current summary of details on Passholder Program

[Lollipop Mom]

OK, I started the thread on AP news and since starting it I've gotten lots of new info. I've tried updating it but it is spread out so here it is in concise form....

I spent many hours on the phone with Disney reservations, guest services and sales yesterday. I even had a lengthy conversation with a sales rep while I was supposed to be having dinner with my family at a restaurant! Here is a summary of the information I was able to get in those conversations:



What we know absolutely for sure:

• this is NOT the release of AP rates, this is a new program but not the rate release
• it is only available online
• online reservations can only be done for one room at a time, the system isn't set up to let you book multiple rooms in one reservation. That is why you can't book 3 rooms with this offer (unless you have 3 APs) [side note...sales says they will be looking at addressing this issue]
• you must use an ADULT AP
• you must have either an activated AP (that does not expire before the trip you are trying to book) or have an ADULT AP voucher in hand. You will need the numbers off of the back of the AP or voucher in order to make the reservation.
• there is a NONREFUNDABLE one night deposit required.
• it must be booked 120 days or more in advance.
• Disney will automatically reduce your rate should any offers be made to the general public that is less expensive than your current rate
• they will not match AAA rates, PIN rates, group rates or "auction rates" (no one could tell me what auction rates were though)
• just like any other offer, it will only be available for a limited # of rooms per resort/room type/view per night
• if you book a split stay, they are 2 independent reservations so yes, you would have to make 2 deposits and yes, they are both nonrefundable.

What both sales and guest services have told me is true but WE haven't seen it in writing just yet (even if they say they have it in writing):
(my sales rep and I had a conversation about the need for an FAQ on this offer to address some of these issues in writing. She said she will definitely be bringing that up first thing Monday morning)

• this is NOT the end of the AP rate program as we know it, it's just a way to book and guarantee you don't have to be on the lookout for a discount, it will be applied for you automatically.
• you will still be able to call in and book AP rates as they are released. They will just be subject to availability just as they always have been. Availability will be more limited b/c the rate will be applied to all "best available rate" guests first.
• they will be matching AP rates and general public rates (the wording as it stands currently only guarantees general public rates)
• if you need to reschedule (as in cancel this stay but immediately book another) your reservation will transfer over with a $50 change fee assessed.

what I have(unofficially) been told they believe to be true from all of the info they have been given, but they don't have written confirmation on

• there will definitely be discounts, and discounts better than AAA
• since it is only available to a limited # of resort/type/view rooms per night, there will be no "it's not available for this resort/view" with this offer. If a code is release, everyone on the best rate program will get it.
• since it is limited, there is every possibility that certain resorts/views etc. will be sold out or VEEERRRRY limited (think 2-3 rooms per night) just with best rate guests
• they don't think that ALL AP rate rooms will require a nonrefundable deposit, only rooms booked with this program. The thought is that you take the risk because they guarantee you will get the discounts as they are released. With regular call in rates, that isn't guaranteed
• you will still be able to book 3 rooms by calling in, again, you just won't be guaranteed the best rate.

what I have been led to suspect this may mean for the future
remember, this is all just suspicion...it is not based on anything concrete.

• more than likely you will need an AP or voucher to book AP rates when they are released (remember AP rates and the Passholder Best Rate Program are 2 ENTIRELY different things). Disneyland has had this policy in place and I was told at least a year ago that they expected to see it start happening at WDW soon too.
• one sales CM mentioned that there have been discussions of making ANY discounted room into a package (even if it is just room only) so it would have a 45 day cancellation policy. I wouldn't be surprised if we see this happen. As of now, if you book an AP rate online (again, RATE, not best rate program) the cancellation policy is 45 days. If you made the same reservation by calling in, it is 5 days. Considering that they have been looking for ways to encourage online booking and decrease call volume, I wouldn't be surprised if the call in policy changes.
• one sales rep suspects the possibility of 2 tiers of AP rates, a lower one for best rate guests who have booked well in advance and a higher for guests calling in to book one closer to their travel dates.

my list of questions I am sending to my sales rep Sunday night:
if you have others, let me know! I'll be glad to add them and report back with the answers!

• any info on what this will mean for the future of AP discounts as we have known them? Is it possible that they are all going to be sold out to best rate guests and nothing available for call in or are rooms going to be held out to make SOME call in for last minute planning available?
• my clients have expressed frustration over that they like the overall idea here, but that they are currently booked with AAA rates while we wait for AP rates to be released. They don't like giving up a discount we've already secured (and that has a 5 day cancellation policy!) to book at rack rates with a nonrefundable deposit when they can't be given any assurance that the rate will end up better than their AAA rate.
• a suggestion that in addition to asking for an activated pass # or voucher # that they allow you to purchase one adult AP in the same transaction as placing your deposit.
• clarification on if a client gets a PIN offer that beats the AP rate (as has happened before) can we call and apply that PIN to the ressie without losing the deposit?
• will the Florida resident rate program have this same offer?
• clarification on how they will match public discounts if the discount is not on the room. For instance, the free dining offer the room is at rack rate, it's one of the added features that are discounted. Will AP holders booked with this plan be given a discount as well? )I have a feeling I'll be told it's apples and oranges since one is room only and one is a package so there would be no discount for the AP holders but it can't hurt to ask, right?!)
• and of course following up on the stuff above that we don't have written confirmation on.

I'll update Monday with the new info as I get it.

 

[tjmouse]

Lori,

You are awesome. Thanks so much for posting all of this information. From what I have read and heard from calling CRO today, everything you said makes sense.

My only problem was that I tried to book the new plan on the passholder website and it wouldn't let me book any arrival date past 11/26. So, I guess I will keep trying.

Thanks again for your hard work!

 

[triplefigs]

Thanks for keeping us up to date!~

 

[cobbler]

Wow, you are doing a great job on this all. Thanks so much.

I do have a question you could ask, or maybe you covered it here and I didn't understand.

But what if people want a certain level/view. Say AKL savannah or WL woods or Poly Lagoon and so on. What happens if they don't give any discounts for this type of view or this particular resort? Is this one of those things that we have to gamble or are we going to get at least some discount booking this way no matter what? Does that make any sense??

 

[ms.ojo]

What a FABULOUS summary!!!!! And I think your questions are right on the money! I'm so glad your asking Question #2 re:AAA rate vs. rack rate and hoping. Can't wait to see what you hear / post for us on Monday!!!!

THANK YOU - THANK YOU - THANK YOU for all your diligence on this!!!

 

[c&ldisneylovers]

Thank you for keeping us up to date on all this new information.

 

[LeftCoaster]

I'd like to know about those of use that are just into the 120 day Window. I need a room for October 13,14, & 15. With this change, I never had a shot at Best Rate.

 

[bgula]

I don't think I saw this posted, so it might be a valid question to be answered. Last year at FW, you could book a max. of 14 nights at the AP rate - this year it is 10 days. We're staying 29 nights, so that means 3 reservations. With this new program, would the AP rate be applied for the whole reservation, or would there be a max. # of days, the same as now? If so, I know I wouldn't want to have 3 non-refundable days to pay, just in case.

 

[BunnieGene]

Thanks for all of your hard work and for sharing the updates.

 

[lsteadman]

I have been very busy so I haven't been on the boards as much! But thank goodness for all of you who post the latest news.

I had no idea so many changes were going on with the AP program.

Thanks for posting and I will check the boards daily until this new program is finalized.

Thanks again!

 

[rmdavis]

two major complaints I have with this are
1. with the number of people in my family when I visit I have to have 2 rooms ( people) but yet this will only allow one booking at a time...not to mention 2 non refundable deposits

2. one of the main advantages for me with the AP was the ability to schedule "spontaneous" trips a month or two out... but to do so now the odds are very much against us getting any sort of discount rate which means can't afford to do so.... so basically this is cutting down on the number of trips it is possible for us to take

 

[BCV23]

Thanks so much for the great summary, Lollipop Mom.

 

[johnnyr]

Great job! I do have a few questions:

If I decide to bite and book the nonrefundable rate quoted with this new program, am I GARENTEED an AP discount for any time of year.

Will I be stuck with the rate I booked from the site if a discount doesn't come out?

How will we know when the AP rates are available?

John

 

[Lollipop Mom]

Hi, John!

If I decide to bite and book the nonrefundable rate quoted with this new program, am I GARENTEED an AP discount for any time of year.

My guess is that they are going to avoid use of the word "guaranteed" but when I expressed concern over the AAA rate thing, both sales and guest services told me "oh, there will definitely be discounts and they will be better than AAA." I don't think you will find anything that says in writing that you are guaranteed a discount though.

How will we know when the AP rates are available?

They will release them just as they always have, so you'll see posts here or get an email from passholder services (although when my pass was active I NEVER got those emails even though they had it correct on file). I asked if they would contact you and say "hey! we dropped your rate!" and sales wasn't sure of that but said that their info said to recommend checking your rate by pulling up your ressie on the disneyworld.com web site to look at it.

 

[susy]

I can't see this working with FL Residents. Most FL Residents don't plan months in advance like we all (on the DIS) do. They just plan a week or so ahead.

 

[dmure]

Thank you so much for your work on finding out that the old ap rates system still will be around. My only queapstion is can we still call and book an ap rate and then purchase the ap prior to check in. Or will we be able to book ap rate and purchase the ap all at the same time when booking resort stay?

 

[bicker]

Is this one of those things that we have to gamble ...?

Discounts are always a gamble. Indeed, the more people willing to pay more money, the less likely discounts will be available.

 

[bicker]

2. one of the main advantages for me with the AP was the ability to schedule "spontaneous" trips a month or two out... but to do so now the odds are very much against us getting any sort of discount rate which means can't afford to do so.... so basically this is cutting down on the number of trips it is possible for us to take

From the summary posted above, it sounds like you will still be able to do as you always have with whatever traditional AP discounts are announced.

 

[cobbler]

I asked if they would contact you and say "hey! we dropped your rate!" and sales wasn't sure of that but said that their info said to recommend checking your rate by pulling up your ressie on the disneyworld.com web site to look at it.

Ahh yes, but guess what is going to happen. I can see it now. What happens when the rate doesn't show up right away, or at all because the website isn't exactly accurate. People are going to call CRO and make sure the rate was dropped, I know I would. So this really won't eliminate those calls to CRO, it will eliminate some but people are still going to call to verify the rate was dropped. Unless, that is, they can get their computer system accurate.

 

[cobbler]

Discounts are always a gamble. Indeed, the more people willing to pay more money, the less likely discounts will be available.

I mean gamble in the sense of a non-refundable deposit that I would be stuck with when I can get a refundable AAA rate