Jan 2010 Code Watch

[SarahD]

can someone explain how it worked last year?

i am only booked for 6 nights so how would that code apply to me? should i add an extra night to my reservation just to be safe?

For the deal this past January, you could pay for 4 and get up to 3 free, so you could do one or two nights if that's all you need. You're just giving up free nights & tickets - Disney doesn't mind that. If it was a problem somehow, you could book 7 days and check out a day early.

As afar as changing your reservation now...I don't know. I guess if you thought your hotel might book up, you might want to do that. Can anyone else help here?

 

[Flossbolna]

As afar as changing your reservation now...I don't know. I guess if you thought your hotel might book up, you might want to do that. Can anyone else help here?

The more rooms there are booked, the less likely it is, Disney will offer a good deal or for that certain category. So booking now only makes sense, if you are set on going for that certain time and stay at that room regardless of a deal.

When we had a pool view at AKL booked, we could not get a code applied to it for our travel time as this was not available. We could only get standard or savanna view.

 

[MCFADDEN5]

There are only a few weeks in Feb. that work for us, so we went ahead and booked, but I am on the lookout for a discount to really get me excited. At this point even though it's booked I still wonder if we can pull it off without a code or deal. I have gotten three pin code offers in the last two years, (we did use one last year) but none for this year yet? Crossing my fingers.

 

[reducereuserecycle]

The more rooms there are booked, the less likely it is, Disney will offer a good deal or for that certain category.

makes sense

For the deal this past January, you could pay for 4 and get up to 3 free, so you could do one or two nights if that's all you need. You're just giving up free nights & tickets - Disney doesn't mind that. If it was a problem somehow, you could book 7 days and check out a day early.

sounds like a good deal to me!

i am like the pp...only a certain week worked for us so i already booked...but i would assume dis realizes that without codes, many people will be forced to cancel because of the economy

please....we need a very special deal!!!!

 

[SarahD]

I am sure their marketing department can tell you with fairly accurately the percentage of people likely to cancel their bookings if a deal is not offered. They can start counting people on this thread right now!

 

[Gary M]

I am sure their marketing department can tell you with fairly accurately the percentage of people likely to cancel their bookings if a deal is not offered. They can start counting people on this thread right now!

As has been mentioned, why would a person book a room at a cost that they won't pay? This doesn't make sense.

 

[SarahD]

I think they're afraid they won't be aable to get a room when the deals come out. Last year, we booked in early fall - we were going no matter what - and then applied the deal to our package when it came out. This year, it's by no means a done deal. I will wait to see what the special is - and then we will decide if we're staying on property or off, or even going at all.

 

[sillyyankee]

I think they're afraid they won't be aable to get a room when the deals come out. Last year, we booked in early fall - we were going no matter what - and then applied the deal to our package when it came out. This year, it's by no means a done deal. I will wait to see what the special is - and then we will decide if we're staying on property or off, or even going at all.

For us, we have not been able to book a suitable room for the past 3 years so we did not book at all. This year we got a room so we booked, but we sure will cancel if the deal is not good, or we will try to downgrade.

 

[SarahD]

We stayed on property last time and we're HOOKED. But this trip will be my husband's family joining us. We'll need four rooms. If the deal isn't great, we'll have to book an offsite townhouse. I'd hate to miss the extra magic hours and dining plan, though.

 

[BYC]

As has been mentioned, why would a person book a room at a cost that they won't pay? This doesn't make sense.

I booked our rooms at a cost I would not pay. They booked me at the highest rack rate for 2009, because I booked for 2010 before they rates came out. There is no way I would have paid that! Then it was reduced when the 2010 rates came out, and reduced more by applying AAA discount. And, I am praying for it to be reduced even more when/if they come out with January discounts.

 

[Stinky_Pete]

As has been mentioned, why would a person book a room at a cost that they won't pay? This doesn't make sense.

So you have the room you want, and if a deal comes out you can apply the code.

When I went in Dec. 07 I booked the WL relatively early (I think it was May/June) but could only get a wood view room. I don't like to pay for views, but standard view wasn't available.

Then in August a code came out. I was able to apply it to my existing reservation. If I already had a standard view room reserved I may have been able to apply the code to that reservation.

I kept checking and checking and eventually a standard view room opened up for my travel dates. I called and was able to make the change and keep my discount (even though the dates for booking with that discount had passed).

I really don't want to go through that again so that's why I've already booked my standard view room at WL. And yes, if a great deal doesn't come out for January, I will cancel. Then you can have my standard view room at the WL - if you want it.

 

[rosiep]

So you have the room you want, and if a deal comes out you can apply the code.

When I went in Dec. 07 I booked the WL relatively early (I think it was May/June) but could only get a wood view room. I don't like to pay for views, but standard view wasn't available.

Then in August a code came out. I was able to apply it to my existing reservation. If I already had a standard view room reserved I may have been able to apply the code to that reservation.

I kept checking and checking and eventually a standard view room opened up for my travel dates. I called and was able to make the change and keep my discount (even though the dates for booking with that discount had passed).

I really don't want to go through that again so that's why I've already booked my standard view room at WL. And yes, if a great deal doesn't come out for January, I will cancel. Then you can have my standard view room at the WL - if you want it.

Did you keep the same reservation number throughout the changes?
Thanks-

 

[SarahD]

Yep - same number. Ours only changed when we convinced my parents to go and we became a Grand Gathering.

 

[rosiep]

Yep - same number. Ours only changed when we convinced my parents to go and we became a Grand Gathering.

Great! I wasn't sure how that'd work with ADR's.

 

[Gary M]

So you have the room you want, and if a deal comes out you can apply the code.

When I went in Dec. 07 I booked the WL relatively early (I think it was May/June) but could only get a wood view room. I don't like to pay for views, but standard view wasn't available.

Then in August a code came out. I was able to apply it to my existing reservation. If I already had a standard view room reserved I may have been able to apply the code to that reservation.

I kept checking and checking and eventually a standard view room opened up for my travel dates. I called and was able to make the change and keep my discount (even though the dates for booking with that discount had passed).

I really don't want to go through that again so that's why I've already booked my standard view room at WL. And yes, if a great deal doesn't come out for January, I will cancel. Then you can have my standard view room at the WL - if you want it.

I already have a woods view room reserved for Jan. with a AAA discount. If a better deal comes along, I will take it, if not, I'm going and paying what rate I now have. I thought WDW gave room discounts to fill up rooms that are not reserved. If you reserve a room at rack rate and don't plan on paying full price, then WDW sees a booked room or rooms and would not offer a discount to fill empty rooms. Sure doesn't seem logical to reserve a room, at a price, you aren't willing to pay for and taking that room out of the inventory, for a potential discount consideration. Why not make your resevation when you hear about the room discount?

 

[Colleen27]

Sure doesn't seem logical to reserve a room, at a price, you aren't willing to pay for and taking that room out of the inventory, for a potential discount consideration. Why not make your resevation when you hear about the room discount?

Because even with the 90 day window, ADRs sometimes open up before discounts are available. Since the current dining system is incapable of transferring pre-paid ADRs like CRT and dinner shows from cash to DDP reservations (you have to cancel and hope it is available to re-book to get a refund of the money you've pre-paid, or you can wait until the time of the meal, pay with dining credits, and then wait for the refund to process), it is important to have a package booked to link to those ADRs to avoid tying up the hundreds of dollars for those meals for 90+ days. Not to mention the +10 advantage that is basically necessary to getting certain hard-to-score ADRs.

 

[Gary M]

Because even with the 90 day window, ADRs sometimes open up before discounts are available. Since the current dining system is incapable of transferring pre-paid ADRs like CRT and dinner shows from cash to DDP reservations (you have to cancel and hope it is available to re-book to get a refund of the money you've pre-paid, or you can wait until the time of the meal, pay with dining credits, and then wait for the refund to process), it is important to have a package booked to link to those ADRs to avoid tying up the hundreds of dollars for those meals for 90+ days. Not to mention the +10 advantage that is basically necessary to getting certain hard-to-score ADRs.

Thank you. That makes sense for ADR's.

 

[pirateprincess777]

Hey everyone, I'm the newbie. Missed Disney this year, just could'nt afford it. I have been following the discussions about going ahead and booking our room. I have never done that but I went ahead yesterday and did that at CBR. I booked a preferred room. So if there is a offer which we must have to go, do you guys think I will probably have to give up that room?. We have always just booked the whole package together?
thanks

 

[pirateprincess777]

Hey everyone, I'm the newbie. Missed Disney this year, just could'nt afford it. I have been following the discussions about going ahead and booking our room. I have never done that but I went ahead yesterday and did that at CBR. I booked a preferred room. So if there is a offer which we must have to go, do you guys think I will probably have to give up that room?. We have always just booked the whole package together
thanks

 

[reducereuserecycle]

pirate princess...i'm not sure the answer to your question but i do know that even though you book a package does not mean that the room you picked will qualify for the promos they have. the way i understand, there are only certain rooms (and a set amount of those rooms) that will be eligible for certain promos...so keep that in mind too..

for me, when i do get a code and call them if my current package is booked with a room that is not available for a promo then i will choose to change my ressie to an eligible room....


...hope that makes sense!