Changes ahead for 2008 room bookings!!

[fla4fun]

Allears has a news article for this morning that says there are RUMORS of changes to the Disney reservation system for next year. The changes will be that you are billed per night by the season each night falls into. So no more checking in the last day of value season before Christmas and getting the value rate all the way through. I had read here on the camping board about someone having a problem similar to this for a stay that starts in 2007 and ends in 2008. Has anyone here heard anything regarding this issue?

 

[luvchip]

I just read on another site that Disney is about to make some major changes in their 2008 reservation policies. One of the things that is being proposed is that they will start charging more for rooms on the weekends! Similar to the DVC points system where weekend points are more than mid week rates. I hope this isn't true, but curious to see how this all plays out. Go figure that we are planning a 2008 trip and it sounds like I will have to recalculate my budget.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

http://www.allearsnet.com/news/hnews.htm

Major Changes Coming to Walt Disney World Reservations System

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Major Changes Coming to Walt Disney World Reservations System

Please note the following information is UNofficial and
has not been released by Walt Disney World.
All Ears "hears" it's coming!

Major changes are coming to the hotel reservation system beginning June 23, 2007. At that time, a new program will be instituted for all reservations beginning January 1, 2008. Pricing and rates for 2008 Walt Disney World hotels will become date specific.

Here's how it effects your budget: You will pay a nightly rate based on the season of that date. If you reserve night 1 under the value season and nights 2-5 under peak season, you will no longer be able to maintain the value season rate for the entire reservation.

Premium rates will now be applied for premium dates. A weekend may be considered premium so that friday and saturday night pricing may be higher than sunday - thursday, even if in the same "season".

In theory, you could be paying a different price for each night of your stay.The upside, if there is one, is that you no longer have to split reservations and recheck into your hotel.

No word on how this may effect Annual Passholder rates.

When making room only reservations for 2008 you must specifically ask for the rate for each night otherwise you will just be given a total price for your stay. Package pricing will not be broken down by day.

More details as they become available.

 

[Geoff_M]

That bites.... Another reason for DVC!!!

 

[Alicnwondrln]

That bites....

Yeah I think that might be the consensus

 

[Jillery]

What a headache!

 

[n2mm]

Guess is was bound to happen. Seems to be the practice of lots of other hotels. At least us DVC members are use to the season change issue. Nothing new for us. The higher weekends does bite. Guess Disney has been reading the disboards and saw all of our tips on how to save money. I think the Universal hotels do the higher weekends too. Wonder if they'll enforce a 2 night minimum for weekends also.....oops, lets not give them any other ideas!

 

[vacationwoman]

We just came back from our trip and were so disgusted with numerous things we had just about decided that we wouldn't be going back any time soon. This new info about pricing just reinforces our decision.

 

[ModestMouse]

We just came back from our trip and were so disgusted with numerous things we had just about decided that we wouldn't be going back any time soon. This new info about pricing just reinforces our decision.

Wow. . .sorry you had a bad trip. Dare I ask what happened?

 

[DiznEeyore]

We just came back from our trip and were so disgusted with numerous things we had just about decided that we wouldn't be going back any time soon. This new info about pricing just reinforces our decision.

Oh my goodness ... dare we ask what happened to make you feel that way?

 

[cobbler]

This is exactly how the point system works with DVC, I am surprised Disney hadn't implimented this sooner.

I bet they see a lot of people making their reservations 1-2 days before the next higher season and this is just a way to make more $$.

It will make our 25% cash discount more appealing now with a possible weekend charge increase. Or make us add-on more points to cover the weekends As if we need another excuse. ha ha

SOOOOOOOO glad I have DVC.

 

[boomhauer]

Good - I hope Disney continues down this greed before all other path. They're eventually going to price themselves right out of the market. They'll learn eventually when people reservations drop.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

This is exactly how the point system works with DVC, I am surprised Disney hadn't implimented this sooner.

I bet they see a lot of people making their reservations 1-2 days before the next higher season and this is just a way to make more $$.

It will make our 25% cash discount more appealing now with a possible weekend charge increase. Or make us add-on more points to cover the weekends As if we need another excuse. ha ha

SOOOOOOOO glad I have DVC.

Looks I like need to buy some DVC

 

[dannyh23]

Guess is was bound to happen. Seems to be the practice of lots of other hotels. At least us DVC members are use to the season change issue. Nothing new for us. The higher weekends does bite. Guess Disney has been reading the disboards and saw all of our tips on how to save money. I think the Universal hotels do the higher weekends too. Wonder if they'll enforce a 2 night minimum for weekends also.....oops, lets not give them any other ideas!

Yep! They've finally done what every other major hotel chain has done... it was only a matter of time...

One more reason to be glad we joined DVC... hotel rates seem to only be going up!

 

[Minnie824]

well, the upside....we normally check in on a regular season date, then were in value season, but never got the value season price...now, at least we should.

 

[erikthewise]

Allearsnet says "major changes" but only mentions one change!
I'm surprised it took so long for them to get around to this obvious change.

In principle this change is cost-neutral. Those whose stays transition from more expensive to less will gain, those whose stays transition from less expensive to more will lose. It just ends the "gaming the system". At least now guests can begin their stays whenever they choose without fear of being penalized (or rewarded).

BTW DVC has its own issues regarding weekends and weekdays. And (as cobbler points out) we have ALWAYS paid (via points) for the actual dates we stay, regardless of our checkin date.

 

[Geoff_M]

In principle this change is cost-neutral. Those whose stays transition from more expensive to less will gain

In terms of the change of seasons, but, unless they make the week-day rates cheaper when they jack the costs of week-end rates, that won't be the case for the other aspect of the change. I won't hold my breath on them making Sun-Thurs night stays "cheaper".

 

[mickeyfan2]

This is exactly how the point system works with DVC, I am surprised Disney hadn't implimented this sooner.

I bet they see a lot of people making their reservations 1-2 days before the next higher season and this is just a way to make more $$

Actually I was alway surprised that you could carry the rate from the value to the higher rate season. I have expected this change for a long time.

No so sure about the weekend part. Since Disney tries to get you to stay longer, this might backfire. Now S-Th vacations will become more common.

The weekend rate will help them offset the DVC S-Th then move to a resort for the weekend and then move back less desirable.

 

[Geoff_M]

Since Disney tries to get you to stay longer, this might backfire.

My guess is the move is an attempt at "smoothing" room occupancy across the week. This will incent the "locals" to take some vacation days at work and come mid-week to save some $$$. This was given as the reason given to us that DVC has the week-end premium for points.... They didn't want people in Florida using DVC as a week-end "second home" and clogging up rooms for people that wanted longer stays.

 

[jmkrat]

I am actually glad to see this. I booked at the end of December (Holiday season) but most of my trip will be in value season. I was going to be charged for the Holiday rate even though most of my trip was in the value season. This prompted me to make 2 reservations for 2 separate resorts. I wonder how much more it will be for weekends. Anyone have a guess?