Does this bother anyone else????

[Kick it up a notch!]

Does this bother anyone else????

Buy one, get the second half-price! That's the deal being offered to Canadians on Walt Disney World 7-Day Park Hopper PLUS passes starting today! The specially priced passes will be sold from now until April 19, 2003, and will be valid from November 15, 2002, through May 15, 2003. Additional passes are 25 percent off.

This deal is available ONLY at Disney Stores in Canada. A valid Canadian ID is required for both pass purchase and use.

Kinda makes you feel good about our 10% off!!!

I have nothing against Canadians, I just would like to get something for the loyal fans from the DVC!!!

 

[ncligs]

 

[Eeyore2U]

I guess you have to do what you have to do to draw people. If this attracts more of our friends the North so be it. AS many have said. We from DVC are money in the bank, guaranteed visitors. I can't see why getting upset over something that you aren't going to change.

 

[JonHM]

I was chatting with a DIS-er from Canada earlier this year, and she says that due to the extremely poor condition of the canadian dollar, it costs her many, *MANY* more times the money to come to WDW than it costs me and my family. When she ran the numbers by me, I was absolutely amazed at her dedication. I have thought about this a lot in the past year, and I feel that anything they can do to help make our canadian friends' trips a little bit cheaper is fine by me.

 

[PamOKW]

I agree that this is a perfectly acceptable means to get Canadians to come to WDW. The Canadian dollar vs. the US dollar has them currently paying close to 40% more for their trips. Foreign tourism is way down in Florida and the Canadians are the easiest to entice to come. If the pass discount will help, give it to them. Disney has run these types of promotions quite often.

Everyone is welcome to continue to lobby DVC for a discount on passes. However, I would not expect to receive any discount. They have shown no indication that they plan to give us a discount and, with the new general ticket policies, it sounds like they are eliminating discounts in most instances.

 

[Tagrel]

While it is great for Canadians to get incentives to visit WDW, I can see where it is also frustrating to those who support the company the most being left out.

MANY companies have programs (Frequent Flier, Hotels, Rental Cars, etc) that actually REWARD their most reliable customers. Disney has a long history of taking advantage of its most frequent guests, and I'm just afraid it will bite them in the end. How about enticing repeat customers and tourists from our OWN country - and not just take us for granted?

As to complaining about something that won't change, I have to disagree. Early Entry is back, and due entirely to the huge uproar of guests who did NOT sit back and accept the status quo. If you want change, you have to LOBBY for it. Disney knows this (as they try to hold on to Mickey), and will NOT change until a significant portion of the DVC members express and act on their unhappiness.

So let Disney know. If you are unhappy, send letters and visit other Orlando attractions. Let them know that the cash cow is moving on, and will need to be enticed to come back. And if you like handing your money to Disney, no questions asked, then you have that right. Isn't America Great!

Putting soap back in the box...

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Cannot get mad or upset with DVC for this. They are not doing it, Disney is. They are two separate companies. DVC has to negotiate with WDW for ticket discounts, DVC also has to negotiate for the discounts we do receive. Perhaps if you are really upset about this and the lack of discounts on admission media, you should write WDW.

 

[CarolMN]

It doesn't bother me at all. I'm happy for those that can take advantage of the incentive and very glad that I don't have to deal with the Canadian/U.S. exchange rate from the Canadian end to visit WDW.

I'd love (and happily take advantage of) a discount on annual passes. However, until (and unless) Disney thinks such an incentive will result in increased revenue for them, it won't (and should not) happen. No one on this board has more than anecdotal evidence that additional discounts to DVC members will bring Disney more revenue. I'm betting that Disney has data and it doesn't justify a discount. JMHO. YMMV.

 

[d-r]

Hi,
First I want to say that I have no problem with Walt Disney World offering certain promotions to a specific demographic. If they decide that they would like to offer a discount to residents of certain countries or states, then so be it. I figure that they are trying to market to a given demographic because there is a marketing reason to do so.

That said, I really think it is a mistake to compare Canadian dollars to American dollars. It would be like saying that someone from Mexico has to pay 8 times the amount as an American to go to Walt Disney World because of the exchange rate with the peso (and I am just guessing about what it is). Walt Disney World is in America, and it is priced in American dollars. That can be a benefit to people from certain countries if their currency has a high value, and it can be a detriment to residents of countries whose currency is not trading as well with the dollar. However, just because Canadiann and American currencies are called "dollars" it doesn't mean that Canadian residents are paying any more for a Disney vacation. On the contrary, they are paying exactly the same as Americans, because walt disney world operates on American dollars. Yes, the exchange rate means that a Canadian dollar does not go as far as an American dollar, but the point is the vacation still costs exactly the same amount. This is because the WDW vacation is priced as American dollars; however, Canadian dollars buy fewer American dollars.

However, I am sure that fewer Canadian residents are able to afford to visit Walt Disney World with the current exchange rate, and I am sure that this is why WDW is marketing special offers to intice Candian visitors.

 

[Lew]

The Canadian dollar is actually discounted about 40%. This translates to a WDW vacation that is 67% more expensive for them.

I say 'give them a break!'

 

[DeeP]

It is all about marketing. If Canadian visitors can not afford to visit WDW due to the horrible exchange rate, this is a way to tap that market. Simple. It does not bother me at all!!!! I am happy for the Canadian visitors and since this new program gives them a break on the passes but not on the exchange rate of their money for what they will spend on food, rooms etc., I really feel for anyone in the US to complain that they are not getting the same deal is like crying starvation with a loaf of bread under your arm!! Not to be harsh but can't you just be happy for someone else's chance to enjoy WDW at a cost that is affordable to them but is still most likely more money for them than it is for you once you take in the whole picture and figure out what they are still spending on food, rooms, etc! Geez!

 

[ralphd]

This is a promotion to increase business from a 'target market area'. Airlines, hotels and other travel and entertainment companies use the same marketing strategy to drum up business from a certain geographic area or market group.
We have all benefited from lower prices because a companies marketing campaign. Hope it produces the desired results for WDW.

ralphd

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Not to be harsh but can't you just be happy for someone else's chance to enjoy WDW at a cost that is affordable to them but is still most likely more money for them than it is for you once you take in the whole picture and figure out what they are still spending on food, rooms, etc! Geez!

Yes, I sure can and I most definitely am!!!!!

 

[Steve BW99]

Nicely said d-r.

Canadians pay exactly the same for WDW vacations as Americans do. Unfourtunatly, due to the Canadian government policies the Canadian dollar no longer exchanges at a decent rate with the American dollar. This does not mean the cost is higher, only their cost as a percentage of income has increased. Just another example of liberalism in practice.

 

[PamOKW]

The discount for the Canadians brings the exchange rate down for them and contains their costs. If I go to Canada, I get a bargain on the room rates the way rates are now. So, things even out. As others point out, the Canadian rate is really no different than the special rates that were offered to Florida and Southern states last year when 9/11 air travel came to a halt. Special offers are made to different groups all the time.

I'm all for people expressing their desire for a pass discount for DVC members. However, there isn't that much incentive beyond "goodwill" for them to offer us one. We have already indicated that we are coming to WDW and, if we don't, they have our points to rent to someone who will. Of course, you can stay at DVC resorts and not go to the parks to "show them" but I think the number of members doing that is still too small from them to be concerned. I've written, begged, pleaded, screamed....all since the AK opened and we weren't offered any reasonable way to see the park beyond our "free passes". At that time, it became apparent that the likelihood of a DVC discount was very slim. We were offered one ridiculous option that hardly anyone took advantage of (remember the 5 year deal?) Maybe they'll rethink it and come up with a pass discount. I agree that people should feel free to continue to express that concern to Disney & DVC. Maybe I'll be suprised someday soon.

 

[Eeyore2U]

Originally posted by Tagrel
As to complaining about something that won't change, I have to disagree. Early Entry is back, and due entirely to the huge uproar of guests who did NOT sit back and accept the status quo. If you want change, you have to LOBBY for it. Disney knows this (as they try to hold on to Mickey), and will NOT change until a significant portion of the DVC members express and act on their unhappiness.

Do you have proof of this? I believe EE is back due to low crowds and nothing else. If crowds were not down all the emails and letters wouldn't mean a hill of beans.

 

[DeeP]

Yes, I sure can and I most definitely am!!!!!

Gail,
I never doubted for a minute that you could or would be happy for the Canadian visitors. You are a very fair and up front person.

 

[BCVOwner2002]

It doesn't bother me that Canadian citizens receive a discount on passes. Actually, when I read the first message my thought was that's about the same as the current exchange rate so Canadians aren't really getting a "deal". Considering our costs compared to theirs I believe anything Disney or any other tourist attraction can do to help get foreigners to spend money in the United States the better for all of us! Just my opinion. Annmarie

 

[Kick it up a notch!]

When I started this thread I didn't mean for people to be upset with the people from Canada. Or for that matter, that they were offered the discount.

I guess what I was trying to say is that I have spent a lot of money both on my DVC purchase and on the vacations that we have taken because of the purchase and that the discounts they give us (the people who actually go to WDW on a regular basis) are pretty poor. Does anyone else feel funny about asking for their discount at a restaurant when you pay with your room card that says DVC. Personally, discounts at restaurants and stores in WDW really don't mean that much because I forget to ask about it until after I have left. I don't save that much on them and it really is extra work to figure out who has a discount, what time of day it is available, what day it is available and to ask for it. The discounts are poor in my opinion and I would rather have someone give me a Florida resident annual pass price and no discounts anywhere else. The current system is not set up very well and I was merely trying to say that I think that trying to entice people from Canada is a good idea, it just bothers me that they don't offer a respectable discount for the loyal people who support them.

The person who wrote about the frequent flyer miles hit it right on the head. Offer something to your loyal customers to keep them loyal and happy.

 

[madcoco]

Quite to the contrary with the exchange rate being what it is I am happy they are given a discount. Our part time neighbors(family of 4 ) did a 7 day DC in Disney suite(I think it was Roy.lt colored wood?) followed by a week of rented OKW 2BDR. earlier this year. Wow. When they told us what they spent US it could have bought any of us in the US a bundle of points.