Disney+ Discounts for Fall 2023?

[PAGA2003]

They obviously meant-gasp-poor people who ordinarily can’t afford a Disney cruise. The same vibe as someone staying at GF who gets irritated at the lowly masses who dare to come gawk and dine at their resort. They can say “first time cruisers” or whatever but this is what they meant and it’s gross.

That was my interpretation as well. Maybe that wasn't the intended meaning but I read it that way too.

 

[BrokeMack]

That was my interpretation as well. Maybe that wasn't the intended meaning but I read it that way too.

Thank you for drawing a distinction between intended and received meaning. Sorry that I came across the wrong way. Let me know if my previous comments failed to clarify what I meant.

 

[PAGA2003]

Thank you for drawing a distinction between intended and received meaning. Sorry that I came across the wrong way. Let me know if my previous comments failed to clarify what I meant.

It is definitely easy to do in the internet! I'm sure I've written things that have been interpreted in a way I didn't mean as well!

 

[squirk]

If you've kept up with the posts about those sailings you'll see that there have been tons of posts about how loud and packed those sailings were. The gif was ironic because there has been a lot of discussion about it, ie a lot of people saying it. For example, I was on the first MDAS sailing right after new years and was surprised to find the Dream was at over 3,700 guests. I didn't think that many families would pull the kids out of school like a week after Christmas vacation. When I checked the boards when I got back, I read all the posts about how successful the d+ offer had been.

To answer your question directly, everyone was saying "larger families than usually sail on non-holiday cruises"

That really isn’t what was said though. I’m not going to go dumpster-dive into other posts for context.

Bigger crowds/fuller ships were mentioned earlier, to be sure, but then also, distinctly and separately, reference to “a different type of families”.

I was asking what was “very different” about these families, and the response given was not in the context of scale or size, but rather “loud, messy, skipping lines, didn’t follow ‘cruise etiquette,’ etc.

So, just going on what the person said, the difference appears to be quality, not quantity.

I’m not going to put words in anyone’s mouth. I was just asking for clarity as to what the person meant, and I think, in a roundabout way, I got my answer.

 

[cvjw]

I sailed on one of the Pixar cruises that was running the Disney + deal. The ship was full - 3600 people. 1800 of them were kids. Kids were running down the halls ALL the time. Screaming in the halls. Screaming on the balconies. And their parents were with them. We could only use our balcony when the people in the cabins close to us were at dinner. It was a different dynamic for sure - and not one that we want to repeat.

 

[AquaDame]

Rather than try to moderate an undercurrent of rudeness and prudeness I'm going to put this thread to bed - if we can't all understand that a full ship is more chaotic than a 1/2 or 2/3 full one then I don't know what more can be said.

That really isn’t what the OP said though. I’m not going to go dumpster-dive into other posts for context.

Bigger crowds/fuller ships were mentioned by the OP, to be sure, but then also, distinctly and separately, reference to “a different type of families”.

I was asking what was “very different” about these families, and the response given was not in the context of scale or size, but rather “loud, messy, skipping lines, didn’t follow ‘cruise etiquette,’ etc.

So, just going on what the OP said, the difference appears to be quality, not quantity.

I’m not going to put words in anyone’s mouth. I was just asking for clarity as to what the OP meant, and I think, in a roundabout way, I got my answer.

They said in their original post that by 'different type of families' they meant size, so I have no idea what there was to be confused about:
"I hope not, it created a madness of overly full ships and a very different type of families onboard... I'd rather have plenty of GTY rates since these offer discounts at people cruising with a smaller party as well and are not generating a giant buzz..."
Different types of families clearly means size of family/ages here. Later on they said "exactly' when someone doubled down on that explanation, and only then added in the part about the chaos they had on their cruise. Even having 80-90% of folks cheer as first time cruisers in the shows doesn't matter. After seeing them all a couple times I (and plenty others) don't go to them anymore. You'd have to ask the staff to know what % is new vs. returning.

If the undercurrent of rudness continues in this thread I'll have to lock it - OPs question was just whether it was coming back. They seemed happy with it and wanted to use it again... the way this thread veered I wouldn't be surprised if they felt unwelcome.

 

[squirk]

Rather than try to moderate an undercurrent of rudeness and prudeness I'm going to put this thread to bed - if we can't all understand that a full ship is more chaotic than a 1/2 or 2/3 full one then I don't know what more can be said.

They said in their original post that by 'different type of families' they meant size, so I have no idea what there was to be confused about:
"I hope not, it created a madness of overly full ships and a very different type of families onboard... I'd rather have plenty of GTY rates since these offer discounts at people cruising with a smaller party as well and are not generating a giant buzz..."
Different types of families clearly means size of family/ages here. Later on they said "exactly' when someone doubled down on that explanation, and only then added in the part about the chaos they had on their cruise. Even having 80-90% of folks cheer as first time cruisers in the shows doesn't matter. After seeing them all a couple times I (and plenty others) don't go to them anymore. You'd have to ask the staff to know what % is new vs. returning.

If the undercurrent of rudness continues in this thread I'll have to lock it - OPs question was just whether it was coming back. They seemed happy with it and wanted to use it again... the way this thread veered I wouldn't be surprised if they felt unwelcome.

I apologize. I mistakenly said “OP,” but the OP wasn’t who I was originally responding to. It was someone else.

I stand by my questions, and I think I got my answers, but have edited my comments appropriately.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

Rather than try to moderate an undercurrent of rudeness and prudeness I'm going to put this thread to bed - if we can't all understand that a full ship is more chaotic than a 1/2 or 2/3 full one then I don't know what more can be said.

They said in their original post that by 'different type of families' they meant size, so I have no idea what there was to be confused about:
"I hope not, it created a madness of overly full ships and a very different type of families onboard... I'd rather have plenty of GTY rates since these offer discounts at people cruising with a smaller party as well and are not generating a giant buzz..."
Different types of families clearly means size of family/ages here. Later on they said "exactly' when someone doubled down on that explanation, and only then added in the part about the chaos they had on their cruise. Even having 80-90% of folks cheer as first time cruisers in the shows doesn't matter. After seeing them all a couple times I (and plenty others) don't go to them anymore. You'd have to ask the staff to know what % is new vs. returning.

If the undercurrent of rudness continues in this thread I'll have to lock it - OPs question was just whether it was coming back. They seemed happy with it and wanted to use it again... the way this thread veered I wouldn't be surprised if they felt unwelcome.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

Hi, OP here! I was happy with the discount, especially since my OBB and TA discounts from my first DCL cruise had expired over the pandemic. But I hadn’t factored in how the Disney+ discount had impacted the crowds, which were really intense from muster to debarkation. But I might just be a small-ship person. I loved the Wonder and I think we would love the Magic, especially if it’s not at capacity.

 

[emmabelle]

we did the last Disney+ on the Fantasy and it was just two of us. I wouldn't want to do it again for two but if my daughter wanted to come I would book one again for the savings. The Mickey pools were a lawless place but the rest wasn't bad.

 

[Chipmunkmaniac]

I never said something anout poor or rich. All i wanted to state is that the people onboard for my three disney+ (with the pixar one being a bit -better- than the two mdas) cruises were a very different experience than my 22 other cruises. A different experience with my fellow cruisers. Never ever said anything anout poor or roch, I personally often look for GT rates and most of the time book an inside. I just meant i ve seen a lot of things happen on those three cruises i ve never experienced on the Disney ships, even not in the patks. We re on a cruise an we can do whatever we want kind of situations

 

[lanejudy]

The D+ discount was essentially a "Kids Sail Free" which DCL hasn't offered in probably a decade.

Do the ships not usually sail close to capacity?

"Capacity" can be looked at in different ways - number of staterooms or number of passengers. Yes most sailings are at or near capacity in terms of the number of staterooms booked. But many of those staterooms will have just 2 guests. The D+ offer resulted in many cabins double that occupancy. Total ship capacity can also be reached with more guests per stateroom even though fewer staterooms may be booked. That is max capacity for lifeboats and the max number of passengers allowed. It can feel (and be) much more crowded than a sailing with all staterooms booked but fewer guests per room.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

The D+ discount was essentially a "Kids Sail Free" which DCL hasn't offered in probably a decade.



"Capacity" can be looked at in different ways - number of staterooms or number of passengers. Yes most sailings are at or near capacity in terms of the number of staterooms booked. But many of those staterooms will have just 2 guests. The D+ offer resulted in many cabins double that occupancy. Total ship capacity can also be reached with more guests per stateroom even though fewer staterooms may be booked. That is max capacity for lifeboats and the max number of passengers allowed. It can feel (and be) much more crowded than a sailing with all staterooms booked but fewer guests per room.

I'm quite certain ours was close to capacity, at least from the perspective of number of people and/or number of kids in the kids clubs. It would show no availability for a family of 3 but would show an available cabin for a family of 2 adults. When I got on chat with DCL, the CM said that was likely because the ship was at capacity for number of kids and/or diners in the dining room. But when she went to look, a cabin for 4 popped up and she grabbed it for me. We did get off the waitlist into Main Dining like the night before sailing, so maybe some folks canceled last minute. But I think it was a very very full ship for those 4 nights in February.

 

[tlovesdis]

My first Disney cruise was this past April and it ended up being one on the D+ special. It was packed and loud for sure! Lots of kids running literally everywhere. Up and down the stairs and chasing each other around the ship and stuff. I was not expecting the shear volume of people on the ship, however, we had an amazing time! Lines were long for sure and we passed on meeting most characters because of that. Service was also pretty slow every night in the dining rooms, but I get that they were serving a ton of people! We have booked again for next September 29, hoping there won't be a special and that it's hurricane season and kids are in school so maybe it won't be quite as chaotic!

Still absolutely loved it and am hooked!!!

 

[sponica]

My first Disney cruise was this past April and it ended up being one on the D+ special. It was packed and loud for sure! Lots of kids running literally everywhere. Up and down the stairs and chasing each other around the ship and stuff. I was not expecting the shear volume of people on the ship, however, we had an amazing time! Lines were long for sure and we passed on meeting most characters because of that. Service was also pretty slow every night in the dining rooms, but I get that they were serving a ton of people! We have booked again for next September 29, hoping there won't be a special and that it's hurricane season and kids are in school so maybe it won't be quite as chaotic!

Still absolutely loved it and am hooked!!!

I know things are different now as far as people pulling kids out of school but our first cruise was around that time of year. I don't remember it being bonkers crowded, but the adult beach definitely was paaaaaaaaaaaaaaaacked. The MDRs seemed pretty full though...but maybe because it was fewer kids, the second seating was what everyone wanted?

 

[RedHead0186]

We have booked again for next September 29, hoping there won't be a special and that it's hurricane season and kids are in school so maybe it won't be quite as chaotic!

No promises, but I would say it's highly likely that sailing will be less crowded (or at the very least, less kids running around making it feel packed).