Couldnt do it anymore... ( long post)

[cinderella73]

I originally booked 10 days at BLt in a 1 bedroom for May with a 40% off pin code . But due to personal reasons I had to reschedule till September so I just transferred my dates over.

BUT of course I had to do so without a pin code and just hope that either a great public offer or a personal pin would be sent to me again so I could just reapply it.

Well I got tired of waiting for a pin that never came. I called a few times and asked them to check. I did all the tricks under 4 different emails and nothing. I just couldnt stomach 5,000 for 10 days on just the resort aline ! I decided to just have them refund me back my deposit for now. By keeping my booking while waiting for a discount I am giving Disney the impression I would go without a discount and that certainly is not the case. PLUS I was afraif maybe my chances of recieving a pincode would be less if I was already booked.

I know its early and a public discount might still be announced but if I dont book soon for offsite I would lose the dates I really wanted . ( I have a favorite place at WH and they book up VERY quickly!)

I read back in the first quarter of a year a article in the Orlando Sentinel that said that Disney planned to cut back on discount starting around this fall. The financial advisor predicted a upswing in bookings and as a result it was estimated that the discounts would greatly decrease. ( I will have to go hunt for the article now.) This makes me nervous. Do I wait for a fall discount that may never come or not be so great and risk losing my favorite place offsite ( a townhouse at WH) or just keep the faith ?

We really really want to stay onsite this year but if I dont hear something about a discount in the next couple weeks Disney is going to lose me to WH again. And since we have never stayed onsite that would be really disapointing because we wanted to experience the complete Disney experience.

There are cheaper options with Disney but we are a family of 5 with a service animal so we need a bit of space and since we go for so long at a time ( over 2 weeks) we are used to having a kitchen and a washer dryer). I could go moderate and get two rooms I guess "if" a discount came along. But I am just bummed.

Oh I wanted to share I read back in the first quarter of a year a article in the Orlando Sentinel that said that Disney planned to cut back on discount starting around this fall. The financial advisor predicted a upswing in bookings and as a result it was estimated that the discounts would greatly decrease. ( I will have to go hunt for the article now.) This makes me nervous. Do I wait for a fall discount that may never come or not be so great and risk losing my favorite place offsite ( a townhouse at WH) or just keep the faith ?

 

[CanadianGuy]

Try not to panic too much.. the best things you can do are order the vacation planning DVD and sign up at Disneyworld.com .. I presume you have done those?

Beyond that.. just try to be patient.. but also keep your eye on the general public offers.

I will say that the best move for now is actually to NOT have a booking. This gives Disney a clear and accurate picture of the current number of vacant rooms.

 

[Sugar Jones]

I really hope some good deals come out for September so you guys can stay at WDW. I'm waiting patiently to book for September too. We will be going regardless of discount, but my husband won't let me book until "he" finds a better deal @@

Also I noticed under your picture it says "you stand for peanut free schools". Is your service dog for a peanut allergy?? I have a friend who has been looking into getting a service dog for her dd who has a severe peanut allergy!

 

[r5moores]

Could you book at the offsite just for now, that way you "have it" locked in and then if a discount comes out for "onsite", you could just cancel that one?

 

[cinderella73]

Try not to panic too much.. the best things you can do are order the vacation planning DVD and sign up at Disneyworld.com .. I presume you have done those?

Beyond that.. just try to be patient.. but also keep your eye on the general public offers.

I will say that the best move for now is actually to NOT have a booking. This gives Disney a clear and accurate picture of the current number of vacant rooms.

Yeah I did all those things . I agree with what you said. While the cast member at reservations said it was best to keep the package and add a code later ( which is what I am sure most think as well) I agree with you that by doing so I am really cutting down my chances of getting a code . If they think they already have all these bookings no reason to offer the discount.

Its the be patient part of your advice I have trouble with. lol But good advice non the less. Just not my speciality! After rescheduling my trip 2 times I think I am about to go clinically insane. Its almost like by having my trip all planned its that much more real and soon.

I really hope some good deals come out for September so you guys can stay at WDW. I'm waiting patiently to book for September too. We will be going regardless of discount, but my husband won't let me book until "he" finds a better deal @@

Also I noticed under your picture it says "you stand for peanut free schools". Is your service dog for a peanut allergy?? I have a friend who has been looking into getting a service dog for her dd who has a severe peanut allergy!

Same here we are going either way. But the onsite or offsite will be the only difference. You guys are going in September as well? If you see us say hi! You cant miss us with a dog. lol I have yet to meet my first Dis'er. I wear the lime green Mickey and everything. Maybe this time ! Are there any meetups going on? Good luck to you as well getting the discount. I am hoping they wont cut back on them yet . Especially considering Sept. is not exactly a busy time.

My tag is from the tag fairy after posting on a rather heated thread! I have learned a lot since then about " those threads". lol

Yes it is one of the dogs trained tasks. The things they can do are beyond amazing. For people with extreme lifethreatening allergies they are a lifesaver. If you would like some more info feel free to PM me and I can give you a link to a great site. Also if you or your friend have any questions I would more than happy to share what I know. We will have our dog in May and are beyond excited! ( Thats the reason we had to reschedule our May trip in fact.)

Could you book at the offsite just for now, that way you "have it" locked in and then if a discount comes out for "onsite", you could just cancel that one?

I wish! I would lose 300 at minimum if I booked the 3 bedroom and 600 if I booked the 6 bedroom house . Plus I had to cancel on them before and we both ended up losing money. So I wouldnt want to to that to them or us again.

 

[2ofUs]

Have you considered one of the cabins in Ft Wilderness? I have not stayed there as generally just DH and I travel to WDW. I'm not sure of the cost, but they would give you plenty of room and I bet your dog would LOVE being in the woods.

When in September do you plan to visit?

 

[Sugar Jones]

Have you considered one of the cabins in Ft Wilderness? I have not stayed there as generally just DH and I travel to WDW. I'm not sure of the cost, but they would give you plenty of room and I bet your dog would LOVE being in the woods.

When in September do you plan to visit?

That's what I was thinking. The service dog would be very comfortable in the cabin area!

And I will be looking for you when we get there

 

[2ofUs]

Just had another thought - SSR revamped their 3 bedroom tree houses and reopened them last year. They cost the same as other SSR 2 bedrooms. These places are amazing, but it would be best if you had a car if you stay there. Definately worth looking in to for your trip.

I believe SSR would qualify for the discount pin codes, but I also think they stopped the pin codes at 8/14 because that generally marks the beginning of the 'free dinning' offer - mid-August throughout the entire month of September.

Good side of that would be if you could get a 3-bedroom treehouse (literally off the ground and surrounded by wooded areas) and FREE FOOD during your stay!

Generally the offer does NOT require a pin, just be prepared to book quickly as they limit the number of rooms available with free dining. You might call ahead and check out the regular cost and ask if they MIGHT be including them in the free dining promo (they did last year).

Considering you would get food for your entire family for the entire stay, that would be a substantial savings.

And, again, the dog would probably prefer the woods to an elevator ride and a small grassy spot at BLT

 

[maggiew]

I think Disney will still offer a discount for September. Even if travel picks up, Disney is going to have to do something to attract people away from Harry Potter at Universal.

I know I am considering Universal instead of Disney this year. It depends on whether there is a Disney discount for our stay.

Maggie

 

[Sugar Jones]

My husband also pointed out that they offered great deals for July/August which is their busiest time of year, so it would be very strange if they didn't offer any sort of deal for their slowest season.

 

[ShellyLynn3630]

What about free dining, (if it comes out of course, I'm sure it will), would that help your planning?

 

[GCM]

I read back in the first quarter of a year a article in the Orlando Sentinel that said that Disney planned to cut back on discount starting around this fall. The financial advisor predicted a upswing in bookings and as a result it was estimated that the discounts would greatly decrease. ( I will have to go hunt for the article now.) This makes me nervous. Do I wait for a fall discount that may never come or not be so great and risk losing my favorite place offsite ( a townhouse at WH) or just keep the faith ?

I have hated to say anything, but when we were at DW in December 2009 I heard on the local news one morning while getting ready that Disney had announced that they would not be offering such large food discounts, including free dining, in the upcoming year. Disney said that they were losing too much money on food and that they would have to make other adjustments. They also said that DW would not be offering many discount packages. With that said, they have been offering tons of discounts all year, so one cannot bank on them sticking with their original intent. I believe Disney will do whatever they have to do to make money, and in this economy deep discounts are necessary.

Why don't you go ahead and book your trip at the offsite location of your choice, and if a discount becomes available with DW, change your reservation.

Just a thought!

 

[maggiew]

Why don't you go ahead and book your trip at the offsite location of your choice, and if a discount becomes available with DW, change your reservation.

Just a thought!

The OP wants to book an offsite house at Windsor Hills, which, presumably, has a nonrefundable deposit. So, if she goes ahead and books offsite, she won't be changing.

Personally I would book an offsite reservation that is cancellable as a backup. Then wait to see if Disney offers anything.

Maggie

 

[francie57]

Have you considered trying to rent points from a DVC member. They are much cheaper than going through Disney directly and you would still be able to have the dining plan. Are you or anyone you know a member of AAA since they offer discounts. Unfortunately free dining probably wouldn't help you much since you would have to pay full price for the villa. We tried this last year and the AAA discount on our 2 bedroom at the BWV was cheaper than the free dining and paying full price. You could always book through AAA or Disney and cancel is you had to since they will refund your deposit up to a certain point. I would think if they are going to do some type of discount for the fall it will be coming out soon since the current one ends 3/27. Who knows though since they did say they were cutting back. They may offer room discounts and not free dining since they were losing so much on the free dining offer.

 

[Cmbar]

Well my first thought is have you considered renting DVC points? September is a very low point time for DVC. A one bedroom at BLT is about 294 for a Lake view room for 10 days, so renting those points at $10 a point (average cost) is $2,940 for your room. You can then add dining if you like. What was the room cost for the one bedroom you just had booked. And BLT is the most expensive. You can do AKL, SSR, OKW, BWV, BCV. I don't think September is a busy DVC time, so good chance you will be able to get a one bedroom at the resorts.

This is a way to have a guaranteed locked in discount.

My second thought is, if you go ever year for that long and need accomodations such a villas, maybe you should consider if DVC would work for you.

I hope it works out for you. IF you consider the DVC rental just know it is very easy and most of the members are very accomodating!

Good Luck!

 

[cinderella73]

Have you considered one of the cabins in Ft Wilderness? I have not stayed there as generally just DH and I travel to WDW. I'm not sure of the cost, but they would give you plenty of room and I bet your dog would LOVE being in the woods.

When in September do you plan to visit?

Looks like mid Sept for us. I know the dog would it but its the only onsite place I ever stayed and I was really hoping to try something else. Plus staying as long as we are a washer dryer would be a dream. It must just be that with the price but I want to try. FW is definately on the list though and I am sure it would be our SD's first pic for sure. lol

That's what I was thinking. The service dog would be very comfortable in the cabin area!

And I will be looking for you when we get there

Dogwise its perfect for sure. Me wise .... not sure. Its hard to get in the mood for BLT then go to a cabin. But I may have to. I wont complain though its Disney after all! And come over and say hi if you see us!

Just had another thought - SSR revamped their 3 bedroom tree houses and reopened them last year. They cost the same as other SSR 2 bedrooms. These places are amazing, but it would be best if you had a car if you stay there. Definately worth looking in to for your trip.

I believe SSR would qualify for the discount pin codes, but I also think they stopped the pin codes at 8/14 because that generally marks the beginning of the 'free dinning' offer - mid-August throughout the entire month of September.

Good side of that would be if you could get a 3-bedroom treehouse (literally off the ground and surrounded by wooded areas) and FREE FOOD during your stay!

Generally the offer does NOT require a pin, just be prepared to book quickly as they limit the number of rooms available with free dining. You might call ahead and check out the regular cost and ask if they MIGHT be including them in the free dining promo (they did last year).

Considering you would get food for your entire family for the entire stay, that would be a substantial savings.

And, again, the dog would probably prefer the woods to an elevator ride and a small grassy spot at BLT

Yeah I am sure the dog wont be a BLT fan. lol I did look at SSR its on our list as well. I didnt notice that the 3br and 2 were the same. I definatly have to check that out. I like that the tree houses are newer. Newer usually means cleaner and thats a big thing. If we get free dining that would be great. Its making me crazy not knowing. But at least I am not alone in my insanity!
Thanks for the tip and I will make sure to call right away if we go with that. I learned the hard way that the rooms go fast from last time.

I think Disney will still offer a discount for September. Even if travel picks up, Disney is going to have to do something to attract people away from Harry Potter at Universal.

I know I am considering Universal instead of Disney this year. It depends on whether there is a Disney discount for our stay.

Maggie

When I really put reason and not worry into it I know you are right. I just like to worry I think. September is a slow time anyway and with HP I have to agree booking just have to be down all things considered. I think maybe December is going to be more of of time to worry about the discount cut back in the end.

My husband also pointed out that they offered great deals for July/August which is their busiest time of year, so it would be very strange if they didn't offer any sort of deal for their slowest season.

Yes thats so true. But if they dont tell us soon I will lose my offsite booking ability. So I am pulling my hair out over it. So far no one has taken my dates but the week just after me is gone now. And I am suprised they offered a QSDP pin to moderate and deluxe / villa people and not just values. I would think Deluxe people would get that I am cheated feeling. Its hard to go regular dp and go back .

What about free dining, (if it comes out of course, I'm sure it will), would that help your planning?

If they announce it soon enough. If not they will lose me to offsite yet again. And that would be really sad. I totally want to try the total Disney experience for once.

I have hated to say anything, but when we were at DW in December 2009 I heard on the local news one morning while getting ready that Disney had announced that they would not be offering such large food discounts, including free dining, in the upcoming year. Disney said that they were losing too much money on food and that they would have to make other adjustments. They also said that DW would not be offering many discount packages. With that said, they have been offering tons of discounts all year, so one cannot bank on them sticking with their original intent. I believe Disney will do whatever they have to do to make money, and in this economy deep discounts are necessary.

Why don't you go ahead and book your trip at the offsite location of your choice, and if a discount becomes available with DW, change your reservation.

Just a thought!

Well I cant cancel at my offsite choice of location without losing my deposit. Thats what stinks.

The OP wants to book an offsite house at Windsor Hills, which, presumably, has a nonrefundable deposit. So, if she goes ahead and books offsite, she won't be changing.

Personally I would book an offsite reservation that is cancellable as a backup. Then wait to see if Disney offers anything.

Maggie

I would .. But I LOVE this one place at WH. Its got to be the best at the entire resort. I spent hours going through them one night. Its something I havent ruled out though.

Have you considered trying to rent points from a DVC member. They are much cheaper than going through Disney directly and you would still be able to have the dining plan. Are you or anyone you know a member of AAA since they offer discounts. Unfortunately free dining probably wouldn't help you much since you would have to pay full price for the villa. We tried this last year and the AAA discount on our 2 bedroom at the BWV was cheaper than the free dining and paying full price. You could always book through AAA or Disney and cancel is you had to since they will refund your deposit up to a certain point. I would think if they are going to do some type of discount for the fall it will be coming out soon since the current one ends 3/27. Who knows though since they did say they were cutting back. They may offer room discounts and not free dining since they were losing so much on the free dining offer.

I would love to but I am sooo nervous! If I had a Diser on here that could give me a good reference and a DVCer that had enough for 10 days to 2 weeks I would love to. I just dont know where to start.

Well my first thought is have you considered renting DVC points? September is a very low point time for DVC. A one bedroom at BLT is about 294 for a Lake view room for 10 days, so renting those points at $10 a point (average cost) is $2,940 for your room. You can then add dining if you like. What was the room cost for the one bedroom you just had booked. And BLT is the most expensive. You can do AKL, SSR, OKW, BWV, BCV. I don't think September is a busy DVC time, so good chance you will be able to get a one bedroom at the resorts.

This is a way to have a guaranteed locked in discount.

My second thought is, if you go ever year for that long and need accomodations such a villas, maybe you should consider if DVC would work for you.

I hope it works out for you. IF you consider the DVC rental just know it is very easy and most of the members are very accomodating!

Good Luck!

I really want to buy DVC.. Really really really want to. I am worried about getting locked into monthly payments so I told myself that I would save up the total purchase price or buy resale instead to relieve some of that stress. Plus we may move to Florida right near the park. Well I would still want DVC anyway though so that no argument there I guess. Just makes it not as practical. ( Im not real practical though. )

The price you quoted above would be right around what the 40% off would have been I think. Thats a awesome deal. I am scared to give someone money when I dont have a Diser I know referencing them. ( If anyone on here knows someone please LMK) The DVC board intmidates me a bit and it seems there are protocol for asking questions about points. I have no idea what I am doing over there. I think I will go poke around tonight and learn a bit.

I see a lot of Disers TR and they rent and have no problems. I would love to give it a try.