Expanded Youfirst Blackout Dates for 2011

[keishashadow]

I went to book accommodations for HHN & discovered that most of the friday & saturday nights in October are/have been blacked out since last December for platinum benefits...now that is scary stuff!

NO resort credit, NO sweet suite upgrade, NO guaranteed 48 hour reservations

i've never hit a blackout date before when booking @ loews despite during what i consider to be peak times & several times over minor holidays.

Has anybody else ever been told their benefits won't qualify @ Universal due to blackout dates?

Compound it with only stay longer & play rates currently being publicly offered and if trend continues into next year it will become difficult for me to justify future short split trips w/WDW (all or nothing marketing mentality i suppose?).

was able to snag non-posted AAA rate & a bayview room.

I'm blaming the whole thing on mr potter! Seriously, I love the quality of the hotels and understand they need to strike while the iron is hot, but it would've been great customer service to receive an email as to the excluded dates for planning.

 

[Bluer101]

I have never had a problem and we are Gold members. Is there somewhere online that shows the blackout dates?

 

[damo]

I've never heard that either but I sure would like to know in advance. We are going for a Thursday night and Friday night in June. I will call to find out because I'll have to get all my food/beverage credit used up on the Thursday if that is the case.


editted:

Just called and talked to someone named Leslie, who also spoke to her supervisor and neither had ever heard about benefit blackouts.

 

[keishashadow]

I've never heard that either but I sure would like to know in advance. We are going for a Thursday night and Friday night in June. I will call to find out because I'll have to get all my food/beverage credit used up on the Thursday if that is the case.


editted:

Just called and talked to someone named Leslie, who also spoke to her supervisor and neither had ever heard about benefit blackouts.

some consolation knowing im not the only one in the dark about this

after finding out re the blackout date, I called:

Lowes youfirst 1-877-563-9714

&

the number on the Universal site 1-888-464-3617 - the rep advised me that fridays & saturdays in October are blacked out.

I called U back again just now. The rep I spoke to said that the guaranteed availability & upgrades were definitely out but she saw nothing specifically stated re the welcoming gift, i.e. food & beverage credit.

I'm going to email the hotel & call the youfirst number again tomorrow & question them again & mention what the rep told me. I'm coming in on a Thursday, staying over on a Friday too, so no suite upgrade but really think lowes should honor the resort credit as a goodwill gesture.

 

[damo]

some consolation knowing im not the only one in the dark about this

after finding out re the blackout date, I called:

Lowes youfirst 1-877-563-9714

&

the number on the Universal site 1-888-464-3617 - the rep advised me that fridays & saturdays in October are blacked out.

I called U back again just now. The rep I spoke to said that the guaranteed availability & upgrades were definitely out but she saw nothing specifically stated re the welcoming gift, i.e. food & beverage credit.

I'm going to email the hotel & call the youfirst number again tomorrow & question them again & mention what the rep told me. I'm coming in on a Friday, staying over on a Saturday too, so no suite upgrade but really think lowes should honor the resort credit as a goodwill gesture.

I agree. I don't really care about the suite upgrade for a short stay but I do expect my food and beverage credit and my free internet(don't really care about the welcome piece of fruit either). I find that with platinum even though the reservation people won't upgrade to a suite from anything other than a garden view and also won't upgrade to anything other than a suite, the person at the front desk will often upgrade to a nicer view without even being asked.

 

[keishashadow]

I agree. I don't really care about the suite upgrade for a short stay but I do expect my food and beverage credit and my free internet(don't really care about the welcome piece of fruit either). I find that with platinum even though the reservation people won't upgrade to a suite from anything other than a garden view and also won't upgrade to anything other than a suite, the person at the front desk will often upgrade to a nicer view without even being asked.

i mis-typed my days of week posted above, we arrive Thursday & depart Saturday

i really don't want to come off as being ungracious, the onsite properties are among the best in Orlando imo. I understand the economy is tight, but any blackout dates should be emailed or prominently posted somewhere on youfirst site

 

[damo]

i mis-typed my days of week posted above, we arrive Thursday & depart Saturday

i really don't want to come off as being ungracious, the onsite properties are among the best in Orlando imo. I understand the economy is tight, but any blackout dates should be emailed or prominently posted somewhere on youfirst site

I know that when I am comparing hotel pricing, I always figure in my food and beverage credit as well as my internet costs. If I'm not getting it, it will change when I book.

The youfirst site does mention blackouts. I had never seen that before and wonder where it is used, if anywhere other than Universal.

 

[tinydancer09]

wait I'm missing something...

youfirst?

What is this and how on earth do I get involved?

 

[macraven]

i booked in january and recieved the upgrade.

never heard about the black out dates for fri and saturday in october.
guess this is something new.

i come in on a tuesday and stay for 8 days.

2 days of not using the food and bev perk won't be an issue for me.

i know last year they had some black out dates in december and some holidays for perks.

it didn't involve my time period so i don't remember the actually dates involved.

with my dates, i should still get the 2 credits for my stay.

 

[macraven]

keisha, be sure to post and let us know what you find out.

i do read thru the loews site on occassion but haven't seen anything yet on the restriction of the food/beverage credit for platinum members.
i'll keep an eye out for that.
i have that level and have not received any email about a change.

maybe it is what another poster said, the food/bev will not be effected.
who knows?

all i need is a place to stay and HHN to keep me happy for that october week.

last year i do know people could not book a one night room only at the hotels if it was on a HHN event night.
saturdays could not be booked unless other days were included in the ressie.

maybe the black out is for the 2 nighters on hhn event dates?

like i posted earlier, have not heard of the black out restrictions for october hhn nights.
did the tm say if they were doing that restriction for the september dates for the hotels also?
hhn usually includes the end of september.

 

[keishashadow]

i booked in january and recieved the upgrade.

never heard about the black out dates for fri and saturday in october.
guess this is something new.

yesterday reps @ U & lowes told me they've always had blackout dates & they are posted the end of December for the next year

keisha, be sure to post and let us know what you find out.

i do read thru the loews site on occassion but haven't seen anything yet on the restriction of the food/beverage credit for platinum members.
i'll keep an eye out for that.
i have that level and have not received any email about a change.

maybe it is what another poster said, the food/bev will not be effected.
who knows?

all i need is a place to stay and HHN to keep me happy for that october week.

last year i do know people could not book a one night room only at the hotels if it was on a HHN event night.
saturdays could not be booked unless other days were included in the ressie.

maybe the black out is for the 2 nighters on hhn event dates?

like i posted earlier, have not heard of the black out restrictions for october hhn nights.
did the tm say if they were doing that restriction for the september dates for the hotels also?
hhn usually includes the end of september.

i can't find it on their website either

the blackout for October dates isn't based upon length of stay, just the friday & saturday dates & it applies to both RP & Portofino as per U.

I called U & asked for 'all' the dates for this year, but rep said there were 'too many' but she would be happy to check specific dates...therein the reason I requested them for the entire month of October.

If anybody is concerned re their dates I suggest calling U directly 1-888-464-3617 to determine if you're dates of travel would be affected.

thought about this some more last night. The rub for me isn't that the rates are higher this year (expected w/WWOHP popularity) & they're still far less than disney deluxe resorts. It's the lack of advance communication which shocks me as Lowes is absolutely amazing as to customer service issues.

Additionally, i'm getting hung up on the term 'welcome gift'? U rep said that's the term they give to the dining credit...i thought the gift was the cookies/fruit/beer. I just need to know for planning purposes what my 'net' rate will be, resort credit or not kwim?

hope to hear back from the hotel directly today

 

[keishashadow]

wait I'm missing something...

youfirst?

What is this and how on earth do I get involved?

lowes youfirst reward program is free to join and benefits are applied to your first visit.

http://www.loewshotels.com/en/youfirst/benefits

 

[damo]

This is what the website says,

Loews reserves the right to modify or limit the availability including, among other things, imposing blackout dates and limiting special offers, guaranteed availability, or upgrade benefits.

It is pretty ambiguous.

The website also says,

All interpretations of these membership Rules, Terms and Conditions shall be at the sole discretion of Loews

 

[macraven]

the last two years, there wasn't any welcome gift at rph when i stayed there.
i was told it is up to the hotel to make that call.

i did end up getting something on the 3rd night last year but long story...

i haven't heard of many getting the welcome gift of fruit basket or whatever it was.

i did get the welcome gift 3 years back at rph of the bead necklace, coke, and fruit.

i assume each hotel does it differently.

that gift isn't an issue with me.
all i want is the early check in and check out time and i'm good.

 

[Bluer101]

the last two years, there wasn't any welcome gift at rph when i stayed there.
i was told it is up to the hotel to make that call.

i did end up getting something on the 3rd night last year but long story...

i haven't heard of many getting the welcome gift of fruit basket or whatever it was.

i did get the welcome gift 3 years back at rph of the bead necklace, coke, and fruit.

i assume each hotel does it differently.

that gift isn't an issue with me.
all i want is the early check in and check out time and i'm good.

The past 2 stays I have gotten a CD and basket of fruit at RPR. We already ate some of the fruit.

 

[damo]

We tend to get the welcome gift more at PBH than RPR.

 

[keishashadow]

we receive a plate of rather exotic looking fruit and once a special treat basket for my DS after a substantial room issue a prior trip @ the RP. It's one of the reason we keep returning: they make mistakes (as do we all) but always make it right for us. ps i didn't get any toiletries @ portofino last stayassume due to quick turn over of suite due to late AMEX guest checkout. we were just happy to be able to set our bags down in the room & sprint to HHN before the gates closed to day guest

fyi, I did receive an email reply today (which i'm going to print out & bring with me) which graciously indicated that:

During HHN all weekend dates (friday & saturday) as well as other select dates of expected high occupancy, are blocked out for youfirst benefits. However, the welcome gift and the platinum resort dining credit will still be applicable for qualifying resevations.

im satisfied, good luck all!

 

[damo]

we receive a plate of rather exotic looking fruit and once a special treat basket for my DS after a substantial room issue a prior trip @ the RP. It's one of the reason we keep returning: they make mistakes (as do we all) but always make it right for us. ps i didn't get any toiletries @ portofino last stayassume due to quick turn over of suite due to late AMEX guest checkout. we were just happy to be able to set our bags down in the room & sprint to HHN before the gates closed to day guest

fyi, I did receive an email reply today (which i'm going to print out & bring with me) which graciously indicated that:

During HHN all weekend dates (friday & saturday) as well as other select dates of expected high occupancy, are blocked out for youfirst benefits. However, the welcome gift and the platinum resort dining credit will still be applicable for qualifying resevations.

im satisfied, good luck all!

Excellent. That was what they told me last night. I never know whether to believe them or not, lol.

I can see when there is high occupancy that the late checkout and upgrades might not be available. I'm fine with that.

 

[keishashadow]

Excellent. That was what they told me last night. I never know whether to believe them or not, lol.

I can see when there is high occupancy that the late checkout and upgrades might not be available. I'm fine with that.

me too, just need to know all the details for my stretched travel budget lol. It's disconcerning to receive a different answer everytime you call (mostly disney, really surprised it happened w/U portion) but with the written confirmation and what you were told it appears to be correct.

 

[tinydancer09]

This is what the website says,

Loews reserves the right to modify or limit the availability including, among other things, imposing blackout dates and limiting special offers, guaranteed availability, or upgrade benefits.

It is pretty ambiguous.

The website also says,

All interpretations of these membership Rules, Terms and Conditions shall be at the sole discretion of Loews

Thank you!

So when you're joining this program they ask you questions such as what paper and "other requests."

Do they try to honor these requests every time you stay or what? I am very interested in this whole thing and have no idea why I have never heard of it before now! :/