As a repeat guest, Disney's going to have to work harder to get me.

[KEPE]

It should be like a casino, when you gamble at a casino you give them your card they track what how much you spend, win, lose, and give you comp meals, rooms, etc. based on that. They want the big spenders to come back. I don't frequent WDW but to me it makes sense to get back those that come often and spend money!!

 

[Mrs. Charming]

It should be like a casino, when you gamble at a casino you give them your card they track what how much you spend, win, lose, and give you comp meals, rooms, etc. based on that. They want the big spenders to come back. I don't frequent WDW but to me it makes sense to get back those that come often and spend money!!

Haha the probably do track eevery penny on your KTTW card, and its probably why we're not getting pins!

 

[larryz]

It should be like a casino, when you gamble at a casino you give them your card they track what how much you spend, win, lose, and give you comp meals, rooms, etc. based on that. They want the big spenders to come back. I don't frequent WDW but to me it makes sense to get back those that come often and spend money!!

If you use your KTTW for everything, they KNOW how much you spend, and where. But you keep coming back, even without comps.

Las Vegas, there's a lot of competition for your "gaming" dollar. The comps, VIP club status, perks -- those garner and keep loyalty.

WDW, they don't need to do that. You keep on coming back.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

I need an alias!

 

[eeyorethegreat]

Haha the probably do track eevery penny on your KTTW card, and its probably why we're not getting pins!

Yup you are probably on to something there!

 

[Amy&Dan]

Everything has gone up, not just Disney.

Actually, a lot of things haven't gone up that much. Namely incomes and housing values. Two things that figure greatly into what people can spend on a vacation.

Am I saying Disney owes any of us a discount? Nope. What I am saying is that the current practices of discounts that require way too much work to even know if you have, and increasing their rack rates is going to drive people away.

I stay at the same Hyatt Place everytime I go to Dallas. Last summer it was $30 per night cheaper, than it was in 2009. I went the exact same week both years.

I stay at the Howard Johnson's in Disneyland. In 2004, I paid $118 per night (I still have my little pack of info from that trip). In 2011 I paid $109 per night. Again, same time frame for both trips. In that seven years they refurbbed rooms, redid the pool and kept up the same customer service.

The Hilton I stay at in Marco Island Florida is roughly the same price now it was the last time I stayed there in 2005.

Maybe the current economy isn't affecting you and your frustration of trying to go to WDW in as an affordable manner as possible.

I think many others feel differently.

The DDP is now at least 25% higher than it was the first time we used it back in 2006. I won't even bother to go into the quality issues. And I know that you do not use the DDP but for those of us that have families to feed, and the fact we only go once per year and the whole prepay aspect, well I do like to have it. But I will only get it if some sort of discount is worked in there. Whether its "free" or I am getting a nice chunk off a room rate.

If Disney would just price their rooms and dining to sell and price them in a way that makes sense and allows people to preplan, they wouldn't need pins, free dining and all this other crap. In the last two years they have offered gift cards, free dining, 4/3 deal and who knows what else. It seems like they are floundering around trying to find the magic potion that will keep their profits and attendance up. I mean to me, this whole thing appears to not be working for anybody.

You and I will apparently not agree on this and I respect that. I guess all we can either one post to is our own experience. Mine right now is what I feel is lousy treatment for my repeat business, total confusion and stupidity on their whole discount/pricing process and the fact that my trips are getting fewer and further between.

Oh, I also know Disneyland and WDW are not the same. My point back there on my last post was that Disneyland tried a strategy and it failed miserably and now they realize that and its getting fixed. Maybe this strategy WDW is practicing is headed for the same end.

 

[TDC Nala]

The DDP had to go up. There was no way they could sustain it at the original price. I'm expecting it to go up MORE in the future. Disney's found out they can increase the price and many guests will still purchase it. Restaurant prices have gone up too - so it still seems like a deal. That can continue until they reach the point where the majority (not a few Disers here and there) will say they won't pay it.
I know everyone now expects free dining. Based on the new PIN that has quick service dining for moderates, changes to that may be coming too.

I can see why you're annoyed why you aren't getting as good a deal as you did in past years, but they give discounts to get the attendance up. When it goes up they don't offer the deep discounts anymore. When attendance goes down they offer them again. It's a cycle and the attendance cycle is up right now, so no, the discounts won't be as good. Disney doesn't do loyalty discounts (except maybe AP rates). Never did. They don't have to.

I dont get where Disneyland's strategy has failed miserably, their core demographic will ALWAYS be locals and they're not going to turn it into WDW by adding Cars Land. They're adding Cars Land because even the locals were bored stiff with California Adventure (why would Californians want to hang around a California-themed park?) If they failed at anything, it was the entire concept for that park. WDW's core demographic is completely different.

 

[eeyorethegreat]

Actually, a lot of things haven't gone up that much. Namely incomes and housing values. Two things that figure greatly into what people can spend on a vacation.

Am I saying Disney owes any of us a discount? Nope. What I am saying is that the current practices of discounts that require way too much work to even know if you have, and increasing their rack rates is going to drive people away.

I stay at the same Hyatt Place everytime I go to Dallas. Last summer it was $30 per night cheaper, than it was in 2009. I went the exact same week both years.

I stay at the Howard Johnson's in Disneyland. In 2004, I paid $118 per night (I still have my little pack of info from that trip). In 2011 I paid $109 per night. Again, same time frame for both trips. In that seven years they refurbbed rooms, redid the pool and kept up the same customer service.

The Hilton I stay at in Marco Island Florida is roughly the same price now it was the last time I stayed there in 2005.

Maybe the current economy isn't affecting you and your frustration of trying to go to WDW in as an affordable manner as possible.

I think many others feel differently.

The DDP is now at least 25% higher than it was the first time we used it back in 2006. I won't even bother to go into the quality issues. And I know that you do not use the DDP but for those of us that have families to feed, and the fact we only go once per year and the whole prepay aspect, well I do like to have it. But I will only get it if some sort of discount is worked in there. Whether its "free" or I am getting a nice chunk off a room rate.

If Disney would just price their rooms and dining to sell and price them in a way that makes sense and allows people to preplan, they wouldn't need pins, free dining and all this other crap. In the last two years they have offered gift cards, free dining, 4/3 deal and who knows what else. It seems like they are floundering around trying to find the magic potion that will keep their profits and attendance up. I mean to me, this whole thing appears to not be working for anybody.

You and I will apparently not agree on this and I respect that. I guess all we can either one post to is our own experience. Mine right now is what I feel is lousy treatment for my repeat business, total confusion and stupidity on their whole discount/pricing process and the fact that my trips are getting fewer and further between.

Oh, I also know Disneyland and WDW are not the same. My point back there on my last post was that Disneyland tried a strategy and it failed miserably and now they realize that and its getting fixed. Maybe this strategy WDW is practicing is headed for the same end.

I've seen you post on various threads lately (obviously you have posted a lot on the Dis I am just now noticing your name from one thread to another lol) Anyway. Gosh you make way too much sense. Too bad Disney wouldn't listen to you - maybe they are reading your post here and taking note...

 

[scoobydoo2010]

We manage to save loads by staying off site. My kids are BIG Disney fans so we want still have fun so we try to have a Disney film night in the home etc... This year I'm looking at getting kids theme room. Check out this one http://www.magicalvacationhomes.com/vacation-rental-home.asp?PageDataID=31638

I want it at home!

 

[nrpofp]

Actually, a lot of things haven't gone up that much. Namely incomes and housing values. Two things that figure greatly into what people can spend on a vacation.

Am I saying Disney owes any of us a discount? Nope. What I am saying is that the current practices of discounts that require way too much work to even know if you have, and increasing their rack rates is going to drive people away.

I stay at the same Hyatt Place everytime I go to Dallas. Last summer it was $30 per night cheaper, than it was in 2009. I went the exact same week both years.

I stay at the Howard Johnson's in Disneyland. In 2004, I paid $118 per night (I still have my little pack of info from that trip). In 2011 I paid $109 per night. Again, same time frame for both trips. In that seven years they refurbbed rooms, redid the pool and kept up the same customer service.

The Hilton I stay at in Marco Island Florida is roughly the same price now it was the last time I stayed there in 2005.

Maybe the current economy isn't affecting you and your frustration of trying to go to WDW in as an affordable manner as possible.

I think many others feel differently.

The DDP is now at least 25% higher than it was the first time we used it back in 2006. I won't even bother to go into the quality issues. And I know that you do not use the DDP but for those of us that have families to feed, and the fact we only go once per year and the whole prepay aspect, well I do like to have it. But I will only get it if some sort of discount is worked in there. Whether its "free" or I am getting a nice chunk off a room rate.

If Disney would just price their rooms and dining to sell and price them in a way that makes sense and allows people to preplan, they wouldn't need pins, free dining and all this other crap. In the last two years they have offered gift cards, free dining, 4/3 deal and who knows what else. It seems like they are floundering around trying to find the magic potion that will keep their profits and attendance up. I mean to me, this whole thing appears to not be working for anybody.

You and I will apparently not agree on this and I respect that. I guess all we can either one post to is our own experience. Mine right now is what I feel is lousy treatment for my repeat business, total confusion and stupidity on their whole discount/pricing process and the fact that my trips are getting fewer and further between.

Oh, I also know Disneyland and WDW are not the same. My point back there on my last post was that Disneyland tried a strategy and it failed miserably and now they realize that and its getting fixed. Maybe this strategy WDW is practicing is headed for the same end.

I agree with you. We vacation in San Diego every year. Hotel prices have remained flat or decreased. Airline tickets have also remained pretty steady. You can get great deals to Hawaii, Bahamas etc. I am surprised that disney keeps raising their rates and decreasing their discounts. Eventually they will outprice themselves. With gas and food prices about to make a major rise its really going to cut into peoples disposable income.

 

[Ziggy]

I'm taking a trip to NY after visiting WDW and I must say some of the top hotels there are less expensive than the WDW deluxe ones.

 

[YesMickey]

I agree the price of hotel stays and travel as a whole have not gone up much at all, Just Disney, and at a yearly rate. Plane travel is now very competitive with all of the low end carriers and cruises are about as cheap as they have ever been. I just got back from a cruise with my family of 4 and it cost us $1070. My wife and I only went on one in 1998 and it cost the same for just us two. As I stated before the same trip to Disney my family took in 2006 was 75% of what it would be today. It has gone up 30% in 5 years. That's pretty steep. The dining plan used to say "a savings of 40%" now it says "a savings of 20%". I really don't know where that get that from. Is it if you eat every meal at the most expensive restaurant on the plan or what? What I am getting at is, Yes my family loves Disney more than anything, but they are growing up and there are other options. Also, are the new families coming up in this economy going to be able to swing going to Disney once, or like we did, twice a year. My guess is probably not. My take is that the reason Disney is still successful may have something to do with the value difference between the Euro and the dollar. It is more inexpensive for the Europeans to go on a trip to Disney than us Americans. And typically their vacations are longer than ours. I think that is where Disney is making their money right now, and providing better deals to those across the pond.

 

[Ziggy]

There's a drop in British visitors
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com...itors-bureau-visit-florida-danielle-courtenay

 

[Laketravis]

These are all great posts. We went to DW last November with FD and paid rack rate for the Contemporary. I learned a lot about their promotional timing while gauging resort traffic. My own opinion is that it's a lot like the old 80/20 rule in terms of reservations. If you consider DW's projections and capacities to be 100%, then I'd bet the first 80% of visitors are paying full price and the last 20% of capacity is filled with these various promotions and enticements.

Thus the seeming lack of logic in the offers.

One of the best indicators of park volume DW ever unintentionally provided the public is it's online dining reservation system. What better way to gauge how crowded a park or the entire resort is?

Case in point - go online today and try to make a reservation for dinner this evening at any one of the parks. Wow, look at that! All sorts of openings at places that seemed to be constantly booked just 4 months ago. And on a Friday night before Spring Break.

My thinking is that 80% they could count on is shrinking, and the 20% that needed enticement is growing. At some point, they will need to respond.

 

[CoolPool]

I'm not yet emotional about it but...

We are, by pure luck, annual passholders this year. We want to go in June. That means the "kids play free" deal is not good for us as we already have tickets. I would rather not book the current GP offer that runs throught 6/14 because we want the dining plan but do not want to buy tickets as that is an unnecessary expense. So we are waiting impatiently for the passholder offers so that we can buy a room + dining package.

Dear Disney,
We would like to book a week's vacation at the deluxe level with dining to take advantage of those annual passes you gave us. We would like to give you some money. That is all.
Sincerely,
Coolpool

 

[eeyorethegreat]

I'm not yet emotional about it but...

We are, by pure luck, annual passholders this year. We want to go in June. That means the "kids play free" deal is not good for us as we already have tickets. I would rather not book the current GP offer that runs throught 6/14 because we want the dining plan but do not want to buy tickets as that is an unnecessary expense. So we are waiting impatiently for the passholder offers so that we can buy a room + dining package.

Dear Disney,
We would like to book a week's vacation at the deluxe level with dining to take advantage of those annual passes you gave us. We would like to give you some money. That is all.
Sincerely,
Coolpool

Wait...Disney GAVE you Annual Passes? How did you get that lucky?
(bolding mine)

 

[CoolPool]

There was a ticket/room key card glitch. It took the guys a few hours to figure it out and the truth is it was never really totally sorted out, we had a lovely time chatting with the CM from Paris, France. Then the CMs gave us a few fast passes and when we came back from Soarin'...VOILA!...free annual passes. We actually tried to refuse them because that's pretty excessive in the "nice" department, but then Disney knew that we'd HAVE to come back to use them. Maybe a few times.

Anyway, I'll never hear a mean word said about Parisians again!

 

[dclfun]

When I mentioned a loyalty rewards program a few years ago I was told that Disney had it- the Disney Visa! I also wish there were a loyalty program but I can imagine it would be hard to implement. Would there be the same reward points for those who stayed with a discount, stayed at a value vs. club level deluxe room? People who felt a disparity would complain loudly that their vacations should be counted as more valuable because they paid more, stayed longer, etc. What about DVC members and loyalty? I'm a DVC member and I live locally, so I stay more often but should my stays count as much since I'm using points and have to drive up the road for only 10 minutes vs. paying for gas or airfare? Of course they could just track each swipe of our KTTW cards once we're onsite but what about those who purchase tickets from an offsite place or at TDS before they leave home or rent DVC points? Arrghh. Anyway, w/o a loyalty program then I do wish the discounts seemed more fair. Most places that send email or mailer offers to me also have the same discount available on their websites- it's just that I'd not have thought to visit their sites or consider their products w/o notification. Just put the offer out there on the website and save the CM's and Guests alot of headaches. I can't imagine the stress of booking, cancelling, rebooking, calculating available discounts, waiting for one, being angry that I didn't get one, etc. A vacation should be just that and not a stress-inducing process.---Kathy

 

[gardenia]

No.

 

[eeyorethegreat]

When I mentioned a loyalty rewards program a few years ago I was told that Disney had it- the Disney Visa! I also wish there were a loyalty program but I can imagine it would be hard to implement. Would there be the same reward points for those who stayed with a discount, stayed at a value vs. club level deluxe room? People who felt a disparity would complain loudly that their vacations should be counted as more valuable because they paid more, stayed longer, etc. What about DVC members and loyalty? I'm a DVC member and I live locally, so I stay more often but should my stays count as much since I'm using points and have to drive up the road for only 10 minutes vs. paying for gas or airfare? Of course they could just track each swipe of our KTTW cards once we're onsite but what about those who purchase tickets from an offsite place or at TDS before they leave home or rent DVC points? Arrghh. Anyway, w/o a loyalty program then I do wish the discounts seemed more fair. Most places that send email or mailer offers to me also have the same discount available on their websites- it's just that I'd not have thought to visit their sites or consider their products w/o notification. Just put the offer out there on the website and save the CM's and Guests alot of headaches. I can't imagine the stress of booking, cancelling, rebooking, calculating available discounts, waiting for one, being angry that I didn't get one, etc. A vacation should be just that and not a stress-inducing process.---Kathy

I guess my thought is (almost) every major hotel chain offers a loyalty program. It is voluntary to sign up. Points are awarded on how much you spend. Higher priced hotels or time periods earn more points. IMO I don't have a problem with that regardless if it is a Hilton chain or a Disney resort. It seems like a fair enough way to award points. I stay in values and moderates I wouldn't have a problem earning points based on the value of my stay (basing it on lodging only). How much one spends otherwise does not need to be included IMO. The goal would be for Disney to get people to stay onsite and stay on site again on future visits. Once on site, people tend to keep a majority of their money there. I suppose as a bonus to people in the loyalty program they could offer discounts on dining shopping and tickets. People are going to complain no matter what but when every other hotel chain can come up with a workable rewards program there is really no reason Disney couldn't use the same ideas and create one of their own.

As far as DVC owner's, though I am not one and probably never will be (not for lack of dreaming), could have another program separate from the loyalty program. DVC members could get special discounts on all ticket purchases, other non dvc lodging stays, dining, shopping etc. Dicounts on cruises ABD and other Disney parks.