Disney Discounts...the complexity & the frustration

[jmasgat]

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.

I actually have 3 right now, although one is for a slightly different set of dates. Yesterday I called and asked (after one hour on hold) if they could modify one of my reservations because 2 of the nights had discount available. Big NO on that. Would have to split that one reservation into 4 just to get the discount. Not worth the aggravation for $41+tax.

 

[jmasgat]

I can't even get the correct pricing

View attachment 274707

It's a funky screen, but the Standard room rate is for the most basic room, and the discount will only show the available rooms, so it's showing something like preferred or pool view.

But you knew that, right?

 

[melanielll]

I actually have 3 right now, although one is for a slightly different set of dates. Yesterday I called and asked (after one hour on hold) if they could modify one of my reservations because 2 of the nights had discount available. Big NO on that. Would have to split that one reservation into 4 just to get the discount. Not worth the aggravation for $41+tax.

I ran into the exact problem. Break a reservation into 3 pieces (and potentially have to change rooms) to save $5 a day.

This set of "discounts" has reinforced what I was already beginning to see...It is better to book early. The rack room rate that I booked in January for a December stay has a lower rate than the "discounted" rate being offered now.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

I agree that the latest discount release does seem rather fuzzy . We were booked under the Play, Stay, and Dine promo for our week long trip this past March and got two rooms at Pop Century with no problem. Out of curiosity, I priced different weeks for Feb/early March 2018 and could not find availability at any of the values under the P/S/D promo. It seems like the goal is to push guests into booking higher priced room categories at the moderates and deluxes . I can see how that may still work for some guests, but definitely not for my family of seven that needs two rooms. The discounts are indeed becoming more and more skimpy with each passing year. We have family friends that just recently returned from a September free dining trip and their savings weren't that great considering the required park hopper ticket upgrade as well as changes to the seasonal room rates (September is no longer "value" season pricing for the value and moderate resorts and divided into both "fall" and "regular" season pricing tiers ). I think the only decent discounts left are the bounceback and military discounts; which are discounts we unfortunately don't qualify for as we can't do Disney every year with five kids and we aren't a military family. I love Disney but I'm gonna really need some major pixie dust or hit the lottery for my crew to do another onsite- Disney trip within the next couple of years .

 

[akayek31]

There are rooms available at Pop but not for any discounts. I tried numerous other resorts with discounts but they are so much more that it isnt a savings. We could have moved to sports or music and got a $ 500 discount but we really didnt want to stay at either of those...so no discount for us.

That is the same with us. We are going at the end of February and I got all kinds of emails. The latest was a pin for the girl that went with us this past February to my email. I am not giving up!!

 

[maryj11]

I just checked on some prices yesterday. I mean come on Disney just list the discounts in an honest way. Percent off a room, discount on dining or what ever the real discount is and stop with the confusing trickery!

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

So I've continued to check our dates multiple times a day to see if anything opens up and so far nothing . I read somewhere, not sure if it was this thread or another, that some rooms may open if folks with courtesy holds decide not to go forward with their deposit. Anyone know what that timing would look like?

 

[mikem57]

We had a reservation for a garden view room at POR,on Monday the only discount available was to upgrade to a pool view room with a $100 discount. Today, water view rooms at CRS are available and we received a $450 discount. We are apprehensive at switching resorts, but could not pass up the savings. I feel like I am playing resort whack a mole to find best discount on a given day.

 

[SL6827]

I just checked on some prices yesterday. I mean come on Disney just list the discounts in an honest way. Percent off a room, discount on dining or what ever the real discount is and stop with the confusing trickery!

Disney's intent is to allow for the least amount of discounts, therefore the confusing trickery is in play. Good choice in words to sum it all up.

 

[dizprincess717]

Totally understand. As a travel agent, getting dozens of reservations switched to one of the many discounts is a nightmare. A lot of people just "expect" the reservation to be switched over. I've gone so far as to explain that Disney sets aside a few rooms to be booked at each new discount, and it's never a guarantee. I like to think I'm one of the "good" TA's that's in my office before 7am to get Disney reservations on the phone ASAP to get reservations switched over. And those that I can't get the first time sit on my desk and I check multiple times per day. I think the key to a good Disney TA is to find a TA that loves Disney - those are the ones that are willing to go above and beyond, including booking FP+, ADR and assisting with itinerary planning. Because that's what I do. I cringe every time I read a post about those who had a bad experience with a TA...

 

[Princess Mulan]

I feel like I am playing resort whack a mole to find best discount on a given day.

This is an apt description of this round of discounts!

 

[SL6827]

I noticed on January 9th that they had the Poly Lagoon View for around $545 I think, and a Club Level room for around $585, give or take. (with the new offer) But of course the Club Level room that was only around $40 more wasn't listed at the top, you had to scroll on down to find that. But when looking at other resorts, I have seen the higher priced rooms offered first, then scroll down and find a cheaper room at the end.

 

[keahgirl8]

Agreed! So frustrating. I couldn't get a discount for my room category for the dates I wanted. I added 2 days and I got a discount. That was nice, but I really wanted to get something where I'd pay LESS than what I originally booked. If I added 2 days, I'd get a discount, but it was still more than rack rate on my original dates. Then I called and they couldn't see the discount with the 2 additional days. Now I'm just going to have to keep checking, which is super annoying when there are 4 different discounts to check. Oy.

 

[Lisa Warner]

Wow...you're really testing the Disney systems there, haha. I think they should be able to apply the new code, but nothing ever surprises me with Disney's IT and booking system. Good Luck! Glad the link helped you find additional potential savings!

I was successful this morning! The CM transferred my AKL reservation from the Gift Giving Season to the Visa discount, which put $443 back in my pocket AND the money I have previously paid on my POFQ reservation has been moved to my new reservation. It feels like a weight has been lifted. Next hurdle--Fast Passes to select next month.

 

[StaciaRae]

I'm so confused by all this - can someone please clarify for me. If I book a standard room at WL under the Gift of Magic Room offer online, can I then call and apply the Disney Visa discount on top of that offer? I see both of them offered on the website but I thought it was one or the other. Do they stack? Thank you!

 

[disneyseniors]

I totally agree with the frustration of these "so called discounts".
This is my discount story. I called my TA on the day gift of magic was released to see if we qualified.
Why yes, you do qualify for the discount. You must upgrade to a pool view and you will save $60.00 with the "discount". If you upgrade to a river view it will just cost you an additional $200.00. What a deal!
So it appears even if you "qualify" you have to upgrade your room to get a measley $60.00 savings with your 3200.00 dollar package!
What a rip off.
We don't like pool view rooms and we don't care for a river view. So thank you, but NO Thank You! We will keep our rack rate with a garden view room.
Why doesn't Disney just say what they mean? You get a "discount" if you upgrade only, or you can pay hundreds more for another upgrade. Uh uh!
We used to get discounts of hundreds of dollars. A discount was a real discount then.
Now this supposed discount is a JOKE! no thanks, Disney!

 

[Miffy]

I'm so confused by all this - can someone please clarify for me. If I book a standard room at WL under the Gift of Magic Room offer online, can I then call and apply the Disney Visa discount on top of that offer? I see both of them offered on the website but I thought it was one or the other. Do they stack? Thank you!

I booked with the Disney Visa discount. It's not a stacked discount with the Gift of Magic. It's a separate discount. But, for me, it was better than the Gift of Magic--35% off instead of 30% off--and I saved nearly $300 using the Disney Visa discount instead of the Gift of Magic. Also, for me, my room was available with the Disney Visa discount. I'm staying at SSR, btw.

Farther upthread (on page 1) SouthFayette Fan posted the website where the Disney Visa offer is, so you can check online yourself without having to call to see if, using the Disney Visa discount, your room at WL is available and how much it is. (I tried copying the link and failed! But just go to page 1 of this thread and you'll see the link there.) If booking with the Disney Visa discount is less money than your current reservation, you can book it and cancel the reservation you have.

Hope that was clear and helped!

 

[linjohn]

We are doing a split stay for two weeks beginning 3/24 - 3/31 at Grand Floridian followed by 3/31 - 4/07 at the Beach Club. I tried the Visa room discount offer for each week and only higher priced Club level for each resort was available; however if I do two full weeks at either resort garden view and standard view are available. So, obviously lower priced rooms are available but they want you to book two weeks together at one resort to get the discount. Fortunately I booked the split stay with great rates with an exclusive agency offer in July.

 

[SL6827]

Agency exclusive rates are the way to go, if they suite a persons needed dates and/or hotel needs. I will be using them next year for a few nights at the Beach Club in May, or possibly at another time, but they are great rates. No need to try to figure out the circus that Disney likes to put on now a days.

 

[Texans_loyal]

which agency offers exclusive rates?