My DH is peeved!

[tiger4me2]

Keep in mind they have to get visas as well & that takes time. Yes the British have to have visas to come to the US but not for Americans going to the UK. I have friends that will be visiting me & they have to get visas everytime they come.

 

[hansel1]

Nice idea, but no. We only get a better rate if we book through Disney US (therefore getting no advance buying). Disney UK and the UK travel agents don't price like that- the dining plan was more expensive to buy through virgin holidays than even a $2/£1 exchange rate (When it was $40 for US, we were getting charged $60). A Brit buying a UK Disney holiday in GBP is just as expensive (more for some parts if not all) as an American buying through Disney US in Dollars. When we get to the US then everything becomes half price- like food, etc. And, as someone else stated, no discounts, pins, etc.

Plus, (and this is a kicker) it is only comparable if you are a family of two adults and two kids. Most of our travel agents charge per person and not per room. So two adult in a room (same price as a family with 2 kids, right? No.) are charged under occupany!! We have to pay for the other people who are not in the room which can double the cost of our accomodation.

Sorry, but we don't actually pay half price for Disney. The only thing we get like that is when we are in the US and spend whilst there- that is where things are equivalent to half price.

So why don't you just book through disney US and save quite a bit of money? It would cost you an international phone call, but that would still save you alot of money.

 

[asmit4]

We as americans have some bonuses- pin codes, local phone #s to call, MUCH cheaper airfare....I could go on.

Europeans have the euro working for them in terms of US costs, but they make up for the savings with airfare, and REMEMBER folks...back in the early 90s when we were all LOVING europe before the Euro? My how people forget about all those years we all spent like bandits in Europe.

It all evens out in the end IMO. We have savings and benefits, they have savings and benefits. I don't see this as a big issue at all. I am an american and spend my trip $$$ at DW and in Mexico. Our $$$ goes far in Mexico b/c labor costs there are so much less than the US. Wanna talk about people who truly 'lose out'....look at those that make 4.00 a day making beds in many countries around the world.

I think people need to get some perspective here. This is DW...not a job opportunity. There are plenty of rooms available for us US folks.

 

[nobodies36]

So why don't you just book through disney US and save quite a bit of money? It would cost you an international phone call, but that would still save you alot of money.

That is exactly what I do! I refuse to be overcharged for a room because I don't have kids. However, most people want to book packages and don't like booking flights and hotel independently. As for the phonecall, I just call a special number before dialing Disney and get supercheap calls. Not everyone thinks like me though

 

[dizneeat]

So why don't you just book through disney US and save quite a bit of money? It would cost you an international phone call, but that would still save you alot of money.

I usually book with Disney US since we hold APs and you can hardly beat an AP discount! (no AAA here)
For this summer I booked with Disney UK because they offered FD for the beginning of August. So FD was more of a discount than a "possible" AP discount. I had my vacation set in September of 07 for 08 and there was no hassle getting a discount for that portion of our trip. (We got bounceback FD for the second part of it)
Otherwise I will stick with booking with Disney US.

 

[momathome]

didn't your mom ever tell you the "fair" is in July. Thats what I tell my kids...

 

[DisneyDarling3]

Whoa... What's wrong people?!? Did everyone not take their daily dosage of Walt Disney cheer before signing onto the boards? I'm pretty sure people are allowed to express their opinion without childish sarcasm in return. Isn't that one of the rules for posting here?

Ols386- "I have more important things to worry about than the fact that someone from Europe can book a trip to WDW before I can (world hunger, the war in the middle east, the U.S. economy, etc., etc.). I don't really see what's unfair about it.....but many things in life aren't fair. Does seem like it might take more time and be more cumbersome booking a trip to the U.S. from Europe."

Just curious... but since you're so concerned with such wordly issues and have more important things to worry about than "fairness", how did you find the time to post a few words of sarcasm and retaliation?

And just for the record, I agree it's not fair!

 

[lisa3383]

If we can book European Disney vacations before people who live in those countries how is this any different?

Seems the policy is exactly the same for us when the situation is flipped - so YES I think it is fair!

Besides, its not like these people are taking up all the rooms leaving Americans with nothing!

 

[DisneyDarling3]

I have never attempted to book a European Disney vacation, so I am unaware of whether it is possible to book before the residents of the country are able to or not. However, if that is the case then that is unfair to them. So no matter how you look at it, it's unfair for both sides.

The major gripe is not that tourists to America are taking up all of the rooms... From my point of view, everyone is paying good money to go on vacation and alot of it! No matter what country you come from you have to make vacation plans: accomodations, dining, travel, arranging time off from work and having your vacation approved, as well as finding the best time to pull your children from school or whatever other activities that they may be involved in. So saying that allowing foreigners to be able to view rates early and reserve early because they have more travel plans to make that are more detailed and cumbersome, is not a worthy excuse for me. Sometimes people rely on the rates to determine their entire vacations, whether they are International Citizens or Americans. Also, when you have to make reservations for dinner 180 days in advance to assure you can eat in half a year where you would like to and then are told that the resturaunt is already booked for that night, I do think that creates an importance for everyone to begin on the same page so to speak.

As well, does Disney allow International citizens to see rates and reserve early because they are so kind as to think of their exhaustive plan making, or do you think possibly they are attempting to attract more buisness, since it is all too easy for Americans, according to most people who posted, to run off to Disney at their will? They already have their American clients, might as well up the factor for International visitors to draw them here... hence the different package they receive.

 

[TiggerInLBV]

He found out last night that if your from other countries ( UK, France ETC)you can book your 2009 vacation. The CM didnt really seem to have an answer so she put him on hold for a while. Still not clear butshe daid they will be out shortly for US. once the Cms get prompted on the new rates and ETC. He is still peeved. He said that is so not fair.

Ok, so the folks across the pond can already book 2009 packages. Big deal! I suppose your husband is also upset that when he fills up his gas tank he isn't paying almost $9 per gallon here in the US too like they pay in the UK. Somehow I don't think so. Soon he'll be able to book his magical vacation to the place where Magic lives!

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

Just wanted to add...
I have to agree with the majority of the posters here. I'd rather not waste my energy focusing on something like Europeans booking before me. I find it much more constructive to focus it on flaming someone for having an opinion. Geez, you'd think the OP murdered the Pope!

Well, the Pope can book his 2009 package. Let's not give OP's hubby any ideas.

 

[Sleepy]

Would he rather be American, paid in American dollars and live in Europe where there is no discount or special perk, only to still have the huge airfare?







<======

 

[monty]

Other countries welcome overseas tourists & understand the benefits they bring to their country and economy.

 

[asmit4]

Other countries welcome overseas tourists & understand the benefits they bring to their country and economy.

Now now people....the OP is almost entirely alone in her stress over this issue. MOST of us DISers, even us americans see absolutely NO issue with this at all. Don't lump this OP as representative of the entire country. She and her DH are not...most of us GET why DW does this and don't care one bit.


To the OP- I don't get why you can't book? You can book a room only pkg, you can add the DDP later. You can also add tickets to your room reservation too now I think. Also, you have the same access to the 2009 DW schedules like EMH, park hours, fireworks etc.

What is it exactly that you can't plan? I've seen DISers planning their 2009 vacations since 2007! They are basing their info on previous years.

 

[DisneyDarling3]

Other countries welcome overseas tourists & understand the benefits they bring to their country and economy.

 

[ols386]

DisneyDarling.....yes, I am concerned about such things as world hunger, and the war in the middle east.....excuse me for taking a brief moment in time for posting my opinion.....and I don't remember asking for your opinion about my post. I was merely posting my opinion as everyone else did.

 

[AmyA]

Other countries welcome overseas tourists & understand the benefits they bring to their country and economy.

Exactly. Foreign tourism is beneficial in numerous ways (not all economical, either). Most Americans understand this. It's just that some don't .

Our economy is tanking right now...we need our European (and Canadian ) tourists! They are willing and able to spend money in the US right now while many Americans can't afford to. Right now, many Americans just don't have the money to spend on nonessentials such as leisure travel. And spending money stimulates the economy--whether it's Europeans, Canadians or Americans spending it.

I totally understand Disney's business model here, too. Disney doesn't care about being "fair", they care about making money. Most Europeans come to the US for a holiday, meaning they are at WDW for 3 or 4 (or more) weeks. Think of how much $$ Disney makes from a European family compared to an American family that stays for 7 days/6 nights.

I'm sure if it got to the point that there were so many foreign visitors that Americans just absolutely couldn't visit, then Disney would make some modifications. The American economy is not always going to stink and the European economy will have its downtimes. Disney wants to keep both its American customers and its foreign customers. By offering Americans some incentives that foreign customers do not receive and, conversely, offering foreign customers incentives Americans do not receive, it keeps both parties relatively happy. And I think that's a wise business model for these uncertain economic times.

 

[thomas998]

Truthfully, not to sound mean...But if the fact that the UK can book a Disney trip before we can is such an issue, than obviously your Dh has not learned the fundamentals of not sweating the small stuff.Seriously, there are way more problems in life and this world than something so pathetically trivial as who gets to go first ( which is essentially what this whole argument is about)

It may be small stuff... but in the over all picture... why should one group of people be treated better than another.

I can fully understand differences in an annual pass for a person in or outside of Florida (though frankly if you look at where Orlando is located, there are a lot of people in Georgia that are closer to Disney than some people in Florida, yet the state lines are what they go by)... but what I can't fathom is why Disney wouldn't sell a 14 day ticket to a US customer but would to a UK customer... if either one were willing to visit Orlando for 2 weeks then they should be affored the same options. And when you can book a trip would fall in that same category of senseless discrimination that has no logical reason for existing.

 

[ilisao]

It may be small stuff... but in the over all picture... why should one group of people be treated better than another.

I can fully understand differences in an annual pass for a person in or outside of Florida (though frankly if you look at where Orlando is located, there are a lot of people in Georgia that are closer to Disney than some people in Florida, yet the state lines are what they go by)... but what I can't fathom is why Disney wouldn't sell a 14 day ticket to a US customer but would to a UK customer... if either one were willing to visit Orlando for 2 weeks then they should be affored the same options. And when you can book a trip would fall in that same category of senseless discrimination that has no logical reason for existing.

Because it probably doesn't make sense for Disney to offer 14 day passes for U.S. visitors. Disney doesn't make decisions blindly. Their research has in all likelihood shown that the travel patterns of Americans don't make sense to offer 14 day passes. Most Americans (remember, the DIS board is not indicative of the average WDW visitor) don't visit the parks for that long, unlike Europeans who do.

Not everything unavailable to you means discrimination.

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

DisneyDarling.....yes, I am concerned about such things as world hunger, and the war in the middle east.....excuse me for taking a brief moment in time for posting my opinion.....and I don't remember asking for your opinion about my post. I was merely posting my opinion as everyone else did.

Just wanted to mention that when you post on a public message board, you are opening yourself and views up to others' opinions. Nature of the beast.