Should I Do A Package or Book in Pieces???

[Terk-1]

Planning my next tripto WDW and can't decide which is cheaper, the new MYW package plan or booking everything in pieces. This will be a solo trip. I would like to stay at the Wilderness Lodge, but would be willing to stay at either the French Quarter or Coronado Springs if it ends up being significantly cheaper. I used to have an AP, but it has since expired. Would it be cheaper booking one of the MYW packages or booking the room & theme park ticket separate? The past few years I've gone, I've booked the room under a AAA discount until the AP or discount codes came out, then converted the reservation to one of those. As my AP has lapsed, I would have to either get a new AP or a park hopper pass. Also, is the meal portion of the MYW package worth purchasing? How does it work? How much is it per day? Can you purchase that separately from a MYW package? Are the package room rates rack rates? Is it cheaper to purchase the MYW package from AAA? Does AAA still sell park hopper passes at a discount? I won't be renting a car, as I never leave the WDW property.

 

[mjmcca]

From your Signature it looks liek you are goign to take 2 trips in a 12 month period. An ap may work for you if combined you are staying long enough. How long do you plan on staying for each trip?

 

[Terk-1]

I usually stay between 8 to 9 nights each trip (sometimes a little longer). I would like to go twice in 2007, but will have to see. It's typically once a year. That's why I'm trying to figure out which is the cheapest way to go. Package or pieces?

 

[mjmcca]

In your signature it seems you are planing on a vaccation in nov 2005 and october 2006. If this is true you can get 2 trips out of one AP.

 

[Terk-1]

Was just online and to go 12/3-12/11 and staying either at Coronado Springs or the French Quarter, it's coming up at "Package Total: $1,433.51." To include the meal plan, it brings the total up to $1,713.36. The same dates at the Wilderness Lodge is coming up to $2013.47 (without meal plan) & $2293.32 (with meal plan). It looks like this trip will be in a moderate if I can't get a better deal. Also, the difference between with the meal plan and without comes up to 279.85, which appears to be a good deal. Can I do better than this in pieces? Also, will the price be the same if I book at AAA? Can I book this package with CRO and request a AAA discount? With the packages, when is the final payment due?

 

[lajones81]

I looked online for information from many locations (i.e. Expedia, AAA, etc.) and found the website with the lowests airfares, etc. I would encourage you to do your homework and play with the numbers a bit. I got a great deal through American Airlines. Have a great trip!

 

[barbaraann]

I have visited WDW in both 2003 and 2004, and both times, I booked in pieces. I like to book "room only' reservations, because you have a more liberal cancellation policy. The new tickets are a huge saving over the old ones. I am visiting in 2005, and was thinking about an AP, until the new passes came out and I saw how economical they were. I am visiting for 8 days, 7 nights, and purchased the 7 day Park Hopper. I have an old pass, which still has 3 Plus features on it, that will take care of my planned visits to Typhoon Lagoon and Pleasure Island. When I added up the savings on the new tickets, versus the old prices, for three people, I was able to apply the savings to upgrading three nights of my stay to a deluxe resort. The old tickets were about $370, the new ones about $225. {these are estimates}. I saved about $445. My moderate, with my AAA discount cost about $140, my deluxe cost $300. So the difference to upgrade to the deluxe was about 40$ more. I got the tip about asking for the AAA discount on the DIS Boards. I like the fact that a room only reservation does not have to be paid in full until check in. I understand that Annual passholders get good discounts, but I, myself, can only made one trip to Disney. Almost bought the 10 day MYW ticket, but did not want to pay for the no - expiration. Next year, when we plan our trip, I hope to be able to go for the full 10 days, so I can spend 5 days at a moderate and 5 days at a deluxe. Disney has made it more economical for me to visit. Don't know if I helped, or not, but I always book separate. I know, once I make my plane reservations, I am not going to change my plan to travel to Disney, but I can change my room plans. I don't think packages can be changed as easy. Don't they have penalties? I have never used any of the dining plans. We don't eat that much! We like the character meals, and have splurged a few times, but we are fairly lite eaters, so I can not comment on the dining plan.

 

[barbaraann]

I had already booked my vacation, and after reading about the AAA discount, I called Disney back. The lady that I talked with was very helpful. She checked to see if there were rooms available with the AAA discount. She then told me that I would just have to show my card at check in, when I make the final payment. I believe packages have to be paid in advance of arrival.I am not sure how many days before arrival. I know when codes are applied, they usually also have to be paid in advance. I used a code, from the newspaper, last year and I had to pay my balance before arrival.