Annual Pass...what I don't get???

[k5thbeatle]

Let me say I do understand how this works, BUT...I don't get, or more accurately don't understand the thinking?

Let me explain.

I become or continue to be an annual pass holder. I book a hotel reservation for sometime in 2016. Merely for example sake, let's say sometime in early March. There is no AP discount for this time now when I book.
Later this year an AP discount comes out for this exact time for this (and other) hotels. Because I already have a reservation for the same hotel at the time of the discount, shouldn't I automatically receive the discount? But no, I would not. I would need to "hawk" over my computer and be sure to not miss when the discount is released otherwise I would miss it and not receive it even though I have already committed my vacation time and money to Disney well in advance?

Do you see my reason for conflict?

 

[BuckeyeBama]

JMO, but we only buy APs when the money saved on park entrances makes it worthwhile. I have been able to find better discounts on rooms for many years, and the AP discounts come out too late to really be of any use anyway.

 

[Disneylover99]

JMO, but we only buy APs when the money saved on park entrances makes it worthwhile. I have been able to find better discounts on rooms for many years, and the AP discounts come out too late to really be of any use anyway.

Same here. We've gotten better discounts using the room only Bouncebacks. I buy my AP because I go to the parks as much as possible and I enjoy getting 10% off at stores.

 

[basketlacey]

Disney offers discounts to fill hotel rooms based on the occupancy they already have booked. As a business model, it'd be crazy if they just discounted across the board. I hear what you are saying, but I think those of us that "hawk" over the computer are probably the minority.

I actually never book my room before the discounts are released. I want the hotels to look as "open" as possible!

 

[Mousemommy1]

We have been AP holders since 2012, but we have never used the room discount!! We have been lucky enough to be able to use the military resort discount over the past years.
We only buy AP's because we go often enough that it is more cost effective to buy AP's than to buy park tickets for each trip.

 

[georgina]

Let me say I do understand how this works, BUT...I don't get, or more accurately don't understand the thinking?

Let me explain.

I become or continue to be an annual pass holder. I book a hotel reservation for sometime in 2016. Merely for example sake, let's say sometime in early March. There is no AP discount for this time now when I book.
Later this year an AP discount comes out for this exact time for this (and other) hotels. Because I already have a reservation for the same hotel at the time of the discount, shouldn't I automatically receive the discount? But no, I would not. I would need to "hawk" over my computer and be sure to not miss when the discount is released otherwise I would miss it and not receive it even though I have already committed my vacation time and money to Disney well in advance?

Do you see my reason for conflict?

No, because nothing else works that way either. If my SW airline fare goes down, I have to change it. If I buy something this week and it goes on sale next week, often I can get the discount if I go back to the store to ask for it. Disney is under no obligation to automatically credit you for discounts after you book at a certain rate. I think we are fortunate they agree to adjust the price at all if a discount comes out; they could hold you to the rate you booked.

 

[twinklebug]

I never buy an AP for the discounts. I purchase one or more APs when they're give me a substantial savings over the ordinary park pass(es) I'd be buying. For me, that means we overlap years getting in 2 or more trips on one AP.

 

[pmaurer74]

I am in the minority probably because we booked last last trip and the ONLY discount available was for an AP, so because we had another trip planned and could squeeze another one in at the very end of the AP year we decided to go for it... kinda regretting the decision right now because "life" has stepped in. I have a bounce back booked for October but I had to move it and the only room available was POR. I am hoping for an AP rate to open up anywhere else deluxe but POR is fine if we cannot get in anywhere else.

 

[mortimor]

Doesn't seem like we save much on the rooms, since the same offer is usually posted to everyone or those with the Chase credit cards, members since Day 1 ( I know because is says it on the card although it has never got us anything special)...We have been AP members for longer than I care to admit and are in the parks an average of a month per year, so all of our savings are one the entrances to get in and the disney paraphernalia we buy in the shops.

 

[k5thbeatle]

Appreciate all the replies and as I mentioned I really do understand their reasoning and the business reasons behind it etc. They virtually always (almost always anyway) come out with AP hotel discounts that often(most times) get booked up very quickly when they do come out and often if you miss the release you miss the discount. All I am merely saying is that as an out of state AP buyer I am committing vacation dollars to Disney and feel that I should get the AP room discount for that reason alone.

If in my business a customer said they were committing to my business a few times next year I would certainly entertain the idea of a discount. But again the business dynamic is often different for different businesses (especially as large as Disney) and I get it that an AP is not a guarantee of a room discount.

Bottom line is I see the AP slightly differently than some in that in buying one I am in essence saying that I am committing vacation dollars to Disney, that's all.

PS...I should add that I have over the years received some really great room discounts via the AP route so I'm not complaining.