Has anyone had to pay the rack rate?

[MagicPrincess]

DH and I are trying to figure out our budget for our 2010 summer trip, and we're *really hoping* for a good discount, but then I started wondering, do you really ever have to pay the rack rate? It seems as though you can get a number of discounts either through a TA, AAA, Disney promos?

I'm just curious! Anyone paying rack rate this summer?

Thanks!

 

[iteach7th]

October of 2007 we had to pay rack rate - no discounts. We were booked at POP, discount came out for Disney Visa and then for general public. We are Disney Visa - our travel agent started trying immediately that morning and could not get anything for us that we wanted. As a matter of fact - she had e-mailed me before I even knew the code had been released.

The only thing available was to book non preferred room at All Star Music. We have had friends who had non-preferred at ASMu and wound up on the back side very far from the buses and food court. We turned it down because of small children falling asleep on the buses every night coming back and didn't want to carry them that far. According to the TA that was the only thing available in all of WDW in the value/moderate resort category for our week.

I had her try the morning the code was released for Disney Visa and then again when it was released for the general public. We also tried when the 45 and 44 day mark hit to see if there were any cancellations. According to her - there was nothing available. Since we had several friends get in with no problem for that week, that is why I am my own TA from now on.

 

[ccgirl]

The only time I booked rack rate was during the free dining promotion. Other than that, there are a lot of good discounts out there. Especially, if you are flexible with your resort.

 

[Sandi]

We've paid rack rate during spring break a few years ago. No discounts and we did it sort of last minute.

 

[catne]

booked rack rate several years ago...because I didn't know any better (obviously this was pre-disboards days!) Not sure if there were any deals available then, anyway, because that was back when the economy was booming so maybe I didn't lose out on anything. (And actually, now that I think about it, I might have got the AAA discount on that room anyway, because seems like I always ask for that one automatically.)

 

[BuckeyeBelle]

We paid rack rate once -- at POR back in 1997. For whatever reason, we couldn't get the (now defunct) Magic Kingdom Club discount, and I hadn't yet discovered DISBoards and the joy of annual passes!

Since then, we've always booked at AP discounts, except in 2001 when my mom got an amazing $99 rate at the Dolphin for being a teacher. We're advance planners, though. We usually have our trip dates set months ahead of time so we can call the day the discounts come out. Of course, we haven't always gotten our first choice of resort, but that only means we've gotten to try other great resorts that we wouldn't have otherwise booked.

 

[kirbygump]

We paid rack rate for our week in June 2008. Prior to finding Dis - you live & learn. Didn't even know I could have used AAA.

 

[PrincessKitty1]

We paid rack rate for a Value during Spring Break this year: $135 a night. Ouch. We may have gotten a small AAA discount, can't remember.

 

[nooneshome]

10 trips and never paid "rack"!!! Number 11 should be our Thanksgiving trip. Our last two we have gotten great discounts. Hope to get free dining this year as we are hopefully arriving early enough. Also we will be getting a birthday gift card.

 

[Tissa]

I've always been able to at least get a AAA rate for summer. Not much else though until the 4/7 for this July.