December 2011 Code Watch!

[SPOERLX3]

I was on hold for an hour and 5 minutes this morning, it was so worth the wait. I got free QS dining. But what has me wondering (not complaining at all) I booked last spring using a pin code I had received for 35% off the room. I knew I coudn't double up on discounts but I was told that I could switch discounts should some better offer come out, which it did. I was expecting my room cost to go up a little since I "supposedly" got it at a discount, but once the room discount was taken off and the FD was added my over all cost came down by $2.00 yes you read that correctly 2 bucks. Why didn't my room cost go up if I no longer had the 35% discount? Again I am not complaining at all, this worked out great, I'm just curious is all.

oh WOW! Did you have the dining plan on your original ressie? If not, it looks like the room discount vs the FD was pretty much a wash in your discount but you get all your food free (like an all inclusive trip to Disney)
When I booked my trip in February, I had gotten a 40% off PIN for value and I added the PH and QS dining in a standard room. When QSFD came out, I dropped my room discount, to get the FD and save $528 on my 2 rooms at POP
Not sure why there was just a $2 savings....what was your original ressie? how long, which resort, what extra's? How did it change, did you add anything besides FD?

 

[SRUAlmn]

best way to figure what the difference would be is to price it out on line with the current FD promo and compare it to your current ressie. On the disneyworld.com website, go to special offers at the bottom of the page, price out your exact dates with the exact resort (don't forget to add ph, water park options and match your room type). the price you see will be the price you pay for the free dining promo minus your insurance (if you added that). I know that I was booked at POP w/QS dining for 8 days/7 nights with 2 rooms with a 40% off PIN that I got back in February and when I changed to the FD pin it saved me a total of $528. So I was totally happy.
I think it really depends on how long your trip is, what your add ons are and if you were going to one of the dining plans originally. For some it is a great savings, for others the room discount works out better.

Let us know what works best for your trip

Thanks! I just priced it out. For anyone else trying to compare:

December 17-21 at POFQ with free DDP and 5 day tix with PH for 2 adults = $1371.40

Room Only at POFQ for 4 nights with 35% off code = $486 + 5 day PH tix for 2 adults ($644.) That totals $1130 without the Dining Plan. Is it even possible to have the DP with a room only reservation? Approx how much per person/per day is the value of it? This total is only about $250 less than the Free DP package and I know we'd spend more than $250 on food! Hmm.....

 

[SPOERLX3]

Thanks! I just priced it out. For anyone else trying to compare:

December 17-21 at POFQ with free DDP and 5 day tix with PH for 2 adults = $1371.40

Room Only at POFQ for 4 nights with 35% off code = $486 + 5 day PH tix for 2 adults ($644.) That totals $1130 without the Dining Plan. Is it even possible to have the DP with a room only reservation? Approx how much per person/per day is the value of it? This total is only about $250 less than the Free DP package and I know we'd spend more than $250 on food! Hmm.....

I agree 100%. You will definitely spend more than $250, I would think. Personally, I think the DDP route is a much better deal and it gives you the option to eat at some great places without having to worry about how much you are spending. 1 meal for 2 at most of the restraunts, when it includes your drink and your desert (like the DDP) would be $60+ and you get a counter service meal and a snack with the DDP. Just my personal opinion. I always love the thought of an all inclusive trip

 

[Roccosmom]

I need some clarification on something please... we are staying at WL from Dec 8 - 14; arriving on a blackout day but staying for a few non-blackout days. Would we be able to get FD for our entire stay or just the days that are not blacked out?

TIA for the help!

 

[DisneyGuess]

I need some clarification on something please... we are staying at WL from Dec 8 - 14; arriving on a blackout day but staying for a few non-blackout days. Would we be able to get FD for our entire stay or just the days that are not blacked out?

TIA for the help!

No, in order to get FD for your entire stay, you have to be checking in on an available day, ie not blacked out. You could do a split stay with room only for the 8th, 9th & 10th. Then book your package with FD for the 11th-14th.

 

[SarahD]

No, in order to get FD for your entire stay, you have to be checking in on an available day, ie not blacked out. You could do a split stay with room only for the 8th, 9th & 10th. Then book your package with FD for the 11th-14th.

If you followed the free dining thread then you know you can book the tickets with your free dining package starting on the 11th but pick them up as far as three days ahead of time. There was a lot of back and forth on this, but it seems to be valid. The CMs who do reservations do not seem to be aware of the rule. You can get them from the Guest Relations windows outside each theme park - and from DTD I think. This way, you could do room only for 8th-11th, check out and check back in (hopefully not having to change rooms) and the start your free dining package with 7 days (or however many you want - the minimum for FD is 2) on the 11th. Splitting the park tickets into two purchases would be a lot more expensive. This way should work pretty well!

 

[MinnieSummer]

I booked BC (my DH and DD won) last night with my AP discount and was able to get all my dining choices as well. I just have to change one of them for my husbands request and we are all set. YEAH

 

[couchpotato]

I booked 5 rooms for December 3rd. My brother will not arrive to check into his room (one of the 5) until December 4th. Can I check into his room for him so that he will qualify for free dining for the entire length of our stay? I have already used my credit card to pay his deposit.

 

[emmakatbaby]

I am sooooo excited, I had to share my news!!!! We are planning a surprise Christmas Vacation this year for the kids. My husband and I, our 3 kids, my parents and my sister and her husband and 3 kids are all going to Disney!!!!! We were booked at Pop Dec. 21-28 and when free dining came out, I changed our ressies to Dec. 17 - Dec. 28-----all with free quick service dining and upgraded to regular dining !!!!!!! That is 11 nights which is 4 more nights that we originally planned and with FREE DINING!!!!!! The best part is we actually saved almost $400 AND we are staying longer!!!!!!!!!! I am so excited, I could explode !!!!! I have changed some of our ressies and added some to our new nights and we are all set!

 

[lillieandlilahsmommy]

I know this has nothing to do with a code watch, but I am putting this out there hoping some of you fellow DISers can offer some opinions.

We are looking into going to ICE! at the Gaylord Palms Resort while we are in Orlando. We can go just to ICE! and Snow! and head over to these two after we checkout at Disney. Or we can buy a little package from the Resort that would include tickets to ICE!, a character dining experience, character greeting pass, a family photo and a couple of other activities my kids wouldn't care about. IF we buy the pkg from the resort we have to stay two nights at their resort, we can add this to the beginning of our trip, but it is $$$. Does anyone know if they offer discounts? Does anyone know much about ICE!, is it great? Does anyone know much about this resort? I am trying to figure out what we would do the extra day. The character meal, character pass, family photo, and ICE! experience would take up one day. Any suggestions?

 

[Gelfling_Jen]

If you followed the free dining thread then you know you can book the tickets with your free dining package starting on the 11th but pick them up as far as three days ahead of time. There was a lot of back and forth on this, but it seems to be valid. The CMs who do reservations do not seem to be aware of the rule. You can get them from the Guest Relations windows outside each theme park - and from DTD I think. This way, you could do room only for 8th-11th, check out and check back in (hopefully not having to change rooms) and the start your free dining package with 7 days (or however many you want - the minimum for FD is 2) on the 11th. Splitting the park tickets into two purchases would be a lot more expensive. This way should work pretty well!

I think the minimum for free dining is 3 nights, not 2. It's the minimum park ticket requirement that is two days.

 

[SarahD]

I think the minimum for free dining is 3 nights, not 2. It's the minimum park ticket requirement that is two days.

Thanks for clarifying - I meant 7 days of tickets. It is 3 nights for the package.

 

[SarahD]

I know this has nothing to do with a code watch, but I am putting this out there hoping some of you fellow DISers can offer some opinions.

We are looking into going to ICE! at the Gaylord Palms Resort while we are in Orlando. We can go just to ICE! and Snow! and head over to these two after we checkout at Disney. Or we can buy a little package from the Resort that would include tickets to ICE!, a character dining experience, character greeting pass, a family photo and a couple of other activities my kids wouldn't care about. IF we buy the pkg from the resort we have to stay two nights at their resort, we can add this to the beginning of our trip, but it is $$$. Does anyone know if they offer discounts? Does anyone know much about ICE!, is it great? Does anyone know much about this resort? I am trying to figure out what we would do the extra day. The character meal, character pass, family photo, and ICE! experience would take up one day. Any suggestions?

We went years ago to the one in Nashville - maybe 5? - and it was ok. They give you big heavy coats to wear (ick - but it's too cold in there without them) and you walk past the ice scenes. There were two slides which the kids did several times each and then we were done. Whole thing was half an hour, I think. I don't have any idea what they may do/have different in Florida. Probably need more of a wow factor there to draw the people in, as opposed to Nashville - no theme parks to contend with.

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

I finally get to join this thread!!!

Nov30-Dec5

I am So excited about seeing the Christmas decorations, I've only seen them on tv and that's no fun.

Counting down the days! Planning on making my ressies for Pop tomorrow

 

[mommyof3princess27]

Thats where we are staying!!! Dec 2-Dec 5th and got MVMCP tix for Dec 2nd!!!!

 

[emmakatbaby]

I know this has nothing to do with a code watch, but I am putting this out there hoping some of you fellow DISers can offer some opinions.

We are looking into going to ICE! at the Gaylord Palms Resort while we are in Orlando. We can go just to ICE! and Snow! and head over to these two after we checkout at Disney. Or we can buy a little package from the Resort that would include tickets to ICE!, a character dining experience, character greeting pass, a family photo and a couple of other activities my kids wouldn't care about. IF we buy the pkg from the resort we have to stay two nights at their resort, we can add this to the beginning of our trip, but it is $$$. Does anyone know if they offer discounts? Does anyone know much about ICE!, is it great? Does anyone know much about this resort? I am trying to figure out what we would do the extra day. The character meal, character pass, family photo, and ICE! experience would take up one day. Any suggestions?

My family and I went to the ICE and SNOW exhibit last year in Orlando. For the ICE exhibit, we were given thick blue coats to wear and they were great because it was VERRRRYY cold inside the exhibit. While in line to buy tickets, someone gave me a coupon that they had gotten in a local newspaper so I was able to buy tickets for both exhibits for 5 people (2 adults and 3 children) for under $100. We did very much enjoy the exhibits and I am very glad we had the experience one time, but it is not something we plan on doing again this December. If you live in an area where there is alot of snow, then you really could skip the SNOW exhibit. We were let in as a "group" of about 200 people and were given a time limit of 1 hour. The kids spent most of their time waiting in line to ride down the hill in a tube. They also had an area of snow for them to play in but we had on our regular clothes and jackets, hats, gloves so they ended up soaking wet when they were done. They also had carnival games and snowball fight games but the lines were too long for them to enjoy it. I "might" consider revisiting ICE because it truly was amazing but we would not even consider "SNOW again. It just wasn't worth it. We left Animal Kingdom at 5pm, and drove to Gaylord Palms. We walked through the ICE exhibit (this is go at our own pace and let the kids ride down the ice slide as many times as you want or they can stand the cold temperature) waited about 45 minutes to be let into SNOW (which they only allowed an hour inside per group) and we were back in our resort and in bed by 10pm . I did look at the packages that included all of what you mentioned and honestly, if you are spending alot of time at the Disney parks with characters, your little ones probably wouldn't miss anything at all---remember Gaylord Palms is a beautiful resort but it is not Disney---unless your kids reeeeeeally like the characters that will be in attendance there. If we would visit again, I would allow about 3 hours--for seeing the ICE exhibit and touring the Gaylord Palms resort because it was truly fabulous, and skipping SNOW. It can easily be done in an evening after a disney park. I hope this helps .

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

It finally happened to me!!!!!

I have been reading this board a lot today and was a bit frustrated at all the people who were getting pins and sharing them with friends (ok, not frustrated, but jealous!). I decided, what the heck. I know people used to call all the time to see if they had pins. OMG, would you believe I had one??? I thought I was gonna faint. I wanted Pop but they were booked for my dates, so I got to pick from the All Stars. I picked All Star Movies (never been) and got a preferred room for 5 nights, 25% off. I saved $161!!

I am on cloud 9! I finally got one of those elusive pin codes!! So don't hesitate to call and ask. I had no faith, but was so surprised!!!

 

[mariamouse]

Just called and all std view rooms at the WL are booked solid during our stay between Dec 9-13.

I'm shocked since I thought this was supposed to be a quiet time of year! Is it typical for resorts to book up this fast for mid-December?

 

[mom2rtk]

Just called and all std view rooms at the WL are booked solid during our stay between Dec 9-13.

I'm shocked since I thought this was supposed to be a quiet time of year! Is it typical for resorts to book up this fast for mid-December?

Part of the problem could be that some of your days were covered in the free dining promotion started last week. Out of curiosity, try the 9th and 10th alone. Those were blacked out. Not that it helps, but it might explain it partially.

 

[TinkPirateMom]

I did the customized maps thing on the Disney site this morning and this evening I received a PIN via email. It doesn't help me since I'm not going until 2012 BUT it does cover December travel dates up until the 22nd. So maybe try making maps and put in 2012 travel dates and they will offer PINs trying to get you there this year instead.