What are the pro's to a package vs room only?

[mrudman]

First off, what is all usually entailed in a package deal?

And what would be the pro's to buying a package instead of buying the room only, and buying tickets separately through Undercover Tourist?

Just asking because before I buy the tickets I want to make sure I'm not missing out on something... I made our ressies for room only.

Definitely not planning on doing the Dining plan, so is that the major 3rd option in a package?

Any other perks you get by having a package?

Thanks for any help!
Michelle

 

[Cindy's Mom]

We like the package because you are able to pay off your vacation before you arrive.

That helps us alot in the planning. This way, the trip is paid in full. (we do dining plan, so even our meals are paid for) and the only thing we have to spend money on is souveniers (and tips too).

I'm just curious, why are you against the DDP? Your children will only be $10 a day for food. This is a great and inexpensive way to do many character meals. We swear by the DDP.

You're probably thinking that you don't feel like deciding where you will want to eat 6 months in advance, but unless you are doing counter service for all your meals you will still need to make some ADRs. Might as well have them paid for. Just a thought.

What ever you decided, enjoy your planning.

 

[Chellymouse]

First off, what is all usually entailed in a package deal?

And what would be the pro's to buying a package instead of buying the room only, and buying tickets separately through Undercover Tourist?

Just asking because before I buy the tickets I want to make sure I'm not missing out on something... I made our ressies for room only.

Definitely not planning on doing the Dining plan, so is that the major 3rd option in a package?

Any other perks you get by having a package?

Thanks for any help!
Michelle

Packages are so much easier! You also get a few more "perks" with a package as well (see the MYW on the WDW website) You don't receive those perks with a room only. The DDP is a great value and savings. We used it on our last trip and saved a fortune (and ate much better) than had we not used it. Ticket prices generally aren't much less if you purchase them elsewhere if you do an equal comparison between your package and what you actually wind up paying for tickets. Packages are also nice because your trip is paid in full before you travel.

 

[mickeystoontown]

Packages will include:

Room reservation
Tickets (you choose the type)
Dining Plan (if you choose)

Watercraft voucher (buy 60 minutes and get an additional 30 minutes free)
One free round of mini-putt (for one person in the group)
$15.00 Planet Hollywood voucher-food only
One free PhotoPass photo
One luggage tag per person in your group

I don't think I left out any of the package components.

I like the fact that, when you book a package, you can be making payments on the package all along. The minimum payment is $20.00. Your package must be paid for in full 45 days prior to your arrival.

We've used the Dining Plan twice and it worked really well for us both times. I did the math and I think it will work for us during our June, 2008 trip.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

We've used the Dining Plan twice and it worked really well for us both times. I did the math and I think it will work for us during our June, 2008 trip.

Especially with the Holiday Pricing of all buffets during the month of June. You are not effected if you are on DDP.

 

[Atchley]

Another vote for the DDP! We eat much better and cheaper too! I love that all of our meals are paid for in advance. All we have to do is show up!

 

[CleveRocks]

For me and my family, the differences between a package and a room-only reservation are minimal and meaningless.

The differences are in what you get included, what you can buy additionally, and terms of payment.

INCLUDED IN A PACKAGE:

A package, by definition, is resort stay plus park tickets (in any amount you choose ... it doesn't have to match your resort stay). In addition, there are several small freebies, the ones listed above by mickeystoontown. For my family, the only one we'd ever use is the free PhotoPass photo. Since we don't do mini golf at WDW (we live in a sort-of mini-golf capital) and we don't care to eat at Planet Hollywood, those freebies are meaningless to us. The luggage tags are cute enough, but to me they are pretty much in the "who cares" category.

Now here's the very weird thing that most people don't seem to realize. Even when you book a room-only reservation, you can still include tickets when you make your resort reservation. When you purchase your park tickets this way, it is part of your reservation and you will automatically get them encoded on your room key at check-in.

Regardless of package or room-only, everyone staying at a WDW owned-and-operated resort is entitled to free airport transfers and automatic luggage delivery (Disney's Magical Express). DME is free, but separate reservations are required.


WHAT YOU CAN BUY ADDITIONALLY:

If you want to buy the Disney DIning Plan, it can only be purchased as part of a package. People doing a room-only reservation or people not staying at a WDW owned-and-operated resort aren't eligible to purchase the DDP.

Again, for my family, the DDP is meaningless. By choice, we eat only one or 2 table-service meals each trip. We aren't interested in a table-service meal every day (part of it is that we hate running on a schedule during any vacation, so the idea of planning and timing our activities in order to make it to an ADR just spoils the very idea of a vacation for us). We are perfectly satisfied with counter-service for most of our meals during the week. And the last time we were there, my wife and I were training for our first-ever half-marathon ... we weren't about to assault our bodies with red meat and fried foods, and there is a large variety of healthy and yummy counter-service food, you just have to know where to find it.


TERMS OF PAYMENT:

When you book a package, you have to pay a $200 deposit within 14 days of making the reservation. The balance is due no later than 45 days prior to your arrival day. If you book air travel through Disney, you must pay 100% of that cost at the instant you make the reservation.

When you book a room-only reservation, you have to pay a deposit equal to one night's room rate + tax within 14 days of making the reservation. The balance is due no later than the time of check-in. Despite what someone alluded to above, you can pay early on a room-only reservation. Disney is more than happy to take your money before you are required to pay it.


So for my family's likes and dislikes, whether we book a package or a room-only (we've done both) is pretty meaningless.

 

[ekmom]

I prefer to do room only because I can cancel if I have to much closer to the time of our trip. I also prefer not to give Disney my money any sooner than I have to!

 

[slug]

First off, what is all usually entailed in a package deal?

And what would be the pro's to buying a package instead of buying the room only, and buying tickets separately through Undercover Tourist?

Just asking because before I buy the tickets I want to make sure I'm not missing out on something... I made our ressies for room only.

Definitely not planning on doing the Dining plan, so is that the major 3rd option in a package?

Any other perks you get by having a package?

Thanks for any help!
Michelle

Not sure when you're going. We did everything seperately b/c I took advantage of an AP discount.

Bought an AP just for myself, used that to get a great room-only AP discount at the CR. Then bought the rest of our park tix thru undercover tourist using the mousesavers newsletter link and saved money on the tickets.

Finally, bought a Disney Dining Experience Card (the AP allows you to do this) and saved 20% of all our meals and drinks.

All together, booking that way just seemed like a no-brainer compared with booking a package. But it's not the same for everyone, depending on when you go and where you want to stay.

 

[PrincessHannah]

I just recently booked a room for our stay in April. I hadn't decided yet about the dining plan. The CM on the phone talked me out of getting the tickets with the room. He said to wait until I decided about dining. Then he went on to tell me I should wait until a week before we came and then call about the tickets and the dining plan.

I really actually wanted to go ahead and get the tickets but he kept telling me to wait. Should I call back and order the tickets now?

 

[CleveRocks]

I just recently booked a room for our stay in April. I hadn't decided yet about the dining plan. The CM on the phone talked me out of getting the tickets with the room. He said to wait until I decided about dining. Then he went on to tell me I should wait until a week before we came and then call about the tickets and the dining plan.

I really actually wanted to go ahead and get the tickets but he kept telling me to wait. Should I call back and order the tickets now?

Go and do what you want. That individual's opinion isn't the standard way of doing things.

 

[myprincessgirlisa]

im a fan of the package option

after i priced it out several ways...it just seemed to be a better deal to go with a package...thats the way i book now!!

 

[mrudman]

Thanks for all your thoughts and opinions everyone... so it all boils pretty much down to, that the only reason (for me anyway) that I would buy a package is to get the DDP.

I really don't think we'd get the plan based on how we normally eat, and I just honestly feel we wouldn't be able to use up all the credits, therefore giving Disney money for meals we wouldn't eat.

But again, I might change my mind in the future months here (we're going in late nov/early dec), so I guess at this time I'll just hold off on buying tickets and keep thinking about it.

But as far as any other perks that is comes with, they're pretty much meaningless.. stuff we wouldn't use anyway.

 

[Ilovestitch]

Just keep in mind you can't simply add the dining plan on to a room only reservation.

Say you call Disney a few months prior to add dining, they are actually canceling your room only reservation and booking a new package. There is the possibility that the hotel will be sold out.

 

[septbaby]

It would be pretty easy to use up that paid value of the dining plan for your family, just by taking the girls to a few character meals.

Your daily Dining Plan fee is $95.96 for your family on the basic plan.
Chef Mickey's breakfast: $22.99 per adult, $12.99 per child (already $6 ahead for the girls and you still get snacks and another meal for each valued at a minimum of $14, so you're at least $20 ahead just based on the girls). The adults still have $15 left for a CS meal and snack for the day. Keep in mind if you are paying OOP you'd still have to pay taxes; they're included in the plan; built in savings. If you chose a more expensive dinner or character meal the savings are even greater: (Storybook Princess meal in Epcot, 1900 Park Fare).

We saw our meals as an extension of the magic; Narcoossee's was the treat, Chef Mickey's was our character meal, Coral Reef's aquarium was just wow, Boma was unique and wonderful and Hollywood and Vine offered us Fantasmic seating. Your restaurant choices will likely be different than ours, but hopefully you'll enjoy them as much as we did.

 

[SmallWorld71]

I've done both. Honestly, I don't have a preference. Either way, have a magical time.

 

[emmsmama]

If you want to buy the Disney DIning Plan, it can only be purchased as part of a package. People doing a room-only reservation or people not staying at a WDW owned-and-operated resort aren't eligible to purchase the DDP.

Darn, I've spent months on this board and must be living under a rock as I never realized you couldn't do DDP with a room only reservation. I thought as long as you were staying at a WDW hotel you could add DDP. Bummer as I was going to book a room reservation and get my tix through undercover tourist

 

[bumbershoot]

Oh I was so hoping that this thread could make our decision for us. But it's just showed the good of both of them!!!!!

We're vegetarian and not big-eaters, and we likely would want salads and to make appetizers into a meal...so that's on the no dining plan, just room-only side...but the money *possibly* coming out better through the dining plan and the sales tax included pushes it towards the dining plan, package, side.

 

[Atchley]

You can contact the restaurants ahead of time and let them know any special meals that you might need. Being vegetarian, you could call and ask about vegetarian dishes on the menu or ask if you could get some kind of special meal to accomodate your needs.
I just can't say enough about the dining plan. You would spend $50.00 for a family of four at a CS restaurant. With the dining plan you eat better, healthier I would imagine in most cases, and its all taken care of in advance.

 

[luvdisney24]

I like to book a package because I have found that Disney offers discounts on packages more often than they offer discounts on a room only. If I book a package and a discount comes out, I will call Disney and try to get that discount applied to my reservation.