What price would you put on Disney Magical Extras?

[Pegasus928]

I am pricing up for next year - looking at taking advantage of the free DDP - and have numerous options that I am looking at (onsite/offsite/split stay).
Having priced up the exact same holiday through Disney and Complete Orlando the price difference is more than £500. The only difference in the 2 packages is the exlusive extras that Disney give - but I am struggling to see £500 worth of value in that. Can you convince me otherwise?
Here's a list of the extras

EARmails ServiceDisney Store Merchandise Discount at disneystore.co.ukFulton's Crab House® - 10% Off LunchPortobello's Yacht Club® - 10% Off LunchBasin - 10% Off Merchandise$150 Disney Gift CardHouse of Blues - 10% Off MerchandisePreferred Fireworks Viewing for Wishes™ Fireworks at the Magic Kingdom® ParkPreferred Fireworks Viewing for IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth at Epcot®Walt Disney World Marina DiscountsRagland Road® - 10% Off Lunch or DinnerPlanet Hollywood® Souvenir Merchandise KeepsakePlanet Hollywood® Dining CertificateRagland Road® - 10% Off MerchandiseOne round of Miniature GolfGhirardelli® - 10% Off Voucher20% Off 'Characters in Flight' Morning TripsHouse of Blues - 20% Off Lunch or Dinner

 

[DisFanJen]

Personally I'd save the £500.

 

[catherine]

For me I'd go with the cheaper option! I have booked with Disney for our next trip, but we probably won't use many of the extras. In fact, thinking about it last trip we didn't use any of them!

 

[Elise79]

We had the same issue - I decided the only one worth anything to us was the mini golf voucher which would be about $18!

Booked with Complete Orlando and saved the money

 

[Kath2003]

Given that most of them require you to hand over even MORE money to Disney to obtain the discount, I'd take the £500....

 

[strawberry blonde]

I'd also save the £500 and put it towards your spending money

 

[wayneg]

How are you getting the £500 difference to start with?
Is it flight inclusive?
Usually cheaper to book the flights seperate to the hotel/ticket package.

Just taking 2 weeks in a 1 bed villa with 4 tix and no flights there should be little difference between Disney & CO
Disney cost £3254 less 3% Quidco & $150 gift card = £3,065
CO £3,054
Difference £10
I still haven't decided between the 2 for next year, past 3 years I have used Disney even though last year it cost us £75 more, I prefer to deal direct with Disney so I will probably go direct again for next year (our difference is £10 also)

 

[Pegasus928]

Thanks guys.
Having looked over the list in detail last night I was really struggling to see how it would be beneficial to keep the extras over the saving, but thought some experienced Disney regulars may have been able to highlight something I had missed.
Looks like CO is probably the best way to go

 

[Pegasus928]

How are you getting the £500 difference to start with?
Is it flight inclusive?
Usually cheaper to book the flights seperate to the hotel/ticket package.

Just taking 2 weeks in a 1 bed villa with 4 tix and no flights there should be little difference between Disney & CO
Disney cost £3254 less 3% Quidco & $150 gift card = £3,065
CO £3,054
Difference £10
I still haven't decided between the 2 for next year, past 3 years I have used Disney even though last year it cost us £75 more, I prefer to deal direct with Disney so I will probably go direct again for next year (our difference is £10 also)

Reading your post maybe me go back and look at my figures again - and the quote for Disney included what I estimate spending on tips for the 2 weeks, whereas the CO quote didnt.
My excuse is that it was very late and I had been staring at the laptop for the past 6 hours playing with figures.
Now that I have had a few hours sleep I might be able to come to a more realistic conclusion this morning

 

[2Tiggies]

I had this conversation with someone last night. There is no way to put that price difference on Magical Extras BUT, having always had them, we would miss the ones that are special to us.

A lot of them are discounts, so as Kath says, they require an additional spend. Now if you are going to be buying or paying for some of those things anyway then you should factor the cost in. For example we were doing Characters in Flight regardless this last trip. We got a 20% discount. Less of a saving for as with one adult and one child price I suppose but for a family of four with kids 10 or older it would be more.

We always eat at House of Blues. We got 20% off a meal there. Valid saving.

We love the preferred fireworks viewings and those, although having no cash value, are things I would pay for and miss if we didn't have them. However if you have never used them, you won't miss them.

And this year's $150 gift card has a value of £100, approximately.

But even I would forfeit the benefits for £500 of savings unless the benefits themselves could save me at least £350.

Also don't forget to factor in your cashback from Quidco/Topcashback if you book through Disney UK online

 

[T16GEM]

Save the £500, most of the extras are discounts off food, which you won't use anyway if you are going to be using DDP.
When are you planning on going?

 

[dtm316]

Yeah I'd save the money as well, booked with disney this year and got all the same vouchers, didn't use one of them

 

[dixonsontour]

I went with complete orlando for 2012 as they were about £100 cheaper for our dates.

Disney UK who we had booked with 2010 wouldn't price match. Since we booked disney uk have introduced the $150 gift card offer.

We used the 1 mini golf voucher (only give you one not one per person) and the fireworks viewing but wont miss the extras.

 

[Julia Ann]

At first glance i would save the £500 unless down to reputation of the company (never booked with CO but i have in the past paid extra to go with Virgin.....i think that was when they had a good rep!)

question - wot preferred viewing do you get for the fireworks? as they are in the sky i thought anywhere in the park was a good view...in fact we watched the late wishes(or maybe the MNSSHP) fireworks from the carpark which was a great view and got off site quick. Now if it was preferred viewing for the parades that would be different, sitting on the kerb for an hour or so before it starts is always a bit of a chore.

 

[crabbie1]

Kenny we have booked with CO this year for the first time as normally book direct through disney but the flights with CO were cheaper than virgin direct so no winner really.I must say they have given outstanding customer service. I think people are wary of booking with them incase something bad happens which is understandable.I mean I cant see disney direct going down the pan
I have priced up next year 5 nights RPR and 10 nights pop for 17th august 15 nights and they quoted £1153 for accomodation only.We will have annual passes from next week so wnt need the tickets.No free DDP for us but the price of 4 tickets would not cost us that much in food.POFQ was £300more.
Our flights were sold out.
Still havent booked as yet.
Buy the way dizzy has arrived for his next holiday

 

[mrtoffee]

How are you getting the £500 difference to start with?
Is it flight inclusive?
Usually cheaper to book the flights seperate to the hotel/ticket package.

Just taking 2 weeks in a 1 bed villa with 4 tix and no flights there should be little difference between Disney & CO
Disney cost £3254 less 3% Quidco & $150 gift card = £3,065
CO £3,054
Difference £10
I still haven't decided between the 2 for next year, past 3 years I have used Disney even though last year it cost us £75 more, I prefer to deal direct with Disney so I will probably go direct again for next year (our difference is £10 also)

Thanks for the quidco tip, is it an internet cash back or can you use the code over the phone? Ive never used quidco so not totally sure how it works. The main reason I as is we want to put a room request in so was going to book over direct with disney.

 

[wayneg]

Thanks for the quidco tip, is it an internet cash back or can you use the code over the phone? Ive never used quidco so not totally sure how it works. The main reason I as is we want to put a room request in so was going to book over direct with disney.

Quidco is for online only, you have to book via the link on Quidco's site which tracks for the cashback.
Room requests are very hit & miss, doesn't matter who you book with, in my experience you have as much chance asking when you get there than requesting in advance, last twice I have booked direct with Disney, both times room request ignored.

 

[2Tiggies]

Mr Toffee you can book online with Disney and then ring them up and ask them to add a request to your reservation

 

[mrtoffee]

Mr Toffee you can book online with Disney and then ring them up and ask them to add a request to your reservation

thanks 2tiggies, i think thats what I will do