I heard some resort closing info today...

[chuckml]

I know 2 families that just booked Disney trips with the buy 4/get 3 deal (one BC and the other BWI) and another one that is going to do it once they find out their sons lacrosse schedule this week. We were not planning on going to Disney this year because we have a fairly expensive vacation planned in June. However, the buy4/get3 deal was too good for us to pass up.

I had booked the POLY Theme Park View and DH convinced me just last night to switch to YC water view. We always stay at the Epcot resorts and I wanted to try something new...long story short I drank a bottle of wine and agreed to switch. Don't get me wrong, I love the BC/YC resorts and know it will be a great trip. However, this morning I went on WDW's website to see if the POLY was still available with the buy4/get3 deal, and it is not. Nor is the GF, and I think the CR only had bay lake view. Then I thought I'd upgrade to club level water view at the YC. This was on the website as available with the deal yesterday. Today only garden club is available. since we have the deluxe dining plan, I stuck with the better view.

My point is that not all resorts are still available with the deal. So, people are booking them. The other families I know are taking previously unplanned trips to WDW in the Spring because of the deals. How many other families in the country do you think will too? I really doubt Disney is going to be dead in May. I bet it will be mostly like last May, maybe slightly less crowded because of the economy. I would love lighter crowds.

When I said that nearly all the resorts and room levels were still available, I was talking about 2/28-3/07. The Poly had all room types available, GF had everything but theme park view (including club level), WL and AK had your choice of rooms, and all the values and moderates had availability as far as I can remember. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it will not be dead no matter when you go, I was just concerned about the POFQ possibly being temporarily shut down since I have ressies there for that week, and I've seen a mess of rumors floating around the web that it was a possibility that they would close one or more of the resorts

 

[DC7800]

I've consistently reported the "actual" way way below usual occupancy %'s and nobody wants to believe me.

Keep the numbers coming, please. Some of us not only believe you (if anything, the numbers weren't as bad as I'd feared), but I also appreciate what you have been able to share in this case.

My assumption, for what little it's worth, is that resort closures will happen or not based on how soon the economy shows increasing signs of either bottoming out or else continuing decline. If anyone really knew where the economy was going, Disney (and other corporations) could respond accordingly.

 

[CanadianGuy]

Keep the numbers coming, please. Some of us not only believe you (if anything, the numbers weren't as bad as I'd feared), but I also appreciate what you have been able to share in this case.

My assumption, for what little it's worth, is that resort closures will happen or not based on how soon the economy shows increasing signs of either bottoming out or else continuing decline. If anyone really knew where the economy was going, Disney (and other corporations) could respond accordingly.

Well.. the next sign of 'things not going well'... could well be yet another extension of the 4/3 offer.. or a similar type offer to replace it coming out in 7 to 14 days.

Knox

 

[mickeystoontown]

Well.. the next sign of 'things not going well'... could well be yet another extension of the 4/3 offer.. or a similar type offer to replace it coming out in 7 to 14 days.

Knox

Are you able to give us more info on this similar offer? Wondering if it is better than the buy 4/get 3 free deal and the dates of the offer.

 

[CanadianGuy]

Are you able to give us more info on this similar offer? Wondering if it is better than the buy 4/get 3 free deal and the dates of the offer.

I don't even know that there WILL be such an offer. I'm merely saying that is the thing to watch for to know "how Disney is doing"

 

[mickeystoontown]

I don't even know that there WILL be such an offer. I'm merely saying that is the thing to watch for to know "how Disney is doing"

Oh, I get it now....forgive me, it's been a long hard day at the office.

 

[CanadianGuy]

Oh, I get it now....forgive me, it's been a long hard day at the office.

No worries - Hakuna Matata..

 

[RescueRanger]

Anecdotal crowd information is and always will be.. highly subjective.

Not the least of which is because rides and shows operate at various capacity levels. Run everything at half capacity and shorten the park hours (which Disney has done) and by gosh darn it - a half empty park will look full.

But it's not.

I've consistently reported the "actual" way way below usual occupancy %'s and nobody wants to believe me. Fine, don't believe me. The mere fact alone that the buy 4 get 3 offer hasn't sold out.. (it wasn't on ALL room inventory .. just a select # of rooms..) is a very key indicator that all is not rosy in Orlando.

Yes vacation times will still be very busy. Yes, spring break, Easter and the Fourth of July will be nuts.

But let's see about the first week of May.. or the last week of February. And not anecdotal, but actual occupancy numbers.. Right now, neither is look very pretty.

Like Ripley said "Believe it, or not." - Either way, it's true.

Now.. having said that.. I don't think any resorts will be shuttering in the next 90 days.. but in the next 12 months?

I dunno.. maybe.

If I knew the answer to what the economy was going to do, I sure wouldn't be posting it on the DIS!

Knox

I believe you Knox!!

You are one of the few people on the boards who consistently has credible information. I always look forward to your take on speculation or rumors becuase you seem to have pretty good sources. Even if posters like mitros don't want to hear the truth, the rest of us do. Keep that info coming.

 

[Joeguitar]

I believe you Knox!!

You are one of the few people on the boards who consistently has credible information. I always look forward to your take on speculation or rumors becuase you seem to have pretty good sources. Even if posters like mitros don't want to hear the truth, the rest of us do. Keep that info coming.

+1

 

[MinnieLove]

A couple days ago I had an interesting conversation with CM answering calls for the reservation line. The computer ressie program was taking forever to find our info. I asked how busy they had been? CM - we are working a mandatory 10 hrs overtime each week. ME- Really. CM - So busy since 4/3 specials and new pins given. ME- Have they reduced head count in your dept? CM- of course but now working overtime. And callers are getting frustrated. I had called to see what the nightly rate was for SSR for 2 bd villa on current ressie, almost $900 night for early March. We cancelled ressie but are still going to WDW. CM said had received quite a few cancellations lately.

They are reducing head count in all areas and reducing hours and shows. But raising resort prices or limiting number of rooms available for specials.

 

[dizfan]

Here's a sign that things are not going well at the parks/resorts.

Disney offering buyouts to execs.

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Disney-offering-buyouts-600-execs/story.aspx?guid={6866FE73-B54C-4969-93EC-85368210BF39}

 

[crazy4wdw]

Well.. the next sign of 'things not going well'... could well be yet another extension of the 4/3 offer.. or a similar type offer to replace it coming out in 7 to 14 days.

There're a few rumors on other Disney fan sites that indicate the 4/3 offer is going to be extended through March. There's a possibilty that the offer may be extended past the 6/27/09 booking window. It'll be interesting to see what develops over the next few days.

 

[CanadianGuy]

There're a few rumors on other Disney fan sites that indicate the 4/3 offer is going to be extended through March. There's a possibilty that the offer may be extended past the 6/27/09 booking window. It'll be interesting to see what develops over the next few days.

Yeah.. I won't be surprised unfortunately.

 

[RescueRanger]

Yeah.. I won't be surprised unfortunately.

It's official. The booking deadline has been extended to March 29.

 

[mickeystoontown]

It's official. The booking deadline has been extended to March 29.

I saw that on the Disney World website, Special Offers page, too.

 

[timmac]

Along the same vein of "special offers", I got a pin code via e-mail today, for booking in (if I recall correctly) the May timeframe, where I'd get a "free" $500 gift card. Honestly, I've never seen anything even close to that previously.

 

[disneybridetobe]

Along the same vein of "special offers", I got a pin code via e-mail today, for booking in (if I recall correctly) the May timeframe, where I'd get a "free" $500 gift card. Honestly, I've never seen anything even close to that previously.

Yeah, I got one of those last November. NOT a deal! I mean great if you're going on those dates anyway, but it just wasn't a bargain by any stretch.

 

[CanadianGuy]

It's official. The booking deadline has been extended to March 29.

Good for people planning to go.. but unfortunately.. not good news for Disney.

 

[LVSWL]

Knox rocks!

 

[doconeill]

Last week I called CRO to book a couple of days at the POP for SWW (surprise for DD#1 - don't tell her... ). He asked if I had a PIN code, and I said I've never gotten one, but that I was a DVC/AP person so if there were any discounts available there I was eligible (I knew AP discounts had only gone as far as April 2nd).

He seemed to "find" a PIN code on my account, getting me two weekend nights at $75 each instead of the listed $125...40% off. Didn't say anything about a $500 gift card though

I asked him to recheck the two nights we are at POR for our April stay, and that we were flexible on the resort, but apparent that was during a "blackout" on that code and no other discount was available yet, so my dream of a couple cheap nights at the Poly has been delayed...

I don't know the deal on PIN codes (I hear people get them in the mail - I've never gotten one), so I don't know if this was a "regular" 40% off deal, or they are already starting to discount rooms further out.

But they are still booking the Poly for June...