Crazy Idea!

nngrendel

Well-Known Member
Been waiting on the 2015 dates to come out and its left me lots of time to think of my plan of attack for my upcoming trip.
We want to come up next September to the Food and Wine Festival. Just my wife and I and possibly some friends will join us. I live right outside of Atlanta, GA so driving to Orlando is doable.
What is eveyones thoughts on me just booking room only at this point and then September of next year purchasing a AP? That way I could visit a few more times within that year. What would be the best timing for that? I know with a AP you can get room discounts so should I wait until I get my AP before booking the room?

Before the whole AP thought popped into my head I had in mind to book the room as early as I could and then watch for other discounts or possibly Free Dining. Do you have to get a entire package to get Free Dining when they release it or can you still get it and just do a non discounted room booking without park passes? We were planning on even buying the dining plan if the free dining was not released for our dates. With that said I have looked at Tables in Wonderland. Wouldnt that be the better deal if I didnt get Free Dining for our stay?

If there are other advantages I am not looking into please let me know.
 

Tuvalu

Premium Member
There is no rush to book your room for September 2015 now. September is a less-busy month, which is why Free Dining is usually offered at that time.

If you will have the funds for an AP before your trip, purchase it before you arrive. That way you can link your AP to your MDE account and make your FP+ 60 days in advance. You will also then have access to the passholder page where you can check for any AP discounts. You can purchase an AP online; you will be sent a voucher (with a ticket number) which you exchange when you arrive. Your AP expiration date will be a year from the day you first use it to enter a park. (AP renewals work differently.)

You cannot get Free Dining with an AP. You must purchase a MYW package with at least a 2-day ticket in order to be eligible for Free Dining. You can purchase the dining plan with an AP; however, most people find it advantageous to buy Tables in Wonderland ($100); you get a 20% discount at most restaurants off of food AND
alcohol.
 
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LAKid53

Official Member of the Girly Girl Fan Club
Premium Member
There is no rush to book your room for September 2015 now. September is a less-busy month, which is why Free Dining is usually offered at that time.

If you will have the funds for an AP before your trip, purchase it before you arrive. That way you can link your AP to your MDE account and make your FP+ 60 days in advance. You will also then have access to the passholder page where you can check for any AP discounts. You can purchase an AP online; you will be sent a voucher (with a ticket number) which you exchange when you arrive. Your AP expiration date will be a year from the day you first use it to enter a park. (AP renewals work differently.)

You cannot get Free Dining with an AP. You must purchase a MYW package with at least a 2-day ticket in order to be eligible for Free Dining. You can purchase the dining plan with an AP; however, most people find it advantageous to buy Tables in Wonderland ($100); you get a 20% discount at most restaurants off of food AND
alcohol.

The FP+ 60 days in advance is tied to the resort reservation, not AP. AP can make FP+ 30 days out without a resort reservation. You can always make your room reservation and then change it once the AP discounts are announced - Disney requires a deposit of the 1st night's room cost and balance due can be paid when you check in. I made a room reservation for September months ago and I just changed it last week when the AP discounts were announced. Nothing changed, kept same reservation number and got a $40 refund.

Also, not having a MYW package means you can cancel (horrors) up to 5 days (maybe shorter, cannot remember) before the check-in date. If you have a MYW package (which you have with an AP resort reservation and DDP), you must cancel 45 days before the check-in date or Disney keeps your $200 deposit. Or if you have to change the MYW for any reason after that 45 days (like your daughter's beau dumps her 1 month before your family trip and you have to change your resort and DDP reservations), Disney charges you a $50 change fee.

I would agree about the TiW card. We stopped purchasing the DDP and ended up saving money (and our waist lines) using the card. The 20% discount includes some QS restaurants also. It is good for 13 months.
 
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Tuvalu

Premium Member
The FP+ 60 days in advance is tied to the resort reservation, not AP. AP can make FP+ 30 days out without a resort reservation.
Since the OP was planning to book a room at a Disney resort and was considering an AP, my recommendation was to get the AP in advance for the 60 day FP+ (since there would be a resort reservation.)
 
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kasi22

Member
Your idea is good and you have long term planning that's right idea of the trip that you make plan much time before the trip because some time short term plane is not much enjoyable for you you miss the essential things..
 
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nngrendel

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Your AP expiration date will be a year from the day you first use it to enter a park. (AP renewals work differently.)

You cannot get Free Dining with an AP. You must purchase a MYW package with at least a 2-day ticket in order to be eligible for Free Dining. You can purchase the dining plan with an AP; however, most people find it advantageous to buy Tables in Wonderland ($100); you get a 20% discount at most restaurants off of food AND
alcohol.
Thats great that the expiration date will be a year from first use! Thanks for the info. Bummer about the Dining plan but love the idea of Tables in Wonderland.

Your idea is good and you have long term planning that's right idea of the trip that you make plan much time before the trip because some time short term plane is not much enjoyable for you you miss the essential things..

The short trips will be to attend certain events like Flower and Garden and such. Mainly to get my Epcot fix! :) However the AP's will just be for my wife and I. We really like visiting just the two of us. Kind of done taking kids until we get some grand kids.
 
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