Virgin Package vs DIY

[Fantasia Sam]

I've worked out that the package price for my brother and his wife and their 17 yr old and 13 yr old sons would be £3426 (no passes) to stay at the ALL STARS - if I book this is this 2 rooms I've made no deductions for kids sharing the room etc?


Now if I book flights separately with Virgin the flights would be £1996 plus accommodation. They want to stay at the ALL STARS currently my wedding rate per room is $89 per night but obviously I may be able to get an AP rate for them but just by going with the exchange rate this works out at a total of £3840 for flights and 2 rooms.

Obviously if the Virgin package price is based on 2 rooms then would you think it worth my while to go with the package? What would you do?

Thanks ever so

 

[Goofyish]

Looking at their ages they would be classes as adults and you should get the "3rd/4th adult sharing a room" discount if you only book one room. Also, if you are booking on line don't use the 'teen' prices. The adult on-line discount is greater than the 'teen' discount, so you get a better price if you class tham as adults!

Is the Fairy Tale Package still on when they go - that may be a gooddeal for them?

AP discounts seem to be a bit thin on the ground - there are rumours that they may stop all together due to the success of FTP, so don't count on getting an AP rate!
Have you tried getting a quote from DreamsUnlimited - they were very good when I used them.

 

[Hilary]

The Virgin price will almost certainly be for one room unless you have specifically asked for two.

The All Star resorts are fantastic fun (IMHO), but the rooms are the smallest WDW resort rooms. How much time are your brother and his family likely to spend in the room? We found one ASMo room to be absolutely fine for the four of us, but we have two DDs and I'm told teenage boys take up more room!! (My experience of teenage boys was too long ago for me to remember things like that! ).

I'd also think it worth asking DU for a quote, although your wedding rate sounds pretty good.

 

[vernon]

I would also check other airlines for flights. British Airways site http://www.ba.com is good because it gives you dates around the one you are looking to fly so you can easily see if leaving a day or two around your planned departure date will make a good saving.
I doubt you'll get a much better rate for the All Star, I'd be certain that the price for the Virgin package is for one room.

 

[Fantasia Sam]

OK they really need 2 rooms that's without a doubt even if the rooms were huge - Mummy and Daddy like their privacy and are prepared to pay for it.

What's the Fairytale package?

I'll get a rate from Dreams - is there a space to put we need 2 rooms?

I've already had to talk my brother into All Stars because they won't be spending too much time in the room and it would be pointless them spending the money for 2 weeks at the CBR.

I can't put them in a villa as they don't wish to drive and obviously I'm there organising the wedding so won't always have time to go pick them up - hence they need to be on-site just pre-emting that question.

Thanks for all the tips so far I don't know what I'd do without you all - never had to think about kids before.

 

[Fantasia Sam]

How about £1500 flying into and out of Tampa ???

that sounds good doesn't it ?

 

[Goofyish]

The Fairytale Package was a special deal Disney had over the summer - you could book a certain number of nights and then get so many nights free (inclusing park passes!). I think is was something like book 4 nights and get 3 free - could be wrong though.

I think it has stopped now though

 

[catherine]

The original FTP had to be booked by the end of June. Apparently Disney has come up with a revised FTP, which is NOT supposed to be a good deal!

What about trying to rent some DVC points and getting a 2 bedroom villa. I don't know how much that would work out to be, but it would give them plenty of space and they would be able to use Disney transportation.

Good luck with your planning.

 

[Fantasia Sam]

Oh I don't know you build me up Tim and then let me down Thanks anyway you never know something like this may come up next year - I think we're gonna go for the flight only prices for now and then we have flexibility for them.

Catherine - to rent points for the 2 bed villa works out at £3,000 (and I wasn't giving them any of mine ) so it's still cheaper to do the 2 rooms at All Stars - this is fine.

Thanks everyone for the help.

Vernon the BA fight thingy worked a treat thanks ever so.

 

[Penny12]

Would you/they consider renting points from a DVC member? The going rate is usually $10 a point (and unlike the room rate you don't have to add tax to it), I don't know how many points you'd need at the BCV for a 1 bedroom for the dates they want, but it <i>might</i> work out better (or pretty darn close) than 2 seperate rooms at the AS, they'd get a kitchen and the jacuzzi, better location plus they'd be closer to you

Just a thought...

Edited to add -

Doh! That'll teach me to just read the first couple of posts and skip to an answer as the DVC was suggested.

 

[vernon]

Sam, I doubt the One bedroom at DVC would be enough as I can't see the two boys being happy about sharing a sofabed. With two boys of that age I would however suggest/give your brother's family the option of a weekend at one of Universal's hotels. The boys are going to love the thrill rides of IOA and the FOTL access would really help them to maximise those parks.
Tampa's an easy place to get in and out of , although I would suggest having a hire car. Two weeks car hire would be about the cost of the saving, but it would allow them to drive to BG ( which I think will appeal to the boys) as well as SW,US and getting off site to some cheaper restaurants. If the boys eat anything like the odd marsupials that arrive with my daughters on occasions , eating on site could prove a costly option.

If they like space and privacy Sam I would suggest they reconsider the villa option. It would come in cheaper than two hotel rooms, they could leave the boys for an evening or two with pizza(s) and the TV remote and would allow them the option of having breakfast at home if they already have a car from flying in and out of Tampa. IMHO for families with a couple of teenagers villas offer the best accommodation. Unless they would enjoy the unique and somewhat limited appeal of Fort Wilderness cabins. Maybe 10 days in a villa and 3 at Universal is an option that covers the best of all worlds?

 

[Fantasia Sam]

Yeah the DVC thing is out because of course the boys won't share.

I talked to David (my bro) again about the Villa option and he's just not keen - I left the Virgin brochure with them so that he can look at the price differences - but it looks like I may be able to get an even better deal on the room rates as I'm booking so many room nights with my Wedding Package.

We've just had some good news about the flight seems David knows someone in the airline business who's just waiting to confirm but looks like he can get all 4 of them on for 2 weeks at £1000

Now David wants to spend more on the resort and he's even asked me about Animal Kingdom Lodge - looks like my brother's just got the taste for WDW - poor soul I don't feel I can break the news to him that he'll never go anywhere else on holiday again

Vernon - thanks for all the tips I'm absolutely with you on all of this and I think for their next trip this is the way they'll go I'm gonna sit back now and watch the seed I've planted grow

 

[debbyLL]

i don't know if this is still available but if you join the disney club, you can ask for discount one year we were quoted a really good rate for a one bedroom/lounge etc in disney institute, this worked out cheaper at the time than dixie landings. with the card you also got 10% at a lot of meal places and the disney shop at dd

 

[Fantasia Sam]

Thanks for the thought debbyLL but the Disney Club card will no longer be in use from end of December this year At this stage Disney are not replacing it with anything. We already get a lot of discount with our Annual Passes and unfortunately the one-bedroom still wouldn't be big enough for the 4 of them as the boys would have to share the sofa bed and that "ain't happening"

They've now decided to upgrade anyway to the Caribbean Beach Resort as it'll be closer to my resort and there's more for them to do etc.