Question about Dreams Unlimited package quote

[Missamoncus]

Hi ,
I am new to this board and am planning a WDW trip ( my first in ten years , my families first ever ) in Dec. 05. We will be there Dec. 18-22. I wish we could get there earlier in Dec. But we just can't as my husband is a school teacher. Our party will consist of me, DH, DD, DstepD, DSIL, DGS,DstepS, DDIL, DGD.
So, 6 adults and 3 toddlers. We received a quote of $5,360 today for a dream maker package w/prince and princess add on from dreams unlimited.

It includes UPH tickets for length of stay
2 cabins at fort wilderness
character breakfast
$ 50.00 in Dis dollars for the three kids
special seating for a lot of the big live shows
your choice of few smaller things too detailed
to go into here.

My question for experienced Disr's is.. would it be cheaper to try to book all this ourselves? Maybe try to go through dvc rent trade at 11 months out and see if we could book anything there?
Is it just too risky at that time of year. If you deduct the cost of the character breakfast and park hoppers , that leaves $2,456
that covers the cost of the accommodations and the little extras...
souvenirs they provide , $50.00 in gc for planet hollywood, etc. I know 2 home - away -from home cabins at FW are expensive at peak times. I dunno. Just looking for some outside educated opinions. Maybe some who have had experience w/ dreams unlimited.

Thanks,
Melissa Moncus

 

[mad4themouse]

Hi Melissa and welcome to the DISboards!

I've used DU in the past and was very satisfied with them. They were able to make my ressie, book PSs and got me an AP discount on my room. I'm using them again on a trip I have planned for September.

However, packages are never really that great of a deal, IMHO. There's often a lot of things included in them that you'll be paying for whether you use them or not. It's best to compare the costs of the packages vs. what you would spend if you were doing the vacation "à la carte".

For instance, with a package deal, you're paying for park admissions on the day that you arrive and the day that you depart. If your travel plans have you arriving in WDW in the evening or departing early, you're paying for a day that you will not be using. The UPHs also include admission to the water parks and Disney Quest, which may not be on your itinerary for such a short vacation with toddlers in tow. You might be better off purchasing 4-day PHs for everyone who needs a pass (children under 3 years do not need passes).

The FW cabins' Value Season runs thru Dec. 20 in 2005. Since your stay begins in Value Season, your rate for all 4 nights would be Value Season rates if you book room-only or a package. If you rent points from a DVC member, only the nights that fall within Value Season would be at the Value rate. The remaining nights would be at Holiday Rates.

My own inclination would be to reserve the cabins thru DU, using a room-only ressie. If the rates drop due to any codes that come out for your stay, DU will apply them to your ressie if they can. Since you will be needing 2 cabins, it might be worth it to purchase an AP for one adult in the group and hold those ressies in that adult's name. But do not purchase the AP until AP discounts have been announced for your dates and you've acquired the discount. You don't need to have an AP in order to make a ressie with the discount code. You only need it to check in.

Good luck with your planning. December a magical time to visit WDW. Just visiting the hotels to see all the decorations is worth the trip! Have fun!

 

[Disney4me04]

I have a room only ressie with DU. One of the reasons I went with them is if any codes come out for my time they will apply them.

If a 5+2 comes out and it is cheaper. I may have to change everything I have planned.

I already have ressie for Hoop so I have given them that conformation number. As I get closer I will have them make my PS for other things we have planned.

I will be booking a cruise in either 2006 or 2007 and will go through Dreams them too.

 

[LisaZoe]

I will say "ditto" to what mad4themouse said about comparing package to "ala carte". I did that and found the savings buying the vacation pieces individually was worth the extra time it took to deal with multiple vendors (airline, WDW CRO, Disney Store for pass, airport transportation, etc.).

As for DU, I just transferred my exisitng room-only reservation to them and am very happy I did so. Being on the west coast, I've felt a bit disavantaged due to the time zone issue and had only made one PS before switching to DU. Within an hour of sending an email to Kelsie with DU listing the PSs I wanted, dates and times, I had them all! She's also checking on other things I've wanted to do, i.e. resort switch during the trip from WL to AKL. With work and being a single mom, I always seemed to find it was too late to call so now I can just send an email then check things online later.

 

[Missamoncus]

I wanted to take a minute to thank everybody who replied to this e-mail. What a helpfull and great group of people!

Thank You again,
Melissa and Family

 

[HappyLawyer]

i have used them before and was very satisfied, i have also done it on my own and saved some but, when you do it your self it can take months to research hotels until you find the right one, if you want worry free i would say use dreams, they are great,