Discounts - pre Sept 11, 2001

[Joan1]

With all this talk about people being disappointed about discounts not being available I wanted to see if anyone with a better memory then me remembers how often discounts were offered before 9/11/01

I seem to remember that the discounts for Disney world were far and few between pre-9/11. I may be wrong and if I am please correct me but it seems that people now expect discounts instead of being happy when they are offered

Anyone have any imput?

 

[lvloopingbag]

I remember when we went in 1999 and 2000, there were 3 times during the year you could get a discounted package. There was a "Sunshine Getaway" for January into mid-February, and then a "Fall Fantasy" deal that covered September and perhaps late August or early October. Then there was the "Magical Holidays" package that was for after Thanksgiving until the week before Christmas.

 

[CarolA]

I don't think the discounts were near as common and what discounts they did give were not a "public".

A few things have contributed. One is the HUGE growth in the internet and boards like this. (This DIS was here on 9/11. It's where I came for info when none of the other sites would let you on do to the volume!) However, the few discounts were over on the budget board.

Disney does actually have more rooms now then they did back then so that has led to discount, but at this point they are starting to run very close to capacity which is why I think you see some "slowing" of discounts. A friend of mine tried to book a last minute trip this week (she lives in Florida) NOT ONE EMPTY room on property!! She wasn't given the usual "we have the Presidential Suite for $1,200 a night" LOL! She was told we are COMPLETELY SOLD OUT... The CM said he couldn't remember the last time he saw that.

 

[JuneCleaver]

Disney, like any other entity, watches the trends and works on anticipating the need vs the want when offering discounts. With numerous factors impacting foreign travel and road trips, Disney tends to be an affordable vacation for many over other vacation destinations and they are seeing healthy booking.

The past few years of wonderful discounts have left many with a sense of entitlement over discounts rather than seeing them as something offered periodically. Just as many grocery chains are now steering away from Preferred shopper cards, ie Albertsons, etc as well as double coupons because they no longer need those marketing techniques to let consumers know about their stores, Disney no longer needs "the golden ring" to lure visitors to their resorts.

Just my two cents!
June

 

[G8r4evr]

I don't think the discounts were near as common and what discounts they did give were not a "public".

A few things have contributed. One is the HUGE growth in the internet and boards like this. (This DIS was here on 9/11. It's where I came for info when none of the other sites would let you on do to the volume!) However, the few discounts were over on the budget board.

Disney does actually have more rooms now then they did back then so that has led to discount, but at this point they are starting to run very close to capacity which is why I think you see some "slowing" of discounts. A friend of mine tried to book a last minute trip this week (she lives in Florida) NOT ONE EMPTY room on property!! She wasn't given the usual "we have the Presidential Suite for $1,200 a night" LOL! She was told we are COMPLETELY SOLD OUT... The CM said he couldn't remember the last time he saw that.

WOW! Living in Florida, I decide to go at the last minute and call on Monday for a Friday-Sun reservation....I cant compare to pre 9/11, because I didnt call then, but for the last year or so, the only thing offered is usually Fort Wilderness Cabins (every time I call), OKW (almost everytime I call), or a suite (that is way out of my price range).

 

[cigar95]

During 2001, *before* 9/11, the economy was going through a recession, and discounts that year were frequent. I believe that was the first year that "codes", those magic three and four-letter keys, became part of our vocabulary.

I remember this well, because I was scheduled to check in at the Yacht Club on 9/13/01, and I had a very good "code" discount of $169. (Ended up arriving on 9/14, in easily the most surreal WDW visit I've ever had.)

The problem with "local" codes that might appear in a metropolitan newspaper was that there is no more "local information" any more with the internet. So instead, the focus has shifted to pin codes, post cards, email specials, and passholder rates.

Before that, for a while, the popular thing was "upsell rates". But those again disappeared once the internet made them less of a secret.

I remember getting passholder rates as far back as '98, and I know I had a postcard rate for my second WDW visit, back in 1994.

So discount rates aren't new. I think what you're seeing is that discounts were plentiful during the 2001-2003 period, which is about the same time many people first got on the internet. Some may have gotten the impression that these had always been out there, and they were just now discovering them because of their net access.

The thing that led to discounts was probably the "Eisner building boom" of the late 80s and early 90s. Before that, Disney resort properties were the contemporary, Poly, Golf Resort/Disney Inn, Disney Village, and Ft Wilderness. The supply of rooms was much smaller, and selling out was the norm. At that time, there was often no need to discount rooms to get them filled.

So now, when the economy is buzzing along and travel is as high as its been in a long time, we figure to be in a natural cycle when there will be fewer room discounts. And the discounts we do see aren't as generous as we might have been used to.

In my case, it means I will probably end up in September keeping my Port Orleans AAA rate, rather than getting a really great passholder rate at Wilderness Lodge or the Yacht Club, as I've been hoping for.

 

[CarolA]

WOW! Living in Florida, I decide to go at the last minute and call on Monday for a Friday-Sun reservation....I cant compare to pre 9/11, because I didnt call then, but for the last year or so, the only thing offered is usually Fort Wilderness Cabins (every time I call), OKW (almost everytime I call), or a suite (that is way out of my price range).

She does this often. She works some strange hours so she actually had Tues/Wed off this week and her daughter wanted to go. She said she had NEVER been told nothing. They decided that was a sign that it was TOO crowded so they stayed home!

 

[Disneyhappy]

I'm not sure I can comment on the frequency of discounts but I feel the discounts were better (at least the ones I used). There were also some great discounts poost 9/11 due to the tourism industry tanking for awhile. I miss the 35-40% AP discounts I used to get on rooms. I don't blame Disney. No need to offer those deep discounts when they can book the rooms at rack rate. (Although, it would be a nice way for Disney to show their appreciation for loyal customers in case they are listening!)

 

[fla4fun]

I've been getting Florida resident discounts and AP discounts for years, long before 9-11. I also used to get a stockholder discount, which they don't offer any more, and Magic Kingdom Club discounts, which aren't available any more. To me, it seems like there were more discount options prior to 9-11, but there was less access to the information. You had to know what to ask in order to get the discount. With the Internet, there are fewer secrets, and what discounts there are, are snapped up more quickly. I feel sorry for the people who don't have access to the Internet. Between losing out on potential discounts and not knowing the ins and outs of planning, their trips are costing them way too much and they are getting far less out of them.

 

[ToyStory]

In August of 2001 I was able to use a "code" to get a room at CR for $169.00. I was able to get it off Mousesaver as a general public code.

After 9/11 I received a postcard to stay at a value resort for $49.00 for the month of December, which I did take advantage of. I occasionally do get postcards, ie the 40% off one.