email from Hotwire

[DMRick]

I got the following letter, and I cancelled.:
Dear XXXXX XXXXX,

We have discontinued the Disney benefits until next season. We apologize for any inconvenience.

If you have further questions, please call 1-877-581-0266 and speak directly with a Member Savings Representative. Calls are toll-free and Representatives are available Monday through Friday 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. and on Saturday, from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Standard Time.
Thank you,

Jerome
Hotwire Savings Club, Member Savings Representative

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

Well, that really stinks! I'm sure there will be a lot of people cancelling their memberships because of this. Chances are, it's the same story at Connections and Simple Escapes, since they are part of the same company.

The good news is that Disney has opened membership in the Disney Dining Experience to AP holders. After looking into it, I realized that to recover the $50 membership fee, I'd only have to order $250 in food at a Disney restaurant! The discount is 20% off the price of the meal. It can be used at breakfast, lunch or dinner. It's mostly at table service restaurants but does include some counterservice places like the AllStar Food Courts and Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory. It's even good for Hoop de Doo and Spirit of Aloha! And the discount even covers things that were not covered by the vouchers, like alcoholic beverages and those souvenir light-up drinks the kids love.

So, I say "goodbye" to Hotwire and it's monthly fee and "hello" DDE!

 

[Shelby5514]

Just cancelled our Hotwire Membership as we only wanted to buy WDW tickets and vouchers. You can now cancel your membership without talking to anyone. I called back just to confirm and it says my membership was cancelled on 1/8/05. Can't get any easier than that! Just glad I ordered what I needed when I did!

 

[DMRick]

I already bought the DDE card. Our first night with our family is Chef Mickey's (our treat) so we'll get back the entire investment. We also are planning a lunch (the nine of us) at Fort Wilderness, so that will just sweeten the deal. Add our breakfasts to that, and it's a good deal. And we can go back to having dinner at night at 20% off, instead of using the vouchers at lunchtime. Luckily, I bought a bunch of Q & C before the end of the year, so those will round out our meals..and I bet the leftovers will sell quite well on ebay!

 

[MrsJ Henry]

I'll be keeping it since we use the Target, Blockbuster, Barnes and noble as well as some of the other gift cards all the time. I order quite a few of them at a time and always used them when going to these stores(especially target)
It saves us 20% every time we go. On top of any other coupons or discounts we may be using. Not to mention they work out nice for presents.

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

I posted another thread about how happy I've been with Hotwire, but just wanted to add that in addition to the Target gift cards, I just purchased movie tickets. Someone had posted that they expire 12 months after purchase -- which I thought was good enough to order them -- but mine arrived and have NO expiration date!!!!

So glad I bought the max. allowed for one order!!!! 10 tickets @ $4.50 apiece and NO EXPIRATION!!!!

Confess that I'd joined in December for the PHPs (because I knew they'd work out better for our needs than Magic Your Way), but think they are worth at least a trial period for the gift cards and movie tickets.

 

[slmjam]

I wonder when "next season" is? I was hoping to hold on to our Hotwire membership long enough for them to get the MYW tickets in place. This sounds like it may be an extended period of time before anything will be available.

 

[The Disney Bunch]

I'm going to keep our membership - I am sure Hotwire will continue to sell some sort of Disney ticket package & it will be a good deal. We also buy the GC as gifts throughout the year - you save 20% on each gift card which is fantastic - and they added w whole bunch of new stores. I gave Macy's GC to all my nieces & nephews who live out of the area.

 

[tmfranlk]

I wonder when "next season" is? I was hoping to hold on to our Hotwire membership long enough for them to get the MYW tickets in place. This sounds like it may be an extended period of time before anything will be available.

Someone on another list asked Hotwire about the seasons too and was told that the new season begins in May.

 

[DMRick]

Someone on another list asked Hotwire about the seasons too and was told that the new season begins in May.
***
I'll just resign up under hubby's name and cell phone number if that's the case. No sense in paying for the membership if I'm not using it.

 

[madelyn]

I haven't been on the boards for awhile but I have a friend who is going to Disney Land and I got on Hotwire to check DL ticket prices for her. That's when I realized they weren't listed, so I called and was told that they were still negotiating prices and they didn't know when or if they would sell Disney tickets again. Guess the Hotwire rep I talked to was not as informed.