Disney Discounts...the complexity & the frustration

[2Pirates2Princesses]

Exactly! The discounts are less and less, reduced availability and the off season doesn't seem to exist any longer. Everyone is being affected by higher prices and less availability for the deals. I did stay off site this summer and it wasn't too bad; however, staying on site feels more like a Disney vacation.

Yep, we stayed offsite in a Windsor Hills condo for our 2013 Disney trip and it was very affordable, nice, spacious, and an easy drive to the parks. We would stay offsite again in a heartbeat; but there is definitely something to be said for the all inclusive aspect and full immersion of staying onsite at a Disney resort.

 

[larie21]

Here's my dilemma: I want to book a resort for Sun night- Fri night in January. When I looked yesterday this stay was available with the Visa discount. Now, it is only available Sun- Thurs nights but Fri night is also available as a stand alone night. If I make 2 reservations can they link them together? I don't really want to change rooms for one night. And will it affect FP reservations?

 

[deide71]

Here's my dilemma: I want to book a resort for Sun night- Fri night in January. When I looked yesterday this stay was available with the Visa discount. Now, it is only available Sun- Thurs nights but Fri night is also available as a stand alone night. If I make 2 reservations can they link them together? I don't really want to change rooms for one night. And will it affect FP reservations?

You can absolutely link them and you will likely stay in the same room. It will not effect fastpass

 

[ThistleMae]

You can absolutely link them and you will likely stay in the same room. It will not effect fastpass

Yes, we are doing a split stay in the same resort as well. We were told we wouldn't have to change rooms, but we do have to do check in again for the second stay.

 

[nightskygal]

Thanks for the info.

 

[Kimi313]

‍ So trying to book Port Orleans Riverside with Visa discount princess room. I pick the 5 day ticket and it won’t let me choose the hopper option? It will let me choose it for the 4 day ticket and the 6 day ticket but not 5 day. Am I missing something,
I feel like I have read everything.

 

[amylevan]

‍ So trying to book Port Orleans Riverside with Visa discount princess room. I pick the 5 day ticket and it won’t let me choose the hopper option? It will let me choose it for the 4 day ticket and the 6 day ticket but not 5 day. Am I missing something,
I feel like I have read everything.

Because technically it doesn't exist right now. The 5 day hopper comes with a day free - which makes it a 6 day hopper (but they charge you the 5 day hopper price).

 

[ThistleMae]

You practically have to have a master's degree in "everything Disney" to comb through the Disney Deals, and actually get the one you actually wanted in the first place. Next, we navigate through the airfare rigmarole!

 

[Kathlita]

My TA booked two rooms at PC for early March some time ago. I keep seeing discounts, but when I ask her about them, there's nothing available. I felt bad bugging her, because I'm sure she's trying. Thankful for this thread, because I know I'm not really missing out, it's just really hard to get a discount, especially at a cheaper resort. She did mention available discounts at the more expensive hotels, but they're out of my price range. I don't like paying rack rates for March for a Value...it seems like a lot of money for a small room. But, that's the only week we can go as a family, so I guess we'll deal with it and hope for a refurbished room.

 

[ThistleMae]

The deals came and went like in the first hour...and the site was down, even the CM's had to wait to book people. The new rooms look really nice, and it would be new to us. We had no flexibility in our dates either, but truthfully, I don't think it would have helped us get a discount. You definitely had to be amongst the first people to get through and request the deal. We go through this nightmare for FD as well, but luckily that seems easier to get. We are happy we went with a travel agent and got her discounted room deal. We did save quite a bit of money, so we are pleased. The last time their agency offered specials, we were able to stay at Poly for a great rate. Sometimes their deals are better than Disney's, especially if you can't get Disney's deal, which seems to be frequently, in my experience.

 

[wdwthanksgiving]

Are the discounts offered thru the Visa Disney Card always a package discount or is there a "room only" discount offered?

 

[Miffy]

Are the discounts offered thru the Visa Disney Card always a package discount or is there a "room only" discount offered?

I have a room-only booked through Disney Visa for March. Still waiting for the AP discount--if one ever appears!

 

[ThistleMae]

I'm just really happy we got a good deal at POP through our TA. We couldn't get any discounts at POP and was on the phone with them by 9 a.m. We could have gotten Music for a $ 500.00 discount, so I guess that's something but we didn't want to stay there. I think lots of people end up changing the resort they really wanted for a deal elsewhere, but sometimes these deals are at more expensive resorts and turn out not to be a deal at all or you are somewhere you didn't want to be. It is what it is....I try not to stress or at least I tell myself I won't stress but end up riding that wave with all the rest of you folks trying to get some sort of discount.

 

[Lisa Warner]

I'm just really happy we got a good deal at POP through our TA. We couldn't get any discounts at POP and was on the phone with them by 9 a.m. We could have gotten Music for a $ 500.00 discount, so I guess that's something but we didn't want to stay there. I think lots of people end up changing the resort they really wanted for a deal elsewhere, but sometimes these deals are at more expensive resorts and turn out not to be a deal at all or you are somewhere you didn't want to be. It is what it is....I try not to stress or at least I tell myself I won't stress but end up riding that wave with all the rest of you folks trying to get some sort of discount.

For some of us though we were able to upgrade for a price that was within reach. While we were excited to stay at POFQ, upgrading to AK Savannah view was a bucket list stay that we thought we could never do. Saving almost $2000 from rack rate made it doable.

 

[ThistleMae]

For some of us though we were able to upgrade for a price that was within reach. While we were excited to stay at POFQ, upgrading to AK Savannah view was a bucket list stay that we thought we could never do. Saving almost $2000 from rack rate made it doable.

Good for you! It's always nice to check off a bucket list item. We did it a couple years ago and stayed at Poly. I'd love to stay at AK...maybe on one of my solo trips.

 

[melbatoast]

I am beyond frustrated also! I honestly don't know what Disney is thinking with all these "discounts" and no availability. I checked MANY random mid-week dates in Jan and Feb and there was nothing to be had at BC. The resorts that did come up only had Club Level - which is more $ with the discount, than the overpriced non discounted standard room (which I could barely find available). I know these resorts are not sold out, it is so disappointing Disney would try to fool people into thinking the availability is that scarce. If Club Level is that hard to sell, why don't they just do away with it? The whole thing is just ridiculous to me, checking everyday to try to secure a reservation with a discount. I've always been a fan of staying on-site, but honestly off-site is looking a lot better these days!!!

 

[ThistleMae]

I am beyond frustrated also! I honestly don't know what Disney is thinking with all these "discounts" and no availability. I checked MANY random mid-week dates in Jan and Feb and there was nothing to be had at BC. The resorts that did come up only had Club Level - which is more $ with the discount, than the overpriced non discounted standard room (which I could barely find available). I know these resorts are not sold out, it is so disappointing Disney would try to fool people into thinking the availability is that scarce. If Club Level is that hard to sell, why don't they just do away with it? The whole thing is just ridiculous to me, checking everyday to try to secure a reservation with a discount. I've always been a fan of staying on-site, but honestly off-site is looking a lot better these days!!!

Thanks for expressing your frustration. It's so true. Advertising sales that don't really exist, except for the first few people who managed to MAGICALLY get the sale seems so dishonest in a way. You spend so much time planning as it is, then trying to get the advertised discount is almost impossible. We go through this process every time. Same with trying to get the restaurants and FP's you want. Geesh....could they make it any more difficult?

 

[melanielll]

I am beyond frustrated also! I honestly don't know what Disney is thinking with all these "discounts" and no availability. I checked MANY random mid-week dates in Jan and Feb and there was nothing to be had at BC. The resorts that did come up only had Club Level - which is more $ with the discount, than the overpriced non discounted standard room (which I could barely find available). I know these resorts are not sold out, it is so disappointing Disney would try to fool people into thinking the availability is that scarce. If Club Level is that hard to sell, why don't they just do away with it? The whole thing is just ridiculous to me, checking everyday to try to secure a reservation with a discount. I've always been a fan of staying on-site, but honestly off-site is looking a lot better these days!!!

I totally agree. I have been booking at Disney resorts for decades and this year has been the worst. Unfortunately, the strategy that has been working the best for me has been to book far in advance. So - last December when we got home, I booked for this December. The rack rate that I got then in the Garden Wing at The Contemporary has been lower than any discount I have been able to find. Rates jumped a lot this year - so this year's discount (if you can find one) does not even offset the price increase from last year.

Back in December, I also booked a room in the tower with a theme park view. That one I was able to get the AP discount applied to - but only after hours on the phone. You practically need a litigation specialist to get this done. The discount on that room is decent, but we still are deciding if we want to stay in the rack rate Garden Wing room or the discounted theme park view room. And by saying we are deciding I mean that the girls say theme park view while my husband says Garden Wing. So it will probably be theme park view.

Booking early is how I got the theme park view room discounted. They were showing the rate as available - but all rooms were booked (marathon weekend). I got them to apply the rate to my existing reservation. The old "wait till the rate shows up and then book" strategy would have failed. Now I book early and try to get a discount rate later. I already have next Christmas booked.

Also - the their new strategy with discounts is to ignore the base rooms and to offer them on the pricier rooms. That is not going to go away.

It's just so much aggravation.

 

[amylevan]

I am beyond frustrated also! I honestly don't know what Disney is thinking with all these "discounts" and no availability. I checked MANY random mid-week dates in Jan and Feb and there was nothing to be had at BC. The resorts that did come up only had Club Level - which is more $ with the discount, than the overpriced non discounted standard room (which I could barely find available). I know these resorts are not sold out, it is so disappointing Disney would try to fool people into thinking the availability is that scarce. If Club Level is that hard to sell, why don't they just do away with it? The whole thing is just ridiculous to me, checking everyday to try to secure a reservation with a discount. I've always been a fan of staying on-site, but honestly off-site is looking a lot better these days!!!

We went with a travel agent's exclusive offer this year. I requested quotes for 2 different deluxe's, compared the rates with rack rate. Decided the 35% at BC was good and went with it. I was a bundle of nerves until the discounts came out, hoping we made the right decision. I'm so glad we did. Pretty sure we're never going back to me scouring the disney website for deals.

 

[ThistleMae]

We went with a travel agent's exclusive offer this year. I requested quotes for 2 different deluxe's, compared the rates with rack rate. Decided the 35% at BC was good and went with it. I was a bundle of nerves until the discounts came out, hoping we made the right decision. I'm so glad we did. Pretty sure we're never going back to me scouring the disney website for deals.

You know I'm feeling the same. All the time spent waiting for things to drop and then being disappointed....ugh! I got a warning for mentioning I booked with a TA....no website or names given. I was surprised that just mentioning "travel agent" was against Disney rules. I really don't think it is.