Vacation Packages and hotel days during packages

[Steven G]

Hi I just recently purchased two vacation packages, one on June 10 at Fantasy Springs, and one on June 12 at Toy story hotel. That means I have June 10th covered, and June 12th covered for hotel room.
Because of the (honestly) goofy way that TDR handles hotel room reservations, I now have to wait until February to book hotel room on June 11 and June 13.

I am planning to stay at Toy Story hotel on the 11th and 13th, assuming they are available in February. I already have a Hilton hotel (right next to toy story) booked just in case.

So my questions are (assuming I get toy story on 11th and 13th)

1) On the morning of June 11 when I check out, will they send the bags to Toy Story Hotel? (I believe the answer is yes)...
2) Will they try to give me the same room at Toy Story Hotel on the 11 and 13th as I have on the 12th? Is there any way to pre-request that, or do I just hope for the best at checkin? I assume when I purchase the Toy Story Hotel room, I should try and book the same type of room that I already have on the 12th.
3) Is it still difficult to get Toy Story hotel, or now with Fantasy Springs being the new hotness, it's not so bad anymore?

If I don't get Toy Story hotel:
1) how easy it to for me to move luggage from Toy Story Hotel to Hilton? I see they are right next door, so I would think it would be easy to just bring them over myself?


I'm leaving on the 14th, so the only days I have to worry about are the 11th and 13th.

I'll be

 

[mlaw]

I am planning my trip in April so I can tell you what I have read but understand I have not traveled there yet myself. Yes, they will transfer your luggage between any Disney owned resorts. If you are able to book same category rooms at Toy Story Hotel you should be able to stay in the same room. I understand it is not guaranteed but I have never read a situation in which the party was not able to stay in the same room (in same room category). It has also been my experience while booking hotels that, if you book right when they become available, you should be able to get Toy Story Hotel. I am unfortunately going during a busy time and it was still available each time I was booking a hotel. Also, while looking for Fantasy Springs on days I have not been able to get it yet, I have often seen Toy Story reappear during by obsessive searching. LOL Good luck. It is definitely a challenging process.

 

[gmi3804]

After stalking the reservation site for room-only, I can say that I saw TSH available pretty often. If at all possible, book the same category as your VP, and they'll do their best to ensure you won't have to change rooms. They will transfer your bags between DISNEY hotels. If you decide on the Hilton, you'll have to take them over yourself.

 

[Apiary]

I wasn't able to book the same TSH room at four months, but a couple days later a different category opened up. I grabbed that, and then moved my package reservation to that category. When I changed my package it did charge me again the new full price, and refunded the old price.

 

[jimmymc]

1. Yes, they will send bags between the hotels.
2. They will try as long as you're in the same room category. There are a lot more categories than WDW hotels, so you would need to be specific.
3. It's in the middle in terms of popularity. Fantasy Springs and MiraCosta are the two hardest by a decent gap. Toy Story is gettable if you're not picky on the room category. I like the idea someone mentioned earlier of changing the package to the room category you can get for hotel only.
4. I would just walk over. It's a 7ish minute walk from one lobby to the other.

 

[Tippytoes925]

You are there at the exact same time as me lol
I also have 2 b2b VP’s booked for the 10th and 12th June.
The first is at Ambassador and second at Fantasy springs.
I’m struggling with finding the in between hotels too! I’m hoping to score Toy story hotel on the 11th and also on 13th just so I don’t have to deal with moving luggage!

 

[Steven G]

Cool! I’m on the ABD trip to Japan beforehand. Are you on that too?

 

[Tippytoes925]

Cool! I’m on the ABD trip to Japan beforehand. Are you on that too?

Unfortunately not.I didn't even realise there was ABD until very recently, by which point I'd already booked flights etc, so I'm just winging it on my own.
I'm doing a stopover in Hong Kong (I'm in Australia) on the way so have a couple nights at Disney there, then fly to Tokyo, couple nights there before heading to Disney with the VP's, then off to Kyoto for some culture, then will finish up in Osaka to do USJ.

I've never been to Japan before and really looking forward to it! Booking the VP part was a bit stressful though, I sweated through that process worse than trying to score an ADR for Cinderella breakfast at WDW lol!

 

[Steven G]

Good luck on your trip!!! and on getting the hotels you want on the in between days. It's coming up next week. I've never been to japan either.

The vacation package process wasn't too bad, I did a couple trial runs a week earlier to see what is needed, and it went relatively smooth. The only issue is the hotel booking in the between days for me!

 

[Tippytoes925]

Thank you!

Have you got a strategy for hitting the parks? I think I'm going to do the attractions that are not covered by the VP first, hopefully while everyone else is running to Frozen lol.

My first VP I plan on hitting attractions hard, the second one I've got some table service restaurants booked (Magellens, Blue Bayou etc) take in some shows, check out the merchandise, maybe stop off at the Teddy Roosevelt lounge for a cocktail and then just do the rides I enjoyed most from the first VP.

I guess the benefit of having the VP means not having to line up at 5am! It will be so nice to just enjoy some coffee and stroll right on in and straight on to the rides. Takes all the stress right out of it hey?

 

[Tippytoes925]

Also,

Not sure if you know, but try to book the Bay view room at Toy story for a clear unobstructed view of Mount Fuji

 

[Steven G]

I have no strategy yet. I basically just plan to do the ones with a ticket and some of the others. I will probably plan more closer to the trip.

 

[mmmears]

I tried to do the same for the FS hotel, which is harder to get from what I can tell. I couldn't even get the middle night at FS when they released the room only packages, but since then was able to find one but it's the wrong category and it is too late to change the hotel packages (all sold out) so for now I'm assuming we will have to change rooms twice, which stinks. Still hoping something will open up though.

 

[gmi3804]

I tried to do the same for the FS hotel, which is harder to get from what I can tell. I couldn't even get the middle night at FS when they released the room only packages, but since then was able to find one but it's the wrong category and it is too late to change the hotel packages (all sold out) so for now I'm assuming we will have to change rooms twice, which stinks. Still hoping something will open up though.

Keep stalking the site. I got a room only, then a VP night, and then a room only. All same category. But it took over much of my life for six weeks or so.

 

[Steven G]

I'll be trying to book my hotel room in a few hours. From what I see, toy story is not really difficult, so I remain hopeful.
What sucks is that I have to do it again two days later

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

I still don’t really understand the WHY behind all of these hoops, but that’s a separate issue.

With respect to vacation packages vs. single rooms, is there ever a situation where the VPs take up all of the rooms in a given category so there are literally none to book? If not then is the food fight for rooms based on length of stay for people booking rooms only? In other words if I want a certain room type at MiraCosta am I competing against only people booking rooms only but may be checking in a few days before I am, or might the vacation package people have already taken all of them by the time it’s my turn to book?

Also is there a difference between a Speciale room and a regular room with the same name, besides just lounge access and breakfast? I believe we have Porto Paradiso Side Harbor View Superior Rooms booked (Speciale) for nights 1 and 3 for through our package, and ideally we’d be able to pick up the same room for night 2 so we don’t have to move. If we can’t access the lounge on day 2, so be it.

 

[gmi3804]

With respect to vacation packages vs. single rooms, is there ever a situation where the VPs take up all of the rooms in a given category so there are literally none to book?

No, they only release a certain number of rooms for VPs, so when they’re gone, they’re gone.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

No, they only release a certain number of rooms for VPs, so when they’re gone, they’re gone.

Great, so there are still rooms available outside of those allocated for vacation packages? Whether they will be taken by someone only booking a hotel room with an earlier checkin day in a different issue, but at least it’s a possibility?

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

Sheesh, I just looked and there isn’t a single available day on the website. This is worse than hunting for DVC rooms in December!

NM: figured out the second part.

 

[Tippytoes925]

I'm also sitting here waiting to book a room for June. And will have to do the same again on Thursday. It's been a bit of a juggling act with 2 VP's, lots of hotel swapping etc.
Just hope it's worth it when I eventually get there!
Good luck Steven, hope you manage to get what you want!