wish hotel rates would be more solo friendly!

[Mickey'sMainMami]

Ok so I had plans to go with my bff, her mom, her daughter and her niece and nephew. I thought we were going to get two rooms and my bff would room with me since it was her mom who wanted to take the kids for a Christmas gift. Well they all book the room because my bff's mom is paying for her and I guess they expect me to get my own room. I told my bff that she could just keep everything the same, we could just transfer her ressie over to my room and I would pay any difference, but it would still be cheaper for me. She said her mom won't do it and gives me a story about there being a fee to change it. This is their first disney trip and they booked through disney. I know very well changes can be made without a fee but whatever.

So I go online to look for how much it would cost me and it's $1000 for the room and tickets not including airfare. For the 5 of them with a room at POR, tickets and airfare it's around $600 a piece. A big difference. Why do they charge us so much for being a solo traveler? It kinda blows for us, so now that I had my hopes up, I don't think I can swing it. REally dissappointed!

 

[Mickey'sMainMami]

Speaking of hotel prices, I keep seeing posts about people getting 40% discounts and codes, anyone know where I could possibly get one so I can still go in December?? I would really appreciate it, cuz I would love to blow my friend out of the water with my cheap rate, her mom would be sooo jealous, lol! Thanks friends!

 

[roxysmum123]

Your room charges for one person are the same as they'll be for 2. The reason why it seems like the room is cheaper for them is its spread out for more people. I travel solo often and if I ever add another person to my reservation the roomrate remains the same.

Where it is really rough financially to travel as a solo traveller is cruising where they'll charge you for 2 people as a "solo surcharge" even if only one will be going.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

A package has several components: Room, Meals, Tickets, taxes. Let's say that the room component is $300, the meal portion $50 per person, Tickets $50 per person, and taxes based on all but total of $40.

For one person you are looking at $300 + 50 + 50 + 40 = $440.

For two people you are looking at $300 + 100 + 100 + 50 = $550, which is $275 per person.

So the single person is paying an extra $165, which is the fact they are not sharing the room cost and related tax. So the single person is paying 160% of what each person in a couple is paying. Note that most cruise lines charge a 175% "single supplement" on the fare

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

Could you go but maybe for less days?

Or book a value resort and hang out with them at the parks, ect?

Christmas time doesn't have many discounts if that is when you are going which is what it sounds like.

 

[SoloFriendly]

The travel industry in general is not very solo-friendly. The trouble is that hotel rooms are built for 2 people. The room costs what it costs, even if there's only one person in it, so you essentially are paying the full cost because you have no one to split it with. All of this basically says that the travel industry assumes everyone travels in twos like Noah's Ark. It's totally unfair--and not true, because there are millions of people in the US alone who travel solo. US hotels need to get with the program and start building single rooms for solo travelers (at half the price of a double room), like they do in Europe and the rest of the world.

I'm sorry to hear this might prevent you from going. That sucks.

 

[harding0010]

When your at Disney take the survey and they will start sending you discounts in the mail

 

[DCTooTall]

First thing I'd recommend doing....


Check Room only rates. Sometimes you can find a room only rate that is less expensive than a package rate.


Next... look at getting your tickets thru someplace like Undercover Tourist. You can get a ticket price cheaper than what you would get with your disney package. (if you want the tickets on your KTTW, you can have the front desk add them to your ticket.).


Another big thing that can get you some REALLY nice discounts....assuming you think you would enjoy taking multiple trips over the course of a year.... Look into the cost of an Annual Pass. With AP's, you might find an announcement for AP Room discounts which can be quite nice. (If you are going during typical holiday breaks when the parks are busier however, I wouldn't count on a room discount being offered.). You'll also be able to get a discount on most of the souvenir purchases at the parks, as well as some other nice bonuses.



Beyond that, If none of those options work for you, but you have decent credit, You can try looking into the Disney Visa card. One of the perks of the card is 6 months no interest on all Disney Vacation package purchases from the Disney Travel Company. It won't help make the trip less expensive, but it would give you more time to pay it off.


(I'm going to assume that staying offsite wouldn't be an option for you, so I won't go into those options which can often be MUCH less expensive than staying onsite.)

 

[sweeteypie1118]

I know how you feel. I was thinking about doing an ABD trip to Ireland by myself and found out last night on the boards that it would be an additional 1,600 for traveling solo.