Room to Package?

[WendyTinkerbell]

Hello! We are planning on going to Disney World in October. At this time, we are still not sure if we will be buying Annual Passes again or just tickets. If we book just our room now for the stay (since that only requires a one night deposit) would we be able to add tickets to it later essentially making it into a package? And if we add the tickets, will be required to pay the rest of the cost 45 days out? Also, what if we wanted to change resorts? I think I saw something about a fee for making changes to a reservation?

We would buy APs depending on the discounts hopefully coming out next month or so. We would also want to purchase the TIW card if we went that route. (I miss the days when anyone could buy the DDE card and it was a real card.)

 

[Master Yoda]

If you add tickets to it your reservation will become a package and subject to all of the terms and conditions of a package (ie paid off in 45 days, change fees etc). If you are not interested in the DDP I would just leave it as a room only and either get tickets or an AP when you arrive. The terms and conditions are far more lenient for a room only reservation and there is no financial benefit for purchasing your tickets in a package save for avoiding an annual price increase.

 

[Monty]

Richard has it right. If you don't want the Dining Plan, a package is not necessary. Room only reservations don't have to be paid in full until check-in and tickets can be purchased separately in advance [if costs are rumoured to be going up] or in person when you arrive.

Depending how many in your party and what level of resort you're going to stay in, the DDP is rarely a good value anyway IMO. I much prefer an AP discount and TiW for savings.

 

[Monty]

Forgot the other parts of your question.

Yes, if you get a package, you have to pay in full 45 days in advance. With Room-Only, you can cancel with full refund up to 5 days in advance. Resort changes with a package are generally easy if you remain cost-neutral or increase in cost, they'll usually waive the fees. If your costs are being reduced, and you've already paid in full, they may charge a change/cancellation fee. When you book a package the documentation sets out the cancellation/change fees and time-lines.

I don't remember when DDE was available to everyone... I thought it was always FLA residents and AP holders.

 

[Master Yoda]

Forgot the other parts of your question.

Yes, if you get a package, you have to pay in full 45 days in advance. With Room-Only, you can cancel with full refund up to 5 days in advance. Resort changes with a package are generally easy if you remain cost-neutral or increase in cost, they'll usually waive the fees. If your costs are being reduced, and you've already paid in full, they may charge a change/cancellation fee. When you book a package the documentation sets out the cancellation/change fees and time-lines.

I don't remember when DDE was available to everyone... I thought it was always FLA residents and AP holders.

To my knowledge DDE was never available to anyone. There was actually a time about 5 or 6 years ago that it was not even available to AP holders. You had to be a Florida resident to get it.

 

[JPVonDrake]

Although everything both Master Yoda and MontyMon stated was 100% correct, another option for you is to add Key to the World Tickets to your current room-only reservation. To do this you must have booked your reservation directly with the Disney Reservation Center by phone or Internet. If you booked through a Travel Agency, you must contact your travel agent to modify your reservation. If you booked through a wholesaler (i.e. Travelocity, etc.) this is not an option for you.

How Key to the World Tickets (KTTW's) work is you pay for the tickets in full at the time of purchase but instead of Disney mailing you separate tickets or placing them at Will Call to pick up at the parks, your tickets are pre-encoded on your room keys. If you cancel your room-only reservation your tickets will be cancelled without penalty and you will receive a full refund of the ticket cost. If ticket prices increase prior to arrival, as long as you don't change your tickets you price is already locked in, even if you make changes to your room-only reservation. Also note, that with KTTW Tickets, not everyone in the same room needs to choose the same ticket options nor does everyone in the room need to purchase tickets. You only purchase the specific tickets you need/want for each Guest.

If you wish to choose this option, be sure to ask specifically for "KTTW" Tickets or Keys To the World Tickets to be added to your existing room-only reservation. Your 12 digit reservation number will not change and you will simply be asked to pay the full cost of the tickets at the time of purchase. Your room-only payment, change and cancellation policy will also remain the same.

Remember adding KTTW Tickets does not make this a vacation package, so you would not be able to add a dining plan or receive any of the other perks and "Magical Extras" you get when you book a Disney Vacation Package.

 

[Monty]

Although everything both Master Yoda and MontyMon stated was 100% correct, another option for you is to add Key to the World Tickets to your current room-only reservation. To do this you must have booked your reservation directly with the Disney Reservation Center by phone or Internet. If you booked through a Travel Agency, you must contact your travel agent to modify your reservation. If you booked through a wholesaler (i.e. Travelocity, etc.) this is not an option for you.

How Key to the World Tickets (KTTW's) work is you pay for the tickets in full at the time of purchase but instead of Disney mailing you separate tickets or placing them at Will Call to pick up at the parks, your tickets are pre-encoded on your room keys. If you cancel your room-only reservation your tickets will be cancelled without penalty and you will receive a full refund of the ticket cost. If ticket prices increase prior to arrival, as long as you don't change your tickets you price is already locked in, even if you make changes to your room-only reservation. Also note, that with KTTW Tickets, not everyone in the same room needs to choose the same ticket options nor does everyone in the room need to purchase tickets. You only purchase the specific tickets you need/want for each Guest.

If you wish to choose this option, be sure to ask specifically for "KTTW" Tickets or Keys To the World Tickets to be added to your existing room-only reservation. Your 12 digit reservation number will not change and you will simply be asked to pay the full cost of the tickets at the time of purchase. Your room-only payment, change and cancellation policy will also remain the same.

Remember adding KTTW Tickets does not make this a vacation package, so you would not be able to add a dining plan or receive any of the other perks and "Magical Extras" you get when you book a Disney Vacation Package.

Super cool! I didn't know this option was available! Thanks [as always] JP!

 

[WendyTinkerbell]

Thank you all for your help!

I will probably just book the room and the tickets separately. That way I can buy the tickets ahead of time before the price increase. Or may just do KTTW thing.

I could be mistaken, but we bought the DDE card as soon as it was available to people besides just Florida residents. It may have only been available to AP holders, but AP holders still received a discount from $75 to $50. You also received two cards (real plastic cards with your name engraved on it, and for no extra charge) and it was for a 20% discount.

 

[wannabeBelle]

Hi there Wendy, The only other grouping of people it was made available to was AP holders and the pricing was correct, although it has gone up now. I dont care what kind of card they want to give me, as long as I get my discount I am happy!!!!!!!!! Belle

 

[Rob562]

I will probably just book the room and the tickets separtely. That way I can buy the tickets ahead of time before the price increase. Or may just do KTTW thing.

And if you do purchase the tickets separately, you can always have the Lobby Concierge desk encode the tickets onto your room key for convenience. Only takes a couple minutes.

-Rob