Changes ahead for 2008 room bookings!!

[d4est]

This is from the allears newsletter:

... from various unconfirmed sources: Major changes are
supposedly coming to Disney's hotel reservation system as of
June 23, 2007. A new program is being implemented for all
reservations beginning January 1, 2008. Pricing and rates for
2008 will become date-specific -- that is, you will pay a
nightly rate based on that date, based on the season it falls
under. For example, if you reserve the first night of your stay
under the value season and nights two through five under peak
season, you will no longer be able to maintain the value season
rate for the entire reservation. In addition, premium rates will
now be applied for dates considered to be premium, such as
weekends. In theory, you could pay a different price for each
night of your stay. On the bright side, you no longer have to
split reservations and recheck into your hotel if your stay
includes multiple seasons. No word on how this may affect Annual
Passholder rates. When making room only reservations for 2008
you will be given a total price for your stay, unless you
specifically ask for the rate for each night. Package pricing
will not be broken down by day. We'll have more details as they
are confirmed.

 

[grannyminnie]

Yes, that's been reported on in a previous thread. Some folks are not surprised, as you will read...

 

[blessedby3]

I saw it and hope it does not mess up our trip too much. We always go in value season, so that doesnt bother me. What I would hate to have happen is for them to charge a bunch more for weekend nights. Our trip in Jan covers 2 whole weekends!!

 

[goofy4tink]

I think you will find that most resorts/hotels charge more for weekend nights, unless they are catering to the business traveler. DVC has always charged more for Fri/Sat night stays. I'm not at all surprised that Disney may institute this policy.

 

[SandraC]

I think we've been lucky WDW hasn't done this sooner. Most other hotels already charge more on weekends. S

 

[Deb & Bill]

I completely agree with this sentiment.

If Disney is doing this to "be like all the other hotel chains", then they should ALSO step it up with FREE high speed/wi-fi internet access in ALL rooms in ALL resorts (seriously, if Holiday Inn Express can do it...), ....

Now, you know that is not true. I've been in several hotels lately where internet service had a price attached to it. I've also been in some where it was free. So, not all hotels offer free internet service. Only those that are really competing for your dollars. If Disney has other ways of getting your dollars, you'll pay the daily internet fees.

 

[madcoco]

Free Enterprise.

 

[Ciao Mickey]

I completely agree with this sentiment.

If Disney is doing this to "be like all the other hotel chains", then they should ALSO step it up with FREE high speed/wi-fi internet access in ALL rooms in ALL resorts (seriously, if Holiday Inn Express can do it...), quality bed linens and towels, and to be quite honest, something akin to free continental breakfast, at least at the Deluxes. It is rather pathetic what Disney gets away with charging, just based solely on the location and brand name of their resort hotels. I guess it's not so much Disney that is pathetic as much as we all are, for paying their prices. However, I think Disney takes advantage of their "advantage" and really overcharges for an inferior product (compared to at least 5 national chains I could mention that offer more for less).

The other thing I wanted to say is that this whole price matrix thing (based on speculation until the actual facts emerge) just smacks of Las Vegas. There, you pay very little for a hotel room Sun-Thurs (let's say an average of $200/night for a nice resort on the strip). If you try to book the SAME rooms on either Friday or Saturday night, or around ALL holidays, major and minor, the rate jumps up to an average of $380/night. It's no negligible amount. Vegas does this because Vegas is, primarily, a weekend desitnation to a lot of travelers.

Disneyland hotels (the three on property) ALSO do this. The rates are VERY different on weekdays vs. weekends, and weekends are ALWAYS blocked out for AP discounts/special rates. So, don't expect a "small increase" like $30-40/night on the weekends. Expect something more like value season prices during the week, peak season prices during the weekend.

I don't think you can compare LV or AC to WDW.

Casino resorts offer all kinds of freebies, comps and discounts to their regulars, even on weekends.

 

[SplashMountainRocks]

Casino resorts offer all kinds of freebies, comps and discounts to their regulars, even on weekends.

Yes, but how "free" are they? Does someone who doesn't gamble at all get freebies, comps and discounts? or are they thanking the gamblers for giving them their money (and encouraging them to come back and give them more) ?

I agree, their is no comparison between LV, AC, and Disney.

 

[Lostgirlz]

I called and asked about this the other day when I called Disney Travel checking to see if you could book or get rates for 08 yet which you can't, but I did ask her about this rumor, and was told that she does not know how this information would have even been know when they have not went through training for the 08 year, and all the contracts for the hotels, and good neighbor hotels have not even near finished being agreed on and signed. I know WDW is allowing room only booking right now I stated this to her, and her reply was WDW does it that way cause they have so many more hotels and it is so much larger in scale, but since Disneyland is not they don't release bookings or anything else for that matter till later. I also asked about themeing for next year what they thought the new thing might be since this year was all about Pirates and Princesses, but she said they have NO clue what they may do as it has not been decided and the training has not been set yet.

 

[d4est]

...just thought I'd share...

 

[G8r4evr]

I completely agree with this sentiment.

If Disney is doing this to "be like all the other hotel chains", then they should ALSO step it up with FREE high speed/wi-fi internet access in ALL rooms in ALL resorts (seriously, if Holiday Inn Express can do it...), quality bed linens and towels, and to be quite honest, something akin to free continental breakfast, at least at the Deluxes. It is rather pathetic what Disney gets away with charging, just based solely on the location and brand name of their resort hotels. I guess it's not so much Disney that is pathetic as much as we all are, for paying their prices. However, I think Disney takes advantage of their "advantage" and really overcharges for an inferior product (compared to at least 5 national chains I could mention that offer more for less).

I often shake my head in disbelief at the prices Disney is getting away with charging for the monorail resorts (even in value season). We dont go on vacation to swim, so when it all comes down to it, we are paying for a bed to sleep in and the monorail resorts have long since passed the threshold that Im willing to fork out....but obviously, Im in the minorty as Disney keeps charing more and more and they keep on filling the rooms.

 

[Colleen27]

The other thing I wanted to say is that this whole price matrix thing (based on speculation until the actual facts emerge) just smacks of Las Vegas. There, you pay very little for a hotel room Sun-Thurs (let's say an average of $200/night for a nice resort on the strip). If you try to book the SAME rooms on either Friday or Saturday night, or around ALL holidays, major and minor, the rate jumps up to an average of $380/night. It's no negligible amount. Vegas does this because Vegas is, primarily, a weekend desitnation to a lot of travelers.

Disneyland hotels (the three on property) ALSO do this. The rates are VERY different on weekdays vs. weekends, and weekends are ALWAYS blocked out for AP discounts/special rates. So, don't expect a "small increase" like $30-40/night on the weekends. Expect something more like value season prices during the week, peak season prices during the weekend.

Is this true year-round at DLR or only for certain times of the year? Because when we were considering a trip to visit family out west, Expedia listed prices (for Paradise Pier) that didn't change at all for the weekends.

 

[crazy4wdw]

Is this true year-round at DLR or only for certain times of the year? Because when we were considering a trip to visit family out west, Expedia listed prices (for Paradise Pier) that didn't change at all for the weekends.

I noticed the same thing. I checked several dates in the fall and early December on expedia just to see if there was a difference in room rates for weekends. For every date I selected, rates at the Disneyland Hotel, Grand Californian , and Paradise Pier were the same for week dates and the corresponding weekend dates. Some are speculating that the weekend premeium may only apply for specific weekends, not all of them.

 

[DizneyNutz]

WOW--we are DVC, so we're used to the points thing---I never knew that you could check in 1 day in the value season, enter another season the next day (premiere) and still maintain the "value" season rate---that's a shocker! We've only stayed on a cash basis 3 times, and all our trips, Sunday through Friday on every trip, were in the "value" season---we couldn't afford to go every year if we weren't DVC, even at value season rates, sounds like it's about to get harder!

 

[angeluna]

Well, if it does go through I have to decide if I'm going to book a year ahead of time, or take a chance I'll get a rate. I'm going to sit back and watch how things play out, too.

Between this and the dining rumor of not including the tip anymore, my budget is feeling stretched. Hope we have some great codes next year! I can't justify DVC right now.

 

[disneydreamin-gang]

Well, if it does go through I have to decide if I'm going to book a year ahead of time, or take a chance I'll get a rate. I'm going to sit back and watch how things play out, too.

Between this and the dining rumor of not including the tip anymore, my budget is feeling stretched. Hope we have some great codes next year! I can't justify DVC right now.

I was thinking the same thing. I'm just going to sit back and wait to see if I can get a code or better rate. Disney may just price it's self right out of our favorite vacation spot.

 

[crazy4wdw]

Wasn't today the day that the 2008 rates were to be released? Does anyone know if the rumors of the extra charges for weekend stays were accurate?

 

[Davey-D-99]

Did anyone notice now that if you search for "room only" on the WDW site, it breaks the price per room down to each night!!
Im using disneyworld.ca, on Friday morning I did a seach for 8 nights room only-POR, in November 2007, it did not break down the price for each night of the stay, just gave me a total amount?
Last night when I did the same search for November it shows what each night of the stay costs!!
Mind you, it show the same price for all 8 days, but I would say that they definately made a change somepoint between Friday night and Saturday afternoon in advance of being able to charge a different rate for different days of your stay.

Any thoughts?

 

[Allison]

Did anyone notice now that if you search for "room only" on the WDW site, it breaks the price per room down to each night!!
Im using disneyworld.ca, on Friday morning I did a seach for 8 nights room only-POR, in November 2007, it did not break down the price for each night of the stay, just gave me a total amount?
Last night when I did the same search for November it shows what each night of the stay costs!!
Mind you, it show the same price for all 8 days, but I would say that they definately made a change somepoint between Friday night and Saturday afternoon in advance of being able to charge a different rate for different days of your stay.

Any thoughts?

I noticed it is now showing the per night charge on the site also.