

Another tour is KTTK @ 8:30/9:00/9:30 @ MK. Yes, it is a nearly full day tour, but you CAN do the CRT breakfast @ 8am and still get to the 9:30 KTTK tour. It ends by 2:30 at the latest, so you still have time to rest/change for an early dinner show & last La Nouba.

If you schedule effectively, you could do both Segways, Train Tour, SoA, HDDR, La Nouba, and Parasailing plus a bonus carriage ride. OR day 1-Trains/FW Segway/Parasailing, etc. & late HDDR; day 2-CRT/KTTK/SoA/La Nouba - just to give you an idea.

Personally, I'd do one show or the other and use one night for a Signature dining experience - so many choices! California Grill @ Contemp, Flying Fish @ Boardwalk, Yachtsman @ Yacht Club, Citricos (yum) & Narcoossees @ GF, Artist's Point @ WL, Jiko @ AKL, etc. Any of these would work well with an EARLY La Nouba (6pm) as you could be at most any of these by an 8:30 ADR.

On our first plan night we did SoA early and easily made it to MK in time to see Wishes from the 'special viewing' area. View wasn't the best, but it was nice to be seperated from the crowd.

Whatever you do, be sure you allow transportation time and time to rest & change for evening meals/activities. In the heat of the summer/fall, it may be way to warm/humid for any afternoon tours, but great for Parasailing!

 

[arilvdc]

arilvdc - I'd be curious to know HOW (your actual plan by hour/day) you are working in your activities. I'm trying to convince DH that we MUST do Platinum on our next visit and really want to get a massage in there for me (maybe while I send him out for golf lessons).

Glad to hear you enjoyed it so much your doing it again!

I knew I missed a reply somewhere.

Our schedule isn't as packed this time since we're staying at Yacht Club and I MUST get in that pool!

Day 1
7AM- Check in and breakfast in the club level lounge.
8:30- Keys to the Kingdom (5 hrs/sister) Backstage Safari (3 hrs/us)
1:00- massage (50 min/SO)
2:30- Massage (50 min/sister)
5:00- Hoop Dee Doo (all)
8:00-Illuminations Cruise (all)


Day 2
7:45AM- Around the world on a Segway (2hrs/us)
10:00- Jetski excursion (1.5hrs/ sister)
12:30- AquaSeas (2.5 hrs/all)
4:00- Lunch @ Fultons (1.5hrs/all)
6:00- La Nouba (1.5 hrs/all)
9:00-Victoria and Albert's (all)

For me especially, there are a lot of gap which will help me enjoy the club level. Since we're checking into our timeshare the day before the plan we won't have to take the time to check in to a different hotel the second day of the plan.

 

[MinnieVanMom]

We just found out that we get an extra trip to WDW world in late February. It gives us a chance to try the super platinum program. Is there a tutorial or where can I find information of what the requirements are to do the 1 nite/ 2 days super program?

 

[sw33t_angel]

Ok this is what I have down for an upcoming trip next Nov. 2011:

Thursday- check into WL with Platinum

Snack
Dolphins 9:45-12:45
Lunch
Massage
CRT
La Nouba

(not sure on the times for stuff)

Friday

Snack
Backstage Magic 9:00-5:00
Photo Session
V & A
Cruise (illuminations or wishes)

I did have a few questions:

1. So when booking the Platinum for just one night, I would only need a 1 day ticket? Even though I would be going to the parks both days? Or would I need the Platinum package for one night, but two -day tickets with hoppers?

2. With the Platinum package do the meals count the same as with the DDP? So normally CRT costs 2 meals per adult, so with the Platinum would it just cost 1?

I am planning on a honeymoon, and the first 5 days staying at POP with the Premium plan, to fit in all the tours and then checking in at the WL with Platinum for the last day.

Am I making sense here?

 

[MinnieVanMom]

Can we just stay 1 nite at a deluxe with the premium plan or do we have to stay 3 nites at the same resort?

 

[clkelley]

The minimum with the premium plan is 1 night at any level of resort.

The minimum with the platinum plan is 1 night at a deluxe resort.

 

[MinnieVanMom]

Thank you for the clarification. I will now open the flood gates with tons of questions.

1. Can I apply the park ticket to the purchase of my AP as we did last year?
2. Can we book for free dining and upgrade the either the P or P plan? Does free dining have a 3 day minimum on it?
3. What is the cost to upgrade? to either plan?

I did a chat with a disney rep but left without very many questions answered. I know that for the Plat. we have to stay at a deluxe but she wouldn't tell me how much the plan would be. She also would not say how much the premium would be at a value? She said that we must buy a ticket for one nite and didn't know about it being applied to the AP but we have done that for years.

Sorry, I am a newbie with a child at home and he won't let me read all the pages.

 

[MinnieVanMom]

One last question that is subjective: Which plan do you think is better for a one time go all out trip?

 

[ScottOKW2K]

Thank you for the clarification. I will now open the flood gates with tons of questions.

1. Can I apply the park ticket to the purchase of my AP as we did last year?

Sure can. We did that when we did the Premium plan last June. As a matter of fact we used the park tickets from the package, the gift cards we received because La Nouba was dark, our DVC purchase discount and our disney visa card for payment. You can use up to 3 forms of payment or items to be credited for a ticket purchase.

2. Can we book for free dining and upgrade the either the P or P plan?

I don't know. This might be a question for a good Disney travel agent. I have heard of people with a "free dining" paying to upgrade to the Deluxe Dining plan. Try it , and let us know. Does free dining have a 3 day minimum on it? I do not know.

3. What is the cost to upgrade? Depends on what you are upgrading from. I don't have the exact $ amount in front of me but I remember the Premium being about $170/per day/per person, and the Platinum about $230/day/person. If your package already includes some form of dining subtract the cost of that from the $ amount shown previously. Remember , the Platinum plan requires at least one night a rack rate in a deluxe resort.

I did a chat with a disney rep but left without very many questions answered. I know that for the Plat. we have to stay at a deluxe but she wouldn't tell me how much the plan would be. She also would not say how much the premium would be at a value? She said that we must buy a ticket for one nite and didn't know about it being applied to the AP but we have done that for years.

Sorry, I am a newbie with a child at home and he won't let me read all the pages.

 

[ScottOKW2K]

One last question that is subjective: Which plan do you think is better for a one time go all out trip?

It really depends on what you want to do ! Look at what each level offers. If there are enough "must do" items on the platinum plan that justify the cost for you then your choice is made. There is still plenty to do on the Premium plan - it is those that are only offered on Platinum that may or may not justify the price difference for you.