Disney should have either no discounts or discounts for all!!

[KATIESMOMMY]

My issue is not with the airline tickets. I understand that they fluctuate. You also have never received a pin! Let's assume you were going with your sister's family (don't know if you have one), and she got a pin code and she is paying $2400 for her package and you are paying $4000, wouldn't you be a bit annoyed!

No I wouldnt be annoyed, I would just have my sister add my room to her pin offer, easy peasy. You could have your co-worker book your stay under her pin...

 

[Mamu]

I kind of agree and up until this year I've never gotten a pin. We do have AP's though and I will book "Room only" until rates come out. I never book my flight until I've gotten a discount. Booked flight early once and was blocked out of all discounts. Burned once. I now leave my plans open to change dates, I realize many can not do this. Disney knows it too.

There are certain times Disney does not offer any discounts and the middle to the end of october is one time to be leery of. Disney know what week to block off and there usually a week with a monday holiday. It always seem like the week of vacation's are blocked off too. Yes they do their homework and always know when attendance will be up, no discounts, when attendance will be down, give out discounts. Is it fair NO but stores and other business do the same thing, give out discounts after the rush. It's all a cooperate game to get your money.

 

[emilyann415]

I really don't understand why people get so worked up about this. It happens all the time in business. I recently bought my daughter a cute outfit at Gymboree. Yes it was expensive but I really liked it and it was for a special occasion. Now I see it is 60% off. Uuugh! Should I go into the store and complain that I had to pay full price? Now, I could choose to wait or to pay full price. Airline tickets aren't always cheaper if you buy them early. I paid for our tickets when the dates were released, now they are at least 75/pp cheaper. Who knew? I happen to be going to DW during blackout dates for FD....am I disappointed...heck yes...but I suck it up and realize that this trip didn't work out for me and hope another possible special comes out that will cover my dates. Such is life.

Emily

 

[5DisneyNuts]

But the difference is that most times the educated consumer gets the discount.

Playing all the registering tricks on the WDW site does not guarantee a pin either and actually will give their marketing people false results.

 

[leahjade]

[QUOTEBut the difference is that most times the educated consumer gets the discount][/QUOTE]

Nope, it's your address that gets you the best discount. UK visitors get 40% off discount PLUS free dining -no US citizens are EVER able to get two discounts that I've ever heard of. I'm sure I'll get flamed for being "a prejudiced American" but it's just a fact, not my opinion.

 

[Bearybear]

I'm also blacked out on FD, and while I'm not really upset about it, I am more curious why some dates in early December are blacked out and others are not. If we came 2 days later, we'd get FD. I was always under the impression that early December was value time because it was so lightly attended. Maybe there is something I'm missing?

 

[FigmentChick]

I'm also blacked out on FD, and while I'm not really upset about it, I am more curious why some dates in early December are blacked out and others are not. If we came 2 days later, we'd get FD. I was always under the impression that early December was value time because it was so lightly attended. Maybe there is something I'm missing?

The resorts are going to be mostly full due to Pop Warner.

 

[Craftsman Revival]

That's the thing about Capitalism: as a publicly traded company, Disney's mission is to make money and provide a good return for its shareholders. That's ultimately the number one "mission" of all publicly traded companies. Shareholders come before customers. It's the way the system works.

So Disney changes its resort rates daily, based on how many people are booked each day. They have to maximize return, and have obviously spent a ton of money figuring out a system that adjusts on a daily basis.

As an earlier poster noted, it makes sense that they are going to offer discounts to folks who are NOT loyal customers as a way of enticing them to become loyal. That's the way that travel and entertainment business works...

 

[vicki_c]

Craftsman Revival - I was going to send you a PM, but you seem to have that deactivated - I just wanted to say I love your name! I'm a big fan as well (although my interest has waned a bit in the past few years with some moves around the country), but just wanted to say hi.

(Sorry all for the hijack - I tried to avoid it)!

 

[lustergirl]

Not to be rude but the bottom line is: Life isn't fair. I think there is a high percentage of pins that people receive that are offered to the general public at a later date. I don't get all worked up over something that I have no control over. I will continue going to disney with or without a discount. Yes it is nice to save a few bucks but I am grateful that I have the money to go with while there are countless others who will never get the opportunity to go once in their lifetime. Us american people are always expecting something because we did something- get over it.

 

[sunsetbeachgal]

I also am a bit disgruntled---way too many blackout dates for free dining, folks on these boards saying they got PINS for free dining during blackout dates, etc. I do not care for selective pricing-I understand capacity controlled offers but this PIN stuff (and having to create fake itineraries to get your hands on a PIN) just doesn't settle well with me.....

 

[snykymom]

The only reason you don't know about airline discounts is because there's no DIS board equivalent for airline tickets. Same for hotel deals - I get all sorts of offers. Do I know that they're offered to everyone? Nope. No idea. Because I don't have a board where people will tell me, "Oh, I got a better deal." Or "I got that deal but it's not for my dates." Or whatever.

When I price a vacation, or anything else for that matter, I look at the offers available to me, look at my bank balance, and determine if I can (1) afford it, and, if yes, (2) do I want to pay that amount - is it a good value for me? If yes, I buy it; if not, I don't. What anyone else pays for the same thing is of no interest to me.

If you don't want to know about all the PIN codes that people are getting that you're not, stop hanging around the DIS!

 

[larryz]

I also am a bit disgruntled---way too many blackout dates for free dining, folks on these boards saying they got PINS for free dining during blackout dates, etc. I do not care for selective pricing-I understand capacity controlled offers but this PIN stuff (and having to create fake itineraries to get your hands on a PIN) just doesn't settle well with me.....

Every itinerary I created was real. I just picked the one I got the pin for...

 

[klinlin]

If you don't want to know about all the PIN codes that people are getting that you're not, stop hanging around the DIS!

Yikes, that is snarky. I thought Diser's were supposed to be a friendly bunch.

 

[padawans]

Im guessing snkymom is someone who always gets pins.

 

[MartDM]

I have to admit, not receiving a PIN does put a bit of a gray cloud on my vacation planning. I understand capitalism and tourism and that Disney has every right to entice customers with whatever method they like, in fact I fully support that.

However, being one who has seldom gotten a PIN and even then only one I couldn't use because I was blacked out, it does bum me out a little. I was perfectly happy with my package prior to all the recent talk of PINs... I guess it's just the negative psychology of feeling left out that gives me a bit of a twinge in my gut. Nobody likes to be excluded from the big party, you know?

 

[Disneyadore]

[QUOTEBut the difference is that most times the educated consumer gets the discount]

Nope, it's your address that gets you the best discount. UK visitors get 40% off discount PLUS free dining -no US citizens are EVER able to get two discounts that I've ever heard of. I'm sure I'll get flamed for being "a prejudiced American" but it's just a fact, not my opinion.

Plus Uk residents get the buy 7 get 14 days tickets and they can stack up offers.

 

[walkdmc]

I used a Small World Travel agent and let her worry about my PINs. I actually don't get PINs either, yet do get about 40-50% off rack rates by using her services. Plus, one time I got that big discount and a free dining plan. It was the Poly, last November.

So, maybe change your booking strategy and use a TA. It's worth a try.

 

[walkdmc]

Oh, I just now read the post above mine. I live in PA, not the UK and I got the free dining and cheaper room! I love my Small World agent, love her. She books my ADRs, makes recommendations for restaurants and resorts, etc.

 

[klinlin]

Booking your Disney trip is a tricky game that most of us repeat visitors frequently play. The rules are not fair, and they change frequently and without notice. I have been lucky enough to get some sort of discount on my last few trips, going back to the Magic Kingdom club. But this year I am paying a kings ransom. Why? Because it is my 10th anniversary, and we are staying club level. ( I am fine with this as it is a splurge for a special occassion.) I miss free dining by 1 day because I can only get to Orlando via SW, and they don't have any evening flights the day before. (Can't miss another day of work/school.) To make matters worse for me, I have 4 rapid rewards credits that SW will not allow me to use. I had to come up with almost $1500 that I wasn't planning on spending, and now must fly somewhere else before next June, or lose the rapid reward credits.

The fact that you get a different answer from every CM you speak to is in itself infuriating. Why don't they all have the same information in front of them? The last CM I spoke to was very nice. Told me my first mistake was booking online because you can almost always get a better deal with a CM. But alas, he could not offer me any way to save $$.

I am hoping there is some code/discount coming out today, that I can apply to my reservation. If not, I will go and have a great time anyway. The sticker shock has long since worn off as I booked last August for a November trip. Anyway, OP, there are many others who feel your pain, and I feel sorry that some feel the need to flame you.