New Fall Discounts released today...

[buzznina]

This is definitely by far the weakest fall discount offer (both in terms of amount and resort availability) that I've seen in years.

Disney must be filling more rooms due to the improving economy.

Puts us in a bit of a dilemma for future trips. We like to do split stays at deluxe resorts, where we're dead set on staying at a specific combination of resorts. But we've always counted on room discounts to justify the cost. Now, I'm starting to come to grips with having to adjust my expectations that there may be no room discounts going forward (or at least that I can't count on them being available at a specific combination of resorts). May have to start thinking more seriously about going back to the moderate resorts.

Plus, like you have read here, people are booking rooms early in hopes of getting a discount later on and all that is doing is lowering the resorts availability, room levels and discount %.

 

[Masonmj84]

Plus, like you have read here, people are booking rooms early in hopes of getting a discount later on and all that is doing is lowering the resorts availability, room levels and discount %.

Yeah, it's somewhat of a catch 22 (or game of chicken).

If you have your heart set on a specific resort (or, in our case, a specific combination of resorts for a split stay), it's tempting to book at rack rate (and hope for a discount later) because getting the reservation at rack rate is better than not getting one at all (especially since you can always cancel). In addition, you want to get 180+10 for ADRs (sometimes discounts aren't available until after the 180 day mark).

But, as you note, if you do this, you lower your chance of getting a discount.

In years past, I haven't worried as much about lowering my chance of getting a discount by booking earlier at rack rate because it seemed that the resorts, particularly at the deluxe level, just weren't booking up that much prior to discounts coming out. But now, were seeing some resorts (or at least some room categories in some resorts) book up entirely before any discounts are announced.

So the game of chicken has become much more difficult, especially since Disney keeps resort occupancy levels confidential (unlike airlines, where you can see how many empty seats there are on a given flight).

 

[buzznina]

I checked Orbitz and Expedia ended up having a better deal on the dates I checked. So you can check that site as well.

 

[IsThatYouTigger]

I also think more people are taking advantage of bounce back offers which can book resorts up more quickly. Some people may book it just to secure a decent rate since you are able to change your dates around and this can act in the same way as people booking at rack rate because the rooms are 'filled'. On our last two trips my husband and I have booked bounce back offers for the fall not necessarily knowing if we could go, but wanting to make sure that if we could we would already have something booked. Luckily we have been able to go both times and we have fared far better for having booked one than waiting for the fall discounts that have been coming out the past couple of years.

We took our honeymoon in October 2013 and the first day of school was the day the discounts came out leaving slim pickings when I got home and was able to check on the website. It ended up working out for me because we NEVER would have stayed at Boardwalk had I not been sobbing because nothing was available (we had wanted to stay deluxe and only club level had availability left with the discount which we couldn't afford and a standard view was available at Boardwalk). I'm glad we have our bounce back for French Quarter in October but definitely feel for everyone hoping for a good fall discount.

 

[BradyBrenMom]

Keep in mind that availability is changing all the time now that the discounts have been released and people are adjusting their plans. Yesterday, my sis and I were looking online for a room for her because she was no longer sure she wanted the expense of GF for an upcoming trip. The only options available for her dates were AKL with bunk beds and a pirate room at CBR, neither of which seemed like good honeymoon options Today, a Beach Club Villa studio opened up that was not available yesterday--not discount eligible, but still $300 a night less than GF. So things are shifting around a lot!

 

[elizabethswan]

Keep in mind that availability is changing all the time now that the discounts have been released and people are adjusting their plans. Yesterday, my sis and I were looking online for a room for her because she was no longer sure she wanted the expense of GF for an upcoming trip. The only options available for her dates were AKL with bunk beds and a pirate room at CBR, neither of which seemed like good honeymoon options Today, a Beach Club Villa studio opened up that was not available yesterday--not discount eligible, but still $300 a night less than GF. So things are shifting around a lot!

this made me laugh! i agree, bunk beds or a pirate room, prob not for the honeymoon. too funny!

 

[InStitchesinNE]

Thank you for posting this. When I saw this I checked orbitz and got an awesome deal on Beach club.

Happy to help! I was so excited with my deal!

 

[fairy oma]

I booked for December 2015 at the end of July 2014 so I could definitely get Poly CL TPV for our 3 families and of course the CMs I spoke with said there would be discounts coming out for that time period (what else are they going to tell you). I paid down the balance to a certain amount on each reservation just in case we happened to get a code and as you all know the discount availability was pretty scarce for the Poly. I will get the rooms I wanted so the discounts would have just been gravy.

We are all still looking forward to our big family trip and our first time at the Poly. With 3 GDs we are going to have a blast seeing it thru their eyes.

 

[brazzledazzler]

I had to check the online system for availability, and then I ended up calling WDW and changing the weekend we were planning on going in December (no biggie for DH & I, we are FL residents). I was really happy, saved $60 for our 2 night stay by changing the weekend. But truly, there was VERY limited availability for these new Fall Deals. I guess the rooms in most of the resorts are booked solid from Oct-Dec.

 

[kwdw]

Wow - definitely "if you snooze, you lose" on the fall discounts! I was on vacation without internet last week - called today and the fall discount rates are already gone for one of my two fall trip dates. C'est la vie. At least I got the discount for one of the trips!

 

[Momtomouselover]

Given how limited fall discounts were (and availability some weeks), I wonder if they will bother with AP discounts. Maybe release 5 or so rooms, lol, so they can say they had some :/

 

[elizabethswan]

Yeah, it's somewhat of a catch 22 (or game of chicken).

If you have your heart set on a specific resort (or, in our case, a specific combination of resorts for a split stay), it's tempting to book at rack rate (and hope for a discount later) because getting the reservation at rack rate is better than not getting one at all (especially since you can always cancel). In addition, you want to get 180+10 for ADRs (sometimes discounts aren't available until after the 180 day mark).

But, as you note, if you do this, you lower your chance of getting a discount.

In years past, I haven't worried as much about lowering my chance of getting a discount by booking earlier at rack rate because it seemed that the resorts, particularly at the deluxe level, just weren't booking up that much prior to discounts coming out. But now, were seeing some resorts (or at least some room categories in some resorts) book up entirely before any discounts are announced.

So the game of chicken has become much more difficult, especially since Disney keeps resort occupancy levels confidential (unlike airlines, where you can see how many empty seats there are on a given flight).

so if someone books rack rate, makes adr's and then cancels that reservation in favor of a better one later, what happens to those adr's?? just curious.

 

[eeyoresnr]

curious if anyone know... we are booked at AoA Lion King Suites in Oct. I checked online and suites are available with the 10% discount but it doesn't specify which suites? does this mean if we do the discount we won't know which section we will be in til arrival? also, If I call to have the discount applied will it change our reservation # or will it stay the same?

 

[dansdad]

so if someone books rack rate, makes adr's and then cancels that reservation in favor of a better one later, what happens to those adr's?? just curious.

Nothing. ADRs are not tied to a resort reservation.

 

[dansdad]

curious if anyone know... we are booked at AoA Lion King Suites in Oct. I checked online and suites are available with the 10% discount but it doesn't specify which suites? does this mean if we do the discount we won't know which section we will be in til arrival?

Yup.

also, If I call to have the discount applied will it change our reservation # or will it stay the same?

When we've applied discounts in the past, I don't remember if we got a new confirmation number or not. Hopefully someone with a better memory than me will be by to answer.