Please help me avoid a divorce!

[Guest]

Originally Posted by sijen

I was only making a suggestion !

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I think it was very nice of you to make a suggestion.

If I had missed out booking, having never stayed on Disney anyway, would be book flights and book villa, you never know you may like it.

[Hula Doola]

I booked pofq the day the free dining offer opened and there were only more expensive garden rooms available so I booked one of those as we really wanted pofq. Next day standard rooms became available again -was annoyed as I'd paid the extra thinking there were no more standard rooms, so I rang them up, and switched. I had to pay the £50 admin fee but still cheaper than sticking with garden room and when I pointed out what had happened the cm gave me an extra $100 gift card. So I would suggest checking over next few days and see if more of your preferred rooms get released, or giving disney a call and seeing what they can offer.

[duchy]

Another vote for My Magic , Disney closed our pool and whilst others were still hanging on the phone for hours to Disney having booked direct we were already rebooked into a better hotel for no extra. (There's a whole thread about it and makes interesting reading , the third party specialists came out best for sorting out the issues , then Disney direct but the "big boys " like Virgin, TC and TUI a very poor third in some cases confirming the amended property weeks later than the specialists.)

Originally Posted by scoobydooby

I generally book direct with Disney but can recommend My Magic Holiday as a third party company to book with. Small Disney specialist company. Virgin cancelled my flights last year and they sorted it out rapidly. Then my son wanted to join us months after we’d originally booked and they sorted that too. So i can personally vouch for the fact they are helpful and responsive.

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[duchy]

Originally Posted by toonarmani

Not always much of a price difference (depends on villa and where onsite), especially if you maximise the value of onsite dining, plus you miss out on other onsite perks as well.

Also onsite you gain not having to drive in/out from a villa (which I would value) + parking fees on top + car hire cost (using free transportation likely has more time loss as well).

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Parking fees apply next year for overnight resort parking so for those who like to have a car whilst staying onsite that benefit is now seriously eroded though. For us now the only worthwhile benefit is the sixty days fast passes if travelling at non free dining time (and that is covering a shorter time next year too)
Pick the right villa community close enough to Disney and the difference in some travel times is minimal.
It's not as clear cut as it was , especially with more Good Neighbour hotels offering perks that were once exclusive to onsite guests.

[VikkS]

I was in a similar position - I really wanted Coronado but it only had King rooms available and we needed seperate beds. I ended up booking Port Orleans Riverside in a Garden View room and went through Charter Travel, they were a couple of hundred pounds cheaper than Disney direct. Id definitely recommend getting a few quotes from the places everyone has mentioned, you might get another moderate for the same price you were going to pay originally.

[SmilingSammie]

Orlando Attractions are a great third party booker also. I was never sure about booking 3rd party but now i've done it its fab! They also usually have discounts too