I don´t want to bring bad news but....

[allboyhouse]

I haven't seen any numbers to indicate record crowds. But if that it true it is because they did offer strong promos in 2012. I have no issue with the 2012 cost of a WDW vacation. They are attempting to significantly increase that cost for 2013. I'm merely stating I don't think that attempt will,work for them and I won't pay the prices that are being tossed around for 2013.

For comparison, we just spent 10 nights at Royal Pacific at Universal Orlando. We stayed club level, bought AP's, and ate like kings. Booked with their stay more save more promo. The cost of the trip was way less then any of our WDW stays, Royal Pacific is as nice or nicer than a Disney deluxe for the price of a Mod, food prices are significantly cheaper than Disney for the same or better quality of food. Disney TS food prices are actually the most overpriced thing at WDW, hence the impact of FD on their business. Overall I like WDW better, but I have no problem going to Universal again if the value is better.

But it's NOT Disney.......every time we have gone in the past we had free dining, and the last trip actually paid to upgrade to deluxe dining and still saved money over what we would have paid out of pocket BUT I have 3 pre-teen/teen boys who eat like it's their job. It's the best discount for us. I will be booking to return in May with the promo coming out Jan 3. I would not pay to upgrade to deluxe dining again because it's way overpriced now so I'll take whatever I can get. Im hoping a dining discount is released before then that will save us more money, but if not, we will pay oop and just not eat as well as we did last time. I will take whatever discount I can get because it's DISNEY I want. For us it's just a special vacation every couple years that no other place can match. .

 

[Sue M]

The only way Disney will get the message is to stop making reservations in hope if a discount later. I think we are all shooting ourselves in the foot when we give Disney the message we will go no matter what. The changes to the dining plan next year are disappointing as well. My kids love the pre fix meals. I won't pay extra for them though!

I think your right. We don't book anymore without a discount. Because there is no advantage. Just because you have a room booked at rack rate, doesn't automatically guarantee you will get that room at a discount. You still have to call first thing when promo comes out to check availability. And if your chosen resort or room category is included in the promo.

 

[jimjenkids]

Am I the only one that thinks that is AWFUL of Disney to offer NOTHING for the Values?!? Especially when I would be paying over $300 per night for. Suite at AoA( at least that WAS the plan)?!?! Time to start looking off site....

we have found it better for us, a family of 6, to get 2 rooms(connecting) kids dont always like the pull out/down beds now that they are gettting bigger and it was cheaper for us to do 2 rooms than the suite! they do however get us a bit, we tend to only go around xmas season now. this year we checked in on the last day to get FD.

 

[mad madam mim78]

There's almost always a room available. Disney does not need to fill rooms to 100% cap!Would be nice but not needed in their bottom line. They have been there since 1971 running their parks and hotels and restaurants. Giving discounts when it is wise for them not for when a family of 4 is spending money elsewhere and then complaining that they got free dining last time and won't go again unless they get it again. Ridiculous. People should be appreciative of what they got in the past instead of what they are not getting now. And yes I only get to go once a year at best.

I am really happy with my discount. Got to upgrade from value to moderate for about 100 bucks more.

Ill just look at it as any extra money I had to spend because of some discount I didn't get I'm just paying for lower crowd levels. Ha!

 

[saskdw]

HaHa no Disney cult at this time (Is there one?) I have been vacationing for half a century and Disney is the only one that gets my $ continuously. They take my $ and build new things with it constantly which I love. Been to Hawaii 4 times. California a few (Disneyland of course) East coast-Niagara Falls and yes Canada a couple times. All are nice but they don't give you what a WDW trip gives you. If it's not right for you anymore than so be it.
Maybe Hockey will b e back soon and we can "discuss" that

When you state it like that than I agree and understand. The be thankful and appreciate all Disney has done for me stuff is a little over the top.

And I think we will be able to talk about hockey very soon!

 

[saskdw]

But it's NOT Disney.......every time we have gone in the past we had free dining, and the last trip actually paid to upgrade to deluxe dining and still saved money over what we would have paid out of pocket BUT I have 3 pre-teen/teen boys who eat like it's their job. It's the best discount for us. I will be booking to return in May with the promo coming out Jan 3. I would not pay to upgrade to deluxe dining again because it's way overpriced now so I'll take whatever I can get. Im hoping a dining discount is released before then that will save us more money, but if not, we will pay oop and just not eat as well as we did last time. I will take whatever discount I can get because it's DISNEY I want. For us it's just a special vacation every couple years that no other place can match. .

No it's not Disney and we do really enjoy all that WDW has to offer. However we did have a great time, there was lots of cool stuff, it was money well spent and the whole family wished we had booked a couple more nights. Overall we enjoy the Disney experience more, but there are things that are better staying onsite at Universal. Point being Disney does need to be competitive with its pricing because they aren't the only game in town.

 

[saskdw]

I think your right. We don't book anymore without a discount. Because there is no advantage. Just because you have a room booked at rack rate, doesn't automatically guarantee you will get that room at a discount. You still have to call first thing when promo comes out to check availability. And if your chosen resort or room category is included in the promo.

It's amazing how many people on this board can't figure this out.

 

[Srbright]

Why should I be appreciative? It's a business. They need to have a price that earns my business. They didn't give me FD out of the goodness of their hearts. They gave FD because their rack rate is overpriced and they needed to offer FD to fill rooms. And yes they do offer discounts because a family of 4 is spending their vacation money elsewhere. Because if too many are doing that they are obviously overpriced.

I asked this on another thread and no one answered. I would like to know how the rack rate is over priced? Perhaps it is where I am from but doing business trips and living in places like NYC... I do not see their rack rate as being over priced.

Value is around $90 a night. Even not taking into account the $120 rt for transfers that isn't over priced. Yes, if I want to find a Super 8 or a Red Roof Inn in a questionable part of town I can find a rate of $75/night.

For moderate at $200 a night, still not over priced. My 2-3 star hotel corporate rate in most places we have locations is between $125-$170 per night. A decent night in Chicago or NYC is $300 a night for a bed and a chair in a safe part of town.

Deluxe? Probably over priced until you take into account the dining options, child care options and transportation.

Why do people believe are these over priced?

Stacy

 

[saskdw]

I asked this on another thread and no one answered. I would like to know how the rack rate is over priced? Perhaps it is where I am from but doing business trips and living in places like NYC... I do not see their rack rate as being over priced.

Value is around $90 a night. Even not taking into account the $120 rt for transfers that isn't over priced. Yes, if I want to find a Super 8 or a Red Roof Inn in a questionable part of town I can find a rate of $75/night.

For moderate at $200 a night, still not over priced. My 2-3 star hotel corporate rate in most places we have locations is between $125-$170 per night. A decent night in Chicago or NYC is $300 a night for a bed and a chair in a safe part of town.

Deluxe? Probably over priced until you take into account the dining options, child care options and transportation.

Why do people believe are these over priced?

Stacy

It's not just the room price. It's the total cost of everything. Room, tickets, food, etc. Comparing to prices of rooms in downtown NY or Chicago isn't a relevant comparison. Those aren't places anyone is spending a family vacation. Compared to other options in the Orlando tourist area WDW rack rate is high. Mod room prices match the deluxe accommodations at a Universal resort. Places like Bonnet Creek Hilton are even cheaper and arguably nicer than any WDW deluxe resort. WDW park tickets are the most expensive of there kind. And the big one is food prices. Unless you want to eat chicken fingers the whole time WDW TS food prices are way overpriced. A high quality sit down meal for the family at one of the Universal City Walk restaurants is easily $50 cheaper than the equivalent meal at WDW. Over 14 days that really adds up. Food is the most expensive and overpriced thing at Disney, that's why the FD promo is the big equalizer that fills rooms there. Like it or not it is their most effective promo.

So it's not just the room price, but having said that there are nicer rooms for less in the area.

 

[Rosanne]

I asked this on another thread and no one answered. I would like to know how the rack rate is over priced? Perhaps it is where I am from but doing business trips and living in places like NYC... I do not see their rack rate as being over priced.

Value is around $90 a night. Even not taking into account the $120 rt for transfers that isn't over priced. Yes, if I want to find a Super 8 or a Red Roof Inn in a questionable part of town I can find a rate of $75/night.

For moderate at $200 a night, still not over priced. My 2-3 star hotel corporate rate in most places we have locations is between $125-$170 per night. A decent night in Chicago or NYC is $300 a night for a bed and a chair in a safe part of town.

Deluxe? Probably over priced until you take into account the dining options, child care options and transportation.

Why do people believe are these over priced?

Stacy

Well, value prices I am looking at are $170 a night. Unfortunately, as a teacher I have no flexibility during the school year. I am also looking at summer which is running around $131-151. These prices do not include tax. If there are prices of $90 I would love that for a value resort. For those who have flexiblity in the timing of their trips they can often do better. For me to do a five night trip with my two daughters it is around $2000 for a value resort with tickets but without transportation there (although we drive to save money) or food. If you figure in the food and transportation (even just gas), it is more than a months' take home pay. We are extremely careful with our money to take the trips but at some point it is irresponsible to devote such a large portion of salary to a five day trip.

Anyway, going to bed. School in the morning. Need to be up at 5:15.

P.S. New York is pretty darned expensive.

 

[MamaJessie]

They are a business and need to make money, but they also need to be careful not to start pushing certain families to stay outside of their resorts and spending more time at other parks.

As a business it is a fine balancing act that you have to play when pricing your services.

I agree

I asked this on another thread and no one answered. I would like to know how the rack rate is over priced? Perhaps it is where I am from but doing business trips and living in places like NYC... I do not see their rack rate as being over priced.

As a fellow New Englander I get where you are coming from. Our first trip down staying at a value was a no brainer. The more I checked area resorts I saw just how cheaply you can stay near wdw and it became a question I thought about. It's like saying "Why complain about gas being $4 a gallon? In Canada it is $5." I am comparing the services in Florida to the services in FLorida. And I still prefer to stay at Disney for my days at Disney Tried off site and it was not my favorite.

However if there are no discounts my Uni days will be off site. I don't have a WL or BC budget so it will make a difference for me.

 

[TACK]

Well, I know for myself, I will still book accommodation at Disneyworld since I love the atmosphere, however, I will not eat at the parks if I do not have free dining. Because I rent a car, I will just travel to where I can eat for less. It only makes economical sense.

Still, I find it difficult to believe that Disney would cut out Value resorts for free dining. I did check on the international site for the British travellers, and they do not get a choice of value for free dining, moderates only for quick service. However, when I applied all their discounts, etc. they came out way ahead in price. Why they would penalize North Americans is beyond me.

I would find it hard to believe that the marketing department thinks it would be a good idea to cut out free dining at values when they have already offered it this year in pin codes.

 

[Abharmagic]

disney needs to earn my business with a fair price. It's not about what we can afford. We have taken 4 orlando vacations in the last 5 years that cost around $10k each. Just because i can afford to be gouged doesn't mean i will allow that to happen. There are lots of great places to vacation with family that have fair prices. Right now disney is attempting to raise their already to high rack rate and offer less of a discount which is a double whammy. The cost of our 14 day december vacation would go up $2k from last year with this pricing. This will cost disney my business. It's way over market value. I will spend my $10k somewhere else if they don't come to the party.

amen!!!!

 

[Angie789]

Value is around $90 a night. Even not taking into account the $120 rt for transfers that isn't over priced. Yes, if I want to find a Super 8 or a Red Roof Inn in a questionable part of town I can find a rate of $75/night.

It sounds like you are misinformed about what rates in the Orlando area actually are. Orlando is one of the most overbuilt vacation destinations in the world - there are great deals to be had off-site of NICE places. All of the major condo chains (Wyndham, Marriott, Hilton) have several places to stay in the Orlando area. For the price of a value room, you can easily get a 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo with 1000+ square feet MORE than a Disney room, a full kitchen, and access to much nicer pools/water park areas. I get that some people think staying onsite is worth the extra cost, although I personally don't agree with it. I travel enough that I don't think Disney prices are worth it for what you get, but people have different life experiences and mileages vary. But to pretend that Disney prices are competitive with what else is available in the area is laughable.

However, I do get an extra chuckle when people act like the only other option to staying at Disney is to risk your life in some filthy, crime-ridden fleabag motel. With the pricing changes, I think some families will start to look at what the other options in Orlando are, and be pleasantly surprised at what they find.

 

[justakrazymom]

The only way Disney will get the message is to stop making reservations in hope if a discount later. I think we are all shooting ourselves in the foot when we give Disney the message we will go no matter what. The changes to the dining plan next year are disappointing as well. My kids love the pre fix meals. I won't pay extra for them though!

This! They think they have booked rooms but in reality most will be cancelled. I would never book in the hopes of getting a discount.

 

[Abharmagic]

It sounds like you are misinformed about what rates in the Orlando area actually are. Orlando is one of the most overbuilt vacation destinations in the world - there are great deals to be had off-site of NICE places. All of the major condo chains (Wyndham, Marriott, Hilton) have several places to stay in the Orlando area. For the price of a value room, you can easily get a 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo with 1000+ square feet MORE than a Disney room, a full kitchen, and access to much nicer pools/water park areas. I get that some people think staying onsite is worth the extra cost, although I personally don't agree with it. I travel enough that I don't think Disney prices are worth it for what you get, but people have different life experiences and mileages vary. But to pretend that Disney prices are competitive with what else is available in the area is laughable.

However, I do get an extra chuckle when people act like the only other option to staying at Disney is to risk your life in some filthy, crime-ridden fleabag motel. With the pricing changes, I think some families will start to look at what the other options in Orlando are, and be pleasantly surprised at what they find.

Agree. And what a wonderful thing this will be for vacation home owners. There are pages and pages of wonderful and affordable listings on rental sites and I agree- we have stayed offsite for much less than even a WDW Value resort- in a Mariott- not a fleabag motel in the bad part of town. There is so much out there that is biger, newer, nicer, cheaper, etc. than WDW properties offsite- it really is hard to debate that once you start looking around online. The only advantage I see to staying onsite is proximity, and unless you are staying at a monorail resort (and even then will still need to take the busses for some parks) you will sit on a bus as long as you'd sit in your car commuting to the Parks anyhow. With no free dining or good promotions paying a premium to stay onsite at WDW is just not worth it to me.

 

[Coconuts]

Awwww crud! FD is usually the only way we can afford to stay onsite with our family of 5.

 

[WILDERNESS FAN 55]

When you state it like that than I agree and understand. The be thankful and appreciate all Disney has done for me stuff is a little over the top.

And I think we will be able to talk about hockey very soon!

We can hope. Keeping my skates sharpened

 

[cjsm&d]

I think your right. We don't book anymore without a discount. Because there is no advantage. Just because you have a room booked at rack rate, doesn't automatically guarantee you will get that room at a discount. You still have to call first thing when promo comes out to check availability. And if your chosen resort or room category is included in the promo.

If it were just my imediate family (DW adn DS) I would not have a trip planned yet for 2013. But because this trip with DSIL and her family and DMIL has been in the works for a few years and cannot be rescheduled I booked with the best deal available at the time (AAA). It looks like the January 3 deal will save us another $733 over the AAA deal which was saving us only $600.

But I never book at rack rate and HOPE for a discount. I agree with those who believe this encourages WDW to say why give a discount when folks are booking at rack rate anyway?

 

[disneymagicgirl]

I don't care if it is free dining or some other promo, but we also won't book without a discount. IMO the resort rooms are overpriced on purpose, so a "deal" can be offered. Same idea as stores, such as Kohl's. Noone goes in there and pays full price. Parks may be busy but resort bookings will decline swiftly without any incentive to stay there. Most people I know don't stay on site anyway. We, on the other hand, wouldn't go at all if not on site. The DDP is also no value to us. Used to like it but now too expensive for food that isn't what we'd prefer to order. Now we do mostly CS and a few TS (avoiding buffets) and are able to order/eat the way we like. The only way we'd ever do it again is if it were the best discount avail for our preferred dates.

Thanks Danny25 for the heads up!
Luckily we booked the Disney visa spring promo and saved $1300 at BCR!