Southwest buy 4 get 3 promo

[annmarieda]

Just got an email for what I think might be a good deal for some.

Stay 7 nights, pay for 4 at the Walt Disney World® Resort!

"Exclusive Southwest Vacations Offer!

For a limited time, book a flight + hotel package for 7 nights at the Walt Disney World® Resort, and receive 3 of those nights FREE! Plus, save when you purchase a 7-day Disney's Magic Your Way® Ticket for the price of a 4-day ticket.

Book: 7/9/10 - 7/22/10 by 6:00 p.m. CT
Travel: 8/15/10 - 10/2/10
Seven-day advance purchase is required.
Offer only applies to “DEAL” room categories.
Prices are per person, per night based on quad occupancy and do not include a $3.70 federal excise tax per takeoff and landing, airport taxes of up to $18 roundtrip per person, and a federal September 11th Security Fee of up to $10 roundtrip per person. "

 

[jdd]

Any idea if this is still on?? I went to the Southwest website but couldn't find anything about it

 

[jdd]

Never mind - I found it!!

If anyone has booked through Southwest before, or knows anything about it, can you answer a few questions for me?

Is this similar to booking through a travel agent? Is it hard to make a room request? Can you make changes to the ticket plan? (I'd like to get Water Parks instead of park hopping).

I've always booked our vacations myself and dealt directly with WDW (except for once I went through AAA and regretted it), so I'm not sure what to expect.

 

[clanmcculloch]

Keep in mind that this isn't necessarily the best deal for everybody. This amounts to a 43% room discount. Current public discounts for these same dates are 40% at deluxe & deluxe villas and 30% at values and moderates. If you could get a better flight deal through another airline (can you choose whatever SWA flight you want? if not then that's another downside) then you're losing out in total vacation cost. Also remember that the SW Vacations promotion requires an exactly 7 day stay to take full advantage of the deal while the public deals do not.

Unless it's a really good savings, I wouldn't want to deal with SW Vacations as my TA. From what I've heard, they're very difficult regarding any changes to your reservation and they do own the reservation until 10 days before your trip. I'm not even sure you can change your ticket options or add the dining plan (paying full price for it of course) using them.

 

[annmarieda]

Any idea if this is still on?? I went to the Southwest website but couldn't find anything about it

It is still going on. It doesn't show it as a special offer on the site, but when I played around (acted like I was going to book a package) I could still see the deal.

Do this;

Along the top where you see the "air, hotel, car and vacations tabs" hover over the vacations.

Choose book a package.

Then put in your departure city and arrival city Orlando (specify WDW).

It should bring up WDW resorts and you should see "three free nights" listed in the details for most. I didn't see it at OKW, but...

Anyway, I do think the offer is ending soon. I also am not so sure that it isn't still a better deal to book through Disney direct and just go with fd or if you are staying at a deluxe and your party is small enough, a room discount. I know for my dates with my travel party it was cheaper to go with fd.

 

[annmarieda]

Never mind - I found it!!

If anyone has booked through Southwest before, or knows anything about it, can you answer a few questions for me?

Is this similar to booking through a travel agent? Is it hard to make a room request? Can you make changes to the ticket plan? (I'd like to get Water Parks instead of park hopping).

I've always booked our vacations myself and dealt directly with WDW (except for once I went through AAA and regretted it), so I'm not sure what to expect.

Good, I am glad you found it. I have never booked through them. I just happened to get an email.

Keep in mind that this isn't necessarily the best deal for everybody. This amounts to a 43% room discount. Current public discounts for these same dates are 40% at deluxe & deluxe villas and 30% at values and moderates. If you could get a better flight deal through another airline (can you choose whatever SWA flight you want? if not then that's another downside) then you're losing out in total vacation cost. Also remember that the SW Vacations promotion requires an exactly 7 day stay to take full advantage of the deal while the public deals do not.

Unless it's a really good savings, I wouldn't want to deal with SW Vacations as my TA. From what I've heard, they're very difficult regarding any changes to your reservation and they do own the reservation until 10 days before your trip. I'm not even sure you can change your ticket options or add the dining plan (paying full price for it of course) using them.

I wonder if this is a good deal for anyone. I posted it even though I realized for me...it wasn't a good deal. Course, for me fd is a better deal...and that debate goes on and on. Some people get the better deal with a room discount. I think it all depends on how many people are going and where you are staying. Disney is so easy to deal with though. I can't imagine dealing with all the hassle you mentioned regarding SW vacations. Course, for a good deal...I can deal with just about anything.

 

[jdd]

Unless it's a really good savings, I wouldn't want to deal with SW Vacations as my TA. From what I've heard, they're very difficult regarding any changes to your reservation and they do own the reservation until 10 days before your trip. I'm not even sure you can change your ticket options or add the dining plan (paying full price for it of course) using them.

Thanks for the response. I've crunched the numbers and it's a bit of a better deal, plus we'd get to stay at the Poly for the entire week (right now we're spending the first 3 nights at POR).

However, if it's a headache to deal with SW vacations, then it's not worth it to me. I was disappointed when I booked through AAA - couldn't make any changes/requests on my own; in fact, I couldn't even bring up my reservation on Disney's website! So, I'll probably stick with what I have.

Whenever I see a new deal, I can't help but check it out!!

 

[clanmcculloch]

Thanks for the response. I've crunched the numbers and it's a bit of a better deal, plus we'd get to stay at the Poly for the entire week (right now we're spending the first 3 nights at POR).

However, if it's a headache to deal with SW vacations, then it's not worth it to me. I was disappointed when I booked through AAA - couldn't make any changes/requests on my own; in fact, I couldn't even bring up my reservation on Disney's website! So, I'll probably stick with what I have.

Whenever I see a new deal, I can't help but check it out!!

If you're considering Poly then the savings won't be much different. You're comparing a 40% general public discount vs what amounts to just slightly under 43% discount. Lets compare using a Garden View room mid October.

rack rate = $425
40% discount = $255
43% discount = $242.25

That's a difference of $12.75 per night. Over 7 nights that's $89.25. How much is control over your vacation worth to you. Is it worth $89.25 (plus tax so figure around $100)?

 

[jdd]

If you're considering Poly then the savings won't be much different. You're comparing a 40% general public discount vs what amounts to just slightly under 43% discount. Lets compare using a Garden View room mid October.

rack rate = $425
40% discount = $255
43% discount = $242.25

That's a difference of $12.75 per night. Over 7 nights that's $89.25. How much is control over your vacation worth to you. Is it worth $89.25 (plus tax so figure around $100)?

Actually, it's a little more complicated than that, as I'm comparing our current vacation plans with this deal (one full week at the Poly). Our current vacation is 3 nights at POR with 7-day WP&M tix - using the Kids Stay, Play and Dine free (Visa deal) and 4 nights at the Poly Club Level. When I add in the extra meals we'll need for the nights at the Poly, my total vacation is about $3,600.00. With this deal we get 7 full nights at the Poly, but will have to pay for all food - looking at an approx total of $3,500.00. So, yes it saves us a bit, and I would love to spend the entire week at the Polynesian.

However, I agree with you about the control over our vacation. I'm sticking with what we have.

 

[clanmcculloch]

Right, it is more complicated if your comparing what you have now to what you want. I was in that same boat with my August trip because I had free dining for 11 nights at POFQ but wanted to stay Poly CL for at least a few nights (I guess great minds think alike LOL). It is a big difference between the deal at PO compared to PolyCL when you also take food into consideration. I was showing you the comparisson for the same room between the 2 deals (though it'll be a slightly bigger difference when comparing club rooms but not huge). Technically we're both comparing apples and oranges in trying to justify an upgrade in our heads when our hearts are screaming "DO IT".

 

[jdd]

Technically we're both comparing apples and oranges in trying to justify an upgrade in our heads when our hearts are screaming "DO IT".

- exactly! I'm trying to find a way to get my whole week at the Poly! Unfortunately, it just doesn't make sense to switch now. We've stayed at POR before, and know we'll like it, so it'll be okay.

 

[mrsbert]

I have a package with WDW booked for the beginning of December with FD. I'm trying to talk DH into flying.

I was playing around on the SW website today and came across this special. I booked a package that included free dining and tried using the discount and it worked! It would save me almost $160 if I booked through SW instead of WDW for trip and SW for flight. Same flight times and same package.

It makes me nervouse though because I have room requests that I don't want to lose.