How many people will stay off property and/or vacation elsewhere?

[tkldisney]

We do both. Have one non Disney vacation and one at WDW.
I love Disney, but I like to visit other places too! You get great education. WE visited our capitol this summer over 4th of July, GREAT!!! We also went to Napa/Sonoma a couple of weeks ago. (what a blast) What a great way to get ready for food & wine festival!!! hehehe!!!

 

[PatriciaH]

We will do one trip to WDW next year and one elsewhere. I have always booked WDW with discount rates. I had the Magic Kingdom Card (free with work) for years so did DH. We also did packages like Food -N- Fun and Fall Fantasy that used to be awsome deals. I just read in "Budget Travel" that the US has raised visas for foreign visitors to $100 for the application + what the visa actualy costs! This is going to make the travel industry in this country take another nose dive! What a bad time to do that.

 

[DrTomorrow]

Although I'd prefer a discount, I have to be honest - to us, WDW is worth it at rack rate. We're 40-something empty nesters who live below our means - there's nothing like WDW anywhere else. Just my $.02

 

[sherry8253]

It is the Swan and Dolphin for us. I think Disney luxury resorts are overpriced at rack rates. We have stayed at several 5 star resorts and have paid what Disney charges at rack rates at these resorts and have found the service and rooms are far superior than what Disney provides. We are also checking out Univeral during our Dec trip which we have not done in the past. Plus, I seriously doubt that we will renew our annual passports when they come due in December. As much as we enjoy the mouse, there are other vacations spots. 2 of my friends booked the fairy tale package - one hasnt been to Disney for at least 7 years and the other person 10 years. They both said that it will probably be another 5 or 10 years until they go back again. So if Disney thinks that theyare going to get alot of new regular visitors, through this package, I think they are mistaken. But I think that may end up losing some loyal customers like DH and myself.

 

[freediverdude]

It sounds like what is going to happen is that the deluxes will start being filled with people who purchase the package specials, like the FTP, so it makes it affordable to those who don't go very often and just want tickets for the length of stay. And the moderates and values will be filled with the Florida residents who don't want UPHs and the annual passholders, since these people probably won't pay the rack rates for the deluxes. That would be sad if those people couldn't have access to the deluxes unless they wanted to pay rack rate. I'm in the annual passholder category.

 

[julfre]

I am seriously considering and will probably stay at the swan/dolphin. I haven't made up my mind since the trip is not til early December and I guess I keep hoping for discounts then. But after reading the mousesavers newsletter today, I think I am going to make reservations tomorrow for the S/D. They look like nice hotels and have a good price right now.

 

[tonilea]

If it were up to me, we would stay off-site, but DH really wants to try staying on-site, so we are booked at ASMo. I would be happy w/ an AP discount, but now I may try to talk him into splitting our trip, two or three nights on-site (just to test the waters) and the rest through Priceline.

 

[LIFERBABE]

With the Swan & Dolphin becoming so popular, I can see where their rates will rise also. They still won't be as much as a WDW Deluxe, but they could raise their rates and still be competitive with their prime location.

 

[Tesabat]

I couldn't answer your poll in such a yes/no way.

Will I stay off property? Yes, I have.

Will I vacation elsewhere? Well, of course, Yes - I have. I love WDW, but I like to go other places as well.

Will I stay on Disney property again? Yes, I will.

I go for what we can afford when we can afford it, and figure out what's best for us in any given circumstance, depending on when we are going and what is being offered. Other factors play in to that - not just what Disney is offering.

 

[MScott1851]

I will agree with you.. the rates are the main reason we're not staying on-site this time... We were hoping for room-only codes, to no avail...we have only stayed at Deluxe resorts, and are somewhat spoiled, and unwilling to go to a moderate or value when they are still more expensive than really posh rooms elsewhere in Orlando.

The FTP was absolutely worthless to us since we're only staying a week in Orlando and wanted to see both WDW and Universal, and if you didn't book the entire seven night package, then you lost money.

So, we're staying at the Hilton for two nights, $59 on Priceline, and then moving to Universal for five nights at the Hard Rock at $125 per night...In my opinion, Disney can't compete with that...great room, great proximity to US and IOA, downtown, and Seaworld, front of the line privileges...But I can't help but think that Disney could be getting my money if they had just came out with some other deals besides the FTP.

 

[yecats]

This year I am going with FTP which was a good deal for me as I was planning on spending almost a week so the extra time worked out well as it wasn't costing me any extra money with exception of food for 2 more days.

I do love to travel elsewhere but have been lucky to go to disney about every 3 years. Personal goal was to attempt to go to disney yearly (for instance one 4 day weekend and pay for a deluxe with disc. code per year) and then every 3 or 4 years do a longer stay throwing in US or Seaworld but staying offsite for a period of that stay. As you can see, I don't need AP and most of my visits would be too short to qualify for FTP on years where I am only looking to stay 3 or 4 nights. The discount codes would've allowed me to afford deluxes for those few nights. Now that has changed and I am waiting to see what options I will have. I have stayed offsite in the past and may do so in the future, but if I feel Disney is continuing to sort of segregate a part of its loyal population, I may wait several years before going back. I am waiting to see.

P.S. - I agree with an above post. I am a cruiser, love to cruise. There are plenty of cruises that are a lot less than a disney vacation. Besides, at least when your cruising your food and entertainment has been added in. Disney barely gives you any benefits but thinks its giving you lots of them.

 

[faithinkarma]

I like the idea of voting with my feet. I have loved Disney since the beginning of conscious memory. I always felt it was expensive, but was willing to pay for the thrill of Disney.

But now I feel penalized for having an annual pass. I understand their desire to push the packages. But I don't like the fact that it is all that is available. I will be going this fall to make use of my annual pass, but I strongly suspect this will be my last Disney trip for a long time. The thrill is so diminished by the feeling of being manipulated. How sad.

 

[Pig Pen]

I am a DVC member so yes, I will return to WDW. However, I always plan to add nights to my stay using my AP discount to "stretch" my DVC points. Now I will not stay added nights at a WDW property. I can't afford rack rate at the deluxes or mods, and I don't really enjoy the value resorts. I have stayed at the Dolphin before and liked it, so may use that option in the future.

My AP expires this month. Will I renew it? Probably not at this time. I will wait to see what WDW will do with discounts. Sometimes they come out with codes avail to everyone and maybe that's the way to go? The AP was an incentive to go to WDW more often, especially if there were good room discounts associated with it. I would pay cash vs. DVC if the cash deal was better.

My DVC membership appears to be a much better deal now than it was when I first purchased!

Bottom line - I will still go, but less frequently, and stay less days onsite. How many people are really aware of all the discounts available anyway? NO ONE I know ever knew they could get room discounts until I told them.

This "loss of revenue" may be just a drop in the bucket to WDW.

 

[disneyjunkie]

I'm still going. I don't drive so staying offsite is not an option. I looked into staying the Magic Castle, (dirt cheap) but then I'd have to depend on their bus service to get back and forth.

I'm going to make our trip shorter and decrease the # of days I need for a park hopper pass. Instead of attending two MNSSHPs, we're only doing the one that falls on DS's 12 birthday. Ohana's, Kona Cafe, Tappenyaki, and Donald's breakfast, and Cinderella breakfast in the castle are getting cut from our plans.

I think the FTP was a great idea, however I couldn't take advantage of it. If disney comes out with other packages like the FTP, I'd be glad to buy one.

 

[Gary M]

disneyjunkie, FTP is a great package for those that only go to WDW once a year, once in a lifetime or once every 3 or so years. It is not good for for us loyal WDW fans who go multiple times per year.

 

[magicmouse2]

I agree Gary M. We go twice a year and stay 2 weeks at a time. FTP would not be affordable for us and I am afraid we would stay offsite. For a few days I would pay rack rate but not for 2 weeks. POR is something like $174 for next April and we need 2 rooms. I will not be keeping the ressie if they decide to scrap AP rates

 

[mr.mike]

I'm still staying onsite for our next trip but i cut out $2000.00 from the resort price.

We were going to stay at AKL in a suite for 2 days then switch to Poly Lagoon view. Keeping in mind that the suites are never discounted i was willing to pay the price figuring on a AP discount for the Poly lagoon view only.

Now we're at the All-Stars for the first 2 days with 2 rooms (what a change!)
then we go to Poly GARDEN view.

We had such a good time at the All-Stars on our the last trip that the more i thought of the price the harder it was to justify staying in the suite at AKL. (goodbye sunrise safari )

Also we stayed Poly garden view already in Tokelau and we were steps from the lagoon and beach. We could actually see it (and the contemporary) too from our patio.

So with no discounts this is how we'll save our money.

And when staying at the All-Stars I don't mind going off site to Universal for the day. I don't like going when i'm spending over $300 a day for a deluxe.

mike

 

[LvsTnk]

I actually have the FTP booked for my next trip and I have AP's. It will only be me and DS so the difference between rack and FTP was $1115. I only renewed at the regular AP instead of PAP so will use the UPH for DQ and TL.

Now for our Christmas trip there will be 5 of us but between the "pre-holiday" rate, the offering of FTP and no AP rates so far I feel lucky to have a DC discount.

 

[3for Me]

We had booked the Poly on the FTP for October. Now we are switching to the Dolphin because 2 of us were already annual passholders, so we got the PH rate @ the Dolphin.

We are trying to return in February while our APs are still good. We are, at this point, not counting on any AP discounts on rooms so although we will still make the trip, we will probably NOT stay on-site unless a great deal comes along.

So, I guess you could say that Disney will still get SOME of our vacation dollars - BUT - our hotel dollars - which would be significant since we like to be @ a monorail resort - will be lost.

We have stayed off-site before and yes, it is less convenient, but when the bill comes, you breath a sigh of relief!

I honestly think they are just trying everything to see what works and hopefully will return to the AP discounts for rooms when they ultimately see a drop in the sales of annual passes. (I HOPE!)

 

[DrTomorrow]

Originally posted by 3for Me
BUT - our hotel dollars - which would be significant since we like to be @ a monorail resort - will be lost.

Not to pick on you specifically, but your comment is of interest. What you are saying is that you won't be staying at a Disney hotel unless you get a roughly half-price discount on one. IMHO, this is the kind of situation that Disney is trying to reduce. I know, 50% rack is better for Disney than an empty room, but that's why they're trying FTP, etc.