Do prices ever drop at the last minute?

[foolish-mortal]

Does Disney ever drop their prices if they're not full close to a sailing?

 

[RedHead0186]

Technically they don't drop prices, but they will offer guarantee staterooms. These rooms are offered at a discount but also come with heavy restrictions (for example, you must pay in full up front, and you can't make any changes). And you can't pick a specific room, you pick a category and DCL will assign you a room at least in that category.

 

[Disneyland_emily]

Not usually- GT rates are the best “discount” for regular people..

When they want to sell rooms they get offered to Cast at a usually slightly better than GT rate and DCL Cast at a much better than GT rate…

There has been very slim pickings for Cadt Rates and no DCL cast rates lately as theY haven’t had to discount..

 

[Cheburashka]

Yes, GT (guarantee restricted) rates will pop up in the months before cruises that aren't selling up to expectations. There is no way to know in advance which cruises will go GT. Usually GT rates pop up for a cruise after the paid in full deadline, but lately some cruises have started offering GT rates even before the paid in full deadline.

If you see a GT rate you really want, nab it. They don't always last long. But be careful that you do really want it. They're nonrefundable, nonchangeable, etc. You won't be able to select your stateroom, but they will guarantee you to be at least in your selected category (inside, oceanview or verandah) or higher.

 

[Carohs]

I've seen sailings that will have a VGT rate but the inside rate regular rate is still cheaper and no IGT offers. I'd rather have a discounted Verandah than an inside, but if you're less picky about category and more picky about location it may not make sense to wait for GT.

 

[JoeFromSeoul]

Rarely DCL will offer military or Florida resident rates a couple of weeks before sailing. Some restrictions will apply…no changes, full payment due at booking, etc.

 

[PAGA2003]

We're eligible for one of the special rate categories (where the best savings tend to be over regular GTY) so I tend to check every Monday to see what is out there. There are constantly cruises available but if you have your heart set on one particular sailing you might be disappointed.

For this summer I had a list of 4 different sailings that would work for us (started checking religiously last October for deals) and two of them ended up with special rates. We booked a 7 night Fantasy 125 days in advance and ended up with a 33% savings! If you are flexible and eligible for Florida/Canada/ Military rates you can score great deals.

 

[bcwife76]

Rarely DCL will offer military or Florida resident rates a couple of weeks before sailing. Some restrictions will apply…no changes, full payment due at booking, etc.

Military, FL and CDN residents rates are offered on cruises well in advance of a couple of weeks before sailing. There are several cruises right now into December 2023 with those rates.

 

[RedHead0186]

Military, FL and CDN residents rates are offered on cruises well in advance of a couple of weeks before sailing. There are several cruises right now into December 2023 with those rates.

Yes, and I was able to apply a FL resident discount to a September 2022 cruise when the rate was announced in July 2022.

 

[bcwife76]

Yes, and I was able to apply a FL resident discount to a September 2022 cruise when the rate was announced in July 2022.

We rebooked a NYE Dec 2022 cruise on the Wonder when a CDN residents rate was also released in July 2022. I was pretty shocked, you can't use a placeholder on a NYE cruise but they offered CDN residents rates

 

[JoeFromSeoul]

We sailed twice on the Magic when short notice, discounted rates were announced for FL residents less than a month before sailing. This was in 2017 when I was posted in Miami. These were not the same resident discount from the initial booking announcement.

Rare, but not unheard of.

 

[Budzooka]

How do you know when GT rates are available? Just constantly checking prices and see a drop?

 

[Calantha]

How do you know when GT rates are available? Just constantly checking prices and see a drop?

They are typically posted on Mondays. They are here (https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/special-offers/) and Scott posts on his blog as well when they come up (https://disneycruiselineblog.com/). I read the blog a lot more than I check the website, so when he posts something, I'll follow up if I see something interesting.

 

[Budzooka]

They are typically posted on Mondays. They are here (https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/special-offers/) and Scott posts on his blog as well when they come up (https://disneycruiselineblog.com/). I read the blog a lot more than I check the website, so when he posts something, I'll follow up if I see something interesting.

Great. Thank you for sharing.

 

[Kevin O'Brien]

Most of the time prices for Disney cruises increases but they do offer a lower price near the time as restricted guaranteed staterooms but restricted guaranteed staterooms are usually the same price as opening day bookings for new iterneries but restricted guarantee staterooms don't accept deposit so what I do is that I book early as soon as booking open on opening day before iterneries I usually put the deposit money in my savings account until the iterneries have been released for the following year and them I pay a deposit for a Disney cruise on opening day I'm a silver castaway club member so I usually book 1 day before bookings open to public.

 

[lscrivan18]

How do you know when GT rates are available? Just constantly checking prices and see a drop?

I check this site https://www.mousesavers.com/disney-cruise-tips/disney-cruise-line-discounts-and-deals/ and click Last-Minute Restricted Stateroom Discounts

 

[Kevin O'Brien]

I check this site https://www.mousesavers.com/disney-cruise-tips/disney-cruise-line-discounts-and-deals/ and click Last-Minute Restricted Stateroom Discounts

You could also find guaranteed restricted stateroom offers on the Disboard by clicking the menu button them Disney cruise line and discounts them it will redirect you to DCLFan also DCLFan is sponsored by Dreams Unlimited Travel.

 

[ngl]

I think I already know the answer to this but... I assume they never discount Concierge rooms? (We are FL residents) We made the "mistake" of cruising concierge for our first Disney cruise over 10 years ago when the difference in cabin prices was not as drastic and now we are hooked. We usually book over a year in advance but was thinking of "sneaking" one in December this year. (Just returned from MDAS cruise but we typically go Tgiving week and if we do not book as soon as schedules come out we do not get a concierge room). Found a cruise in Dec that would work with our schedule (in-between Cmas and NYE but not sailing on either holiday day) but would love to see price go down of course which I know from Disney experiences that never seems to happen However, Concierge is WIDE open for this sailing which seems odd to me. Of the Family Oceanview concierge staterooms, there are 22 between both decks 11 & 12 and only 5 are booked. For the One bedroom concierge staterooms there are 18 total and only one is booked. The two Royal suites are not booked. I assume they will offer these up to cast or offer to upgrade those already booked but just was curious what their protocol is when it is under booked? (Understanding that is still 9 months away) Thanks for any insight!

 

[OKW Lover]

I assume they never discount Concierge rooms

I've never seen one.

 

[auntlynne]

I think I already know the answer to this but... I assume they never discount Concierge rooms? (We are FL residents) We made the "mistake" of cruising concierge for our first Disney cruise over 10 years ago when the difference in cabin prices was not as drastic and now we are hooked. We usually book over a year in advance but was thinking of "sneaking" one in December this year. (Just returned from MDAS cruise but we typically go Tgiving week and if we do not book as soon as schedules come out we do not get a concierge room). Found a cruise in Dec that would work with our schedule (in-between Cmas and NYE but not sailing on either holiday day) but would love to see price go down of course which I know from Disney experiences that never seems to happen However, Concierge is WIDE open for this sailing which seems odd to me. Of the Family Oceanview concierge staterooms, there are 22 between both decks 11 & 12 and only 5 are booked. For the One bedroom concierge staterooms there are 18 total and only one is booked. The two Royal suites are not booked. I assume they will offer these up to cast or offer to upgrade those already booked but just was curious what their protocol is when it is under booked? (Understanding that is still 9 months away) Thanks for any insight!

Possibly paid upgrades at the port. I got a sweet/suite deal on one that way.