Think of it as a contract, goofy4tink. If you book 6 nights, you'd expect Disney to have a room for you on all 6 nights. It works the same in reverse. Disney (and pretty much every other hotel company in the world) will want the guest to arrive and depart according to that contract. The contract allows for cancelation by a certain date, but not for modifications.
As for the concept of paying but not showing up two days later, that's not going to work. As a for-profit company, Disney wants someone to actually be in those rooms because those guest will be buying food and other things.
For decades, Disney has been the nice guy by allowing guests to make speculative reservations. They have decided that like every other hotel chain, they aren't going to take a financial loss (by having empty "orphan" rooms) just because guests don't have firm travel dates.
I completely understand. I really do. However, Disney resorts are close to capacity more often than not...just look at the discounts they give nowadays. Not as many, and not nearly the discount as in previous years that saw empty resorts.
I have no issue paying a change fee. But, as far as my being in the room in order to buy stuff? Nope. I don't spend a boatload of spending money at Disney. Pretty much just food, and that's one meal a day.
I tried making this adjustment over a month ago....well before my 30 day window. They system wouldn't allow me to drop those dates. As I got closer to the 30 day window, I got more anxious and decided to call Disney. That got me a massive run around, after hugely long waits on hold. I checked and double checked my reservation paperwork. Nowhere did it state anything about an inability to change my dates, basically to modify the reservation. That's always been possible. Note, I am not talking about adding dates....if there aren't any rooms, then of course you can't add days. But to drop a few nights? Shouldn't be so hard. Charge me a change fee, and move on.
I realize that Disney wouldn't miss the money I spend on resorts over the year....although I am in one for about 30+ days each year! I own DVC and have had an AP for the past 13 years. I can easily stay off-site and just rent a car every single time I go, rather then here and there. I like the feeling I get when staying on-site. But, frankly, I'm getting tired of paying higher and higher room rates (not to mention park pass costs and dining costs), only to find I am not able to modify a reservation, without jumping through hoops. I understand that Disney is more than free to do what they want,, and to change policy at any given time...it's their company, and they can do whatever they like. But, I, as the customer, do not have to vacation there, or stay there, or eat there. I am free to spend my money elsewhere. Don't get me wrong, I'm going to WDW, I have 29 days, booked at WDW, between Nov 1 and Feb 1. But.....I seldom buy any merchandise (the quality has gotten crappy and it's too pricey), and my dining dollars have decreased...no more three meals a day, it's more like one that I pay for and I eat my own food the rest of the time.
And I've started spending some time over at US/IoA...I don't want to spend a week there, but a few days is nice. Especially in their resorts. When I can get Royal Pacific for the same price, or less, than a moderate at WDW? Yeah, I'm heading there. I've even found AP rates there that make it cheaper to stay there, than at a WDW value resort, even if I add in daily parking!!! Go figure.
If Disney had put their new modification policy out there, somewhere, for all to see, perhaps I wouldn't have been so aggravated. But they didn't. And I never got a straight answer from anyone at Disney. That pretty much tells me that nothing is etched in stone yet...I was told I would hear, withing 24 hrs, whether or not they could grant my request. Seriously?? I felt like the Tin Man, talking to the great and powerful OZ!!! And even then it took them 4 days to get back to me. That's my issue.
