Need to vent about these codes

[skiwee1]

Originally posted by Debbart
I may be wrong, but I can't help but feel that a big part of the problem is that they are releasing fewer rooms to discount...and the reason they are releasing fewer rooms is that people are booking rooms at rack rate, sometimes multiple ressies to "cover all the bases" that they have no intention of keeping if they can't change to a discount...but Disney doesn't see that...they see full inventory and release fewer rooms...again I may be wrong but just look at all the people on these boards alone who say I have a ressie at... but I better get a discount or I will have to cancel ??

I've heard that theory a lot too. There are those that always swear they are keeping their reservations no matter what. Then when the time comes that they couldn't get a discount these same people rant and rave and cancel and go offsite or to the Swan/Dolphin. Then there are those that book two resorts and cancel the higher priced one. I think all this gives the appearance of full resorts. To me, you book the room you want and one that you can afford. If you get a discount, BONUS! If not, too bad. I book the Poly every time. Sometimes I pay AAA rate, once I paid rack rate, and a few times I got discounts. I keep my reservation no matter what. I think your theory is right on.

 

[chyam]

I went ahead and booked the rooms because I have NEVER had any problems getting a code in the past several years, and the way the rooms looked like they were booking with all the email postcards that went out I wanted at least one of the 2 weeks . So yes I am guilty of booking a room and will probably cancel one if I cannot get a discount but I have also been checking out other sites that say there are rooms still available so that tells me that Disney is not booked solid they are just releasing fewer rooms to the codes. I have also been told by several cms that many people will cancel and that many will not make their deposits on time. My main gripe is not about not being able to get the codes....because I think I eventually will..............it's will the phone lines and the very long wait times and so few people being able to actually get the codes.

 

[allforpooh]

Normally I do not respond to these types of post but I guess I am in that kind of mood. First the rates are on the web site if you go to Disneyworld.com you just need to click on the special fall rate on the bottom right hand side and it will take you to a place where the discounts will be in the quote price. You do not need a code they are already there.

Also everyone has a choice, knowing that everyone and their brother would be calling today in the am, you could either brave the possible wait times and hopefully get a discount ( which I did and still didn't get my dates disappointing yes but not the end of the world) or not - which means you can pay what alot of other people are paying. Before I found these boards I payed rack- go figure...the more people on these types of boards the more people you are competing against.

Sometimes we create our own monster as Debbart mentioned many times there are people with multiple ressie's just in case or because they can't decide. I would keep trying, I found the web a little easier to take because you can actually pick the resorts you want to try for your dates and if there is nothing avalible it will show you a like resort where there is availabilty.

Good Luck to eveyone, it looks like I am going to be paying without a discount.

Denise

 

[samnbilly]

I'm having a nice drink with you chyam. I have been on the phone for 2 days straight, 2 phones going at the same time. My family thinks I am absolutely nuts. First I had the 5+2 package, then I decided to purchase an AP,DUH should have booked a room only-no tickets. There was no turning back then. I spent 2 months changing my room from lagoon to Lodge concierge-then the AP rates come out. I was through to a CM by 7:02 the latest-the only rooms they have are lagoon. I did get a discount. I know I should be happy and I am-I even added a day-9nights in Disney. Well my DH was like "oh, no concierge" You've got to be kidding me. I'm sending him over to the Lounge Lizard thread. I can't take the stress. I keep calling to try and change my ressie to no avail. Say it ain't so. I think we all put so much pressure on ourselves. Okay, I feel a little better. Rambling Over

 

[princess pooh]

Ooh I could use a drink right about now. Everytime I call CRO I get different information and the wait times have been endless. I've never had this much trouble getting an AP rate before .

I know everyone says to call in the morning but I think I'll give an evening call a try. I've always had better luck that way.

 

[ADIDAD]

I am sorry that some of you did not get the rates you needed.. I am feeling upset too. I bought the AP because after all the reading I figured that during value season I would get great rates. Well 20 percent is good but, I was hoping for more. The better the rate the more I come down.... We are going Oct 27 till Nov 3 then Dec 7 till the 12.Then back in Jan for 2 week. See in Jan 2004 we stayed for 12 days with awsome rates 309 for GF SL now only 9 months later 100 more a night . I already post this some where else but, I am slightly upset because the people with AP passes are planning on multiply visit. If general public and post card rates are the same the heck with the Ap rates. I will come once a year. As for buying into the DVC I like the GF.... When I am vacation I do not want to make beds... I do that everyday at least 3or 4 beds... I am not saying that I do not like Disney my happiest memories are there... It is that I feel loyal to Disney by buying 4 AP. Then my bother-in-law gets a post card at my house for a vacation I planned and paid for last year and I get no post card... The same rate I get with a AP.. I am just upset ... I still love the mouse but I will not be renewing the passes....Please do not tear me up just giving my views... Good luck to the people who HAVE AP and need rooms...

 

[Mandalou]

ADIDAD, I agree with you. A few months ago I convinced my DH that we should get AP's because we'd save "so much money" on our resorts. . . that's how I justified it to him AND to me. (We are very budget-minded people and we were trying to find the most cost-effective way of staying at Disney.) Since we live over 23 hours away (driving time. . . yes, we drive -- I said we were VERY budget-minded people) we knew we'd only get two trips out of it (a late Nov of one year and an early Nov the next). So, when DH and I see that anyone can get almost the same rate that an AP holder can get, we wonder why did we spend so much money on those tickets?! Of course, THAT'S IF WE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN THE AP DISCOUNT! I still haven't been able to get through (I've waited on hold now over 3 hours).

I feel bad for anyone who didn't get their discounts or who feel "jipped" for having an AP. Having said that, I still LOVE WDW! I can't imagine not going. Still, it actually HURTS to have any kind of negative feelings about The Mouse. . . I mean, come on, we've even got a Disney bathroom in our house!

Thanks for letting me vent. . .

 

[chyam]

I don't think that any of us love the mouse any less........I am just upset that for MANY of us who were on those phones @7am on the first days the codes came out and had to wait hours just to get an answer only to find out there was nothing available are just a tad angry. It seems there just could not have been very many rooms available with the codes. It also irks me that any reservation line or customer service line would have such long waits, there has to be a way to streamline. I also have taken alot of flack for all ready having rack rate rooms and then complaining because I don't want to pay that..............how many of you do want to pay rack rate? maybe I can afford it and maybe I can't but the point is we all like to save a little money and enjoy a vacation. I don't blame anyone that already have rack rate rooms for the unavailability to get codes, when all the emails came out with pins that many got (not me) I think that is when a lot of the rooms booked up............I blame more people that are holding multiple reservations to make up their minds on when they are actually coming. I will continue to buy my pass and I will continue to stick with my ressies and just keep trying.

 

[schumacher]

Hello all,

It is frustrating not to get the discounts on the first few days but don't give up. I am with most of you in that I did not manage to score the 'coveted' AP rate. I went with DU this year so I did not have the stress of calling and waiting. Keep in mind as others have stated things will open up shortly, many will never follow through with their reservations. As you are all well aware, Disney is expensive even with Discounts. I am pretty sure many tentatively booked because there is a "deal", once they discuss these plans with the significant other and start figuring travel, Purchasing an AP (yes many people are booking these rates w/o having an AP yet) spending money etc.., they realize its a good deal but still can't afford it. When this happens deposits will not be sent or reservations will be cancelled.
In short, unless you are leaving tomorrow don't give up yet!

Cheers,

Schuey

 

[BevS97]

I have always managed to get discounts after the first release date- but you have to be flexible about where you want to stay.

I have a good notion to cancel the days I have in Oct. and in Dec at the WL and then rebook hoping to get a code, but with my luck someone will book them before the cm can rebook them for me!

Why not make the new ressie first, and then if you get something you are happy with, cancel the old one?

 

[becky1960]

I just called at 7pm Fri. and had no wait and got WL for 149.00 for 12/6 - 12/10. These code rates are also on Expedia for all the hotels listed on mousesavers, WL, POFQ, POP, Etc.

 

[gjerseygirl]

I too was not able to get AP rate, BAT code or even AAA rate for Poly 1st week of Nov. Was talking to very nice CM. I told him other CMs told me to tryand call backand see if someone cancels. He says when someone cancels a discounted room, it goes back into the system at RACK RATE! If this is true, then all those people with multiple ressies at discounted rates are really messing us people up with no discounts. With that said, I will still keep checking.

 

[Debbart]

The point of my previous post exactly!! I also witnessed this when the repositioning cruises came out..it made me physically ill

 

[jtjarvis]

Originally posted by hrh_disney_queen

I don't know why I have been having such good luck with the 877 number, but I will always try that one first!! (877)-939-3732.

Linda -- first off, you saved me $325 this morning. No kidding -- last night I was so frustrated because the one day I don't check mousesavers first thing in the a.m., the fall codes are posted. Had AAA discount for FW cabin for months but was waiting for a better code. So it comes out, I try twice in a row regular Disney number, it's a no go.

I'm reading this thread this morning and commiserating. Then I read your thread. I'm about to leave the house for kid activities, I call the toll free which is WDTC I noticed. Answered immediately, some extremely nice male CM gave me the BAT code right off the bat, LOL, with no mucking around or hemming and hawing about "let me check availability..." wait -- wait -- wait. So it is mine, and thanks to your post I've saved $325. We were getting four cabin nights for over $1,000 and now they're like $740 or so. Hallelujah, thank you God and Linda, LOL

SO those trying for that BAT code should give the number above a try. The direct WDW line was a total brick wall to me and this was Open Sesame, at least this time!

 

[jtjarvis]

...And I want to add that I wish the best for y'all working on the AP rates and other codes and so on. My other post probably sounds real selfish but Linda's post —_and this thread— worked like magic for me today. I too am very budget minded and though I was ready to pay the cabin rate with AAA discount I'd been banking on that code break. I will know next time not to be so sure.

 

[airjoe]

gjerseygirl:

What that CM told you is absolutly correct.

You can thank those with multiple reservations!

 

[dpuck1998]

Originally posted by airjoe
gjerseygirl:

What that CM told you is absolutly correct.

You can thank those with multiple reservations!

What is the basis for that statment? Does anyone know Disneys policy regarding the cancelation of Discount rooms? I would seem self defeating to them to have rooms cancelled and not filled because of the lack of discount. If they can fill rooms at rack rates more power to Disney, if not I'm sure they will increase discounts to try to fill them.

 

[patriciah2]

I am very new to all of this and have no idea what codes are, but I booked rooms for the beginning of Dec, at POP for $77 plus tax and then saw the $55 rate on the Disney World site. I call the number (not toll free) and asked about changing my reservation. The man I spoke to acted like this was all new to him, so I went back on line booked the $55 rooms and immediately called back and canceled the first set of reservations. I talked to a woman this time. She seemed to understand what I was doing. I didn't have any trouble getting through on that line or getting the rooms on line. From what you are saying there are better deals than what I got. I would love to stay at one of the nicer resorts, but I'm not about to try to change our reservations again, plus I am on a very tight budget. We are going because my daughter has a conference in Orlando. WE used frequesnt flyer miles for the airfare. This will be our last family vacation as my daughter is graduating from college and getting married next summer. (Thus the reason for the tight budget.) Is there someplace that explains how to get the discounts you are talking about?

 

[n2mm]

We too were told what airjoe said! When you cancel a ressie it goes back to the general rack rate. Hubby is a CM and when we cancel a CM ressie, it goes back into the rack rate, not into the CM discounts rooms.

Here's my theory. Up until recently the only way to find out about an AP code was to wait until the mickey monitor came out (if you got it) and it took a long time. Or by word of mouth through discussion boards. WELL NOW--Disney now sends advance emails to ALL of it's AP holders (sorry to you guys who are AP holders that didn't get one). YES ALL of them, Regular, Premium, Florida, Seasonal.....hundreds of thousands of AP holders are finding out about the AP rates before YOU (or the same time). This has never happened before in my 10 years of being an AP holder. Both me and my husband both got the email. I believe we got one a day after they were released the last go around a couple of months ago so they are working out the bugs. I plan to write them to tell them how pleased I am at this new policy.

SO NOW Disney IS taking care of it's AP holders by giving them all a chance at the codes at the same time. Can you imagine being an AP holder and finding out about the codes a week later because you didn't get the Mickey Monitor or a chance to log into the passholder page? Disney has changed all of the rules and I think it's great! It tells me that they are trying to make us the loyal AP holders happy, but it's unfortunate that there aren't enough discounts for everyone at every resorts. Flexibility at the resort we choose is still the key to getting a discounted room. I believe if you book a room at rack rate, it should be the price you are willing to pay and if you get a better place, that GREAT!

The only way I could see it being better if is the AP holder could log into the reservation area with your AP number and make your AP reservation on line.


As for those holding ressies hoping to apply a discount to them later, I don't believe in that and it messes the whole system up. If everyone is holding a ressie, why offer a discount at the resort....therefore no one gets a discount at that resort, because why bother, when the resort is already at capacity with full paying guests.

 

[samnbilly]

I'm not sure if its true that if people have a room booked with a discounted rate that it goes back to rack rate if you cancel. When I had originally booked my trip with the 5+2 package, I booked Lagoon view at the GF because there was no availability on Lodge concierge. Well, I called constantly and I finally got it booked with concierge after someone had cancelled. Well, now I have GF booked with an AP rate and again only lagoon view was available-no lodge concierge. So, now again I find myself calling all the time to check and see if I can get it. Hey, ya never know!