Walt Disney World Planning: What type of Package should you plan for?

Here's the latest Guest Post from our friend, Mickie Kloskowski at Glass Slipper Concierge!

Now that you know when you want to go to Walt Disney World, now you need to decide if you want a package or not. Wait...What is a package you ask?? I thought that I needed a room and tickets and where do I eat and...Oh this is overwhelming. Yes it can be, but that is where an Authorized Disney Travel Agent, like me, is here to help. Let me explain what a package can consist of. Then we will go into the specifics in later posts.

A package is your Disney Vacation in a nutshell. It includes your accommodations, your tickets, and dining if you choose. There are several options for these components, so let's go over them.

First, you will want to choose a resort that you would like to stay at. Packages are for staying on Disney Property or at a Disney Good Neighbor Resort. I HIGHLY suggest staying on Disney Property. There are many perks to staying at a Disney owned and operated resort. Transportation to and from the parks included with your stay and complimentary transportation to and from Orlando International Airport just name a few of the perks. There are four categories of resorts to stay at. There are Value, Moderate, Deluxe and Deluxe Villas. Your budget and the size of your family will help determine where you would like to stay. Also your Authorized Disney Vacation Planner can help you with that.

Value Resorts are the least expensive option. They are fun for the kids and have the smallest rooms, but are still very nice. Moderate Resorts have larger rooms and the pools have slides. There is also a table service restaurant at all of the Moderate Resorts. These resorts are priced a little higher than Value. Deluxe resorts are the best of the best. We are talking luxury. They are the most expensive, but are worth it. The pools are the best, some have spas and the locations are amazing. Deluxe Villas work for that large family or a family wanting more space. They are wonderful as well.

After deciding on what Resort you would like to stay at you have to decide on tickets. "There is an option on tickets, Mickie??" Yes there is. You can get a base ticket or a park hopper ticket. A base ticket allows you entry into one park on each day of your stay. A Park Hopper allows you to hop from park to park in 1 day. So here is the deal, let's say that you go to the Animal Kingdom and do everything that you want to do by 1PM. What do you do? Well if you have a base ticket you could stay there and do your favorites over again or go back to the resort and be done with the parks for the day. If you have a park hopper you can head over to Hollywood Studios (or anywhere for that matter), and finish your day there. It is ultimately up to your family what you need and want. A park hopper is worth the added cost in my book.

So there you have a package. Accommodations and tickets. Oh you want more... "Mickie, you mentioned something about dining." Yes I did. Now you can add on a dining plan to your package if you like as well. There are a couple of different options to choose from here as well. Quick Service Dining, Plus Dining and Deluxe Dining are the basic dining packages offered. Quick Service Dining offers you two quick service meals, 1 snack per person per night of stay and a resort refillable mug. Plus Dining offers 1 quick service meal, 1 table service meal, 1 snack per person per night of stay and a resort
refillable mug. Deluxe Dining offers 3 meals of your choice and 2 snacks per person per night of stay and a resort refillable mug.

Wow that is a lot to think about. I will tell you that with the dining plans there is a lot of food. You have to decide how much your family will eat and if a little money out of pocket is OK if you go through your meals. Again I can help you with those decisions.

Now that you know all about packages, you are ready to book that Disney Vacation. I know that you are capable of booking on your own, but why not let me help you. Contact me at Mickie@GlassSlipperConcierge.com or 414.425.2725 for a FREE No Obligation quote. There are some great deals out there. Let me help you with those. Plus all of my services are FREE! There is nothing better than FREE!

Mickie is who I use for all of my Walt Disney World planning needs and I highly recommend her and her services. Read all of Mickie's posts here!