New clause in rumored 4/7 deal stinks for AP holders

[mddisneyfamily]

If the rumor as posted on 'Touring Plans' turns out to be true then it really is an insult to AP holders!! I realize that these passes can be purchased and saved towards next year, but in reality my family just forked out thousands for 6 AP's and I really don't want to have to pay for a 7 day pass on top of that right now in order to take advantage of this offer. I wish they would include alternative deals for passholders since we are some of their most loyal customers. I know this is all in the rumor stage right now but I just hope the # of nights exception is left out.


Details are still being worked out, but we’ve heard from multiple, usually-reliable sources that Disney’s Buy-4-Get-7 deal will return next week. The announcement may be made as early as Monday, but could be as late as Thursday. Value resorts will have a slightly different “Buy-5-Get-2″ deal. Travel dates, we hear, could be October 1, 2009 through March 31, 2010. Book by December 20, 2009 (we think that’ll be extended). And you must purchase Magic Your Way tickets to match the number of nights of your stay.

 

[FINFAN]

We are not AP holders ( one day , I hope) but I hope that an option is offered for those that are. I agree, seems pretty unfair and frustrating.

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

That is frustrating that you just bought APs and it may not work out for this deal (but hopefully it will ).

I wish they would include alternative deals for passholders since we are some of their most loyal customers.

But on the positive side, I know they release room discounts just for AP holders. I don't know all the ins and outs of how often they're released/how much the discount is since I've never had an AP, but maybe that could work for you.

 

[SGMCO]

AP holders get discount that Non-AP holders don't.
I can't afford AP because we can only travel once a year--
I don't think that makes me less loyal to Disney.

 

[lovesdumbo]

AP holders get discount that Non-AP holders don't.
I can't afford AP because we can only travel once a year--
I don't think that makes me less loyal to Disney.

But the AP discount on the room is not generally as good as the 4/3 deal which is a 43% discount if you stay for exactly 7 nights.

I agree with OP that it is frustrating not to get at least as good a deal as the general public if you buy an annual pass. Plus I buy an AP so that I can go more than once a year. How am I going to use all these extra tickets if I have to keep buying them?

I wish Disney would allow AP holders to at least exchange the extra tickets for gift cards.....

If the AP discount is the same $96 on deluxe as it was last year then the room I have booked now-club level at AKL would be $20 more under 4/3 deal with the purchase of tickets for me & my DD but we'd have about $450 worth of tickets for future use. I will book that if I can and AP discount isn't any better but I wish I had an alternative to the ticket purchase.

 

[mddisneyfamily]

AP holders get discount that Non-AP holders don't.
I can't afford AP because we can only travel once a year--
I don't think that makes me less loyal to Disney.

That is why I wrote "some" of Disney's most loyal customers. Not saying that others are not loyal, just that if you are spending all of that money on an AP you are probably spending a lot of time at Disney and not as much time at competing parks in the area. At least that's how it is for us.

Anyway, I don't think it's a good strategy on Disney's part because people like me who barely go enough to make it worth it...maybe 2 or 2 1/2 weeks if we're lucky per year will just sit back and wait for general public deals to come along and book when or if they do. By purchasing the AP I'm pretty much committing my family to spending most or all of our vacation time (food, hotel, souvenirs) at Disney ...which I would think is what Disney wants.

 

[VeroBeach]

Did anyone do the math?

Current AP rate for moderate resort in October $99/tax.

If you did a 7-night stay at a moderate resort for October using the Buy 4 Get 3 free, its 43% off of room rate. Standard room rate is $170/night. 43% off gives $97/night plus tax.

Let's try AKL:

- AP rate $169/night in October
- 4/3 deal for 7 night stay is 43% off - standard rate is $290/night - 43% is $165/night.

The B4G3 deal maxes out at 43% only for 7 night stays - its less than that if you go over or under 7 nights. The AP rate is consistent.

Seems fair to me.

 

[TJA]

We are an AP family and the key for us is if this offer is extended into the busy April season like last year. I would be shocked if an AP discount came close to matching the 4/3 during spring break.

 

[lilstint]

Did anyone do the math?

Current AP rate for moderate resort in October $99/tax.

If you did a 7-night stay at a moderate resort for October using the Buy 4 Get 3 free, its 43% off of room rate. Standard room rate is $170/night. 43% off gives $97/night plus tax.

Let's try AKL:

- AP rate $169/night in October
- 4/3 deal for 7 night stay is 43% off - standard rate is $290/night - 43% is $165/night.

The B4G3 deal maxes out at 43% only for 7 night stays - its less than that if you go over or under 7 nights. The AP rate is consistent.

Seems fair to me.

Exactly right. I posted something similar on another thread. Last year the only thing that made the 4/3 deal a better value than the AP rate was the $200 gift card. I did not buy an AP pass last year and booked the 4/3 instead because of this. If the gift card is offered again this year I'll do the same.

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

Thanks for crunching the numbers - I had no idea!!

 

[Rip]

Did anyone do the math?

Current AP rate for moderate resort in October $99/tax.

If you did a 7-night stay at a moderate resort for October using the Buy 4 Get 3 free, its 43% off of room rate. Standard room rate is $170/night. 43% off gives $97/night plus tax.

Let's try AKL:

- AP rate $169/night in October
- 4/3 deal for 7 night stay is 43% off - standard rate is $290/night - 43% is $165/night.

The B4G3 deal maxes out at 43% only for 7 night stays - its less than that if you go over or under 7 nights. The AP rate is consistent.

Seems fair to me.

Maybe I'm missing something, but this seems to pretty much negate any good reason to get an AP in the first place, which is what I thought the OP was getting at.

 

[lovesdumbo]

Exactly right. I posted something similar on another thread. Last year the only thing that made the 4/3 deal a better value than the AP rate was the $200 gift card. I did not buy an AP pass last year and booked the 4/3 instead because of this. If the gift card is offered again this year I'll do the same.

Last year I saved $442 more than AP on my 7 night stay in a garden view room at the Poly. I had to pay about $150 for two one day tickets to book the deal but the $200 gift card more than covered that. This year that savings would be wiped out by having to buy 4 day tickets.

 

[Singinglizzie]

Well its all speculation so let's see what actually happens. Maybe Disney will come up with something targeted directly for AP holders. I'm sure they want keep the parks and the coiffers filled - here's hoping that everyone gets a good deal!!!

 

[doconeill]

Maybe I'm missing something, but this seems to pretty much negate any good reason to get an AP in the first place, which is what I thought the OP was getting at.

I think the OP was objecting to being forced to purchase a MYW ticket that matches the length of stay when they already had an AP in hand, rather than being able to opt for a single day base ticket.

But yes, overall AP room-only discounts are roughly the same most of the time as a 4/3 deal. The difference is the 4/3 deal includes discounts on MYW tickets (admittedly, that's just $9 savings), and wasn't dining included in the 4/3 deal as well?

I'd be interested in learning if there is a clause regarding non-expire tickets (which are a much better bargain if you can use them or upgrade them)...

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

and wasn't dining included in the 4/3 deal as well?

Dining wasn't included in the "3 free" -- we had to pay for the ddp for each night of our trip, even the free nights.

 

[doconeill]

Dining wasn't included in the "3 free" -- we had to pay for the ddp for each night of our trip, even the free nights.

OK, thanks for the correction. I couldn't remember. Otherwise it would have been a REAL sweet deal

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

OK, thanks for the correction. I couldn't remember. Otherwise it would have been a REAL sweet deal

I know, that would've been great!!! Maybe next year (can always dream, right?) .

 

[lovesdumbo]

But yes, overall AP room-only discounts are roughly the same most of the time as a 4/3 deal.

For deluxe resorts that is only true for the least expensive rooms like standard view at AKL or WL but if you want a more expensive room or deluxe resort the savings for 4/3 over AP are significant.

 

[Colleen27]

I'd be interested in learning if there is a clause regarding non-expire tickets (which are a much better bargain if you can use them or upgrade them)...

That's what I'm wondering about too. If it works like last year, we were planning on 10 day NE tickets, to save the unused days for a future trip. Now I'm wondering if so many people did that last year (or applied them to AP purchases, remember the threads about that mess?) that they're going to limit the discounted tickets to length of stay.

 

[Rip]

I think the OP was objecting to being forced to purchase a MYW ticket that matches the length of stay when they already had an AP in hand, rather than being able to opt for a single day base ticket.

But yes, overall AP room-only discounts are roughly the same most of the time as a 4/3 deal. The difference is the 4/3 deal includes discounts on MYW tickets (admittedly, that's just $9 savings), and wasn't dining included in the 4/3 deal as well?

I'd be interested in learning if there is a clause regarding non-expire tickets (which are a much better bargain if you can use them or upgrade them)...

Yes, I believe that was the complaint. However, the reason for that complaint seems to be that a clause like this would make having an AP meaningless. That said, although all companies sometimes do dumb things, I would be surprised if something like this actually happens, as it is so obviously stupid and would seem to be specifically targeted at "punishing" AP holders.