Should I book a package or a room only?

[mama_scraps]

I'm planning our first trip (not going until next year) and I know that we will be using the dining plan, but I am wondering whether I should book just the room reservation right now and add on my tickets and dining at a later date. Is there any advantage or disadvantage to this? I've read posts on here of people just booking their rooms and adding the extras later on. Why not just book it all upfront? Am I missing some secret that everyone else seems to know? Thanks for the help - I'm learning a lot from these boards!

 

[Indianadisneyfan]

I'm not sure when you are going next year,but you can only book so far in advance. I think it is 499 days unless you call. I would go ahead and book your room if possible, but if the rates go up you will have to pay the difference. Some times rooms book up early so at least you will have that booked.

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

When you book a package, you make a deposit of $200 with the balance due 45 days prior to your arrival.

When you book a room-only ressie, you put a deposit equal to one night's stay with the balance due upon arrival.

In many cases, the 1 night's deposit is less than the $200 package deposit, so people choose to book just the room for now and then wait for any great package deals to be announced.

 

[themudd4]

Couple of different reason people book room only then add on...
they may be waiting to see if any codes come out that make it a better deal than the package...Package not always be the better deal...If you book a package you have to have a $200 deposit and everything has to be paid off 45 days prior to your trip, but I think if you book a room only you can hold it on your CC and not have to pay anything until you arrive (although wont swear to that one), tickets and dinning plan must be added on at least 72 hours prior to arrival. I am sure there are other reasons, but that gives you an idea.
FYI...I also opt for the package and I go through my AAA TA. Even if you don't have AAA it may pay you to go ahead and get it with what you save. With you deciding to get the DDP, you will need a onsite room and at least a 1 day ticket to the park in order to get in on the plan. Hope that helps!!!

 

[stitchlovestink]

I just booked a room only ressie for july less than 2 weeks ago. I had to pay the = of 1 night's stay. I don't have to pay anything else until I check in. I can cancel up to 6 days prior to arrival and receive a full refund. CM told me that once you make a room only, you cannot change it to a pkg w/ or w/o dining. Told me I would have to cancel room only and rebook a pkg. This is what I was told by 2 CM's as I called back to confirm info above. Not saying that it's 100% accurate, but I did check twice. When I have booked a pkg, have to put down $200 deposit, pay it all off 45 days prior to arrival, and somewhat stiffer penalty for cancellation. Plus there are charges for making changes to your ressie if it is a pkg after a certain point (might be the 45 day marker? )
So my suggestion would be if you definitely want a pkg, I would book a pkg. It is my understanding (and experience 1 x) that it is easier to apply a discount code to an exsisting pkg, than to change a room only to a pkg. But you could always call WDW and speak w/ a CM in reservations. Good Luck w/ your plans.

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

CM told me that once you make a room only, you cannot change it to a pkg w/ or w/o dining. Told me I would have to cancel room only and rebook a pkg. This is what I was told by 2 CM's as I called back to confirm info above. Not saying that it's 100% accurate, but I did check twice.

Technically, this is true. There are a finite number of rooms that are set aside for packages. Once they are filled, you cannot book a package at that resort. An even smaller number of rooms are reserved for packages with codes.

If you have a room-only reservation and wish to book a package, You will have to cancel the room-only ressie and then book the package. The CM should be able to apply the deposit that you made on the room to your package. It can be done in a single phone call and isn't really that hard to do.

You would end up doing the same thing if you booked a package and a code came out. You would have to "cancel" the non-code package and then rebook a package with a code. It's what happens when people talk about "applying a code" to the existing reservation.

If you don't want the hassle of doing this yourself, I suggest going thru a TA like Dreams Unlimited (they sponsor the DIS). Your DU agent will keep an eye on the codes after you've booked with them. If a code comes out, they will do their best to get your ressie changed so that you get the discount. And they don't charge anything extra for the service.

 

[pepe of ohio]

We've booked one package in our 38 plus visits, all the rest were room only. Packages come with alot of extra items that we didn't use, have time for, or were interested in but paid for. It was great but hectic and expensive. That was long ago and now we go for the room and add the things we like to do and see as we go. Makes our stay more managable as we like to relax and spend time at our resort pool and we tend to like EPCOT and MK alot and extra details and plans makes the trip too regeimented. We go where we want, when we want and see and do what interests us, not whats on our package. We try to hit a waterpark each visit but sometimes we just enjoy our pool more so if we had waterparks on our package, we would not have used them and thats wasted money.

Others swear by the package, they go commando and do it all, and that can save some bucks but we're more layed back and prefer to pay as we go, never saw a big price break doing a package versus what we do and spend as room only people.

 

[twinspluscade]

I'm planning our first trip (not going until next year) and I know that we will be using the dining plan, but I am wondering whether I should book just the room reservation right now and add on my tickets and dining at a later date. Is there any advantage or disadvantage to this? I've read posts on here of people just booking their rooms and adding the extras later on. Why not just book it all upfront? Am I missing some secret that everyone else seems to know? Thanks for the help - I'm learning a lot from these boards!

If you want the dining plan, you HAVE to have a package....you can't book the dining plan with room only. You'd have to switch to a package to add it.

I think the reason many people book room only is in order to use discounts. Sometimes Disney releases discounted rooms to fill up the resorts during slow season, and in order to use the discounts you often have to book room only.I think the discounts are often $20/night off value, $45/night off a mod, and $80/night off deluxe (but not sure on that).

Sine you want the dining plan, I would just wait and book a package when next year's rates become available.

Kelly

 

[twinspluscade]

We've booked one package in our 38 plus visits, all the rest were room only. Packages come with alot of extra items that we didn't use, have time for, or were interested in but paid for. It was great but hectic and expensive. That was long ago and now we go for the room and add the things we like to do and see as we go. Makes our stay more managable as we like to relax and spend time at our resort pool and we tend to like EPCOT and MK alot and extra details and plans makes the trip too regeimented. We go where we want, when we want and see and do what interests us, not whats on our package. We try to hit a waterpark each visit but sometimes we just enjoy our pool more so if we had waterparks on our package, we would not have used them and thats wasted money.

Others swear by the package, they go commando and do it all, and that can save some bucks but we're more layed back and prefer to pay as we go, never saw a big price break doing a package versus what we do and spend as room only people.

You can get "no frills" packages--not every package has water park features, dining, etc. It just depends on what you want to add.

You start with the room(s) and add tickets--either basic or park hopper for how many days. Then add whatever else you want (water parks, etc. or dining).

Package ticket and room prices are the same price now as buying separate, with the Magic Your Way plan (unless you use a discount code for room only, in which case obviously that would be cheaper than a package deal at rack rate room price).