Disney hotel discounts... anyone??

[sahlink]

I am in the process of booking nights in Jan '09. Now saying that I realize the actual rates for 2009 are not out yet. When I called Disney they DID recommend to book the nights to reserve, but the can't give actual rate. Sounds fair enough. Then they proceeded to quote me a rate of $405/nt for the least expensive garden room at the Contemporary hotel during Value season. Looking at the Walt Disney resort website and many books it says, $270-$605/nt... so why did they give a crazy high amount?? I asked and asked how to get a rate closer to the $270 listed on the webiste (I can travel any date not lock in) and still they said not possible the Disney website is lying. Yes, they told me that the Disney sight is lying.

OK getting to my point <grin>!! When did everyone book the rooms? Did everyone find that Disney always give terrible rates? Did anyone find better rates using travel agents? What did you ask to get discounts? How many times did you call back after booking room to get discount? etc? PLEASE HELP!!!

SUPER EXCITED DISNEY TRAVELER, Krista

 

[sahlink]

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[Mimilu]

There are many sites that can help you w/your hotel rates.
allears.net, mousesavers, I'm sure that there are others. Small World Vacations is also helpful. We are vacation club members (BW '98) and to save over $1,500, every other year we buy annual passes & book our big vacation a week earlier the following year, that way the pass covers 2 years & any little trips we take to DW. It gives us a very good discount rate at the hotels that we put our grown up kids in. There are others discounts as well, AAA, AARP, military & the most amazing one was after 9/11. Disney halfed the hotel, halfed the whole family's length of stay passes & gave one free if you were NYPD/NYFD and had been @ground zero. They were incredible!
Have a great time!

 

[cglaura]

I'd figure out which room that $270 was for and call back and specifically ask for that, maybe you just got a wonky cm?

I'm in the process of deiciding if I'm going in Jan 09 also, so I'm in the same boat. I know I was able to use AAA in July for a December ressie, don't know when the January would come out. I'd call back as often as you want...do you have a good long distance phone plan? If so, go ahead!

 

[Aliceacc]

When we originally booked the Contemporary last August (for this August's trip) we were unable to get a "standard view" room-- only "Garden View", the next price category. That was over a year in advance! So either there's a huge convention in town, everyone else booked before we did, or the number of "cheap" rooms is way down because of the loss of the 2nd wing building.

Also, the price in the website is their absolute cheapest room-- cheapest day of the week during the cheapest time of year. Your visit may not include those days.

They may also be over estimating the rate increase. That way, if it's less than expected, you get a "great" rate and love Disney. If they underestimate, you get a rate increase and are NOT happy customers!!!

Can we assume that you've already gotten the AAA discount? It's well worth the price of membership!

 

[Debi]

Hi sahlink! In order to get an answer to your question, I'm moving this to the Resorts Board - Codes and Rates. Please check there for further replies.

Happy planning!

 

[texasteacher35]

What others have said above is probably right! I assume that the only room available to reserve is some MK view room or something like that! As soon as they "release" the garden view/standard view rooms you should be able to adjust the room rate! I tried this same thing for a standard view @ WL earlier in 2007 and the same thing happened. They only had concierge w/ a view available...a couple of weeks later, they released the standard rooms! Just FYI!

 

[G8r4evr]

They may also be over estimating the rate increase. That way, if it's less than expected, you get a "great" rate and love Disney. If they underestimate, you get a rate increase and are NOT happy customers!!!

This would be my guess. Its just too bad the CM's arent informative enough to explain.

 

[G8r4evr]

What others have said above is probably right! I assume that the only room available to reserve is some MK view room or something like that! As soon as they "release" the garden view/standard view rooms you should be able to adjust the room rate! I tried this same thing for a standard view @ WL earlier in 2007 and the same thing happened. They only had concierge w/ a view available...a couple of weeks later, they released the standard rooms! Just FYI!

I think the OP said they quoted him garden view though...