Getting frustrated where are the AP Discounts???

[TwingleMum]

I know I'm not the only one getting frustrated waiting for AP rates ( I'm looking for Nov). FTP is long over Disney should know whats not booked. Why the silence? Any inside info or guesses? I thought something might happen after FTP expired. What is the incentive to buy an AP if no room discounts offered?? And the Disney visa only offered discounts for Fla residents , so thats a bust also. I hope something happens soon.

 

[Clare]

Amen, Amen, Amen!!! I'm looking everyday....just waiting to book my Nov. trip!

 

[ArcticWildMan]

I wonder how many people book rooms off property in frustration waiting for Disney to release AP rates?

I know that I'm on the verge of booking 2 nights at HIFS or Vistanna Village. I refuse to pay rack rates on a room on property and being forced to wait till the last minute in the hope of getting an AP rate is really starting to grate on my nerves.

 

[DebbieB]

I was waiting for last May, they didn't come out until late April. So the new pattern seems to not release them until closer to date. I would look for Aug 24 to Oct 1 next.

 

[CarolA]

AP rates are NEVER guranteed. If that is your only reason for buying an AP then you should be sure that the first time you buy it the room rates are availabe (i.e., don't buy it and assume there will be AP rates).

I actually think a lot of people got spoiled over the past few years. Traditionally there have not been as many AP rooms available and the 45% discounts are larger then normal. I have actually gotten a lot of my AP rates in the past at the last minute. My theory was that Disney hoped the "diehards" like me would schedule a last minute trip if they gave us a quick discount (and it works!)

Disney has shown recently that they are willing to wait us out before releasing room discounts. Even the FTP was released very late for a big summer vacation package. Also if Disney feels like FTP was more profitable we may see more discounts like that. Let's face it, the FTP is keeping the guests in the Disney parks. If you have a 7 day UPH for all your family members how many of you would also buy a 2 or 3 day Universal pass on your average one week trip?

 

[momo2qts]

I am one of those people who are now staying offsite. I too am a AP holder and I am bummed that AP rates haven't come out. I guess, for someone from Illinois to buy 4 AP passes, I expect a little extra. I know it is never guaranteed, but really, how often do people think someone from Illinois can "pop" down there? AP rates didn't come out--no big deal. There are a plethora of hotels offsite that are just as convenient. That is where we will be from Aug 30 -Sept 7th. We will have just as much fun, I'm sure.

 

[ArcticWildMan]

You know what?? I get tired of people who say we are spoiled, shouldn't expect discounts, etc...

Give me a break will you? I come all the way from Alaska and if Disney wants to play the waiting game, I will take my money elsewhere. I don't have the luxury of cheap airfare like the lower 48 does and I don't get some of the discounts people from the SOuth and other states get.

Besides, for the past 2-3 years Disney has encouraged people to buy the AP's by offering such good discounts on the rooms. If I didn't have an annual pass, I wouldn't even be coming back this year, and Disney wouldn't have the chance to cash in on me staying at a resort and spending money inside the parks. I bet my family spends close to $300 a day when you factor in food, drinks, and trinkets that we buy.

If I'm expecting too much to try and save a few bucks on lodging, well excuse me!! While it wasn't written in stone when I bought the AP's that room discounts were automatic, it was implied very strongly that that was one of the benefits of buying an AP.

I'll just let my money speak for me and spend it off property or at other vacation destinations. Just don't cry when more and more AP holders do the same and you see even more cuts in hours and services due to a lack of people.

 

[CarolA]

To stay off site is your choice. Even with AP discounts you are proabably always going to get better rates offsite and maybe even bigger accomodations. To be honest one of the reasons I bought DVC was to stablize my Disney lodging expense. I do still sometimes stay on AP discounts, but the majority of my trips are either Priceline or DVC.

I actually find it amazing that at any given time there are three of 4 threads on this board where people are complaining about the AP pass discounts not being available, not being big enough etc...I still think we are spoiled by having lots of discounts. If the economy picks up and Disney attendance returns the levels they saw during 2000 or the 25th Annivesary year, then discounts will start to drop off. You only do discounts to fill rooms.

Facts are facts, Disney is releasing ALL discounts later. I realize that may not be what you like, but my theory is that it is not a personal attack. To take my posting as a personal attack seems a bit much, but to each thier own. One thing I have learned is that taking anything written on an internet board as a personally is too much trouble. You can't read the other person's mind or know their motivation from type written words.

Have a good trip.

 

[ArcticWildMan]

Considering that Disney has opened two new resorts (AKL, and PC) and a new DVC resort (with two more in the works) I doubt Disney will be able to discontinue offering discounts. They just have too many beds to fill now. There has also been a lot of non-Disney construction that has further eroded Disney's market share. Disney will have to use discounts if it wants to keep people coming to WDW and epecially if they want them to stay on property.

And BTW, I don't take your posts as a personal attack. I do think you have a very condescending attitude however.

 

[TwingleMum]

I agree that AP rates are not guarenteed, I also do agree that it was a big selling point. This will be my first AP (I'll only buy one if discounts offered. If not I'll buy a 4 or 5 day hopper and spend the other 4 days at seaworld(already have pass good for 2003).

 

[searlproudbottom]

I Have to agree with the ArcticWildMan
The only reason I will be coming back this year is because I had purchased a annual passes last year. And Why did I purchase Annual Passes, DISCOUNTS !!! We will be flying from California and I have set aside $ 7,000 for this trip. That amounts to $ 6,000 for Disney. Believe me I can think of a lot of other vacation destinations that I can have just a good time without spending $5.00 for a box of popcorn and $2.50 for a bottle of water,times that by a family of four. Lets not forget about the Disney Club going away. If you ask me its all about Greed. Not about Walts Dream. And how much does Michael Milken I mean Eisner Make in a year?

Searl Proudbottom

 

[drusso]

I am currently holding two reservations, one on-site the other off. I guess this will upset some of you - but I think AP rates should be a given, most of us are going two or three times a year (I've been going for many years and always on-site since 1992), I would like to think Disney would be thrilled to have me back. When I travel on business we use Omni hotels a lot - I get a small box of chocolates and a note card welcoming me and thanking me for choosing Omni. Nothing compares to great customer service. Hopefully the folks at Disney will see the light - you know we can all flock to Universal.

 

[disneyjunkie]

I'm also waiting for AP rates or room only codes to come out. However,if there aren't any discount rates it won't change my trip any.

When I plan my trip, I book the resort that I'm willing to pay rack rate for. If a great discount comes out later fine, if not fine. No matter what happens I have a room that I'll be happy with.

 

[Gary M]

I know that room only, AP discounts, are not guaranteed, but it is a guarantee, that I will not pay rack room rates at WDW. I have gone to WDW and stayed on property 28 times, since Dec. of 1992. I paid, rack room rates, the first couple of trips to WDW, because I didn't know about discounts. Since then, I have gotten room only discounts, some AP, some Jolly Holidays and others, code only. I have had AP's for several years, because of the frequent trips we take in a year. These room only discounts were offered during the good and bad times at WDW. DW and I are retired and have the time and are fortunate enough to have the finances, to vacation several times a year. Instead of our 3 to 4 yearly trips to WDW, we may take 2 this year. If room only rates aren't offered, then it will be zero and we will not renew our AP's.

I like to plan ahead and as of now, we have two trips planned to Vegas and one to New Orleans. If the WDW trips fall thru, then we can plan other nice trips through the travel club we belong to.
What I'm trying to get at, is we have other very good choices besides WDW. If the powers to be, want to offer discounts to people that may go to WDW once in a lifetime or once every 3 or 4 years and not to their loyal customers, then I will stay away. I don't think it is very smart of the people at WDW to ignore their regular customers. Believe me, the demand for WDW trips are down or they wouldn't offer this FTP for the "busy" season. I'm sure many of the loyal WDW customers are feeling slighted, the same way as I am. We were at WDW in early Feb. of this year,
staying at the WL and I bet it wasn't over 1/3 full during the week.

Sorry that I rambled on. Hope we can get to WDW this winter.

 

[clutter]

I gotta agree, they may not be guaranteed, but they sure are implied, and they are what keeps us coming back. And yes, we'll go off-site, or priceline, our room for our 9 day October trip.

DVC doesn't work for everyone. With our mom-and-kid family, we don't need the space. Sure it works out cheaper than deluxes, but we fit fine in, and prefer, the values.

Believe me, Disney gets plenty of other money from us.

 

[palmtreegirl]

What is the incentive to buy an AP if no room discounts offered??

A major incentive for us is the fact that after around 8 days of admission we've paid off the price of the AP and after that it's like getting in the parks for free! Plus the AP's are a great excuse for going back to WDW-lol.

When I plan my trip, I book the resort that I'm willing to pay rack rate for. If a great discount comes out later fine, if not fine. No matter what happens I have a room that I'll be happy with.

That's the same way we plan our trips! This upcoming trip we booked the YC through DU and I was prepared to pay the dreaded rack rate. But then the AP rates did come out and we saved close to 1,000.00 which was a great surprise but I didn't count on them.

I hope some codes come out for you all!!

 

[Lori-n-NY]

How many of you wait to buy that new outfit until it goes on sale?
Of course the store will put it on sale eventually because some money on it is better then none.
Kinda the same as Disney, they will try to fill rooms at rack rates and then fill in some more with a discount because a sale is a sale and everyone jumps at a sale. They limit the number of discounted rooms so the average cost paid is not much below rack rates.
And then think of how many people never knew there were discounts to be had....My first 10 day trip was rack rate with UPH wow did I lose out big time. I arrived to late first day to go to park and had half a day on last day so I wasted alot of ticket time but you know I did not know any better. How many of you had the same experience the first time or even two times??? Now that we know better and know they offer alot of discounts we look for them. Disney still makes a sizeable chunk of money off each one of us. We all love to vacation at WDW and money is tight for most of us so why not want a little break.
I am from Syracuse NY where airfare is the 8th most expensive airport to fly out of so I am already at a disadvantage for saving money. So please think of all of us that have different reasons for wanting/expecting/needing discounts on hotels. Yes I have an annual pass voucher I will activate in Oct for a 10 day trip and I know it was cheaper then 10 day UPH but I really could use the extra $270 from value resort discount (rack $99, AP discount $69)
for meals and Mickey Bars.
If anyone gets a heads up on discounts please shout it as loud as you can so we don't miss it.

I hope everyone has a great day.
Lori

 

[susy]

You would think that Disney would try to fill rooms up at rack rate and then offer discounts to fill up the remaining rooms, right? It sounds logical. Maybe they should pass the idea on to CRO. The last three CM's I've spoken to told me to call back when the discounts come out and they will apply it! This was in the last two weeks. I called to add a night to my WL ressie, then helped my mom call to makes hers (they told her the same thing), and then I called to make one for my MIL and that CM also told me the same thing! This is for Thanksgiving weekend. When I called there were plenty for rooms available at WL.

 

[Lexxiefern]

I am waiting for AP rates also for October. Actually not for me, for my sister. The AP rates mean the difference between a 5 day and an 8 day trip for her (we own DVC so we already have accommadations).

I totally agree with you Lori - our first 2 trips to Disney we stayed at a moderate and paid rack rate with UPH. For what we paid on those trips, we have stayed at the Grand Floridian and other deluxe resorts for less Once I found out about discounts, I will never go back to paying the rack rate.

Good luck to us all!!

 

[dgaston]

I want to gently remind everyone that the code rates for the next time period came out the third and fourth weeks of July in 2002. It's not that late yet.