Thursday, December 09, 2004

Affordable Walt Disney World Vacation Updates

December 9, 2004
Copyright © 1999 - 2004 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved.
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Hi Everyone!

Lean back, prop up your feet, and take a Disney break!

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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, see:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/custom/tourism/orl-asec-
disneygraphic120304,1,2803319.graphic?coll=orl-home-promo (If the
address is broken into more than one line, copy and paste all
lines.)

If you 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:

* One table service meal: appetizer, entrée, dessert, non-
alcoholic beverage and gratuity/service charge

* One counter service meal: entrée and non-alcoholic beverage, or
full combo meal: entrée, side dish and non-alcoholic beverage

* One snack: snack-cart ice cream, box of popcorn, or medium soft
drink at select counter-service and snack-cart locations

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'll add more details to the above information as soon as Disney
fills in the blanks.
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We continuously update our information and you can find the
latest additions in our Addenda:

WALT DISNEY WORLD:

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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)
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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,
see: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/columnists/orl-
locmiket07120704dec07,1,1205024.column
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"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, see: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-
bizdisneyfood07120704dec07,1,1124605.story
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"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, see:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-
asecdisneypart05120504dec05,1,3889781.story?coll=orl-business-
headlines
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A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR

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Florida attractions!

"I thought I knew all the tips for saving money at WDW, even
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Details on how to purchase these special passes will be provided
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---------------@@---------------
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, see:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/custom/tourism/orl-
asecsplendid06120604dec06,1,5324586.story?coll=orl-home-promo
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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.
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MONEY SAVING TIP - For those visiting WDW this month!

Ghirardelli Chocolate Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop
http://www.ghirardelli.com/
Located at Downtown Disney Markeplace. For other locations, see:
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Ghirardelli is emailing coupons for their famous treats to
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See You Real Soon!

John

AffordableDisney.Com
johngross@affordabledisney.com
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Disclaimer: We cannot guarantee the accuracy of information
contained in THE DISNEY NEWS. Always check to be sure. The views
and opinions expressed by others in THE DISNEY NEWS do not
necessarily reflect the views of AffordableDisney.Com.
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