January 2020 Discounts

[SouthFayetteFan]

Question, for SPD if I already have all 3 booked, what is the discount usually?

Oh - you are looking for my pride and joy...my masterpiece...my OPUS:

The World Famous "Stay Play Dine Calculation Thread":
https://www.disboards.com/threads/stay-play-dine-2019-calculation-thread.3708403/

 

[KMarston]

So if you book a room only discount, you can absolutely add park tickets and/or dining (and you can add one or the other). It will become a "package" then and be subject to package booking rules I believe (i.e. $200 deposit, full payment due futher in advance).

However, if you're booking room only and feel that buying tickets separately is a better option (i.e. Undercover Tourist) then you can do that too. And also, if you don't think dining plan is a good option for you guys then you don't have to add that and you can pay for meals OOP (out of pocket). In that scenario then you would have a room-only reservation subject to those rules (one night deposit, full payment due much later).

Typically when Disney releases these deals there a ton of options between the public offer, the visa offer, the room only, the SPD (stay play dine) so it's probably best to keep an open mind and see what's out there before you set yourself to anything specific. Availability and prices will vary between all the different options - it truly is a little confusing at first but you'll probably find exactly what you want if you look hard enough!

If I have a room only previously booked and there is a room discount at the resort I e booked, I can call to have that added. If yes, would it possibly be prudent to try and book a completely different reservation, for the same hotel, online then cancel the existing one? I’ve never called for a discount before, not exactly sure how that works. I know how backed up the calls can get.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

If I have a room only previously booked and there is a room discount at the resort I e booked, I can call to have that added. If yes, would it possibly be prudent to try and book a completely different reservation, for the same hotel, online then cancel the existing one? I’ve never called for a discount before, not exactly sure how that works. I know how backed up the calls can get.

You can do whatever feels most comfortable to you. However, calling can be SUPER frustrating on release day with long hold times! I'm a fan of the book new and cancel to avoid time on the phone. There is also risk that availability could dry up while you're on hold so grabbing what you want immediately is important!

Also, tip to all that it's worth considering finding one of the numerous Disney travel agents out there to score a gift card offer. Some of them offer a $25, $50 or even $100 gift card for booking a travel package with them (the higher gift cards are on more expensive packages). You can book yourself and then transfer to them (you can transfer a Visa discount reservation too FYI) as long as you aren't paid in full AND it's within 30 days of when you originally booked. So you can book your own trip, and your dining, and your FPs and the only thing you'd have to go through them for is changes and payments then. I don't need a TA to book Disney but I often use one to just put a little money in my pocket (and they make money too so win/win).

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Thanks Mods

 

[ceceryan]

You can do whatever feels most comfortable to you. However, calling can be SUPER frustrating on release day with long hold times! I'm a fan of the book new and cancel to avoid time on the phone. There is also risk that availability could dry up while you're on hold so grabbing what you want immediately is important!

Also, tip to all that it's worth considering finding one of the numerous Disney travel agents out there to score a gift card offer. Some of them offer a $25, $50 or even $100 gift card for booking a travel package with them (the higher gift cards are on more expensive packages). You can book yourself and then transfer to them (you can transfer a Visa discount reservation too FYI) as long as you aren't paid in full AND it's within 30 days of when you originally booked. So you can book your own trip, and your dining, and your FPs and the only thing you'd have to go through them for is changes and payments then. I don't need a TA to book Disney but I often use one to just put a little money in my pocket (and they make money too so win/win).

I was wondering about this as well. I have a current reservation however if/when the discounts are released I am wondering about hold times when I call to have my reservation adjusted to the new rate. If I have a current reservation, am I able to make a second reservation, then cancel the first? Or will I need to cancel the first reservation before making another reservation? Worried that if I call and sit on hold for a while all the rooms with discounts will be snatched up. Any suggestions or tips on this?

 

[lorenae]

This may be a silly question - I'm traveling to WDW for a 2-day conference, extending the trip with the fam to spend a while at the parks. Hotel room at Yacht Club is discounted to the conference rate. I've compared the prices of park tickets between a bunch of different places, including Disney conference services, and they're all basically the same. We don't have a disney visa. Is there any reason to keep an eye out on the January discounts? What are the odds there's something helpful to my situation? I'm assuming they're usually room/dining/ticket or room/ticket packages that are discounted right?

The VISA card will also give you a few discounts on merchandise in stores, but probably not much to save on any discounts for tickets or packages. If you've got a discount at Yacht Club, it would take a lot to beat that and while you can keep an eye out, you probably won't do better with a Visa card discount.

However, if you get the card you will get a $200 statement credit when you spend over $500, and there are two Visa-only meet 'n greets with the characters in the parks so maybe that is something to consider.

I have the premier card, but it's not a great deal on the small Visa rewards. I won't keep after my year is up, most likely.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I was wondering about this as well. I have a current reservation however if/when the discounts are released I am wondering about hold times when I call to have my reservation adjusted to the new rate. If I have a current reservation, am I able to make a second reservation, then cancel the first? Or will I need to cancel the first reservation before making another reservation? Worried that if I call and sit on hold for a while all the rooms with discounts will be snatched up. Any suggestions or tips on this?

It's a good question: You can absolutely make a new one and cancel the other one later. You can hold overlapping reservations on the Disney website with no issues.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

You could've just said it was against the rules. I had no idea and was just trying to help. No need in being rude. Geez.

If you think that was rude you obviously haven't been on the DIS long... That was a helpful comment

Just don't sweat it - now you know

 

[ceceryan]

It's a good question: You can absolutely make a new one and cancel the other one later. You can hold overlapping reservations on the Disney website with no issues.

Is that what you’d recommend doing?

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Is that what you’d recommend doing?

I would avoid calling at all costs due to past experience with hold times.

 

[FinnsMom7]

I was wondering about this as well. I have a current reservation however if/when the discounts are released I am wondering about hold times when I call to have my reservation adjusted to the new rate. If I have a current reservation, am I able to make a second reservation, then cancel the first? Or will I need to cancel the first reservation before making another reservation? Worried that if I call and sit on hold for a while all the rooms with discounts will be snatched up. Any suggestions or tips on this?

when you already have a reservation you can (given site is working) simply go into your reservation and select modify and it will take you to the available offers for your stay. I did this last year with a reservation i had at Pop and changed to get the free dining promo. I never call unless i absolutely have to

 

[jessrose18]

Another note about calling: Last year I called to make a new discount reservation and I still had my dummy reservation booked and the CM would not let me keep both and decide or cancel one myself later. She kept telling me I physically cant be in two rooms at once so I had to pick right then. I was annoyed. I told her nevermind and did it myself online anyways! And the process of applying the discount online was easy.

 

[mickey520]

The VISA card will also give you a few discounts on merchandise in stores, but probably not much to save on any discounts for tickets or packages. If you've got a discount at Yacht Club, it would take a lot to beat that and while you can keep an eye out, you probably won't do better with a Visa card discount.

However, if you get the card you will get a $200 statement credit when you spend over $500, and there are two Visa-only meet 'n greets with the characters in the parks so maybe that is something to consider.

I have the premier card, but it's not a great deal on the small Visa rewards. I won't keep after my year is up, most likely.

Thanks for the info!

 

[Zia100]

Hi, so just switching gears here (I love the mentality of HOW we are going to apply the discounts, not IF/ WHEN the discounts come in!) - does anyone know when discounts get posted? Middle of the night, mid day, afternoon? Just wanted to have an idea how often I should check cause I’m going a little cuckoo

 

[flexoidar]

Hi, so just switching gears here (I love the mentality of HOW we are going to apply the discounts, not IF/ WHEN the discounts come in!) - does anyone know when discounts get posted? Middle of the night, mid day, afternoon? Just wanted to have an idea how often I should check cause I’m going a little cuckoo

Morning has been typical from what what I recall, usually mid-morning.

 

[KMarston]

You can do whatever feels most comfortable to you. However, calling can be SUPER frustrating on release day with long hold times! I'm a fan of the book new and cancel to avoid time on the phone. There is also risk that availability could dry up while you're on hold so grabbing what you want immediately is important!

Also, tip to all that it's worth considering finding one of the numerous Disney travel agents out there to score a gift card offer. Some of them offer a $25, $50 or even $100 gift card for booking a travel package with them (the higher gift cards are on more expensive packages). You can book yourself and then transfer to them (you can transfer a Visa discount reservation too FYI) as long as you aren't paid in full AND it's within 30 days of when you originally booked. So you can book your own trip, and your dining, and your FPs and the only thing you'd have to go through them for is changes and payments then. I don't need a TA to book Disney but I often use one to just put a little money in my pocket (and they make money too so win/win).

Thanks a million for the advice!

 

[Arci122]

Hi, so just switching gears here (I love the mentality of HOW we are going to apply the discounts, not IF/ WHEN the discounts come in!) - does anyone know when discounts get posted? Middle of the night, mid day, afternoon? Just wanted to have an idea how often I should check cause I’m going a little cuckoo

I have heard 3am, but it is definitely by 7am.

 

[beldred]

I'm going crazy they didn't announce yet!! I'm doing a craft fair over the weekend so if they announce between now and Monday I'll miss it. ☹ So sad it didn't come today.

 

[ceceryan]

when you already have a reservation you can (given site is working) simply go into your reservation and select modify and it will take you to the available offers for your stay. I did this last year with a reservation i had at Pop and changed to get the free dining promo. I never call unless i absolutely have to

Thanks for the tip!

 

[KMarston]

I have heard 3am, but it is definitely by 7am.

Eastern Time? Oh gosh!