Stay/Play/Dine or Room Only Deal : HELP!

[NHKristy76]

Hi there!

I'm hoping that a math major out there might be able to help me figure out the best deal for my upcoming multi family trip.

I'm basing my questions on my sister's trip as hers is the most expensive - she has two kids.

If we go with the room and park tickets trip for 7 nights at Pop Century it's $2066.04.

If we go with the Stay/Play/Dine at Pop Century it's $2736.98. (This includes the upgraded Dining because we definitely don't want to do just quick service dining.)

Without including the dining plan, we "save" $670.

Is it better to go with the dining plan since it is likely that we'll spend more than $670 on food for 4 people over the course of the 8 days? What about the extra money we'll spend on gratuity and breakfasts - does it make sense to pay out of pocket?

HELP!!! I'm so darn confused!

Considering

 

[MMS1125]

Have you looked at the menus and added up what you think you all will eat? I'd say you will spend more than $670 for 8 days. out of curiosity did you price a mod? Since you are upgrading dining it might work out close to the same price?

What are your dates and kid ages?

 

[NHKristy76]

Hmm.. I didn't check out a moderate. That's a good point! I should check that out! Thanks!


There are 10 of us...

* My parents
* My sister
* My sister, her husband, and nephews age 7 and 6
* Me, my husband, and our DD10. (We have annual passes and a TiW card)

I know that dining is not typically the better deal but this time it seems like it is.

I'm SOO confused!

 

[MMS1125]

dates? lol sorry meant to ask that earlier too

I think with 10 people you will more than likely be better off with the S/P/D except for your family since you have APs. Room discount might be better especially with a mod

Will your sister stay with your parents? I assume you are doing 3 rooms?

 

[MMS1125]

I played with dates and used Jan 7-14 and four people at CSR and it was 2884. Regular dining and 8 day base tickets so it was a few hundred more for that room.

S/P/D for you was 2546 for the 3 of you same for your parents/sister in the same room

Room Only for you would be $980 so you are better off with that and paying OOP for meals. When I priced S/P/D for your family I should have brought the tickets down to 2 day that would save a few hundred but not enough IMO to not use the room discount. What a crazy deal a moderate for $116/night! Amazing

 

[CraigInPA]

Assuming 3 rooms, and the desire to have the DDP, you may want to check out a moderate hotel like NOFQ or NORS.

You'd want the room only discount for your family, because you have AP's. Pay OOP for your meals and use the TIW card.

For the group of 4, the s/p/d would be cheapest.

For the group of 3, the 30% RO discount and the s/p/d are likely to be very close to the same price.

 

[NHKristy76]

We are going 1/21 - 1/28 and everyone wants PH tickets. I suggested doing without but since I can with APs, everyone wants that option.

We have four rooms as my sister does not want to room with my parents. She enjoys her solitude and I can't blame her!

I guess I'm just surprised that the S/P/D is a better deal than getting the room discount and paying OOP for the meals. Although it's not required, I had planned on my family picking the same option for dining - OOP or DDP. It seems like it would make it simpler...

Ugh! I don't know what to do!

 

[bteaster5]

I called the reservation line and spoke with a CM who checked both discounts to see which one would give me the best deal. I went with the stay/play/dine. Between our 2 rooms at Pop it saves us over $1200.

 

[MMS1125]

I would do your sister and your family on the room discount and your parents and other sister on s/p/d. just bc you have have different discounts shouldn't matter. You want what's best for the wallet.

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[Jonesloonybin]

Keep in mind that you do not need to buy 2 day tickets. You can buy 1 day base tickets for your package (since you have APs)

I booked our package at POFQ with 1 day base tickets and the regular ddp.

 

[NHKristy76]

I would do your sister and your family on the room discount and your parents and other sister on s/p/d. just bc you have have different discounts shouldn't matter. You want what's best for the wallet.

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Can you help me understand why it would be a better deal for some of us to do room only and others to do the s/p/d?

 

[NHKristy76]

Keep in mind that you do not need to buy 2 day tickets. You can buy 1 day base tickets for your package (since you have APs)

I booked our package at POFQ with 1 day base tickets and the regular ddp.

Hmm. My TA told me that I had to buy at least a 2 day base ticket to get the package... Are you sure it's only one?

I will say that I think my 10 year old would be more helpful in planning a trip than the TA I have... Never again!

 

[MMS1125]

You have to buy a 2 day base ticket for the deal. You can buy a 1 day base ticket to pay for regular dining but with the special I'm almost positive it's a 2 day base.

Some of you are better with the room discount because the room discount for 1 person is greater than the savings for s/p/d even paying OoP for food and tickets. With the special it's rack rate for the room

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[MMS1125]

ok sorry I wasn't near a computer earlier to run some numbers. Do you have a lot of sit down dinners planned? Would make the difference probably for your parents and maybe your sister. I think your sister is better with the room discount and your parents will be a wash on either they will probably even out. Here's some numbers for Pop and POR-Garden View

for your sister's family with 2 kids
POR Garden View
8 day PH
DDP
3129

POP with upgraded dining
$2736

Parents s/p/d
POR
2259
POP with upgraded dining
1866

vs Parents Room Only
POR
1730.38 The RO/SPD for your parents is probably going to break even so for the sake of their food being prepaid it might be better to go with the deal

POP
1345.82 again probably a break even with food so personal preference I'd think

Sister
s/p/d
POP
1324

POR
1823

Room Only
POR
1351.12 including 8 day PH so that leaves almost $500 for food chances are she won't spend that so that makes that a better deal IMO

POP
966 just depends if she thinks she'll spend more than $400 on food as to if that deal is better or not for her.

Your Family
POP s/p/d with 1 day base (it let me put 1 day so guess it's not 2 day)
1730.85

POR
2017.42

Room Only
POR
980
that leaves you over 1k difference for food to match the s/p/d deal. You might get an even better AP rate when they release them for your time

POP would be
535 so a 1200 difference than the s/p/d deal

 

[monique5]

Have you looked at the menus and added up what you think you all will eat? I'd say you will spend more than $670 for 8 days. out of curiosity did you price a mod? Since you are upgrading dining it might work out close to the same price?

What are your dates and kid ages?

Hi! You seem like the number person.
1st trip to WDW. DDP is a must, 15 table servise meals booked. 7D tickets. AoA Family suite. 3A/1C. $4848. Had to switch to cars from nemo for S/P/D. Suite was cheaper than moderate 2 room. Would FD be better? Thanks!

 

[MMS1125]

Hi! You seem like the number person.
1st trip to WDW. DDP is a must, 15 table servise meals booked. 7D tickets. AoA Family suite. 3A/1C. $4848. Had to switch to cars from nemo for S/P/D. Suite was cheaper than moderate 2 room. Would FD be better? Thanks!

well FD would probably be cheaper but it's not offered right now. Some people have been getting pins though. I don't think a Room Only discount wold be better though than s/p/d for more than 2 people. Just know though that with s/p/d for 7 days that you will still be paying out of pocket for 8 table service meals. You only get credits per night for DDP. Just assuming 7 since you got 7d tickets. How many nights are you staying?

 

[Jonesloonybin]

Hmm. My TA told me that I had to buy at least a 2 day base ticket to get the package... Are you sure it's only one?

I will say that I think my 10 year old would be more helpful in planning a trip than the TA I have... Never again!

You have to buy a 2 day base ticket for the deal. You can buy a 1 day base ticket to pay for regular dining but with the special I'm almost positive it's a 2 day base.

Some of you are better with the room discount because the room discount for 1 person is greater than the savings for s/p/d even paying OoP for food and tickets. With the special it's rack rate for the room

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You do not have to buy the 2 day tickets. Just go online and go to special offers and try it. I even called the next day to confirm and they said that it went through fine and that I only have 1 day base tickets. Some people are getting confused because the free dining usually requires 2 days. But this is not free dining. It is a discount on the tickets and dining.

Can't hurt to go online and try.

 

[monique5]

well FD would probably be cheaper but it's not offered right now. Some people have been getting pins though. I don't think a Room Only discount wold be better though than s/p/d for more than 2 people. Just know though that with s/p/d for 7 days that you will still be paying out of pocket for 8 table service meals. You only get credits per night for DDP. Just assuming 7 since you got 7d tickets. How many nights are you staying?

Hi! We are staying 7N/8D. Have the Deluxe Dining Plan. Monique

 

[mickeynut1]

You do not have to buy the 2 day tickets. Just go online and go to special offers and try it. I even called the next day to confirm and they said that it went through fine and that I only have 1 day base tickets. Some people are getting confused because the free dining usually requires 2 days. But this is not free dining. It is a discount on the tickets and dining.

Can't hurt to go online and try.

This is correct. I just priced out a trip for March comparing s/p/d with the room discount and you only need a 1 day base for the s/p/d deal. We are a family of 4 (all adults) and I priced out the CR and I was surprised to find out that the room discount came out $450 cheaper than the package deal, all things being equal. I know select deluxes are 35% off, but I wasn't expecting the difference to be that much between the two.

 

[MMS1125]

I know about the 1 day tickets I corrected myself in a previous post when I priced it out. Room only was still a better offer for the OP even with 1 day tickets IMO

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