Need help with AP rates and booking for December

[TigerLilly's Mom]

We usually rent DVC points for our trips. I am dying to stay at the Poly early December but there is no studio availability with points. How much (just an estimate) could I expect to pay booking with an AP rate. I was told they don't come out until about three months before. Is this accurate? Wouldn't there be a chance the resort would be booked? Would you just book what you wanted rack rate and then apply the AP rate if it was available later? Is that possible? Sorry I am new to all this as we have always rented points. I am having sticker shock at the rates there. We stayed on our honeymoon over 20 years ago. We usually stay at the Boardwalk which I would also consider with points but there is no studio availability there either. Thanks for any info!

 

[downwithwindows]

I'm not sure how the December rates differ from May, but we're paying an AP rate of 414/night for a standard view. We've tried for YEARS to get a military discount rate at the poly, but never ever seems to be available, so we just saved and saved and the AP rate is the best I could find for our dates.

 

[TigerLilly's Mom]

I'm not sure how the December rates differ from May, but we're paying an AP rate of 414/night for a standard view. We've tried for YEARS to get a military discount rate at the poly, but never ever seems to be available, so we just saved and saved and the AP rate is the best I could find for our dates.

Thank you. Did you wait until the AP rate was available to book it, or book rack rate and then apply the AP discount?

 

[downwithwindows]

I just booked it as the AP discount. I call them pretty regularly to check for the military discount (on the off chance someone cancels). All of the reservation cast members I speak with tell me it's pretty simple process to switch and or apply discounts. Sometimes it requires making a new reservation then canceling the existing one.

 

[TigerLilly's Mom]

I just booked it as the AP discount. I call them pretty regularly to check for the military discount (on the off chance someone cancels). All of the reservation cast members I speak with tell me it's pretty simple process to switch and or apply discounts. Sometimes it requires making a new reservation then canceling the existing one.

Thanks - how much beforehand were you able to book the AP rate?

 

[stenmarks]

AP rates (at least over the past year or so) have been released 2.5-3 months before the stated travel dates...in other words, you probably would see November-December AP rates released mid-August.

Standard disclaimer: However, AP specials are never guaranteed.

 

[wdwthanksgiving]

I am an AP holder and would suggest you book your room now...then, when general public discounts come out you try to have that applied to your room...then when AP discounts come out you call again and try to get that rate. It is getting harder and harder to get AP rates for standard rooms..last fall at WL only woods views and above had the discount and even with the discount those rooms were more than the standard rate I was paying.
Good luck to all of us!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

AP discounts act like other Disney discounts....they come out at various times of the year, cover certain dates, vary by season, and vary by resort. AP discounts tend to be roughly 5-10% better than the general public discount out at any given time, although that's not always a hard/fast rule.

AP discounts often (but not always) come out after general public and other types of discounts, but they have longer "book by" windows than other discount types. Disney's standard "the number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited" disclaimer is very much in effect.

Availability can be limited for certain resorts/room types/dates, so you have to pay pretty close attention to when things are released and be somewhat quick on the draw, if the discount is critical to you.

Using last year as a guide for your particular circumstances...

General public discounts (10-20% off rack rate) that covered early December were released 8/8/2016
AP discounts (20-30% off rack rate) that covered early December were released 8/23/2016

This is a handy website to bookmark to reference these kinds of things: https://www.mousesavers.com/historical-information-on-walt-disney-world-resort-discounts/#2016

Often when I have a specific resort/room type/set of dates in mind I'll make a rack rate room only reservation, then watch the general public discounts when they come out and apply it if available, then watch the AP rates and apply that discount when/if available. It is VERY easy to change/add discounts to room-only reservations online, you don't need to call. If no discounts ultimately come out then I make a decision if I'm ok paying rack rate where I originally wanted to be. Although like I said, I tend to do this when I have a specific trip/dates in mind and am not likely to cancel.

There will be people that at what I just described because they say Disney will offer less discounted inventory if they have high rack-rate bookings, but I don't so much buy into this line of thinking. Disney knows exactly what they are doing to meet the market to fill rooms.

If I don't really need to peg a resort/room type/dates, I won't make any reservations and will just wait until later when discounts do come out to make booking decisions.

Sorry, long post, but hope that helps/makes sense!

 

[TigerLilly's Mom]

AP discounts act like other Disney discounts....they come out at various times of the year, cover certain dates, vary by season, and vary by resort. AP discounts tend to be roughly 5-10% better than the general public discount out at any given time, although that's not always a hard/fast rule.

AP discounts often (but not always) come out after general public and other types of discounts, but they have longer "book by" windows than other discount types. Disney's standard "the number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited" disclaimer is very much in effect.

Availability can be limited for certain resorts/room types/dates, so you have to pay pretty close attention to when things are released and be somewhat quick on the draw, if the discount is critical to you.

Using last year as a guide for your particular circumstances...

General public discounts (10-20% off rack rate) that covered early December were released 8/8/2016
AP discounts (20-30% off rack rate) that covered early December were released 8/23/2016

This is a handy website to bookmark to reference these kinds of things: https://www.mousesavers.com/historical-information-on-walt-disney-world-resort-discounts/#2016

Often when I have a specific resort/room type/set of dates in mind I'll make a rack rate room only reservation, then watch the general public discounts when they come out and apply it if available, then watch the AP rates and apply that discount when/if available. It is VERY easy to change/add discounts to room-only reservations online, you don't need to call. If no discounts ultimately come out then I make a decision if I'm ok paying rack rate where I originally wanted to be. Although like I said, I tend to do this when I have a specific trip/dates in mind and am not likely to cancel.

There will be people that at what I just described because they say Disney will offer less discounted inventory if they have high rack-rate bookings, but I don't so much buy into this line of thinking. Disney knows exactly what they are doing to meet the market to fill rooms.

If I don't really need to peg a resort/room type/dates, I won't make any reservations and will just wait until later when discounts do come out to make booking decisions.

Sorry, long post, but hope that helps/makes sense!

Thanks so much, this does help a lot. Since I would not pay rack rate for any hotel room, it makes more sense for me to wait and book only if there are discounts that work for me.

We are people who like to plan last last minute trips when there is a good airfare or good hotel rate. We have had awesome luck with this being passholders at Universal, but not so much at Disney.

We leave in 11 days for a Disney trip that was planned in February, and that was not easy! Was able to rent points at Saratoga, but that was basically our only option. Hopefully we will end up liking it and it can be our go to for those "last minute" vacations. Even though I don't call planning a trip three months in advance spontaneous. I love Disney, but they make it tough sometimes. Not sure if my dream Poly trip in early December will ever happen.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Thanks so much, this does help a lot. Since I would not pay rack rate for any hotel room, it makes more sense for me to wait and book only if there are discounts that work for me.

We are people who like to plan last last minute trips when there is a good airfare or good hotel rate. We have had awesome luck with this being passholders at Universal, but not so much at Disney.

We leave in 11 days for a Disney trip that was planned in February, and that was not easy! Was able to rent points at Saratoga, but that was basically our only option. Hopefully we will end up liking it and it can be our go to for those "last minute" vacations. Even though I don't call planning a trip three months in advance spontaneous. I love Disney, but they make it tough sometimes. Not sure if my dream Poly trip in early December will ever happen.

Yeah, I'm a lot like you. We leave in 10 days for a short weekend trip I booked 3 weeks ago! That's one of the reasons I've never explored DVC more is that those long term booking windows don't quite work for me.

We're in our second year of APs and I've found they have been quite helpful in finding too discounts for even last minute travel, at least for the resorts/room types we tend to prefer. I sometimes have to tinker with dates or resorts, but usually can find something that works.

And I agree on rack rates - I've only done that once or maybe twice for an unusual situation and limited # of days. I normally wouldn't do that. Ouch!

Hope you have a great trip coming up!

 

[TigerLilly's Mom]

Yeah, I'm a lot like you. We leave in 10 days for a short weekend trip I booked 3 weeks ago! That's one of the reasons I've never explored DVC more is that those long term booking windows don't quite work for me.

We're in our second year of APs and I've found they have been quite helpful in finding too discounts for even last minute travel, at least for the resorts/room types we tend to prefer. I sometimes have to tinker with dates or resorts, but usually can find something that works.

And I agree on rack rates - I've only done that once or maybe twice for an unusual situation and limited # of days. I normally wouldn't do that. Ouch!

Hope you have a great trip coming up!

Thanks so much, you have a wonderful trip as well. Can you tell me what resorts you have been able to get a good last minute deal on? I am a bit of a hotel snob, but that being said, don't usually spend more than $250 a night and I would have a hard time spending $300. We have stayed at the Boardwalk several times, Hard Rock, Portifino, and Royal Pacific, and this will be our first time at Saratoga. Never paid more than $250 at any of those hotels. I love the Poly, but $400 a night, while it is doable financially, is not doable in my mind. Would love to hear which Disney resorts you had been able to get a great deal at.

 

[Regan117]

Yeah, I'm a lot like you. We leave in 10 days for a short weekend trip I booked 3 weeks ago! That's one of the reasons I've never explored DVC more is that those long term booking windows don't quite work for me.

We're in our second year of APs and I've found they have been quite helpful in finding too discounts for even last minute travel, at least for the resorts/room types we tend to prefer. I sometimes have to tinker with dates or resorts, but usually can find something that works.

And I agree on rack rates - I've only done that once or maybe twice for an unusual situation and limited # of days. I normally wouldn't do that. Ouch!

Hope you have a great trip coming up!

Just hijacking to laugh at the fact that we always seek to be going to WDW at the same times.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Just hijacking to laugh at the fact that we always seek to be going to WDW at the same times.

Lol, I'm trying to keep up with your annual trip count!

 

[Regan117]

Lol, I'm trying to keep up with your annual trip count!

LOL! Well I'm having another baby this year, so I'm going to be lots easier to keep up with.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

LOL! Well I'm having another baby this year, so I'm going to be lots easier to keep up with.

Wow, cool! It looks like you still have lot of trips planned though. I am jealous of your CL lineup!

 

[Regan117]

Wow, cool! It looks like you still have lot of trips planned though. I am jealous of your CL lineup!

Yes! We are going to have to cancel our November trip though. I'm pretty sad about it because we were going to spend Thanksgiving in Disney this year. But I'm supposed to have a baby like 4 days before that lol, so that's out.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Yes! We are going to have to cancel our November trip though. I'm pretty sad about it because we were going to spend Thanksgiving in Disney this year. But I'm supposed to have a baby like 4 days before that lol, so that's out.

Well enjoy your May triple-split! That's a pro move for sure! You doing SL or RPC?

Sorry for the chatter here.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Thanks so much, you have a wonderful trip as well. Can you tell me what resorts you have been able to get a good last minute deal on? I am a bit of a hotel snob, but that being said, don't usually spend more than $250 a night and I would have a hard time spending $300. We have stayed at the Boardwalk several times, Hard Rock, Portifino, and Royal Pacific, and this will be our first time at Saratoga. Never paid more than $250 at any of those hotels. I love the Poly, but $400 a night, while it is doable financially, is not doable in my mind. Would love to hear which Disney resorts you had been able to get a great deal at.

I'm probably not the best person to ask as I tend to stay CL and have not spent much time looking for non-CL AP discounts. Most of my experience is at the four MK area resorts. I totally agree with your pricing thresholds in real life but Disney has scrambled my brain when it comes to what I'll pay for a monorail resort!

I tend to find relatively decent CL AP discount availability at the MK resorts - generally speaking - but I'm just not sure if the same can be said for non-CL discount inventory??

Sorry I can't be much help.

 

[fla4fun]

There will be people that at what I just described because they say Disney will offer less discounted inventory if they have high rack-rate bookings, but I don't so much buy into this line of thinking. Disney knows exactly what they are doing to meet the market to fill rooms.

I would suggest searching for past posts regarding this issue if a specific resort is a deal breaker. From the year where lots of people booked WL in December only to find the resort totally excluded from the discounts, to the summer that only the Epcot deluxes were discounted to just last month when the free dining availability at the value resorts was extremely limited, there are plenty of examples of this happening. I'm not saying it always happens but it is one of the factors that plays into which resorts, and which rooms in those resorts, get included in the promotion.

I generally advise someone to book what they are willing to pay for without a discount, and if one comes out they can use, great! If not, they will still be happy with their choice. I have personally had to change resorts to take advantage of a discount because it wasn't offered at my first choice, and I have paid rack because I didn't want to switch and couldn't get the discount where I was booked. And, of course, there have been times where I was able to apply the discount without any issues. You just never know.