Disney confirming to TAs: BRP now REPLACES AP codes

[cobbler]

The glitch is for FL residents only. It had to do with FL resident rates.

Zakerdog -
I got the same phone call to after complaining about the best rate program and was also told they would not replace the regular AP rates. Maybe they changed their mind.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

Can someone please enlighten me as to this "glitch" I keep seeing mentioned? Thank you!

heres the thread in question
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=897420
it has now been locked but you can read it

 

[PamNC]

As an AP holder, I am MAD as all get out. However, the new 60 day window is much much better than 120. BUT, I've been trying to get something for a November trip and all that comes up is rack rate. I'm wanting to go over Thanksgiving so perhaps that's the reason why.

I know room discounts aren't guaranteed, but they have been giving them for at least 10 years now. So although I may not have the "right" to be upset, I AM. This summer we booked an 8 night stay at the Beach Club the old fashioned way by calling with a code. We did this 6 weeks out. Last minute trips are so much fun, and a thing of the past. Both me and my husband are self-employed and given the nature of our business it's impossible for us to book 120 days out and risk losing a night's deposit. 60 days, that's much better so I will withhold being completely %$#@ off until I try to book using BR at a time other than Thanksgiving. If at that time I still get rack rate offers, I will be thoroughly upset.

Whew! My little vent made me feel better. Thanks for reading!


PamNC

 

[Joan1]

BUT, I've been trying to get something for a November trip and all that comes up is rack rate. I'm wanting to go over Thanksgiving so perhaps that's the reason why.

PamNC

What resort / dates are you looking at. I looked up Thanksgiving week and was able to get the Beach Club, BWV in a studio, BWI, Yacht Club and GF in the deluxe category

I pulled up the dates of Nov 20-27

 

[C.Ann]

If you are truly upset about this, then you need to decide what kind of message you want to send to Disney.. The options are:

Do not renew your AP's and send Disney an email explaining why.
Do not renew your AP's, stay offsite and send Disney an email explaining why.
Renew your AP, but stay offsite and send Disney an email explaining why.
Renew your AP, accept the new program with all of it's restrictions and deal with your displeasure and disappointment..

When making your decision, also keep in mind that Hurricane Katrina and it's widespread ramifications throughout the country may very well have a significant impact on travel to Disney from all over the United States.. Rooms that were formerly booked may now go empty - many families will be canceling their upcoming trips.. Gas prices will rise dramatically, causing previously planned vacation budgets to fall by the wayside.. This hurricane has not affected only those in the south - the impact will be felt by each and every person in this country..

If you truly want to send a message to Disney loud and clear, speak with your wallet.. Their top priority is MONEY.. Only you can decide if you still want to give them yours..

Go to the parks - have a wonderful vacation - but spend the MAJORITY of your money elsewhere.. Even if it has NO impact on them, YOU will feel better for having taken a firm stand..

 

[Tess]

On another note, the BR program will certainly eliminate the folks who book rooms that they have no intention of keeping unless they get a discount on it. How many of us have read the threads where folks book rack rate rooms to HOLD them and HOPE they can apply an AP discount to them later.....this policy just disappeared, giving Disney a more accurate account of how many rooms they have available, which really does help them know how many rooms they actually have to fill.

How does the BRP stop people from booking a room at rack or with other discount, i.e., AAA, CAA? Guests will still be able to book at rack or AAA and continue to check for BRP at which time they can then cancel the other res. . .seems to me Disney will still have the same issue with regard to room census?

I'm not quite sure how I feel about all of this at this time--I guess I need to digest it. I do know that when BRP was introduced, I played with many, many dates and was never able to secure a Polynesian Concierge date with an AP--gotta' wonder if those are going to be a thing of the past. . .actually, that used to be the case in the past--no discounts on concierge services or suites. I guess I'll be playing the waiting game until April. I almost wish they had maintained, or at least given us the option, of booking 120 days out. I always know when I'm going around 10-11 months out since we decide soon after we return from each visit. At this point, however, I'm not a fan of BRP.

 

[missypie]

Oh well. I bought an AP and between the room, DDE and merchandise discounts, netted about a $750 savings on our trip. If it never happens again, it was nice while it lasted.

 

[Cinders Mum]

I have a question. It states on those sites that BGR is only to be booked online. My mom was a travel agent but still has a log in on the disney travel agent site. There is no way to book BGR there. So does this mean that BGR is only bookable by the AP holder? This will piss off many travel agencies if that's the case, causing them to lose business.

The UK TA site is the same... it's only the US TA site that accepts bookings. What I have been advised is that you need to make the booking as the client then fax Disney and arrange it as a Travel Agent Takeover then Mom can still get the commission from Disney the same as before.

A lot more hassle but until they update our systems to bookable instead of information pruposes then we're stuck with it

Val
xx

 

[PrincessMo]

Hi everyone. This is all very disheartening. I am definetly not someone who complains, but I am quite upset. I am actually having my wedding in WDW this year & am bringing down guests who otherwise would never go to WDW. I was hoping that for the first time, I would be able to stay at the Grand Floridian. That has been my dream and it looked like this was gonna be my year, i would get to stay there for my honeymoon. Doesn't look like it is going to happen for me unless regular ap rates come out. I just can't afford that. The discount is not nearly as good as it had been even last year. None of my guests can get a discount either. They are all staying at the POFQ and that resort doesn't even come up under the BRP for those dates. So, even if I wanted to, i couldn't book BRP for them. Plus, it is very tough to ask people to pay a non-refundable deposit for a trip over 60 days out. Who knows what could happen. I don't know if I will get an AP again. I have been to WDW over 25 times & I am only 23 years old and live in PA. A few years, we took a spur of the moment trip. Decided within a month. Who could do that now? You wouldn't even be able to get this Best Rate. I think it would be a nice addition. To add this as a suplement to the ap codes would definetly be a plus. It is always best to have several ways of doing things, but to replace it is going to be costly. Maybe they should offer Passholders free dining with booking BRP. Who knows. Something for their loyal and repeat customers.

Oh well, enough from me..Thanks for listening. I do hate to complain but this is just too upseting to me. Makes this year, for the wedding, harder. Hopefully that man that called a few people back regarding their emails wasn't lying & ap codes will come out this week....Here's hoping.

 

[JudimouseNC]

Well, I just got off the phone with a supervisor at CRO and she assured me that they have not been told about the regular AP rates disappearing. She fully expects AP rates to be announced soon. She was very sincere and I honestly believe she had no knowledge of this. She also agreed that if this were true, Disney would be cutting off their nose to spite their face. Her words, not mine.

As nice as she was, I am still upset. I fear that the next axe will fall on the entire AP itself. This is just another disappointment in a long history of Disney trying to fix stuff that ain' broke! Anyone remember the Magic Kingdom Club?

My hubby and I have talked about how we will manage to continue taking multiple trips to WDW if things continue to get worse. The AAA rate was a decent savings, but not enough to warrant staying at a deluxe resort. We are staying at All Star Movies this trip (with our grandchildren) and I am sure we will have a great time. But I expect hubby and I to be a bit more frugal on our trips than we have in the past.....

 

[back2disney]

heres the thread in question
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=897420
it has now been locked but you can read it

Thats one major glitch, I wonder if the person who says Disney owes him a thousand something dollars to stay there will get their money..lol

 

[Lollipop Mom]

I can tell you what we have been told by our sales rep. Admittedly Magical Journeys got their email AFTER we were told this and you all know that Disney loves to change it's mind so things may have changed between our info and their info.

What I was told was that Best Rate would become the only way to book but that they were still planning to release call in rates for the rest of 2005. It is my guess that these rates haven't been released yet as they are wanting to have a couple of weeks of free dining to evaluate the bottom line before releasing any discounts. It the people traveling on free dining spent enough $ to make up for the lost restaurant revenue, then the discounts will be deeper than if they don't. Does that make sense? Again, that is just speculation based on comments made here and there by sales.

I've sent another email to sales asking for clarification and I'll let you know if I hear anything different.

 

[tzuhouse]

I just wanted to let ya'll know that I called WDW this am, after reading this thread. They called a ton of people and said they absolutely do NOT know where the information is coming from that the BRP is completely replacing AP codes. Of course, she said that AP rates are never guaranteed for any specific time of year, but that she would be very surprised to not see them at all, for December. She did say that, because of the BRP, she really doesn't expect them to be released as early as they have in the past. She said that, for my traveling dates, that an AP code would probably be out mid to late September, at the earliest. She feels like the BRP is being made available for those AP members that do want to plan that early, but that it was NOT replacing AP codes, from everything they are being told. Her manager, or whomever she contacted 3 times while we spoke, said there is absolutely nothing stating such a thing and they have no idea who the rep is that contacted that travel agency with such information. I played with my dates on best rate and could save $144.58 for the 10 nights, by staying at POR for two nights and moving to FQ for the rest. We decided we want to stay at POR the whole time and not move rooms and will keep our 119.80 per night (with taxes) AAA rate, unless an AP code comes out. We have already saved almost the entire amount we paid for the AP, over buying an additional 10 day MYW ticket, just with the discounts for MVMCP and Family Magic Tour and will save more with the food discounts. We are still saving by having the AP, even if we don't get codes. And, watching the tv is once again making us think that there are much worse things going on in this world than whether we get an AP code for December, or not.

Mary

 

[petchie]

Talk about one hand not knowing what the other hand is doing! Look at this post on passporter.

http://www.passporterboards.com/ubb/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=951806&an=0&page=0#951806

I just hung up the phone with a GREAT CM!! I actually called her the Jedi Master of the BRP! LOL

Yes, it's stinking true. The Disney Powers That Be have made the decision official as of August 25, 2005. The CM I spoke with said there are NO MORE AP rates in the system at all.

I did ask a few questions, and I'll post her answers. If it's old news to some of you, please bear with me!

-Only available online, 60 days out
-Guaranteed Best Rate at the time of booking.
-1 night non refundable deposit (Don't shoot the messenger!)
-Code to use: EXH

Also:
-Can not book unless you have an active AP or a voucher. (I personally don't have either right now, as I didn't renew my AP. If I wanted to buy an AP today, then 48 hours from today I can access the AP BRP site to look at rates and book my ressie.)
-To MODIFY your BRP reservation, call 407-560-PASS. You can modify the dates as long as the requested date is at least 60 days from the original reservation date. **** If the modification results in a lesser priced package, there will be a $50 change fee **** (Again, please don't shoot the messenger!)

This information was stated to me between 8 am and 8:30 am EST.

 

[ECurto]

I also called a manager in Guest Services who helped me with an AP problem last year. She said they are not getting rid of AP rates. They are just goign to take a bit longer to come out, to "scare" or "encourage" people to use Best Rate.

You also need to remeber the Disney travel agents, dont know anything more then what they are told that day. Whatever false info was given, was just that false.

 

[Jenn9]

I just got off the phone with Disney reservations. The CM I spoke with said they had a meeting days ago and were told that there will be no more phone bookings for AP holders from now on, just the BRP online.

I guess Disney could change their minds on this in time?

 

[PrincessMo]

wow, every other post on this board says either yes or no to phone codes. What is going on?? This is craziness.

 

[petchie]

wow, every other post on this board says either yes or no to phone codes. What is going on?? This is craziness.

If they wanted to cut down on phone calls, this sure is not the way to do it

 

[tjmouse]

 

[petchie]

I also called a manager in Guest Services who helped me with an AP problem last year. She said they are not getting rid of AP rates. They are just goign to take a bit longer to come out, to "scare" or "encourage" people to use Best Rate.

You also need to remeber the Disney travel agents, dont know anything more then what they are told that day. Whatever false info was given, was just that false.

But who knows if the information from Guest Services is correct either?!

If their sales rep says one thing and CRO says another, how do we know who is correct? I looked at the posts linked and is seems the info was a direct quote from an email. Would they put that in writing if it was false? Who has a closer link to marketing- Guest Services or Disney Sales Reps? I have no idea how the chain of command is structured down there.