Free Dining - Is the Mouse Playing Games

[Delirium]

Disney probably wants to keep "blocks" of days available for that room, because they know they can rent the room in a 3 night and 5 night block....or a 4 night and 4 night block...whereas leaving the single night isn't a good business decision for them.

As for the 9/13-9/21 dates, it's probably a different room.

I appreciate your feedback. There may well be some validity in what you are saying.

 

[Delirium]

I still would love to know what kind of game you think Disney is playing. Especially to what end.

I'm not finding much value in your feedback. I've made it clear that there are some date options that seem illogical to me. I'm simply looking for an honest explanation of what could be happening, not some 'Disney can do no wrong' propaganda.

IF these are glitches, and not intentional, then it benefits everyone to have them fixed.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

I'm not finding much value in your feedback. I've made it clear that there are some date options that seem illogical to me. I'm simply looking for an honest explanation of what could be happening, not some 'Disney can do no wrong' propaganda.

IF these are glitches, and not intentional, then it benefits everyone to have them fixed.

But you also indicated that Disney, if it wasn't a glitch, was playing some kind of game. And that Disney needed to be "challenged."

So, no, at least in the beginning you weren't just looking for an honest explanation.

My question remains, what kind of game. And to what end.

 

[Delirium]

But you also indicated that Disney, if it wasn't a glitch, was playing some kind of game. And that Disney needed to be "challenged."

So, no, at least in the beginning you weren't just looking for an honest explanation.

My question remains, what kind of game. And to what end.

To answer your question honestly, I think the following:
- I don't think Disney makes rooms available every day for every resort listed.
- I think, at some resorts, Disney released the 'premium' rooms first, Once all those are gone, cheaper standard rooms will become available.
- I think Disney blocks out certain 'start' days (like September 5th) to encourage the guest to start a day earlier.

And, you're taking the word 'challenged' way too seriously. I'm not talking lawsuit here. I'm simply stating it's perfectly appropriate to ask a Disney rep why I can start my trip on September 4th and get free dining, but can't start on September 5th with the same end date and not get free dining. September 4th is not the expiration of the offer.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Which Disney rep? The people on the phone booking the reservations aren't going to have the slightest idea, they just do what the computer tells them they can do. You'll have to find the person who programs the computer, or probably the person who tells the person who programs the computer what to program it to do.

It's not a glitch, it's intentional.

 

[Delirium]

Which Disney rep? The people on the phone booking the reservations aren't going to have the slightest idea, they just do what the computer tells them they can do. You'll have to find the person who programs the computer, or probably the person who tells the person who programs the computer what to program it to do.

It's not a glitch, it's intentional.

I work in the Service industry. "I don't know" is not an acceptable answer.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

To answer your question honestly, I think the following:
- I don't think Disney makes rooms available every day for every resort listed.
- I think, at some resorts, Disney released the 'premium' rooms first, Once all those are gone, cheaper standard rooms will become available.
- I think Disney blocks out certain 'start' days (like September 5th) to encourage the guest to start a day earlier.

- I totally agree.
- I totally agree.
- I totally agree.

And, you're taking the word 'challenged' way too seriously. I'm not talking lawsuit here. I'm simply stating it's perfectly appropriate to ask a Disney rep why I can start my trip on September 4th and get free dining, but can't start on September 5th with the same end date and not get free dining. September 4th is not the expiration of the offer.

And they are going to tell you that the promotion is what it is. If you can get anyone to answer that question.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Oh I agree that "I don't know" is not an acceptable answer to Disney. Apparently the phone agents are not allowed to use it. So if they don't know, they make something up. They still don't know.

If you're going to call, then ask for a supervisor. If anybody can get you the promotion you want at the resort you want on the dates you want, it will at the very least be a supervisor. With the new system, changing a reservation or changing plans to accommodate a promotion isn't so easy anymore.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I think, as a professional marketer and data scientist, the issue I have with you calling it a "game" is that you clearly think this is deceptive or underhanded, and I don't think it's either.

Disney's promos never promise that a discount can be applied to every room within the dates of the promotion, especially for rooms pre-booked for those dates before promos come out. The fine print is very clear that inventory and dates available are limited.

Like any public company with a great deal of real estate, Disney is looking to maximize revenue per square foot across any given value of time. That's not a game, save insofar business is a game, where score is kept in dollars and cents.

 

[uccats97]

Likewise, if all you are going to offer at Caribbean Beach is a Pirate Room, say so.

I was able to book a standard room for 5 (2 adults, 3 children ages 8,11, & 13) at Caribbean Beach with free dining 9/3-9/8 on Tuesday when the promo was released. I truly think inventory is just that low that it appears that only pirate rooms were included.

 

[Delirium]

I was able to book a standard room for 5 (2 adults, 3 children ages 8,11, & 13) at Caribbean Beach with free dining 9/3-9/8 on Tuesday when the promo was released. I truly think inventory is just that low that it appears that only pirate rooms were included.

Could also have something to do with your party being '5' and mine being '4'. They couldn't put you in a Pirate room because they only sleep 4. So, based on how I answer my profile question about size of party, they may have automatically steered me to the Pirate.

 

[Ericthered]

The mouse isnt playing games, the mouse is making a business decision. Announce free dining and book up there least desirable hotels.

If you look at the bookings for example Pop centry last 24 hrs 900 rooms booked. CSR 879 rooms booked. POR 124 booked.

There getting the masses to book the hotels they want to fill up first. ( the ones that fanactics like us would rather not stay at.

My Question is why are they pushing AKL. CM quoted me $300 more than POFQ, with free dining.

I want Moderate with free dining dont want to pay more, but are they having trougle filling AKL now?

 

[myhoney]

Despite trying to make the deal at 6:00 A.M. the day the promotion was announced, we were shut out.

There is ZERO chance that EVERY room at Riverside is sold out on October 1st. That's the only date I needed. I had all the others. Either Disney blacked out that day from Riverside all-together, or the number of rooms available for the promotion at Riverside was very limited. I can understand, but still not necessarily like, the fact that Disney only slotted something like 50 rooms at Riverside for the promotion on October 1st. Trust, me, we were on top of this fast enough that we would have been successful if it was much more than that. Instead, Disney simply says it's 'not available'. It's doubtful they sold out the entire resort in the first hour and half of the promotion.

Except, as you point out, the promotion went live @4:15ish. That's almost 2 hours of people making reservations online before you. Not calling in to a CM and waiting on hold. Just logging onto a website and doing it online, which is much faster. Also, POR was very limited on dates, so anyone wanting to stay there would jump on it. Finally, there is no FD throughout October. So, while it may seem odd to you that 10/1 booked so fast, it doesn't surprise me in the least. Anyone going in early Oct would likely be willing to move their date to 10/1 so they could have FD for their vacation from 10/1 up to and including 10/14. Otherwise, they ain't getting it! It wouldn't surprise me if any of the end dates for the promotion periods sold out first, because that's how people can get it for when they want it. Check in on the last day and get FD for your remaining stay. Sure, Disney is probably holding some rooms back. But it isn't a game. It's an amplified version of supply and demand.

 

[Becky Mouse]

Your post does not account for the fact that I can get a room at Riverside for 9/4 to 9/12, but I can't get a room for 9/5 to 9/12 at Riverside. If the 9/5 is available for a registration starting on 9/4 that has not been booked yet, it HAS to be available for a registration starting on 9/5 as well.

Whether it's a glitch or the Mouse playing games, things like that are frustrating.

That weekend is Labor Day. They probably know that people who are coming for Labor Day will be checking in on 9/3 or 9/2 or 9/1 or earlier, and they will be checking out on 9/5. So, they might not want a bunch of people checking in on 9/4, making it so they can't sell rooms to people coming for Labor Day. I mean, if they sell a bunch of rooms for Sunday, then they will have to turn away people who want to arrive on Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday and stay through the long weekend. Odds are, you can probably check in on 9/2, 9/3, or 9/5. They probably sold out of the number of rooms they'd allow for 9/4 at that resort.

 

[DJFan88]

Except, as you point out, the promotion went live @4:15ish. That's almost 2 hours of people making reservations online before you. Not calling in to a CM and waiting on hold. Just logging onto a website and doing it online, which is much faster. Also, POR was very limited on dates, so anyone wanting to stay there would jump on it. Finally, there is no FD throughout October. So, while it may seem odd to you that 10/1 booked so fast, it doesn't surprise me in the least. .

This is true. There's another thread where tons of people were talking about booking in the 4 am hour.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

I think what Disney does is brilliant. They fill their rooms. Then guests desperately try to get the scraps and complain about it.

In the end you took what you could get and Disney took what they could get. Planning better is the key to happiness. Book ahead like everyone else and not hope for the best or a lottery win.

 

[minuet]

Just switched from ASSp to Pop for the same amount Very pumped to try a new resort and keep our FD! Also looking forward to trying the tye-dye cheesecake!

 

[Kimly]

Disney has had almost unheard of occupancy rates the past few quarters, high 80%. Trust me it's no game, or deception. It's their hotels and their rules, you either play by their game or go and stay off site.

 

[Srbright]

I'm not finding much value in your feedback. I've made it clear that there are some date options that seem illogical to me. I'm simply looking for an honest explanation of what could be happening, not some 'Disney can do no wrong' propaganda.

IF these are glitches, and not intentional, then it benefits everyone to have them fixed.

It's not propaganda or "Disney can do no wrong". What wrong have they done? Have they broken a law? A taboo? A social moray or folkway that says they have a duty to explain to you their pricing?

They don't. They, like any other business not run by the USA Federal Government, can charge you what they want, when they want on what ever number of rooms they want to charge you for it. They owe no one, nor does any business that isn't Disney World, an explanation of their pricing. Privately held (non-government run) businesses only owe answers to owners and shareholders.

Stacy

 

[Srbright]

This is true. There's another thread where tons of people were talking about booking in the 4 am hour.

I did. Booked pool view at POR at 4:31AM

Stacy