Anyone else getting VERY frustrated?

[vinotinto]

Since Fall is a slow-time, it makes sense there WILL be some form of discount. From the other thread it seems Disney is focused on filling summer first - and then they will release a deal for the fall. What is not clear at this point is whether it will be free dining or a different offer - like a room-only offer or a gift card offer - which would encourage more spending on site. To the OP - have you looked at booking through AAA? They offer 20% off, which is nothing to sneeze at. That way you have a room with a discount and can stat making plans and budgets, and if something better comes later, you can always switch!

 

[mking624]

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.

I still find that faulty logic. Now I'm not saying that people tight on money should be splurging and staying in the most luxurious of accommodations or that a trip should cause someone to go in debt. But I'm not buying into the idea that someone shouldn't take a trip if they can only do so by discount. There are discounts for a reason...not only to entice people to go, but also to make the trip more affordable. If that's how you view your vacations, by all means stick to it. But I find no reason to criticize someone for only going in the event of a discount. Go for it if you're willing to always pay rack rate. But if you want to discuss how to be wise with money, then only going with a discount should be considered a wise thing to do. The unwise thing would be saying "I can only afford it with a discount, but I'll pay full price anyway."

 

[disneymagicgirl]

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.

I disagree. I book deluxe with a discount. I would never pay the rack rate, they are outrageous! It has nothing to do with affordability, just practicality. I am flexible enough to travel when good discounts are released. If no good discounts are released, then no Disney vacation...but that hasn't been the case since I have been going, although I am sure it could happen someday.
That being said, I also clip coupons for my groceries...and refuse to pay full retail for anything...even food! Again, not because we can't afford to, but b/c why do it?

 

[damone]

I disagree. I book deluxe with a discount. I would never pay the rack rate, they are outrageous! It has nothing to do with affordability, just practicality. I am flexible enough to travel when good discounts are released. If no good discounts are released, then no Disney vacation...but that hasn't been the case since I have been going, although I am sure it could happen someday.
That being said, I also clip coupons for my groceries...and refuse to pay full retail for anything...even food! Again, not because we can't afford to, but b/c why do it?

I think that's different though. What you do is similar to what I do. Everyone likes to save a few bucks. Heck, there is NOTHING wrong with that - Obviously.

But there are people (not necessarily on this thread) on these boards that are having meltdowns because free dining hasn't been announced yet, and "threatening" to cancel their trip without it. Hey, I could be wrong. But if it were me, and my entire vacation was dependent on free dining, I don't think I'd feel comfortable spending money on vacation. Then again, I'm someone who used to have serious debt and has finally worked their way out of it. I'm a lot more cautious as to what I spend money on.

 

[Port Orleans fan]

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. People are looking for a discount so they can stay onsite while saving money. Without a discount, people will just cancel with Disney and stay offsite.

 

[focusondisney]

I don't quite agree with the "if you can't go without a discount, you shouldn't go" theory, but I firmly believe you shouldn't book without a discount if you can't go without one. I'm talking about the "book now so I get a room but cancel if the discount doesn't come out" folks. I don't know how Disney is supposed to predict what kind of promotions are needed if their rooms are already booked. I think we'd maybe see some good discounts quicker if people just resisted the urge to book before the discounts that they need come out. JMHO.

 

[damone]

I disagree. People are looking for a discount so they can stay onsite while saving money. Without a discount, people will just cancel with Disney and stay offsite.

Let me rephrase my original comment:

If your staying at the resort you have booked depends on a discount, you probably should be staying someplace else.

If your entire vacation depends on getting a discount, you probably shouldn't be going.

 

[mking624]

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.

I am not saying that people should go into debt over it. Yes, there is a mortgage crisis because people have not lived within their means. But that hardly compares to affording a vacation on a discount...which would be paid off. If, on a discount, you can afford a vacation, that is not living outside your means. It's working within a budget and saying "here's what we can do IF this happens and if it doesn't, we can cancel." It is living outside your means if you say "we can only afford to go on a discount, but screw it...we're going to pay top dollar and nothing less!" People are booking now because they need to plan ahead for various reasons. Some people might cancel if certain promos aren't released. I'd say that's smart of them to do because they realize that it's within their means to go on certain terms. I'd be more critical of people who simply didn't care when they know a certain price point is out of their means and yet they spend that or go over it anyway. Deluxes are out of my means. The only reason why I stayed in one last year is because some family went and invited me to stay with them for free. But it's not unreasonable for me to say "hey, if a certain promo comes out, we CAN afford a deluxe!" If it doesn't work out, then it doesn't work out. Another time in the future maybe. And that's how a lot of people here are viewing this..."hey if FD is offered, we can definitely do this, if not then another time."

Now the meltdowns can be over the top. A FD promo, or any promo, isn't guaranteed. But I view those as something very different from those who are wisely canceling their trips (sans meltdowns) because a certain price point isn't within their budget.

 

[iwrbnd]

Everybody keeps talking about how crowded the parks have been. Maybe the discounts are filling the parks to capacity and they would rather have people paying full rate and having the parks not so crowded.

 

[jlk806]

Everybody keeps talking about how crowded the parks have been. Maybe the discounts are filling the parks to capacity and they would rather have people paying full rate and having the parks not so crowded.

I doubt that Disney likes the crowds- more people=more money made

 

[iwrbnd]

I doubt that Disney likes the crowds- more people=more money made

That's what I was thinking. Less people paying more should be the same money made as more people paying less AND it would be easier of them.

 

[mking624]

I don't quite agree with the "if you can't go without a discount, you shouldn't go" theory, but I firmly believe you shouldn't book without a discount if you can't go without one. I'm talking about the "book now so I get a room but cancel if the discount doesn't come out" folks. I don't know how Disney is supposed to predict what kind of promotions are needed if their rooms are already booked. I think we'd maybe see some good discounts quicker if people just resisted the urge to book before the discounts that they need come out. JMHO.

Disney tends to look at the records from the previous year. We're seeing promos for this year's Q3 coming out because last year's attendance fell flat (no increase or decrease). Last year's Q4 attendance dropped by 4%, which means they need to increase their bookings. People booking ahead is nothing new for Disney. and typically a good indication of who will be going would be on the vacations that are already paid off. Most businesses will look at their previous fiscal year to see how they should react to the next one...they don't base decisions like this only on what's happening right now. And they also take into consideration what historically happens for the company...and in Disney's case, the fall is historically their lowest attendance time, which would also be factored in.

As far as booking ahead...people do so for various reasons. For many people, including those that can afford it without a discount, waiting until a couple of months before the trip is not doable for them. I booked back in February and am holding out for a discount. Perhaps not agreeable to you. But we simply cannot wait all the way until June to make a decision if we want to go or not. For us, we need a lot of planning. Why? Because my husband is a youth pastor and he works part time retail. The youth pastor position, in particular, needs plenty of notice when he can't be there. Also, by the time the trip comes around, our second child will be born. Our children will be watched by my parents. Because they live 12 hours from us, it's not as easy to just drop them off...we have to plan for it and so do they. So it's only fair to them to give them plenty of time, especially since September tends to be a busy month for them. So we did that. We also have two friends traveling with us and they, too, needed to notify their employers. For planning purposes, it is necessary for us to book ahead. It's much easier for us to cancel if need be, than to wait to book our trip and then not be able to do it because everything else didn't work out (such as employer notification or childcare). Of course, this is only my situation...in the past we wouldn't have done that...we waited to see if the discount was released before making a decision to book. Because of all these factors now, we just can't do that.

 

[mking624]

Everybody keeps talking about how crowded the parks have been. Maybe the discounts are filling the parks to capacity and they would rather have people paying full rate and having the parks not so crowded.

This is spring break season...this time of year is always busy and it's not unusual to find parks at capacity. While the fall has been busier overall since FD first released a few years ago, it never compares to this season nor do parks close because of capacity issues.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

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.

This is a rather simplistic view. With a family of 4, a 2 week vacation at a Value is about $2800 with free dining. If you drive, that means a two week vacation, with food and transportation, for $3k. If you have to pay for your food for that two weeks, it jumps to $5k.

So, it is really easy to see how a family could swing $3k, but find $5k too much to swallow...

 

[damone]

This is a rather simplistic view. With a family of 4, a 2 week vacation at a Value is about $2800 with free dining. If you drive, that means a two week vacation, with food and transportation, for $3k. If you have to pay for your food for that two weeks, it jumps to $5k.

So, it is really easy to see how a family could swing $3k, but find $5k too much to swallow...

Then don't go for 2 weeks. Go for 1. Do what you can afford. If free dining comes out, then take 2 weeks.

 

[stitchfriend]

I am a little frustrated they have not put out any fall promo (hoping FD). I'm waiting for the fall promo release, so I can book my airfare. I haven't got my airfare because the cost has been to high. If they have special deals on airfare I would like to book, but now I am waiting for Disney to release there promo's first. I don't have luck on my side. I really need some pixie dust my way.

 

[traci]

I hate paying full price for ANYTHING! I am a bargain shopper - even when it comes to vacations AND it's even sweeter when I know I have saved a few thousand bucks.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Then don't go for 2 weeks. Go for 1. Do what you can afford. If free dining comes out, then take 2 weeks.

Nah, we like our two week trips, and I can do all of the Orlando area stuff (less WDW) for less than that $3k, so it will either be free dining or a 2 week flex pass for our family.

We can afford to stay wherever we want, but we are also looking for value for our discretionary spending in this economy.

 

[focusondisney]

Disney tends to look at the records from the previous year. We're seeing promos for this year's Q3 coming out because last year's attendance fell flat (no increase or decrease). Last year's Q4 attendance dropped by 4%, which means they need to increase their bookings. People booking ahead is nothing new for Disney. and typically a good indication of who will be going would be on the vacations that are already paid off. Most businesses will look at their previous fiscal year to see how they should react to the next one...they don't base decisions like this only on what's happening right now. And they also take into consideration what historically happens for the company...and in Disney's case, the fall is historically their lowest attendance time, which would also be factored in.

As far as booking ahead...people do so for various reasons. For many people, including those that can afford it without a discount, waiting until a couple of months before the trip is not doable for them. I booked back in February and am holding out for a discount. Perhaps not agreeable to you. But we simply cannot wait all the way until June to make a decision if we want to go or not. For us, we need a lot of planning. Why? Because my husband is a youth pastor and he works part time retail. The youth pastor position, in particular, needs plenty of notice when he can't be there. Also, by the time the trip comes around, our second child will be born. Our children will be watched by my parents. Because they live 12 hours from us, it's not as easy to just drop them off...we have to plan for it and so do they. So it's only fair to them to give them plenty of time, especially since September tends to be a busy month for them. So we did that. We also have two friends traveling with us and they, too, needed to notify their employers. For planning purposes, it is necessary for us to book ahead. It's much easier for us to cancel if need be, than to wait to book our trip and then not be able to do it because everything else didn't work out (such as employer notification or childcare). Of course, this is only my situation...in the past we wouldn't have done that...we waited to see if the discount was released before making a decision to book. Because of all these factors now, we just can't do that.

Hi! I understand what you're saying, I really do. My vacations at work are made in Nov for the whole following year. So my travel dates are pretty much set in stone after Nov. I would love to know what promos would be available that far out. Especially since I know that Europeans get to book for the following year that early. But just the fact that Disney is still adding summer promos shows that they are reacting to current booking trends, not last years numbers. If bookings for this summer were up, they wouldn't be adding promos for the same time frames over & over. They must have target numbers, probably made after examining last years bookings, that they haven't reached yet. Thus the new promos for the same booking dates.

I hope these new, last minute promos don't get them too many new bookings. Maybe then Disney will get that people in the US & Canada want to plan ahead. too.

 

[LisaNJ25]

This is a rather simplistic view. With a family of 4, a 2 week vacation at a Value is about $2800 with free dining. If you drive, that means a two week vacation, with food and transportation, for $3k. If you have to pay for your food for that two weeks, it jumps to $5k.

So, it is really easy to see how a family could swing $3k, but find $5k too much to swallow...

Exactly!!

I still have hope it will come out but I am researching other options also. We drive so 10 days at Disney onsite versus 7 off site, Canceling all adrs and cooking/eating more offsite. For my family FD is the best discount I could get.