Does anyone book now and hope for a code?

[LeahA]

I've been on these boards for several years. I know that every spring the codes come out on Mousesavers and people tend to be able to get their resorts at incredible deals. I was booked offsite this past trip, when the codes came out I was able stay in a courtyard view at the WL for $179.00 per night.

I really want to stay at a deluxe again next year. There are 5 of us and I would really like to stay at the CR or the POLY. Does anyone book hotels at the rack rate and hope for a code. Should I book now or wait?

 

[dizplanner]

I would book where you can afford, with a AAA discount if you have AAA. I really don't expect any codes for next spring. I would not book rack rate unless you are willing to stay there at that price. (If nothing else, doing so would prevent the very code you are looking for because they would have enough rooms booked, so they would have no need to offer the discount.)

 

[cecamut]

I've done that the past couple of years for my stay at POFQ. I will be doing the same very soon. My DW and 3 DS's and I want to stay at a Delux in May 2006. To make sure we get the resort we want to stay at, I'm going to book at rack rate and hope for a code early spring of 2006. It's worked the past couple years, so hopefully it will work this time too!

Charlie

 

[dizplanner]

Yes, Charlie, but I assume you are going to stay at that deluxe resort, whether or not a code is available, right? If not, you are actually making it less likely you will get what you want. Hotels offer discounts based on booking levels - if bookings are down, offer discounts to get the people to come. If bookings are up, offer no discounts or smaller discounts or fewer rooms at the discounted rate. So by booking a hotel at a rate you are not willing to pay, you are falsely driving the booking rate up. And the resort that you can afford is filling up and you may not be able to get it if you wait too long for the discount.

That is why I say, book what you are willing to be pay at the available rates. Change if something better comes along.

Note: I am booked next spring at the Hard Rock Hotel for two nights. I don't like the rate I have ($299/night), but I really want to stay on site. I decided that I would pay that rate if necessary, so I booked the rooms. But I am checking back regularly, looking for a AAA rate. And if AP rates come out, I would have to compare the ticket cost against the savings to see if it makes sense. I realize by booking, I might be making the discount harder to come by (although I don't know if yield management affects AAA discounts or not - they were slow to make the rooms available for booking and I think they are slow to make the discounts available), but I don't want to risk not getting a room at all. (Although I am willing to stay at any of the three resorts.)

 

[LeahA]

It would be shocking to me if there were no codes for next year, but, that could happen. I could either book resort I want now and when the time comes if no codes come out, cancel it. Or, I could wait until that time, call the hotel when the codes are out and they can tell me that the hotel is sold out.

I have to book something now, it's spring break and looking on the Disney website some of the rooms at WL are already sold out. I love Disney and Universal but their rates are just too darn high.

Even Universal's RP is $299.00 per night for that time frame. For 5 people that room was small!

Thanks for the comments, I'm upsetting myself now.

 

[cobbler]

It would be shocking to me if there were no codes for next year

It wouldn't shock me. There haven't been any codes released this year at all. Only promo was the free dining during peak hurricane season and it required you to pay rack rate for your room.

 

[tlbwriter]

I booked for what I was willing to pay for. If there's a code I can use, I'll be thrilled. And if not, I'm prepared to pay the booked price.

 

[deelam]

I booked CSR with a AAA. If codes are released, I'm going to change to WL or CR.
I also booked Royal Pacific for later in the week at $299 per night. I feel pretty certain that discounts will be release for the Universal Hotel. I paid an AP rate of $149 per night this past year. I have an AP, AAA and the public discount for people staying over 4 nights is usualy 20%. If all fails with Universal, I'll book extra days at Disney's CSR at the AAA of $161 per night.

So with Disney I will not book more then I can afford. With Universal, I did book because I feel that the release of discounts is likely.

 

[dizplanner]

I too think Universal will have some discounts - at least AAA. But I am also budgeting rack rate, just in case.

I don't think there will be a general code for Disney. I think there will be Best Rate AP rates, probably FL rates and AAA (which you can book now). There may also be private PIN email/postcard discounts. As someone else pointed out, the only discounts that have been released in 2005 beyond AAA, AP & FL has been the free dining. (Yes, I know there were discounts for early 2005 dates, but they were released in 2004 and had to be booked in 2004.) If Disney feels it did not have to discount this summer, why would they discount during spring break, one of the busier times? Due to downturn in travel, 2001-2004 had many more discounts than normal. We are getting back to normal -> less discounts. I solved it for myself by buying DVC (via resale to save money and get the resort I wanted).

NOTE: If the economy or travel goes in the toilet due to Katrina, all bets are off. You might see more discounts - just hope you still have a job so you can enjoy them.

 

[Julia M]

I booked for what I was willing to pay for. If there's a code I can use, I'll be thrilled. And if not, I'm prepared to pay the booked price.

That's what I did. I booked at the Poly, with an AAA discount. I have a package. If free dining were to come out (I'm not expecting it, but if it did), I'd cancel my package and rebook. I'd save about $800. If it doesn't come out, I'm not changing anything.

I did the same thing in summer 2004. I booked three rooms at AK (our family took a trip). We would have stayed there no matter what, but I was happy a code came out and reduced the bill a bit!!

Julia

 

[WDWBetsy]

As others have pointed out, I would not expect the general/public codes of the past. Tourism is up - if resorts are filling the rooms, the prices will remain higher as well.

If you're booking a room where you have no intent on staying without a discount, you're pretty much shooting yourself in the foot. You're boosting the occupancy rates, and ultimately keeping the prices higher. If you book where you really want to stay anyway, you can just keep checking to see if discounts are released.

If tourism declines (due to high gas prices, economy, etc.), then Disney may start offering more discounts like they have in the past. I would imagine that if this hurricane season continues to be bad, they'll probably offer discounts next year during hurricane season to boost occupany if needed.