How do blackout dates work?

[Susie22]

I just had the strangest conversation with reservations. I called to ask if I had a pin because I would like to book in November, but I want a discount. I had called two days ago and they said I didn't have one. This time she tells me right away that I do indeed have a pin. I asked what it was for and she said you get some spa discounts and some dining vouchers.

I replied that I'd never heard of this kind of pin and asked if it was a new one. She never really answered that question, but said, let me see what else I have for you. I have another pin for free water parks fun and more.

I told her I was hoping for free dining or a room percentage pin. She asked if she could put me on hold. Then she came back and said she had a percentage pin for either 10, 20 or 30 percent off room rates. I said, great, let me book with that one.

She took all my information and then told me that my dates were during the blackout period for the pin (Nov 20-27). I told her I could arrive on Nov. 18 (the last valid pin date), but she said I would only get the discount for that first day.

So I asked, well, then can I get the water parks fun and more pin for free instead. Since that's a package, won't I get that for the entire time of my stay if I check in on the 18th? She said, no I would only get that for the first day.

That makes no sense to me at all. It was the strangest conversation. It almost sounded like she was making up discounts and rules on the fly. So my question is, what are the rules for blackout dates if you check in on the last day before the blackout goes into effect?

 

[kerplop]

This is really weird. From everything I've read and from stories of people I know, most of them still got the discount as long as they were checking in during the non-blackout period. So in your case you would qualify since your check- in would have been within the time period. Ugh. Maybe try calling back and trying another CM?

 

[TerrytownGrl]

I had booked with a room only discount pin last year - we were staying Sun-Sat of Thanksgiving week.

I was allowed to take the % off the rooms for the non-blacked out dates only (Sun-Tues). Last year during Thanksgiving week, the blackout dates during our stay were Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Hope this helps!

 

[Colleen27]

For room only discounts, you'll only get the % off on non-blacked out dates but package discounts that offer other incentives like free dining or free ticket upgrades have always been based on date of check-in.

In '08 the free WP&M/PH ticket upgrade offer had a small room discount included as well (I want to say 20% at deluxes?) so perhaps that is what she's talking about when she said the package offer would only get you the discount on the non-excluded night?

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

For our October 2010 trip, the first PIN we got was only good until 10/7 (the Thurs. leading into Columbus Day wknd), so we got the discount for our first two nights, then were to pay rack rate for the last two nights.

A couple months later we got another PIN that covered all the nights of our stay so we called and had that applied. So IME, the PIN was only good for the exact dates stated, not a "check-in by" date situation.

 

[Colleen27]

For our October 2010 trip, the first PIN we got was only good until 10/7 (the Thurs. leading into Columbus Day wknd), so we got the discount for our first two nights, then were to pay rack rate for the last two nights.

A couple months later we got another PIN that covered all the nights of our stay so we called and had that applied. So IME, the PIN was only good for the exact dates stated, not a "check-in by" date situation.

Room only codes have worked that way for a while now, even when you bundle them with tickets and/or dining to make it a package. But specific package discounts that aren't tied to the room rate like free dining, kids play free, ticket upgrade offers, etc. have always gone by check-in date.

 

[DisneyLover75]

Do they ever have specials like that that are offered during the holidays? Or are they always black out dates?