December 2014 watch

[Shelly D.]

I'm sorry if this has been covered.

We have just decided to take a trip in December with some extended family. We generally book room only with a discount, but have only received pins recently for free dining. I would much rather have a room only discount, but think I will go ahead and book the free dining package just in case.

If a room only rate comes out later, can I make the adjustment or do I have to completely cancel and re-book? Also, if we have made ADRs in the mean time, will we lose them?

Thank you!

 

[Julylady]

I am also waiting for a room only discount for Nov 28-30 and Dec 7-10, pre- and post-cruise stays. I had an annual pass that I allowed to expire in April.

Typically, do AP come out prior to Room only discounts? Also, I can reserve at the AP rate and wait until I get to WDW to actually buy the pass, right?

I don't want to pay rack rate!

 

[Bicfam]

December 2014 here we come. Thanks for letting us join you all!

POR Dec 15th - 23rd
Two kids in college and one HS we are pulling our HS out early.

What are some good Christmas photo op locations??

 

[pepperandchips]

What are some good Christmas photo op locations??

I can't say enough good things about Tom's tips for Christmas trip planning over on Disney Tourist Blog. He even made a specific post about good Christmas photo ops! (I think the disboards filters the link to his blog, but you can google "disney tourist blog christmas card photo" and it should be the first result.)

Can't wait to get photos with my family in some of these locations

 

[w84no1]

What are some good Christmas photo op locations??

We liked the resorts, but the best picture we took was at Epcot - Character Topiaries.

 

[DisneyLifer87]

We liked the resorts, but the best picture we took was at Epcot - Character Topiaries.

I absolutely love this idea!

 

[Hitchhiking Ghost]

I am also waiting for a room only discount for Nov 28-30 and Dec 7-10, pre- and post-cruise stays. I had an annual pass that I allowed to expire in April.

Typically, do AP come out prior to Room only discounts? Also, I can reserve at the AP rate and wait until I get to WDW to actually buy the pass, right?

I don't want to pay rack rate!

From what I can tell, historically GP room only discounts are offered prior to the release of AP room only discounts. For 2013 room only discounts were released to the GP on 8/1 for the Nov/Dec time period whereas the AP discounts for the same time period were not released until 9/3.

My understanding is that you can book at the AP rate but at check in you may be asked to provide/produce the AP or voucher(?). You may have to pick it up prior to checking it in, most likely. This scenario is one that I am looking at much more closely, as the free dining period, as well as the exclusion or POR from the current offering, basically eliminates or family. So I need to look at RO discount offerings or potentially AP discounts.

 

[purpledisneyprncess]

From what I can tell, historically GP room only discounts are offered prior to the release of AP room only discounts. For 2013 room only discounts were released to the GP on 8/1 for the Nov/Dec time period whereas the AP discounts for the same time period were not released until 9/3.

My understanding is that you can book at the AP rate but at check in you may be asked to provide/produce the AP or voucher(?). You may have to pick it up prior to checking it in, most likely. This scenario is one that I am looking at much more closely, as the free dining period, as well as the exclusion or POR from the current offering, basically eliminates or family. So I need to look at RO discount offerings or potentially AP discounts.

What is the Annual Passholder rate? Is it a certain percentage off? This year we are getting AP's so maybe we can book w/ that rate. Last time we booked thru Cheap Tickets w/ their promo code and got a great deal.

 

[Hitchhiking Ghost]

What is the Annual Passholder rate? Is it a certain percentage off? This year we are getting AP's so maybe we can book w/ that rate. Last time we booked thru Cheap Tickets w/ their promo code and got a great deal.

Yes, the AP rate is a discounted % off of rack rates. I think the most common range of discount is 20-35%, with 35% generally applied to certain Deluxe resorts a/o villas. As usual some dates and hotels may be blacked out.

In my situation, I am not a normal annual passholder, so if there are no GP offers that I can make use of, my next choice would be to compare the cost of upgrading from say a 10 day base ticket to an AP, and then apply the discount to the room and then compare what my net savings are with room discount compared to increased ticket price.

If you go multiple times throughout the year an AP is definitely valuable, but for me, going just once, it would probably only be cost effective if we chose a Deluxe level resort and got a bigger discount.

 

[Sara1Babe]

I keep checking to find rumors about any RO discounts, AP, disney visa anything that will signal that the GP discount is imminent

Tick tock tick tock

 

[Hitchhiking Ghost]

I keep checking to find rumors about any RO discounts, AP, disney visa anything that will signal that the GP discount is imminent

Tick tock tick tock

Me too.


In 2012 we had the perfect storm. I had an early release free dining pin code and it fully encompassed our desired dates (checking in day after Thanksgiving). It included POR, which is the only moderate level resort that can accommodate our family of 5 AND airfare dropped substantially shortly after we booked our package deal. So pretty much everything we needed to happen, happened and happened early. I think I had everything booked by June 1 for a late November trip.

Fast forward two years to now, and its the exact opposite. No pin code, the free dining that was released as a GP offering didn't cover our dates AND excluded POR. On top of that, airfare is more expensive.

So I'm pretty much down to crossing my fingers that a GP offering will be forthcoming by end of month or early August, or I need to explore the AP route. Either way, I'm not even guardedly optimistic at this point.

 

[Triton]

Hoping for a RO discount in the first week of December!

 

[MinnieSummer]

Just checking in.

 

[O2H O2H]

I have read a few pages back, but am a newbie at planning this trip, so forgive me if this was covered or I am just confused. I booked for 12/14-20 with free dining at AoA. Are you indicating that there is likely to be a different promo coming out soon that doesn't have free dining, but DOES have a significant discount off of the room?

 

[hopelea]

Hoping for a RO discount for Dec 12!! We want to come in for MVMCP that night. If a discount doesn't come out, we will have to stay off property

 

[momof3princes]

We are heading to Disney Nov 30-Dec 6, I am hoping discounts come out soon, seeing everyone say August is making me less nervous!

 

[michyi]

Hoping for a RO discount in the first week of December!

Me too! We are going Dec. 5-10. Hoping for a RO discount.

 

[Hitchhiking Ghost]

I have read a few pages back, but am a newbie at planning this trip, so forgive me if this was covered or I am just confused. I booked for 12/14-20 with free dining at AoA. Are you indicating that there is likely to be a different promo coming out soon that doesn't have free dining, but DOES have a significant discount off of the room?

Looking back at 2013, on 8/1 they released room only discounts (which can also be applied to packages) for stays 9/29-12/23. This included both room only discounts and free dining packages.

I think right now the furthest out announced room only discounts go is thru 10/3 (free dining covers into December).

If history repeats itself, the expectation is that within 2 weeks (hopefully earlier) that Disney will announce its next round of room only discounts, which would hopefully cover periods from October to end of year. AP rates for the same period probably won't be released until around 9/1.

Last year the discounts ranged from 15-30% off rack rates (obviously not all resorts and dates are included).

 

[terri33inne]

Room discounts came out today. Nothing available on website for 2 resorts I'm interested in showing online... Will more rooms be released?

 

[Dawner]