Disney world giving grandparents a discount

[arielsleepingbeauty]

Thanks for the feedback on discounts for grandparents. I truly didnot want to single out grandparents over anyone else for discounts to Disney World. Please excuse me if I did. What we were trying to relay in this message was all of the grandparents we have spoken to at Disney World that was there with their grandchildren. Some of these grandparents were with their grandchildren because of a death of a parent or parents. Another reason we have been told by grandparents they were taking the grandchildren and children to to Disney World is the expense. Some young parents just don't have the money to afford a vacation to Disney World, so thank god this is where the Grandparents come in. I donot in any way think grandparents should get any better deal than anyone else, but lets be honest large numbers of children and grandchildren would never have the dream of visiting Disney World without the financial help of the Grandparents. Lets not forget some Grandparents are on fixed incomes and are having hardtimes to make ends meet. So this is why maybe a little Disney magic dust may fall on the Grandparents. Spencer Aucoin & Family

I understand what you are saying, but if a grandparent doesn't have enough to make ends meet, they should not be going to WDW. I am a single mom now, I have taken my children without the help of my mother. My mother has offered to pay because she wants all of her family there together and WDW is not the vacation that my sister would pay for. But both she and I can afford to take our children to WDW without her assistance.

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you are an AARP member, they sometimes have trips that you can purchase through them to WDW. Check their website. You need your AARP member number.

Also, if you are a member of AAA, they also sometimes offer discounted trips through their travel offices.

 

[rainydayplay]

If Disney offers a grandparent discount, then I think they should also offer a single mom discount.

If they offer a Single Mom Discount... then they have to offer a Single Daddy Discount!

Let's just call it a "Single Parent Discout". Win-win!

As far as that goes, Nick hotel used to have a single parent package (haven't looked in a while, so that may have gone by the wayside.)

A lot of places give senior citizens discounts (not sure about theme parks, though.) Maybe that's the direction OP is going. X% off if the person is a certain age or older. Could just be off the tickets, and therefore would only apply to the ticket for the person who meets that requirement. Now we'd have Child, Adult, and Senior tickets. Of course, I would think there would be a lot of complaints -- if I have to pay full price for my 10 year old, why can s/he get in for less when s/he is clearly an adult and my child is not? Just saying...

If they really want to give a discount...how about the "I've been here at least once per year for the last X years". Frequent Diser Miles!

 

[epcotprincess]

Dude, it's your choice to not make your ADULT, MARRIED DAUGHTERS and THEIR KIDDOS pay for their own vacations. Sorry, but there isn't a special discount for people who elect to foot the bill!

Have you ever thought about asking them to fund their own good time rather than bugging Disney for a discount?

This has to be a troll. Otherwise, my faith in humanity has dropped yet another notch.

 

[Aggiegrl]

A lot of places give senior citizens discounts (not sure about theme parks, though.) Maybe that's the direction OP is going.

I sort of think along these same lines. To me, Disney started to move into the "all-inclusive" category when they added Magical Express and the option of the dining plan. Their biggest competition for "all-inclusive" vacations is IMHO, the cruise industry, which has senior discounts.

Maybe you don't agree with senior discounts...but it is a tried a true marketing strategy in the travel industry.

 

[Jana49]

Yikes, maybe the OP isn't a troll at all, but simply a fun-loving grandpa with a set income, just trying to find a cheaper way to get his family to WDW more often. (which can be said about many people reading this, I know)

As grandparents to 8 kiddos age 11 and under, my husband and I looked for ways to make the dream come true every few years, and this is what we do:

During the year before we go, we give only park tickets/WDW gift cards for birthdays and Christmas. Then each family pays for the rest of the trip themselves. The grandkids even bank most of their allowance during the year to pay for their own souvenirs. I think they appreciate it more, having earned part of it themselves. Obviously, you would need to fine-tune this to suit your own budget, taking how ever long you need to accumulate the tickets, etc.

OP, check out the Budget Board, too, for ways to save.

 

[rainydayplay]

I sort of think along these same lines. To me, Disney started to move into the "all-inclusive" category when they added Magical Express and the option of the dining plan. Their biggest competition for "all-inclusive" vacations is IMHO, the cruise industry, which has senior discounts.

Maybe you don't agree with senior discounts...but it is a tried a true marketing strategy in the travel industry.

I can see where some wouldn't agree with it, as I'd said, with having to pay full adult pricing for a 10 year old. However...if someone in my group qualified for an extra discount, then, Hallelujah! IMO, ANY money saved is money saved (that will still likely go to Disney while I'm there anyway...)

I'm amused at the "you're a new poster asking a question that you don't know is going to get you flamed; you must be a TROLL!" posts. Of course, it could be an old poster under a new name that is just trying to get under someone's skin, start a flame war, whatever...but there are such quicker, more efficient ways to get there.

Some people have pointed out that the OP is staying off-site. Maybe the discount would make it more feasible for the family to stay on-site. Maybe the OP just has a genuine question about is this done or why isn't this done. I'm good with the all-inclusive discounts. (Loving my 40% off PIN that I got via email that is allowing my family to stay at the WL next trip.) It's an expensive, once-in-a-lifetime (or, for some of us, once-in-a-moment) trip. Who isn't looking/hoping for a discount?

 

[Schmeck]

And some people never get to go to Disney, as they are barely making it day to day. We need to put on our reality caps and remember that going to WDW is not a basic need, it is a luxury, and Disney needs to make a profit in order to keep running. Give out even more discounts, and we'll all be complaining about the cutbacks these discounts have created.

 

[NHdisneylover]

If they really want to give a discount...how about the "I've been here at least once per year for the last X years". Frequent Diser Miles!

Actually I think THAT is a very good idea and i have wondered why Disney does not do it. Most major hotel chains and also cruise lines (which are all inclusive as many WDW packages are) offer some sort of discount and/or perks for repeat guests. Even Disney Cruise Line does. For DCL it is not much, some free goodies in your room and higher on board credits if you book your next vacation while still onboard. Also you get to make your dining, spa and excursion reservations ahead of everyone else. Can you imagine how excited some people would get to get to book Breakfast with Cinderella early just because they had stayed onsight many nights in the past?

 

[Allison]

I donot in any way think grandparents should get any better deal than anyone else,

Actually, isn't that the point of your post? A discount for grandparents?

 

[clutter]

I donot in any way think grandparents should get any better deal than anyone else, but lets be honest large numbers of children and grandchildren would never have the dream of visiting Disney World without the financial help of the Grandparents. Lets not forget some Grandparents are on fixed incomes and are having hardtimes to make ends meet. So this is why maybe a little Disney magic dust may fall on the Grandparents. Spencer Aucoin & Family

Actually that may not be the case. I WISH my daughter's grandparents brought her to Disney. Unfortunately, I was the one that had to pay for them (well, grandmom), to come. As I paid for my sister and three of her children another time. Unfortunately, you are seriously stereotyping. I only know of a handful of grandparents that have the 1) money, 2) physical capability and 3) desire to go to Disney. Most people I know pay for the grandparents, not the other way around.

The reality is that if you're on a fixed income and having a hard time making ends meet, you shouldn't be spending almost $9000 taking your kids and grandkids to Disney. If you can easily afford it, than there are plenty of other ways it could be done more cost-effectively. Buy into DVC. Buy annual passes every other year and time two trips into one annual pass.

 

[maxiesmom]

And some people never get to go to Disney, as they are barely making it day to day. We need to put on our reality caps and remember that going to WDW is not a basic need, it is a luxury, and Disney needs to make a profit in order to keep running. Give out even more discounts, and we'll all be complaining about the cutbacks these discounts have created.

No kidding!