Booking for Summer 18 from UK

A

Andrew Appleby

Active Member
Hi all,

Trying to figure out strategy for booking an August '18 trip for 2 adults 2 children (5 and 6).

We've spoken to Virgin and Thomas Cook who have given us prices for Art of Animation and Port Orleans. They come in at around £9k for AoA and £10k for PO. At the minute that is without any discount added as there isn't any available.

My question is, when do people think the best time to book will be? When do offers start to filter through for next summer? The travel agent said that Disney have said they won't be doing the free Dining Plan again but that doesn't sound likely.

Any help really appreciated.

Thanks.
 
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M

Minnie Mum

Well-Known Member
Free dining may or may not be offered next year, or may be offered on a very small number of resort rooms, with extensive blackout dates, like they were last year. Free dining hasn't started till the end of August for the last couple of years. But room only discounts are usually offered for August stays.

Here's a link to as site that shows the historical discounts that have been offered, their effective dates, and the dates when the offers came out :
https://www.mousesavers.com/historical-information-on-walt-disney-world-resort-discounts/
 
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M

Minnie Mum

Well-Known Member
Depends on a few things. Booking thru the UK site or the US site? UK visitors are often offered deals that North American guests can't get. Watch for those and pounce when you see them. They are often better than offers from the US site, especially if you are staying longer than 10 days.

Otherwise, you can book a room only reservation ( only by phone ) up to 499 days before check in. But that is Room Only- no packages, so no dining plan. You can't book a package for 2018 until the room rates and ticket prices have been announced for that year. Those announcements are typically made in summer.

If your vacation depends on getting a discount, then don't book until they are announced. Already having a reservation does not guarantee that you will get a discount. The discount isn't just applied to an already exiting reservation - discounted rooms actually come out of a separate room inventory. How easy it will be to get a discount depends on how many rooms Disney decides to conclude in the offer - which in turn depends on how many unbooked nights they have at that time.
 
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Tinkerkelle

Tinkerkelle

Well-Known Member
For bookings made from the UK, the Disney offer becomes available in the Springtime. Usually free dining, and a giftcard of between $100 and $200. Memory maker was an additional freebie last year. The offer has been pretty consistent the last few years, though I think free dining possibly wasn't offered in 2014 but then it came back the year after with memory maker added on.
 
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G

GTB

New Member
I have booked the last three trips with free dining (I'm UK based) the deal normally comes out April time and has included a £200 gift voucher and this year included the memory maker - I book direct with Disney - the flights I book separately - BA normally have good discounts around Christmas time (booking not travelling) the price you have been given seems quite high to me - we booked AKL and flights and all park ticket (plus universal) for three adults for considerably less.
 
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A

Andrew Appleby

Active Member
Original Poster
Thank you all for the replies. It's really helpful having some knowledge from people who have done similar.

We thought the prices looked quite high but it is without any discount (none offered on 2018 yet).

We're going to do as people have suggested and just keep an eye on the site and then book when there is a decent discount being offered. Fingers crossed around April free Dining will be back or free nights (any gift card will just be a bonus).
 
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steffib

steffib

Active Member
Hi
we are also UK based and hopefully my experience of booking for august 2017 might help?

We booked for 10 nights at the Polynesian with the free dining and $200 gift card offer - i think it came out about May time 2016. We also got 14 nights for the price of 7 tickets which was -including park hopper and water parks- and free memory maker (worth about £100).

As a previous poster stated, the cost for your accommodation that you've quoted does seem high...we're paying £6k for our accomodation, free dining and tickets for our 10 night Poly stay. There's myself, my husband and our 2 kids 4&6.

Then in august 2016 we booked our flights separately through virgin once they came out about a year before the flying date. We then amended our booking with Disney to change the dates by 1 day to fit in with the best flight times. There was no problem doing this.

hope this helps. Feel free to ask any further questions!
 
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A

Andrew Appleby

Active Member
Original Poster
Hi Steffic thats really helpful!

You seem to be in a similar position to what we're in but a year earlier.

I may have some questions as we get closer to booking.

Thanks
 
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A

Andrew Appleby

Active Member
Original Poster
just thinking, one question I do have.

Are August dates covered with the free dining? We're looking at last 2 weeks in August (historically quieter as American schools go back by then). If they weren't we'd look at maybe a value (Art of Animation) and adding the dining as extra.
 
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emma c

emma c

Well-Known Member
I think when I was looking last year for may2017 the mods had free quick service the deluxe had 1 table service and a quick service meal per day and the standard hotels were breakfast only. Also go back n forth between the travel agents I managed to quote down by a grand that way. Finally try Thompson they were much cheaper than virgin when I looked.
 
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Longers

Longers

Well-Known Member
The last few years we've been we've booked hotel and park tickets via Disney when they became available and then booked flights in January/Feb sales and that's worked out cheaper than any travel agent. We've also managed to get gift cards, memory maker and dining like others have said. I guess shop around!
Also look up Quidco if you haven't already it's a site to register on but if you search Disney from there you can get cash back for booking (last year we searched the Disney site, then went through Quidco, both were showing for the same price so there's no catch) and we got about £78 back which helps with the cost - just something to take a look at.
 
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Jo DeVil

Jo DeVil

Well-Known Member
we are UK based but are DVC now but before we stayed at Port Orleans and value before sampling Deluxe and then purchasing DVC! Personally I would always opt for Virgin what you see is what you get no hidden extras, food, drink and 23 kgs luggage, Disney springs check in, the VRoom is always worth the cost. People look at the resorts with extra themeing and think it is a must, but from staying at PO RS with our Son at the age of 3, 4 and 5 it is so calm and a complete wind down from the parks. If this was a DVC resort I would have bought there without thinking. with the amount of rooms it has it is so calm and peaceful you wont believe you are so close to the theme parks. The boat ride to Disney Springs is also so relaxing.
If you are looking at Virgin contact them direct Nov / Dec before you want to travel but you can contact them anytime to get info and help, we have been using them Virgin Hols or Virgin Atlantic since 1998 and even comparing we still go back to them. We took a cheaper trip olast year with BA and totally regret it but hey that is us!!!
I am not affiliated with any one and as we now live in the North of Scotland and have to deal with internal flights and over night stays. We have picked up some info over visiting every year, we now, due to DVC book everything independently, But still love PORS feel free to give me a shout if you want anymore info.
TTFN
Jo
 
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A

Andrew Appleby

Active Member
Original Poster
Jo DeVil, thanks for the response that's really helpful!

I think we'll look at booking a complete package through Disney and then go from there, I can't see any bonus of going via Virgin as its Virgin flights with Disney direct as well. PORS or FQ is looking the fav at the mo providing dining is included so it's just a case of waiting until deals begin!

Thanks everyone else. It's all being stored for when we need to book!
 
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