Cancelling Dining Plan - In Protest

[DAZY3BYZ]

I've cleaned this thread up.. argumentative and off-topic posts have been removed.

I think what everyone has issues with ... is the CSR roulette game that can garner a PIN discount whether or not a given person has actually received that offer via their account.

While others can call and call and call and get nothing but no's and rude CM's on the phone annoyed with all the people calling repeatedly. Why do folks do that? Because Disney has taught us that if we do.. occasionally we get rewarded.. just like a slot machine ... or roulette.

Disney can develop a better system. They can and they should.

This one clearly engenders bad feelings and ill-will among their customers ... who can and do communicate this through this and many other message boards on the internet.

If the customer's couldn't communicate on a grand scale, something like this PIN system would work fine. But they can and it doesn't.

Knox

Exactly!! Well said!! Disney created this pin monster and they really should fix it. We have used a pin or code for every trip, except our first since we didn't know any better. A pin does make the difference for whether this family of 5 "adults" can afford Disney or not. The random nature of the pins just creates ill-will. They can and they should fix this system.

 

[dismommom]

A Friend just booked for the end of April Beginning of May. She was told to watch a general offer was coming out March 1st. We can oly hope it's true

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

I am going to throw my 2 cents into this ring ..
I have said this before and I will say it again.. Disney doesn't care about us.. U know the ones that continue to go back year after year cause we are already addicted.. They want new blood. They want the non-disers who have no idea what a pin code or fd is.. I think Disney will continue to offer discounts, but as long as they are fillings rooms and parks without them then I believe the discounts will become less and less.. I have been going since I was 7 but it wasn't until I had my son in 2006 and subsequently booked my trip in 2008 that I became aware of Disney boards/ discounts.. I was receiving pins every 3 months or so.. But haven't received 1 in about 8 months..
I booked my April trip without a discount but was lucky enough to get the public one and apply it to my ressies..
I will redially admit this.. We go on vacation not because we can afford it, but because life is too short and we choose to spend our money on a week of Disney as opposed to spending it on upgrading something in our house etc.. We are probably in the minority but cancer at 38 puts things into perspective for you.

 

[kazfloyd]

I have booked our reservation for August with a 30% off pin. I was excited to receive a new pin yesterday for free quick service dining for August dates. However, when I called to use the pin, there was no availabilty at our current booked resort, POR or anywhere for a family of including the suites. I could only book the cabins for an extra $1500. Or I could book 2 rooms at POR. Um, no thank you, I will stick with my present one. A little bummed to send me out a pin and I call instantly and it is not applicable because we are a family of 5.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

I have booked our reservation for August with a 30% off pin. I was excited to receive a new pin yesterday for free quick service dining for August dates. However, when I called to use the pin, there was no availabilty at our current booked resort, POR or anywhere for a family of including the suites. I could only book the cabins for an extra $1500. Or I could book 2 rooms at POR. Um, no thank you, I will stick with my present one. A little bummed to send me out a pin and I call instantly and it is not applicable because we are a family of 5.

Wow, so they couldn't apply that pin to your current package and there is no availability at all those other resorts for August this early in the year? This concerns me because I wonder if I go ahead and book a MYW package for late August in hopes of free dining being offered that I could experience what you are experiencing if I request that the offer be applied to my already booked package. I also wonder if Disney really has been able to fill a lot of rooms without public discounts for this time frame and if that will be a sign of what, if any, promos are offered for that time.

 

[Bete]

We have stayed at every level of Disney resort and we have over 40 trips done across 25 years.

We prefer taking two, Disney value resort vacations than one grand one at a deluxe. We are not in our room much and we don't want to swim, either. We want the parks! Hand in hand, I want a free dining pin or public code for it if Disney is going to convince me of staying onsite. We have done about 8 trips with free dining and I'm hooked. Without it, I won't even stay on site anymore. I paid for a regular TS dining plan once when it was cheaper and included appetizer and tip. We paid because we got a very good discount for a deluxe and we treated ourselves that way and the DP back when had better value even if you did pay for it.

The extra magic hours for staying on-site just don't seem that exciting anymore. The Disney theming is not that appealing anymore, either. Once you have seen it; you have seen it. I want real value and I'm not feeling it anymore with Disney.

Last year we even skipped Disney and went to Williamsburg, Va. and Pigeon Forge, TN for Dollywood and the Smokies. There's life beyong Disney for a vacation.

I'm looking into a Disney trip for this December and I can get a 2 BR, 2 bath, kitchen, LR, and 3 TVs for less than a Disney moderate. The money difference will pay for another meal either QS at Disney or a better meal offsite. The offsite resort includes a good hot breakfast and 3 days of the week they serve an evening reception with wine and beer and snacks. I'll be under 5 miles away. We prefer using our car; we have someone in a wheelchair and someone in a scooter, now; so, even Disney transportation is not a perk.

I am considering an annual pass for Disney and getting the TIW dining card. We won't have to pay for parking that way and we get 20% off our entire bill (including appetizers and drinks) if we eat TS.

Between the price increase in DPs and the lack of free dining so far for the end of the year I have changed the way we will be doing Disney this year.

I'm still early with our plans and free dining could still come along for us, but I'm not even sure then that I will change my mind about it. I just like the idea of getting a bigger resort room for less.

With the MK expansion and the new value AOA resort opening up Disney is enjoying some increased interest at the moment, but that will fade.

 

[mommyrosa2]

Wow, so they couldn't apply that pin to your current package and there is no availability at all those other resorts for August this early in the year? This concerns me because I wonder if I go ahead and book a MYW package for late August in hopes of free dining being offered that I could experience what you are experiencing if I request that the offer be applied to my already booked package. I also wonder if Disney really has been able to fill a lot of rooms without public discounts for this time frame and if that will be a sign of what, if any, promos are offered for that time.

This actually happens more often than not. The last two years, we booked a package with a discount pin code we received and then when FD came out later in the year, the CM's wouldn't allow us to apply the FD promo stating that there was no availability at our resort for the category we had originally booked. Last year, we had to upgrade to a GV room from a Std Vw at the BC in order to advantage of the FD GP offer. This year, we've booked the BC, GV in August using a 30% pin code we got. If FD comes out, I'd like to give up my 30% pin code and take the FD as it would save me more money, however, I'm also coming to terms that if FD doesn't come out for our week, we're still getting a decent deal with our current pin code and that does include us adding the dining plan. I've done my math over and over, and even paying for the basic DP, we our saving money for our family of 4 based on where we will be dining. I do though believe FD will come out in August but based on historical data, my bet is that it will start later in the month...JMO

 

[kazfloyd]

Wow, so they couldn't apply that pin to your current package and there is no availability at all those other resorts for August this early in the year? This concerns me because I wonder if I go ahead and book a MYW package for late August in hopes of free dining being offered that I could experience what you are experiencing if I request that the offer be applied to my already booked package. I also wonder if Disney really has been able to fill a lot of rooms without public discounts for this time frame and if that will be a sign of what, if any, promos are offered for that time.

I am shocked to hear so many rooms filled. I had originally wanted a garden view at POR in the AB section, but could only get river view. I was also surpised to hear all of the suites had been booked. I politely told the CM to cancel my current reservation at POR and rebook the same room with the new pin I had. I am wondering if a lot of people have booked in anticpation of FD being offered and then will cancel later??

 

[mermaidwannabe]

I hear you, OP. We have never considered staying offsite until this year. For the past few weeks, I have almost just booked at an off-site and purchased tickets from Undercover Tourist or YES if it's available, but not quite there yet. Still wanting FD, lol. But it's aggravating!! The waiting, the constant looking on the computer, the stress...yes, I create it I suppose, but I wonder how I'd feel if I'd just book at offsite or even room-only at a mod? Probably would be nice not to spend so much of my energy on wishing and checking for a PIN!

 

[tiki23]

I hear you, OP. We have never considered staying offsite until this year. For the past few weeks, I have almost just booked at an off-site and purchased tickets from Undercover Tourist or YES if it's available, but not quite there yet. Still wanting FD, lol. But it's aggravating!! The waiting, the constant looking on the computer, the stress...yes, I create it I suppose, but I wonder how I'd feel if I'd just book at offsite or even room-only at a mod? Probably would be nice not to spend so much of my energy on wishing and checking for a PIN!