AP's Not out yet

[TigrLvsPooh]

We bought our AP's last October and are getting ready to make our 3rd trip using them. So we definitely got our money's worth. In total we're getting about 25 days in the parks.

Now, aside from that, I think the rack rates for the deluxe resorts are insanely high. $400-$500 per night for a standard room with 2 queen beds at the GF, Poly, etc. is too much. Even with $100 off it's too much. Luckily we have always found a way to go cheaper either with a code, renting dvc points, etc. so we can keep going to WDW. But think of all the people who don't know about codes and don't know about renting points. Does Disney actually expect people to pay $3000 just for hotel not even including tickets, meals, etc???? People aren't going to do that.... so that means they'll end up settling for a moderate or value resort, or off property.

 

[ducklite]

That's actually a pretty standard price for a room in a deluxe resort at many of the major North American resorts in season with similar amenities. The Sagamore, The Waters Edge, The Mirror Lake inn, The Rimrock, The Grand Geneva. The list goes on and on. They are all in business, and most have been for many decades (and most of them don't discount, especially in peak season), so yes, people DO pay that kind of money.

Relative worth is a very personal and subjective decision, not one that any of us can unitarily and arbitrarily impose on others. Aditionally, if we had never had deeply discounted rooms, we wouldn't miss them. And I'll bet that most of us would have just anted up the extra cash to stay where we wanted to, we wouldn't have known better or expected otherwise.

There's a LOT of really rich folks in this world with a lot of discretionary income who have no problem paying that kind of cash for a room every night. Those are the people that WDW is wisely targeting. They might not think of a WDW vacation unless you stick it in their face, but if you can entice them to come, they'll spend a LOT of money.

Anne

 

[gepetto]

Originally posted by TigrLvsPooh
Does Disney actually expect people to pay $3000 just for hotel not even including tickets, meals, etc???? People aren't going to do that.... so that means they'll end up settling for a moderate or value resort, or off property.

Anyone who goes to the Disney.com site to book a room will see the current discount code. They provide the phone number if you choose not to book online. Any decent travel agent will also know about the discounts as well.

Why do you think that staying in a moderate or value resort is "settling"? . Disney is not obligated to make deluxe resorts affordable to everyone.

 

[puffkin]

I really think that it is impossible to guess or speculate what Disney will do with the discounts. My personal feeling is that the war in Iraq is throwing them for a loop. After 9/11, they drastically reduced rates because no one was travelling. However, they cut rates through the summer. It was packed in summer 2002 when we were there, I think people were sick of staying home by that point and started travelling. It seems in general, people are travelling, but they aren't booking their trips as far ahead. I think that Disney is waiting to see what kind of impact the war will have. If it looks like it is going to drag on, they probably will need to do something to entice people to travel. However, if the war is going to end soon, it probably wouldn't be necessary to offer as large of a discount.

I convinced my fiance to take a third trip to maximize our ap's. We don't have a ton of money for a vacation, but I wanted to go somewhere. However, if the room discounts and airfare don't come down in price, we may decide to go elsewhere. I know room discounts aren't guaranteed, but if the room price was right, Disney would get see even more of my $$$ than originally planned. Here's to keeping my fingers crossed...

 

[puffkin]

BTW, after I posted the previous post, I decided to call CRO and book a room for our July trip now so that I would at least know what the maximum that I am going to pay. I was suprised when I asked for AAA discount for July 19-26 that they were still available for all 3 of the All Stars. I also asked about AP rates, and she said to check the Mickey Monitor when it is released in the next few weeks. She seemed pretty insistent about checking the monitor, so maybe she has a good feeling about the discounts getting released soon. Again, purely speculation, but if AAA rates are still availabe for ASMo in July, bookings must be down.

 

[judirain]

I just got off the phone with cro using the 800# provided with the AP vouchers I just purchased, YAY. The CM also said to expect the rates right before the new mickey moniter around 4/26. So lets keep our fingers crossed.

 

[SplashMountain]

What is the website for the Mickey Monitor? Or is there not one.. Getting very anxious for these AP Rates. Maybe eventually it will say something on the mickey monitor website?

 

[Sammie]

Originally posted by SplashMountain
What is the website for the Mickey Monitor? Or is there not one.. Getting very anxious for these AP Rates. Maybe eventually it will say something on the mickey monitor website?

You will get your Monitor in the mail.

 

[SplashMountain]

Oh yeah. I just didn't knwo if there was some type of simultaneous website. Thanks!

 

[floridafam]

I believe themeparks.com publishes the Mickey Monitor.

 

[Sammie]

Originally posted by ducklite
Have to agree with your thinking. The Company seem to be getting wise to a lot of things that people have been doing for a long time that while not "against the rules" is not really within the spirit that Disney intended either. I think we're gong to see less and less discounts available to 'anybody", and more and more segmented marketing, Disney trying to bring in the guests that they really want...based on their demographic studies as well as the information in their database. Tack on the new Visa card, and it really skews a lot of their previous marketing efforts. DVC members who are going to make multiple trips on an AP and don't care about room discounts (and there are a LOT of peopel who fill this category!) also have to be brought into the equation.

By using restricted code rates, they will be able to better target their audience and bring in those who might not come otherwise. Most of you looking for AP rates already have something booked and are just looking for a better deal. They've already got you as a captive audience, they already know you're coming, and they have a pretty good idea on how much you'll spend. not only that, but they also know that you're going to spend it one way or another, so bottom line, they're going to get their money.

On the other hand, by offering special code rates via postcard or other marketing initiatives, they can try to draw back guests who might have gone to WDW only once a few years ago, wouldn't buy an AP--probably don't even know it exists, and are looking at vacation options. They are not the WDW nuts we all are They get an attractive offer, and they might choose to spend their money at WDW rather than taking it to another vacation destination.

I might be wayyyy off the mark, but if I were WDW I would rather bring in new blood than offer tremendously discounted rates to "regulars"--I know you guys are going to come anyhow.

Probably not what most of you want to hear, but Disney has become much more sophisticated in their marketing and data mining, and I think the days of a lot of the older "normal" discounts are numbered.

Anne

Based on conversations with friends that work for Disney, I would say you are very close to being correct. I think they are going to change the process and bring it more under their control. Hence the change from CRO to one booking agency such as WDTC.

Also rumors are being heard that if and "if" is the operative here, they offer Annual Pass discounts, that the pass and the ID numbers that come with it will be required at booking, eliminating the book the discount, then buy the pass.

I also think the across the board percentage discount for most room categories is going to be a thing of the pass. I think you will see good discounts on standard rooms such as what you are seeing now for standard rooms at WL and AKL to help with the overflow of the moderates. I don't think you will see great discounts on preferred view rooms such as lagoon.

Only time will tell.

 

[Sammie]

Originally posted by SplashMountain
Oh yeah. I just didn't knwo if there was some type of simultaneous website. Thanks!

No, sometimes this particular website has published it after the webmaster receives his copy. Usually most members have received theirs by the time it is put on this website.

 

[Momto8]

Have to agree with your thinking. The Company seem to be getting wise to a lot of things that people have been doing for a long time that while not "against the rules" is not really within the spirit that Disney intended either.

I agree with Anne. I have had PAPs for several years now and I always felt that those who only bought one AP (especially a child's) to get the discount was not what Disney intended either. I thought that Disney would eventually get wise to this and it seems they might have since they aren't releasing them as quickly as in the past. I'm afraid now it might have hurt the chances of an AP discount for those who do spend the money to buy them for their entire family to make several trips a year. I just hope they don't do away with the AP discount entirely and they're just releasing them late this year.

Don't get me wrong....I'm not critisizing anyone for doing this as it is not really breaking any rules with Disney.....I understand that everyone wants to get the best deal and I'm the same way myself. I'm just afraid that now we might be paying the price, because Disney has realized how many are doing this and this is not what they really intended.

I do have the "come back" rate for our June trip since we were just there the week after Christmas, so I'm fine with that rate....$84/night for CBR, so that is really a great rate even if they don't release AP discounts.

JMHO

 

[peachgirl]

Originally posted by Sammie
No, sometimes this particular website has published it after the webmaster receives his copy. Usually most members have received theirs by the time it is put on this website.

SplashMountain....

The website being spoken about publishes the MM long before I ever receive mine. As I said earlier, if I waited to receive the MM before calling for AP discounts, I'd never get one. Also, since the AP discounts for last year were being discussed here on Jan 26, that was long before the MM for February was sent out. How anyone knows before AP holders get their MM's is beyond me, but they do.

I sure wouldn't wait until I received my MM to attempt to get an AP rate, there won't be any left.

Actually, there are two sites, but I couldn't tell you how quickly the first site posts the MM. I do know themeparks posts it long before I get my copy. Also, Mousesavers seems to know about the AP discounts before they're released too!

Here's the links for the sites I know about...

http://www.wdisneyw.co.uk/mon.html

http://themeparks.com/wdw/monitor022003.htm

 

[Momto8]

How anyone knows before AP holders get their MM's is beyond me, but they do.

There are some that call every day and maybe 2 or 3 times a day and that is how I believe we find out before the MM comes out. Also sometimes when you call, the CM will tell you they are pending in the system and due to be released in a day or 2 or on a certain date. I remember in early of 2000, maybe it was January, someone called and the CM said that they would be released on 3/25 for May and June. Several more called from the boards and they got the same response. Lo and behold, they were released on the morning of 3/25, so sometimes they do list the release date in the computer, but not always.

 

[peachgirl]

I have had PAPs for several years now and I always felt that those who only bought one AP (especially a child's) to get the discount was not what Disney intended either.

There's just no way for any of us to know how many people purchase an AP for room discounts alone or purchase just one or a child's for the room discount.

Since we're all just guessing, my guess is it's a very small minority. I would think most people may well be influenced by the room discounts, but I don't think it's the only reason they purchase them.

In our case, I originally started looking at AP's because of our length of stay. Then I realized the savings we'd get because of having an AP and that cinched the deal. We all got AP's. When planning the first trip with AP's it was never our intention to go again in the same year. But those AP's were just screaming to get one more use out of them!!

I would bet a vast majority of people who buy AP's intending to do so only because of the room discounts, end up making at least one more trip during the year that they wouldn't have made otherwise. That's a money maker for WDW, even with the discounts they give for the room. I wouldn't think the few who go once, stay less than a week and only buy 1 AP are a significant enough segment to cause Disney to do away with AP discounts.

Just my opinion, but I guess my guessing is as good as anyone's! I honestly believe AP rates are coming.....all in good time.

 

[jaygatz]

I also think the across the board percentage discount for most room categories is going to be a thing of the pass

Nice unitentional (I assume) pun And, I hope what you actually said is the truth

 

[sneezy1956]

I know I buy an AP for both myself and my son. Even when my daughter traveled occasionally with us I bought her one. She never got as many days out of her's as Wes and I do but it just made sense to have everyone with the same type of pass. We buy a pass for late June use it for that trip and then try to sneak in either a Christmas or Spring Break trip in and then another trip in early June. That way we get two summer trips on our passes. Typically 20 to 25 days. We will have 12 days on our passes this trip not counting any other trips we get to make.

I just wish they didn't make us go through all this CRAP to find out about the discounts. We have only received on MM in all the different times we have held AP's.

The problem is since we can no longer renew and get our passes to start when we trade in a voucher we don't renew. We just wait until just before our trip and go to the Disney Store and buy our passes. Why let Disney have my money if it's losing me park time. We live in Ohio so it's not like we were 4 or 5 hours away. For us we look at 15 to 16 hours on the road with just gas stops to make it down.

And I refuse to fly any more. Last time we flew it took as 60 minutes to get through security. Add to the fact that it's a 2 hour drive to the airport and it never fails my 16 yr old and myself are always randomly selected to go through all of our carryons. I would personally rather spend at the most an additional 13 hours on the road and have my car if I want to go some place different

 

[alyssa810]

we are (im)patiently waiting for september codes!!!

 

[Momto8]

In our case, I originally started looking at AP's because of our length of stay. Then I realized the savings we'd get because of having an AP and that cinched the deal. We all got AP's. When planning the first trip with AP's it was never our intention to go again in the same year. But those AP's were just screaming to get one more use out of them!!

LOL!! Ours were screaming at us also!! We started getting APs because after going a few years in a row, we decided why not get them and go a couple of weeks earlier the next year and save money. Then because we had the passes, we couldn't just let them sit there without taking a couple of smaller trips during the year!! So Disney gets our money either way.