How does purchasing tickets only work?

[mouseketeer mom]

Strange question..but I have never purchased tickets outside of a package. Sooo..my sister who has an upcoming room only..wonders about this. Can she add tickets onto her room now even tho she is not paying for the room until check in? Or does that turn it into a package and then must be paid in full?
If purchasing at a Disney store instead..do you actually get the tickets at the store or what? :confused::confused::confused:

[CleveRocks]

Here's the weird thing ... if you book a room-only reservation at a WDW resort, you can still order tickets through them, and get those tickets upon check-in at your resort and have them automatically be coded onto your Key to the World card.

For the life of me, I don't know how or why that is different than reserving a package.

But, from experience, I know I'm 100% sure that you can book room only and also buy tickets in one operation, in one reservation, and then have to pay just the one night's stay as a deposit, and then pay for the balance of the stay and the cost of the tickets upon check-in.

So again, I don't know why it's to Disney's advantage to do that and still call it room-only versus a package, but that's the way it is. As you know, you must pay off the package in full at least 45 days before arrival, and room-only plus tickets doesn't need to be paid off until check-in time.

Strange but true. And this process I described is not a guess and is not an opinion, it's accruate.

[irish1967]

I don't know about adding tix to a room - we have always done the "package"

But the last time we went to WDW we stayed offsite and bought our tix at the Disney Store - Basically, here is how it worked.

I bought 1 AP (I'll be going back for the marathon :party: I can't wait) and 3 - 7 day park hoopers. I left the store with the 7 day park hoopers in hand (they were ready to go into the turnstile machine at the parks) and a voucher for an AP that needed to be activated before it was used.

I think I heard somewhere that the Disney Store doesn't sell passes anymore - but the last time I was in there (several weeks ago) my local Disney Store was still selling them.

I know that doesn't answer your complete question, but I hope it helps!

[WeLuvBuzz]

We always stay offsite due to financial concerns. I used to always just order tickets online from the Disney website and pick them up at guest relations the night we get there so we do not have to waste time on our way into the parks the next morning. I try and buy them one a month finishing up a couple of months before we leave. This way they are paid for when I get there. I also put them on my Disney Visa. With a 10 day park hopper no exp plus I look at it as getting one free meal for the family for purchasing our tickets ahead of time. You also used to get a discount for ordering them ahead online. I believe that is gone, so you may want to look at the ticket company that is a sponsor of intercot.

[mouseketeer mom]

Cleverocks-you called and added tickets and didn't pay for them until check in? Did you call the main number of WDW reservations to do this? I agree, just seems like a strange system, package vs. non package,.and hey isn't it the same thing? We are so confused on this end. As disneyfied as I like to think I am..I'm mixed up as to the BEST plan to tell my sis. While Halloween costume shopping at the disney store, I did see that they were selling tickets..Which is the best way to go? If you buy them at the Disney store, can they be encoded onto your key? That would be helpful to know too.

[CleveRocks]

Cleverocks-you called and added tickets and didn't pay for them until check in? Did you call the main number of WDW reservations to do this? I agree, just seems like a strange system, package vs. non package,.and hey isn't it the same thing? We are so confused on this end. Yes, it IS confusing because there isn't a black-and-white difference except for the payment terms.

And by the way, it's not like I made room-only reservations and later called back a second time to add tickets ... it was all one phone call. I made the room-only, and then the CM asked if I wanted to buy park tickets, which I would pay for and get upon check-in. Like I said, the only difference between this and a package is the terms of payment.

Booking a package gives you a few tiny perks, such as souvenir luggage tags, a voucher or two for a meal discount or a free something or another, etc.

[Magic Smiles]

I have booked room and tickets separately before and again this year. I have already paid for the tickets (that was my choice) and they have a 5 day cancellation policy. We usually have back to back reservations for the room and the tickets are usually on the first key card. It does sometimes get confusing when we do this as we will end up with separate room keys and separate park passes at some time during our stay.