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

[JulieNMM]

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.

Hi--

I'd like to know more about the AP and the DD Exp Card. We will be staying in 3 different resorts, so can't do the DDP, even though we would like to. We might consider upgrading one person to an AP if it would mean a discount on our rooms and food. But I haven't been able to find information anywhere about how much a room might be discounted?

We will be 8 people and will be at Contemporary (2 rooms) from 6/20-23 and BCV (2 BR suite) from 6/23-6/27 in case that makes any difference. (We will also be at Nick Hotel from 6/17-6/20). We plan on getting 10 day park hoppers.

Thanks in advance for any information. Please feel free to PM me if you prefer or if this is hijacking.

ETA: I posed this question in a new thread to avoid hijacking. !

JULIE

 

[Goofyz3girls]

Its really sad that people come here to get information on all aspects of WDW and I would say about 90% of what I read that people give for answers are WRONG!Before you give someone an answer to their question you should really update yourself on the correct answer.You answer to help them not to steer them wrong.Everyone is on the subject about the DDP and almost everyone that has given an answer hasn't used it in 2008. So let me give you a little update because it has CHANGED (not for the better).Whether its worth it or not is up to the buyer but beware they have taken away the APPETIZER and now you must pay for the GRATUITIES.So start reaching in the pockets because you have to dish out some money on top of what you already paid out.Now I don't now if its worth it or not (haven't used it yet in 2008) but quite a few people are already complaining its not worth it anymore.You can find out all the truth about the DDP in the Disney Restaurant Section under the forum Disney Dining Plan and then click on the third sticky "2008 DDP FAQ".Its very informative. Don't mean to be harsh but where here to help not hurt.

 

[northriver]

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!

YES! I totally agree with this. I get tickets from UT that are actually returnable so together it is kind of like having trip insurance.

I have always done room only. DDP does not work for us. For every trip I actually plan our itinerary, then plan our meals, then calculate OOP cost. DDP has not yet been a winner for us. Normally the "extras" in the package are not things we would buy OOP either, so no savings for us there either.

 

[StrwLady]

A Snack is considered almost anyting $4 and under. You will see little DDP's all over the place where you can buy food. That means that item is on the dining plan. On the dining plan I have got things like a box of cookies (similar to the size of pepperidge farms cookies) a large bag of chips (probably like a 14 oz size) 2 liter coke, nut snack mix, ice cream, fudge, 20oz coke, piece of fruit...and so much more. Basically if its under $4 ask if it can be considered a snack on the dining plan.

Also if you are nearing the end of your trip and haven't used all of your counter services you can go to a counter service and order a drink and a dessert and tell them you want a CS credit used for it. Or if you are flying and can get a sandwich to take on the plane with you that works great too.

As far as Package vs no package the only advantage I see to a package is the dining plan. Sure if you use the little extras you get with the package (water mice, miniature golf etc) then a package with out the dining plan might be good. But considering you can get discounted tickets and maybe an AAA or general public room only discount, no package would be a better choice.

I think the best thing is do the math. Figure out what you want and the cheapest way to get it!

Take Care

 

[StrwLady]

Ugh, this is so hard, lol!

Just went through the menus of the restaurants that I think we would probably eat at... wrote down the amounts from the entrees I would choose (or just an average amount based on the entree prices)... included a dinner place, a lunch place, and $10 per day for snack (we share everything.. so think that would definitely cover a snack for us, if we even got one every day).

Then added in $100 for food bought and brought down, or ordered through Graden Grocer, for 5-6 breakfasts that I'm planning on just eating at our hotel, and snack-type food too (such as pb&j, crackers, juiceboxes, etc for my dd's)....

First off remember the dinging plan gives you 2 meals a day and one snack. Not sure if you were adding the food you bring down in what would be covered in the dining plan. So if you do the dining plan and find the need for 3 meals a day you will have to put out extra cost for food.

Now I don't know what exactly is considered a CS place down there, what's considered a snack, but what if we eat our huge meal at 2pm (which is when I'm planning on eating all our main meals), and we're only hungry for ice cream later (or something along those lines)... our TS credit would kinda go down the tubes at that point.

Pretty much any food place you walk up to the counter and order and then walk away with the food is a counter service. Each resort has a counter service wheter it be a food court or one counter, all the parks have counter services scattered through out the park and all the Epcot World Showcase Pavilions have counter services.

Also incase you didn't know your meal credits are not attached to each day of your trip. Rather than the time frame of the trip. When you check in your KTTW will be credited for x number of table services, x number counter services and x number or snacks. As you use one or the other it will be deducted. So lets say one day you wake up have something you brought from home in the room, then had your table service and later that day only wanted a snack...then that counter service would still be there. You could use it any day the rest of your trip. Even on your last day there. Your credits are good until midnight the day you check out.

In case that is confusing here is an example. It will be around 9pm the day my son and I arrive for our trip. Seeing you get your meal credits per night we will check in with credits for that night. We of course wont be using our table service seeing it will be late. So we probably will get something from the counter service using one cs credit. Then use that table service later during the trip. Actually we will be using it on the Mother's day brunch as that is a signature dining and will cost 2 TS credits.

I hope all this makes sense

Have a great trip!

PS a little suggestion.... when doing a TS thats not a buffet...if your meal fills you and you don't have room for dessert, get something that won't melt to go. Being you have little ones I'm sure you will have a stroller and somewhere to put the dessert. Then later if you want a snack you don't have to use your snack credit or you can use it for a soft drink!

 

[dishm12/08]

Its really sad that people come here to get information on all aspects of WDW and I would say about 90% of what I read that people give for answers are WRONG!Before you give someone an answer to their question you should really update yourself on the correct answer.You answer to help them not to steer them wrong.Everyone is on the subject about the DDP and almost everyone that has given an answer hasn't used it in 2008. So let me give you a little update because it has CHANGED (not for the better).Whether its worth it or not is up to the buyer but beware they have taken away the APPETIZER and now you must pay for the GRATUITIES.So start reaching in the pockets because you have to dish out some money on top of what you already paid out.Now I don't now if its worth it or not (haven't used it yet in 2008) but quite a few people are already complaining its not worth it anymore.You can find out all the truth about the DDP in the Disney Restaurant Section under the forum Disney Dining Plan and then click on the third sticky "2008 DDP FAQ".Its very informative. Don't mean to be harsh but where here to help not hurt.

If you're willing to do the DxDDP, then you do get an appetizer. But you still have to pay gratuity. For me being a newbie, I actually don't have a problem with this. I rather gratuity be in my control instead of servers doing half the work because they know they got their money already. I'm not saying this is the case with all servers period or at Disney, but I have experienced it before and I noticed a trend.

 

[CleveRocks]

Its really sad that people come here to get information on all aspects of WDW and I would say about 90% of what I read that people give for answers are WRONG!

I think you're exaggerating just a teensy weensy bit. 90%??? In practical terms, that would mean that a typical thread could consist of an OP followed by 9 incorrect responses and only one correct one. Where on Earth ... I mean ... where on the DIS have you seen such atrocious odds? I've been around here a while and I can say with all certainty that it is FALSE that 90% of responses are incorrect. I'd say it's more like 5%-10%.

And it looks like your first sentence is in that 5%-10%.

I'll take another part of your post and point it at you:

Before you give someone an answer to their question you should really update yourself on the correct answer.You answer to help them not to steer them wrong.

Very well said.

 

[rosiep]

luvdisney24 is correct.

DME was launched on May 5, 2005. Four years ago, there was no such thing as DME ... so you couldn't possibly have asked for it. Since Day 1 of DME, it has been a function of having a resort reservation. Nothing else matters.

Perhaps you are thinking of some other perk, but it couldn't possibly have been Disney's Magical Express.

I checked my records it was three yrs ago...Oct 2005. I could have gotten an uninformed CM since it obviously was only newly in place....
Thanks for the info...

 

[bumbershoot]

A Snack is considered almost anyting $4 and under. You will see little DDP's all over the place where you can buy food. That means that item is on the dining plan. On the dining plan I have got things like a box of cookies (similar to the size of pepperidge farms cookies) a large bag of chips (probably like a 14 oz size) 2 liter coke, nut snack mix, ice cream, fudge, 20oz coke, piece of fruit...and so much more. Basically if its under $4 ask if it can be considered a snack on the dining plan.

From what I've read, that isn't really accurate anymore. Now it's pretty much single-serving things that are also under $4.

Good thread about confirmed "snacks" here.

 

[heaven2dc]

"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."

I saw this quoted on an earlier post and this is not true, at least from what I know. We rented points from a DVC member, and she added the DDP to the reservation along with the Magical Express Bus service to our reservation. The ME tags & reservation packet were mailed to me 10 days prior plus the luggage tags (all free service). When I checked in to BWV, I paid for the DDP. I purchased our park tickets thru the local Disney store same price as most websites or even less plus I could have purchased them at Concierge desk at the hotel (BWV).

I've found it's much cheaper to rent points from a DVC member, use the DDP & free bus service than to do the package. We stayed at the BWV, boardwalk view overlooking Crescent lake by renting points for much less than it would have cost at All Stars or Pop Century.

So that's my 2-cents worth lol

 

[Luv2Roam]

The DDP can only be purchased with a WDTC package, or as a DVC member/renting points from a DVC member.
Guests who book room only or stay off site cannot purchase a Disney dining plan. They could purchase the DDE, if they are eligible.
The DDP is from WDTC. I am a fan of WDTC.
And DH and I like the DDP too. Used it recently, and all set again on a quick upcoming trip!

 

[iloveeeyore]

I had booked a room-only AAA rate for our upcoming April trip because I thought it was the best savings available at this time (still waiting for a code).

We had done the Dining Plan during free dining and figured it was a GREAT value for free, but only a "decent" value if you had to pay for it (and that was in 2006, when it still included appetizer and tip with the TS meals).

Well, last night I printed out the menus of the places where we have ADRs and discovered by glancing at the prices that we would come out at least little ahead with the DDP (if you do this, you have to remember to add taxes into the OOP cost, taxes are included in the DDP credits). Yes, we will still have to pay gratuities and appetizers at dinnertime, but we'd have to do that anyway OOP.

Here's what I decided to do. I called AAA and booked a package through them. So we still get the 10% discount on the room, but now we already have our tickets and dining paid for. For us, this is the best of both worlds. BTW, I had to call AAA twice, because the 1st agent I spoke with didn't include the 10% discount on the price, she quoted me the same as Disney on the package.

BEWARE...the DDP is NOT an automatic savings, so it's not for everyone. You have to know where you're going to eat and how much it would cost OOP for your own family. Not everyone eats at the same restaurants we do; we like a nice dinner at a TS restaurant every night and enjoy CS in the parks at lunchtime, and sometimes we like to order the most expensive thing on the menu (and it's nice not have to think about it). We use our snack credits for a quick on-the-go breakfast or Dole Whips!! So the DDP works very well for our needs; nothing about how we would ordinarily dine while in WDW needs to be modified to fit the allowances of the plan. For some families, it just might be "worth it" for the convenience, irrespective of the savings. For others, keeping track of credits might not seem "convenient" at all. "Value" is always subjective, and what might seem preferable for one family might not work at all for another. It's nice that we have this forum to discuss our thoughts.

HTH.

 

[CleveRocks]

"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."

I saw this quoted on an earlier post and this is not true, at least from what I know. We rented points from a DVC member, and she added the DDP to the reservation along with the Magical Express Bus service to our reservation.

You quoted that from me, and you are 100% correct. Tell someone in your house to give you a gold start for picking up my omission!

I just never think about DVC ... but you are absolutely correct. A DVC is the exception to what I wrote. Thanks for setting the record straight for everyone!