What do you get with a vacation package??

[jenergy]

I'm very confused as to what exactly the extra charge is for if you book a vacation package rather than book the hotel and buy the tickets separately. When I was first planning out trip in October a package for PPH was $1161.00 whereas separately it was $1118. That's $43 just for the package. With the current super low fall rates, I was looking at packages for the GCH. With a package the total was $1230; separately it's $1056. That's $174 just for booking as a package! Can someone please tell me what is entailed in the "package" and why the packages sometimes cost more than others. I mean, is it worth it at all if you're already getting MM just with the tickets?

TIA!!

 

[skiingfast]

I'm very confused as to what exactly the extra charge is for if you book a vacation package rather than book the hotel and buy the tickets separately. When I was first planning out trip in October a package for PPH was $1161.00 whereas separately it was $1118. That's $43 just for the package. With the current super low fall rates, I was looking at packages for the GCH. With a package the total was $1230; separately it's $1056. That's $174 just for booking as a package! Can someone please tell me what is entailed in the "package" and why the packages sometimes cost more than others. I mean, is it worth it at all if you're already getting MM just with the tickets?

TIA!!

The package may have discounts to booking separately. But that doesn't mean the discount isn't as great a other special offers.

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

Make sure the vacation protection plan isn't included in your quote for the package... also, I believe the packages add in the resort fee, but booking separate does not... For us, they have always come out nearly neck and neck--after I add in the resort fee that I will be charged if I book separately.

 

[DizNee Luver]

You get the ToonTown Morning Madness vouchers, PS for Aladdin, Muppet 3-D & Tough to be a bug. Plus you get a discount card for the GardenWalk businesses & luggage tags. When you get to Disneyland you have a voucher for a free lanyard & trading pin. There are a few other coupons including a percentage off at the Disney store with a $50 purchase.

Of course, I'm assuming you're talking about the Disney Travel package.....lol

 

[jenergy]

Make sure the vacation protection plan isn't included in your quote for the package... also, I believe the packages add in the resort fee, but booking separate does not... For us, they have always come out nearly neck and neck--after I add in the resort fee that I will be charged if I book separately.

That definitely makes sense for the resort fees to be the difference in booking separately and together as a package. However, the PP package was less than the GC package even though the rates, at the time I was given those is less for GC than PP (if that makes sense). To elaborate, when I checked a couple of months ago the nightly rate for PP was $250 in that package total. For the GC package, the nightly rate is $228 but the package total is $100+ more than the PP package...

You get the ToonTown Morning Madness vouchers, PS for Aladdin, Muppet 3-D & Tough to be a bug. Plus you get a discount card for the GardenWalk businesses & luggage tags. When you get to Disneyland you have a voucher for a free lanyard & trading pin. There are a few other coupons including a percentage off at the Disney store with a $50 purchase.

Of course, I'm assuming you're talking about the Disney Travel package.....lol

I seeee...Disney Travel = Via Disneyland.com, right?

 

[DahliaRW]

Be aware, though, that when booking for 2011 there is no longer a resort fee. So you can't count that into the package "savings".

 

[Sherry E]

I'm very confused as to what exactly the extra charge is for if you book a vacation package rather than book the hotel and buy the tickets separately. When I was first planning out trip in October a package for PPH was $1161.00 whereas separately it was $1118. That's $43 just for the package. With the current super low fall rates, I was looking at packages for the GCH. With a package the total was $1230; separately it's $1056. That's $174 just for booking as a package! Can someone please tell me what is entailed in the "package" and why the packages sometimes cost more than others. I mean, is it worth it at all if you're already getting MM just with the tickets?

TIA!!

Honestly, unless you have to have the extras that DizNee Luver mentioned, I would avoid getting a package. They used to offer substantial discounts in the old, old days. Now, they are often more expensive than getting a "Room-Only" reservation through Central Reservations and getting tickets separately, as you found out. They even have packages without Hoppers. I would avoid them at all costs because the cancellation policies are more strict. If you buy their Travel Insurance, you can get a full refund should you need to cancel. If you do not buy the insurance, they will take $100 out of your money if you cancel more than 30 days in advance, and $200 if you cancel inside 30 days.

If you go with a Room-Only reservation through Central, you can cancel all the way up to 5 days prior to arrival with no charge of any kind and no red tape to cut through. It's a safer deal. The Resort Fee - while it lasts - is $13.80 per night, and that includes the 15% tax.

I've done the WDTC packages before, and now I am a Room-Only reservations girl all the way!!

 

[jenergy]

Honestly, unless you have to have the extras that DizNee Luver mentioned, I would avoid getting a package. They used to offer substantial discounts in the old, old days. Now, they are often more expensive than getting a "Room-Only" reservation through Central Reservations and getting tickets separately, as you found out. They even have packages without Hoppers. I would avoid them at all costs because the cancellation policies are more strict. If you buy their Travel Insurance, you can get a full refund should you need to cancel. If you do not buy the insurance, they will take $100 out of your money if you cancel more than 30 days in advance, and $200 if you cancel inside 30 days.

If you go with a Room-Only reservation through Central, you can cancel all the way up to 5 days prior to arrival with no charge of any kind and no red tape to cut through. It's a safer deal. The Resort Fee - while it lasts - is $13.80 per night, and that includes the 15% tax.

I've done the WDTC packages before, and now I am a Room-Only reservations girl all the way!!

Thanks!! That's totally helpful and good to know. I already made a room-only reservation because of the cancellation policy but if I hadn't known otherwise I may have booked a package (and without insurance because I'd much rather pay $200 for a deposit than $300) and been pretty screwed.
The only money I've saved for our trip is the money I just put down for the first night's stay so I'm cutting it pretty close by going with a DLR hotel. There may be a good chance I end up canceling it since saving $1000 just for hotel and tickets alone will be quite the feat in 1.5 months. If I had to lose $100 on top of that for canceling I would really not be happy. I'm really hoping that it will be the opposite though and we'll end up upgrading to the GCH. *Crosses fingers*
Thanks everyone!

 

[specialks]

Just a note about packages. If you book through AAA you get free parking in addition to the stuff the DTC gives you (this also applies if you buy your parkhoppers - 3+days - from AAA) and you get a special AAA savings card which we used at Rainforest & BuildABear. The luggage tags are agent dependent so by booking with AAA we received all Goofy luggage tags. If you book a package through Costco you a premium character meal with your package (Goofys or Ariels) and a $20 gift card in addition to the standard package bonuses DTC gives. If it is the same as last year Costco gives Donald luggage tags. I 'think' DTC is the only way to get the Mickey/Minnie luggage tags.

Again, the cancellation policies are different. We paid about $300 extra last year to get a package because I wanted all the little bonuses (that aren't really freebies) and my kids really wanted to do Mickey's TTMM. This year the package is again about $200 more and we will NOT be doing it again. I like saving the money and we are going to give the Holiday Tour or Fantasmic Desert seating a try with the saved money.