Normally, I tell my family members that if you’re traveling to Walt Disney World and not using discounts, you’re doing something wrong. Because Disney always has a discount.
But, this year, everything we thought we knew about planning a trip to Walt Disney World has been thrown out the window.
So many changes have had to be made in the past few months. Thankfully, Disney’s tradition of releasing brand new discounts is not one of them.

Magic Is Here! Vacation Package
This brand new promotion states you could save up to $500 when you book a 4-night Disney Resort and Ticket Package between September 4 and December 25, 2020.
Below is the breakdown of the discount found at each Resort.

Big Savings
From what I’ve seen from this Promotion, what you actually save is far more than what they’re advertising. And better yet, the longer you stay, the greater the discount gets.
For example, a 4 night stay at Old Key West, one of Disney’s Deluxe Villas, showed me a discount of $562.50. That’s $62.50 more than their advertised savings.
But, since my family, as well as many of the families I work with, likes to travel for a whole week, I was curious what the total savings looked like with a few more days added on. Adjusting the dates to a 6 night stay, the savings grew to a whopping $984.38, using this same promotion.
Of course, not everyone stays at Deluxe Villas, including myself. So, I compared the savings to a more budget friendly Resort, like Pop Century.
Disney’s advertised savings says that a 4 night stay at Pop Century should save you $100. But, the actual savings showed me a discount of $112.50. Once I adjusted the dates to a 6 night stay, the savings rose to $196.88, almost doubling the advertised savings.
Magic is here!, indeed.

Special Savings For State Residents
If you live in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, or West Virginia, you are in luck.
Residing in one of these states gives you a special promotion, resulting in an even higher discount.
Below is the breakdown of the discount found at each Resort.

Verifying Your Residency
Your residency will be verified using your credit card billing address. Cast Members I’ve spoken to these past few days have also mentioned that you will need to show your ID upon check-in to verify your residency.
For those of us who like to pay off our vacations using Disney Gift Cards, there is no restriction of using this as form of payment with this promotion. Just know that you may be asked to show your ID to verify your residency upon arrival to your Resort.

Booking Your Room Discount
There are certain restrictions that come along with each promotion. And one of these restrictions is the ability to add more than one promotion to your Package.
If you have another promotion or savings attached to your Package, you will not be able to receive any additional savings.
However, if these savings are greater than the one you already have, you may switch promotions to one that saves you more money.
Book Early
Disney only sets aside a certain number of rooms for each discount. Once these rooms are sold, the remainder of the available rooms are sold at full price.
For this reason, I always recommend booking early. Discounted rooms do sell out quickly, even during this crazy time.
Securing your discount can be made with a $200 deposit. Or if you need a few days to think it over, I am able to place a discounted room on hold for 3 days. This hold doesn’t cost you anything. If you decide not to travel during these dates, the room is simply released for someone else to grab.
Extended Flexibility For Cancellation
For extra peace of mind, Disney has waived all Disney-imposed change and cancellation fees through December 31, 2020.
If you decide not to travel, anything that you paid towards your trip will be refunded to your upon cancellation. This includes your $200 deposit.

What to Know Before You Go
Although there does seem to be plenty of Park Passes to go around, it is recommended that you check the Park Pass Calendar before booking your vacation.
No one wants to plan their trip around riding Rise of the Resistance, just to find out that there are no more Passes to Hollywood Studios, right?
I also recommend checking out Disney’s link regarding things you should know before you decide to travel to Walt Disney World. Everything you should know regarding cleaning, approved face coverings, Park Reservations, and more are covered in this link.
If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me directly.

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