Vacation - did i get a deal or not

[Tinbadge69]

This is just a overview on what I have been looking at for a vacation in September. I wnated to post it on here to see how prices do vary, and what you might be looking at in values and discounts. There are 3 comparisons on here for viewing.
My Outline
2 Adults
1 Child 3 yrs.
4 Nights in September

I went to Disney.com first to see what I could get. This is what I got from them.
First OptionPop Century / with prefered room

3 Day Park Tickets for 2 Adults, 1 Child, including Water Park and Park Hopper option

Magic your Way with Dining

Total $1931.24

Option 2
The same as above but with All Star Sports Resort

Total $1863.44
This is cheaper which surprised me because I have always been told that Pop Century was the cheapest of all the properties.

Now I did the same using the discount Children Stay and Play for Free
This is what I got. Everything the same as above except using the discount code and received the deal of...

Total $1542.43

The last option I tried was through Travelocity, and the following is what I got. Everything the same as above, but without the discount and without the Magic Your Way with Dining Option

Total $1386.87

If you have gotten something better please let me know. I am looking at September but it is just a little get away. Im just trying to find the best deal I can. See is you can do better. Now it is time consuming, but fun when you could pull something off better than a travel agent.

 

[living20057]

Have you looked into renting DVC points? Depending on which resort you choose, it would be lower than the Travelocity price. Having stayed at All-Star before, I enjoyed; however, the DVc properties are closer to the parks. You can spend less time catching buses and more time in the parks.

 

[laurafergie]

The differences between Option 1 and 2 is the Preferred Room.

All the All Stars and The Pop are Values, and the prices would be the same. The only difference in prices for those would be Preferred or Not.

Since you are considering Sept - I would go ahead and book directly with Disney (I like control over my reservations) using the Children Stay and Play for Free code.

If free dining comes out you can change your reservation to that code.

I would also suggest dropping your Park Hoppers. With a three year, I can't imagine the child (or you!) will have a lot of energy for hoppers. That's around $150 savings right there.

 

[cjnix29]

For such a short trip, do you need to add the water park option to tickets? Especially with a 3 year old, I would think you could get away without it. Also...with only three day tickets and a little one in a stroller, is park hopper needed? Did you try the quick service dining v. regular dining? Also did you try the room discount v. the stay and play free? THe only thing you are saving with that promo is the cost of the child's ticket which you can probably make up for in the room rate. Good luck, planning is almost as much fun as going!

as an example....if you changed to only three day tickets, with no options, and did quick service dining...you could stay at WL for 1930.38!

Or POFQ with the same options as WL for 1577.

or Pop Century preferred room, QS dining, 3 day base tickets for 1379.

 

[skirby]

The dining plan is $46/adult and $12/child. Add that up over 4 nights and you get $416. There's your travelocity savings.

 

[ekatiel]

This is just a overview on what I have been looking at for a vacation in September. I wnated to post it on here to see how prices do vary, and what you might be looking at in values and discounts. There are 3 comparisons on here for viewing.
My Outline
2 Adults
1 Child 3 yrs.
4 Nights in September

I went to Disney.com first to see what I could get. This is what I got from them.
First OptionPop Century / with prefered room

3 Day Park Tickets for 2 Adults, 1 Child, including Water Park and Park Hopper option

Magic your Way with Dining

Total $1931.24

Option 2
The same as above but with All Star Sports Resort

Total $1863.44
This is cheaper which surprised me because I have always been told that Pop Century was the cheapest of all the properties.

Now I did the same using the discount Children Stay and Play for Free
This is what I got. Everything the same as above except using the discount code and received the deal of...

Total $1542.43

The last option I tried was through Travelocity, and the following is what I got. Everything the same as above, but without the discount and without the Magic Your Way with Dining Option

Total $1386.87

If you have gotten something better please let me know. I am looking at September but it is just a little get away. Im just trying to find the best deal I can. See is you can do better. Now it is time consuming, but fun when you could pull something off better than a travel agent.

The first price at Pop could be higher b/c of a preferred room. Sometimes the website automatically gives you a preferred room and you have to "unclick" that option. Otherwise, a stay in a regular room at Pop or *** should be the same price (they are both value hotels). If I were you and only staying 4 days, I would take off the waterparks and more option. You will have PLENTY to keep you busy during that time without visiting the waterparks (besides, to a 3 year old, the resort pool is about as good as a waterpark!). That should save you almost $150 (or $100 with the kids stay and play free ooption). I'd aslo at least get 4 day tickets if you are staying 4 nights (depending on when you arrive/leave, I might get 5 day tickets). It does not cost that much extra to add a day or two. I'm not sure why Travelocity is so much cheaper-- are you sure you had all the exact same options selected? Good luck with your trip! --Katie

 

[ekatiel]

The differences between Option 1 and 2 is the Preferred Room.

All the All Stars and The Pop are Values, and the prices would be the same. The only difference in prices for those would be Preferred or Not.

Since you are considering Sept - I would go ahead and book directly with Disney (I like control over my reservations) using the Children Stay and Play for Free code.

If free dining comes out you can change your reservation to that code.

I would also suggest dropping your Park Hoppers. With a three year, I can't imagine the child (or you!) will have a lot of energy for hoppers. That's around $150 savings right there.

For such a short trip, do you need to add the water park option to tickets? Especially with a 3 year old, I would think you could get away without it. Also...with only three day tickets and a little one in a stroller, is park hopper needed? Did you try the quick service dining v. regular dining? Also did you try the room discount v. the stay and play free? THe only thing you are saving with that promo is the cost of the child's ticket which you can probably make up for in the room rate. Good luck, planning is almost as much fun as going!

The dining plan is $46/adult and $12/child. Add that up over 4 nights and you get $416. There's your travelocity savings.

LOL! We were all posting at the same time and basically said the same thing . --Katie

 

[NewCrew42]

I agree with everything said here. I would not get a preferred room at POP.

With such a short trip, I would take off the Water Parks and More option and hang out by the pool.

Also, for such a short trip, if you take a break during the day, just head back to the same park that night. So I would ditch the park hoppers as well.

I would probably ditch the meal plan as well. I have never been able to justify it for my family. We just do not eat that much. If the meal plan were free, that would be another story.

Have a wonderful trip!

 

[Disneycrazymom]

I agree with the above posters! For a short trip with a young child I would not get the water parks, there is too much else to do.

Another option is if you think you might return and then you could get the 10 day fully loaded ticket that does not expire and use it for 2 trips. The most expensive ticket days are 1, 2, 3, 4, after that they are only about $10 more for each day. So if you look at the price list a 7 day ticket is only a little more than a 4 day ticket.

If I only had 3 days and I planned to visit Animal Kingdom I might consider a hopper so that I could go over to MK after Animal Kingdom closed. But I would wait until I was there to make the decision. You can go to the ticket window at any park and upgrade the ticket to the hopper. It will be the same price if you add it now or then.

 

[asoko]

I would take a look at the restaurant menus versus the dining plan. For my family of 4 the only person the dining plan is a benefit for (if it is not free dining) is DH. DS7, dd6 and I dont eat a lot and also don't need to go to sit down restaurants that much. Sit down restaurants was especially hard with the kids the first year they were 2 and 4 waiting for the food and sitting still that long. Last time we had free dining plan I had about 7 snack credits to use at the end.

I also thought the parkhopper was time spender with getting to the transportation and changing parks. We got it year one and not again (3 more visits).

Did you look at the room only discount? I got a pin and 4 nights at All star music is under $300. The pop had no rooms with my pin, so we are trying the ASMu for the first time.

You probably don't need a preferred room at the pop. we stayed in the 70s (big wheel and mickey phone) It is an extremely short walk to the bus stop going through the building, not around. And the walk take you by the playground, which we spent the great majority of one day. I think the preferred are the 50s or 60s

Just a note, if you go onto the website to price things out and use the specials, you can't save them so print them out so you can compair. I think I killed a small tree doing mine.

I got a good deal by splitting my vacation between kids stay and play and the room only. I priced out dining, but it would be more expensive for us that oop.

We are going end of Sept and I am excited about planning!!

 

[Tinbadge69]

Thank everyone for all the help. I think its just fun trying to plan it out and get the best deals.