Anyone else getting VERY frustrated?

[jlk806]

Anyone else getting very frustrated that no fall offer has been released yet? I know they will eventually, but we wanted to have our trip booked by now. My husband wont let us stay onsite without a good offer (we like FD and have gone 3 times with it.) Every day I check the Visa site, email and every other site and still NOTHING. AGGGGG

 

[luvdisney00]

Me too!! I hate all of the uncertainty.

 

[goofy4tink]

Not sure why anyone would be frustrated. I don't remember booking any fall specials at this time of year. It's still a bit too early. Even last year, the free dining in mid-August was latish in being announced.

 

[luvdisney00]

Not sure why anyone would be frustrated. I don't remember booking any fall specials at this time of year. It's still a bit too early. Even last year, the free dining in mid-August was latish in being announced.

I didn't follow it last year as I knew we weren't going, but in 08 we were all settled by this week and booked with FD.

 

[goofy4tink]

Disney has been saying, since last fall, that they would 'most likely' be putting out fewer discounts and specials in '10. The only reason for discounts is to fill up rooms. If Disney feels they have plenty of rooms filled, they won't offer anything in the way of substantial discounts.
I'm sure there are a ton of people waiting for some great discounts to come out. And I hope you all get what you are looking for. But remember, Disney doesn't offer those discounts in order to 'look good' or to 'reward' people. They do it only to boost their profits...it's all about the bottom line.

 

[damone]

As is always said here, people shouldn't ever count on discounts. You should book what you can afford and if a discount comes out, consider it an extra bonus. If your trip depends on a discount, you probably shouldn't be going.

 

[cart-mom]

We are way past the 180+ mark for booking ADR's so yes, FD was announced at this point last year. We won't be going if FD isn't offered this year so YES, I am getting frustrated. We struggled with bookings last year b/c we added FD after we booked our trip (our first time with FD and hopefully not our last).

Something's gotta give. And SOON!!

 

[Raenstoirm]

Not sure why anyone would be frustrated. I don't remember booking any fall specials at this time of year. It's still a bit too early. Even last year, the free dining in mid-August was latish in being announced.

Freed ing has been released in March/early april for the last 5 years. So it is getting frustrating! There is a whole thread....come join us!

 

[mking624]

Not sure why anyone would be frustrated. I don't remember booking any fall specials at this time of year. It's still a bit too early. Even last year, the free dining in mid-August was latish in being announced.

The free dining promo, for the most part has been released in April. Last year it was released in March. The only "late" exception was the very first year, when it was released in June. Now I'm not sure how late the extended free dining promo had been announced last year, but the original announcement was made back in March.

You're right that it's all about the bottom line. However, historically the fall value season has the lowest attendance because of it being back to school season AND prime hurricane season. In Q3 last year, they had no increase or decrease in attendance and yet they are currently doing what they can to boost that attendance by offering promos. Q4 last year experienced a 4% decrease in their attendance. If Disney ultimately is about the bottom line, which is it, then it only makes sense that they're going to want to do something to boost up Q4's attendance. Why spend so much effort and hand out all these promos to a time that saw no change in its attendance, but then do absolutely nothing for a time that they really need to do something to get people in? It may *not* be free dining. But it's unlikely to be nothing.

 

[Huff]

Disney has been saying, since last fall, that they would 'most likely' be putting out fewer discounts and specials in '10.

Thats Disney's wishful thinking to shareholders late last year. However, Disney has put out summer specials and have now extended, increased and lengthened the booking period for them. That tells me bookings for the summer are soft. September is the lowest booking month of the year. I'd pretty much bet there will be good discounts for September since their peak season has seen them above prior years.

 

[n2mm]

Disney has been saying, since last fall, that they would 'most likely' be putting out fewer discounts and specials in '10. The only reason for discounts is to fill up rooms. If Disney feels they have plenty of rooms filled, they won't offer anything in the way of substantial discounts.

I agree. I called the passholder line earlier this year when GP rates had been released before AP rates (never done like that in past years). A Disney CM called me about my email and said that this year they plan to do the release of discounts differently and to try some new types of discounts. He was right on one thing, AP rates have been released after other promotions so far this year.

 

[mking624]

As is always said here, people shouldn't ever count on discounts. You should book what you can afford and if a discount comes out, consider it an extra bonus. If your trip depends on a discount, you probably shouldn't be going.

I disagree and find it faulty logic. If the only way you could buy groceries was with coupons, would you tell people they shouldn't be buying food unless they could pay full price? Should they not prepare a shopping list in case they get the coupons they need? Of course not. It's not as if people here are being irresponsible and STILL going if a discount isn't offered and they can't afford it. They're booking to reserve a spot and if the discount doesn't work out, they cancel. That's a pretty reasonable thing to do, that way if a discount does come out, they don't have to worry about it being an issue. And if a discount doesn't come out, they cancel the trip, the deposit is given back to them, and no money is lost.

 

[tami82]

They may have gotten many bookings for the bouncebacks & free dining pins they gave through e-mails so that may have something to do with it. Im so glad i got the bounceback or i would be very upset right now along with the rest of you.

 

[damone]

I disagree and find it faulty logic. If the only way you could buy groceries was with coupons, would you tell people they shouldn't be buying food unless they could pay full price? Should they not prepare a shopping list in case they get the coupons they need? Of course not. It's not as if people here are being irresponsible and STILL going if a discount isn't offered and they can't afford it. They're booking to reserve a spot and if the discount doesn't work out, they cancel. That's a pretty reasonable thing to do, that way if a discount does come out, they don't have to worry about it being an issue. And if a discount doesn't come out, they cancel the trip, the deposit is given back to them, and no money is lost.

I don't think you can compare buying groceries (a necessity), with taking a trip to Disney World (a luxury).

I think if money is tight enough for someone that they'd have to cancel a trip if a discount isn't released, then they should either rethink where they are staying, or not be going. I'd love to stay Club Level at the Grand Floridian every trip, but I'm not going to book it knowing I can only afford it if a discount comes out. I'll book what I can afford, and if a discount comes out and it's feasable for me to upgrade to something nicer, then I'll do so.

 

[mking624]

I don't think you can compare buying groceries (a necessity), with taking a trip to Disney World (a luxury).

The item itself (food or vacation) may be different, the concept is not. Being able to only afford something only on a discount should not be the reason to prevent someone from being able to attain it. THAT was my point.

 

[kparc]

As is always said here, people shouldn't ever count on discounts. You should book what you can afford and if a discount comes out, consider it an extra bonus. If your trip depends on a discount, you probably shouldn't be going.

I totally agree. We take the "discount" whether room or FD as a bonus and then use the savings from that for souvenirs

 

[rhpools]

Not sure why anyone would be frustrated. I don't remember booking any fall specials at this time of year. It's still a bit too early. Even last year, the free dining in mid-August was latish in being announced.

Last year it was announces April 1st. Thats the day I booked.

 

[Mommytobree]

As is always said here, people shouldn't ever count on discounts. You should book what you can afford and if a discount comes out, consider it an extra bonus. If your trip depends on a discount, you probably shouldn't be going.

I totally disagree.

 

[damone]

The item itself (food or vacation) may be different, the concept is not. Being able to only afford something only on a discount should not be the reason to prevent someone from being able to attain it. THAT was my point.

Agree to disagree.

Far too many people buy things (vacations, cars, homes) on the assumption they will get a discount, a tax credit, a bigger refund. That's a reason why the debt in our country is so out of control, and why there is such a mortgage crisis. People simply need to start living within their means. And yes, if that means skipping a vacation, then so be it.

 

[damone]

For the record, I got a discount on our room for this summer. By no means am I saying it's wrong. We're staying at the Yacht Club on a Bounceback Offer.

However, I would not want to spend the money without the discount, so we booked a room at Port Orleans, and upgraded after the discount was released. There are people here saying if free dining isn't announced, they have to cancel their trip. To me, that sounds like they probably shouldn't be spending money on vacation right now.