Has anyone ever tried to haggle at Disney?!

[islandchick779]

I work for a vacation rental company, and daily we have people who will call, ask what the best discount we can give them, and then when you've told them you'll give them 30% off, they try to haggle the prices down even more.

I've even had people say this to me: "Since we're not arriving until really late at night, can we just have that night for free?" Are these people serious?!

I tell my co-workers these people must be crazy. I compare it to me calling Disney and finding out a rate is $100 a night and saying: "I tell you what...if you give it to me for total with tax $75 a night I'll book it!" I can just hear the Disney CM's laughing at me! LOL!

But it made me wonder, has anyone ever attempted and gotten an awesome last minute deal for a Disney resort?

 

[twoplustwins]

I am not sure Disney knows what "Free" means!! ha!

 

[greengeen]

The castmembers who man the reservation lines don't have the leeway to do this - ever.

And booking at the last minute usually means paying rack rate.

 

[loperella]

IME, Cm's give a quote & that's it. Weird thing is, I've actually been on the phone with cm res looking at a room package that IS available, and they have told me there's nothing. I'll hit refresh & it'll come up again, etc. But they say neary a thing to be had. Soooooooo, I hang up & call back and then VOILA! It's available---weird!

But this got me to thinking about the whole dealing/haggling thing...

Has anyone ever shown up at their resort & upgraded? I don't mean gotten a "magical-pixie-dust" comp upgrade, but maybe asked about upgrades available and then were able to pay "x" amount (i.e. discount) and gotten any kind of a deal. That is, better than they would've, if they'd booked rack-rate online with a cm?

 

[Luv2Roam]

I don't see any check in CM being able to do that. I am sure a manager has to intervene and credit an account if there is any kind of issue. But that I am sure all they could do.
The restaurant managers even have to approve a 20% TiW dining discount. I can't see a check in CM being able to give a room discount on their own. Otherwise you would have the suspicion of CMs giving great discounts to friends, family and themselves. And what would then stop them from going beyond room discounts?
I generally don't think they are going to allow someone to pay less once they are there to check in.
And if you are on line looking at room availability, and the CM on the phone does not show it, that I believe is possible. You would not even be looking at the same exact package, which probably has different inventory available. I cannot imagine any CM on the phone is holding back inventory for whatever reason. I doubt they could without a booking.

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

I have never heard of Disney haggleing with anyone, as other have said, usually if you wait until last minute it's full price, no deals.

 

[dclfun]

I once arrived at a value resort for a FD package, found the location in which I was placed to be the ONLY location I had requested NOT to be in ( Pop Century across from the bowling pin pool). I require an accessible room with roll in shower, so it isn't so easy to be relocated. Since it was FD the resort was packed and I was stuck with that room so I did inquire about paying for an upgrade to Coronado Springs. It was available, but I'd have paid a humongous amount- definitely rack rate which was fair, since that was the FD offer but not worth it to me since we had a 14 night ressie. Fortunately we didn't have the pool noise we were tortured with on a prior stay, but yup, that was my experience with trying to upgrade. Full price, IF available.---Kathy

 

[mousefan96]

IME, Cm's give a quote & that's it. Weird thing is, I've actually been on the phone with cm res looking at a room package that IS available, and they have told me there's nothing. I'll hit refresh & it'll come up again, etc. But they say neary a thing to be had. Soooooooo, I hang up & call back and then VOILA! It's available---weird!

But this got me to thinking about the whole dealing/haggling thing...

Has anyone ever shown up at their resort & upgraded? I don't mean gotten a "magical-pixie-dust" comp upgrade, but maybe asked about upgrades available and then were able to pay "x" amount (i.e. discount) and gotten any kind of a deal. That is, better than they would've, if they'd booked rack-rate online with a cm?

It has happened to me twice, we have asked if the concierge level is available and been offered it for only 40 dollars a night more for the first and 65 dollars per night additional for the second trip. We took both. We have told this to friends and they have been offered it too. Beach an WL resorts.

 

[Schrute Farms]

I've even had people say this to me: "Since we're not arriving until really late at night, can we just have that night for free?" Are these people serious?!

I tell my co-workers these people must be crazy. I compare it to me calling Disney and finding out a rate is $100 a night and saying: "I tell you what...if you give it to me for total with tax $75 a night I'll book it!" I can just hear the Disney CM's laughing at me! LOL!

But it made me wonder, has anyone ever attempted and gotten an awesome last minute deal for a Disney resort?

Why not ask? They can't hit ya.

 

[keishashadow]

why i am reminded of the $20 folded bill trick @ Las Vegas (slipped to clerk when checking in for possible upgrade)...or would it be $20 in disney dollars?

 

[abirdd]

During the Year of a Millon Dreams, we had booked into the CR for the Garden Wing. At check in we became the family of the day - received an upgrade to the Atrium, and stayed in a lovely King room overlooking Bay Lake (we actually asked for it instead of the MK view, since I had fond memories of the water parade as a kiddo). Concierge for nothing was my type of deal!

We were told Disney does do upgrades at check in IF possible - sometimes a minor fee (as a PP mentioned) may be applied. Bottom line, it never hurts to ask.

 

[m2j]

We originally had our vacation scheduled for this week, but unfortunately had to cancel it a few months ago. I should be there right now!!! But anyway, when my husband called to cancel, the CM asked why we were cancelling. My husband replied that the economy has made it difficult for us to go this year. The CM then said that he could work with us and make a deal on top of our already discounted vacation...we were using a 40% off pin code. Sadly, we were still unable to do it so my husband never got into specifics with the CM. To this day, I always wonder what type of discount he would have offered. I know this situation is not exactly what the OP was asking, but it showed that Disney was willing to work with us so that we would be able to keep our vacation.

 

[Bete]

I didn't ask for it, but I was offered this once. I actually didn't take it. I felt like the CM was trying to appease me over an issue I had; so, I didn't do it.

It was nice for him to offer, but I didn't feel right about it. Anyway, I know it can happen.

 

[mbanks21]

We originally had our vacation scheduled for this week, but unfortunately had to cancel it a few months ago. I should be there right now!!! But anyway, when my husband called to cancel, the CM asked why we were cancelling. My husband replied that the economy has made it difficult for us to go this year. The CM then said that he could work with us and make a deal on top of our already discounted vacation...we were using a 40% off pin code. Sadly, we were still unable to do it so my husband never got into specifics with the CM. To this day, I always wonder what type of discount he would have offered. I know this situation is not exactly what the OP was asking, but it showed that Disney was willing to work with us so that we would be able to keep our vacation.

The CM has ZERO say over pricing. Theyre trained to try and get you not to cancel just like any other business. They would have tried to get you into a cheaper hotel or cheaper tickets or something to lower the price of your package

 

[Stinky_Pete]

why i am reminded of the $20 folded bill trick @ Las Vegas (slipped to clerk when checking in for possible upgrade)...or would it be $20 in disney dollars?

It's my understanding that a front desk Disney CM who accepted would be fired if found out.

 

[WDW1st-timers]

why i am reminded of the $20 folded bill trick @ Las Vegas (slipped to clerk when checking in for possible upgrade)...or would it be $20 in disney dollars?

It's my understanding that a front desk Disney CM who accepted would be fired if found out.

I'm sure your right but I think it was just a statement for laughs.

 

[Stinky_Pete]

I'm sure your right but I think it was just a statement for laughs.

I'm sure it was too, but I've seen people on here not "get" these kind of "inside jokes" occasionally.

 

[islandchick779]

If I wouldn't be absolutely mortified when I check in this Friday, I'd love to call Thursday and tell them I'm coming in at 2am and can I just stay for free because I'm not actually check in until the 4th!

Seriously, these are the kind of things I get where I work, and I don't understand how people really justify their questions...

Hence my BIG motivation to go back to school and become a nurse a few years ago. I graduate in December!

I love being the tourist, but not so fond of dealing with them anymore

I know it's terrible to say, but I really just wonder where a person's head is at when they call me to ask what kind of plumbing a house has, or if the carpets match the furniture. Oh, and recently I had a guest call to ask me if I would drive to check the house she was coming in to because she wanted to know if they windows had screens on them, because she might want to open them at some point. It's 95 degrees here, I'm thinking I'd just stick with the A/C. Lol, are they renting it, or purchasing?!

 

[Stinky_Pete]

If I wouldn't be absolutely mortified when I check in this Friday, I'd love to call Thursday and tell them I'm coming in at 2am and can I just stay for free because I'm not actually check in until the 4th!

Seriously, these are the kind of things I get where I work, and I don't understand how people really justify their questions...

Hence my BIG motivation to go back to school and become a nurse a few years ago. I graduate in December!

I love being the tourist, but not so fond of dealing with them anymore

I know it's terrible to say, but I really just wonder where a person's head is at when they call me to ask what kind of plumbing a house has, or if the carpets match the furniture. Oh, and recently I had a guest call to ask me if I would drive to check the house she was coming in to because she wanted to know if they windows had screens on them, because she might want to open them at some point. It's 95 degrees here, I'm thinking I'd just stick with the A/C. Lol, are they renting it, or purchasing?!

LOL - dealing with the public in a customer service position is a rough row to hoe.