You should be able to modify your reservation and apply any discounts. Occasionally, the modify button doesn’t appear in MDE though in which case you would rebook and cancel your original reservation. When you cancel you would get your deposit back. However, don’t count on free dining. A lot of people expect discounts to be few and far between the second half of 2021 especially if Disney announces the 50th celebration will start over the summer.
If a discount is available your best bet is to try online first and if the website is too slow then you can try calling as well and see which gets you through first. Sometimes they release the discounts before the phone lines are even open but if they are open there will be a long wait. It’s kind of a mess on booking day because the website is also known to crash.
But would they/it? All other anniversary celebrations have started October 1.
Depends on the resort. Value/Moderate resorts offer the AD Plan free. That's about $52 per person, so $104 per night. Even with a 25% discount on a $300 rack rate, that's $75 vs $104.
Is that new? They’ve transferred our deposit several times in the past, but I haven’t done it in probably 2 or 3 years.
If you're just modifying/changing an existing reservation, your deposit will remain and nothing monetary will occur. But if you cancel one reservation and create a new one, with a new confirmation number, its always been my experience and understanding that they cannot transfer the deposit between two separate reservations.
Depends on other factors as well. Buying discounted tickets, and not having to purchase the parkhopper if you don’t really want or need it can make a room discount a better value than free dining for 2 people.
Its nothing new based on my own experience, but I wonder if our differing experiences are due to the way they are booked. I found this, which is still confusing, but may explain why apparently some can be transferred and some can't: https://allears.net/walt-disney-world/wdw-accommodation/resort-reservation-payment-policies/
No one knows what to expect right now unfortunately. DL’s big anniversary lasted 18 months so there is some talk that Disney could start as early as Memorial Day if everything is ready. Also if bookings over the summer 2021 are a little lower than they’d like, starting the celebration early would be better for them than releasing discounts. At this point it’s just a lot of speculation with nothing concrete.
Thanks for the link!
A room deposit can never be transferred to a package reservation, same for package to a room. It's always a cancel with refund and rebook with new payment.
Many adults like to eat and drink at lounges around DW like The Tambu Lounge or Territory Lounge. Lounges are not on the dining plan.
Thank you. I didn’t know that!
