AP Discount Question

[Jennifer03]

I'm thinking about buying an annual pass and taking a trip next month. Would I be able to get the AP discount at PPH if I booked now, or are there only a certain number of rooms available with that discount?

 

[wdwrich]

Yes, rooms and available dates are limited. If the only reason you are considering an AP is for room discounts, I recommend calling first (before you purchase the AP) and see if AP discounted rooms are available for your dates.

 

[Sherry E]

I'm thinking about buying an annual pass and taking a trip next month. Would I be able to get the AP discount at PPH if I booked now, or are there only a certain number of rooms available with that discount?

This is an area where there seems to be some confusion and it should be clarified. As I understand it, it is only the special 'AP7' rates - in other words, special rooms blocked by Central Reservations just for AP holders in 2008 - which are limited. Next year they will have 'AP8' rates/rooms. Those AP7 rates/rooms may be all gone now. I couldn't even find the hotel calendar on the darn website.

HOWEVER, IF all the AP7 rooms/rates are gone, you can STILL use your AP to get a discount (10%, I think it is) on any room you get, as long as it is not a room connected to another promo offer or discount, or a package booked through the Travel Company. If you just call Central to get a plain old room in any one of the three hotels, and it is not attached to any other special offer like a PIN code or a Senior discount or a Cast Member discount, etc., then you can get the AP discount using your AP. I don't know if it applies to all levels of AP, or just the Deluxe and Premium.

Sp a regular AP discount on a room is better than nothing, but it won't be as low a price as the AP7 room rates would be. Does that make sense? I think some people think that if there are no AP7 rooms available, then they can't get any sort of discount with the AP and that is not true!

And let me also point out that, as soon as I got my Premium AP last Thursday (I got it for $191 even though the rack rate is $389!!), it started paying for itself immediately. Not only did I get my admission covered for any trips within the next year, but I was using it for all of our meals in DLR (including DTD and the hotels), and getting 15% off here, 10% off there. When you get $7.00 taken off of one meal and $5.00 off another meal, and so on and so forth with each meal, it really adds up in the end! Plus, I used the AP to get discounts on merchandise. It really helps a lot. I think it was a very worthwhile investment!

 

[Jennifer03]

Thanks wdwrich and Sherry E!

Just in case anyone else had this same question, I called today and was told that they still have availability at all three resort hotels with the AP7 discount. I was still able to book my room at that price even though I don't have my annual pass yet (but will when I check in).

 

[Sherry E]

Thanks wdwrich and Sherry E!

Just in case anyone else had this same question, I called today and was told that they still have availability at all three resort hotels with the AP7 discount. I was still able to book my room at that price even though I don't have my annual pass yet (but will when I check in).

So you got the AP7 rate, or just applied the AP 10% discount to a hotel room? I can't even find any AP7 rates on the darn website for December, so I assumed they were all booked. Also, do the AP7 rates include weekend stays, or only weekdays, I wonder? Which hotel did you get?

In any case, I was told by a CM that the regular old 10% AP discount is available on a hotel room 365 days a year, so it is better than nothing!

 

[Jennifer03]

So you got the AP7 rate, or just applied the AP 10% discount to a hotel room? I can't even find any AP7 rates on the darn website for December, so I assumed they were all booked. Also, do the AP7 rates include weekend stays, or only weekdays, I wonder? Which hotel did you get?

In any case, I was told by a CM that the regular old 10% AP discount is available on a hotel room 365 days a year, so it is better than nothing!

I received the AP7 rate of $139.00 a night at Paradise Pier Hotel. The CM said they had availability at all three resort hotels with the AP7 rate though. My first night is a Sunday, so I assume it includes weekends as well as weekdays.

 

[Sherry E]

I received the AP7 rate of $139.00 a night at Paradise Pier Hotel. The CM said they had availability at all three resort hotels with the AP7 rate though. My first night is a Sunday, so I assume it includes weekends as well as weekdays.

Hmmm...did you call the regular reservations number? I might have tp call back and ask if any of the AP7 rate rooms include weekends. You are going in November, right? The date I had in mind was in December and they might have certain weekend days excluded then, but I can call ans ask. All they agve me today when I called was the rates minus the 10% AP discount, which is substantially higher than the AP7 rates! I would rather go mid-week in December and get a cheaper rate than go on a weekend and only get 10% off, but my friends cannot go mid-week, darn it!

 

[Jennifer03]

Hmmm...did you call the regular reservations number? I might have tp call back and ask if any of the AP7 rate rooms include weekends. You are going in November, right? The date I had in mind was in December and they might have certain weekend days excluded then, but I can call ans ask. All they agve me today when I called was the rates minus the 10% AP discount, which is substantially higher than the AP7 rates! I would rather go mid-week in December and get a cheaper rate than go on a weekend and only get 10% off, but my friends cannot go mid-week, darn it!

Here's the number I called today: (714) 956-6425. I'm going in early November, so maybe that's why I was able to get the discount? I really hope you'll be able to get the discount for your December trip!

 

[Queenbillabong]

The AP7 rate does include weekends - we're going Oct 17-19 and got the FAB AP7 rates at the GCH.

BTW - if you don't get your AP until after you check in, you have until midnight that night to show it to the front desk. I was originally told we would have to show it at check in, but later learned that you can tell them you are picking it up and can come back and show them. Keep in mind that if you do not show them before midnight, you will be charged the rack rate for your room......

 

[Sherry E]

Here's the number I called today: (714) 956-6425. I'm going in early November, so maybe that's why I was able to get the discount? I really hope you'll be able to get the discount for your December trip!

Thanks, Jennifer! I am going to call that number today! I can't recall which number I called yesterday, but it wasn't that one! And when I spoke to the CM, I said that I "assumed" all the AP7 rooms were already booked for December, and he didn't comment one way or the other. So I just asked what the totals would be with a regular 10% discount. Also, at that point I had assumed that AP7 rates excluded Fridays and Saturdays - and maybe they do exclude them in December, because it is such a busy time?

The AP7 rate does include weekends - we're going Oct 17-19 and got the FAB AP7 rates at the GCH.

Thanks, Queen! That's right - you initially had the PPH booked and then you just made a switch to GCH last week, right? (I just had a not so great room at the PPH last weekend, so am now looking towards DLH or GCH). It seems to me I recall reading someone's post on here about the AP7 rates for December either not including weekends right around Christmas or already being booked up - or both! I can't find anything about the AP7 rates on the website - the calendar does not show when I try to pull it up and nothing comes up for December under "Special Offers". I will call the number that Jennifer gave and see what is what!

 

[bumbershoot]

Sherry, where are you looking? AP part of the site, then over to the left there's a list of links. Hotel Availability Calendar is what you're looking for. It automatically brings up the month you're looking at, and then you see the month and year, with arrows pointing "forward" and "back". Click the forward arrow to December, and you should be able to see the rates.

Those rates are always the "best available" for AP holders, so when there's an AP"#" special, it includes it. I do think you still have to mention AP"#" (currently 7 of course) when you call to reserve, though.

I'm definitely seeing higher rates on Fri and Saturdays in December, but I would think that's normal.



And the number on that page is (714) 520-5006.

 

[Queenbillabong]

Thanks, Queen! That's right - you initially had the PPH booked and then you just made a switch to GCH last week, right? (I just had a not so great room at the PPH last weekend, so am now looking towards DLH or GCH).

Hopefully you get something good for December! I'm really glad I was so "persistent" and got the hotel switched to the GCH for October. I tried for a long time and there was absolutely NOTHING at any of the hotels for my dates, even regular price I'm thinking it's going to be busy, but that's okay - we'll deal with it.

Now I just have to find out for sure whether or not the entrance from DCA to the GCH is open at the end of the MTOT party.......

 

[Sherry E]

Sherry, where are you looking? AP part of the site, then over to the left there's a list of links. Hotel Availability Calendar is what you're looking for. It automatically brings up the month you're looking at, and then you see the month and year, with arrows pointing "forward" and "back". Click the forward arrow to December, and you should be able to see the rates.

Those rates are always the "best available" for AP holders, so when there's an AP"#" special, it includes it. I do think you still have to mention AP"#" (currently 7 of course) when you call to reserve, though.

I'm definitely seeing higher rates on Fri and Saturdays in December, but I would think that's normal.

And the number on that page is (714) 520-5006.

I was looking at that exact place you are referring to. It was the oddest thing - I clicked on Hotel Availability Calendar and all the same stuff was over on the left side of the screen, and all the same stuff is on the rest of the site, but nothing popped up on my screen for the calendar. It was blank every time I tried to open it up! I can see every other thing on the site but not that AP7 calendar!

Hopefully you get something good for December! I'm really glad I was so "persistent" and got the hotel switched to the GCH for October. I tried for a long time and there was absolutely NOTHING at any of the hotels for my dates, even regular price I'm thinking it's going to be busy, but that's okay - we'll deal with it.

Now I just have to find out for sure whether or not the entrance from DCA to the GCH is open at the end of the MTOT party.......

When did you first make that PPH reservation? I am trying to get an idea of how long it took from when you made it to when something opened up at the GCH at the AP7 rate. And did you call back every day or once a week, or how often? I have stalked the Disney Reservations people in the past, waiting for a room to open up. Sometimes I got lucky, but not until the last minute! Sometimes, no rooms ever opened up!

I did call the number that Jennifer posted (next I will try the one Bumbershoot just posted) and the CM checked and said that "right now" she is is showing that the AP7 December rates only go up to about December 16 and travel must be completed by December 18. So I asked her about the weekend of 12/12 - 12/15 and her system shows that all three DLR hotels are booked at AP7 rates for that weekend as of today. BUT, she suspected that a lot of AP holders jumped on the rooms just to hold them and that they will cancel or switch hotels later - closer to December. So I could do what Queen did and be persistent because something will open eventually - the question is when?

Oh well, I am not going to push too hard. If it is not meant to be this year, then it is not meant to be and I am happy I got to go this past weekend! But I will still get to DLR for at least a day or two around the holidays with my AP! Have to see holiday stuff!

 

[bumbershoot]

Ah, sounds like your computer and/or browser is having issues with the site! Very frustrating! Their site is always telling me that I need to update something, Java or Flash or something. Every so often I do it and then it's happy with me for awhile, and then things go wonky on me. I can't even navigate disneyworld.com at all, and haven't been able to for awhile. If we ever start planning I'll have to do so from hubby's PC instead of my Mac, though he's been experimenting with Linux operating system on his computer so who knows what the disney sites will do with THAT???

 

[Queenbillabong]

I originally booked the PPH in August and then about three weeks ago decided I didn't want to stay there, so I called every day to see if I could get either DLH or GCH - and they had NOTHING until last week, and then the GCH opened up with a couple of rooms at the AP7 rate. At that point, I would have paid rack rates to change, but I'm very happy to get the better rate for sure

 

[aprincess@mail.com]

Sherry E
How did you get the AP pass for so cheap?
mine expires in the beginning of March, so im going to need to purchase a new one. Can you let me know your secret... thanks!!!

thanks for the info on the AP7 rates also!
i had no idea that they had cheaper rates for the hotels besides the usual 10% off.

that is why i love this site!!

 

[godalejunior]

I was looking at that exact place you are referring to. It was the oddest thing - I clicked on Hotel Availability Calendar and all the same stuff was over on the left side of the screen, and all the same stuff is on the rest of the site, but nothing popped up on my screen for the calendar. It was blank every time I tried to open it up! I can see every other thing on the site but not that AP7 calendar!



When did you first make that PPH reservation? I am trying to get an idea of how long it took from when you made it to when something opened up at the GCH at the AP7 rate. And did you call back every day or once a week, or how often? I have stalked the Disney Reservations people in the past, waiting for a room to open up. Sometimes I got lucky, but not until the last minute! Sometimes, no rooms ever opened up!

I did call the number that Jennifer posted (next I will try the one Bumbershoot just posted) and the CM checked and said that "right now" she is is showing that the AP7 December rates only go up to about December 16 and travel must be completed by December 18. So I asked her about the weekend of 12/12 - 12/15 and her system shows that all three DLR hotels are booked at AP7 rates for that weekend as of today. BUT, she suspected that a lot of AP holders jumped on the rooms just to hold them and that they will cancel or switch hotels later - closer to December. So I could do what Queen did and be persistent because something will open eventually - the question is when?

Oh well, I am not going to push too hard. If it is not meant to be this year, then it is not meant to be and I am happy I got to go this past weekend! But I will still get to DLR for at least a day or two around the holidays with my AP! Have to see holiday stuff!

We are going 12/10-12/14 and got the PPH at $149 a night for 12/10 and 12/11 and then it went up to $266 a night for 12/13 and 12/14. The weekends in December were blocked out from the reduced AP7 rate. We booked the hotel within an hour of when the rates were posted on the website.

 

[Sherry E]

We are going 12/10-12/14 and got the PPH at $149 a night for 12/10 and 12/11 and then it went up to $266 a night for 12/13 and 12/14. The weekends in December were blocked out from the reduced AP7 rate. We booked the hotel within an hour of when the rates were posted on the website.

I had a feeling the weekends were blocked out from the AP7 rates, but this CM I spoke to this morning said that 12/12 - 12/15 was part of the AP7 rates, it was just that none of the hotels were available. Then again, CM's have been known to be wrong! And that $266 rate (that includes the 10% Ap discount) can be used even on Dec. 26 - 29!

Thansk for the info, godalejunior!

 

[godalejunior]

I really wanted to get the reduced rates on the weekend but I believe the discount for that weekend is blocked out, specifically AP7. It says it in the small print if I remember right. As for the regular AP discount of 10%, I believe that is what we are getting for Fri. and Sat. nights.