Room only reservation or package?

[maryj11]

Im not sure what to do. Right now we have a room only reservation with the discount that just came out. I did not add tickets because I wasn't sure how many days we needed.
If we convert it to a package to add tickets will we lose the room discount?
I was also told by the chat on the Disney website if I didn't convert to a package that any tickets bought separately from a package are not refundable?
So do I go ahead and convert to a package with a 2 day ticket while the room discount is still available?
I'm kind of confused on the tickets. I was going to just add them on the website but from what the CM said on the chat that I had to call and convert to a package in order to get my money back for the tickets in case we need to cancel.

 

[siren0119]

You can't keep a room discount and also get the free dining package. It's basically one or the other.

What happens is they don't modify your existing reservation, they book you a new reservation under the package deal and cancel your old reservation. If you bought the tickets and room separately, they would cancel both orders and create a new reservation in the system that has the room, tickets and dining all on the same reservation/order.

Not sure if you were planning to get park hoppers, but FYI the free dining package ONLY includes park hopper tickets - if you weren't planning on hopping, that might also influence your decision.

We had a room only booked and were planning on buying separately. What ended up working for us was to add more days to our trip under the Free Dining package and just select a longer number of days on the parkhoppers. The tickets will cover our entire stay across two reservations and we'll get free dining for the first part of the trip. We were looking at booking offsite anyway to have a longer vacation so this just made sense for us.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I always book a package especially so if I were ever to need to cancel I'd get a refund of everything.

Right now I have a 30% room discount with a vacation package that includes the room and tickets.

It is true that if you purchase tickets separately they are non refundable.

Yes you can convert to a package and get the room discount.

Yes call and do it in my opinion.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

You can't keep a room discount and also get the free dining package. It's basically one or the other.

What happens is they don't modify your existing reservation, they book you a new reservation under the package deal and cancel your old reservation. If you bought the tickets and room separately, they would cancel both orders and create a new reservation in the system that has the room, tickets and dining all on the same reservation/order.

Not sure if you were planning to get park hoppers, but FYI the free dining package ONLY includes park hopper tickets - if you weren't planning on hopping, that might also influence your decision.

We had a room only booked and were planning on buying separately. What ended up working for us was to add more days to our trip under the Free Dining package and just select a longer number of days on the parkhoppers. The tickets will cover our entire stay across two reservations and we'll get free dining for the first part of the trip. We were looking at booking offsite anyway to have a longer vacation so this just made sense for us.

I feel like I missed something. Did OP say they wanted to keep the room discount and add free dining?
Honestly you're entire post is confusing since you CAN have a room discount and turn it into a package.
If you buy tickets separately they are nonrefundable.

 

[maryj11]

You can't keep a room discount and also get the free dining package. It's basically one or the other.

What happens is they don't modify your existing reservation, they book you a new reservation under the package deal and cancel your old reservation. If you bought the tickets and room separately, they would cancel both orders and create a new reservation in the system that has the room, tickets and dining all on the same reservation/order.

Not sure if you were planning to get park hoppers, but FYI the free dining package ONLY includes park hopper tickets - if you weren't planning on hopping, that might also influence your decision.

We had a room only booked and were planning on buying separately. What ended up working for us was to add more days to our trip under the Free Dining package and just select a longer number of days on the parkhoppers. The tickets will cover our entire stay across two reservations and we'll get free dining for the first part of the trip. We were looking at booking offsite anyway to have a longer vacation so this just made sense for us.

We didn't want the free dining package but just wanted a package with tickets.

 

[maryj11]

I feel like I missed something. Did OP say they wanted to keep the room discount and add free dining?

No just to add tickets. The free dining cost more for us since there is only two of us. After figuring up the cost of food for us compared to free dining it would cost more.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

We didn't want the free dining package but just wanted a package with tickets.

After that very confusing post I just wanted to reassure you that you don't HAVE to book free dining lol.
You certainly can keep the room discount and add tickets converting it into a vacation package instead of just a room only reservation and buying tickets separately.

 

[maryj11]

After that very confusing post I just wanted to reassure you that you don't HAVE to book free dining lol.
You certainly can keep the room discount and add tickets converting it into a vacation package instead of just a room only reservation and buying tickets separately.

Ok , I knew you had gotten confused on what package I wanted.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Ok , I knew you had gotten confused on what package I wanted.

Oh no wasn't confused by YOUR post.
I didn't want you to get very inaccurate info from the other poster's very confusing post lol.

 

[siren0119]

After that very confusing post I just wanted to reassure you that you don't HAVE to book free dining lol.
You certainly can keep the room discount and add tickets converting it into a vacation package instead of just a room only reservation and buying tickets separately.

My post was not confusing, though I did mistakenly think that the package the OP was referring to was the recently released free dining package. No need to harp on it.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

My post was not confusing, though I did mistakenly think that the package the OP was referring to was the recently released free dining package. No need to harp on it.

Had you read the post you would have known that it was the room discount special offer she booked and wanted to know if she could/should make it a package.
Which can be done and as I expressed I would recommend doing.

 

[siren0119]

Had you read the post you would have known that it was the room discount special offer she booked and wanted to know if she could/should make it a package.
Which can be done and as I expressed I would recommend doing.

LOL sure. I acknowledged that I read the post incorrectly without feeling the need to belittle anyone else. You might want to try that sometime.

carry on!

 

[maryj11]

Oh no wasn't confused by YOUR post.
I didn't want you to get very inaccurate info from the other poster's very confusing post lol.

Now I have gotten confused lol I thought you were the one who posted about the free dining . It's ok we all get mixed up sometimes.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Just a point of clarification:
They can't actually convert a room only reservation to a package. They would have to cancel the existing reservation and make you a new one with the package. The reason is that the two are actually sold by different divisions. The package is sold by The Walt Disney Travel Company. Room only reservations are by Disney Destinations, LLC. They may or may not be able to use the money for one deposit and transfer it to the other reservation.

Whether or not you can get the package with the room discount would depend upon if there is current availability, which you can check yourself online.

However, if there is no availability for new reservations with the discount, there have been instances, for those in your situation, for phone CM have been able to get a supervisor to put in an override to get the discount on the package. Of course, no guarantee they will/can do this for you.

Pros/cons to booking as a package:
If you cancel prior to the PIF date, you do not pay anything (including for tickets)
PIF date is 30 days in advance, with a $200 cancellation fee after this. If you cancel the day before or day of, no refund, at all.
Tickets can be used for length of stay

Pros/cons to booking room only and buying tickets separately:
Better cancelation terms for the room (5 days in advance for full refund of deposit)
PIF date is date of check in
Cancelation fee is 1 night
Tickets would be subject to the new policy regarding number of days in which to use tickets
Can get tickets at a discount
To get 60 day FP, you would need to pay in full for the tickets, and have them in hand (at least, digitally) by then.

 

[maryj11]

Just a point of clarification:
They can't actually convert a room only reservation to a package. They would have to cancel the existing reservation and make you a new one with the package. The reason is that the two are actually sold by different divisions. The package is sold by The Walt Disney Travel Company. Room only reservations are by Disney Destinations, LLC. They may or may not be able to use the money for one deposit and transfer it to the other reservation.

Whether or not you can get the package with the room discount would depend upon if there is current availability, which you can check yourself online.

However, if there is no availability for new reservations with the discount, there have been instances, for those in your situation, for phone CM have been able to get a supervisor to put in an override to get the discount on the package. Of course, no guarantee they will/can do this for you.

Pros/cons to booking as a package:
If you cancel prior to the PIF date, you do not pay anything (including for tickets)
PIF date is 30 days in advance, with a $200 cancellation fee after this. If you cancel the day before or day of, no refund, at all.
Tickets can be used for length of stay

Pros/cons to booking room only and buying tickets separately:
Better cancelation terms for the room (5 days in advance for full refund of deposit)
PIF date is date of check in
Cancelation fee is 1 night
Tickets would be subject to the new policy regarding number of days in which to use tickets
Can get tickets at a discount
To get 60 day FP, you would need to pay in full for the tickets, and have them in hand (at least, digitally) by then.

Thank you! So in other words if I plan on getting a package I should hurry up and do it.

 

[hhhaleybird]

I have an Room booked w APH discount and added the Disney Dining Plan. I’m already wishing my 30 day window of our trip. Can I modify it back to an APH Room Only? What fees would I have to pay?

 

[hhhaleybird]

Typo above- wishing is supposed to be within
I’m within my 30 day window

 

[glocon]

We never do a package. Always take the room discount and buy tickets thru UT. Saves the most money.

 

[Babsy]

We never do a package. Always take the room discount and buy tickets thru UT. Saves the most money.

We are the same. Also, really like the flexibility of being able to cancel or change up tp 5 days prior to arrival without penalty. and we often have Annual Passes.

 

[BSBNess]

When I booked I got the room discount and then took advantage of the Canadian resident ticket price and that turned it into a package.