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Hi Everyone! Lean back, prop up your feet, and take a Disney break!
Disney has restructured their ticket prices for 2005! Beth, our travel agent, sums up the changes: TICKETS "OK, the way I understand the new tickets is that the "base" ticket (called Magic Your Way ticket) offers one park per day - no hopping. The more days you get on the "base" ticket, the lower the price per day. If you JUST want multi-day tickets, one park per day, and it's OK that they expire then you can save, but as soon as you start adding on park hopping privileges and/or the no expiration option the price per day (compared to current prices) does increase - although the more days you get the less difference there is. Then you can add on options to that base ticket: Park Hopper Option: $35. Allows hopping on all days of your base ticket no matter how many days on the ticket. Magic Plus Pack: $45. Allows 2-5 visits to the water parks, Disney Quest, PI, or WWoS. The longer your base ticket is, the more visits you get. No Expiration Option: $10 to $55. Tickets expire after 14 days from first use unless you buy this option. The more days on your ticket, the more it costs to make it a non-expiring ticket. Magic Your Way Premium: Add $80 to base ticket price. This is the equivalent of an ultimate park hopper (but if they allow you to add the no expiration option then it would be more like buying a premium annual pass that doesn't expire at the end of 12 months, but DOES have a limited number of days). Advance Purchase Discount: Varies. You get a discount if you buy a 5-day or longer ticket with at least a hopper option or plus pack option on it. You canNOT use an extra day on your ticket to go to another park when you've already visited a park earlier in the day. In other words, if you use a ticket day on Monday morning to go to the Magic Kingdom you are not allowed to use a second day on the ticket to go to Epcot. They CAN, however, use multiple "plus pack" options on the same day, up to the number of admissions on the ticket. For a comparison chart of the new vs the old prices, click here. IF YOU ALREADY HAVE HOPPER TICKETS OR ANNUAL PASSES you can use them like you always have. They will continue to honor them, or you can upgrade to the new options and you will get credit for the value of your existing ticket. I'm not sure yet, though, what value will be placed on the unused days (price you paid or current value). FLORIDA RESIDENTS have some new options, too. They can pick between 10% off a 1-day ticket or add the "hopper" option for free. If they purchase a ticket good for 2 days or more, they get one extra day free, and they CAN add on the hopper option, plus option, and/or no expiration option if desired. The 3-day ticket (that include one day free) is good for six months, and all others are good 14 days from first use. Note that advance purchase discounts do NOT apply on the "free day" offer. ANNUAL PASSES will still be available. There will be Florida resident annual and resident seasonal passes, as well as an annual pass for non-residents. PACKAGES You no longer need a 3-night minimum stay, and you are no longer forced to get a length-of-stay ultimate hopper. Instead, you choose the resort and the number of nights and the package comes with the BASE ticket (theme parks only) in as many days length as you want. You CAN upgrade the tickets with the above options, but if you want the PREMIUM option then you have to do it as a length-of stay ticket. Disney’s Magic Your Way Package Includes accommodations (Disney owned and operated resort hotels, the Swan and Dolphin, Downtown Disney hotels, Disney Good Neighbor hotels); Magic Your Way base tickets for everyone in your party, and Disney baggage tags. Packages start at $329 per adult; $198 per Junior (ages 10-17); $158 per child (ages 3-9). There is a 3-night minimum. Everyone in the room has to take the same package. Disney's Magic Your Way Premium Package It's like the old Gold/Platinum package... Premium hopper tickets, three meals a day, Cirque tickets, unlimited recreation, unlimited tours, children's recreation centers. It's around $150-170 per adult per night, $107-123 per child ages 3-9. The longer you stay, the lower the price per day. If you don't want the tickets to expire then you have to add the no expiration upgrade. Disney’s Magic Your Way Package Plus Dining The meal plan will ONLY be available to people that buy a Magic Your Way + Dining package. You get one counter service voucher, one table service voucher, and one snack per day. Everyone on the reservation ages 3+ must take the plan and you must take it for all days of the package. It works out to $35 a day for adults and $10 per day for ages 3-9. You get two meals and a snack. Given that a table service meal per day is included, I find this to be a phenomenal price! It says it's good for over 100 restaurants, including the premium ones in Epcot, MGM, etc. (table service). I can spend over $50 without effort at a table service place for dinner. This dining option alone may make it WELL worth getting a package!! You can use TWO table service credits to get dinner at one of the premium restaurants or at a dinner show. You can use ONE table service credit to get a character meal.
According to Disney's description, meals include:
Beth's comments continue below. |
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CHANGES TO CURRENT BOOKINGS Any 2005 package booking can be converted to the new offerings starting January 2. There is no change fee if done at least 45 days prior to arrival. Additionally, if the change results in a price difference of less than $50, the change can be made without a fee 44 days or fewer prior to arrival as well. If the price change is MORE than $50, though, the change fee still applies. PRINCE & PRINCESS PLAN This wonderful add-on is history. If you already bought it then it will be honored, but they will not be selling it in 2005. PREFERRED FIREWORKS VIEWING This is no longer a perk of any of the new packages, but it will be honored for existing packages. CRUISE LINE Land/sea packages will now include the PREMIUM version of the ticket (hopper abilities, plus features) and it will be a length of stay ticket. They canNOT add on the no expiration option. I'm not sure if they can add on the dining option or not. So that's what I have from all of this so far. I haven't seen anything at all about room-only options; however, our sales rep assured me that it would still be an option. I assume that you will just book the room and then select your tickets, but if there is no room-only promotion and you don't have an annual or resident pass then I can't see why you'd choose the room-only over the package at this point... Unless you just wanted the less stringent payment and cancellation policies. EXTRA MAGIC HOURS In addition to being able to go into designated parks an hour earlier than everyone else, WDW Resort guests will also be able to stay three hours later in the evening. Parks opening early and staying open later will rotate, but each park will open early and stay open late at least once a week." We've published charts and more information at our members-only site.
Deals and Updates as of December 9, 2004 We continuously update our information and you can find the latest additions in our Addenda:
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4-Day Park Hopper Pass Special Purchase Get them for $10.00 less than Disney charges at their site! It comes with all the bells and whistles of a normal 4-Day Park Hopper, but it expires 14 days from its first use. However, for people who plan on going just 4 days, it's a great deal. This pass is only available for advance order purchasing. 4-Day Park Hopper Plus Pass Our ticket agent writes: "I have acquired the new Disney 4-Day Park Hopper Plus Pass. It is not sold at the gate or AAA. You get 1 "plus" day for the Water Parks or Pleasure Island. It has no expiration date." You must purchase this pass in advance. So order early! Our agent also has great prices on tickets to other popular attractions in Florida. "I thought I knew all the tips for saving money at WDW, even being a member of the Magic Kingdom Club for over 15 years, but just learning about [your ticket agent] saved our family over $300!!! Thanks." Janet Handy, Bel Air, MD Details on how to purchase these special passes will be provided with your Disney access codes as soon as you join our Disney family.
News From Around The "World" Starting Jan. 1, 2005, the Sandcastle Club Children's Activity Center at Disney's Beach Club Resort will close for three months so Disney can rehab the Atlantic Wear & Wardrobe Emporium store. Guests can use the services of the Harbor Club at Disney's BoardWalk Resort until March 31, 2005. The Sandcastle Club should reopen April 1, 2005. To book, call 407/WDW-DINE (407/939-3463). Spring, 2005, Goofy's Candy Company at Downtown Disney will expand "featuring an interactive show kitchen filled with unique and tasty confections." In the meantime, the current store will remain open, but the Disney at Home store will close to allow the rehab to take place beginning Jan. 3, 2005. When the current Goofy's Candy Company closes, Disney has plans to reopen another type of store in its location. (Source: Promotional email for Walt Disney World® Resort, 12/07/04) Stitch's Great Escape: "Disney seems to hope it can attract a younger audience by replacing horror with high jinks, but on the Internet, Disney-goers have reported several instances of screaming and crying kids. They are scared of the dark room and loud noises. Or maybe they're just commenting on the ride." (Source: Orlando Sentinel, 12/07/04) For the rest of the story, click here. "The Walt Disney Co. will make its first foray into the food industry with plans to introduce frozen meals and nutritionally balanced packaged foods by early next year, company officials said Monday." (Source: Orlando Sentinel, 12/07/04) For the rest of the story, click here. "Walt Disney World is in the midst of a major expansion of its part-time work force, a cost-cutting measure that will make it harder for low-wage tourism workers to build a full-time career at the giant resort." (Source: Orlando Sentinel, 12/05/04) For the rest of the story, click here. Splendid China Auction: "This shuttered theme park's weary façade tells the story of its final days. What remains of Splendid China soon will be going, going, gone." (Source: Orlando Sentinel, 12/06/04) For the rest of the story, click here. NOTE: Links to newspaper articles change quickly and without notice. If you receive a "File Not Found" error message, search the newspaper's archives for the story. If web addresses are broken into more than one line, copy and paste all lines.
Are You Suffering Withdrawal From WDW? You know ... that empty feeling you get when you arrive back home from your vacation at WDW and realize it may be a while before you experience that Disney magic again? We have had that feeling ourselves many times. Yet, we always seem to feel better when we read about the experiences of others who share their trip reports with us. It's almost like being there again. We invite you, our readers, to send us some feedback about your experiences during your latest vacation at WDW. Reports on Disney weddings, honeymoons, cruises, and resort vacations on and off Disney property are all welcome. Send your email to: johngross@affordabledisney.com . Thanks!
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Money Saving Tip Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop: Located at Downtown Disney Marketplace. For other locations, click here. Ghirardelli is emailing coupons for their famous treats to those who join their mailing list. Indicate on the form that you live within 50 miles of the store if you want to receive coupons to use in person. Otherwise, they will send you coupons to be used online. Sign up here. Save 15% on a sundae, waffle cone, or cocoa with this month's holiday coupon. The coupon expires 12/24/04. Talk about some great tasting chocolate!
YOU CAN AFFORD DISNEY WORLD! If you THINK a Disney vacation costs too much ... WE AGREE! That's why we created the ULTIMATE Disney savings site. Save up to 40% on your total trip. Learn about discounts on tickets, food, Disney merchandise, hotels ON Disney property, travel, parking, and MUCH more. Too much to list here. See it all at here. "We just got back from a great trip ... and thanks to you and your great advice, [we] saved money and time! ... In total we saved about $3,000.00 for our group of 6. We are going back within a year to use our passes again, and think our per person cost will be in the $150-200 range, flights and all." Michael Barrett, Wisconsin Rapids, WI
All for the price of a fast food
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