30% or greater discounts a thing of the past?

[PeasandCarrots]

I'm curious about the new max of 25% off room rates recently released. I wonder if this is a trend to the future or if it's just because for this particular period they already have a lot of bookings and therefore don't need to offer a higher discount. I am also concerned that no AP discount for the same period has been released. The only way I would stay in deluxe resort is with a 35% AP or bounce back offer. If this holds true for next year it looks like I'll be staying at values all the time. The rack rate for deluxe resorts is something I would just never pay. I'd rather go more often and stay somewhere cheaper. 35% off makes deluxes doable as a treat, but 25% just isn't enough to entice me.

What do you think? Is this a trend to the future of just a one off?

 

[yooperfan]

I don't think so. I think it reflects the number of empty rooms being down since earlier promos with higher discounts have been out for a while through the 23rd of January. Supply and demand. They still want to generate interest but don't need to push as many rooms.

 

[richmo]

It all comes down to occupancy. If they could fill all rooms at rack rate and no incentives, such as dining, the discounts would cease to exist. If Disney is projecting higher occupancy for a period compared with the year before, it makes sense that the discount will be less or the number of rooms available at that discount would be reduced. If occupancy drops, perhaps due to a declining economy, some of the discounts might increase..

 

[crostorfer]

Military discount still holds at 40%-35%-30% off, at least until the week before Christmas. After that, its anyone's guess what will happen to that discount. If it disappears, so will we, from WDW.

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

Military discount still holds at 40%-35%-30% off, at least until the week before Christmas. After that, its anyone's guess what will happen to that discount. If it disappears, so will we, from WDW.

If I remember correctly, Steve at military disney tips said he expected it to get extended. I'll be sad if it gets cancelled too, but I am happy we have been able to use it so far. It's a super generous discount!

Look on the bright side, we always still have shades of green!

 

[jenrose66]

I'm curious about the new max of 25% off room rates recently released. I wonder if this is a trend to the future or if it's just because for this particular period they already have a lot of bookings and therefore don't need to offer a higher discount. I am also concerned that no AP discount for the same period has been released. The only way I would stay in deluxe resort is with a 35% AP or bounce back offer. If this holds true for next year it looks like I'll be staying at values all the time. The rack rate for deluxe resorts is something I would just never pay. I'd rather go more often and stay somewhere cheaper. 35% off makes deluxes doable as a treat, but 25% just isn't enough to entice me.

What do you think? Is this a trend to the future of just a one off?

I think it is a trend. The prices for Disney lodging has gone astronomical within the last 5 or so years and really good discounts are hard to come by. Just look at pin codes. Those used to be awesome, now they are nothing special and the general public discounts are quickly following suit.

 

[Celesdragon]

It's rather disheartening when you really need a good deal, but as long as if people are willing to pay the rack rates or take the lesser discounts anyway, then they have no need to offer a better deal to people.

 

[AngiTN]

Personally, unless the economy changes, yes I think 30%+ are a thing of the past.
I don't however, see anything to the fact that the AP discount hasn't been released yet. They have not been releasing them at the same time as the public discounts.
But I also don't think they'll be anything significantly different than the public discount. Maybe 5% more.

 

[MsThumper]

We booked a 35% bounce back last December for this coming November. I'm so glad I did. Had I not booked the bounce back, we still wouldn't have reservations. There was nothing available with the recent public discounts for the dates we want at any of the hotels we prefer.

DH doesn't like to commit to things too far in advance, he likes to wait and see. If there are bounce backs available for 2016 when we go this November , you better believe I will be booking for our 3 planned trips for 2016.

As other people have said, if people are willing to fill the rooms at rack rate, or at the discounts that are offered, there is no reason for Disney to offer any deeper discounts.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

They are not discounting as much because they don't need to in order to boost occupancy. Just wait until the next recession, discounts will be back.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

I also think that part of the issue is that so much of WL/VWL is being taken out of inventory due to construction there (apparently, trying not to repeat the mistakes at the Poly) that they need free rooms in the Deluxe category to move displaced/unhappy guests to, so they're not going to attempt to fill those rooms with discounts. Conferences also play a huge role, and fall is a big time for conferences at Disney. Even though I fortunately have a bounceback that I booked last December, I was playing around with rooms and only found very limited availability at the Contemporary. But yet there is a big doctor conference going on at the same time at the Contemporary and they're offering standard rooms for $230 to conference attendees for the same dates that show no availability in that room category for me! Grrr.

 

[minnie mum]

I'm not sure why anyone would be surprised at the reductions in discounts. This has been predicted ever since the economy began turning around after the last recession. The only reason they existed in the first place was to lure guests to WDW at a time when occupancy rates were low. They've been slowly reducing the discounts for a couple years now, and I expect to see further cut backs. And continued price increases.

 

[Disney fan sandra]

One thing that hurts the discounts also is booking in hopes of the discount. I have seen on here where people book the rooms they want in hopes that discounts come out and so Disney has no need to give a great discount because the rooms are already booked. I believe that if people would stop booking this way the discounts would be better.

 

[BrittyRo]

What's the point of having an AP if they don't even have room discounts for the dates I want to go. (Dramatic) My first year with AP and the historical discounts I saw were great! I'm hoping they release some sort of AP discount for December, because the discount price I have for WL right now isn't cutting it (with the pending construction) and neither is the view (the woods view was sold out for the discount by the time I looked). I doubt I'll actually go down to WDW if I don't get either an AP 30% off Woods view or a discount off POFQ (which also wasn't available when I went to book). I feel that by the time I get this figured out the Values will all be sold out.

 

[dlavender]

One thing that hurts the discounts also is booking in hopes of the discount. I have seen on here where people book the rooms they want in hopes that discounts come out and so Disney has no need to give a great discount because the rooms are already booked. I believe that if people would stop booking this way the discounts would be better.

This is exactly it. Disney has been praised by all for the ease of adding a discount after the fact to an existing reservation. More and more people are taking advantage of the ability to book 499 days in advance, make monthly payments, and then have a discount applied to the reservation when available. I never did this for this exact reason. It's risky, and Disney is now showing that it has no obligation to offer the same discounts that it has historically.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

What's the point of having an AP if they don't even have room discounts for the dates I want to go.

I think the point of having an AP is for the park admittance - if you're going to enter the parks enough, it's the thing to have. Anything else is just gravy.

 

[sleepymouse]

Booked 2 deluxe hotels for August at 30% off plus an extra 15% off thanks to Orbitz/Travelocity.

 

[Aurora0427]

We booked a 35% bounce back last December for this coming November. I'm so glad I did. Had I not booked the bounce back, we still wouldn't have reservations. There was nothing available with the recent public discounts for the dates we want at any of the hotels we prefer.

DH doesn't like to commit to things too far in advance, he likes to wait and see. If there are bounce backs available for 2016 when we go this November , you better believe I will be booking for our 3 planned trips for 2016.

As other people have said, if people are willing to fill the rooms at rack rate, or at the discounts that are offered, there is no reason for Disney to offer any deeper discounts.

Same here... We actually had no intention of going in 2015 bc we went twice in 2014, but we received 35% bb at the GF, so we booked for 10/24-11/2. If there's a room discount for 2016, we'll probably go ahead and book, just in case....

 

[BrittyRo]

I think the point of having an AP is for the park admittance - if you're going to enter the parks enough, it's the thing to have. Anything else is just gravy.

You missed the part where I said I was being dramatic. Obviously it is for park admission. I just hope they release a discount for December because I was hoping to get the AP room discount that is historically offered...