Complaints...AP Codes

[ms.ojo]

First off, I don't think that it is possible any longer to book more than one resort for the same time frame, unless you are booking it for different people, so I doubt that is leading to fewer discounted rooms.

Second, a person that buys an AP to get the room rate, even if purchased after the room is booked, is just as much a "valid passholder" as the person that has the AP in their hand when they're dialing CRO. Disney obviously doesn't mind, so why should I?

Third, why do people care why other people buy APs? Is it really anyone else's business whether a family buys an AP for a room discount or for year long admissions? I don't think so.

And finally, I can't believe the way people are upset about what other people are paying for a hotel room. Who cares? If you got a room you like for a price you are willing to pay, why does it matter if the family in the room next to you paid less because they bought a child's AP for a discount? What impact does that have on you?

VERY well said

 

[disneyfreakjackie]

First off, I don't think that it is possible any longer to book more than one resort for the same time frame, unless you are booking it for different people, so I doubt that is leading to fewer discounted rooms.

Second, a person that buys an AP to get the room rate, even if purchased after the room is booked, is just as much a "valid passholder" as the person that has the AP in their hand when they're dialing CRO. Disney obviously doesn't mind, so why should I?

Third, why do people care why other people buy APs? Is it really anyone else's business whether a family buys an AP for a room discount or for year long admissions? I don't think so.

And finally, I can't believe the way people are upset about what other people are paying for a hotel room. Who cares? If you got a room you like for a price you are willing to pay, why does it matter if the family in the room next to you paid less because they bought a child's AP for a discount? What impact does that have on you?

I'm with ya!!!

 

[tithonia88]

Hi,
I have an AP that expired in October. I love the benefits of having an AP and I managed to go to WDW three times in the year that I had it.

We are going in June for 7 nights and we want to stay at POFQ. I have the AAA rate of $126.00 a night already booked. When the AP rates came out, I was planning on booking using the AP rate ASSUMING it would be like the rate that I got last year $85.... Well the AP rate this year is $109. The difference in $109 and $126 a night over 7 nights is not a big enough difference to cover the additional cost of the AP over the pass that I would buy to go to the parks... Last year it was well worth it. This year it is to close to commit to... I think that Disney marketing closed the "loop" a little bit with their pricing this year. I think that if you were planning on staying in a Moderate, you really have to look at the AP purchase closely. I don't forsee more than one trip to WDW this year because we are going out to Disneyland in December for that big celebration.

What is my opinion about paying $126 and not $85 like I have done on two different trips at the same resort... Well, it would be nice to pay $85 BUT now refrigerators are standard AND my family will get lots of use out of the extra magic hours at night. We never made it to the parks in time for early openings because we are on Central standard time.

That being said... an email code would be nice (never give up hope)!

All for now. These boards are great.
Tithonia88

 

[Nik's Mom]

I booked my room with ap rate and bought my ap voucher in the same call. I don't see why I should be denied the rate if I I intend to become an ap holder. And I don't see that it's anyones business as to why I chose to buy an ap. I'm coming all the way from California, but if we time our next trip, we could go again just before the ap's expire and get 2 trips in. But even if we were only going for one trip this year, that shouldn't make a difference. Disney's policy is that you must have a valid ap at check in. It doesn't say that you have to have your ap for an x amount of years.

I do want to add that it would be very wrong for someone to book the rate and not have any intention of buying an ap. That is breaking Disney's rules, as far as I know.

I also want to add that I am a Disneyland passholder, and have been for years. But I would never get upset with a new Disneyland ap holder who got a discount and I didn't. But that's my opinion. I'm not trying to start a war or anything.

 

[tigerlilly]

No. Mich quote:
It has no impact on me IF I too was able to secure an AP room rate. However, if I'm sitting next door with 4 AP's in hand and I'm paying full rack rate for my room, I'm irritated!

Our first 3 on-site trips we paid full rack rate. In our first moderate stay, first day, we took the bus to MK. I chatted with a very nice lady about the CSR we were all staying at for the first time. When she mentioned what she paid for her room, I turned beet red telling her my rack rate! Her rate was booked by a friend and she didn't even know how.

This is the affect it has on me. Until that time, I had assumed the AP room discounts were just a hook Disney used to get people to buy AP's and they probably only offered less than a dozen at each resort. Now, I know better. I'm trying to play their game like everyone else. When they e-mail a so-called special offer, now I know it's not special, it's not actually an advance offer as stated, and it's not only for current Ap holders as it states. It's actually available for anyone able who requests it first. I understand your point of view, I hope you can see mine.
*********

I understand your point but like you have said it is a game. That is why the more I read these threads the more frustrated I get planning a trip to WDW. I say offer no discounts and level the playing field for everyone...Disney should place the rate on the the room at the price they are willing to take and just live with it. IF you want an AP for multiple trips then you will get one whether Disney offers discounts or not. Just think all the people who are upset because someone gets a discount with only one AP per room would no longer have to be upset because NO one would get a discount...no emails, no pins, no postcards, no codes, no AP's, no second cousins of my brothers wife's babysitter.

 

[*Fantasia*]

What I want to know is:

When do the discounts for Short, Blonde, Near-sighted Grandmotherly People come out?



Happy Almost-Friday!

Ha ha ha... What about any discounts for those who are "WANNA BE" Hula dancers?!! When is that code going to come out?

 

[MegaDisney]

Well, I am also one of the hooligans who booked the AP rate without having the AP in hand. We are going this April, and also in December, so of course I am going to buy the AP. In addition, I may also be able to convince DH to take yet a third trip in a year, for April 06 (having the AP will make it easier for me to convince him- just like Disney wants!). I got off my butt and spent 30 minutes on hold, and worked just as hard as anyone else who got an AP rate. For those of you who are upset that you did not get one, why is this my fault? As others have said- buying the AP soley for resort discounts is a risky deal. They are not guaranteed. I was planning on buying an AP simply because of the number of nights I will be at WDW in the next year. The fact that I got an AP rate at my resort is just gravy for me.

 

[keith-atl]

I was able to get my ap rate for 22nd to 30th with no problem I called around 11am since I over slept heh. The discount wasnt as good as it has been in the past but it was still slightly better than the AAA rate. Ofcourse I was going regardless if I got my AP rate at all since my AP pass will expire in May we wanted to get one more trip in before we get new APs this september. Now we have decided to just rent a DVC Beach Club for a week in September and not really stress about AP rates.

 

[MagicKingdom05]

MegaDisney,

I'm with you on this issue. I did the same thing. I knew that I would be at WDW in Feb, May and possibly one other time, but definately Feb and May. Since I would be there atleast 15 days, there was no question that I would get an AP. It just happens that there were still AP rates available for my Feb trip and I was able to get an AP rate for my May trip. If I couldn't have gotten either, I would have stuck to my AAA rate, still gotten an AP and still would have had just as much fun. Once your at the parks, who cares if you have MYW tickets or an AP pass, your there to have fun.

 

[BuckNaked]

It has no impact on me IF I too was able to secure an AP room rate. However, if I'm sitting next door with 4 AP's in hand and I'm paying full rack rate for my room, I'm irritated!

Our first 3 on-site trips we paid full rack rate. In our first moderate stay, first day, we took the bus to MK. I chatted with a very nice lady about the CSR we were all staying at for the first time. When she mentioned what she paid for her room, I turned beet red telling her my rack rate! Her rate was booked by a friend and she didn't even know how.

This is the affect it has on me. Until that time, I had assumed the AP room discounts were just a hook Disney used to get people to buy AP's and they probably only offered less than a dozen at each resort. Now, I know better. I'm trying to play their game like everyone else. When they e-mail a so-called special offer, now I know it's not special, it's not actually an advance offer as stated, and it's not only for current Ap holders as it states. It's actually available for anyone able who requests it first. I understand your point of view, I hope you can see mine.

I wish I could see your point of view, but I can't. Why not? Because I don't give a flip about what other people are paying for their rooms. I know what my limit is, and if I can get what I want for what I'm willing to pay, I honestly don't care that someone else might be paying less. Do I love to get a code and save a few bucks? Absolutely!! But I certainly wouldn't begrudge anyone else a discount simply because I couldn't get it.

 

[MagicKingdom05]

BuckNaked,

Yep. If someone else gets a good rate and I can't, congrats to them and I will just stay onsite at a resort I can afford. I basically use the AP rate as a way to upgrade to a nicer resort.

 

[Nik's Mom]

BuckNaked,

Yep. If someone else gets a good rate and I can't, I will just stay onsite at a resort I can afford. I basically use the AP rate as a way to upgrade to a nicer resort.

That is exactly what we do. If money is an issue, we book a moderate, then upgrade if codes come out. In our WL trip, we booked it back in the Disney club days with a nice discount. I miss those days.

 

[donnajon]

I got AP rates for Value Resort and I don't have a validated pass yet because I don't need it yet. I'm going in June for 10 days, a weekend in Sept., a weekend in Feb. and again next May. Why should I have to have a validated AP now to get a room discount in June. I don't need my AP until June. Would going to Disney and activating a pass months early to prove they are serious about it really be realistic? That just doesn't make any sense to me.

 

[Mr.MouseFan]

Well, this is how it worked out for me:

Option #1:
6 nights at Pop = $663 and change
7 day Park Hopper pass= $220
Total $883

Bottom line, 7 days and 6 nights only.

Option #2
6 nights at Pop with AP discount = $495
Adult Annual Pass +tax = $420
Total = $915

So, for $32 more, I'm getting my original 7 days, 6 nights PLUS, I'm now able to come back as many times as I can within the next year! To me, that's a deal! Disney's not dumb...there's a reason they let people book without actually having a pass! For me, the AP discount on the room allows me to actually buy the AP. And now, instead of one trip every year to year and a half, I'll be making more than one trip within the next year, which means I'll be spending more in their shops and restaurants. Without being able to book a discount, I would have never even considered buying an AP.

Now I know what some will say..."When general codes come out, you can just switch". Yes, I can, but why would I? Usually, general codes are higher than the AP rates. Why would I pay more for, essentially, the same thing?

I hope this all made some sort of sense...LOL (and besides, if I don't make it back within a year, Disney still made $32 more on the deal.)

 

[MickeySP]

I don't care if you get a better rate when you book as long as you have a valid AP when you check in. You have to show a AAA card to get their rate, you have to show AP for restaraunt discounts so you should have to provide one for rooms upon check-in.

Also why are DL and WDW so different, to get an AP rate in DL you HAVE to have a valid AP number attached to the ressie. You also don't have to leave a deposit just a valid CC number. Maybe they should think about making one policey for all parks.

Otherwise why should I play be ANY of Disney's rules for anything else.

 

[northern michigan]

I tried to get a AAA rate in 2003. If they would have put one on hold for me, I would have immediately joined AAA to secure the reservation. CRO wouldn't even tell me if there were any AAA room rates available on property without my providing them my membership number right then and there. I would have had to join and then take my chances as to whether or not I could use it for a discount room rate.

 

[BuckNaked]

I tried to get a AAA rate in 2003. If they would have put one on hold for me, I would have immediately joined AAA to secure the reservation. CRO wouldn't even tell me if there were any AAA room rates available on property without my providing them my membership number right then and there. I would have had to join and then take my chances as to whether or not I could use it for a discount room rate.

I don't know why Disney requires it with AAA and not with AP, but it could be because Disney makes exactly $0 when you join AAA. On the other hand, if you book an AP rate and then buy an AP to show at check-in, Disney has made a couple of bucks from you.

I've always had my AP in hand when I check in, but I've never been asked to show it. I agree that the guest should have the AP or voucher available when they check in, but other than that, I don't see any reason to change the current system.

 

[allerednicmom]

I get frustrated over codes and discounts because a few years back I was sitting at the pool of a disney deluexe resort and someone brought up the rates and I was feeling pretty shafted that I had paid a few hundred more a night so now I do my homework before I book this vacation next month we are staying at the beach club two nights then switching to the swan for 4 nights ap rates at beach club nurse rate at swan but the moving with two kids is gonna be a pain