Why book a package?

[eurasian81]

Hi

Hope this is the right forum but I have a question.

If it's not a free dining period, why would I book a package? Always have in the past (because we got free dining) but am starting to question for this trip as free dining isn't an option.

There is no price difference between booking a Room Only reservation and tickets separately compared to booking a package.

The package gets some luggage tags and a heap of discounts for items that I likely won't use (e.g. watercraft rental, mini golf) BUT has to be paid in full upfront and has strict cancellation terms. RO cancellation terms are far more generous.

Any reason why I shouldn't just do RO + tickets??

FP+ works the same under both right????

Any help appreciated.

 

[Babsy]

I don't get it either. We never book a package, always go for the room only discount. FP+ works the same.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

If you aren't booking the dining package, the only real advantage of booking a package over room-only (aside from the packet of discounts) is the cancellation/change policy for the tickets associated with a package. If you do room-only and buy the tickets separately AND want to take advantage of the 60 days prior FP+ booking, you have to shell out $$ for non-refundable theme park tickets over two months in advance. If you end up canceling your room, you will be stuck with those tickets. You can, of course, use them at another time, but you are making a ticket investment. With a package, those tickets are completely refundable up until 45 days prior when you make final payment. You can also cancel up to 2 days prior to check-in and only be out $200.

Prior to the 60-day prior FP+ reservations going into effect, I would ALWAYS do room-only and then buy my tickets once I was on property because then I was absolutely sure I was going to use those tickets. Now, I personally don't like to make that big of a non-refundable investment unless I'm absolutely sure I will go at some point. That's really the only difference as far as I can tell.

 

[eurasian81]

Thank you!!

 

[Babsy]

If you aren't booking the dining package, the only real advantage of booking a package over room-only (aside from the packet of discounts) is the cancellation/change policy for the tickets associated with a package. If you do room-only and buy the tickets separately AND want to take advantage of the 60 days prior FP+ booking, you have to shell out $$ for non-refundable theme park tickets over two months in advance. If you end up canceling your room, you will be stuck with those tickets. You can, of course, use them at another time, but you are making a ticket investment. With a package, those tickets are completely refundable up until 45 days prior when you make final payment. You can also cancel up to 2 days prior to check-in and only be out $200.

Prior to the 60-day prior FP+ reservations going into effect, I would ALWAYS do room-only and then buy my tickets once I was on property because then I was absolutely sure I was going to use those tickets. Now, I personally don't like to make that big of a non-refundable investment unless I'm absolutely sure I will go at some point. That's really the only difference as far as I can tell.

OK, now I get it. We always have an AP, so its never been an issue, but I have always wondered.

Good to know.

 

[hammie59]

I like the luggage tags and all, but not really a deal clincher for me either. The main reason we do the package is for the ticket cancellation policy as well.

 

[Marionnette]

Hi

Hope this is the right forum but I have a question.

If it's not a free dining period, why would I book a package? Always have in the past (because we got free dining) but am starting to question for this trip as free dining isn't an option.

There is no price difference between booking a Room Only reservation and tickets separately compared to booking a package.

The package gets some luggage tags and a heap of discounts for items that I likely won't use (e.g. watercraft rental, mini golf) BUT has to be paid in full upfront and has strict cancellation terms. RO cancellation terms are far more generous.

Any reason why I shouldn't just do RO + tickets??

FP+ works the same under both right????

Any help appreciated.

Sometimes Disney offers magical package deals that are better than doing RO+tickets. You have to do the math for all of the offers available to you at the time that you want to book your vacation. Not every package deal is going to be a better bargain than RO+tickets but since most of the package deals are targeted at specific demographics (families with small kids, families with more than one child, etc.) there isn't a single, set answer to the question of whether a package is better than RO+tickets.

But as far as FP+ is concerned, others have already addressed the advantages of booking a package: your tickets magically appear in MDE without you having to try to link them yourself and if you need to cancel a package, you cancel the tickets as well (so that you don't end up paying for them and then have them sitting in a drawer forever).

 

[hstrickland]

We usually book a package out of sheer convenience. I had no idea about the issue of buying tickets separately. Thanks so much for the info!!