Must be FL resident to get FL rate?

[HooKooDooKu]

I know on the surface this might sound like a silly question, but do you have to be a Florida resident to get these last-minute Flordia rates?

I understand the concept of offering last-minute discounts to ensure you have a full ship and that, because of their proximity to the port, you target Florida residents as being more likely to do a last-minute trip.

I can also understand the idea of placing a road-block to people who booked their cruise 9 months ago at a higer rate looking to have their rate discounted. (Someone else has claimed that if a Florida resident books a year in advance, that when the Florida rates come out, they can update the cost of their trip to the new Florida rates if they are cheaper than what they originally booked for).

But what I can't understand is if DCL is offering discounts to fill the boat and I currently don't have a reservation, but would make one if I could get it at the Florida rate, why would they refuse to take my money just because I live accross the boarder in Alabama?

The other thing I wonder about... is such a thing even legal? Since DCL in ingauging in interstate commerse, if I pressed the issue with a lawsuit, could DCL have any legal basis to charge residents of one state a different rate than another state given that it doesn't really cost them more to service someone from Alabama or South Carolina than it does to service someone that lives in Florida? While I don't know if there are any laws on this matter as it relates to corporations, the government doesn't have the power to charge different states different taxes/duties (Artical I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution begins with "The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises...but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States").

So to be redundant, if I currently don't have a reservation, can I book a reservation at the Florida resident's rate if I live in another state?

 

[cjsmith]

You have to be a Florida resident, sorry. Your address on the ticket has to show Florida and your ID when you check in has to show Florida or they say they will take away the resident discount.

 

[Pooh_Friend#1]

How does it work if you share a room with someone that lives in FL and the reservation is in their name? Do they get the rate and I (from CO) have to pay a higher rate?

 

[lillygator]

No, you cannot book at the Florida resident rate without having proof of Florida residence.

Here's hoping they come out for December!

 

[icartjetta]

There only has to be 1 person in the room for the Florida resident rate.

 

[Favorite Auntie]

My parents have a home in Florida, but they are NH residents. THey can get the FL res rate. They have to show utility bills or something like that. They have never been asked for this, but that is what their TA told them to bring. My parents cruised with me, and a friend of mine a few years ago. They booked my mom with my friend and my dad with me. When we got to port we switched that around so all of our KTTW cards opened the right doors. They didn't give us a problem doing that at all. We all got the FL rate.

 

[HooKooDooKu]

It's not some much that I'm looking for a way to "trick the system" to get Florida rates. Acctually, right now, we don't have the money this year to cruise (I'm about to send in final payment for the May Repo that I put on Disney Card with 6month 0%).

But what I'm really curious about is 1) How do they justify giving a discount to some people and not others based on where they live, and 2) Has anyone tried to book a last minute cruise and insisted on getting the same rate as the Florida discount because otherwise you're not going to book?

 

[cjsmith]

My parents have a home in Florida, but they are NH residents. THey can get the FL res rate. They have to show utility bills or something like that. They have never been asked for this, but that is what their TA told them to bring. My parents cruised with me, and a friend of mine a few years ago. They booked my mom with my friend and my dad with me. When we got to port we switched that around so all of our KTTW cards opened the right doors. They didn't give us a problem doing that at all. We all got the FL rate.

Disney has started to change this now for obtaining the resident rates at the resorts and to get the florida resident rate annual passes. In the past you just had to have some kind of ID, but now to get the AP's you have to be able to give a valid drivers license number. Techinally speaking, just because you own property in the state of Florida doesn't make you a Florida resident. My parents friends were not able to get there APs as Fl residents a couple of months ago, they live part time in Jupiter Florida and are NY residents, Disney told them they're not Florida residents and therefore don't qualify any longer. Alice asked to speak to a supervisor and was told the same thing. The Disney cruise line may be doing this same thing as you are told to bring ID proving you are a Florida resident.

You do only have to have one Florida resident in the stateroom to qualify for the reduced rate.

 

[cjsmith]

It's not some much that I'm looking for a way to "trick the system" to get Florida rates. Acctually, right now, we don't have the money this year to cruise (I'm about to send in final payment for the May Repo that I put on Disney Card with 6month 0%).

But what I'm really curious about is 1) How do they justify giving a discount to some people and not others based on where they live, and 2) Has anyone tried to book a last minute cruise and insisted on getting the same rate as the Florida discount because otherwise you're not going to book?

I don't know, but discounts are a fact of life when traveling. There are senior citizens discounts, military discounts, AAA discounts, hotel groups discounts and so on. I believe the companies have a legal right to offer what ever discounts they want. Disney offers various discounts at their resorts from AP discounts on down. Should someone who doesn't have the AP discount be able to demand the same discount as someone who has purchased the AP? I guess there would be arguments for both sides. Since both ships usually sail full, I don't think they would care to be "bullied" into giving someone the discount just because it will keep you from booking, they know full well that either a Florida resident will book it or someone at full price will end up booking it. The discounts are fewer and further in between, they're just not needed anymore! Being that they're not telling you can't book, just at a different rate they're technically not keeping anyone off the ship, so I'm not sure what legal standing there is. Maybe someone who is a lawyer can offer some insight!

 

[MAGICinMYHEART]

I have always wondered if Disney has some kind of arrangement with our wonderful State Legislators that makes it mandatory that they have to offer discounts to locals because of tax incentives or business operating expenses. I know many companies do receive incentives to build or relocate here in the Sunshine State.

Or it could just be a cheap way for Disney to fill hotel rooms and staterooms.

 

[jodifla]

Disney has started to change this now for obtaining the resident rates at the resorts and to get the florida resident rate annual passes. In the past you just had to have some kind of ID, but now to get the AP's you have to be able to give a valid drivers license number. Techinally speaking, just because you own property in the state of Florida doesn't make you a Florida resident. My parents friends were not able to get there APs as Fl residents a couple of months ago, they live part time in Jupiter Florida and are NY residents, Disney told them they're not Florida residents and therefore don't qualify any longer. Alice asked to speak to a supervisor and was told the same thing. The Disney cruise line may be doing this same thing as you are told to bring ID proving you are a Florida resident.

You do only have to have one Florida resident in the stateroom to qualify for the reduced rate.

This is interesting. I called last week and they told me that a Florida State ID would suffice, and you can get a Florida State ID if you are a part time resident.

A Florida State ID is also listed on their web sites. I don't know how they can require a driver's license, when everyone doesn't drive.

 

[MarcyIn Florida]

The other thing I wonder about... is such a thing even legal? Since DCL in ingauging in interstate commerse, if I pressed the issue with a lawsuit, could DCL have any legal basis to charge residents of one state a different rate than another state given that it doesn't really cost them more to service someone from Alabama or South Carolina than it does to service someone that lives in Florida?

Well, since state residence isn't a protected class under Commerce Clause rules, it would be a very poor argument for a lawsuit.


Plus, Disney is a private corporation. They give discounts for other groups, as well -- this is a corporate policy based on business practices. They are not discriminating based on a protected class -- or quasi-protected class -- such as age, race, gender or even sexual orientation.

The idea behind Florida resident rates is that Floridians bring oodles of epople to the parks and to the cruiselines, and if Disney gives them (me) a discount, I'm more likely to bring even more people to the parks and the cruise, where they will spend oodles of money. If you live in Georgia or Alabama, you're less likely to have company visit you for a few days and then all head over to the Port to take a cruise. Same thing for the parks -- when we didn't have FL passes, our houseguests didn't go to the parks. When we have the passes, they do. It's a bottom line issue.

 

[OfficerChipmunk]

This is interesting. I called last week and they told me that a Florida State ID would suffice, and you can get a Florida State ID if you are a part time resident.

A Florida State ID is also listed on their web sites. I don't know how they can require a driver's license, when everyone doesn't drive.

You can also get a "Florida only driver's license." It's a FL license that allows you to keep your residence in another state and is only valid when you are inside FL. It does require a FL address (but that can be a part time residence.) That is what I have because I am required to have a FL Licence for work.

A Driver's license is not required. They want a photo id of some sort that has a florida address.

It is actually a law in FL that all adults must have a photo id of some sort (license, state id, military id, passport, etc.) on them at all times. As part of that law, if you live in FL you have to have a license or state id that shows you live here. If you move to FL or within FL you have 30 days to update your license or ID with the proper address...Because of this it shouldn't be so outragious for them to ask you for an id.

 

[Favorite Auntie]

You can also get a "Florida only driver's license." It's a FL license that allows you to keep your residence in another state and is only valid when you are inside FL. It does require a FL address (but that can be a part time residence.) That is what I have because I am required to have a FL Licence for work.

A Driver's license is not required. They want a photo id of some sort that has a florida address.

It is actually a law in FL that all adults must have a photo id of some sort (license, state id, military id, passport, etc.) on them at all times. As part of that law, if you live in FL you have to have a license or state id that shows you live here. If you move to FL or within FL you have 30 days to update your license or ID with the proper address...Because of this it shouldn't be so outragious for them to ask you for an id.

My father did have to get a FL ID in February when he went to renew his annual pass to the parks. So he has one of those now. It was only like $5 and he only had to show a utility bill to get it, so what is the difference? Tell your parents to go get the IDs....

 

[MelissaE1]

It can be frustrating, but discounts based on certain criteria are everywhere. You can get them based on your age, whether you belong to certain organizations, have purchased from a specific entity, or even whether you happened to get a particular coupon in the mail. And yes, even your geographic location.

We live in a resort/tourist area, and many of our local attractions offer discounts for residents or locals, so this is not specific to Disney. Also I might note that out of the three Disney cruises I have sailed on or have booked, ONE of those was with resident rates. One was with an early booking discount and one was with magical rates (cheapest I've seen). Disney does offer many other discounts, resident rates are actually few and far between and getting moreso. So it's not as exciting as it sounds.

As far as consulting a lawyer, well, maybe you COULD get them to give it to you. But is it really worth it? It would probably be cheaper to just move to Florida. My neighbor's house is for sale...

 

[Bender]

Is there a FL resident discount currently available? Other than those for the August Cruises, I have not been able to find it listed anywhere.

 

[lillygator]

there are some for 7 night sailings in September.

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

Face it...we get the discount cause we have to live in a tourist state...LOL!! Just kidding!

Also, Disney is not a private corporation...it is owned by stockholders...public company. But, they have the right, as they deem, to offer discounts to whomever they choose.

 

[lillygator]

Face it...we get the discount cause we have to live in a tourist state...LOL!! Just kidding!

ITA!!

 

[HooKooDooKu]

Thanks for all the insightful feedback on this issue.

For me personally, this is just an academic issue since I currently don't have the money for a 2nd Disney Cruise this year. But it's still an interesting topic of conversation since I have booked a Disney Cruise before with in 4 weeks of the sail date.