Do you ever truly pay rack rate at Disney

[mymermaid]

With talks of pins, codes, and free dining, does anyone ever pay full price anymore. You see commercials advertising for % off all the time. Just wondering if our good deal is really a good deal. I know some people have gotten discouraged that free dining wasn't for their dates, but with % off they still saved a good bit and could apply that to dining, which would still help out in the long run. Disney sure has us on the hook, but I keep coming back for more! Happy planning.

 

[wdw4rfam]

I can say we have gone every year since 2002, and have NEVER paid full price, always had SOME type of discount. We've ran the numbers for RO, FD, SPD, and for us FD always comes out better, because we do TS every day. SPD was a good second. RO never works out better, but in spring when theres no FD, we use it. We personally have decided we are moving back to spring trips starting 2015 because the FD was way too stressful this year, and REALLY hoping for a good bounceback in September. I can say people DO pay full price and never question it. I remember talking to a group of people last year, in laundry room one night, and none of them had even heard of FD or discounts and it was SEPTEMBER. Who goes in September and pays FULL PRICE

 

[dis_guy]

Yeah, we have, on a couple of Christmas-New Years trips. I think we had a room only discount for the first couple of days on one and the last couple on the other one. Other than that it was peak holiday rates. We have very limited flexibility as to when we can go.

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

We paid rack rate in December of 2008. I really, really wanted to try out Pop and when a RO discount came out, there were no rooms available for our dates. We could've switched to All Stars but I think the savings was only going to be less than $100 (was a short trip) and it wasn't worth it to me.

I'm assuming I will be paying RR for part if not all of our F&WF trip for October, which will make me a little but I found an airfare we could live with so I locked it in knowing I had to be willing to pay full rate at the hotel if it comes to it because there's no rearranging dates at this point.

 

[AquaDame]

we have - there didn't happen to be any discounts when we went last year so we paid full rack rate at POP.

 

[Disneylover99]

We pay rack rate at the end of August for free dining, but I don't mind because it's considered a value season, so room rates are relatively cheap compared to other times of the year.

 

[amg35]

This upcoming October trip. No free dining or room discounts for my dates except through a pin that it doesn't seem I'm going to get.

Our airfare is booked and paid for, we don't want to switch resorts, we like the dates we are going...so we are fine with it. This trip is a big splurge for us and it's almost paid off. C'est la vie!

 

[grimley1968]

I had to pay rack rate last October for a room at POFQ. Disney had no discounts and no "free dining" available for the week we went. Apparently this year is going to be the same in October (the only time we can go), so no WDW for us this year.

 

[saskdw]

We paid "rack rate" once. Dec. 2008. It was our first trip, we had never heard of FD, "rack rate" was much cheaper then, and we could afford what it cost and had a great time. Having said that I would not pay the current "rack rate". Our continued trips to WDW hinge on FD or RO.

I do find some people are to hung up on the words "rack rate" and "a good deal". What I'm looking for is a "fair price". If I felt rack rate was a fair price I would have no problem paying it. I don't need a discount off "sticker price" if the sticker price already represent fair market value. Right now I consider a Mod resort with FD for a family of 3 or more to be a "fair price".

Unfortunately for some a "fair price" doesn't always mean they can afford what they want and what the average person can afford doesn't always have a bearing on what a fair price is.

 

[wdwmaw]

We have been going since 1998 and have always had some type of discount. We have done the old Kingdom Club discount program, RO discounts, AP rates, rented DVC, and FD every year since Disney started it. The prices of rooms and packages now have us wondering how much longer till we are just priced out? I will say I love to talk to people during our trips and I would say 80% of them say they pay rack rate. With the way the website is set up now though I can't imagine anyone not getting some type of discount since it automatically shows different pricing options.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[amg35]

We have been going since 1998 and have always had some type of discount. We have done the old Kingdom Club discount program, RO discounts, AP rates, rented DVC, and FD every year since Disney started it. The prices of rooms and packages now have us wondering how much longer till we are just priced out? I will say I love to talk to people during our trips and I would say 80% of them say they pay rack rate. With the way the website is set up now though I can't imagine anyone not getting some type of discount since it automatically shows different pricing options.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

What do you mean the way the website is set up? There were no discounts on the website when I booked.

10/21-10/30 are the dates, am I missing a discount?

 

[shyjade]

I am paying rack rate in October because our dates, which are not flexible, were excluded from FD this year and RO has not been offered (yet?) and I have never received an elusive pin.

Normally I refuse to pay rack rate but we have to go when DD16 has a 2 days off of school (not over a holiday). If we didn't already have our airfare, I think we would be scrapping the whole trip and going elsewhere.

 

[saskdw]

I am paying rack rate in October because our dates, which are not flexible, were excluded from FD this year and RO has not been offered (yet?) and I have never received an elusive pin.

Normally I refuse to pay rack rate but we have to go when DD16 has a 2 days off of school (not over a holiday). If we didn't already have our airfare, I think we would be scrapping the whole trip and going elsewhere.

That being said, this is the last Disney trip we will take while she's in high school (and probably in college). I tried 4 times to call and modify our reservation (upgrading the hotel, so was trying to spend more money at rack rate). I have yet to get through. Seriously?!

I'm so close to changing our flights (thank you, Southwest for no-fee changes) and just throwing in the towel on Disney. Booking a hotel on the beach for a lot less than Disney is going to cost me (and without all the hassles) is looking more appealing every day.

Yeah....I seriously don't get the on hold thing. I will not do business with a company that will keep me on hold for more than 10-15 mins. Fortunately for Disney I always book online, that has worked flawlessly for me and I've rarely needed to call. The couple times I did call I always got through right away. This on hold for 2 hours nonsense is not something I would tolerate.

 

[Zooshoveller]

We too are paying rack rate with no free dining for our October trip. We wanted certain dates and booked knowing there might not be a later discount. Still hoping for something, but we won't be upset if nothing comes out. This is a special trip for just me and DH, we had a set budget and are still within our price range.

 

[reneaterry]

We did last year because we booked 4 days before arriving.

 

[sjv919]

Once a few years ago when we started vacation trips instead of day trips. I paid rack rate at AOA LM and paid full price for deluxe dining! Would never do that again! Lol

 

[pjhootch]

Sure I have but not for many years. The prices started rising beyond what I thought was reasonable, and so now I don't go unless I get a decent price... which in my mind, is not "rack rate" unless there is a promotion attached to it like free dining.

It has been a long time since I was able to take what I consider a "budget" vacation at Disney on either coast. When our grown kids were young we had a pretty stripped down method of doing Disney and it was really very affordable compared to other kid friendly destinations.

However, there are many people that simply make a reservation at Disney and pay the price without looking for promotions or discounts. Most of the people I know in the midwest fall into that category.

 

[Lillian Gracey]

I haven't paid rack rate, but my fiance and I will this year if we have to. I mean, we're getting married at WDW so there's no backing out now if we don't get an RO discount.

 

[TJA]

Never paid rack rate -- and never will due to how incredibly high rack rates are! The closest we've come is over Easter break when we only had a AAA discount one year.

 

[soccer mom]

Never