Discount codes pulled, debate stymied

[CapHook]

One thread I had really enjoyed reading over the past few days was about the reasons Disney canceled the use of discount codes published in newspapers and other places for discounts in Disney resorts. I was really into this debate checking back to the DIS every couple of hours to see if someone else had added to the post. For some reason the moderators of the Disney Resorts sections wanted this debate to end. They are the moderators and I respect that. They did not want a debate going in the Resort section and I respect that I suppose although I don't really see how having one thread going about this topic really harms anything (those who are not interested in a thread don't have to click on it).

I would like to hear the opinions of AV, Landbarron, Safari Steve and the other "Disney business model" gurus on this subject.

I subscribe to the Houston Chronicle. Disney paid money to put a code in the travel section of the paper delivered to my house so I could get a discount on a Disney Resort. I was not being offered this discount because I subscribe to the Houston Chronicle, but rather because I lived in Texas and that is who Disney was targeting. I seldom read the travel section of my paper so I missed it. I did find the same code however at mousesavers.com. It seems to me that many people feel somehow this is wrong that I would use a code I found from the Internet. I seems to me that mousesavers.com did Disney a big favor by letting me see something I missed that they paid for me to see.

Why would Disney pull the codes? Why not just reduce the number of rooms that qualify for the discount? When I called to make my reservation I wanted two rooms at the ASmovies and I used a code. I was told only one room was left for my dates that would accept the code. I was able to get the ASsports with the discount code for my dates. This tells me there was a block of rooms for each resort that qualified for the discount but most did not. Why wouldn't Disney just say when someone called "no rooms available for that code". What is the point of canceling all codes after they have paid money to advertise these codes?

A successful model is the airlines where it seems no two people on the plane pay the same fare or a car dealer where there is no set price for the car and you can negotiate. These are way these industries get people to overpay for their product. Smart consumers who pay the reasonable amount feel like they are getting a good deal because they did not overpay. It seems with the prices of Disney theme parks and resorts that this is the sort of model they want to move to but then they pull the discounts. I don't understand.


Here were the threads
Discount codes pulled

One reason the discount codes were pulled...

 

[wdwguide]

The codes nwere pulled for one of two reasons:

1.) Higher than expected bookings at rack rates, and they were pulled to make more full priced rooms avaiulable

2.) People who would usually book rack rates now booking at discounted rates due to their increased availability.

Considering the current economic conditions, the second option seems to be the more likely one, particularly since the celebration this fall is just now starting to be advertised, and 95% of the populartion isn't aware of it yet.

The same thing happened with the legendary FastPass loopholes. At first, few people knew about this, and Disney didn't really object since it increased those people's quality of their stay without significantly affecting others, but once getting multiple FastPasses through that trick became mainstream, they fixed it. And it seems likely that once certain discount codes become too widespread, or articles appear that promote certain sources that in essence make money by telling people how Disney can make less money off of them, that they'd take steps to address this issue as well. This is not unexpected, but I do not think anyone deserves blame for this issue, unless attempting to help people or accept that help is being looked down upon these days.

Posting such information inside the few ten thousand people that frequent this board and the main web sites is probably fairly safe, as is the word of mouth that inevitably builds as a result,but it's probably a good idea to try to limit what Disney could consider "abuse" of that information, because once it leaks out into the mainstream, at which point the number of people "in the know" grows from ten thousands to millions, nobody is going to benefit - period. And that is the least desireable outcome.

 

[Sarangel]

Another point regarding discount codes on the internet is that you are actually in Texas, which was the target group for the promotion you cite, but if I'd used the same code from California they would NOT be reaching their target group. I don't know enough about the fine art of finagling discounts to go into reasons why a company might pull a discount after it has spent money offering it, but given the focus recently on the bottom line that may be part of any reason.

As for why a thread may get closed, from the moderator's point of view, the arguement may be going in circles, may have wandered from the point of the board (that's why we have a debate board & a community board), may have gotten nasty, or may have simply gotten too long for anyone to follow. And we moderators do have to read *every* thread & post, which can sometimes get tiring....

Sarangel

 

[lrodk]

Also, if I remember correctly, one of the reasons discount codes were banned from this site was to protect guests using the codes outside of the target area from which they were intended so as not to be dissapointed when they checked and were asked for proof of eligibility(ie- if it's a Texas promo, then only Texas residents qualify). Some guests here were using these codes regardless of whether or not the promos were targeted for them. If Disney were to check for credentials(ie-the original mailing or ad, or proof of residency) and it turned out that the guest could not comply or was not entitled to the reduced rate, then that guest's entire trip could be turned upside down. We do not want to promote something that could potentially cause so many problems for our guests.