Dismal Spring Offers :(

[dakotix]

Well it only could last for so long. The better economy has finally caught up to us Disney fanatics. I just applied a "special" offer to our reservations this coming March and we're paying approximately $500- 1000 more this year than in previous years.

Of course we're going during Spring break this time which doesn't help. We're used to seeing a rack rate of around $200 per night at Coronado Springs and now that appears to be the sale rate!

Also, when trying to price out the new Stay, Play and Dine offer for Spring, there are zero standard rooms available. In 2013 we spent $2400 for two adults for Coronado Springs, 7 day with park hop and dining in 2013. In 2014, we got free dining in November for 9 days at Coronado Springs plus 9 day with park hopper for $2800.

This year, the only thing available is premium rooms at Coronado Springs. That with a 8 day park hop and dining for 2 is a whopping $3500!

 

[AquaDame]

Yikes! I take it last year was not during Spring Break though right..? I'm sure that has more to do with the cost, but it certainly does seem like there are no "low" times to go anymore. September and October used to be slower but reports are the parks are just jammed packed right now too!

 

[DisneyMandC]

Yup, just priced the same vacation we took last year and it's about $500 higher at AKL.

 

[havaneselover]

Disney Cruise is the same way. Double digit price increases every year for the last three years or so. I had to switch my paid vacation to every other summer right before Labor Day and I'll head to my parents' house in SW FL for Spring Break because I'm priced out.

 

[usnuzuloose]

As the economy picks up no need for discounts.

 

[Paigesmom2013]

I tried to apply the SPD discount to our room at Pop for February. It kept saying check back later. I checked out the deal for All Star sports and even that didn't make sense for us. I finally just booked our room thru Orbitz with a 15% off promo code. I'll buy the tix thru Undercover Tourist. The difference in price between the package versus a la carte was about $800. There's no way we would have eaten $800 worth of quick service meals in 7 days.

 

[3Gsandme]

I think it's partially the economy and partially people booking in anticipation of discounts. Disney discounts rooms/packages to lure people in. If they're full (comfortably full) they have zero reason to offer any discounts.

 

[Wish I lived in Fl]

Not doing a Disney trip in the coming year. Only did 1 (marathon) day at Disney plus 2 waterpark days when we were in Orlando this summer. We did do a Carnival cruise and are going to Discovery Cove, Seaworld and Aquatica for Columbus Day long weekend.

I had a reservation for February. Not only were room prices high but high crowds forecast. So cancelled reservation.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Deal is definitely lower than last year - for those interested in the calculation see here: http://www.disboards.com/threads/stay-play-dine-2016-calculation-thread.3451389/

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

Several weeks ago I priced out several room/ticket options for a stay in Feb. I was doing either 2 nights / 2 days or 3 nights / 2 days, and selected 2 value, 2 moderates, and 3 deluxe to compare. Now I've gone back and re-done them with the room discounts (we don't want the dining plan). Most places became more expensive with the room discount because I had to select a better room (I used standard in my original pricing). One moderate got me a 2% savings on the 3 night option, and the deluxes all saved me about 7-9% with only the 3 night option (no savings at the 2 night).

 

[eliza61]

I think it's partially the economy and partially people booking in anticipation of discounts. Disney discounts rooms/packages to lure people in. If they're full (comfortably full) they have zero reason to offer any discounts.

question? If you book in anticipation of a discount and none is offered what do you do? Isn't that a crazy way to budget a vacation?

 

[3Gsandme]

I don't do that, so I don't know and I don't know if people will admit to it. It would be like admitting to booking multiple dining reservations for the same day.

 

[smiths02]

Several weeks ago I priced out several room/ticket options for a stay in Feb. I was doing either 2 nights / 2 days or 3 nights / 2 days, and selected 2 value, 2 moderates, and 3 deluxe to compare. Now I've gone back and re-done them with the room discounts (we don't want the dining plan). Most places became more expensive with the room discount because I had to select a better room (I used standard in my original pricing). One moderate got me a 2% savings on the 3 night option, and the deluxes all saved me about 7-9% with only the 3 night option (no savings at the 2 night).

Pretty much what happened to us. We booked Feb 3-6 Poly Standard view. Poly is a bucket list thing for me and this short of a trip where I have APs is probably the only time we could justify the cost, so I was willing to pay the $1555 for Poly Standard view (rack rate). With the discount, my choices were to either stick with the $1555 or upgrade and pay a bit more. We are now doing Poly CL Garden View for $1614. I figure we can recoup the $60 with the breakfast and drinks/snacks for 2 adults over 3 nights. It will be nice to basically get Poly CL Garden View for the cost of a regular room standard view BUT I think I would have rather just paid $400 less for the regular room.

 

[smiths02]

question? If you book in anticipation of a discount and none is offered what do you do? Isn't that a crazy way to budget a vacation?

I guess some people cancel?
I have gotten a discount every time I have gone. 2 times we went really BECAUSE of the awesome discount (2003 and 2011) that coincided with life events (husband coming home from Iraq...husband cashing out time off and switching jobs) while 2 times we had planned the trip for a long time anyhow and then applied a discount. So I never booked on the contingency of a discount, just hoping. Anyhow, both cases where I booked and hoped for a discount, we ended up spending the same amount of money. Case 1-we went for more days when that awesome discount (4/3) came out. Case 2-we upgraded to APs and have planned 2 more trips.
I don't know about people who book something they can't afford in anticipation of a discount . Do they cancel? Cut down days? Cut down resort level/stay offsite? Go ahead with everything and just suck it up?

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I don't know about people who book something they can't afford in anticipation of a discount . Do they cancel? Cut down days? Cut down resort level/stay offsite? Go ahead with everything and just suck it up?

Unfortunately I think we've all seen many threads here with people not able to make their final payment...looking for more time to make the payment...discussing being in debt for months (or years) afterwards to payoff the vacation. I'm sure many people cancel if they can't afford it but some go anyways and deal with the consequences later.

 

[smiths02]

And is regards to the OP. I think we are almost priced out. Even though Disney is within 6-8 hour drive for us, and even though we could "afford" it, I think we are close to being priced out.

 

[joannamet]

Comparing my current FD package in Nov with 5 nights at ASMusic Standard Rm, 4 day tix with PH, and QS dining to the same package in Feb with PSD...paying $1892.79 for Nov; would be $2337.50 in Feb. Saving $444.71 by going in Nov instead of Feb.

 

[pittsburghmom]

And is regards to the OP. I think we are almost priced out. Even though Disney is within 6-8 hour drive for us, and even though we could "afford" it, I think we are close to being priced out.

This is pretty much us. Our first trip was in 2013, the first year they came out with SPD and I calculated that it was $300 more than if we would have had a free dining discount. We stayed at POP for 6 nights and 7 days base tix, & QS dining and our total for our family of 5 (the youngest was 11 months) was around $2400. Our next trip in 2014, we lucked out and received a free dining pin code and booked a family suite at AS Music for around $3000 for 7 nights, 8 day base tix, and QS dining. This year, we would want 2 rooms at a value, 8 day base tix, & QS dining and our total would be $3900. I know our room and ticket requirements have changed since our first trip, but wow, that is quite the increase in a few short years.

 

[AquaDame]

And is regards to the OP. I think we are almost priced out. Even though Disney is within 6-8 hour drive for us, and even though we could "afford" it, I think we are close to being priced out.

Agreed... we just got back from an awesome three week vacation in Europe; that money would not have gone nearly as far at WDW! Going forward I am going to have to keep the opportunity cost in mind.

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

And is regards to the OP. I think we are almost priced out. Even though Disney is within 6-8 hour drive for us, and even though we could "afford" it, I think we are close to being priced out.

This is us too. Yes, we could "afford" it also, but the cost to enjoyment/value ratio isn't really there anymore. In 2011 we did a 3 night / 4 day winter trip w/ dining for $1300. The 2016 winter price for the same thing at the same resort is $2113. 62% higher in five years. (I used the kids ages at the 2011 time for accurate comparison). I don't think the parks have become 62% better in 5 years. If anything, due to it being more crowded all times of the year, it would be less enjoyable, not more.

Now I'm thinking if we go through Orlando at all in Feb. maybe we'll do Legoland instead, and stay at their hotel. Probably not too many more years for our kids to enjoy Legoland anyway.