Iger "no more discounts" Do you think they actually do it?

[mejkjj97]

There's also AAA, CAA, AARP, and Military discounts available.

Bottom line...They'll still have discounts, the question is....How deep will they go.

So true, we use to always book through AAA and get great room discounts and packages but Disney deals had been better the past coupe of years.
I think things are going to go back to the past, there will be discounts you will just have to search and know where to get them.

 

[safetymom]

I have my flame retardent suit standing by as I know this will be an unpopular point of view but I for one would be happy if they stop will all the discounts already. It becomes increasingly more annoying to me not being able to get any sort of ADR's in the months of September or October. I know it's selfish but I also miss the few times of the year when the crowds were light. I know it is in their best interest to keep the parks full but I genuinely believe they are finding full parks doesn't necessarily mean more profit. I think they have enough "fans" hook, line and sinker and they will return discounts or not. Maybe they'll be staying value or moderate instead of deluxe but they'll be staying nonetheless.

Time will tell if this will in fact be reality but you can add me to the list of "It's about time".

Please be kind...I mean no harm.

Chris

I agree with you. The ones that bother me the most are the ones that feel entitled to free dining. People now wait until almost the last minute to book because they are waiting for a better discount than the one currently offered.

I know that Disney created this monster but I wish they would have better everyday pricing and not so many promotions.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I'll still go for my solo trip or trip with just the kids. We'll just go for less time and at a cheaper resort.

Without a discount, the deluxe resorts are definitely out of the what I will pay range and the moderates are at the edge of what I'm willing to pay for a resort.

It will be interesting to see what the future will bring for discounts.

 

[Joshua_me]

Well, this is ironic...

One day after reading/posting on this thread, we get a pin code in the mail for the VERY FIRST TIME EVER....

Now, between myself and my family we have been going to the parks and staying on property for 35 years, now ( ) and have NEVER received one of those "magic mailings" until today.

And what a code ! 45 percent off deluxe resorts in Nov and Dec (holidays included) with a five night stay.



P.S. Does that sound like a company phasing out discounts ?

 

[kafitty]

"Consumers are still out there waiting for bargains," Disney Chief Financial Officer Jay Rasulo said.

this makes me so mad. Of course we are waiting for a bargain, because your product is heinously overpriced. Which was totally okay when Disney provided top-notch service & entertainment across the board, but from what i've gleaned from being on these boards for 2+ years, that has been in decline. i just...ugh. i do not understand why they can't even see their own problem.

i hope they don't stop discounts. That will probably sway my decision to stay at the Swan&Dolphin before/after PCC 2.0 - why should i stay in a value hotel in the middle of nowhere when i can stay in the Epcot area for nearly the same price, with better amenities?

Considering they're offering 40% off deluxes OVER THE SUMMER, i really don't think they are in a position to stop offering incentives. i think they've finally done it - they've finally priced themselves out of the market. Good job, guys.

 

[WaltD4Me]

The headline on my Sunday paper Travel section this week was....

"Hotel Bargains on the Way Out"

If this is true and we stop seeing the unbelievable prices I've been seeing in the multiple travel deal emails I get everyday, then I can see Disney doing it too. If hotels in the area keep offering the amazing rates they have been and Disney stops discounts, they are going to have alot of empty rooms IMHO. Speaking as a "general" traveler to Disney (ie, never heard of the DISboards) if I can stay in a two room suite a mile or less from Disney for $80 a night, why would I stay in a tiny Value room for the same price or pay almost double at a Disney moderate?

 

[sau418]

I agree with you. The ones that bother me the most are the ones that feel entitled to free dining. People now wait until almost the last minute to book because they are waiting for a better discount than the one currently offered.

I know that Disney created this monster but I wish they would have better everyday pricing and not so many promotions.

Exactly my thoughts...especially after reading some of the posts on the Dining Board.

There will always be discounts to be had, but I for one will be happy to see some of them go!

People went to Disney before there were such a plethora of discounts and they will continue to go but probably much more within their means.

 

[dansyr2514]

Unfortunately the problem with people waiting for discounts is that Disney hotel room prices have become ridiculous! Grand Floridian and the Poly at over $500 a night. I can stay at an all inclusive for less! Last year I reluctantly agreed to stay at Bonnet Creek because we were doing a budget trip. It was awesome! $750 for the week for a 2 bedroom with a fireworks view.
I truly love Disney but they are pricing themselves right out of my budget. Without discounts there is no way we can stay onsite. If I don't stay onsite I don't purchase the dining plan. If I don't purchase the dining plan I'm eating offsite.
I think Disney need to rethink this. They either need to keep giving discounts or price the hotels and restaurants reasonably.
Oh and I completely agree with Pete? Why not offer a loyalty discount? I've made probably 13 trips in the last 12 yrs and stayed onsite for at least part of the trip, purchased the waterparks and more and parkhopping, the deluxe dining plan and the gold plan when it used to be that. Why not offer some perks for that?

 

[Joshua_me]

Unfortunately the problem with people waiting for discounts is that Disney hotel room prices have become ridiculous! Grand Floridian and the Poly at over $500 a night. I can stay at an all inclusive for less!

Yes, paying over $500 a night for a room that is, let's face it, not exactly the highest level of luxury lodging available out there, is insane.

I don't care how much money one might have, it's the principal of the matter.

Now, Disney will cry, "location, location !", but the fact of the matter is that "location" isn't costing them anything extra... It's their property, for Pete's sake. They are simply inflating the market to more than the "average Joe" can bare.

Walt selected the proximity of the original resorts to insure easy, stress-free access to his park(s), not to gouge the customer within an inch of their pocketbooks.

And now to say that "the consumer insists on looking for discounts"... well, no kidding ! With a week's lodging at a rack rate value of over $3500, before hefty taxes are added, who in "the world" wouldn't be waiting for a discount ?

 

[PolynesianLily]

Well, when you think about it Disney added weekend rates for a lot of their deluxe resorts during the regular and peak seasons. Why? Because they knew they could get more money out of their consumers. So of course they are looking for more ways to gain more money from their consumers. The thing is they know that no matter what they do some of us will continue to travel there. We were hoping that they would continue the discounts so there would be a possibility of us going to WDW in Feb 2011. While we stayed at the Polynesian resort during our most recent trip, we found that it was not very clean and the rooms left a lot to be desired (with yellow goo on the bathroom counter and bobby pins that were not ours on the floor).

Due to me being in school and my parents working, we can no longer really go during the regular season, forcing us to go during the peak season if we want to go. We've decided to try the Grand Floridian but paying $555.00 for weeknight and $580.00 for weekends is a little difficult to justify paying for. But of course because we love Disney we don't want to travel anywhere else.

If they are going to continue increasing their resort rates then I will continue expecting discounts. Now they are making a every year trip unaffordable and turned it into every 2 years or more. I mean it was kind of getting annoying travelling to WDW during what they call a regular season and seeing crowds that certainly do not reflect that. Whatever happened to different crowds at different times of the month? Oh right...discounts.

 

[Halbleib1]

I read something yesterday I believe it was on the disney blog about them stopping the discounts at the theme parks because they are relying on the movie business to bring in the income. Since that end of business is up this year.

There is an article today on comcast.net about target overtaking walmart this quarter and the assumption is that those with jobs are buying more luxury items as they feel that the economy is coming back. Where as walmart is still getting the consumers that are out of work and mostly buying everyday items. Sales are up at macys and other higher end stores as well. Perhaps this is what Disney is looking at. Figuring that if retail sales are up at stores like target and macys than those same people will come to disney without a discount.

One thing the article did not take into account though is the fact that around 46% of people just received a tax refund which might account for the bigger sales numbers this past quarter. Those that receive a tax refund are more likely to go out and buy that luxury item. Esp. if it is money that they did not expect or plan on ahead of time.

I think they will find out soon enough that discounts are going to be needed in order to bring in the people though. I think discounts will be around for awhile to come yet or else disney will find that attendance is down. At least at their hotels.

This announcement is not all that big of a shock though considering that they are expanding fantasyland and finally finishing the other half of Pop with a new resort. They want the higher revenue to pay for these expansions.

 

[Michele]

I think they just need to lower their resort prices once and for all across the board so it is more affordable, then no discounts needed.

 

[vegetablegirl]

I'm another one that thinks if they just would lower their regular prices, even a little, the need for discounts would greatly decrease. Maybe discounts will go away, but very very slowly over a period of three years or more.

 

[Dale-Not-Chip]

If we leave them with empty rooms they will discount. It's really up to us.

 

[WaltD4Me]

If we leave them with empty rooms they will discount. It's really up to us.

 

[PolynesianLily]

I wonder if disney will ever stop raising their resort hotel prices. I remember calculating the increase in the resort hotel prices for each year and I remember for a couple of the deluxe resorts, Disney increases their hotel room rates by $15.00 every year. It almost makes me wonder what has Disney done to that hotel to make it more expensive with each year. It seems from my personal experience some hotels have actually gone downhill and they are still charging ridiculous prices.

Whatever happened to Disney being an affordable vacation?

 

[DisMullins]

...there will be discounts you will just have to search and know where to get them.

And THAT, my friends, is one reason I love the Boards!

 

[jimmiej]

Well, this is ironic...

One day after reading/posting on this thread, we get a pin code in the mail for the VERY FIRST TIME EVER....

Now, between myself and my family we have been going to the parks and staying on property for 35 years, now ( ) and have NEVER received one of those "magic mailings" until today.

And what a code ! 45 percent off deluxe resorts in Nov and Dec (holidays included) with a five night stay.



P.S. Does that sound like a company phasing out discounts ?

I've never gotten one either after multiple trips. Maybe there's hope for me! 'Course, I'll be going regardless...

 

[slapwhitey]

As far as I can recall there has almost always been "pin codes" sent to people....even when there was no general discount codes. I wouldn't expect that to change.

Maybe I'm out to lunch but I don't think it will hurt the bottom line one bit if they discontinue the multitude of general public discounts. Pre-9/11 when discounts were all but non-existent the parks had lower level crowds in your Septembers, Decembers and Januarys. Yet, the parks division of the company was still making money. If they discontinue the onslaught of discounts once again...the parks will again make money.

Disney, believe it or not, will still be one of the more affordable family vacations when you think of all that is included in that price. If you start thinking about taking your family to a different destination and add resort, food, daily entertainment available from sun up to sundown the costs can become astronomical. If you start breaking down the per diem for a Disney vacation. It's not really out of line. Of course there are extreme examples that don't apply but if you're comparing apples to apples it's pretty close. Even if it does work out to be slightly more expensive at Disney...in my opinion it's worth the extra expense. There's nowhere else I'd rather be, and they'll capitalize on that. I can't really blame them.

 

[DrMomof3]

We've been lucky enough to get some discount for each of our trips but we still would have gone to Disney even without the discount. We may have stayed somewhere less expensive but we would still go. We used the buy 4 get 3 deal last year to stay in a 2 bedroom at SSR (4 adults, 2 children, 1 infant) and we had a 40% off PIN for our upcoming trip to BCV. We had free dining in December and I didn't really like the dining plan.

For us, we would be more likely to buy into DVC (which we would do in a heartbeat if we could pay cash for it) if they give up the discounts. We're already AP holders and love our TIW card. With 2 career parents and 3 little kids, our monthly childcare expenses are extraordinary. I'd immediately throw that cash into DVC if I could!!!

Amanda