Considering an AP purchase....curious about onsite rates

[abent]

Good morning! I am planning a trip in December, and possibly a trip next year. So an AP is an obvious choice I need to make. I think between the park entry and purchases it will be worth it. However I am finding it hard to find anything about possible onsite rate discounts. Especially for the month of December. I am guessing it is because parks are busy enough, there is no need to offer discounted rates,
Does anyone have any inof that could help me see what rooms rates might look like in December if I were to have an AP?
Thanks in advance!

 

[tarheelalum]

They usually don't offer discount during months that are very crowded and December is probably the most crowded month of the year. Sometimes they do but often they don't. Even when they do offer them they often are not very good.

 

[Geemo]

Good morning! I am planning a trip in December, and possibly a trip next year. So an AP is an obvious choice I need to make. I think between the park entry and purchases it will be worth it. However I am finding it hard to find anything about possible onsite rate discounts. Especially for the month of December. I am guessing it is because parks are busy enough, there is no need to offer discounted rates,
Does anyone have any inof that could help me see what rooms rates might look like in December if I were to have an AP?
Thanks in advance!

Here's is a promotion for Oct 22nd thru Dec 21st 2017. One is for AP guests and the other is not. It was announced on September 6, 2017.
https://www.disboards.com/threads/special-room-promotions-for-oct-22nd-dec-21st-are-out.3632204/
I didn't keep any notes on how much the nightly rate was.

You can watch for one with similar dates to come out for 2018.

 

[smartlabelprint]

I don’t know that two trips a year makes it worth it anymore. $370 5 day pass from last minute travel club was enough for us. We used to do the AP for two trips.

 

[katyringo]

I just did the math on AP’s as we are planning two trips in a year - one for 4 days and the other for 5 days. The AP would only save us $22 if my math was correct. So I’m curious about the other discounts available to AP’s too. We wouldn’t be staying on site though.

 

[katyringo]

I just did the math on AP’s as we are planning two trips in a year - one for 4 days and the other for 5 days. The AP would only save us $22 if my math was correct. So I’m curious about the other discounts available to AP’s too. We wouldn’t be staying on site though.

And that’s with getting the tickets from Disney.. I’m sure it would be even less a difference buying them from somewhere else.

 

[abent]

I just did the math on AP’s as we are planning two trips in a year - one for 4 days and the other for 5 days. The AP would only save us $22 if my math was correct. So I’m curious about the other discounts available to AP’s too. We wouldn’t be staying on site though.

I know for my upcoming trips I will be spending quite a bit in the parks on food and treasures for my grandkids. So it will be an extra savings for myself. Between all the souvenirs and character meals, I think it will add up quickly.

 

[StormyCA]

When we had APs we frequently checked for AP rates at the onsite hotels. They were sparse, gone quickly and for the less busy times of the year. We also noticed that they seemed a bit 'spotty', you know, AP rate for Monday and Wednesday, but not for Tuesday or Thursday. The rate was pretty good, usually a couple hundred less a night (at the DGC) for a standard. It seemed the more flexible your dates are and the more 'spur of the moment' you can be the more likely it is that you'll be able to use the AP rates.

I think there are (or used to be) a couple of the nearby hotels that offer an AP rate, but for the life of me I can't think of which they are!

 

[smartlabelprint]

Several off site have AP deals. I think candy cane inn
Desert palms
Desert inn & suites
Hojo
I know I’ve seen more.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Several off site have AP deals. I think candy cane inn
Desert palms
Desert inn & suites
Hojo
I know I’ve seen more.

This. It's easy to remember onsite discounts (usually no more than 5% of the public offer I think) and the restaurant & merchandise discounts in park (which can add up FAST if you do TS). But the offsite discounts are easily forgotten. That said, does anyone know how they usually stack up against "normal" discounts? (AAA, senior, etc.)

 

[BGinCali]

This. It's easy to remember onsite discounts (usually no more than 5% of the public offer I think) and the restaurant & merchandise discounts in park (which can add up FAST if you do TS). But the offsite discounts are easily forgotten. That said, does anyone know how they usually stack up against "normal" discounts? (AAA, senior, etc.)

I have both an AP and AAA - when looking at Candy Cane Inn for this coming June, rates for each were the same for the dates I needed.

 

[Elk Grove Chris]

I just did the math on AP’s as we are planning two trips in a year - one for 4 days and the other for 5 days. The AP would only save us $22 if my math was correct. So I’m curious about the other discounts available to AP’s too. We wouldn’t be staying on site though.

There are discounts on food and merchandise-I think they still have a slightly different rate between the top tier APs and the rest. We usually hit one sit-down eatery (some DTD eateries give you the discount) a day and do buy merch-so an AP usually yields us discounts anywhere from $100-$300 for 3-4 days-depending on where we eat and what time of year (xmas time we load up on merch). Parking is included in the top tier AP's-so if you have a need to park at the parks any days-there is a $20 bill.

 

[StormyCA]

I have both an AP and AAA - when looking at Candy Cane Inn for this coming June, rates for each were the same for the dates I needed.

I've found this is pretty much 'it' for most discounts on hotels. I always check AAA, Senior, AARP, and various 'membership' rates and they're all usually pretty much the same 10-15%. The only deeper discounts I've found are Government rates (you have to show a Govt ID) and some of those 'blind' travel reservation websites where you have to figure which hotel it is before booking by looking at the pictures.