Do resorts have higher rates for weekend only stays?

[carmiedog]

My Florida BIL & family are deciding whether to join us for just a weekend at end of April. The value resorts for that weekend are all full. The nightly rate for POFQ/POR is $200 a night! For a whole week's stay it comes up at the regular $165. Is there a penalty for booking weekend only? Or are jacked rates related to full capacity at the Values? I'm just...WOW...

eta: These rates are coming up on the Disney site.

 

[fla4fun]

Are you looking at the same room category? Are the lower rates with a resident discount, and the higher rates without? Are you going from value season to regular or peak season?

I've never noticed a higher rate for weekends specifically, but if your check in date is in a lower priced season, you'll get the lower rate for the whole vacation, including any weekends. For example, if value season ends on a Thursday and peak season starts Friday, you could check in Thursday for the weekend and pay a lower rate for the entire weekend, than you would pay if you check in Friday. So the first thing to do is make sure you aren't overlapping a season rate change. Then, if they are Florida residents, they should be checking for resident rates.

 

[carmiedog]

Room types are same, no discounts, straight off Disney site.

I *think* all the dates are in regular season. Our reservations are April 25-May 1, and I was looking at rates April 27-28 for BIL, but I can double-check the season calendar.

I'll look into resident rates as well, but still it astounds me that there can be such a difference in rack rates.

 

[Momto8]

The weekend rates are the same as weekdays unless there is a change in season, like from value to regular. However, if you book during one season and it changes during your stay, it will stay the same rate for your entire stay.

I just priced your BIL's dates and for POR it was coming up $208/night including tax for a waterview room or king room (they had no standard view rooms left). For POFQ it was $165 plus tax or $185 including tax for a standard view room, so it would be the same for the weekend rate as what you are paying for a weekday (I'm assuming you have a standard view room). That would explain the difference.