Is this something WDW should do for future Room Only & Free Dining discounts?

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

After speaking to the Club Level Cast Members of the Boardwalk Inn it turns out that we are not the only guests upset at the lack of room only discounts because of Free Dining. Now I was thinking in the future if a guest is staying on a Room Only discount shouldn't they have a Bounceback offer in their room for another Room Only discount, where as those on Free Dining will get future offers for more Free Dining. Personally I think it makes sense because it's not fair that we are subject to a Free Dining Bounceback offer when we were staying on a Room Only discount.

 

[Tyme4wdw]

That sounds good, however, I feel AP holders should get discounts first and not have to wait until the last minute to possibly get a discount.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

As an Annual Pass holder myself I agree 100% with you on that.

 

[Nermel9]

That sounds good! I like free dining if I'm staying in a mod, but if I want to stay in a deluxe, I'd prefer a room discount.

 

[lvloopingbag]

I am a passholder as well, but do not feel Disney owes me anything. The purpose of the AP was not originally about room discounts. I buy the AP as I know I will visit a few times a year, and it is cheaper than buying hoppers several times. For me personally, purchasing DVC has helped to cut down on the anxiety of getting a room discount........

 

[maiapapaya]

After speaking to the Club Level Cast Members of the Boardwalk Inn it turns out that we are not the only guests upset at the lack of room only discounts because of Free Dining. Now I was thinking in the future if a guest is staying on a Room Only discount shouldn't they have a Bounceback offer in their room for another Room Only discount, where as those on Free Dining will get future offers for more Free Dining. Personally I think it makes sense because it's not fair that we are subject to a Free Dining Bounceback offer when we were staying on a Room Only discount.

I think it would be nice if WDW would start by just bringing back the BB. The flier in our room during our recent visit I wouldn't even consider a BB (which agrees with what CM's have been telling people) - it was simply an advertisement for the FD that was being offered to the general public.

 

[Tyme4wdw]

I am a passholder as well, but do not feel Disney owes me anything. The purpose of the AP was not originally about room discounts. I buy the AP as I know I will visit a few times a year, and it is cheaper than buying hoppers several times. For me personally, purchasing DVC has helped to cut down on the anxiety of getting a room discount........

I don't feel Disney "owes" me anything at all. What I'm saying is that if Disney is going to give discounts then they should first be given to those that hold AP's as well as Florida Resident Discounts. Disney knows they have us in their pocket since we hold AP's, but I bet most of us would visit more often if the discounts were given out earlier than what they are especially if they have a better discount than those to the general public. Especially to the Florida Resident's...they're in the backyard of Disney. If they would give out great discounts with earlier release dates, they may be able to book more rooms instead of having the Florida Residents just go back to their individual homes. My brother lives within a 10 minute drive time to Disney so he doesn't have to stay onsite, but when discounts are really good, he'll book a room and stay on property, taking in the full atmosphere of Disney, instead of driving home. After AP's and Florida Resident's discounts are released, Disney would have a general idea of how many secured bookings they have. Then release general public discounts to help fill the empty rooms.

 

[kinggoofy]

After speaking to the Club Level Cast Members of the Boardwalk Inn it turns out that we are not the only guests upset at the lack of room only discounts because of Free Dining. Now I was thinking in the future if a guest is staying on a Room Only discount shouldn't they have a Bounceback offer in their room for another Room Only discount, where as those on Free Dining will get future offers for more Free Dining. Personally I think it makes sense because it's not fair that we are subject to a Free Dining Bounceback offer when we were staying on a Room Only discount.

This is WAY TOO COMPLICATED for the DISNEY Honchos to consider. Do you realize the time and money it would cost them to get a bunch of college grads together in a padded room and bounce marketing ideas off the wall ?

 

[Sandisw]

While I think it would be a nice piece for guests to have their pick of discounts, Disney is going to offer and provide the discounts that they feel bring in the most people.

Just based on the fact that free dining came out for booking for a lot of 2011 so early leads me to believe that this promotion goes over well with a lot of guests.

And, from all the reports I have read recently, Disney is cutting back on the bounce back promotion so who knows what the future holds.

 

[larryz]

Bottom line, if they thought they had to do it, they would.

But there's enough interest with the other promotions, and face it, you bought the AP without any firm discounts available...

in essence, they have your money already.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

While I don't think that WDW owes me anything just because I have an Annual Pass when it comes to future room only discounts, why is that those who like Free Dining feel WDW always owes it to them because that's the sense I get. In the past I have seen people ask about when is the next set of Free Dining dates before they were announced. Plus I also read they would make room only reservations in the hopes that Free Dining was coming back and would switch to it after it became official. So why did everyone assume Free Dining was automatically coming again because what if they choose not to bring it back? Basically I kind of see it as a double standard.

 

[ksc37]

It would be nice if Disney's marketing computer programs were smart enough to realize who tends to use a room-only discount and who tends to use a free dining promotion and customize their offers accordingly. Many companies do this, so it seems like Disney could/should as well.

As to the popularity of free dining, it is definitely less popular with those people who tend to book deluxe. I currently have free dining booked for my August trip because I'd rather have free dining than nothing - but if they release a room only discount for 25% or higher for my resort/room type - I will be changing it.

 

[Sandisw]

While I don't think that WDW owes me anything just because I have an Annual Pass when it comes to future room only discounts, why is that those who like Free Dining feel WDW always owes it to them because that's the sense I get. In the past I have seen people ask about when is the next set of Free Dining dates before they were announced. Plus I also read they would make room only reservations in the hopes that Free Dining was coming back and would switch to it after it became official. So why did everyone assume Free Dining was automatically coming again because what if they choose not to bring it back? Basically I kind of see it as a double standard.

Because it has been a promotion that has been offered for the past several years during the fall and many assume that Disney is going to go with it again.

As I previously mentioned, free dining is a big hit with a lot of guests and I think even Disney realizes that this promotion seems to bring them in more than a room discount and thus the reason why it has been offered as a bounceback during the free dining times. Disney knows how many of those rooms during that time are using the free dinign promotion and therefore probably figured it had a better chance of getting people to book bounceback than just the discount.


IMO, I think you what you will see for 2011 is something similar to what they did for free dining. Open up a promotion for a lot of the dates insted of doing things in dribs and drabs--of course, that is just my $0.02!

 

[mickeynut1]

I don't agree that bouncebacks should be offered according to what discount someone is currently staying on. If that was how it was done, people paying rack rate would never get a bounceback, which isn't too fair being they are just as entitled to a future discount as anyone else, IMO. We have done free dining as well room discounts, depending on what time of year we go and what discount works out to be the better deal. We stay deluxe and depending on which deluxe we choose, free dining is sometimes a better deal over 40% off. I was hoping for a bounceback when we were there last week, but the flyer in the room was for the free dining that was being offered to the general public.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Because it has been a promotion that has been offered for the past several years during the fall and many assume that Disney is going to go with it again.

As I previously mentioned, free dining is a big hit with a lot of guests and I think even Disney realizes that this promotion seems to bring them in more than a room discount and thus the reason why it has been offered as a bounceback during the free dining times. Disney knows how many of those rooms during that time are using the free dinign promotion and therefore probably figured it had a better chance of getting people to book bounceback than just the discount.


IMO, I think you what you will see for 2011 is something similar to what they did for free dining. Open up a promotion for a lot of the dates insted of doing things in dribs and drabs--of course, that is just my $0.02!

Well I don't see the difference when others keep wondering about Annual Pass rates or various room only discount rates, because like free dining those are also promotions. Now I don't know the exact numbers of guests on room only discounts vs free dining, however I would say it's about 50/50 or close to it. So for those guests who like the room only promotions over free dining it's fair when they ask when will the next set of dates be released. The same way others assume WDW will keep adding for free dining dates and asking when they are released.

 

[cm8]

While I don't think that WDW owes me anything just because I have an Annual Pass when it comes to future room only discounts, why is that those who like Free Dining feel WDW always owes it to them because that's the sense I get. In the past I have seen people ask about when is the next set of Free Dining dates before they were announced. Plus I also read they would make room only reservations in the hopes that Free Dining was coming back and would switch to it after it became official. So why did everyone assume Free Dining was automatically coming again because what if they choose not to bring it back? Basically I kind of see it as a double standard.

I agree! So we like R/O and you love FD one shouldn't trump the other

 

[clanmcculloch]

I don't agree that bouncebacks should be offered according to what discount someone is currently staying on. If that was how it was done, people paying rack rate would never get a bounceback, which isn't too fair being they are just as entitled to a future discount as anyone else, IMO. We have done free dining as well room discounts, depending on what time of year we go and what discount works out to be the better deal. We stay deluxe and depending on which deluxe we choose, free dining is sometimes a better deal over 40% off. I was hoping for a bounceback when we were there last week, but the flyer in the room was for the free dining that was being offered to the general public.

I don't believe that CR Fan meant offer bouncebacks based on current discount type but rather based on current reservation type. If I'm staying with a room only reservation then I'm more likely to be interested in a room only bounceback whether I'm paying rack rate or a discounted rate. If I'm staying with a package reservation then I'm more likely to be interested in a package bounceback. There are obviously exceptions, especially among those with AP packages (they won't want the ticket requirements of package discounts) but the majority would probably fit this model.

That being said, it seems clear that Disney is done with bounceback offers for the time being. The offers being put in the rooms are just the public offers.

 

[sjs314]

I don't believe that CR Fan meant offer bouncebacks based on current discount type but rather based on current reservation type. If I'm staying with a room only reservation then I'm more likely to be interested in a room only bounceback whether I'm paying rack rate or a discounted rate. If I'm staying with a package reservation then I'm more likely to be interested in a package bounceback. There are obviously exceptions, especially among those with AP packages (they won't want the ticket requirements of package discounts) but the majority would probably fit this model.

That being said, it seems clear that Disney is done with bounceback offers for the time being. The offers being put in the rooms are just the public offers.

Disney said they would be cutting back on discounts to be offered but I personally think , getting rid of the bounceback offer was not a good way to go. With the bounceback offer the average yearly Disney guest felt rewarded for being loyal in being allowed to book a year in advance with the peace of mind of getting a "good deal" with none of the frustration of waiting for one to be announced. Offering the current promotions to resort guest as a bounceback is of little incentive IMHO

 

[larryz]

Well I don't see the difference when others keep wondering about Annual Pass rates or various room only discount rates, because like free dining those are also promotions.

I'd rather consider AP discounts as more of a privilege of being an AP holder, instead of a promotion.

As such, they should be always available, and always just a little better than the public/resident offers.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I don't believe that CR Fan meant offer bouncebacks based on current discount type but rather based on current reservation type. If I'm staying with a room only reservation then I'm more likely to be interested in a room only bounceback whether I'm paying rack rate or a discounted rate. If I'm staying with a package reservation then I'm more likely to be interested in a package bounceback. There are obviously exceptions, especially among those with AP packages (they won't want the ticket requirements of package discounts) but the majority would probably fit this model.

That's exactly what I meant when I started this thread.

I'd rather consider AP discounts as more of a privilege of being an AP holder, instead of a promotion.

As such, they should be always available, and always just a little better than the public/resident offers.

I agree that AP rates should always be available and I wish WDW would offer them like they have offered Free Dining for basically all of 2011, instead of waiting for the next set of AP rates to be released.