Disney Discounts...the complexity & the frustration

[earfulofmagic]

Is there a reason that Jan 11 is so hard to book with a discount? I can find discounts before the 11th and after the 11th. But as soon as I try to include the 11th, forget it. It's a Thursday so I'm not quite sure why it's so popular.

My guess is that people are arriving for the beginning of the Epcot Arts Festival? (Begins on the 12th, I think.)

 

[Lisa Warner]

Oh wait...you mean you think Disney should make that information visible? That would directly contradict their policy on Conplexity!!


Ok, ok...I'll tell you...Music, Sports, CBR, CSR, AKL, GF, Yacht, Old Key, Saratoga. I think the discounts at these resorts are 10% more than the Wonderfully Named "Gift of Magic"...and only on weeknights on the first 4 listed...(I'm sensing more complexity again).

I asked about the additional 10% for Disney Visa. The CM first told me I needed to contact Visa to get that. Then she talked to her supervisor. The reply then was that my package would be $200 more if I added the Visa discount. Huh???

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

We're currently booked rack rate at Pop. No discounted rooms available for our dates at POP but we are tempted to switch to to AKL (I see a discounted room online for our dates). I'm not sure I have the patience to call right now, lol. Can I book the AKL online and then cancel the Pop reservation online (it's a package with tix). I'm not sure if the system will allow us to have two reservations, although it would only be momentary until we know the AKL is confirmed.

The system will allow two reservations so no worries there. The cancellation policies are easy to work with so I would definitely book your new trip before cancelling the one you currently have.

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

The system will allow two reservations so no worries there. The cancellation policies are easy to work with so I would definitely book your new trip before cancelling the one you currently have.

Thank you!

 

[figmentedfollies]

I think I'm beginning to count myself lucky. I was waiting to book my March trip (I had a travel agent exclusive deal for January) and standard rooms were available with the 20% moderate discount for CSR, but it seems like for ANY OTHER room that I looked at for a deluxe resort showed no availability unless it was a club level room. Am I willing to pay 2K for our hotel room? Yes. 3K? No. If Disney is trying to up sell people maybe don't decrease the percentage of discount at the more expensive rooms (I'm looking at you 10% off for the 1 Bedroom Suite at CSR) at the same resort you're advertising 20% off.

Now, I normally do not travel in March, but I have NEVER seen such little availability at the various resorts. People say that more hotels could be released in the future and I'm trying to remain hopeful/reminding myself that we are at a resort we initially planned for, but I've never found it so hard to spend money.

 

[DisMommyTX]

I am so tired of trying to book vacations through professionals who know less than I do about what they are selling. Thank you VERY much for posting the visa discount link. Apparently DH opted out of getting these emails sometime in the last 15 years, and after two separate phone calls to clueless CM's I was finally able to book what I wanted with the Visa discount online. It should NOT be that hard!

I've tried using TA's as well, but haven't found one yet that responds in less than 3 days. I'm still trying because I did get an impressive quote for a Magical deal, but I have yet to get it booked despite my best efforts. First-world problems, I know, but it is such a frustrating waste of time for everyone.

 

[kanderson89]

Our CMs keep asking for a "code." Um, nooooo, it's right on your site. First CM dropped the call. Now we're on but only really save 10% at WL which is the lowest discount we've had in years. Hey, I'll take it! But gosh.

 

[ThistleMae]

Frustated and so discouraged and totally sick of all thes empty discounts. In my world a sale is a sale, unless its like black friday when they have say 25 tv’s to the first 25 customers. We never can get what we want. And the price to change resorts is more than the rack rate at the resort we want to stay at....just so tired of the whole thing. It wont be too much longer before i’m priced out of Disney...such a shame.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Normally the winter release date is a really happy day for me. It gets me excited for my trip, excited for all the people who have saved money. I don't feel that way about it today, it just felt a little empty and that's a shame to me. (obviously a first world problem and not something I'll dwell on)

 

[DreadBaroness]

Yeah, I went so far as booking at a different resort for more money, then had a change of heart and decided it wasn't worth it. I went back to my original rack rate resort and room and used that upgrade money on Disney After Hours tickets instead.

 

[Anne Ritchey]

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/special-offers/visa-room-booking/

I appreciate (GREATLY APPRECIATE) everything in this thread, but the Visa link is the best because I've been searching and searching. I thought I'd just looked about 2 hours ago. When did it pop up on the site? Not important. I don't think that the pass holder discounts will beat this (I booked ASMusic--for the 7th time and nearly matched my low of $70./night). I'll keep an eye out, though.

 

[littlemichelle16]

I called yesterday and was on hold only about 3 minutes and got a great cast member. I was very surprised at my luck. She mentioned I also had a unique offer code. I had no idea about the code- nothing in the mail/email. I am thinking if I knew about it sooner I might have been able to use it at POP for my April trip and get a preferred room. Now those are not available under any of the discounts for my days. I ended up keeping my off site reservation. I will try to stay onsite again next trip. I was tempted at the Visa offer though, if only it applied at all the resorts.

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

Well, I guess the universe made my decision for me. I was hemming and hawing about whether to change our reservation to AKL (or possibly YC). As of 10:30 last night there were standard rooms available but I still couldn't decide so I decided to sleep on it. Woke up this morning and no standard rooms left at either . In fact the cheapest room category available at YC is now over double the price of the standard room I saw yesterday. Part of me is kicking myself for not jumping on it and part of me knows deep down it's probably for the best (the cost to upgrade was going to be at least $1000 and that money will pay for food etc for the trip). Even without a discount POP is still a great deal. But oh I love a sale, lol! Sigh. Of course, I'll probably be stalking the site because I just can't help myself. I did notice during the day that standard rooms at GF briefly popped up in the evening for our dates when earlier in the day only Club Level was showing so maybe AKL will pop up again...

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Well, I guess the universe made my decision for me. I was hemming and hawing about whether to change our reservation to AKL (or possibly YC). As of 10:30 last night there were standard rooms available but I still couldn't decide so I decided to sleep on it. Woke up this morning and no standard rooms left at either . In fact the cheapest room category available at YC is now over double the price of the standard room I saw yesterday. Part of me is kicking myself for not jumping on it and part of me knows deep down it's probably for the best (the cost to upgrade was going to be at least $1000 and that money will pay for food etc for the trip). Even without a discount POP is still a great deal. But oh I love a sale, lol! Sigh. Of course, I'll probably be stalking the site because I just can't help myself. I did notice during the day that standard rooms at GF briefly popped up in the evening for our dates when earlier in the day only Club Level was showing so maybe AKL will pop up again...

If you see something you like again I'd just book a second reservation. Then make us your mind and cancel whichever one you don't want for a refund of your deposit. This way you don't lose the opportunity while you debate. But $1,000 more is a lot of money like you said!

 

[Colleen27]

And to add to this... When I called yesterday, the cast member wanted to know which specific discount I was calling about, rather than simply looking for the best price for my dates and party. So if I hadn't known that SPD was released but (as of that moment) not posted online, I wouldn't have known to ask for the "right" discount. And GoM for our dates and group priced out at $450 more than SPD, so that is no small savings to lose.

She also quoted me rack rate when I specified I wanted the SPD offer at CBR standard view, rather than telling me the discount wasn't available for that room type. If not for my handy-dandy notebook and compulsive Disney budgeting, I might not have known that I wasn't getting a deal at all. But when I pointed that out to her she did try to upsell me on the pirate rooms, in which case the discount would save me a whopping $40 total on the two rooms I planned to book (and, as a bonus, put me in the furthest, least convenient corner of the resort!).

But unlike many, who seem to have used the discount to upgrade, I downgraded. I wasn't seriously considering a cabin because I wanted the second bathroom, but I just don't want it $1000 worth I guess. That savings will cover our Disney After Hours tickets, maybe a golf cart rental for exploring the Fort, AND the tips for our dining!

 

[hotbroccoli]

All I've got to say is bless you folks who try and make sense of this overly complicated release of discounts! SouthFayetteFan you are indeed the discount guru!

 

[SarahC97]

I am frustrated. I couldn't find any discounts that made it cheaper than what I booked in July for January. That's crazy to me. And it's especially difficult when you see people talking about how they save $800 or more and got a better room in the process. Granted, we're a party of 5 and our dates weren't very flexible, but it was disheartening.

 

[dlavender]

I just dislike how almost every discount leads you to the same road.

For example, for a YC reservation 2/23-2/28, using SPD you would pay $5535.39.

Using the "gift of magic" room only, adding 7 day tickets, and adding the regular DDP, you would pay $5559.99.

Difference of $24.60.

I guess they are "tricking" people into the DDP. In this scenario, the incentive to go SPD - to get the DDP - is $24. Wow.

They are drawing a line in the sand with this DDP pricing.

ETA: The above is with three children ages 9, 5 , and 3

 

[Colleen27]

I just dislike how almost every discount leads you to the same road.

For example, for a YC reservation 2/23-2/28, using SPD you would pay $5535.39.

Using the "gift of magic" room only, and adding the regular DDP, you would pay $5559.99.

Difference of $24.60.

I guess they are "tricking" people into the DDP. In this scenario, the incentive to go SPD - to get the DDP - is $24. Wow.

They are drawing a line in the sand with this DDP pricing.

ETA: The above is with three children ages 9, 5 , and 3

It depends on the resort and party makeup, just like with free dining. Room-only offers are better on higher priced rooms, for smaller travel parties, and for parties with more kids. Dining discounts are better on lower-priced rooms, for larger groups, and for groups that are mostly paying adult prices.

Of course, that means the real value of SPD is diminished relative to other offers this year because it is only the higher priced resorts and room types that have availability for most dates. But depending on what you're booking it can still be a significant savings compared to the Gift of Magic offer - for us, the SPD saves $424 more than building a package on the GoM room only rate.

 

[dlavender]

It depends on the resort and party makeup, just like with free dining. Room-only offers are better on higher priced rooms, for smaller travel parties, and for parties with more kids. Dining discounts are better on lower-priced rooms, for larger groups, and for groups that are mostly paying adult prices.

Of course, that means the real value of SPD is diminished relative to other offers this year because it is only the higher priced resorts and room types that have availability for most dates. But depending on what you're booking it can still be a significant savings compared to the Gift of Magic offer - for us, the SPD saves $424 more than building a package on the GoM room only rate.

That would make sense.

The deluxes have such an inflated rack rate that they can give you $170/night discount.

Moderates aren't there....yet.