Annual Passholders Get The Short End

[SnackyStacky]

Nope, you don't need to, though I doubt that will stop you. It seems pretty obvious to me, given the apparently small number of rooms that were offered for AP discounts today, that the FTP was pretty successful in filling up the resorts. Sounds like a good business decision to me.

You're absolutely right! But you seem to have once again missed the point that if people have an annual pass, Disney would be charging them for DOUBLE ADMISSION if they were to book the Fairytale package. Could they book the Fairytale package and get the same discounts on room and admission! SURE! And by so-doing, Disney is NOT acknowledging the fact that these people have spent BEYOND what the Ultimate Hopper costs for this package, and would have to pay AGAIN.

SO, while the AP holders aren't guaranteed any discounts, they'd have to be either incredibly rich or incredibly stupid to book a package that includes admission when they ALREADY have it.

I did read your post. And you are REALLY stuck on the idea that because someone has bought an AP, they are somehow entitled to more room discounts than those that haven't bought an AP.

WHERE did I say this in any of my posts? Please fill me in. I've re-read my posts and come up with:

While Disney has EVERY legal right to not offer AP discounts,

and

Disney has no obligation to offer resort discounts.

Oh yeah, and....

the AP holders aren't guaranteed any discounts

So with all that, I'm really baffled as to where I ever said that AP holders were entitled to a discount.

Did I say anywhere that they are the only ones? But let's be serious here - you know and I know that many of the people on these boards have talked about doing that.

No, but there are people that buy them honestly. For everybody.

Surely even you can see that brand-loyalty is linked to loyal visitors. What does brand-loyalty result in? Loyal visitors - otherwise, what is the point?

Sure, but you made mention of self-titled "loyal visitors". There's a difference between someone deciding that they're a loyal visitor and a coporation attempting to build brand-loyalty.

Physician, heal thyself. If you don't want to read posts that say Disney never guaranteed an AP discount, then don't read them. Otherwise, you'll just have to deal with it, just like those of us that deal with the incessant whining and cyber-tantrums.

Those of you that have to "deal" with incessant whining and cyber-tantrums are every bit as entitled to start your own thread so that you can whine and throw cyber-tantrums about the AP holders. Once again, however, my point was missed. You don't even have to READ the "whining" and "cyber-tantrums". If the title says something about AP rates, simply skip over it!

 

[GoldenOldie]

I think this thread has far outlived its usefulness on the Resorts Board. I vote in favor of moving it to the Debate Board.

All in favor say "aye".

 

[WDWBetsy]

I can understand how AP folks are upset if something they are used to is not offered as usual, however, if the rooms are booked up by other packages or discounts, fewer room are available for additional discounts.

Disney used smart business sense by having offered the FTP. More people will come to Disney World and spend more time there, and consequently - more $$. While the AP folks might have felt slighted, it's a discount that benefited many. Not everyone can (or wants to) buy an annual pass.

Years ago, I worked for Embassy Suites. We had tons of conventions coming to town, so quite often the hotel was booked. When the rooms filled up, the prices went up. When the hotel was empty, the prices went down. It's called supply and demand. They certainly didn't offer specials where everyone in the hotel paid $70 a night. There are tiers of rates, including discounts.

As for someone buying an annual pass being more loyal, I tend to disagree. I think we're all loyal - we are all here on the DIS boards dreaming about future vacations at Disney World. Just because you spend a few more dollars on an annual pass instead of a park hopper doesn't mean you're more loyal. It just means you are paying a little more for more days worth of tickets.

Sure, it's great if Disney offers the AP folks discounts, but if they're already doing fine with hotel occupancy, they won't give the rooms away for less money. Hotels just don't work that way.

You can buy the AP and go multiple times before the year's up. It doesn't necessarily make you more loyal - it makes you a repeat customer in the parks. The annual pass is a discount for admission. That is its intent and any discount-type benefits on top of that are just a little extra gravy!

As others have suggested, if you don't get the AP rate when you call, call back. Just remember that there are limited amounts of rooms at certain rates. Disney World isn't going to fill all of their rooms with people paying AP rates. It's not smart business sense if they can also fill it with other types of promotional rates OR packages. Just because someone buys a package or gets a AAA rate and buys a 5 day park hopper doesn't mean they won't come back again and be the most loyal Disney World guest there has ever been.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[AirForceRocks]

You're absolutely right! But you seem to have once again missed the point that if people have an annual pass, Disney would be charging them for DOUBLE ADMISSION if they were to book the Fairytale package. Could they book the Fairytale package and get the same discounts on room and admission! SURE! And by so-doing, Disney is NOT acknowledging the fact that these people have spent BEYOND what the Ultimate Hopper costs for this package, and would have to pay AGAIN.

And once again, you seem to miss the point that Disney doesn't CARE who is filling the rooms, so long as they are being filled, and at the highest possible rate might I add. I agree that it wouldn't make sense for an AP holder to buy an FTP - so what? For some reason, you seem to think that the AP holders should be the first in line for discounts, whereas I don't see that AP holders are anything special when it comes to resort discounts. They bought a one year pass, big deal. Why does that suddenly mean that they (we) are now entitled to be first in line at the Disney trough?

 

[FredS]

In the non-stop posting that some do, I think that they have forgotten that.

 

[Gary M]

There is a certain group that comes over from the debate board, after getting their jollies, talking about and laughting about all the whiners on this board.(check debate board out if you don't believe me) They appear to keep watching the Resort Board so they can get their discounts, while making fun of the "AP people".

As I mentioned before, I fell for their game a couple of weeks ago and won't again. They just want to argue and pick everything and everybody apart. This isn't the debate board, but they want to make it that way. Just ignore their post and go on.

Come and get me debaters, quote me and say how wrong I am. Enjoy.

 

[AirForceRocks]

Come and get me debaters, quote me and say how wrong I am. Enjoy.

That's easy, you're wrong. I haven't seen a single person, not even one, either here or on the debate board say that people shouldn't be getting AP or any other kind of discounts. If they're out there, go for it - I know I would!

What you seem to be unable to understand is that there is a difference between hoping for and taking advantage of offered discounts, and whining about how you are entitled to them because you shelled out the $$ for an AP.

 

[FredS]

Originally posted by Gary M
There is a certain group that comes over from the debate board, after getting their jollies, talking about and laughting about all the whiners on this board.(check debate board out if you don't believe me) They appear to keep watching the Resort Board so they can get their discounts, while making fun of the "AP people".

As I mentioned before, I fell for their game a couple of weeks ago and won't again. They just want to argue and pick everything and everybody apart. This isn't the debate board, but they want to make it that way. Just ignore their post and go on.......

Bingo, Gary. You are exactly right and ignoring them is the best bet. I knew I wasn't the only one who had noticed this. It is sad that they can't find anything better to do!

 

[AirForceRocks]

If differing views are so difficult for your tender psyches to handle, might I suggest the "ignore" button.

 

[amymouse]

Originally posted by GoldenOldie
I think this thread has far outlived its usefulness on the Resorts Board. I vote in favor of moving it to the Debate Board.

All in favor say "aye".

Aye

 

[gepetto]

Originally posted by FredS
In the non-stop posting that some do, I think that they have forgotten that.

...and it's a good thing moderator FredS stepped in to put a stop to it too.

Wonder what happened to all of that anger and self righteous indignation everyone had before this morning? "Disney wronged me by not giving me that deep discount that I got used to and I'm staying offsite from now on". I guess all of the people that had reservations they couldn't afford without the 40-50% off discount can rest a little easier now.

 

[AirForceRocks]

aye!!

 

[Tonyspad]

Never has the father of the wooden boy spoken words that were more true!!!
It seems to me that a select few are trying to determine what we can post and when our posts do not meet their view of certain topics they try to have us brushed aside. People this is a debate about AP "entitlements" and we are allowed to voice our opinions as long as we follow the rules of The Dis. Do not be discouraged, continue to post your views, lest they read them or not.
My final word that we are debating about Annual Passes, get it everyone. These are passes, NOT hotel room discount cards. Book a room that you can afford at the time you book it to avoid disappointments.

 

[thessaly]

Well, AP Debate Thread #4000 *did* have some merit - I learned that there is an Ignore option!

Isn't it ironic.

 

[hulabird]

FredS, SnackyStacky, and Gary M, I agree with all of you.

IMHO, it is none of anyone's business WHY someone chooses to purchase an AP, if they do it for the room discount, that is THEIR business and who is anyone to judge? I agree that some of the people on this board are out to be rude, or be "Know-it-alls"....or act as if THEY OWN DISNEY! I read the posts and I can hear the rudeness and attitude they have in their postings, and you know what? I just ignore them. I chalk it up to people looking to start trouble, they have nothing better to do in their lives. It is true, this is America, and everyone can have their own opinion, or vent. But having an opinion and coming off rude are two different things. These boards are not intended for fighting. Some of the posters I recognize because it seems they have a righteous attitude on just about every topic in the resorts board! It gets old. I just ignore. It is usually the same people over and over again, so I always totally ignore their posts. I suggest to everyone to just skip their posts and not even respond to what they are saying if it is in a rude way. The more fuel you add to their fire, the more they are enjoying it.

Furthermore, I don't know how many times I have called CRO for ressies and have been asked if I wanted to get an AP and was told that room discounts were normally available year round, I even got that in writing from the WDW web site when I wrote them to ask a question. They do their own sales pitch, trying to get people to buy the AP and using the room discounts as their lure. So I don't want to hear about how Disney doesn't owe AP holders, because truly, if the discounts weren't a part of the AP program they would tell people that sometimes the AP discounts are given and sometimes they are not. NORMALLY is the word that I have in writing from WDW, not occaisionally or sometimes...and they never use the fact that the pass saves you money because you can visit more than once a year, they always use the room discount angle.

And those of you that want to condemn people for venting because they got left out of a discount, I am SURE none of you have ever complained about anything you FELT was unfair, I am sure all of you just take it all in stride and are just perfect human beings.....yeah right.

 

[zurgswife]

OK.....I've read the posts and you all are (how can I say this nicely) I can't.....crazy....do you debate everything????

 

[AirForceRocks]

Personally, I don't care why anyone buys an AP either - if one buys it simply to get a discount, and then they get one, more power to them. I don't, however, see how the fact that they bought an AP suddenly makes them the god to which Disney must bow and which Disney must appease at all costs. Sorry, but I just don't see it.

Have I complained about things that I thought were unfair? Sure I have. Have I whined incessantly because I bought something thinking it was for one thing and then it turned out that it wasn't? No, I haven't. I'm a better shopper than that.

 

[FredS]

I, too, have learned the wonderous creation of "ignore" on this board. You don't even have to see their posts!! Wow, thanks Pete or whomever set that up!

Now if you could just get people to understand the difference between the debate board and the non-debates ones.

 

[AirForceRocks]

Well FredS, I didn't realize that it was up to you to decide who is permitted to post on which boards about which subjects.

The OP started the thread as a tirade against the horrible treatement he was receiving as an AP holder. I see nothing wrong with pointing out where I disagree.

 

[Gabrielle]

Hulabird,

Good post! Ditto.