Split Stay, Room Only or Package? Need help figuring best way to book

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

Planning ahead a year from now. My past trip I did a room only because I preferred the flexibility of the cancellation policy of 5 days. However, we went on April break and I had no fast passes because I did not purchase tickets until we checked in at the GF. So I got crappy fast passes. Fast forward to next year's trip. I can't predict a year from now. New job is a possibility, so it's possible I could book the trip and have to cancel. Yet I don't want to wind up with no tickets again until I get there and no fastpasses. However, I hate to buy tickets for our 9 day split stay trip that would be non refundable should we have to cancel. Do I book room only again? A package? If a package, how do I do that regarding my split stay? What about travel insurance (again and a split stay)? What is the best way to go about this to protect me from losing $ should we need to cancel? If you have read this far and understand, thank you!!!

 

[Wood Nymph]

Planning ahead a year from now. My past trip I did a room only because I preferred the flexibility of the cancellation policy of 5 days. However, we went on April break and I had no fast passes because I did not purchase tickets until we checked in at the GF. So I got crappy fast passes. Fast forward to next year's trip. I can't predict a year from now. New job is a possibility, so it's possible I could book the trip and have to cancel. Yet I don't want to wind up with no tickets again until I get there and no fastpasses. However, I hate to buy tickets for our 9 day split stay trip that would be non refundable should we have to cancel. Do I book room only again? A package? If a package, how do I do that regarding my split stay? What about travel insurance (again and a split stay)? What is the best way to go about this to protect me from losing $ should we need to cancel? If you have read this far and understand, thank you!!!

If you are planning a split stay then book the first resort as a package with 9 day tickets. Then book the second resort as room only. That will give you the ability to get a refund on your tickets if you have to cancel. And you will be able to book fastpasses at 60 days out for as many days as you have tickets, which would be 9 days,

 

[lanejudy]

If you had to cancel, would there be another trip in the future? Tickets won’t lose their value. They do “expire” now but the value can be applied to future tickets if your next trip is further out beyond the expiration. So as long as “banking” those tickets for another time won’t create a financial hardship, I would do room-only and purchase tickets separately.

Alternatively, a package can often be pushed out to a future date rather than cancelled. That might be an option if you aren’t cancelling for financial reasons. You would only want a package for one leg of the split stay, and room-only for the other. Preferably do the package first as that works better for your FP+ scheduling.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

If you are planning a split stay then book the first resort as a package with 9 day tickets. Then book the second resort as room only. That will give you the ability to get a refund on your tickets if you have to cancel. And you will be able to book fastpasses at 60 days out for as many days as you have tickets, which would be 9 days,

Thank you!! That is what I will do. I think I may take out the insurance too just in case...what do you think about the insurance?

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Planning ahead a year from now. My past trip I did a room only because I preferred the flexibility of the cancellation policy of 5 days. However, we went on April break and I had no fast passes because I did not purchase tickets until we checked in at the GF. So I got crappy fast passes. Fast forward to next year's trip. I can't predict a year from now. New job is a possibility, so it's possible I could book the trip and have to cancel. Yet I don't want to wind up with no tickets again until I get there and no fastpasses. However, I hate to buy tickets for our 9 day split stay trip that would be non refundable should we have to cancel. Do I book room only again? A package? If a package, how do I do that regarding my split stay? What about travel insurance (again and a split stay)? What is the best way to go about this to protect me from losing $ should we need to cancel? If you have read this far and understand, thank you!!!

I'll just reiterate a bit what the PP's have said. I would book a package with room and length of entire trip tickets for your first stay and a room only for your second stay. This is how that would play out should you need to cancel:

Reservation #1: Room plus tickets for your entire stay. $200 deposit, balance due 30 days prior to check-in. You would lose your deposit if you cancel 29 - 2 days prior to your trip and lose the entire cost of the package if you cancel the day before check-in. To avoid the loss of ANY fees, simply reschedule the trip. There may be a $50 change fee, but that's typically waived if the price of your rescheduled package is the same or more than the original package.

Reservation #2: Room-only. Deposit of one night's stay plus tax due at booking, balance due at check-in. Fully refundable if you cancel 5 days prior to check-in. Changeable at any point prior to checking in.

By booking this way, you allow some flexibility and you will have the ability to book your FP+ 60 days prior to your first check-in date. I would rather have the option of rescheduling a package trip at little cost than putting down hundreds of $$ for tickets that are non-refundable if you purchase them separately.

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

If you had to cancel, would there be another trip in the future? Tickets won’t lose their value. They do “expire” now but the value can be applied to future tickets if your next trip is further out beyond the expiration. So as long as “banking” those tickets for another time won’t create a financial hardship, I would do room-only and purchase tickets separately.

Alternatively, a package can often be pushed out to a future date rather than cancelled. That might be an option if you aren’t cancelling for financial reasons. You would only want a package for one leg of the split stay, and room-only for the other. Preferably do the package first as that works better for your FP+ scheduling.

Enjoy your vacation!

If we could not make that trip, another trip would likely happen within a year. So when do tickets expire? Financially the money isn't the issue. Are you saying if the tickets expire, they can put that expired ticket towards another ticket? Is this in writing anywhere?

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

I'll just reiterate a bit what the PP's have said. I would book a package with room and length of entire trip tickets for your first stay and a room only for your second stay. This is how that would play out should you need to cancel:

Reservation #1: Room plus tickets for your entire stay. $200 deposit, balance due 30 days prior to check-in. You would lose your deposit if you cancel 29 - 2 days prior to your trip and lose the entire cost of the package if you cancel the day before check-in. To avoid the loss of ANY fees, simply reschedule the trip. There may be a $50 change fee, but that's typically waived if the price of your rescheduled package is the same or more than the original package.

Reservation #2: Room-only. Deposit of one night's stay plus tax due at booking, balance due at check-in. Fully refundable if you cancel 5 days prior to check-in. Changeable at any point prior to checking in.

By booking this way, you allow some flexibility and you will have the ability to book your FP+ 60 days prior to your first check-in date. I would rather have the option of rescheduling a package trip at little cost than putting down hundreds of $$ for tickets that are non-refundable if you purchase them separately.

Would they change the date of the trip if let's say, the day before the trip someone gets sick? And no money lost?

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

I'll just reiterate a bit what the PP's have said. I would book a package with room and length of entire trip tickets for your first stay and a room only for your second stay. This is how that would play out should you need to cancel:

Reservation #1: Room plus tickets for your entire stay. $200 deposit, balance due 30 days prior to check-in. You would lose your deposit if you cancel 29 - 2 days prior to your trip and lose the entire cost of the package if you cancel the day before check-in. To avoid the loss of ANY fees, simply reschedule the trip. There may be a $50 change fee, but that's typically waived if the price of your rescheduled package is the same or more than the original package.

Reservation #2: Room-only. Deposit of one night's stay plus tax due at booking, balance due at check-in. Fully refundable if you cancel 5 days prior to check-in. Changeable at any point prior to checking in.

By booking this way, you allow some flexibility and you will have the ability to book your FP+ 60 days prior to your first check-in date. I would rather have the option of rescheduling a package trip at little cost than putting down hundreds of $$ for tickets that are non-refundable if you purchase them separately.

Thank you!! That's exactly what I will do for sure. I appreciate everyone helping me figure this out. It's confusing!

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Would they change the date of the trip if let's say, the day before the trip someone gets sick? And no money lost?

Yes, as long as you haven't physically checked into the resort, you can call and change your travel dates even the day before check-in. The most you would be charged for a change on a package is $50, but that is usually waived if your new dates cost the same or more than your original package.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

If we could not make that trip, another trip would likely happen within a year. So when do tickets expire? Financially the money isn't the issue. Are you saying if the tickets expire, they can put that expired ticket towards another ticket? Is this in writing anywhere?

If your tickets expire, they can still be used toward the purchase of new tickets. You can use the original value of the expired tickets toward the purchase of new ones.

 

[mickeynut1]

If you are planning a split stay then book the first resort as a package with 9 day tickets. Then book the second resort as room only. That will give you the ability to get a refund on your tickets if you have to cancel. And you will be able to book fastpasses at 60 days out for as many days as you have tickets, which would be 9 days,

I'll just reiterate a bit what the PP's have said. I would book a package with room and length of entire trip tickets for your first stay and a room only for your second stay. This is how that would play out should you need to cancel:

Reservation #1: Room plus tickets for your entire stay. $200 deposit, balance due 30 days prior to check-in. You would lose your deposit if you cancel 29 - 2 days prior to your trip and lose the entire cost of the package if you cancel the day before check-in. To avoid the loss of ANY fees, simply reschedule the trip. There may be a $50 change fee, but that's typically waived if the price of your rescheduled package is the same or more than the original package.

Reservation #2: Room-only. Deposit of one night's stay plus tax due at booking, balance due at check-in. Fully refundable if you cancel 5 days prior to check-in. Changeable at any point prior to checking in.

By booking this way, you allow some flexibility and you will have the ability to book your FP+ 60 days prior to your first check-in date. I would rather have the option of rescheduling a package trip at little cost than putting down hundreds of $$ for tickets that are non-refundable if you purchase them separately.

I agree with both of the above, go with a package for first stay and RO for 2nd .

Yes, as long as you haven't physically checked into the resort, you can call and change your travel dates even the day before check-in. The most you would be charged for a change on a package is $50, but that is usually waived if your new dates cost the same or more than your original package.

This ^^^^. I was booked for arrival May 22 and due to unforeseen circumstances, I had to call on May 21 and reschedule. I pushed my trip out 2 weeks and the CM I got was great. The 2 trips were a wash cost-wise so nothing extra was charged, but I was fully prepared to pay a fee making a change so late .

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

I agree with both of the above, go with a package for first stay and RO for 2nd .



This ^^^^. I was booked for arrival May 22 and due to unforeseen circumstances, I had to call on May 21 and reschedule. I pushed my trip out 2 weeks and the CM I got was great. The 2 trips were a wash cost-wise so nothing extra was charged, but I was fully prepared to pay a fee making a change so late .

If you push your trip out when you reschedule, let's say make it 4 months later, can you technically cancel that trip with no fee if cancelled more than 30 days before check in? Or do they flag that as already rescheduled trip?

 

[mickeynut1]

If you push your trip out when you reschedule, let's say make it 4 months later, can you technically cancel that trip with no fee if cancelled more than 30 days before check in? Or do they flag that as already rescheduled trip?

It shouldn't be a problem to cancel without a fee as long as it's done prior to the 30 day window.

 

[nkereina]

As mentioned, packages can be cancelled 30 days prior to the trip. If you're worried about starting a new job within 30 days of your trip, you can usually negotiate that you have a non-refundable vacation coming up on X dates. Most employers will be understanding and allow you to take the vacation. And frankly, if they won't let you or are jerks about it, I wouldn't want to work there anyway.

If you're worried about another circumstance in that 30 day window like illness, trip insurance may help with that.