Walt Disney World Room Only Reservations vs. Vacation Packages

Not sure whether you want a Walt Disney World vacation package or if it would make more sense to book just a Disney World resort hotel room (also known as a “room only” reservation) and buy your tickets separately? This page explains the pros and cons of vacation packages vs. booking a room only reservation, including the cancellation policies for each type of reservation.

Buying a Disney World vacation package means you must purchase your hotel room and either dining or tickets or both for each person in the party directly from Disney, with those components priced and sold together as a “package.” Normal Disney vacation packages are not discounted; prices are more-or-less consistent with paying full price for the separate components. However, certain special offers such as “free dining” apply only to vacation packages.

• Check our Walt Disney World Vacation Package Discounts page to see any current Disney World package offers, but read the information below first so that you understand the rules that apply to packages.

Sometimes your most economical option is to book a room only reservation at the Walt Disney World resort of your choice (ideally with one of the discounts listed on this site) and buy the other components of your vacation (i.e. tickets and meals) separately. It’s more work than booking a package, however.

• Check our Walt Disney World Resort Discounts page to see any current Disney World room only resort discounts.

To complicate matters, you can convert most room-only discounts into a package by purchasing tickets and/or a dining plan. We normally note this option when we list room only discounts. However, it’s important to remember that once your booking is converted to a package, it is subject to the package rules. The room only rules are much better than the package rules. Additionally, for most people it is not worthwhile to make a room-only offer into a package because you’re adding full-price tickets, when you could purchase them cheaper through an outside company such as Undercover Tourist. Also, for the average family the Dining Plans are not a particularly good deal.

Jump to:

• Rules for Disney World Room Only Reservations
• Rules for Disney World Vacation Packages
• Tips for Dealing with the Disney Reservations Center

Rules for Disney World Room Only Reservations

Room only reservations offer better terms for cancellation and payment dates than vacation packages booked through the Walt Disney Travel Company (WDTC). When booking a room only reservation, you are subject to very few restrictions:

• You must pay the first night’s room rate as a deposit within 3 days of reserving your room. (Except when booking online at DisneyWorld.com, in which case the deposit is required at time of booking.)
• Final payment of the remainder is due at check-in. (Except when booking online at DisneyWorld.com, in which case full payment is required if reserving within 30 days of arrival.)
• You can change or cancel your reservation without penalty up until 5 days prior to check-in. (6 days for online bookings.) This period will rise to 8 days starting January 1, 2025.
• The cancellation penalty for cancelling less than 5 days from check-in is the first night’s room rate. A no-show is considered a cancellation and has the same penalty.
• Beware – Disney’s phone agents may try to sell you a “basic package” when you want to book a room only reservation. A “basic package” is just a room and some trinkets (a few coupons and a luggage tag per person). It is subject to the more stringent vacation package rules (see below for rules).

Rules for Disney World Vacation Packages

When booking a vacation package through the Walt Disney Travel Company (WDTC), the rules are listed below.

• You must pay a $200 deposit within 3 days of reserving your package. (Except when booking online at DisneyWorld.com, in which case the deposit is required at time of booking.)
• Final payment of the entire remainder is due 30 days prior to check-in. You have to pay in full right away if you are booking 30 days in advance or less.
• You can change or cancel your reservation without penalty up until 30 days in advance. Cancellations made 29 days to 2 days prior to arrival have a cancellation fee of $200 per package, but if reservations are cancelled 1 day prior to arrival or later, the full package price is non-refundable. You’ll also lose any nonrefundable elements, such as travel insurance and airfare — see below. No-shows will not receive any refund.
• After you’ve made final payment, any changes, such as applying a discount code, changing number of days and/or changing to a different resort, are subject to a $50 change fee and a $15 processing fee. Technically this is due whether the final cost is lower or higher, but if you’re changing to a higher-priced package, they will generally waive the change fees.
• Beware – when booking over the phone, the Disney Reservations Center has been known to quote packages with travel insurance included by default. If you don’t want Disney’s insurance, confirm that it’s not included when making the reservation. The insurance becomes non-refundable 14 days after purchase, so if it’s added to your package accidentally you have very little time to remove it and get your money back. You can add the insurance later if you wish, up until your final payment is due. You can also buy travel insurance directly which will almost always be cheaper and offer better coverage. When booking online, adding insurance requires an additional confirmation, so it’s not likely to get added accidentally.
• Airfare added to your reservation is also nonrefundable. It’s hardly ever a good deal, either. We strongly advise booking airfare separately. Visit the Airfares page for hints on how to save on airfare!

Tips for Dealing with the Disney Reservations Center

Be polite but persistent when calling the Disney Reservations Center. Some of the agents answering the phone know more than others, and some will try harder than others to get you the best deal. If the first agent you speak with isn’t helpful, say thanks, end the call and try again. With hundreds of agents at the call center, it’s unlikely you’ll get the same agent twice in a row.

Keep calling back periodically if your dates are not immediately available at the discounted rate, because people change and cancel reservations all the time. Something is quite likely to open up eventually.

If you work with an agent at the reservations center who is especially helpful or friendly, be sure to do the survey at the end of the call. Or get his or her name and take two minutes to send an email complimenting the agent’s work!