Should I Commit to the Air in Anticipation of Free Dining?

[antmaril]

Okay, here's my dilemma. Airtran is offering $59 each way from Detroit and the sale ends today. I have a credit of $108 to use on Airtran so this becomes pretty darn cheap.

My DH and I weren't really planning another trip to WDW (we were there in January staying at the BWI), but I would love to experience Free Dining and my husband has graciously agreed. He's not the Disney lover in the family, but he humors me

Anyway, would you book the air today and hope all goes well on Thursday when FD is offered to the general public? I'm not really fussy about the hotel, but would prefer a moderate on this trip. We could do WL or AKL I suppose, but I don't want to spend the big bucks on anything higher than that. Also, not at all interested in a value resort.

What would you do?

 

[LakeAriel]

Okay, here's my dilemma. Airtran is offering $59 each way from Detroit and the sale ends today. I have a credit of $108 to use on Airtran so this becomes pretty darn cheap.

My DH and I weren't really planning another trip to WDW (we were there in January staying at the BWI), but I would love to experience Free Dining and my husband has graciously agreed. He's not the Disney lover in the family, but he humors me

Anyway, would you book the air today and hope all goes well on Thursday when FD is offered to the general public? I'm not really fussy about the hotel, but would prefer a moderate on this trip. We could do WL or AKL I suppose, but I don't want to spend the big bucks on anything higher than that. Also, not at all interested in a value resort.

What would you do?

Personally, I would book a room online and add the code on Thursday..I would then grab that air deal!

 

[Microcell]

If a value is a deal breaker, I am not sure you should buy the air fare. I have no idea what the availability will be for a moderate, but not sure it is worth the risk... Unless Air Tran is like Southwest, where it is no problem at all to get credit toward your next flight if you cancel. If that is the case, you can surely find a way to go somewhere if not Disney, right?

 

[Wish Upon A Star]

It's a tough call, really. I would like to say you won't have a problem on Thursday getting free dining, but, you might not have much of an option on a a variety of resorts.

I'm having a similar problem . . .I'd love to go again for the free dining promotion, but I would need a really great rate on a flight. Right now, there are no affordable flights and I'd have to wait for southwest to come out with either a ding or their September schedule. I would hate to take up a room with the free dining discount and end up cancelling because I can't find an affordable flight . . .

The only resort that I personally know of that didn't have any Standard Rooms left was Wilderness Lodge when I called yesterday . . .they only had Conceirge left with the free dining promotion.

 

[antmaril]

It's a tough call, really. I would like to say you won't have a problem on Thursday getting free dining, but, you might not have much of an option on a a variety of resorts.

I'm having a similar problem . . .I'd love to go again for the free dining promotion, but I would need a really great rate on a flight. Right now, there are no affordable flights and I'd have to wait for southwest to come out with either a ding or their September schedule. I would hate to take up a room with the free dining discount and end up cancelling because I can't find an affordable flight . . .

The only resort that I personally know of that didn't have any Standard Rooms left was Wilderness Lodge when I called yesterday . . .they only had Conceirge left with the free dining promotion.

Of course, there is the possibility that they haven't released all the available rooms to the Disney Visa folks. I would think they are holding rooms back for the general public. Also, this FD offer is available to book until June 24th. Seems like there will be rooms available.

I'm going to have to ponder this for a while. I hate to give up that great airfare, but, of course, Airtran will probably offer those rates again soon.

I'm conflicted

 

[thelionqueen]

I would buy the airfare today!!! I seriously doubt you will have any problem getting into a value. Sounds like you are flexible about your choice, and I am 99.9999% sure a moderate of some sort will be available. Airfare is our next nightmare, if I were you'd, I'd grab it while it's cheap. Just my .02

 

[jmpellet]

If it were me I would book the air!

 

[C_leen]

Hello-

I held my flights last week as American Airlines had a 'sale' where our ns roundtrip was $275 down from $330. I wasn't thrilled, but something is better than nothing. I checked the flights yesterday as my hold had expired and the flight was pretty empty and the cost was $275 still.

This morning, I checked the flights and they were $198. I snapped them up!

I have a ressie at WL for 9/21-9/27, but I anticipate having to give up the WL to get the free dining on Thursday. I just don't want to pay much more than the standard room rate to stay at WL & it sounds pretty booked during my dates. I'm going to run numbers on the cost of renting a car at a moderate or woods view WL or contemporary (where I don't feel I'll need a car). CSR is nearly booked during my dates as the web site is only bringing up their suites. I'll have saved $600 with free dining plan, I just saved $175 on my airfare budget, and if I move down to a moderate I'll save another $360. I chose the value season for the cheaper room rates and the lower crowd levels, so I am not sure I want to give back my dining savings to WDW - they are already charging me enough! So I think I am going to stand firm and back down to a moderate rather than up to concierge at WL if we can't modify our std. room ressie. AKL just doesn't appeal to me. We shall see what Thursday brings, but I am prepared to go moderate to save $600.

 

[Lewisc]

I'd book the airfare but I'd be prepared to stay in a value. I waited too long to book last October. My choice was a value or an expensive suite in a few of the deluxe hotels. POP was great. The level of service exceeded my expectations far more then the level of service I've received even in deluxe resorts.

By booking the airfare first your dates aren't flexible, so you need to be flexible with your resort.

 

[antmaril]

I would buy the airfare today!!! I seriously doubt you will have any problem getting into a value. Sounds like you are flexible about your choice, and I am 99.9999% sure a moderate of some sort will be available. Airfare is our next nightmare, if I were you'd, I'd grab it while it's cheap. Just my .02

Just to be clear, if my only choice is a value, I don't want to go - not even with the free dining. So, my choices are any moderate, WL or AKL. Would you still book the air with those restrictions?

 

[Pennykay]

I would book it!! I think it is a safe bet that you will find one of those choices.

 

[Lewisc]

Just to be clear, if my only choice is a value, I don't want to go - not even with the free dining. So, my choices are any moderate, WL or AKL. Would you still book the air with those restrictions?

I had to drag my wife to POP and we loved it. The biggest negative is the beds, full sized but they're the same beds that are in the moderate resorts.

I'd probably still grab the airfare. My fall back position would be to stay in an airport hotel my first or last night if that was the only way to get the resorts I wanted for the rest of my stay.

 

[thelionqueen]

Just to be clear, if my only choice is a value, I don't want to go - not even with the free dining. So, my choices are any moderate, WL or AKL. Would you still book the air with those restrictions?

That was a typo..sorry. YES I would still book without a doubt. And I must agree with the PP, don't knock the values unless you've tried them. They far exceeded my expectations as well. That said, I'm sure CBR will be avail. it usually is it seems.

 

[antmaril]

Thanks to all for your thoughts on this.

I'm still thinking about it. It's a bit of a gamble, but I really think it would work out fine.

 

[M2DD's]

hey,I booked air tran out of Bloomington IL today because it was the last day for the cheaper rate.I had a 100$ credit so my DH ticket was free.Then I booked me and my 2 girls on the same flight for 99$.We are only flying 1 way through air tran to use up the credit. I talk to them today and they said the flight prices would be going back up after the sale was over.We got the same price through Delta today.So my advise would be to use up your credit for one way and then book a flight through a different airline.
hope this helps
laura
PM if you need more advise about Air Tran
I'm not their biggest fan

 

[kelscross]

I'll give you an example that I recently had...

My mother and I were considering taking an adult only trip to Disney this past December. We weren't even sure if Disney was offering discounts at that time but when we logged on to Airtran and saw flights for 59 bucks each way that was the deal breaker for us and we booked right away and then called Disney to find that there was an AP discount available for our stay.

We went and had a wonderful time!!

PS. 59.00 ea way is a great deal from Dayton Ohio as we are not a "hub" to any airline anymore so the fares do not go on sale that great usually.

 

[antmaril]

hey,I booked air tran out of Bloomington IL today because it was the last day for the cheaper rate.I had a 100$ credit so my DH ticket was free.Then I booked me and my 2 girls on the same flight for 99$.We are only flying 1 way through air tran to use up the credit. I talk to them today and they said the flight prices would be going back up after the sale was over.We got the same price through Delta today.So my advise would be to use up your credit for one way and then book a flight through a different airline.
hope this helps
laura
PM if you need more advise about Air Tran
I'm not their biggest fan

The flights from Detroit are $59 each way, so it's really a good deal, especially since I can deduct $108 from the total. Our price including all fees would be $85 per person round trip. You can't really beat that.