Whats included in a vacation package?

[ericstac]

I am working on numbers to see if I can save some money somewhere and just going over my base package it doesn't add up.

11 nights standard garden view at the poly during xmas and New Years with 10 day park hoppers for 4 adults and 1 child. Free dining included.

So I'm calculating the room cost and tax and the tickets And its a lot less than the package price i have from Disney.

What am i missing?

 

[cel_disney]

Without your numbers above its hard to say but some thoughts....Are you sure you are using the rack rate room cost? Also - does Poly add fees if you have more than 2 adults in the room? (Not sure if that applies to deluxe?)

 

[arihillfarm]

I am working on numbers to see if I can save some money somewhere and just going over my base package it doesn't add up.

11 nights standard garden view at the poly during xmas and New Years with 10 day park hoppers for 4 adults and 1 child. Free dining included.

So I'm calculating the room cost and tax and the tickets And its a lot less than the package price i have from Disney.

What am i missing?

What is your check-in date and I'll run quotes both ways to see where the difference is. Did you include tax on the tickets too?

-Astrid

 

[ericstac]

what is your check-in date and i'll run quotes both ways to see where the difference is. Did you include tax on the tickets too? -astrid

package(s):
12/22/2013
01/03/2014
polynesian- iac / magic your way free dine

10,380.59

 

[ericstac]

Actually check out is 1/2/2014. Sorry

 

[arihillfarm]

Sorry, double post.

 

[ericstac]

What is your check-in date and I'll run quotes both ways to see where the difference is. Did you include tax on the tickets too? -Astrid

This is my package
package(s):
12/22/2013
01/02/2014
polynesian- iac / magic your way free dine

$10,380.59

I come up about 500.00 less and i think i have all the rates and tax correct.

 

[arihillfarm]

package(s):
12/22/2013
01/03/2014
polynesian- iac / magic your way free dine

10,380.59

I'm getting $10,969.12 for the same room and tickets, no dining added (since you got free dining) with the Magic Your Way package but I calculated for 4 adults 18+. Are two of your "adults" actually kids between 10-17? That would bring the price down a little. I also priced as a room only and tickets separately and that's $7 less. I'm not sure what the difference is except that it may have something to do with county tax rates if they are booked separately. Separately, they are $8863.00 for the room and $2099.12 for the 10 day hoppers.

-Astrid

 

[Marionnette]

Without your numbers above its hard to say but some thoughts....Are you sure you are using the rack rate room cost? Also - does Poly add fees if you have more than 2 adults in the room? (Not sure if that applies to deluxe?)

The "extra adult" charge in deluxe resorts is $25/extra adult per night. If the OP has 2 extra adults and is staying 11 nights, that's where the additional $500+ is coming from.

 

[ericstac]

Awesome thanks

Yeah a 10 and 12 yr old.

 

[arihillfarm]

Awesome thanks

Yeah a 10 and 12 yr old.

With that information, I'm getting quotes of $10,350.08 for the MYW with room and 10 day hoppers and $10,343.12 for the same room and tickets, except priced separately, so again, about a $7 difference.

-Astrid

 

[ericstac]

With that information, I'm getting quotes of $10,350.08 for the MYW with room and 10 day hoppers and $10,343.12 for the same room and tickets, except priced separately, so again, about a $7 difference. -Astrid

I appreciate the help there!
So if i went with room discount of 30% it would be less by $2658?

 

[Marionnette]

I appreciate the help there! So if i went with room discount of 30% it would be less by $2658?

Are you sure that the discount would be applicable to all nights of your stay? There are usually blackout dates for holidays.

 

[ericstac]

Are you sure that the discount would be applicable to all nights of your stay? There are usually blackout dates for holidays.

I honestly don't know, I had called them about a month ago when the room discount came out and they "ran the two options" and said the free dining was still a better option so I left it at that.

but then I began thinking that how do they really know? It might be if I actually saved using the dining plan but what if OOP was cheaper than the cost of dining.. and what if I got a season pass and got the TIW 20% card.. It just seems like this way would save more money.

but black out dates would definitely change things.

 

[Marionnette]

I honestly don't know, I had called them about a month ago when the room discount came out and they "ran the two options" and said the free dining was still a better option so I left it at that.

but then I began thinking that how do they really know? It might be if I actually saved using the dining plan but what if OOP was cheaper than the cost of dining.. and what if I got a season pass and got the TIW 20% card.. It just seems like this way would save more money.

but black out dates would definitely change things.

From allears.net:

As of August 1, 2014, 1900 Park Fare, Chef Mickey's, 'Ohana (Dinner Only), Cinderella's Royal Table, Akershus Royal Banquet Hall, and Le Cellier Steakhouse will be subject to new Tables in Wonderland blockout periods in addition to the existing blockout dates of Mother's Day, Easter Sunday, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. The additional blockout weeks are: November 23-29, 2014; December 21-27, 2014; March 8-April 4, 2015; May 31-June 20, 2015.

So, of the 11 nights that you intend to be in Disney, 4 of those nights (Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, NYE and NY Day) will be blacked out for TiW and you will pay full-price for your meals. But at least you would not be subject to the rules for 2014, when pretty much all of the Christmas holiday (12/21-12/27 and 12/31-1/1) would be blacked out. The blackout dates are something to consider.

Seasonal passes also have blackout dates. All of the Christmas season, beginning on Dec. 19, is blacked out for seasonal pass owners.

ETA: Seasonal passes are only available to FL residents. Are you a permanent resident of FL? Your location is showing as TX.

 

[ericstac]

right I'm in Texas. So if I got a season pass, there are times I couldn't even go? That is odd.

 

[arihillfarm]

I appreciate the help there!
So if i went with room discount of 30% it would be less by $2658?

You're welcome!! If you had been able to use the room-only discount, it might have saved you a little bit BUT, the R-O discounts are only for stays certain nights and free dining was good for your entire stay, as long as you arrived by a certain date (Dec. 22nd in your case). The Room only discount was only good for stays through Dec. 23rd, so you would not have been able to get that discount for the rest of your stay. I think you got a pretty good deal for staying on property seeing as there was not a room discount available at all for much of your stay, especially with 4 "Disney adults" in one room getting free dining. Enjoy your trip!!

-Astrid

 

[ericstac]

You're welcome!! If you had been able to use the room-only discount, it might have saved you a little bit BUT, the R-O discounts are only for stays certain nights and free dining was good for your entire stay, as long as you arrived by a certain date (Dec. 22nd in your case). The Room only discount was only good for stays through Dec. 23rd, so you would not have been able to get that discount for the rest of your stay. I think you got a pretty good deal for staying on property seeing as there was not a room discount available at all for much of your stay, especially with 4 "Disney adults" in one room getting free dining. Enjoy your trip!!

-Astrid

awesome.. sounds like it.. thanks for putting my mind at ease. It has been driving me crazy..lol
I'm all for shelling out money for a wonderful vacation and not holding back but when it sounds like there could be savings without changing any dream plans I'm down with that.

 

[Marionnette]

right I'm in Texas. So if I got a season pass, there are times I couldn't even go? That is odd.

You can't get a season pass if you are not a FL resident. Are you confusing season passes with annual passes? They aren't the same thing!

 

[arihillfarm]

right I'm in Texas. So if I got a season pass, there are times I couldn't even go? That is odd.

There is a difference between an annual pass (which is available to residents of any state) and a Florida resident seasonal pass. The Florida resident passes are quite a bit less expensive but do have blackout dates as another poster noted. The annual passes do not.

Also, as far as saving another $2,xxx with a room-only discount (if one had been available for your dates), that would not have been possible. Disney only allows one discount to be used at a time. The only way to truly compare apples to apples would be to do the following:

Rack rate of room (minus room only discount)
+
Price of tickets (non-discounted)
+
Price of paid dining plan (non-discounted)
=
???

vs.

Rack rate of room
+
Price of tickets (non-discounted)
=
??? (with dining plan included at no cost)

If all of the "values" (resort room category, number, length and options on tickets and dining plan) are all the same and you run the numbers on the packages, that will tell you which discount offers the greater savings if you have a choice of either/or.

-Astrid