Disney Room Only Reservation Versus a Package What's the Difference?

It’s very important to know the difference between Disney’s Room Only and Package Reservations!

Flexibility is often very important to US Military Families, and your selection affects your payment and cancellation schedules.

Table of Contents

What’s a Package?

A Disney package is normally when you combine another option with your Disney Resort Room Reservation.

The other option(s) could be:

Theme Park Tickets
The Walt Disney World Disney Dining Plan
Or both of these

When you book a package with Disney, you also receive a Magical Extras Card, which offers various discounts during your vacation dates.

Note, you may not be eligible for miles, points, cash back, or bonuses from your credit card if you purchase a package. For instance, my Delta Skymiles Card gives me 3x miles per dollar on hotel charges versus a single point per dollar for package purchases.

Back in 2021, Disney started offering “Basic Packages,” a room reservation with just the Magical Extras without any of the other add-ons, and usually not mentioning to you that they were reserving a package for you instead of a room only.

The active military community often relies on the flexibility of room-only reservations, and packages are less flexible!

Room Only – The Most Familiar

Room-only reservations are probably the most familiar type of Disney Resort Reservation for those in the Military Community.

This is because of the Disney Armed Forces Salute, which offers highly discounted Military Theme Park Tickets and Room Rates. Besides the Disney Armed Forces Salute, there are a couple of other military discounted ticket options that are available.

Because of all of these ticket options, the military community should never add full-price tickets to their Disney room reservation*.

Under the Disney Armed Forces Salute, military families buy their Salute Tickets on their own through the ticket discount offer, separate from their room reservation.

* There is one exception, and that is if the occasional Free Dining offer is being utilized, which rarely makes sense for the military community.

Disney Vacation Packages

So it’s usually not tickets that cause military families to get a Disney Vacation Package, it’s the Disney Dining Plan.

The Disney Dining Plan is a pre-paid meal plan that Walt Disney World offers, which allows you to pay ahead for some meals during your vacation.

Many people feel that using the Disney Dining Plan makes their vacation easier or less stressful, having most of their food expenses already covered.

However, Military Disney Tips does not usually recommend the Disney Dining Plan!

Adding a Dining Plan or tickets to an existing Room Only Reservation turns it into a package with all the associated rules.

The Dining Plan can be added up to 7 days prior to check-in.

Package Magical Extras Benefits

When you book a package, Disney World also gives you what they call Magical Extras. This consists of luggage tags and the following discounts to use while on your vacation. These minor benefits are the reason Disney sometimes places Guests into a Basic Package instead of a true room-only reservation.

2026 Magical Extras

EXPERIENCES

Miniature Golf – Receive 4 vouchers per package for one 18-hole round of miniature golf. Voucher and Magical Extras Savings Card are required at time of redemption. Voucher is nontransferable and expires at midnight on the day of checkout. Lost or stolen vouchers will not be replaced. Not valid with any other offer, discount or promotions and may not be redeemed for cash in whole or in part. Only one miniature golf course may be open from time to time and courses are subject to weather closures. Due to capacity limitations, it may not always be possible to accommodate Guests at the exact time they choose to visit. No photocopy or reproductions of voucher will be accepted. Voucher is void if sold.

ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex – Receive 4 vouchers per package for general admission for one general admission on one day for one Guest. Valid only on event days. Some events require an additional admission charge. There are no events on certain days. Days and hours of operation of concessions, venues and attractions varies. Visit espnwwos.com for more information. Voucher and Magical Extras Savings Card are required at time of redemption. Voucher is nontransferable and expires at midnight on the day of checkout. Lost or stolen vouchers will not be replaced. Not valid with any other offer, discount or promotions and may not be redeemed for cash in whole or in part. No photocopy or reproductions of voucher will be accepted. Voucher is void if sold.

Splitsville Luxury Lanes™ – Receive 10% off the non-discounted price of bowling (walk-in bowling only), receive 10% off the purchase of food and non-alcoholic beverages (dine-in only) and receive 10% off the non-discounted price of merchandise at Splitsville Luxury Lanes™ located in Disney Springs® West Side.

Surrey Bikes Rentals – Receive 10% off Surrey Bikes located at the following locations Disney’s BoardWalk, Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground & Resort, Disney’s Old Key West, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort, Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Disney’s Yacht Club Resort.

Drawn to Life Presented by Cirque du Soleil & Disney – Save on certain tickets for select performances. Visit Drawn to Life for the Magical Extras offer. Subject to availability and restrictions. Block out dates apply.

DINING

Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza – Receive 10% off the regular price of food and nonalcoholic beverages (excluding applicable tax and gratuity) during lunch hours. Available Monday through Sunday. Not valid on holidays. Special events and dining packages excluded.

The BOATHOUSE® Orlando – Receive 10% off food from the location in Disney Springs Town Center.

City Works Eatery & Pour House – Receive 10% off food and nonalcoholic beverages at City Works Eatery & Pour House located in Disney Springs West Side. Not valid with any other offer or discount.

Cookes of Dublin – Receive 10% off during lunch (11:00 AM to 3:00 PM, subject to change) Monday through Friday at the location in Disney Springs The Landing.

eet by Maneet Chauhan – Receive 10% off food and nonalcoholic beverages. Cannot be combined with any other offer or discount.

Frontera Cocina – Receive 10% off the non-discounted price of food and nonalcoholic beverages during lunch and dinner. This offer is only available at the Disney Springs Town Center location and cannot be combined with any other offer or discount.

Häagen-Dazs Kiosk at Disney Springs West Side – Receive 10% off the regular price of food and nonalcoholic beverages (excluding applicable tax and gratuity). Special events and dining packages are included.

House of Blues® Restaurant & Bar – Receive 15% off the regular price of food and nonalcoholic beverages (excluding applicable tax and gratuity). Special events and dining packages excluded. Not valid with any other offer.

Jaleo by José Andrés – Receive 10% off the regular price of food and nonalcoholic beverages (excluding applicable tax and gratuity). Valid for up to 5 Guests. Discount is not valid on Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve. Special events and dining packages excluded.

Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company® – Receive 20% off your entire purchase, excluding alcohol at Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company at the following Walt Disney World locations: Magic Kingdom park, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Blizzard Beach water park, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Disney Skyliner and Disney Springs The Landing. This includes the Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company store, or online purchase at JOFFREYS.com can be made using coupon code: travel26. Restrictions apply. Not combinable with any other offers, promotional sales or coupons. Expires December 31, 2026.

Maya Grill – Receive 10% off the regular price of food and nonalcoholic beverages (excluding applicable tax and gratuity). Special events and dining packages excluded. Additional exclusions apply.

Paradiso 37, Taste of the Americas – Receive 10% off food and nonalcoholic beverages at the location in Disney Springs The Landing. Not valid with any other offer or discount.

Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant – Receive 10% off during lunch (11:00 AM to 3:00 PM, subject to change) Monday through Friday at the location in Disney Springs The Landing.

Rainforest Cafe – Receive 10% off adult entrees at the locations in Disney Springs The Marketplace and outside the entrance of Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park. Not valid with any other offer or promotions.

The Spice & Tea Exchange – Receive $1 off any 16-ounce Iced or Hot Tea To Go. Offer only available at the location in Disney Springs The Marketplace. Cannot be combined with any other offer or discount.

Splitsville Luxury Lanes™ – Receive 10% off the non-discounted price of bowling (walk-in only), the purchase of food and nonalcoholic beverages (dine-in only) and the non-discounted price of merchandise.

STK Steakhouse – Receive 10% off the regular price of food and nonalcoholic beverages (excluding applicable tax and gratuity). Discount is not valid on holidays. Special events and dining packages are excluded.

T-REX – Receive 10% off adult entrees at the T-REX location in Disney Springs The Marketplace. Not valid with any other offer or promotions.

Vivoli il Gelato – Receive 10% off the regular price of food and nonalcoholic beverages (excluding applicable tax and gratuity) at the location in Disney Springs The Landing. Special events and dining packages excluded.

Wetzel’s Pretzels – Buy 2 pretzels and get one free! Offer only available at Wetzel’s Pretzels located at Disney Springs West Side and The Marketplace. Cannot be combined with any other offer or discount.
SHOPPING

Balocoloc Venetian Masks – Receive 10% off your entire purchase. This offer is only available at the location in the Italy Pavilion at World Showcase in EPCOT and cannot be combined with any other offer or discount.

Basin – Receive 10% off your entire purchase, excluding sale items, at Basin located in Disney Springs The Marketplace or Basin White located in Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.

Best Friends Pet Hotel – Receive a free suite treat for your pet during a daycare/overnight boarding at the location in Walt Disney World Resort.

Business Centers – Receive 10% off your outbound shipping services and shipping boxes at Ricoh-managed Business Centers at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts, Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa and Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

Chapel Hats – Receive 15% off your entire purchase at Chapel Hats located in Disney Springs The Landing.

Coca-Cola Store – Receive 15% off purchases of $30 or more at the Coca-Cola Store located at Town Center in Disney Springs. Not applicable for rooftop beverage bar purchases or professional photography services. Discount may not be combined with any other offer.

Crystal Arts by Arribas Brothers – Receive 10% off purchases at Crystal Arts by Arribas Brothers in stores at The Marketplace in Disney Springs, Magic Kingdom park and EPCOT. Exclusions apply. Not applicable to shipping charges. Some other restrictions apply. Discount may not be combined with any other offer.

Historical Research Center – Receive 10% off your entire purchase, excluding sale items, at the Historical Research Center located within The Crown & Crest in World Showcase at EPCOT.

House of Blues Gear Shop – Receive 10% off your purchase of select regularly priced merchandise at House of Blues Gear Shop located in Disney Springs West Side. Excludes art, books, jewelry and sale items.

Just Fun Socks – Receive 15% off your entire purchase at the location in Disney Springs The Landing.

Kendra Scott – Receive 15% off your entire purchase at Kendra Scott located at Disney Springs Town Center. Offer valid at this location only. Cannot be combined with other offers or be applied to previous purchases, markdown items, giveback items, warehouse items, gift card purchases, gift sets, sales tax or shipping charges.

The LEGO Store – Receive 10% off merchandise, exclusions apply, at the location in Disney Springs.

Splitsville Luxury Lanes™ – Receive 10% off the non-discounted price of bowling, walk-in only, the purchase of food and nonalcoholic beverages, dine-in only, and the non-discounted price of merchandise.

Sugarboo & Co. – Receive 10% off your total purchase at Sugarboo & Co., located at Disney Springs Town Center. Exclusions apply.

Superdry – Receive 15% off your purchase of regularly priced items at the Superdry location in Disney Springs Town Center.

UNOde50 – Receive 10% off select regularly priced merchandise. Exclusions apply in store, and this discount cannot be combined with another discount.

Benefits are valid for arrivals January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2026.

2027 Magical Extras

EXPERIENCES

DINING

The BOATHOUSE® Orlando – Receive 10% off food from the location in Disney Springs Town Center.

City Works Eatery & Pour House – Receive 10% off food and nonalcoholic beverages at City Works Eatery & Pour House located at Disney Springs West Side. Not valid with any other offer or discount.

Cookes of Dublin – Receive 10% off during lunch (11:00 AM to 3:00 PM, subject to change) Monday through Friday at the location in Disney Springs The Landing.

eet by Maneet Chauhan – Receive 10% off food and nonalcoholic beverages. Cannot be combined with any other offer or discount.

Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company® – Receive 20% off your entire purchase, excluding alcohol at Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company at the following Walt Disney World locations: Magic Kingdom park, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Blizzard Beach water park, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Disney Skyliner and Disney Springs The Landing. This includes the Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company store, or online purchase at JOFFREYS.com can be made using coupon code: travel27. Restrictions apply. Not combinable with any other offers, promotional sales or coupons. Expires December 31, 2027.

Morimoto Asia – Receive 10% off the regular price of food and nonalcoholic beverages (excluding tax and gratuity) during lunch hours for up to 6 Guests. Not valid for the sushi bar or on New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Special events and ticket events excluded.

Paddlefish – Receive 10% off the regular price of food and nonalcoholic beverages (excluding applicable tax and gratuity). Special events and dining packages excluded. Cannot be combined with any other discounts or offers.

Paradiso 37, Taste of the Americas – Receive 10% off food and nonalcoholic beverages at the location in Disney Springs The Landing. Not valid with any other offer or discount.

Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant – Receive 10% off during lunch (11:00 AM to 3:00 PM, subject to change) Monday through Friday.

Rainforest Cafe – Receive 10% off adult entrees at the Rainforest Cafe locations in Disney Springs The Marketplace and outside the entrance of Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park. Offer valid for up to 4 Guests. Not valid with any other offer or promotions.

Salt & Straw – Receive 10% off Salt & Straw purchase of pints. Available only in-store.

Terralina Crafted Italian – Receive 10% off the regular price of food and nonalcoholic beverages (excluding applicable tax and gratuity). Special events and dining packages excluded. Cannot be combined with any other discounts or offers.

T-REX – Receive 10% off adult entrees at the T-REX location in Disney Springs The Marketplace. Not valid with any other offer or promotions.

SHOPPING

Basin – Receive 10% off your entire purchase, excluding sale items, at Basin located in Disney Springs The Marketplace or Basin White located in Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.

Best Friends Pet Hotel – Receive a free suite treat for your pet during a daycare/overnight boarding at the location in Walt Disney World Resort.

Chapel Hats – Receive 15% off your entire purchase at Chapel Hats located in Disney Springs The Landing.

Columbia Sportswear – Receive 10% off your entire purchase, excluding tax and shipping and before any other discount is applied, at the participating Columbia Sportswear-owned retail brand store in Disney Springs only, using the code 27MAGIC. Limit one discount per household. Offer is non-transferable and may not be applied to a prior purchase, combined with any other offer or discount, redeemed by employees or applied to gift card purchases, tax or shipping charges.

Historical Research Center – Receive 10% off your entire purchase, excluding sale items, at the Historical Research Center located within The Crown & Crest in World Showcase at EPCOT.

House of Blues Gear Shop – Receive 10% off your purchase of select regularly priced merchandise at House of Blues Gear Shop located in Disney Springs West Side. Exclusions apply, please see an associate for details.

Just Fun Socks – Receive 15% off your entire purchase at the location in Disney Springs The Landing.

Luxury of Time by Diamonds International – Receive 20% off select merchandise purchases at Luxury of Time located at Town Center in Disney Springs. Discount on jewelry does not apply to watches, Chopard Jewelry and Montblanc accessories. This offer cannot be combined with any other promotions, discounts or offers.

M&M’S – Receive 20% off select regularly priced merchandise. Cannot be combined with any other coupons, discounts, offers or past purchases. Not valid for online purchases. Not valid for third party co-branded items, clearance or sale items.

UNOde50 – Receive 10% off select regularly priced merchandise. Exclusions apply in store, and this discount cannot be combined with another discount.

Benefits are valid for arrivals January 1, 2027, to December 31, 2027.

NOTE: A valid Magical Extras Savings Card must be presented to receive any Magical Extras benefit. You must also present a valid voucher for admission to ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Disney’s Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf Course and Disney’s Winter Summerland Miniature Golf Course. Benefits are valid during your Walt Disney Travel Company package stay. Benefits have no cash value, are nontransferable and void if transferred or sold. All benefits, services and locations are subject to change without notice. May not be combined with any other offer, discount or promotion. Valid for the number of Guests in the package, unless otherwise specified. All dining discounts exclude applicable tax and gratuities. Other restrictions and exclusions may apply.

The Differences Between Room Only and Packages

It’s very important to know the difference between Disney’s Room Only and Package Reservations! Flexibility is often very important to US Military Families, and your selection affects your payment and cancellation schedules.

Room Only reservations offer much better terms for cancellation and payment dates than the vacation packages do!

Packages are much more strict.

With a Package, you are committing to a pre-payment schedule and much earlier cancellation dates. These can be very important things to a military family whose schedule can be unpredictable!

Payments

Packages: When making a Disney World Vacation Package reservation:

You must pay a $200 deposit within 3 days of reserving your package (due immediately if making online)
Final payment of the entire remaining balance (room, meal plan, tickets, etc) is due 30 days prior to your check-in
You have to pay in full if you are booking within 30 days or less prior to check-in

Occasionally, Disney’s phone agents may offer you a Basic Package when you want to book a room-only reservation. A Basic Package is just the Room Only Reservation plus the Magical Extras and a luggage tag per person. This Basic Package is subject to the more strict vacation package rules.

The big giveaway that they have booked you for a package vs a room only is the $200 deposit vs 1 one-night deposit!

Room Only:

You must pay a one-night room rate as a deposit within 3 days of reserving your room (due immediately if making online)
Final payment of the entire remaining balance is due at check-in
You have to pay in full if you are booking within 30 days or less prior to check-in.

Cancellations

Packages: Here are the much stricter cancellation Rules for Packages

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
Reservations cancelled 1 day prior to arrival or later forfeit the full package price, which is then non-refundable
Disney usually adds travel insurance to your package by default. You don’t have to add it! The insurance fee is non-refundable 14 days after purchase
If you happen to add airfare to your package, it is totally non-refundable!

Room Only: Much more reasonable rules for Room Only

You can change or cancel your reservation without penalty up until 8 days prior to check-in.
Reservations cancelled 7 days or less before check-in, or no-shows, will forfeit the first night’s room rate.

Room Only is a Better Choice

The MDT family always* books Room Only! By doing so, we keep our options open and aren’t tied into pre-payment. Plus, we don’t think the Disney Dining Plan is a good deal, and it requires much more forethought and daily dining reservations.

* Note: Twice on MDT research trips, Steve has used the DDP to gain experience and solidify his opinion.

Over To You

Did you find this post helpful? Have any questions or opinions you’d like to share? Do so in the comments section below!

This article was written by Steve Bell, founder of Military Disney Tips.

Steve is a retired U.S. military member who has been visiting the Disney Parks since 1971 and writing about Disney military discounts and vacations for the military community for over 18 years.

Read Steve’s Full Bio | Follow Military Disney Tips on Facebook

Comments

GERRY CREAGER says

25 June 2023 at 09:19

Strongly agree. We did DDP one time. Getting the reservations we wanted was difficult, although we did get to try some of the restaurants we’d wanted to go to, and didn’t have to worry while there about the prices (since it was all magical while on the package!). As you note, we prefer Room Only option, although we’ve occasionally done Magical Extras, but that’s often been when we couldn’t book online successfully and had to actually call for help; it got slipped in. Personally, I still prefer the environment at Shades of Green but getting out to some of the hallmark resorts is also fun.
Our big gripe remains park reservations and limitations. We really like staying at one of the sites near EPCOT, grabbing breakfast in there, then going on to our preferred daytime park; no longer an option, AND, we can’t even pass through EPCOT to get to the Monorail.

- Steve says
  
  26 June 2023 at 09:01
  
  Thanks Gerry,
  
  My frustration with park reservations continue…
  
  We will have to see how the “park reservations may be required for non-dated tickets” goes in 2024.
  
Lori Kelley says

29 July 2024 at 11:05

I’ve noticed the last several times I have called Disney to book a resort reservation, that even though I asked for a “room only” reservation, they were booking me for a package. I realized it at the very end when they said I would need to cancel one month out to not be charged one night. I had to remind them that had asked for a “room only” reservation! Be careful.
I like the ability to cancel 5 days prior. This is really a benefit if you are booking during tropical storm season.

- Steve Bell says
  
  30 July 2024 at 08:55
  
  Thanks for the intel Lori!
  
  I’ve experienced them automatically making it a package if I don’t specifically say Room Only, but not what your related yet.