When To Buy Park Tickets?

[lsujoe]

I recently booked reservations at Pop Century for the end of January, but have not purchased park tickets. The only thing I see that I would need to do in the near-term is to book any restaurant reservations in a couple of weeks. Can I book restaurant reservations for a restaurant in the park without park tickets?

On a related note, do you get billed for the park tickets either fully or partly when you purchase? If not, when would you get billed? When you go to the parks? Any advantage of waiting or not waiting?

Lastly, it appears that if any offers come out later (I see that hotel discounts for when we're going usually come out in the fall), even though we've booked we can still take advantage of that discount. Can you confirm?
Thanks for the help.

 

[dreamfinder]

ADRs are based solely upon you having a resort reservation. If you do, you can book at 180+10 (up to 10 days at once), otherwise it's just the 180. FP+ requires you to have a valid ticket associated with your MDE account.

If you purchase tickets on their own, you would get billed all at once. If you buy them as part of package, then you are subject to the payment terms of the package. If you wait, prices may go up. I don't think ticket prices have ever gone down. If you wait they may offer some sort of buy X days get 1 free deal, but that is usually part of a package, and not just on tickets. Some of the resellers will frequently offer such a deal, I think some are actually doing a buy 4 get 3 free right now or did just recently.

If a room only discount comes out later, you can call back to CRO and ask them to try to apply the discount if you are eligible. They won't do it automatically, and the same resort/room type must be available under the discount terms to get it applied. If your room type wasn't included, or all discounted rooms have been booked you won't be able to apply. The same goes for a package booking.

The only real downside is if you buy tickets, you will be unable to partake in free dining, or any other promotion that requires a ticket purchase unless you buy a second set of tickets. Depending on your exact dates, resort, party size etc, those may or may not work out in your favor.

 

[DisneyJoe]

You will need park tickets linked to your MDE account in order to be able to arrange FP+. Since you are at Pop Century, you could do that at 60 days prior to arrival.

 

[SMS55]

Lastly, it appears that if any offers come out later (I see that hotel discounts for when we're going usually come out in the fall), even though we've booked we can still take advantage of that discount. Can you confirm?
Thanks for the help.

Yes. I've done this before and for up coming trip, I didn't even have to call. I was able to make the modification online. I had booked when Florida resident discounts came out and then a week later some pass holder discounts came out with a cheaper rate.