Big Changes to WDW Annual Passholder Resort Discounts

[cobbler]

You hit the nail on the head Ethan's mom. Esp if you go during value season and the AAA rate is 61/night at value or 59/night with AP rates. I would pay that 2/night more to not take that gamble. The difference is only 18/night between AAA and Ap for moderates.

 

[Lewisc]

Oh, yes, the room thing! As the previous poster said, what about larger families who need more than one room?? Sheesh! And for what it's worth, I'm paying rack rate for the Poly August 24-31 and it's only $304 garden view, so that $345 rate is awful!

I guess they figure you're buying an AP because your planning on taking multiple trips so it would make sense for both adults to buy an AP.

Sounds like the plan is being structured to provide discounts to existing AP holders as opposed to being a program to motivate people to buy the minimum (one child AP) just for the discounts.

The biggest problem is we're being asked to make a reservation on spec, not knowing the final rate. The should at least let AP holders book at the AAA rate and hope for further discounts.

 

[BCV23]

Actually, I wouldn't have such a problem with the new system except that the rate currently being offered is rack rate. I'd have to be crazy to pay a nonrefundable deposit to guarantee rack rate when I can get a refundable deposit at AAA rate. I might be willing to consider using the new system if the initial rate being offered at least matched the AAA rate!

I understand what you mean. That is why I said it is a leap of faith for AP holders this first round. Our AP rate has always beaten the AAA rate that I get when I first book (when I remember to do the AAA rate ). I expect that to happen now too. I just won't have to do the AAA rate and then change. I can't imagine the AP rates remaining rack rate. Rather by booking this far out, AP holders will be the ones to get the AP bookings and then when WDW decides what works out best for them, the discounts will be applied.

I thought it was refundable up to 45 days or something like that? Even if it isn't, WDW has in the past let you change a reservation so you could apply it to a future trip. And those with APs always know there will be a future trip.

 

[EthansMom]

I understand what you mean. That is why I said it is a leap of faith for AP holders this first round. Our AP rate has always beaten the AAA rate that I get when I first book (when I remember to do the AAA rate ). I expect that to happen now too. I just won't have to do the AAA rate and then change. I can't imagine the AP rates remaining rack rate. Rather by booking this far out, AP holders will be the ones to get the AP bookings and then when WDW decides what works out best for them, the discounts will be applied.

I thought it was refundable up to 45 days or something like that? Even if it isn't, WDW has in the past let you change a reservation so you could apply it to a future trip. And those with APs always know there will be a future trip.

I guess I don't have faith in corporations to take my money and THEN tell me what price they are going to charge me for their product.

Although the new system states 45 day refundable in one spot, it is stating NONREFUNDABLE in another spot -- also, other info. out clearly states NONREFUNDABLE and the rates being quoted are rack rates with a guarantee of lowest rate offered to the "general public". There hasn't been a discount offered to the "general public" all year!

I do agree that is seems that WDW is trying to reserve the AP rates for loyal AP holders. I don't see any problem with that. But to expect AP holders to pay a nonrefundable deposit to guarantee rack rate is pretty insulting.

If WDW changes the rates listed to AAA rate or better, I'll book my Dec. trip through the new system. Otherwise, I'll stick with what I've got. After all, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush...

Now I'm just waiting for the AAA discounts to be eliminated. My guess is that will be announced next.

 

[cobbler]

Honestly I am hoping this is all going to work out for the better. I am hoping that this cycle will be just like when the new MYW tickets came out. There were a lot of people that weren't happy about having to buy non-expire and having to buy park hopper and in the end, or currently, now that everyone is used to it and sees the benefits we all think its pretty darn good.

I hope this will be a similar situation. I am not willing to take that leap of faith yet. I think they need to get rid of that non-refundable crap and allow booking less than 120 days out with the chance of a discount.

 

[EthansMom]

I hope this will be a similar situation. I am not willing to take that leap of faith yet. I think they need to get rid of that non-refundable crap and allow booking less than 120 days out with the chance of a discount.

I agree.

Or keep the Nonrefundable deposit and make the initial rate the same as AAA rate. I would book that.

 

[SleepingUgly]

The only thing I agree with is that only people who have an AP can book a room with the AP rate. However, I don't think the AP should be activated; a voucher should suffice, so first-time buyers can also take advantage.

The current loophole that allows anyone to book a room with an AP rate -- even if he does not have an AP when booking the room -- needs to be closed, and I should know! I booked a room in May with the AP rate, and honestly intended to purchase one ahead of time. Procrastination got the best of me, and I did not have time to buy one before leaving for our trip, so the plan was to buy one in the park. After all, I needed to show that AP to a CM at the AKL front desk in order to receive the rate, right? Well, guess what? The CM never asked to see my AP and no one ever followed up on that. So I just purchased a 7-day park hopper ticket, thereby saving $200 on the ticket AND saving on the room by booking the AP rate. I figured if they had asked to see my AP, then I would have just upgraded my ticket, but they never did.

I'm sure this has happened to more people than me, so it's definitely time to close this loophole, but again, I can't see why they would require an activated AP, especially if you have to book 120 days in advance. That doesn't make sense at all ...

Linda

 

[cobbler]

I feel sorry for the CM's on the other end of the line when this all starts to go down even more. They are going to have a lot of unhappy people on the other line making their day very long and stressful.

 

[EthansMom]

The only thing I agree with is that only people who have an AP can book a room with the AP rate. However, I don't think the AP should be activated; a voucher should suffice, so first-time buyers can also take advantage.

I agree. If they can doublecheck to make sure that a person has an AP voucher when ordering a DDE card, they should be able to check to make certain that someone saving hundreds of dollars on a room reservation has one too.

 

[BunnieGene]

So is the date of purchase of the voucher the first of your 365 days, or is the day the voucher is activated the first of 365? And if the activation day is the first day, how long do you have to activate it from purchase?

 

[cobbler]

Its the day you activate the voucher. You can hang onto the voucher for as long as you like before you activate it. When I bought my first AP, I bought the voucher in March and activated it in December.

 

[ms.ojo]

Actually, I wouldn't have such a problem with the new system except that the rate currently being offered is rack rate. I'd have to be crazy to pay a nonrefundable deposit to guarantee rack rate when I can get a refundable deposit at AAA rate. I might be willing to consider using the new system if the initial rate being offered at least matched the AAA rate!

I agree! But I also fear, as I posted on the other AP thread...that once this gets going...it will be the only way to GET an AP rate. And as someone else posted...if that rate is only a few $$ less than my booking AAA...I think I'll take the comfort of knowing my rate and booking the AAA rate early. Peace of mind.

 

[BunnieGene]

Thanks cobbler. My AP expires in July...so if I renew it now, I receive a voucher and don't have to activate it until my next trip in October?

 

[EthansMom]

Thanks cobbler. My AP expires in July...so if I renew it now, I receive a voucher and don't have to activate it until my next trip in October?

Nope. That USED to be the case. Now your renewed AP is activated to start immediately after your old AP expires.

 

[BCV23]

I agree. If they can doublecheck to make sure that a person has an AP voucher when ordering a DDE card, they should be able to check to make certain that someone saving hundreds of dollars on a room reservation has one too.

I think they do have that capability now....or at least some CMs do. When I was renewing DS1's AP, I told the CM that it was for .... She said she knew that as his was the only one about to expire.

So maybe it will be $50 off if the party has one AP, $100 off if two have an AP and $150 off if everyone does!! I like that scenario!

And it's not as if you're giving them money without knowing the rack rate.....you just don't know the discount. The discount has always been a perk of the AP not a guaranteed thing. Though if it ends up being less than the AAA rate, I will be disappointed as well.

 

[BunnieGene]

Nope. That USED to be the case. Now your renewed AP is activated to start immediately after your old AP expires.

Oh, I misunderstood. I guess that voucher to activation period is only for new passholders. So...if I let mine expire, how long do I have to wait until I am a "new" passholder again ?

 

[EthansMom]

Oh, I misunderstood. I guess that voucher to activation period is only for new passholders. So...if I let mine expire, how long do I have to wait until I am a "new" passholder again ?

I'm sorry but I'm not sure how long you have to renew. There's a good discount, though, if you do renew instead of letting your AP lapse. And depending upon how this "Passholder Best Rate" thing plays out, you might be better off to have a valid AP (since you can only access the ressie system with a valid AP).

 

[BCV23]

The grace period for renewal has been 30 days...or maybe it is 31.

But things are certainly changing so who knows what will happen next year.

 

[MELSMICE]

I'm wondering if you could book a room at rack rate without applying a discount & then when a discount comes out if you could just rebook another room or.................will they only apply an AP discount to an existing reservation that was made at rack rate?

This is disappointing because I usually have a voucher & activate it before I check in or get an AP right before we check in. I don't want to activate an AP 4 months before I am going to use it. That doesn't many any sense at all.

This is just a bad system for those of us that get the AP's so we can use them numerous times for many trips & like to take advantage of saving a little money on some of the trips.

I do have to say though that many times the CM never asked to see my AP, even if I offered to show it.

ETA - never mind - I answered my first question by re-reading the info on Mousesavers - you MUST book 120 days in advance.

 

[Sammie]

Based on info shared with me from friends at Disney this is my opinion of what has happend.

We have been AP holders for many years. We never bought it expecting anything but unlimited admission to the parks. Anything else was just an added bonus. As long as Disney discounts the rooms more than rack rate, or AAA, etc. it is still the best offer.

As with many things at Disney the wheels to correct problems, abuses, etc are slow to turn, but turn they do. This is a another example.

All those people who got on these forums and stated that AP's were not ever checked when they checked in which easily encourages many to not even buy a pass, all those that booked multiple rooms and never had any plans to keep all of them while they waited on the AP rates to come out, even those that used a child's AP ( even though Disney allowed it) have in some way contributed to these changes. Because even though in the past Disney allowed these situations, they never meant for the Annual Pass room discount to evolve into this. The program has always been a perk for a (current passholder), someone that already has the pass. The Internet changed all that.

So if you want to get angry at someone over this change get angry at those that effected the change not at Disney for making a smart business move.

We will continue to buy our passes for their orginial intention, park admission. If we can get a discounted rate then that will be great.