AP discounts/spring

[TheFloatingBear]

This is my first year with an Annual Pass, so I was wondering how difficult it is to get a AP room discount during the spring break time period, specifically April. It looks like they've been offered in years past, and I know each year is slightly different with when holidays fall, etc., but just curious if anyone had any feedback. From what I read, F&W seems like a tough time, but hoping it may be a bit easier in the spring... thanks!

 

[MusicalAstronaut]

It really varies from year to year. If next year is like this year, with SO many people booking at rack rate thinking that they'll apply a discount later, Disney will probably do an extremely limited release of discounted rooms. The problem is AP discounts are released last so it's slim pickings by the time they get to us. I wish we either got a general discount across the board, or that they'd set aside rooms for us. I know they'd make less money that way, but when one of the "big perks" of the annual pass is supposedly getting room discounts and we can't get them, it sucks.
I would just check the website every day, and follow the discount code watch thread on disboards so you can get email notifications with any updates. Also be flexible with your dates (something may show up for 6 and 2 nights but not 4 or 5) and hotels.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Depends on lots of variables... your dates, the type of resort, etc. I really only pay attention to the Deluxes and usually CL, can’t speak for Values and Mods. My anecdotal experience is that for winter/spring/summer I usually have no problem finding an AP discount that I’m reasonably happy with. That may mean tinkering with dates and resorts, but usually availability is OK. Obviously a very general statement though!

This fall, finding AP discounts has been pretty horrific. Frankly ANY discount this fall has been hard to find. I eventually found a Columbus Day AP discount at Poly but that took months and months of searching, resort switching, etc.

For April 2018, the big variable is going to be Easter where discounts could be more limited (which is a double body blow because rack rates are sky high!). I know our Spring Break is the week after Easter. I’m not even going to think about planning a trip then!

Good luck OP!

 

[TheFloatingBear]

It really varies from year to year. If next year is like this year, with SO many people booking at rack rate thinking that they'll apply a discount later, Disney will probably do an extremely limited release of discounted rooms. The problem is AP discounts are released last so it's slim pickings by the time they get to us. I wish we either got a general discount across the board, or that they'd set aside rooms for us. I know they'd make less money that way, but when one of the "big perks" of the annual pass is supposedly getting room discounts and we can't get them, it sucks.
I would just check the website every day, and follow the discount code watch thread on disboards so you can get email notifications with any updates. Also be flexible with your dates (something may show up for 6 and 2 nights but not 4 or 5) and hotels.

I agree! The room discount was definitely one of the reasons I upgraded my ticket to an AP...Anyway, good to know! We can definitely be a little flexible, and I do enjoy hawking the site for a discount. We've done split stays before in order to get discounts, so hopefully we'll be able to put something together! Thanks for the info!

I just re-read your reply - interesting about it being for 6 or 2 nights sometimes, but not for 4 or 5? Good to know when I'm playing around with dates!

 

[TheFloatingBear]

Depends on lots of variables... your dates, the type of resort, etc. I really only pay attention to the Deluxes and usually CL, can’t speak for Values and Mods. My anecdotal experience is that for winter/spring/summer I usually have no problem finding an AP discount that I’m reasonably happy with. That may mean tinkering with dates and resorts, but usually availability is OK. Obviously a very general statement though!

This fall, finding AP discounts has been pretty horrific. Frankly ANY discount this fall has been hard to find. I eventually found a Columbus Day AP discount at Poly but that took months and months of searching, resort switching, etc.

For April 2018, the big variable is going to be Easter where discounts could be more limited (which is a double body blow because rack rates are sky high!). I know our Spring Break is the week after Easter. I’m not even going to think about planning a trip then!

Good luck OP!

We'd be hoping for Deluxe and hopefully CL. Like I said above, hopefully we can cobble something together even if we have to do a split stay - that's worked for us for regular discounts. I've definitely heard that fall has been tough this year - I'm glad you scored an AP discount for the Poly! I'm in MA, so our spring break is always the 3rd Monday of April. Last year that coincided with Easter but this year, Easter is two full weeks earlier - as you already know! Hopefully we'll get lucky! Thanks for the imput!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

We'd be hoping for Deluxe and hopefully CL. Like I said above, hopefully we can cobble something together even if we have to do a split stay - that's worked for us for regular discounts. I've definitely heard that fall has been tough this year - I'm glad you scored an AP discount for the Poly! I'm in MA, so our spring break is always the 3rd Monday of April. Last year that coincided with Easter but this year, Easter is two full weeks earlier - as you already know! Hopefully we'll get lucky! Thanks for the imput!

You probably already know this but I tend to “step up” my discounts, depending on the trip. When the general public discounts, I book what I want at that point. Then later when the AP discounts come out, I evaluate and adjust as needed. Eg, either change my reservation to the AP discount, cancel altogether and rebook, maybe tinker with dates. Sometimes the GP discounts can be better/more plentiful, sometimes AP is better/easier to get.

 

[TheFloatingBear]

You probably already know this but I tend to “step up” my discounts, depending on the trip. When the general public discounts, I book what I want at that point. Then later when the AP discounts come out, I evaluate and adjust as needed. Eg, either change my reservation to the AP discount, cancel altogether and rebook, maybe tinker with dates. Sometimes the GP discounts can be better/more plentiful, sometimes AP is better/easier to get.

Well, it's funny that you mention it, as I tend to tinker as well with GP discounts - I've just never had the AP discounts to work with as well. Like I said, I play with split stays, etc. because sometimes it opens things up. While we like to stay at Deluxes, we don't really get too hung up on specifics, and tend to go for the best deal. I like to look at it as an adventure to see where we end up staying! As Forrest Gump said, "Disney discounts are like a box of chocolates..." Good to know that the GP discounts can sometimes end up being better!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Well, it's funny that you mention it, as I tend to tinker as well with GP discounts - I've just never had the AP discounts to work with as well. Like I said, I play with split stays, etc. because sometimes it opens things up. While we like to stay at Deluxes, we don't really get too hung up on specifics, and tend to go for the best deal. I like to look at it as an adventure to see where we end up staying! As Forrest Gump said, "Disney discounts are like a box of chocolates..." Good to know that the GP discounts can sometimes end up being better!

Did you just mix Disney and Forest Gump? That HAS to be a DISboards first!

I guess I should caveat that I don’t mean GP being “better” in the $ sense (the AP discount when available is usually 5-10% higher than GP discount), but sometimes given availability the GP discount is my only option at any given time. Sometimes it works the other way too.

It is a total game for me as well... tinkering, changing, always looking.

 

[MusicalAstronaut]

I just re-read your reply - interesting about it being for 6 or 2 nights sometimes, but not for 4 or 5? Good to know when I'm playing around with dates!

And those aren't hard and fast rules, but I've had weird successes with the number of days. Like you said, sometimes a split stay is the way to get the best deal. 2 nights at YC might be $502/night but 3 nights might be $372/night because for some reason they only have club level available for those two nights. Also sometimes they favor the longer stays, so things won't open up for short stays but will for longer stays. So something might show up for 6 days, but if you try 4 days within that, it'll disappear. It's weird.

 

[TheFloatingBear]

Did you just mix Disney and Forest Gump? That HAS to be a DISboards first!

I guess I should caveat that I don’t mean GP being “better” in the $ sense (the AP discount when available is usually 5-10% higher than GP discount), but sometimes given availability the GP discount is my only option at any given time. Sometimes it works the other way too.

It is a total game for me as well... tinkering, changing, always looking.

Well, Mama always said, "AP discounts come out last!" But I understood what you meant about dealing with the different discounts and their availability! Looking forward to tinkering - hope we can score a good deal!

 

[TheFloatingBear]

And those aren't hard and fast rules, but I've had weird successes with the number of days. Like you said, sometimes a split stay is the way to get the best deal. 2 nights at YC might be $502/night but 3 nights might be $372/night because for some reason they only have club level available for those two nights. Also sometimes they favor the longer stays, so things won't open up for short stays but will for longer stays. So something might show up for 6 days, but if you try 4 days within that, it'll disappear. It's weird.

It is weird! Maybe it has something to do with the rooms that they have left and need to book? But I will definitely play around when the time comes and try to look at it as a challenge - tough to wait!

 

[jlundeen]

Hi Ho, everyone...just stumbled on to this thread and see some familiar faces....er....avatars!

My bestest Disney buddy, Nancy, and I are only 29 days out from a trip where we are staying at the Beach Club...we REALLY wanted to get any kind of discount (RO, AP, VISA, ANYTHING!) but there was nothing to be found! But we chose BC because, well, it's BC, and she has never stayed there. So, we swallowed hard, and intensified our saving effort, and it will be a reality!! YAY...We're really excited!

But, also, my DD, DSIL, her DD, and her DGD, are knee deep into planning a week-long stay in POFQ (2 rooms) for March, and are looking for ANY discount. I have an AP, and Mickey Visa, so am open to either of those, plus the RO and STAY PLAY DINE should be coming out soon, AND, while I'm there this fall, will try for a BB for both rooms....here's my question to you guys.

I have booked through a very wonderful TA....in the past, when I booked a BB, I transferred the reservation over to her when I got home. No issues....worked great. But this time, I want 2 rooms.

Now, here's the thing....on another thread, a lady reported that she was able to book a BB for herself (obviously part of the current reservation) as well as a co-worker (NOT part of the current reservation) for next year. She swore that the CM told her that they changed the BB program to where you could book as many different reservations as there were people in the current reservation. So two people on the current reservation, she could book reservations for herself and different one for another person.

So she was there with one person, and was able to book a BB for herself, and A DIFFERENT PERSON, (who was NOT the other person on the reservation).

When I asked my TA about it, she repeated what I had always understood, "The lead person on ANY future reservation HAS to be a person in the current reservation." My TA has not heard of any changes like this.

Has anyone here heard/experienced this? Even if I can get one room as a BB that would be great...but TWO would be better!!

 

[TheFloatingBear]

Hi @jlundeen ! Sorry for my belated reply! My DH had a bit of a tumble last week so things have been hectic! I can't answer your question but I feel like I read you got an answer in another thread? How did things work out for you?

 

[jlundeen]

Well, Hello, Floating Bear! Hope your is hubby is feeling better now.

Yes, the lady who had originally reported being able to do this actually called the BB people back, to verify what she had been told. After at first being again told the same response about multiple bookings needing to be in the name of someone on the current reservation, she pressed the issue again, and the CM talked to Guest Relations, and then came back and said it was true...that the wording on the policy had changed and only one of the future bookings needed to be under the name of someone currently staying.

My trip isn't until Halloween week, and I will try to get two bookings for a RO BB, with one in my name, and one in the name of my cousin (SIL's daughter), who is not on the Halloween trip. We'll see how it plays out... I'd sure like to get my hands of that BB policy that the CM's keep referring to so I can read it myself!

I have to say that there was still no joy with the release of the latest Special Offers, for our rooms anyway, and doubt an AP offer would really be any better. I am hoping that I can at least get a BB for one of our rooms in March...if I can get it for both, that would be FANTASTIC!!!

 

[TheFloatingBear]

He's doing okay, @jlundeen, but it will be a long recover - hopefully he'll be back to normal by the time of our trip in April!

Keep us posted on how it works out! Your trip sounds fun! I have to go on a dance trip to Disney with just my daughter in January, so I'm going to look at the BB offer too while I'm there since I know my dates! The current spring offers are too early for my dates - MA doesn't have spring break until the 3rd week in April. I'm very impatient, and after reading some of these discount threads regarding early spring, not very hopeful!

 

[jlundeen]

He's doing okay, @jlundeen, but it will be a long recover - hopefully he'll be back to normal by the time of our trip in April!

Keep us posted on how it works out! Your trip sounds fun! I have to go on a dance trip to Disney with just my daughter in January, so I'm going to look at the BB offer too while I'm there since I know my dates! The current spring offers are too early for my dates - MA doesn't have spring break until the 3rd week in April. I'm very impatient, and after reading some of these discount threads regarding early spring, not very hopeful!

Ha ha...I love the way you worded it..."I have to go on a dance trip to Disney..." Ha ha ha....you you poor dear...that's so sad....

Yeah, Unless we see a nice AP discount for the Spring, I won't be renewing that this time around...since I'm not sure when I'll get back there after the March trip, it just doesn't pay for itself like it would with another trip during the year.

My bestest Disney buddy, Nancy, is not going to be able to go again for awhile....she's gone and booked an African Safari with her sister instead of spending all her vacation money traveling to Disney with me....so, since I'm not a solo Disney, after the girls go in March, I can't see another trip for a couple of years, when my DGS turns 5...his parents just don't think he'd get anything out of it before then......Drat.

Oh well, maybe by the time I can get back, the crazy crowds at Star Wars will have settled down a bit....

To keep this on topic....(somewhat anyway) has anyone on this thread gotten a good Special Offer for early 2018?

 

[TheFloatingBear]

Ha ha...I love the way you worded it..."I have to go on a dance trip to Disney..." Ha ha ha....you you poor dear...that's so sad....

Yeah, Unless we see a nice AP discount for the Spring, I won't be renewing that this time around...since I'm not sure when I'll get back there after the March trip, it just doesn't pay for itself like it would with another trip during the year.

My bestest Disney buddy, Nancy, is not going to be able to go again for awhile....she's gone and booked an African Safari with her sister instead of spending all her vacation money traveling to Disney with me....so, since I'm not a solo Disney, after the girls go in March, I can't see another trip for a couple of years, when my DGS turns 5...his parents just don't think he'd get anything out of it before then......Drat.

Oh well, maybe by the time I can get back, the crazy crowds at Star Wars will have settled down a bit....

To keep this on topic....(somewhat anyway) has anyone on this thread gotten a good Special Offer for early 2018?

I'm excited about the dance trip - we'll have fun! There's been 4 different dates so it's been a little frustrating to figure out our plans, then I felt badly when they moved it to Jan since it was a tough time to take my son out of school, and we definitely couldn't extend the trip. But now because of the other situation, we just figured we'd do April with the family and that makes it easier to just do the dance trip with the two of us.

An African safari sounds very exciting - I have a feeling you'll get back there before too long, although I hear you on the Star Wars crowds! My kids were 3 and 5 on their first trip - it was great fun!

I was reading a thread about Early Spring offers - sounds like a lot of people have gotten PIN codes and such. I keep looking but no luck so far! Sounds like a lot of people frustrated too! I'm really hoping I get something with the AP - it would make the upgrade feel worth it!