AP Questions - hotel discounts and renewal

[Vala]

Warning: AP newbie alert. I tried the search engine but it keeps telling me there's no matches, so I guess I'll have to ask a lot of things that have alredy been answered.

I realize I am kind of early again, but 12 hours on board of a plane always make me overplan.

I upgraded to an DeLuxe AP during our last stay at DLR. The pass expires 10/29/2009. Our tentative dates for our next stay are 10/27/2009 - 11/5/2009.

I was planning to renew the pass when we get there, but I am not really sure how things work with the AP hotel room rates then.
Would I be getting the discount for our whole stay with my current pass (although it expires mid-stay) or would I have to renew before making the booking, or at least before our arrival?

The GCH, PPH and DLH all offer 10 percent off the normal room rates and sometimes do have special AP rates, is this correct?

Can anyone give me an idea when the special rates for October usually come out?

I keep trying to access the hotel availability calendar on the Disneyland site, but I keep getting "sorry, a system error has occurred, please try again later" messages. I realize they will be nowhere near October with their offers yet, but I wanted to get an idea what prices we are looking at.

I've been thinking about making a reservation at whatever rate is available in late February or so. April at the latest. As I said, overplanning.
If I book then at whatever rate they have available then, can I have the booking adjusted to one of the famous AP offers if they become available?

If I remember correctly they will be charging me the costs of a one night stay as a deposit. That's including taxes and resort fee?

 

[blue donkey]

The GCH, PPH and DLH all offer 10 percent off the normal room rates and sometimes do have special AP rates, is this correct?

yes

Can anyone give me an idea when the special rates for October usually come out?

I think july 23rd this year, ap7 rates came out. I "heard" on DIS that last year, they came out at the beg. of July. This year, I booked GCH for $249 +taxes, etc at that rate.

I've been thinking about making a reservation at whatever rate is available in late February or so. April at the latest. As I said, overplanning.
If I book then at whatever rate they have available then, can I have the booking adjusted to one of the famous AP offers if they become available?

yes

If I remember correctly they will be charging me the costs of a one night stay as a deposit. That's including taxes and resort fee?

yes, but when I booked early & then changed my reservation with the ap rates, the cm offered to put back the difference on my c.c.

Have fun planning!

 

[Vala]

Thank you for your answers, those help a lot.

Hopefully GCH is close to that rate again, I was told it it's $ 270 or below without taxes I could go for it at least for part of our stay.

 

[silence]

If you can, you might consider renewing when they mail your renewal notice.

We saved $30 per pass by doing it this way. PLUS, they sent us 20% off merchandise coupons which we really got use out of!

 

[Vala]

Oh thanks for that info, that sounds great. I had no idea they will send out renewal notices. And the reminders even have goodies.

I will definitely do this then. I'm getting a small bonus paid in June, and that money was going to be kept aside for my AP renewal anyway. June should be in time I hope.