Changes ahead for 2008 room bookings!!

[Lewisc]

It took me a while to figure it out.

Some posters and CMs claim the GF got screwed by the rating services. They claim the problem is non-guest access to the hotel--monorail.

The truth is Disney looked at what it would cost to make the GF a 4 or 5* hotel. Staffing levels would have to be increased. Lots of other things that would cost money. Disney found they could charge deluxe prices for a deluxe themed hotel. No reason to spend the $$$ to actually make it a deluxe resort.

The sad thing is that's exactly what Disney did.

I LOVE THIS!! ! I finally understand the GF!!! It's just a "theme" (and of course Disney has "themed" the prices to match the theme!)

 

[luna99]

I LOVE THIS!! ! I finally understand the GF!!! It's just a "theme" (and of course Disney has "themed" the prices to match the theme!)

lmao. That is pretty hilarious.. never though to of it that way.. but if there is one thing disney is great at, it's fantasy.

 

[CarolA]

I know what you are saying but check your math... 3% would be $2060... what you have is 30%.

What I expect is for Disney to announce an average rate increase of about 5% or so. Those who do a long weekend... say Fri - Mon will see more than 5% while those that go for a week will see a little bit less that 5%.

Between this change and the change to the My Way tickets it seems that Disney is penalizing those that go for shorter stays. The difference in price between a 5 day and 10 day ticket is not that much. Those that do a lot of quick weekend trips (say two 3-day and one 4-day weekend) will pay more than those that do a 10 day trip once a year or so (as long as the 10 days only falls over 1 weekend).

OPPS (and I am an accountant LOL!)

 

[deide71]

Well this is amazing.

Six pages of whining for (A) a rumor and (B) something you have NO idea if it will really impact you finanically. Let's say the weekends are MORE, if the weekedays are LESS how do you KNOW right now that Disney is out to get you?

IF right now a week at your Disney hotel of choice (Friday-Friday) costs $2,000 and you expect a small increase next year (lets go with 3%) then as long as a WEEK next year costs $2,600 you are no worse off. Until you see the numbers you won't know (not that the DIS will stop whining LOL!)

IMHO Disney had already "overpriced" thier "Deluxe" resorts to the point of "I can't believe folks are paying that" and yet they keep paying... (Sorry, but Disney "Deluxe" and the industry standards are NOT compatible LOL! Disney flunks in everything but location and IMHO it's not worth that premium) So while I hear the whining the truth is that a lot of you were gladly paying Disney MORE then the standard for the hotel you were receiving before??? I somehow doubt a small increase is going to drive you off.

And there is no need to "write", "petition" etc. If you don't like the room rates, vote with your pocketbook. That speaks a lot louder then writing and complaining and then booking the room anyway LOL!

Might wanna check your math there Carol.

3% of 2000 is 60 not 600. That would be 30%.

Now back to your regularly scheduled bicker-fest!

Sorry, looks like someone else was posting when I did...

 

[Deb & Bill]

So, Disney has been giving away food on the DDP, been giving away days at the park once you extend your ticket for next to nothing, turning a blind eye to people reusing mugs even though the policy is a new mug each trip, upgrading people from value resorts to deluxe DVC villas, and people are complaining about Disney ripping them off??

I've been using DVC points on the weekend for years. Just average them out over the length of the stay and it's not much of anything. Do the same with your price increases over the weekend. We just got back from a trip for 8 nights, three of which were weekend nights. It used 308 points. That's why we bought the points, to use them.

 

[minnie61650]

This is why we will continue to rent DVC points. We just spent Memorial Day Weekend at the BCV for $150/night.....we had to stay at POP for 1 night and that was $120/night and NO WHERE even close to BCV. For only $30 more a night we had a beautiful studio room with a fridge/kitchen area, awesome pool, and more. Whereas at the POP, we did get a food court....but the mass of screaming children and hearing toilets flushing at all hours of the night/morning....I don't think we will be returning there for $120/night!

The loud Turbo toilets are at the newer resorts. The Values, AKL and SSR have the Turbo toilets.

Tip: Close your bathroom door at night because noise travels through the plumbing.

Have fun at Disney!

 

[Joan1]

So, Disney has been giving away food on the DDP, been giving away days at the park once you extend your ticket for next to nothing, turning a blind eye to people reusing mugs even though the policy is a new mug each trip, upgrading people from value resorts to deluxe DVC villas, and people are complaining about Disney ripping them off??

I've been using DVC points on the weekend for years. Just average them out over the length of the stay and it's not much of anything. Do the same with your price increases over the weekend. We just got back from a trip for 8 nights, three of which were weekend nights. It used 308 points. That's why we bought the points, to use them.

Well said

 

[CarolA]

The loud Turbo toilets are at the newer resorts. The Values, AKL and SSR have the Turbo toilets.

Tip: Close your bathroom door at night because noise travels through the plumbing.

Have fun at Disney!

I close my bathroom at ALL hotels at night. It's not just Disney. Just last week I was treated to a great "opera" while in the bathroom. Some man near me REALLY liked to sing LOL! (I bet he didn't know I could hear!) This was at a Marriott, not a Disney hotel.

 

[Bete]

Sorry, but you'll see the same thing at offsite hotels too... Offsite hotels charge more on weekends, charge more during holidays, etc. If anything, Disney rooms may have been a bargain compared to other offsite hotels on some holidays/weekends.

If anything, Disney was doing everyone a favor by keeping prices the same across the weekends...

There are too many resorts in Orlando, Kissimee, etc. to ever worry about their rates being higher on weekends or weekdays, etc. than Disney. It's always cheaper off-site considering same level accomodations; it's just not as convenient if you want to be at Disney parks to stay offsite. Also, the Disney experience is nicer if you do all things Disney to stay on-site.

Everyone is worried about weekend rates, but this new policy sounds like it will affect any special prime time. We will even be competing with golf tournaments, conventions, etc. If there's a big convention at Disney, you can believe you will be paying top dollar during that time period to stay on-site.

I still like the Disney parks well enough to go back, but I can skip the Disney resort real easy if there's a good enough savings to stay off-site. I'm a believer in entertainment coupon books, priceline, etc. and I'll be checking resort rates off-site when this all hits. Disney will lose my table service meal for sure under this new pricing structure. There will be no reason to stick around for dinner there if I'm staying off-site.

By the way, this starts around June 23 even though it's not effective until Jan 2008. So, we will know shortly how this is going to all work.

I would strongly suggest doing some cost planning and see what your trip would cost now and compare when the time comes even if the dates are not exactly right to make the comparisons for the exact days in question. Use the same days like Saturday to Saturday or if you have a holiday compare it to a holiday time, etc.

Also, if you can book right now for next year I would do it before June 23 if you have plans on a vacation. If the rates are better later, you should be able to switch it. Keep in mind, I'm sure Disney will be incorporating a charge for changing ressies in this new program way beyond the 45 day window, now.

Thanks to all of you that are willing to pay the higher prices for the resort. You will help the rest of us enjoy the parks; because, you will be helping Disney profits, etc. Do you realize if it's going to be truly supply and demand at Disney that a day like New Years Eve could cost you well over a thousand at a deluxe? I see certain day rates like 4th of July going through the roof.

 

[Disney8704]

Its only perfectly natural for Disney to start charging more for the weekends. Thats how MOST if not all other hotels do it. First its the DDP dropping the tips and now the raise of the hotel prices. Whats next? If Disney keeps this up, shorter lines for us all, cuz people will start taking their $ to other vacation spots. Bad enough in 2010 Universal will open the HP World, and that alone will draw people to Universal instead of Disney. I hope Disney has a plan and a good one. Its gonna get to the point where if your not DVC Members its gonna be hard to save up for Disney with the raise of prices on tickets, hotels and even food. I hate to see how much its gonna cost to go by 2020

 

[minnie61650]

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".

What if Disney is thinking of only charging higher Friday and Saturday rates for guests who are only booking a weekend stay.

Maybe that is that is what they are considering.

I think guests may be having a hard time booking longer stays because too many locals and DVC'ers are booking weekend only stays at Disney's resorts.

Maybe guests who stay 4 or more nights will not be charged extra for Friday and Saturday.

Let's wait and see before we jump to the wrong conclusion.

JMHO

 

[Geoff_M]

I still like the Disney parks well enough to go back, but I can skip the Disney resort real easy if there's a good enough savings to stay off-site.

It's worth noting that this has always been the case. "Off-site is cheaper than on-site within the same hotel class" is almost a universal fact. I think it's safe to say that the marketing departments of both WDW and the off-site hotels keep a pretty close eye on one another and I think they probably have a pretty good feel for where the "tipping point" is for when a lot of people will move on, or off, site. Given that, you can be assured that the off-site hotels will likely engage in some "revenue enhancement" of their own once WDW sets their rates for 2008.

Also, when the dust settles, it's not going to matter a lot to most people what their room is going to cost them on a Wednesday vs. a Saturday for a long term stay of 5, 7, or more days... what's going to matter is the total bill for the stay. That's going to be what a vast majority of people are going to eyeball when deciding between WL and the DTD Hilton. (When I talk to friends and co-workers about "resort hopping" to save some $$$ at WDW, they look at me like I'm an alien.)

Lastly, the change dropping the "rate at check-in is the rate for your stay" policy is disappointing, but let's be honest... that was a "perk" that defied logic. How WDW allowed people to slide into a resort the day before the rates went from Value to Peak for Christmas season and gave them that rate for the whole stay was mind boggling to me. Nice, yes, but rational? (when the family in the next room was likely paying ~60% more for the same night), no. That's the stuff of airline ticket pricing systems! That policy also didn't make sense in the reverse direction. It cost WDW some revenue from my family one year when we were there from 12/31 until 1/7 in 2003/4(?). We didn't dare set foot in a WDW resort until after the Peak season was over, lest we get nailed with the peak rate for our whole week. So we stayed off-site until it was "safe" to venture onto the property. If we'd only have had to pay the peak price for one night, we probably would have just stayed on-site for the whole trip.

 

[taximomfor4]

Its only perfectly natural for Disney to start charging more for the weekends. Thats how MOST if not all other hotels do it.

Everyone keeps saying this...but I priced bunches of WDW-area hotels (I'm pathetic, wasting my free-time this way, lol), and didn't find a single one yet that charges more for Fri/Sat nights. Can someone who knows of some WDW-area hotels that does this please post an example of the price differences? I would think WDW would structure their own difference to be similar to hotels in the same market.

 

[Geoff_M]

From Travelocity: Nick Family Suites: 7/11 - 7/17

Two Bedroom Family Suite with Bunk Beds Non Smoking Non Refundable
7/11 - Wed $243.01
7/12 - Thur $243.01
7/13 - Fri $306.01
7/14 - Sat $306.01
7/15 - Sun $252.01
7/16 - Mon $252.01

 

[marivaid]

Dream Villas of Orlando July 11-18


Wednesday 07/11/2007 $109.00
Thursday 07/12/2007 $109.00
Friday 07/13/2007 $149.00
Saturday 07/14/2007 $149.00
Sunday 07/15/2007 $109.00
Monday 07/16/2007 $109.00
Tuesday 07/17/2007 $109.00

And they have a 7-day minimum policy which means you WILL pay the premium price for every stay.

Though I gotta say, $149 a night for a 4-bedroom villa is very hard to resist if you go with a large group of people.

 

[Cruiser1969]

Lastly, the change dropping the "rate at check-in is the rate for your stay" policy is disappointing, but let's be honest... that was a "perk" that defied logic. How WDW allowed people to slide into a resort the day before the rates went from Value to Peak for Christmas season and gave them that rate for the whole stay was mind boggling to me. Nice, yes, but rational? (when the family in the next room was likely paying ~60% more for the same night), no.

I knew I should have booked that vacation last December while the getting was still good!!

I agree with this poster's comments . . . this type of Christmas vacation(value into peak season) is insane with the existing policy. It was a matter of time before Disney stopped allowing this happen!

 

[Quinn222]

I've never even considered staying off property but since we only live two hours away all our trips are three or four night weekends. If I'm to be penalized for then I suppose I'll have to start looking off site.

 

[michelesobo]

One of the PP mentioned that Disney turns a blind eye to people reusing their mugs..

Well, when I bought my mug- it was sold as free refills as long as you bring your mug! I have since packed it and brought it with me every year. They can't change the policy AFTER I buy the mug. Sorry Disney- you are not winning this battle with me! I only have maybe two sodas a trip anyways. I am sure that will not put them in the poor house.

It has always been cheaper to stay offsite. I sometimes do, but I would rather stay at a WDW hotel.

Michele

 

[CarolA]

Let's wait and see before we jump to the wrong conclusion.

JMHO

It's the DIS.... Jumping to conclusions and assuming that Disney is a charity that loves us are standard behavior!

 

[chasgoose]

Lastly, the change dropping the "rate at check-in is the rate for your stay" policy is disappointing, but let's be honest... that was a "perk" that defied logic. How WDW allowed people to slide into a resort the day before the rates went from Value to Peak for Christmas season and gave them that rate for the whole stay was mind boggling to me. Nice, yes, but rational? (when the family in the next room was likely paying ~60% more for the same night), no. That's the stuff of airline ticket pricing systems! That policy also didn't make sense in the reverse direction. It cost WDW some revenue from my family one year when we were there from 12/31 until 1/7 in 2003/4(?). We didn't dare set foot in a WDW resort until after the Peak season was over, lest we get nailed with the peak rate for our whole week. So we stayed off-site until it was "safe" to venture onto the property. If we'd only have had to pay the peak price for one night, we probably would have just stayed on-site for the whole trip.

I agree completely. For example if I wanted to go to the Poly this Christmas in a garden view room. If I checked in on 12/19 instead of 12/20, I would save $190 per night and conversely, if I checked in on 12/31 instead of 01/01/2008 I would pay $190 more a night!

I always thought this loophole was just inefficiency on Disney's part that they allowed that to happen for whatever reason. We have all known that Disney's reservations software has left A LOT to be desired. It's not greed so much as upgrading their reservations software to accomodate stays with different per night rates over a long stay.