Anyone upset over the 2008 daily resort rates?

[Robin4]

I just started planning our annual trip in May and the new rates are killing me! We've always started our 12 day vacation around the 19th/20th of the month - this of course locked us into the regular season rate for the entire stay. Now with the new rate policy, we will only receive that rate for one night, then have a price increase all the other weekday nights and another increase on the weekend nights. When I figure in those increases plus the cost of gratuity now being added to the dining plan it's adding up! I'm having to consider staying for less time or possibly cutting back on food - maybe not do a TS every day - both of which are NOT sitting well with anyone at our house. We had also hoped to take a couple of DDs' friends along too this year which would mean getting an extra room but with the new daily rates I think it might not be a possibility. Anyone else feeling the pinch of the new prices?

 

[Corryn]

We're planning on the GF for the end of next April. When we stayed at AKL last October, we got a great rate. The rate quoted directly through Disney seemed really high, but I'm not used to staying on-site.
Where did you get your rate from?
BTW, TS is expected by my DH and two DD's too! You're not alone

 

[Disney8704]

If you dont wanna shorten your trip or cut back on food, how about changing the resort? If you have your heart set on one resort, what about doing a split stay? This is so weird for me though. My rate for AKL for Aug 2008 (4-15th) doesnt change at all during the whole time DH and I will be there. Is it just for certain times or certain resorts the price increase for weekends take into effect? From disneyworld.com, Im getting $290 per night (savannah). However, my rate is cheaper because I went through AAA. Doesnt make any sense to me when theres supposed to be a price increase for the weekends but the time Im going theres no price increase at all for the weekend.

 

[Colleen27]

If you dont wanna shorten your trip or cut back on food, how about changing the resort? If you have your heart set on one resort, what about doing a split stay? This is so weird for me though. My rate for AKL for Aug 2008 (4-15th) doesnt change at all during the whole time DH and I will be there. Is it just for certain times or certain resorts the price increase for weekends take into effect? From disneyworld.com, Im getting $290 per night (savannah). However, my rate is cheaper because I went through AAA. Doesnt make any sense to me when theres supposed to be a price increase for the weekends but the time Im going theres no price increase at all for the weekend.

It isn't for every weekend. We're going to the World for 11 nights, spanning 2 weekends. For the first weekend, the rate is $20 higher per night for 3 nights, because of the MLK holiday weekend. For the second weekend, the rate is the same as it is during the week.

Mousesavers has resort-by-resort breakdowns of the new pricing: http://www.mousesavers.com/roomrates2008.html

 

[APK]

change my mind about going too!!!!!!!!!! I read of SO MANY problems with WDW. We are two people looking to take a 5 day/4 night trip and the PRICES ARE UNBELIEVABLE!!!! 4 nights standard view at BC is almost $1200 using "special offer" during "value season" which means we will get a view of the parking lot, 2-5 day adult passes $550.00, food (est.) $500.00, souveniers etc $250.00, we figure a 6 day trip is going to cost us about $2500.00 and that does not include airfare from NY, limo to airport and rental car. When all is said and done we are looking at about $3800.00!!!!!!!!!!!We are now looking into a 9 day/8 night trip to Hawaii with everything except food for only $3000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When I read a lot of these posts about the bad service, bus issues, rude CM's it makes me think that WDW is turning into a "corporate money trap" where profit is more important than the PEOPLE WHO MADE THIS RESORT WHAT IT IS TODAY. Even if I was a multi millionare, I WILL NOT GIVE DISNEY ALMOST $1200 BUCKS TO STAY 4 NIGHTS IN ONE OF THEIR RESORT HOTELS NO MATTER HOW GOOD IT IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!It's bad enough that I have to spend $550.00 for the two of us to just walk into the place, not to mention the price of food and the cost of having a couple of beers at the end of the day. I noticed last year at EPCOT that they were selling hard liquor at various kiosks............and this is the "family" place that will fine me $250.00-$500.00 if I get "caught" smoking a cigarette...........I guess I will have to find some "magic" somewhere else!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[sjaakie]

change my mind about going too!!!!!!!!!! I read of SO MANY problems with WDW. We are two people looking to take a 5 day/4 night trip and the PRICES ARE UNBELIEVABLE!!!! 4 nights standard view at BC is almost $1200 using "special offer" during "value season" which means we will get a view of the parking lot, 2-5 day adult passes $550.00, food (est.) $500.00, souveniers etc $250.00, we figure a 6 day trip is going to cost us about $2500.00 and that does not include airfare from NY, limo to airport and rental car. When all is said and done we are looking at about $3800.00!!!!!!!!!!!We are now looking into a 9 day/8 night trip to Hawaii with everything except food for only $3000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When I read a lot of these posts about the bad service, bus issues, rude CM's it makes me think that WDW is turning into a "corporate money trap" where profit is more important than the PEOPLE WHO MADE THIS RESORT WHAT IT IS TODAY. Even if I was a multi millionare, I WILL NOT GIVE DISNEY ALMOST $1200 BUCKS TO STAY 4 NIGHTS IN ONE OF THEIR RESORT HOTELS NO MATTER HOW GOOD IT IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!It's bad enough that I have to spend $550.00 for the two of us to just walk into the place, not to mention the price of food and the cost of having a couple of beers at the end of the day. I noticed last year at EPCOT that they were selling hard liquor at various kiosks............and this is the "family" place that will fine me $250.00-$500.00 if I get "caught" smoking a cigarette...........I guess I will have to find some "magic" somewhere else!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I did not see any Disney employee pointing a gun at you and order you to stay there.
No one is forcing you to pay Disney a dollar so you can spend your holidays were ever you like

 

[Robin4]

Where did you get your rate from?
BTW, TS is expected by my DH and two DD's too! You're not alone

I was looking at the rack rate from the Disney site - we have AAA and will use that again this year but that will just give me a percent off the prices Disney gave me with the rate varying for season change and weekends. In the big picture it's not alot of money but we were looking at adding a second room so it's double and then when we figured in the gratuity being added to the DP (we would be a party of 6) it adds up as we're there almost 2 weeks. Oh, well here's hoping for a discount code for May!

 

[Robin4]

If you dont wanna shorten your trip or cut back on food, how about changing the resort? If you have your heart set on one resort, what about doing a split stay? This is so weird for me though. My rate for AKL for Aug 2008 (4-15th) doesnt change at all during the whole time DH and I will be there. Is it just for certain times or certain resorts the price increase for weekends take into effect? From disneyworld.com, Im getting $290 per night (savannah). However, my rate is cheaper because I went through AAA. Doesnt make any sense to me when theres supposed to be a price increase for the weekends but the time Im going theres no price increase at all for the weekend.

We're going the end of May so we're getting hit with a season change from regular to summer and also Memorial Day weekend so there's an increase for that too. It seems to be the same for all the resorts we checked (moderate and value as we may get two rooms this year) In the past because our stay started in the Regular season, we were able to get that rate for our entire stay with the new changes we will only get the reg. season rate for one night, then an increase for the season change and then another for the weekends. We do have AAA so I will get some discount which helps and of course in the end it's not that much more than last year. It just seems with all the little price increases - the new rates, ticket prices, gratuity on DP (we would be a party of 6 so maybe an extra $40 a day for gratuity) - it's getting harder to make the trip. Of course as DH points out - "What are you going to do? - not go??" to which we both laugh because that is NOT a possibility Come on May discount codes!

 

[disneyjunkie]

change my mind about going too!!!!!!!!!! I read of SO MANY problems with WDW. We are two people looking to take a 5 day/4 night trip and the PRICES ARE UNBELIEVABLE!!!! 4 nights standard view at BC is almost $1200 using "special offer" during "value season" which means we will get a view of the parking lot, 2-5 day adult passes $550.00, food (est.) $500.00, souveniers etc $250.00, we figure a 6 day trip is going to cost us about $2500.00 and that does not include airfare from NY, limo to airport and rental car. When all is said and done we are looking at about $3800.00!!!!!!!!!!!We are now looking into a 9 day/8 night trip to Hawaii with everything except food for only $3000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When I read a lot of these posts about the bad service, bus issues, rude CM's it makes me think that WDW is turning into a "corporate money trap" where profit is more important than the PEOPLE WHO MADE THIS RESORT WHAT IT IS TODAY. Even if I was a multi millionare, I WILL NOT GIVE DISNEY ALMOST $1200 BUCKS TO STAY 4 NIGHTS IN ONE OF THEIR RESORT HOTELS NO MATTER HOW GOOD IT IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!It's bad enough that I have to spend $550.00 for the two of us to just walk into the place, not to mention the price of food and the cost of having a couple of beers at the end of the day. I noticed last year at EPCOT that they were selling hard liquor at various kiosks............and this is the "family" place that will fine me $250.00-$500.00 if I get "caught" smoking a cigarette...........I guess I will have to find some "magic" somewhere else!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just don't get the rant.

If you don't want to pay $1200 for the BC, pick another resort.

Use DME instead of renting a car. Take a taxi to the airport instead of a limo.

Our trip is costing me $3,827.19.(not including airfare)
That covers 11 nights at Pop Century, the deluxe dining plan for 2 adults(my 16 year old son is an adult ) and 2 10 hopper/water park and more passes.

 

[ga9497]

I understand that this upsets a lot of people but I am actually suprised Disney hasn't done this before. Almost all other hotels have had the rate change policy for many, many years

 

[n2mm]

I can't get upset over things I can't change. All you can do is allocate your funds differently. Shorten your trip by a day or two, choose a cheaper resort.

 

[Disney8704]

Ah ok thanks for clearing that up everyone! I have always gone during value season. Best time to go IMHO. Its cheaper, plus theres FANTASTIC times to go during the value season. Right now we have plans on going in August, but Im seriously considering changing it to December. Always wanted to go in December, but I wont really make up my mind until right before I make my final payment. My payment is due June 14th, so I would prob change it in May if I do change it. DH would know by then if he would be on a deployment in december or not. I dont get why people are getting all mad over this either. Other hotel chains change their prices when the seasons change. Im surprised that Disney didnt do this all along. To be honest with you, before I even knew about the DISboards I thought that the pricing was like that. I didnt know before that once you check in you get that same rate through your whole trip regardless if theres a season change or not. I dunno about the rest of you, but charging more when theres a season change during your stay makes more sense then you getting the same rate during the whole trip. Why should people pay less just because they happen to checkin 1 or 2 days before the season change? Yes I agree that Disney is getting expensive. But thats why they have DVC and the All Star resorts. You know you dont have to go EVERY yr. DH and I dont. Would we love to? Of course, but we know we cant. Not right now while we have bills. Instead of griping about the cost of the trip, just be grateful you get to actually go. Theres families that cant go because they just simply cant afford it. Then theres families like mine, where we can go every couple yrs as long as we save up for it, but theres things that come up, like DH getting deployed, that we have to postpone it to a later date or just not go at all. Theres ways to make a trip cheaper, you just gotta learn to make it cheaper. For example. One way DH and I are gonna make our trip cheaper is not buying water. Im gonna be buying these water bottles that I found online that comes with filters, and we're just gonna use water fountains to fill them up or ask for some ice water. That right there alone is gonna save us almost $300! The other day I even went through where we are gonna be eating, and took off a couple TS breakfasts, and just eat at the Mara instead for a couple mornings. That right there is saving us some money. I even took off Hoop Dee Doo (been wanting to see that show) and now have plans to just eat at the Plaza (saves us $80!). You just have to see what your opitions are and take it from there. If you have to shorten your trip by 1 day, so be it. If you have to change your resort, do it. Its more of a question of, would you rather change your resort or shorten your trip or change where you eat or not go at all? If DH told me that we had to change our resort just so we can go, I would do it in a heart beat! Yes I may not like it, but hey, at least I get to still go. And thats what matters to me.

 

[fla4fun]

The only thing I mind is it seems like there are some inconsistencies. Like the weekend issue. Is MLK higher because it's a weekend or because it's a holiday? If they are just going to raise the rate on holiday weekends, then say so, so people can plan accordingly. I can only imagine how confusing it is to first timers, when they see higher rates here, but not there . . . .I wish there was some way to direct more of them to the DIS so they would be informed!

 

[Robin4]

Ah ok thanks for clearing that up everyone! I have always gone during value season. Best time to go IMHO. Its cheaper, plus theres FANTASTIC times to go during the value season. Right now we have plans on going in August, but Im seriously considering changing it to December. Always wanted to go in December, but I wont really make up my mind until right before I make my final payment. My payment is due June 14th, so I would prob change it in May if I do change it. DH would know by then if he would be on a deployment in december or not. I dont get why people are getting all mad over this either. Other hotel chains change their prices when the seasons change. Im surprised that Disney didnt do this all along. To be honest with you, before I even knew about the DISboards I thought that the pricing was like that. I didnt know before that once you check in you get that same rate through your whole trip regardless if theres a season change or not. I dunno about the rest of you, but charging more when theres a season change during your stay makes more sense then you getting the same rate during the whole trip. Why should people pay less just because they happen to checkin 1 or 2 days before the season change? Yes I agree that Disney is getting expensive. But thats why they have DVC and the All Star resorts. You know you dont have to go EVERY yr. DH and I dont. Would we love to? Of course, but we know we cant. Not right now while we have bills. Instead of griping about the cost of the trip, just be grateful you get to actually go. Theres families that cant go because they just simply cant afford it. Then theres families like mine, where we can go every couple yrs as long as we save up for it, but theres things that come up, like DH getting deployed, that we have to postpone it to a later date or just not go at all. Theres ways to make a trip cheaper, you just gotta learn to make it cheaper. For example. One way DH and I are gonna make our trip cheaper is not buying water. Im gonna be buying these water bottles that I found online that comes with filters, and we're just gonna use water fountains to fill them up or ask for some ice water. That right there alone is gonna save us almost $300! The other day I even went through where we are gonna be eating, and took off a couple TS breakfasts, and just eat at the Mara instead for a couple mornings. That right there is saving us some money. I even took off Hoop Dee Doo (been wanting to see that show) and now have plans to just eat at the Plaza (saves us $80!). You just have to see what your opitions are and take it from there. If you have to shorten your trip by 1 day, so be it. If you have to change your resort, do it. Its more of a question of, would you rather change your resort or shorten your trip or change where you eat or not go at all? If DH told me that we had to change our resort just so we can go, I would do it in a heart beat! Yes I may not like it, but hey, at least I get to still go. And thats what matters to me.

I agree with you and everyone else who points out that there are ways to save - shorten the visit, different hotel, not do the DP. I am completely grateful for any year we get to go to Disney. My husband is retired military so we know what it's like not to be able to take vacations because of deployments or other circumstances. We've just in the past few years been able to take a vacation at all. We already do Disney moderately, staying at a value or moderate, sometimes only doing the DP for part of our stay, etc. The problem is we're hooked on WDW now and like any good addict we want to keep doing things the way we have in the past Rather than say I was upset about the price increases and changes , I should have said I was disappointed that we were going to have to modify our plans for this year. I am not at all angry about the increases nor would I consider going somewhere else. I understand the increases/changes but am sad that it may mean a shorter stay for us. We love Disney and will continue to go there however we can.

 

[Disney8704]

Just wanna say sometimes modifying plans isnt completely bad. Especially if you plan on doing the exact same thing you did last time. Same time frame, same restraunts, same hotel. Can we say BORING Who knows you just might enjoy a little change. You might go and shave off a day or 2 and realize thats all the time you need down there, and then you would at least know for the future how long you really need down there. Nothing wrong with experimenting. Say you normally go for 12 days, you might this time around go for 10 days and realize you only really need 10 days. Then for the future if you dont wanna fork out the extra $ for those 2 days, at least you know you can get what you want done in those 10 days. Even me, I might shave off 1 day on my trip, just because I think I actually only need 1 day at MGM and 1 day at AK instead of 1 1/2 days at each park. Sure you might be disapointed with having to modify, but think of it as a brand new adventure, brand new way doing Disney.

I agree with you and everyone else who points out that there are ways to save - shorten the visit, different hotel, not do the DP. I am completely grateful for any year we get to go to Disney. My husband is retired military so we know what it's like not to be able to take vacations because of deployments or other circumstances. We've just in the past few years been able to take a vacation at all. We already do Disney moderately, staying at a value or moderate, sometimes only doing the DP for part of our stay, etc. The problem is we're hooked on WDW now and like any good addict we want to keep doing things the way we have in the past Rather than say I was upset about the price increases and changes , I should have said I was disappointed that we were going to have to modify our plans for this year. I am not at all angry about the increases nor would I consider going somewhere else. I understand the increases/changes but am sad that it may mean a shorter stay for us. We love Disney and will continue to go there however we can.

 

[scottny]

I was upset by the prices but did it stop me...no.

I booked POP from 1/19 - 1/28 and it was around $3100.00 then I upgraded to a moderate for $400 more. I think it is so worth it.
That includes 7 day hopper and ddp.

I cannot wait to go.

Someone mentioned a limo, I live in NYC and take the M60 to the airport, best $4 round trip I ever paid for. There r alternatives, a town car, taxi or a friend can drop u off there or family member.

if people want to go so badly they will find a way, can't stay deluxe then stay mod. either way u at disney.

 

[Disney Fool]

speaking of NYC, has anyone priced the rate of hotel rooms in Manhattan lately? OUCH! $719 for Sheraton/Westin hotels for one night! Disney's beginning to look pretty good.....