Shocked & Appalled Dream Maker Fan

[jenjersnap]

I'm glad you posted too, sbelyo. I agree 100%! The DMPackages were the easiest way for WDW to make mucho bucks.

The number one problem with the packages is that it is based on a RACK rate room. No savings there. On the other hand using a code or AP can get a 45% discount.

The 2nd problem is it came with a UPH, not a good deal for the consumer. You are paying for entrance to every single attraction at WDW, every day you are there. If you are going to parks, water parks, DQ, Pleasure Island then when are you going to have time to use the "recreation". Also you are paying for that extra check out day or check in day. I imagine most package buyers do not think to ask about taking that extra day off their bill, and most folks won't go into a park on one of those days.

*Personal note* - I can't imagine spending much time on the "recreation" options at WDW. If I wanted to do those things I would vacation elsewhere.

I have read a lot of posts where folks tally up their restaurant bills and show how much they "save" on the plans. They fail to mention that they are paying rack rate for a room that could have been considerably cheaper and for tickets that some components won't get taken advantage of, even though they were paid for.

It untrue that everyone who does DM pays rack rate for the room! The same discounts that are available for room only ressies can be applied to the package. At least, that is the way it was in late summer when we booked our package for this month. The room discount codes had just come out and our TA was able to obtain the lower price for our FW cabin (if memory serves, it is $149/night). We opted for DM Silver. So, sorry, but that is not a reason to malign the DM package. I am wondering whether it will work the same way with the MYW packages or whether you will, indeed, always have to pay room rack rates. I will be interested to see how that shakes out because we'd like to try the MYW ... but only if we did get a room discount too!

I do agree with you about that the UPH isn't the best value. With two kids under 4, we are not spending any time at the water parks, PI or DQ and that is my only regret about the package. Our package is sandwiched between two non-package ressies so we are not wasting any theme park days on travel and I think that is a pretty well-known tip since even this total newbie figured it out. But, because of the kids, we LOVE the wishes aspect of the Silver package - we are using them for some "downtime" recreational stuff hoping to avoid sensory overload. And I am quite sure that we are eating better than we've ever eaten in our lives because of the Silver plan - and we intend to save money with it, no doubt! Yeah, it was a splurge but not one we were planning to do all the time (my South Beach diet wouldn't allow it )

 

[mickeysaver]

I think the new ticketing and package plans sound pretty good. I was thinking of buying AP's next year to allow us to travel in late 2005 and again in 2006. But, the new system makes it a better deal for us to buy the 10 day PH passes to split. We usually only go to PI once a trip, so buying the plus passes never made any sense for us. It was wasted money.

I even like the meal package that they are offering, but since we tend to eat more counter service than sit down, I am going to have to see what our plans look like before I can commit to this.

The whole system is about to change. We are being thrown far outside our comfort zones by all of this. DRAMA is inevitable. The important thing to remember is that we are all going to be pros at this again very soon. Just hang in there. Major pixie dust for all DIS'ers going to WDW in January and February. You guys get to come back and let us know how to make this work. Thanks for being our "pionears". Maggie

 

[RescueRanger]

The important thing to remember is that we are all going to be pros at this again very soon. Just hang in there. Major pixie dust for all DIS'ers going to WDW in January and February. You guys get to come back and let us know how to make this work. Thanks for being our "pionears". Maggie

I love that... Very cute!

 

[wasabi girl]

I bought a package for convenience. I'm going with DDs both older teens and DH, avid golfer. I wanted as much as possible pre-paid so we can all just have fun and enjoy ourselves. I like to think it is saving money but maybe it is just saving my sanity! Hope the new packages work out as well.

 

[Penny12]

Just to re-iterate what Jenjersnap said, you did <b>not</b> have to pay rack rate for a package. When general public room only discounts were released they were also available for some packages (the discount is obviously applied only to the room portion).

If people don't choose a package because it doesn't suit them then of course that's fair enough...but that's certainly not the case for everybody. I would never blindly put other people off the idea without knowing what their personal requirements are and especially if I've not researched the facts.

Just my 2 cents

 

[sbelyo]

Hey, I'm not complaining, and I'm not attacking anyone or how they choose to spend their time or plan their vacations.

I'm just saying I dug the package, maybe that makes me a "sucker" to Disney's money making agenda. But that was the option we had available to us last year as part of the Canadian Dollar at Par deal, and we enjoyed ourselves.
Next trip, we'll probably do another package - whatever those packages turn out to be.

If you think I'm a doofus, well, bully for you. But, I think we can all agree that we're all going to have the best vacation ever, our own way.

Take it easy.... I just wanted to show the fact that I started to think about what I was paying for, and with the extra money I saved we took a cruise. I can't imagine that if someone said spend 35 min. and I'll send you on a cruise for free that you would refuse it.

I used to be one of the praisers of the plans. I loved them, I mean what's not to like. You come and go as you please anywhere, and eat 3 meals a day without worrying about a budget. But I remeber the gold plan of the late eighties and early nineties. Now those were PLANS. You still came and went as you pleased however the meals were not limited to 3 a day. You could eat what you want when you wanted as many times as you wanted in a day. Also places like Narcoosee's in the GF didn't take up two meal coupons per meal because there were no coupons.

So when I became old enough (got married and had a son) in 2002 we went to Disney World and naturally I chose a gold plan thinking it was the same. Then I saw that they were taking meal coupons for my 2.5 yr old son. At fist I thought what's a meal coupon we're on the gold plan. So after they explaned to me all the restrictions like meal coupons, limited to 2hrs on water sprites, or only 60 minnows on a fishing trip I started to think.

So in short I still get a plastic card that lets me into all parks when ever I want. A plastic card is swiped to pay for my meals. And last it also allows me into my room. So there was no loss in convenience or even change to the look of the card vs. a package and I paid $1200.00 less.

Just my $0.02

By all means have a great time on your vacation and never take to heart any bad feelings off these boards.

 

[Tabetha]

Oh, I'm not ruffled. Trust me, if I'm tossing around words like "doofus", I'm playin'.

Thanks for the insight into the Gold Package - I didn't know about those restrictions! I imagine that if the new plans don't add up for us in the future, we'll be pulling out our own calculators and figuring a new better way. And that's saying something for this Mathophobe.

 

[Tabetha]

Aw... who'm I kidding. We'll probably just end up calling DU.

 

[sbelyo]

Now you're talking... I've never heard any bad things about them and I know that if a discount comes out, they apply it for you.

I just like a certain level of control now (almost granular) over the aspect of the vacation so that my kids can spend a ton of money when they're there and I don't have to worry about it.

 

[J.C.&ALI'SMOM]

It untrue that everyone who does DM pays rack rate for the room! The same discounts that are available for room only ressies can be applied to the package. At least, that is the way it was in late summer when we booked our package for this month. The room discount codes had just come out and our TA was able to obtain the lower price for our FW cabin (if memory serves, it is $149/night). We opted for DM Silver. So, sorry, but that is not a reason to malign the DM package. I am wondering whether it will work the same way with the MYW packages or whether you will, indeed, always have to pay room rack rates. I will be interested to see how that shakes out because we'd like to try the MYW ... but only if we did get a room discount too!

I do agree with you about that the UPH isn't the best value. With two kids under 4, we are not spending any time at the water parks, PI or DQ and that is my only regret about the package. Our package is sandwiched between two non-package ressies so we are not wasting any theme park days on travel and I think that is a pretty well-known tip since even this total newbie figured it out. But, because of the kids, we LOVE the wishes aspect of the Silver package - we are using them for some "downtime" recreational stuff hoping to avoid sensory overload. And I am quite sure that we are eating better than we've ever eaten in our lives because of the Silver plan - and we intend to save money with it, no doubt! Yeah, it was a splurge but not one we were planning to do all the time (my South Beach diet wouldn't allow it )

Let me clarify. I never wrote that EVERYONE pays rack rate for a package. Believe me I know, when the FTP was offered (that was pay for 4, stay for 7 package) we purchased it. That is because it was a good deal.

My point was that the packages are generally not. And unless folks take a look past disneyworld.com or their local travel agency they do not know any better. I am sure that most people who vacation at WDW don't know how to get a better deal. That is why when the average joe on the street is asked about WDW the reply is related to how expensive it is. My point is that it can be less expensive and still a quality vacation.

I don't feel that I "maligned" the DM. Each and every fact that I wrote was true.