Disney confirming to TAs: BRP now REPLACES AP codes

[MinnieSummer]

Just my thoughts on this matter. The average APer who does spur of the moment trips is a FL resident and they still have FL Resident Discounts. Those APers who are not FL residents usually have to plan in advance because they have to arrange for airfare or time off work. They switched to 60 days advanced booking instead of 120 days to accomodate those who see great airfare and can rearragne their work and school schedules to utilize those fares.
If indeed the Best Rate Program really will replace the AP codes I'm wondering how many of you it will really effect. Many of you have said that you made a reservation and are waiting for the AP code but you could have booked it with the BRP and been guaranteed of the lowest rate. I don't like the deposit part but am willing to risk it as I know that while I might have to postpone my trip I will always be able to use it by just changing the dates. Unless the new total is lower than what I initially paid there will be no change fee so what am I really losing?
I agree that Disney could have handled this better -- I too was told that this would not be replacing the AP codes just giving APers another option -- but Disney makes these decisions all the time. Think about. Prior to 9/11 did we really get all that many discounts and were they really all that great? I don't think so. We've been spoiled and unfortunately, I think it's the spoiling is about to stop.

 

[C.Ann]

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..

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Gosh - how "magical" is that? Just gives you the warm fuzzies, doesn't it? Next thing you'll be reading about is Disney holding potential guests as "hostages"...

I think they desperately need a new PR firm..

 

[triplefigs]

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.

Have the mentioned at all if there is any possibility of offering free dining again for fall/Christmas period?

 

[Lollipop Mom]

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.

My answer on this would be neither. :lol When the best rate program was released I happened to stumble upon the button for it on the TA site within 2 minutes of the button appearing. I thought it was the release of new AP rates and when it came up with rack I called thinking they were just not loaded yet. No one could tell me anything other than this was a new program that they didn't have details on. The first 2 or 3 sales reps I talked to had no clue what I was talking about and told me I "must be mistaken" when I mentioned something with a nonrefundable deposit! Guest services wasn't much better, all they could tell me was that it looked like it had just been released minutes before.

Disney is very guilty of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing....as a matter of fact I'm not so sure the left hand even knows the right hand exists!

I would not be at all surprised if sales made the decision to change the deal and guest services has no idea this decision was made.

 

[petchie]

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I think they desperately need a new PR firm..

and a new IT and web booking Department (especially after the FL res glitch!)

 

[C.Ann]

We've been spoiled and unfortunately, I think it's the spoiling is about to stop.

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Or it could be that people like myself do not feel the Disney Resort rooms are worth the money they charge for them without a deep discount..

 

[Lollipop Mom]

well, I got my response and it says no call in rates either. That's change since the last time I asked but this response was very cut and dry.

Hi Lori,

I hope you are having a great week so far. I received your email about the Annual Passholder Best Rates. I have checked on this, and currently there will be no call in codes. They will all need to be booked online.

 

[mom_rules]

For as "bad" as it was, I'm sure glad I bought into the BR plan when it came out.
There is no way I'd be going back to WDW this year without some kind of discount.

 

[Lollipop Mom]

Have the mentioned at all if there is any possibility of offering free dining again for fall/Christmas period?

From what I've been told...not likely. You never know though!

 

[missypie]

There are all kinds of very smart people who study the occupancy trends, weather, economic forecasts, etc., etc., and then they figure out what - if any - discounts Disney needs to offer to fill the parks. They may be so thrilled with their occupancy projections that they think they don't need to make a single annual passholder happy. If there are enough people to come and fill the parks and the resorts at full price, with no discounts, they really don't care if those people take the place of the loyal AP holder.

As time goes on, high fuel costs are going to slow tourism, and then we'll see discounts coming back. (Of couse, action will then pick up on the transportaion board, as we all figure out how we're going to come up with the money to get to Florida!)

 

[triplefigs]

From what I've been told...not likely. You never know though!

the AAA rate plus dining package I got through our local AAA office is looking better and better!~ BTW, did you see the new GF Christmas shirt I made (see signature)?

 

[Sammie]

There are all kinds of very smart people who study the occupancy trends, weather, economic forecasts, etc., etc., and then they figure out what - if any - discounts Disney needs to offer to fill the parks. They may be so thrilled with their occupancy projections that they think they don't need to make a single annual passholder happy. If there are enough people to come and fill the parks and the resorts at full price, with no discounts, they really don't care if those people take the place of the loyal AP holder.

As time goes on, high fuel costs are going to slow tourism, and then we'll see discounts coming back. (Of couse, action will then pick up on the transportaion board, as we all figure out how we're going to come up with the money to get to Florida!)

Exactly. It is always supply and demand. If enough guests use the Best Rate then it will stay and replace all other methods of getting a discount. As it prevents many abuses to the system that happened in the past. If for some reason it is not successful then something else will be offered.

However, as hard as it is for us frequent visitors, and those always hunting for bargains, many do book without discounts. If they keep the rooms filled or enough rooms filled to offset the loss then truly there is no reason to discount.

You would not even have to fill the resort at rack rate to come out ahead. Fewer rooms filled means less staff which has been hard to come by in housekeeping and less wear and tear.

My annual pass has always been a means to get a discount on admission, anything was nice but not expected.

 

[WaltD4Me]

They may be so thrilled with their occupancy projections that they think they don't need to make a single annual passholder happy. If there are enough people to come and fill the parks and the resorts at full price, with no discounts, they really don't care if those people take the place of the loyal AP holder.

I am not an AP holder, but I sincerely hope this is not true.

They may be happy with their projections in the short term, but there are SO many variables that can effect occupancy in the long run, it would be VERY foolish to alienate their most loyal customers! Especially since once you lose a loyal customer, you have to work twice as hard to get them back and even then it's extremely hard to do. Surely Disney knows this?!

It is absolutely amazing to me the way the AP rate thing has played out.
First the lack of information and communciation is ridiculous, regardless if AP rates being guarantee or not.

Second, I simply cannot believe that Disney is so confident in the recent upswing in travel continuing that they are getting rid of the AP rates? It just doesn't make any sense....I can't wait to hear the "real" story...if it ever comes out.

 

[JudimouseNC]

WEll, that upturn in travel is going to take a downturn very quickly, I imagine. My hubby works for a convenience store/gas staion company here in NC and he just called me to tell me that reular gas just went up another 15 cents since this morning. $2.79 now....it was $2.43 when he left work last night.

Also, he was told he will not be getting any gas deliveries for the next three days. Several stations have already run out....

Sorry that was kinda off topic, but just another point that Disney may have counted their chickens a bit early.....

 

[skiwee1]

WEll, that upturn in travel is going to take a downturn very quickly, I imagine. My hubby works for a convenience store/gas staion company here in NC and he just called me to tell me that reular gas just went up another 15 cents since this morning. $2.79 now....it was $2.43 when he left work last night.

Also, he was told he will not be getting any gas deliveries for the next three days. Several stations have already run out....

Sorry that was kinda off topic, but just another point that Disney may have counted their chickens a bit early.....

I don't think gas prices are going to stop folks from traveling. I'm paying $2.99 a gallon now for gas and it doesn't stop me from doing anything. We have been flying to WDW most of the last 2 years but plan on driving down in June soley for the fun of it. I don't care if gas is $5 a gallon by then. We'll still drive. I don't think this BRP is going to stop any of the folks that already own APs from booking. I prefer the new system as it gets me a room discounted and I don't have to calling every day to find out of codes of come out. This way is so much more convenient and I'm all for it.

 

[cobbler]

Yeah, gas prices have got to have some effect on them. Esp when those of us up north are making trips.

I haven't made as many trips this year as I had in the past. In fact only one out of state the whole year so far and my only other second one coming when I go down in October. Gas prices have left me local.

Last year we spent $211 round trip from MI to FL and back. Based on that I budgeted $250 for this year knowing there would be some price increase. Well gas up here is in the upper $2.60's to mid $2.70's. Based on an average of $2.59 a gallon (because some states you can get gas cheaper) it will cost us $334 to go down round trip!! A $120 increase in a 10 month time frame, with no end or relief in site and probably going to get worse.

Guess what, because of gas, and other variables, our trip for 2006 won't occur until December.

 

[WaltD4Me]

I don't think gas prices are going to stop folks from traveling. I'm paying $2.99 a gallon now for gas and it doesn't stop me from doing anything.

You are very lucky indeed! But gas prices ARE effecting alot of people and it IS stopping them from traveling.

Where I work someone runs out everyday for lunches, usually they love it because it gets them out of the office, but lately they don't want to do the lunch run and use their gas!

I also know several people who have cancelled weekend travel plans for Labor Day because of gas prices.

While YOU may not be effected and don't care about gas prices, saying it isn't going to changes anyone else's lifestyle just isn't correct.

 

[EjandMD]

I don't think of myself as "spoiled." Okay now I'm goint to reach back to the first year of law school. Forgive me if this isn't exactly right. In the law of contracts there is a term called detrimental reliance. Meaning that based upon passed performance you rely on those prior acts to continue a contract or enter into a new contract. The reliance on that performance has become a detrimental reliance when you do not recieve the act anticipated. AKA we got screwed! Here, and ask any CM, for the past umteen years they have been offering AP rates on rooms. And for most of us, this is why we buy the pass. I myself my make only one trip per year, but the discount is so good on the room that it's worth the cost. Therefore, based upon past performance, we buy the the AP. This time the offeror didn't hold up their end of the bargain. YES IT'S TRUE IT'S LISTED AS MAY AND NOTHING IS A GIVEN. But there is an unspoken action that has taken place for the last upteen years, namely, room discounts. I have also been a victim of no rates, 2 years ago Sept. my DH and I were on our honeymoon...no rates offered but then in May when we went back...we got an ap rate.

And please remember, some of us really have to save to go on a Disney vacation. I see so many people on the boards, judging others for trying to save money, Disney policy or not, they are just trying to give their families that magical memory without selling the farm. So please avoid all the judging others. In fact I know about 6 former cast members who explained how to cut corners to save money. They even agreed that some of the policies were just plain greedy. Let's face it Pixi Dust ain't free!

Face it it's all in the name of money.

Will I renew next year? Not likely. That will be my small protest. It won't make a splash and I know no one at Disney cares or needs my patronage, but I'll feel better. Besides those people at Universal are looking better all the time!

 

[PrincessMo]

And please remember, some of us really have to save to go on a Disney vacation. I see so many people on the boards, judging others for trying to save money, Disney policy or not, they are just trying to give their families that magical memory without selling the farm.

Well Said!!

 

[Susiesnowflake]

Very well said! We're checking Universal and their resorts out for the first time this Nov. I've really had no desire to. However, my husb and kids have a big interest.