Dear Disney re: AP Rates, Or Lack Thereof

[momo2qts]

My 2 cents, please dont hurt me

IMO, if Disney had not come out with the FTP, AP holders would not be as upset. Anyone who gets a good deal is happy. Someone who doesn't, is unhappy. AP holders should just take a breath and enjoy Disney any way or by any means possible. As you can see by my counter, we are going soon. Alas, this is the first time we are not staying onsite, but that will not stop us from having a great time. How can you not when you are there. We squeezed in two trips in one year. Thats how you really get your moneys worth. That said, I hope a discount comes out for all of you still hoping. LOL

 

[DrTomorrow]

glo,

I'm just trying to support my point. To refresh your memory, here are parts of the OP:

Originally posted by EJ Gracie
Dear Disney Powers that be,

No doubt you have heard, from either this board or your overworked Central Reservations (CRO) staff, that there are a considerable amount of potential customers to your resorts that you stand to lose should you cease your traditional "room only" discounts to AP holders.

This much I do know: From observing activity on these boards regarding this subject, should you disocntinue you AP discount program, you will lose business, plain and simple.

Your failure to brief your CRO staff as to the status of AP rates is also very poor management, but I am not surprised. This is, after all, the same company who paraded very transparent and ridiculous reasons for temporarily discontinuing the early entry program into the parks.

This decision will influence thousands in their plans, and, judging from opinions on these boards, you will be the loser, in one way or another. There are many educated consumers who will simply not pay your rack rates for rooms, and they will move elsewhere.

Sincerely,

EJ

I was bugged by two things.

1) Using "The Boards" as support. I'm all for someone who says "I don't like what you're doing." I don't think that there is sufficient concensus here to say "this board" or "these boards" speak with any one voice.

2) Puffery. As I pointed out, only about 150 DIS folks - again, rabid Disneyphiles all - said that they'd stay offsite. (and 118 said they'd still go to the parks). I don't see these numbers supporting "considerable amount of potential customers" and "influence thousands".

I felt that that some of the individuals - including myself - on these boards were being misrepresented to Disney. So I voiced my opinion and tried to remain civil. I do believe in taking a stand - but now I'll be taking a seat.

Of course, no offense intended to anyone on these boards - DIS is still the best, nicest and most helpful Internet community around. See, I'm feeling pleasant-er already.

 

[MinnieFan4ever]

I feel like I'm reading a Seinfeld (sp?) skit.

hee hee I love these boards. I guess I should throw my 2 cents in. Here it goes...

Am I an AP holder? YES

What do I think Disney owes me for owning an AP. Admission 365 days of the year. Anything else is gravy.

We all would love a discount, who wouldn't. Does an AP guarantee me one, I wish.

I guess we could all look at the bright side of things. If Disney feels they don't need to offer huge discounts like they have post 9/11, then maybe things are looking up. Iv'e noticed that stock prices are going up too. So actually no AP discounts could be a "good thing".

 

[WebmasterPete]

Folks, when a moderator asks that things be kept civil, then keep them civil. This thread is on the fast track to getting locked. Differing opinions are fine, please keep them civil.

Pete

 

[SnackyStacky]

ALL of these threads could easily be avoided if Disney would either:

1.) make discounts more readily available

2.) continue to withold the discount rates, but scale back rack rates

A lot of places have rack rates similar to Disney, but there's ALWAYS some kind of discount to be had.

I'm not an AP holder yet, but I was considering buying one. I'm planning more than one trip in a year, and for at least one of them, will spend 10 nights in Orlando. I will book my room with Disney, and if I can apply an AP rate, cool! If not, I'll get a AAA discount. And if not, then I'll choose one of the Downtown Disney hotels and stay there. No feelings that I'm owed anything.

Perhaps Disney doesn't HAVE to do anything, but it would be in their own best interest to handle the situation in a far more effective manner. And not just in regard to whether or not they'll offer AP discounts, but their entire resort pricing scheme.

 

[Nuts4Disney]

Far be it from me to add fuel to this fire...

And I know this is derailing this thread a bit [which may be a good thing ]

But just a genuine question, please:

Is Glo a moderator? I usually "cheat" & look to the left under the person's name or in their signature for a "moderator" button, etc...

Thank You.

Sorry for the derailment.

 

[ArcticWildMan]

Originally posted by DrTomorrow


2) Puffery. As I pointed out, only about 150 DIS folks - again, rabid Disneyphiles all - said that they'd stay offsite. (and 118 said they'd still go to the parks). I don't see these numbers supporting "considerable amount of potential customers" and "influence thousands".

Well as the person who started said poll, I want to comment about something.

I'm an ADMINISTRATOR at another site that uses this exact same format (VBul), I can state from my board's numbers that for every person who posts/votes in a poll, there are between 20 and 50 lurkers who actually don't participate in discussions.

Now assuming a modest figure of 30 lurkers per vote, let's multiply that by the 150 mentioned above. That works out to 4500 people just from this board alone that fall into the "I'm taking my money elsewhere" group.

This may not be a huge number in the grand scheme of Disney's overall numbers, but it sure isn't insignificant and the effects of this crowd spending money elsewhere will have an impact on Disney's bottom line.

 

[ILOVEDVC]

Originally posted by Redmic
I am not an AP holder, but I would be very upset if I was denied the discount after Disney granted the discount to other AP holders who were lucky enough to call during the morning when they "accidentally" released AP rates. I feel that it is unethical of Disney to give some AP holders special treatment over other AP holders. Having goofed, Disney should make the same rates, for the same dates, available to all AP holders.

If they had not released the rates for some, I would agree that Disney had no obligation to have AP rates. However, having release the rates temporarily, I feel Disney should level the playing field and give the same deal to others who have paid the same price for an AP.

I disagree. You could apply the same principle to wrong advertising in a grocery store or inaccurate internet airfares. Just because a few got the AP rate, in error, does not equate to everyone getting the rate if it was a legitimate mistake.

JMHO

 

[Nuts4Disney]

Hi Glo,

I didn't realize you were a moderator...I thought ya'll had those "Moderator" boxes under your screen name or signatures...I never seem to know what's going on around here....guess I'll have to pay better attention. Thanks.

 

[DVCPAT]

I dont understand why anyone would get upset with Disney if they can't afford an on-site Resort. If I can't afford something, I look at myself for not setting up a workable budget.

Disney only gives discounts during low occupancy periods so rooms dont set empty. It's great they offer them to annual pass holders. If the resorts are booking up at normal nightly rates, they must make a profit so they can keep everything going through the next economic slow period.

 

[PatriciaH]

Originally posted by DVCPAT
Disney only gives discounts during low occupancy periods so rooms dont set empty. It's great they offer them to annual pass holders. If the resorts are booking up at normal nightly rates, they must make a profit so they can keep everything going through the next economic slow period.

I got an AP discount just this past March at AKL concierge. That is considered "peak" season according to Disney. For as long as I have been booking they have also offered discounts at peak times as well as regular and value season.

 

[franw]

I am such a Disney diehard that I cannot stand to hear people criticizing anything about anything when I am there. In fact when my Mom took a horrible fall at MGM I was horrified at people suggesting she sue Disney. It is hard sometimes to separate the "Magic" from the business end of things. For whatever reason the "business" end of things might have, they have decided to do things differently and they are getting us AP holders used to it. Actually I have less of a problem with them not giving out AP discounts early as I do the random postcards (which I do receive from time to time). I've made my November reservations based on what I can afford. If they come out with great rates in the meantime, I will try to change them accordingly. I'll have a great time regardless.

 

[dznyntnh]

Actually, when they send out the postcards they are sending out to a specific target audience, based on their marketing research and the info they have on you.

Usually offers like this are not random, but sent to people who fit a specific profile, whatever they happen to be looking for.

They may send you one because their records show you tend to go during slow times, or because you live in a specific geographic area.

How these offers do helps them to determine how to and who to market to.

If they send 10,000 postcards to the Northeast area offering a discount for fall and get a large number of people responding, then they see this as a market worth advertising to and encouraging to visit.

They've begun to add pin numbers to the cards because the codes were being circulated all over the place and the research then is useless.

I know people get disappointed when someone gets a postcard and they don't but it just means that you don't fit the profile they are researching at that time (or they don't have enough info on you to make sure you do fit the profile).

Wow, I knew that marketing class would come in good for something!

 

[Dalpal]

Great letter,
But I dont think it will change what the "powers that be" will do!
Im sure they have a plan and will do what ever that plan is. No matter how mad people get at them.

 

[EJ Gracie]

(kisses Dr. Tommorrow)

Ok, let's all be friends again....

 

[Eeyore1954]

Originally posted by EJ Gracie
Contract? No, perhaps. But there is a legal course of action called promissory estoppel which may be applicable where no contract exists. Look it up.

OK. Here's what I found:

In instances where there is no actual contract, promissory estoppel may be used to enforce a promise. The plaintiff must show:

1. The defendant made a promise knowing the plaintiff would rely on it;
2. The plaintiff did rely on the promise, and
3. The only way to avoid injustice is to enforce the promise.

What puzzles me is where this "promise" comes into play? The actual contract that you enter into when you purchase the AP states that Disney "may offer discounts." I suppose I could be misunderstanding the legal meaning of the word "may" but to me that doesn't sound like a promise. However, I am willing to stand (or sit actually!) corrected.

It sounds like you believe the promise was created by Disney offering discounts for a period of time. Again, I don't understand how this creates a "promise" that this practice will continue indefinitely. Each discount was limited, that is, offered for a specific time period and as I understand it, the discounts were limited in some way (either number of rooms, resorts available, time period, etc.). It's not like WDW offered the same discount on every resort room from 01/01/200x to 12/31/200x. Was every AP discount identical in terms of rate, percentage, availability, time frame, etc.?

 

[DianeV]

I wouldnt call saying "may" a promise however I would call it a marketing ploy to encourage people to buy an AP with hope that there would be AP rates. Actually I cant think of the right word for what I mean but its something along the lines of something being inferred or insinuated?

 

[AirForceRocks]

Originally posted by DianeV
I wouldnt call saying "may" a promise however I would call it a marketing ploy to encourage people to buy an AP with hope that there would be AP rates. Actually I cant think of the right word for what I mean but its something along the lines of something being inferred or insinuated?

If people are really willing to shell out the cash for admission media that they don't need just because they "may" get a discount, then I have a hard time conjuring up much sympathy. To me, a much better idea would be to secure the AP discount, if available, and then buy the pass, if it is cost effective to do so.

 

[Eeyore1954]

Originally posted by DianeV
I wouldnt call saying "may" a promise however I would call it a marketing ploy to encourage people to buy an AP with hope that there would be AP rates. Actually I cant think of the right word for what I mean but its something along the lines of something being inferred or insinuated?

I ask because I am honestly confused by this. I would think if Disney has indeed created a legally binding promise, then I would understand the concern AP holders have. OTOH, if this was simply a marketing tool to increase room occupancy during slow seasons, then it's a different story. It looks like Disney is doing quite well with their new package programs, especially FTP (although the newest one appears to be something of a "rip" ). Since they are doing well with occupancy, they may be no financial incentive to offering room-only discounts. I suppose things hinge on what the definition of "may" is.

 

[Penny12]

Originally posted by DianeV
I wouldnt call saying "may" a promise however I would call it a marketing ploy to encourage people to buy an AP with hope that there would be AP rates. Actually I cant think of the right word for what I mean but its something along the lines of something being inferred or insinuated?

Sure it's a marketing ploy, they're a business like any other, they dangle a carrot to make the AP look a bit more appealing. However, I don't see anywhere where they say that they have to offer these rates year round - in actuality, they only have to offer an AP rate once with a year-long time period for them to fulfil that 'promise' - then it's not inferred or insinuated at all is it? IMO, it's not Disney's problem if it's not <i>convenient</i> for everyone to visit WDW when they offer the rates