I Can't Believe Disney Would Stoop This Low!!!

[wdwmaw]

OP I am with you on this one

I got the 3 digit flyer in the mail, but as I do with everything, I checked it out before getting my hopes up. It was not a discount. Was I bummed, well, yeah, but did I think Disney was "stooping"? Nope.

I can't remember how much time had passed (3-5 weeks??), but I DID recieve a 15 digit PIN code via email shortly after for 10% of my room. So for anyone who recieved the 3 digit email, keep an eye out for a PIN. It is probably coming soon.

Lets consider the average person that is not on the DIS, which is the majority of families that visit Disney. You have a husband and wife that want to take their children for that one time visit. They see a comercial and lets say they are registered with Disney so kids can play online on Disney site (I have families at school that this happens to all the time). They get a postcard or email and they call to book at the offer mentioned in origional post. They think they have the best deal, point blank.

I am so glad you know how this all works, but for some, they don't and just need the discount so bad. They spend time on here hearing about all these PIN codes and it is just down right disheartening to know that others get them, worded the same way, and then you finally get one and its rack rate. REALLY!! It's deceptive, but to the unknowing, it's a deal and thats Disney's target, the 90% of the guests that will never know about the DIS or real offers, and that is the point.

 

[Jubilee]

I agree it's a bit deceptive and odd. I argued with CMs for 2 hours the other night over misleading marketing as well (because I am trying to get the best deal, of course!) One CM couldn't find the official website (as I cited as a frame of reference for where I was seeing the offer) and actually accused me of just being on a site that wasn't official and looked "similar" as "our official website is waltdisneyworld.com and anything else is not us" - duh, but the redirect is http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/ then she hung up on me!

Here is the wording I found on the website and I wanted to see what and where these magical $59 rooms were. Turns out that "it may have been wording taking from rates in Sept. when there are actually rates that low" EVEN THOUGH it specifically says they were available during the time that I am going. They just kept telling me that 30% and even 35% off the rack rate price does not add up to $59 so it must just be an error. Doesn't it seem like they should honor it, or at least REMOVE it if it is not even possible to get these rates?

Florida Residents! Save up to 35% at Select Disney Resort Hotels in Early 2012!

Florida Residents, enjoy a weekend getaway—and extra vacation value—at Walt Disney World Resort in the New Year! Save up to 35% at select Disney Resort hotels for stays most nights January 2, 2012 through March 8, 2012. With great hotel rates, it's even easier for you and your family to make magical vacation memories to last a lifetime.

For example, stay in a standard room at select Disney Value Resorts starting at just $59 per night, plus tax for stays most Sunday through Thursday nights January 2, 2012 through March 8, 2012. That's a savings of 30%! Be sure to check for great weekend rates too!

 

[sjs314]

So as I had posted earlier, I received a CODE offer to my secondary email. I have never booked a trip using this email or my married name, I have only used my main email and my maiden name (for 5+ trips in the past 5 years.) I ordered Vacation DVD’s, The Maps, and “Saved” Vacations to both emails, so I found it was funny that the offer went to this one. This is what the offer said:

Stay in the middle of the magic at select Disney Resort hotels.

Disney Value Resort $100*per night plus tax
in a standard room.
For stays most
Sunday–Thursday nights
10/1/12-10/4/12 and 10/8/12-10/31/12.

Disney Moderate Resort $174*per night plus tax
in a standard room.
For stays most
Sunday–Thursday nights
10/1/12-10/4/12 and 10/8/12-10/31/12.

Disney Deluxe Resort $330*per night plus tax
in a standard room at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge or Disney's Wilderness Lodge.
For stays most
Sunday–Thursday nights
10/1/12-10/4/12 and 10/8/12-10/20/12.

*Minimum length-of-stay requirements may apply. Additional per-adult charges apply if more than two adults per room.
Ask about other dates, accommodations and packages including Theme Park tickets at varying rates!
Sounds like some % off your room right?!? If I wasn’t a Disney Freak, I would have figured this email was going to save me some money, therefore, I would have clicked “BOOK NOW” and called it a day. But myself and every other Dis’er knows better than that!! We want details like how much % off the room,etc. When I checked on the internet what the rate would be using this offer, the rate was EXACTLY the same as if I didn’t have a code! I figured something was wrong and decided to call the number they provided on the email and gave the cast member the Code attached. I was shocked when he said to me, “Wow, I have never seen this before…this is not an actual discount; this email is just offering you to come to Disney and pay the “RACK RATE” for the room”!!! I started to laugh hysterical at the guy! I said, you have to be kidding me, why does this email make it seem like an offer, giving me date time frames, saying minimum nights required..etc, he told me he didn’t know!!!! I couldn’t believe it!!! Then I said, can you check and see if I had a PIN attached to my name, he told me he checked already and their was none. I said, “How did you check, when I didn’t give you or the automated system my name or anything??” He quickly changed the topic and said, “Let me check your household, what’s your last name and zip code?” Instead of arguing, I just gave him the info, but there was no PIN. He asked if I ever visited Disney World, I told him not under my married name or this email, and he told me “Oh that’s probably why their was no discount on that offer, you have technically never been here before, I told him that makes no difference, because I received nothing on my other email either!!

I will be calling back again later just to confirm this “No Offer” Offer, but if it’s true, Disney is really trying to get slick with making you think your getting and deal when you’re really not and I feel bad for the people that will be taken advantage because I am sure there is going to be MANY!!!![/QUOT

In the past 2010 and before I rec'd pin codes via email and snail mail. 2011 nothing but I also rec'd "offers" based on resort picks I had played with on the Disney site. It was frustrating each time to open it up and find no pin code while others reported getting various pin codes. DH went online and made an email and signed up on the Disney site along came a pin code for 20% whoo hooo this was in 2011.

I have not rec'd anything so far this year and truely do not expect to since the discounts have been cut back so much it seems. Now is the offer the OP rec'd deceptive? I think rather it is just good advertising. To the uninformed potential visitor (those not on the DIS) It is advertising WDW and it's resorts, showing how affordable a vacation at WDW can be(if saying at a value resort)

Anyone not imformed has no clue about "special offers" and gets the email or snail mail, calls and books a trip not knowing there are better deals out there and is happy. Disney is a business and Iger told us discounts were going to be less as the stockholders were not happy campers and wanted bigger profits.

I personally thing the "Big Announcement" on NYE was more deceptive as it reached masses of people most of whom I bet are not DISers and would hear get a day free, call and book not knowing about the special offers out there that could save them much more money and maybe even some veterans who are eligible for a 40% discount and special ticket prices. JMHO

 

[mommyrosa2]

I too would be annoyed if I received something like that but did want to add that REAL pin codes can be 3 digits. We booked our trip last October with a "Game On" pin code we had received by email and the code was something like "UP6" but the email did specify the percentage off for each category (ours was a 35% off deluxe) and the math did add up so we knew it was a valid discount code.

 

[dismommom]

OP, correct me if I am wrong, but I am guessing there was no 15 digit "PIN" code in the email,right? I have gotten several emails just like this in the past with a 3 digit code. It is just a code Disney uses for that particular timeframe.


Sorry but this is wrong. We had a December Trip booked and right before we went I got an e-mail with a 3 digit code for 30% off for all of 2012. When I got back I used it to book another trip. The cast member had trouble finding it becuase what I thought was a 1 was an I. But the 3 digit code was good.

 

[smitch425]

Sorry but this is wrong. We had a December Trip booked and right before we went I got an e-mail with a 3 digit code for 30% off for all of 2012. When I got back I used it to book another trip. The cast member had trouble finding it becuase what I thought was a 1 was an I. But the 3 digit code was good.

This 3 digit code I am referring to was not a discount. All of Disney's public offers DO have a 3 digit code, but not all 3 digit codes are discounts. In the instance I was referring to, the code can be used to track what prompted the booking. Also, the codes vary within a given promotion. For instance, if there is a public free dining code prmoted with the code FD1, your reservation could be listed differently as the 3 digits could be FD1 for booking a value, FD2 for a moderate and FD3 for deluxe.

So yes, you booked with a 3 digit "code", but not every "code" is a discount.

 

[Tinker1972]

I got this same email..and having never recieved any sort of PIN or codebefore, I got excited thinking it was some sort of discount, only to quickly discover it wasn't I didn't think of it as Disney being deceptive though..after reading it, I figured it was just a way for Disney to promote themselves...just a regular email with room rates included.

Still HOPING for a free dining PIN!!

 

[Flews]

I got this same email..and having never recieved any sort of PIN or codebefore, I got excited thinking it was some sort of discount, only to quickly discover it wasn't I didn't think of it as Disney being deceptive though..after reading it, I figured it was just a way for Disney to promote themselves...just a regular email with room rates included.

Still HOPING for a free dining PIN!!

I received a free dining pin (15 numbers) by email last night. When I clicked through this morning to see what kind of difference it would make for our April visit, it tells me the pin has "expired"! Says to phone the reservations number instead.

Deceptive? Or just incompetent?

Cheers,

 

[larryz]

I've seen "Game On" emails with three digit codes and no discount, and I've seen them with 30% discounts on resort-only stays.

I find an "offer" to let me stay at rack rate just slightly insulting given my track history of resort stays over the past 18 years.