Based On The Discount Code Thread...

[undertheradar]

If you use a discount that you were not sent a code for, would you "feel cheated" if Disney reverted your reservation back to rack rate?

The debate on the Codes and Discounts board is heating up about this and I don't understand why! Even here on the Community board there is a thread advising people to links for pin codes to try. Yes, those rates are great if you can get them, but how can people really be upset if Disney catches the errant redemption and cancels the discounted rate? Folks are posting that they cannot afford the rooms/packages they reserved without the 40% discount. To me, this would be living beyond one's means. We have always booked what we could afford, not what was beyond it.

Just wondering what everyone thinks and hoping for a good, non-heated discussion about this subject.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

That's why I stay off the Discounts & Codes board...too much nasty debate!!

 

[C.Ann]

Haven't tried to use them, but if I did, no - I would not be upset..

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I don't understand the need for debate. The codes are a marketing strategy plain and simple. I do wonder if this "abuse" or whatever of code sharing will result in them being eliminated all together.

In any case--I got a coupon last year for 1 free US/IOA ticket plus 6 at a discount resulting in half price tickets for 7 people. But not everyone got that coupon. It was simply a marketing tool and it worked b/c we went.

People are going to get peeved if they show up and a code is no longer valid for producing the proper credentials to qualify for the code and I can't say I have much sympathy for that.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

Yes i would be upset. HOWEVER i understand why they would take it away and i have no right to be upset, but i seem to be at myhappiest when i'm mad at the world

 

[RadioNate]

No i wouldn't. If I cheated the system and got caught, I figure that is the price to pay.

What I AM annoyed about is that there is no rhyme or reason to how people are sent codes. I would LOVE one. It would allow us to stay at a Deluxe during our next trip rather than a moderate. I think Disney should be like Vegas and reward people who go often with better deals!

 

[Crankyshank]

I would be annoyed. I wouldn't be angry or upset. I would be annoyed. Not because I felt entitled or cheated, because I would have known the risks in the first place, but because Disney is penalizing the customer and risking losing repeat business for their inability to enforce a rule across the board. They really seem to have an issue with communication within the company (ex: we often know things here on the DIS before CM's do).

 

[debbi801]

If you use a discount that you were not sent a code for, would you "feel cheated" if Disney reverted your reservation back to rack rate?

The debate on the Codes and Discounts board is heating up about this and I don't understand why! Even here on the Community board there is a thread advising people to links for pin codes to try. Yes, those rates are great if you can get them, but how can people really be upset if Disney catches the errant redemption and cancels the discounted rate? Folks are posting that they cannot afford the rooms/packages they reserved without the 40% discount. To me, this would be living beyond one's means. We have always booked what we could afford, not what was beyond it.

Just wondering what everyone thinks and hoping for a good, non-heated discussion about this subject.

I would never book a trip that we could not afford, and that includes staying at a more expensive resort. I would rather save for an extra year to stay someplace than worry about whether or not I'd get a code. Then, if a code comes through, it is money in the bank.

 

[lulugirl]

I don't blame anyone for trying to get the the discount but if you are given it in error then it's taken away...tough.
I agree w/ the previous poster...book what you can afford.

 

[CathrynRose]

I think Disney should be like Vegas and reward people who go often with better deals!

I couldnt agree more.

I (and a TON of us) drop a LOT of money at WDW. If you take away the numerous times I went as a child, and only consider when i made the plans myself, Ive been going for 11 years - and do you know, I have NEVER gotten a post card win a PIN code, ever ever ever??

Thats ridiculous, IMO.

 

[goofy!]

I think Disney should be like Vegas and reward people who go often with better deals!

That is exactly why we have stopped staying on Disney property and now stay at the Universal resorts and drive to Disney.

With all my stays at the Poly concierge, we have never been rewarded with a code, a pin, or even a postcard to say thanks

Yet, because we have stayed at Universal several times, we are now platinum. The last two times I stayed at the Portofino, we were guaranteed an upgrade to a suite. We had 2 deluxe bedrooms, 3 full baths - two that were 5 piece baths (separate shower and tub, double sinks), a living room, a dining room with a table that sits 10, a "pantry" with a fridge, sink and microwave, and over 1700 sq feet in a AAA 4* hotel. All for the price of the cheapest garden view room, with the AAA discount to boot.

Needless to say, when our family had a reunion at the Beach Club over Thanksgiving, we told our family we would meet them at Disney. Couldn't give up our huge suite for a single room at the Beach club.

I would love to stay at Disney again, but can't justify paying for a single room when I can have a guaranteed suite for less money.

As for the original topic - I think it would be naive to think the marketing execs don't realize these codes are being shared via the power of the internet. That said, if a code requires some sort of proof of validity and you could not produce it, then you should not be upset if you cannot fulfill the terms of the code and it disappears.

 

[Belle0101]

I personally would not try to take advantage of something I was not entitled to. No matter if it were a room code, AAA discount, senior citizen discount ... if I don't qualify then I don't try to talk my way into.

My sister's DH offered me a job with the company he works for. He is in charge of hiring and even gauranteed me the job - 20 hours a week, set my own hours, $10 an hour. Sounds great! The catch? I don't qualify for the job because we're family. No thanks, I'd be too paranoid I'd get caught and then we'd both be fired.

On the other hand though, if you were a person who consistently took advantage of things you were not qualified for .....

i.e., My cousin has a handicap tag for her van for when she takes her dad, who does not live with her, out on his errands. She however is not handicapped and uses it all the time, including when her dad is not with her. Her reasoning? "They gave it to me so I may as well use it." IMO, that's abuse. When she does not have her dad with her she just took a handicap spot from someone who really did need that spot.

So, to finish my point, if you were a person who regularly took advantage of things you did not qualify for and then had it taken it away, I imagine you (not you the OP, but a "you" in general) would get indignant over it and try to justify it.

And I also so much wish Disney would reward repeat customers. I've been once in the 80's and then every year since 2001. I've spent too much money at the Disney store, charged too much on my Disney Visa and yet ... nothing. I don't see that changing for the simple fact that Disney already knows they are getting my money, essentially old money, they can pretty much count on it, and they are looking to get new (read: more) money to further increase profits.

 

[undertheradar]

Couldn't agree more in rewarding repeat customers. We used to go every year and were most comfortable at The Disney Inn- now Shades of Green. There is no place on Disney property that feels the same to us. Now we live on the West coast and frequent DL and resort room prices are very high here. When calling for discounts, the DL reservationists require proof of eligibility when making the reservation. With so many rooms at WDW, it is becoming more a game of people trying to "beat the sytem" by applying discounts they do no qualify for or were in the group that Disney marketed to. We prefer to stay offsite and earn frequent stay rewards from hotel chains, as the Disney rates for our family of five(Kids are 8,10 and 16) are too expensive in relation to offsite options of equal ammenities. For all of our years of travel to WDW, we were never extended an upgrade, a pin code rate, a redeemable postcard rate - we received one for a property that we exceeded room occupancy on and did not have a corresponding rate at a room that would, or anything that went beyond what we paid for. In our stays at DL, we have been upgraded 4X out of the 6X we have stayed there. The DCL upgraded us the only time we sailed with them, so I guess that we just don't qualify at WDW.

 

[ziggystardust]

Normally I wouldn't be upset but here's my situation. I saw the thread yesterday about the code I called to see if I had one attached to my name - I have in the past - was just giving it a shot since I was planning on going anyway. The super nice CM I spoke to asked me where I heard about the code, I told him the DIs (never told him the actual code b/c I don't have it). He started pricing out packages, I asked- so I have a code or are you just making this up - and I didn't get a real answer. He did give me the discounted rate though, so I'm under the impression I have a code. Now if I didn't and they decided to charge me rack rate instead- then I'm be more than annoyed.

 

[GurGie]

Thank you Goofy! I think that is what we are going to do from now on. I'm going to book Universal for our next trip if they reward their customers like you say. We have been going to WDW a couple of times a year for a long time and I have never ever gotten a promo or code that wasn't available to the general public. I didn't get this one and I am not one of the folks that the CMs allowed to book without a PIN. I would rather spend my money somewher that values me as a customer.

 

[Aidensmom]

If something was taken away from me that I wasn't entitled to in the first place, no, I would not be upset.

I couldn't even tell you how many times we have been to WDW in the last year, much less in my lifetime, and I have never received a pin code. I have no idea how they choose who to give one to. When we book somewhere to stay, even if that means we usually have to stay at a Value, we do so knowing we can afford full price, and then if a FL resident or AP discount code comes out for that date, we will apply it and see it as a bonus savings.

If we can't find a rate we can afford onsite, we stay offsite, and some of the offsite hotels are great at rewarding repeat customers. I got a discount code for today for the one we just stayed at this weekend because I filled out a survey online regarding our stay. I do agree that it would be nice if Disney would do this kind of thing too.

 

[goofy!]

Thank you Goofy! I think that is what we are going to do from now on. I'm going to book Universal for our next trip if they reward their customers like you say. We have been going to WDW a couple of times a year for a long time and I have never ever gotten a promo or code that wasn't available to the general public. I didn't get this one and I am not one of the folks that the CMs allowed to book without a PIN. I would rather spend my money somewher that values me as a customer.

Just remember to sign up for your Loews First card so that you can start earning those points. It is free. www.loewsfirst.com

It is a great perk. We are going to DL in March and are going to stay at the Loews Santa Monica Beach resort for a few days. It is our first time staying in a Loews Hotel other than one of the Universal resorts. Again, because we are Platinum Loews (strictly on our Universal stays) we were guaranteed an upgrade to an Ocean Front suite from their cheapest room with the AAA discount applied.

I love Disney and used to be one of the biggest Disney Snobs. When I first started posting here, I would never have even contemplated ditching Disney. But I got tired of being a frequent flier and not being recognized for it. In just 2 years of stays at Universal, my family is now treated like royalty. In November, when we checked in, because the system flagged we were Platinum, the check-in person told us to wait a minute. She made a quick phone call and the manager came out to greet us. Made a huge fuss over us and how he was so glad that we decided to return to Universal. Spoke rather loudly to the bellhop (so everybody in line could hear) that we were Platinum members and VIP guests and that he was to take our luggage to one of the Villa Suites.

It was almost embarrasing the way they fawned over us. But it did insure one thing - My money would return to Universal rather than Disney.

 

[Acklander]

No i wouldn't.
What I AM annoyed about is that there is no rhyme or reason to how people are sent codes. I would LOVE one. It would allow us to stay at a Deluxe during our next trip rather than a moderate. I think Disney should be like Vegas and reward people who go often with better deals!

I think Disney is slowly working there way towards rewarding repeat customers - The free dining was offered first to guests who were staying at Disney. I realize that was just a pilot program - but it's a head in the right direction.

 

[rt2dz]

I think Disney reverting people who used a code they were not authorized to use back to the original rate is fair. Although, the person should be notified when it is done rather than the "surprise" when showing up to pay.

What I want to know is why on earth do I get all these GREAT email codes and these even fantastic, way better snail mail postcard codes, BUT NEVER FOR WHEN WE CAN GO!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, but they are useless to me when we can't go during the times offered--it's more infuriating than if we were never sent one. And I'm also afraid they'll quit sending them to me if I never use them.