What time of year does Disney offer the book 3 days & get the 4th free package?

Thanks,
Tony

We've done this the past 3 years and they generally begin offering the deal in early summer (June last year, or at least that's when I booked it). It was good for the fall months though I don't remember specifically when it begins or ends, but roughly Sept to pre-Christmas. I'm hoping they offer it again this year!

I called the WDTC yesterday and asked this very question and was told that the dates had not yet been decided, but to call back in June. So, I will just try then.

we got it in the middle of August for the first part of December for the Paradise Pier. It was a good deal. I think we paid around 500.00 for that hotel.

This might sound silly but if they offer it in June is that starting in June or is it for the fall? Also- if you already booked and then it becomes available do you have to re-book with the offer or does it change over for you?

Thanks!

No, it starts in September I think--it has been just for the fall. I wish I knew the answer to your second question! If you hold rooms via the DL website, you have to pay the whole amount up front, and I don't know whether or not you get a night refunded if the 4th night free promotion kicks in later. It makes me hesitate to book anything yet, but then part of me starts squirming about availability if I wait!

This might sound silly but if they offer it in June is that starting in June or is it for the fall? Also- if you already booked and then it becomes available do you have to re-book with the offer or does it change over for you?

Thanks!

The "change" fee is $25 for Disneyland packages, so if you want to ensure availability you can book now, then call and change your package to the promo.

Samkj, does that apply to packages booked through other sites like UnitedVacations, AAA, or Expedia, or just those booked through Disney?

Thanks- Too Bad they don't offer this in the summer but I guess that would be pointless for them! They will be booked regardless! Oh well- we got a great rate anyway!

Samkj, does that apply to packages booked through other sites like UnitedVacations, AAA, or Expedia, or just those booked through Disney?WDTC's change fee is $25. You would have to find the change fees for the other companies. getawaytoday.com charges $25 also. I usually call and book a room, having it held on my CC, then change when it opens, but I am not buying entire packages. I usually do better piecing mine together.

Ok, well I am tired of waiting and I have the money for the deposit now. So I went ahead a booked our vacation for October 14-18 at the Paradise Pier. If the change fee is only $25.00 but the pay 3/stay 4 deal comes up again, I still come out ahead. So I just booked it and now I am excited!!! Yippy!!!

Thanks for the info!!

Where are you booking that only requires a deposit? The ones I've been looking at (expedia, disney travel co, united) require total payment when the booking is made.

We booked with WDTC through AAA and it only requires a deposit of $309.90. The WDTC through the Disneyland website is the same way. Once you make your deposit, you can go online and make as many payments as you want, as long as the amount is paid in full a month before travel. We only booked a package with hotel and tickets so I don't know if it is different if you book airfare. But we have done it this way for the last 3 years.

My order confirmation shows to the total amount due, minus the deposit, and then shows the balance and the date it must be paid in full.

You can make payments online, by phone, or through the mail as long as you have the confirmation number.

We also pay for our meal plan when we make our vacation deposit. I know lots of people do not like the meal plans but for us, it works well because our entire trip, except for gas, is paid for a month before we leave. I make a payment every two weeks and it is much more manageable for us that way.

Where are you booking that only requires a deposit? The ones I've been looking at (expedia, disney travel co, united) require total payment when the booking is made.
We booked the GCH through WDTC for the second time, and they required a $200 deposit both times. (Same with Costco Travel). The remainder is due 30 days prior to your reservation.

I should add that we pay the additional $109.90 because we purchase the travel insurance. With two special needs children find purchasing the travel insurance to be a plus! And yes we have had to use it. If we did not purchase the travel insurance, the deposit would be the $200.00.

Thanks! I discovered that if you book tickets & hotel you only have to pay the $200 deposit, whereas if you book hotel only (what I originally tried), they require the full amount up front! Thanks for the info--we need tickets anyway and I'm much happier just putting down a deposit!! :D

I just called Costco travel and confirmed that they have the same $25 change fee so I can book now and take advantage of the 4th night free once it comes around...

I went to AAA yesterday and asked this same question. The travel agent called WDTC and they said it will come out in July for fall dates.

dland, what is AAA's advice about booking a package? Do they advise to book now and pay a change fee in July? Is their change fee also $25 (and I assume that is per package and not per person)?

Okay, I booked our trip with AAA yesterday! They have, as noted, the same policy as WDTC (since that is whom they book through) about paying a $25 change fee, which is per booking and not per person. You put down $200 and when (if?) the free night deal kicks in, they will subtract that from the balance owed. The only downside is that the booking price is not guaranteed until paid in full, but the agent told me that it would be problematic to change the reservation with the 4th night free deal if it has already been paid in full, whereas they can adjust the balance owed pretty easily otherwise. The agent called WDTC to ask about the free night deal and was told that it had not yet been decided whether or not they will offer it, but if they do it will come out in July for the fall.

If anyone is interested, I checked out several different packages/deals and for us, the AAA offer was the best deal. Costco has the same thing for a couple of hundred dollars more. I was willing to forego the "free" character breakfast for the lower cost, but also will note that the Costco price is the same as WDTC except you get the extras of character breakfast, $20 resort credit, and a pin or lanyard or something so I'd go Costco over WDTC. We wanted the pool/resort view, and while Expedia had a comparable package to AAA (we fly from a smallish airport which WDTC does not include but Expedia does), they offered a standard or concierge room only. It is nice to include the air portion in our package but AAA, since they use WDTC, doesn't have our airport either so we are doing the air separately this time. One thing about Expedia is that you get vouchers for the DL tix instead of actual tickets, so you have to go to the front desk at the hotel to redeem them. We always get in fairly late at night and have to wait until morning to get the tix, when we're anxious just to go in to the park :)

There is only one airline that serves our airport--United--so I also checked with UnitedVacations. They had a good package but the disadvantage is that you can't book with a deposit, you pay in full up front. This might be a problem with changing the reservation when the 4th night free deal kicks in, but I'm not sure. Southwest appeared to have a good package but for us, the savings was not enough to tempt us into the 2-hour drive to the nearest airport that Southwest serves.

Forgot to mention that AAA will book the air for us as well, but they charge the same thing I can get myself through United and add $20 per person up to 4 people, so I didn't see the point in spending the extra $80 through AAA when I could as easily book it myself. You have to pay the full cost up front, too, and it's non-refundable, so no advantage in having AAA do it. The only savings would be if the air part could be obtained through WDTC, and they are not contracted with United.

Wooho DizMe! You have been busy! Good tip about not paying the trip off until after the pay 3/stay 4 is set. I doubt I would have had it paid off before that but still a good reminder! Thanks!

The only downside is that the booking price is not guaranteed until paid in full, but the agent told me that it would be problematic to change the reservation with the 4th night free deal if it has already been paid in full, whereas they can adjust the balance owed pretty easily otherwise.

If the package is paid in full before the 4th night free deal comes out, you could ask for the difference in Disney Dollars. I had a similar situation with WDTC where after I paid for the package, they came out with a "free child's ticket". They said they could not refund the price difference but they gave it to me in Disney dollars.

OK, I checked the AAA deal and it looks pretty good...last few years AAA was always the smae as WDTC and Costco ..glad to get tipped off to the cheaper deal :)
Now I have a further dilemma.... we are going to be at the park from the 26th to the 30th of Oct.....we are going to fly in the 25th and I was going to stay offsite.... now I checked 5 nights at AAA and it wasnt a terrible price... BUT I was also thinking about booking a reg view 4 night package and booking the first night in a view room...maybe they would let me stay in that room rather than changing? it is off season and all...thoughts?

Ah!! Great tip, sierranevada!

Goosegirl, it looks like our trips will overlap! We're going Oct 12-16. Woohoo is right!!

Was the buy 3 get 4th free deal available for room only, or was it only available as a package booked with tickets? We already have our annual passes, so we don't need tickets.