Starting to think of a new plan...just in case

[luvdisney00]

OK so now I'm starting to consider the possibility of no free dining. When I booked I though we'd go anyway and free dining would be a nice plus, but now I am wondering if I can work out a better deal than a MYW pkg. if there is no FD and some kind of room discount instead. So I'm wondering if there are any different rules for room only reservations (I've always gone with a pkg)? Can you still charge to your room? Park onsite for free? Use EMH?

For my family of 5 paying for the dining plan would be $179.95/day and I think we can eat cheaper than that even doing all of our meals onsite. We do have a car though and could go off for a meal, but I doubt we'd want to do it. We usually bring breakfast bars whether we have DP or not and water. We could do a few TS meals and mostly QS in the parks or food court at POR.

Entertainment book has good deals on park hoppers for members.



I guess I would have to cancel my pkg and rebook a completely new reservation for room only, right?

Have to consider all of the possibilities.......

 

[G&J's Mom]

If what Canadian Guy is saying is up and coming, I would wait until the chips fall where they may in the next few days and see what the offers are and plan accordingly.

You can then change to room only with one nights deposit and apply a room only discount if one comes up.

It is myself, DH, and my 10 yo DD and 8 yo DS. We did the FD the first time it came out a few years ago. We would much prefer a good room or other package discount. We too eat breakfast most mornings in our room. My kids now and especially then didn't eat much, and I felt like a slave to my ADR schedule. Really hard to be spontaneous when you have to be across the World in 10 minutes. We like to be less restrictive. I totally see the appeal to it, because FD would be awesome when my kids are bigger and I have to take out a second mortgage to feed them. Right now, it does not seem like the best deal for us.

Good luck with your decision.

Denise

 

[MinnieTink]

Im also on board the "Maybe I should make other plans" bus. Our plan B..actually plan C, the way I have been changing my mind, is staying at the HRH at Universal. The Stay more, save more promo is pretty good!

 

[jlk806]

We went once with a room only ressie - you can still add tickets to your KTTW card and charge to your room. I dont see why you couldnt still park for free, though we have never brought a car so I really dont know.

 

[dawgsgirl]

I have never booked a package. Always do room only. Most of the time I have an AP. Anyway, the benefits you asked about are the same. No difference at all, except the cancellation benefits are much better and Disney does not get my money until I check in!!!

 

[su_A_ve]

OK so now I'm starting to consider the possibility of no free dining. When I booked I though we'd go anyway and free dining would be a nice plus, but now I am wondering if I can work out a better deal than a MYW pkg. if there is no FD and some kind of room discount instead. So I'm wondering if there are any different rules for room only reservations (I've always gone with a pkg)? Can you still charge to your room? Park onsite for free? Use EMH?

Yes, yes and yes.

Rules for reservations between a package and a room only rez are different. Different cancellation dates and such.

If you add tickets to a room only rez, it becomes a package. And the rules change at that moment, including paying any differences in the deposit, or even paying the full amount if within 45 days.

That said, with a room-only rez, you can purchase tickets when you get on site. You will get regardless a KTTW card, and you can have your tickets there. You will park for free (in the resort and the parks) and will enjoy EMH.

The only difference is that you CANNOT purchase a dining plan on a room-only rez. This must be added a week (I think) prior to arrival and hence changing a room-only rez into a package (and will require purchasing at least a 1day base ticket).

Note that %off codes apply to packages as well. The % is only for the room-only though.

Go for a package now and then if a %off code or FD comes out, you can apply it to the rez.

Never EXPECT a discount however...

 

[su_A_ve]

I have never booked a package. Always do room only. Most of the time I have an AP. Anyway, the benefits you asked about are the same. No difference at all, except the cancellation benefits are much better and Disney does not get my money until I check in!!!

AP and DVC members are in a complete different ballgame, as you guys can do a room-only rez and actually add dining to it for example.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

I'm pretty sure room discounts work out to be MUCH more in your favor than free dining.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

I'm pretty sure room discounts work out to be MUCH more in your favor than free dining.

How so?

A family of 5 is going to have to stay All Star Suites or at POR or a deluxe hotel so it can go either way. Obviously $180 a night savings (for free dining) would be the best deal at a value or mod, at a deluxe assuming the % off is 30 and the room rate is $365 a night (lets take average Poly value thru 9/30) then the savings is $109 a night. Now if the OP can feed her family 2 meals a day on $71 a night then that would be the better savings for them (difference in discounts). We have 4 in our family and eating CS 2 times a day would run us about $70 a day. that is for 2 adults 2 children. Also you would get the snack (approx $3 per day per person value) and a table service meal.

OP what type of Park Hopper discount are you seeing in the Entertainment book? we didn't order one this year but might consider it if its a good enough deal.

Also with a room only ressie you lose some of the perks that come w/ MYW you won't get the discount certificate for putt putt, you won't get the free voucher for planet hollywood, the free 30 min arcarde card and those very very minor things. Just the 'coupons' that you received in the MYW booklet.

 

[5boyz]

OP...You said Entertainment books have good deals on park hoppers for members....what kind of memebers?

 

[luvdisney00]

OP...You said Entertainment books have good deals on park hoppers for members....what kind of memebers?

Entertainment book members. If you buy an Entertainment book, you get a 1 year membership for coupons and discounts. They have 5 day hoppers for $267 A and $236 C as well as other length hoppers. UT had 6 day base tix for $235 A and $201.95 C (I need 5 or 6 day tix so that's what I have been pricing.)

Entertainment books are $17(w/ free shipping) on Sunshine rewards right now with a few dollars back (I think it was $2) so very worth it. The first few pages of my local one had $15.oo worth of Shop Rite coupons (my local supermarket) so it paid for itself right there.

Hope that helps!!

 

[CanadianGuy]

I'm pretty sure room discounts work out to be MUCH more in your favor than free dining.

That all depends on how big of a party you are traveling with.

And what level of a resort you're staying at ..

For example.. 40% of a deluxe or villa is almost always greater savings than 4 adults on the dining plan..

40% off a value or mod typically works out to less savings than 2 adults on a dining plan..

You pretty much gotta do the math for each situation.

 

[5boyz]

Entertainment book members. If you buy an Entertainment book, you get a 1 year membership for coupons and discounts. They have 5 day hoppers for $267 A and $236 C as well as other length hoppers. UT had 6 day base tix for $235 A and $201.95 C (I need 5 or 6 day tix so that's what I have been pricing.)

Entertainment books are $17(w/ free shipping) on Sunshine rewards right now with a few dollars back (I think it was $2) so very worth it. The first few pages of my local one had $15.oo worth of Shop Rite coupons (my local supermarket) so it paid for itself right there.

Hope that helps!!

Oh is that the one I always see on Mousesavers? I dont know if they would have that here. I live in Canada. I will have to check it out. Thank you

 

[jomommy]

FTR, you can book a room with a room %off discount and make it a package. They just deduct the percentage from the room cost portion of the package. I've done it more than once. No need to wait till you check in if you don't want to. You can also add any of the dining plans to it.