News Round Up 2019

[Iowamomof4]

Looks like "it Now costs More Than Ever" is the slogan for Walt Disney World in 2019.

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

Looks like "Now More Than Ever" is the slogan for Walt Disney World in 2019.

Now more than ever, but really, we mean now, before galaxies edge opens

 

[tlmadden73]

Free Dining Plan offer is now available to book

http://blogmickey.com/2019/01/free-disney-dining-plan-offer-2019/

Wow.

For someone who is planning a "final" trip of my AP year sometime in October or early November -- maybe I WILL be able to catch SWGE! This does give me hope it could open in October or November as opposed to early December.

Interesting how the dates start in July now. Wow .. Summer does seem to be the "down" time now! LOL. Maybe, if I can get the room-only discount (which I assume is the same time frames), I will try this and do a mid-September trip instead. (not that I can check now .. site is unsurprisingly down)

Disney definitely seems to be pushing the "please come before SWGE opens" discounts.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Looks like "Now More Than Ever" is the slogan for Walt Disney World in 2019.

until 2020 when it is ever more everer than ever!!!!!

 

[Brett Wyman]

Ah that explains why the MDE webpage is hosed again.

 

[tlmadden73]

Ah that explain why the MDE webpage is hosed again.

Probably why they released this on a day after a holiday with no really "rumor" notice .. to hopefully avoid the rush .. but I guess it didn't work.

 

[OKW Lover]

They change the point calendars? I thought those were fixed in stone for timeshare. Is it the same number of available points, or can they basically ramp up the number of points needed every year?

Yes they are fixed. However, some members see sinister hands at work.

A room only discount is out, too.

Combined with the up-thread link about "free dining" I wonder if anybody has compared plans to see just how much free dining costs.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Combined with the up-thread link about "free dining" I wonder if anybody has compared plans to see just how much free dining costs.

Hopefully people are checking both ways (or having their travel agent check both ways). Really depends on the room you are looking at and the number of people. Even 30% of a value room it is probably worth more for 4 people to get the free dining plan, but at a deluxe with only 2 or 3 people, probably makes more sense to get the room only

Also, to get the dining you have to have to get park hoppers, so if you weren't going to get that, that is an extra cost, etc.

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

I think December 2017 was prob my last free dining.

We didn't go to wdw in 2018 except one mnsshp.

I'm not sure if we'll go in 2019, we are going to universal for another week at hhn.

Then Disney cruise in November, we do have two day tickets to use and maybe we'll see if galaxies edge has opened.

Don't think we're staying long enough for free dining.

Back in the day, free dining worked for us but now I'm not so sure it's worth the cost.

 

[Moliphino]

News

VIDEO: Lightning Strike Changing Portrait Scene Gets An Upgrade in The Haunted Mansion at the Magic Kingdom

Oh good, they weren't working at all when I was there last month.

 

[Keels]

Interesting how the dates start in July now. Wow .. Summer does seem to be the "down" time now! LOL. Maybe, if I can get the room-only discount (which I assume is the same time frames), I will try this and do a mid-September trip instead. (not that I can check now .. site is unsurprisingly down)

I have a friend who is an asst. GM at Boardwalk and when we met for drinks in early December, she told me that they were looking at some of the softest booking numbers from the end of summer into F&W that the resort has seen in over a decade.

So, there's obviously multiple reasons seasons are "down" - people changing their travel behavior, cutting Disney trips back/out because of cost, or just waiting until construction is done ...likely a pretty even combination of all three.

 

[Firebird060]

I have a friend who is an asst. GM at Boardwalk and when we met for drinks in early December, she told me that they were looking at some of the softest booking numbers from the end of summer into F&W that the resort has seen in over a decade.

So, there's obviously multiple reasons seasons are "down" - people changing their travel behavior, cutting Disney trips back/out because of cost, or just waiting until construction is done ...likely a pretty even combination of all three.

Not supprised, Other then the MNSSHP i attended in october all of the other 3 trips i took this year to WDW , I found the resorts and parks alot less crowded, I made all my trips plans kinda last minute. Well within the 30 day window and had no problem booking most fast passes or getting the ADRs I wanted, I found this completely different then years when I would have to do the 120 adrs and the fast passes at required days. Was kinda nice to be honest

 

[PolyRob]

Hopefully people are checking both ways (or having their travel agent check both ways). Really depends on the room you are looking at and the number of people. Even 30% of a value room it is probably worth more for 4 people to get the free dining plan, but at a deluxe with only 2 or 3 people, probably makes more sense to get the room only

Also, to get the dining you have to have to get park hoppers, so if you weren't going to get that, that is an extra cost, etc.

Sadly, I think some people just see "FREE" and assume its the best deal no matter what and just blindly book so there is no FOMO. Definitely worth crunching the numbers like you mentioned.

Dining/free dining works well for some, but not all.

 

[SG131]

I’m not sure if this is new or not but I see they have AP room discounts out up through anime 30th now.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I have a friend who is an asst. GM at Boardwalk and when we met for drinks in early December, she told me that they were looking at some of the softest booking numbers from the end of summer into F&W that the resort has seen in over a decade.

So, there's obviously multiple reasons seasons are "down" - people changing their travel behavior, cutting Disney trips back/out because of cost, or just waiting until construction is done ...likely a pretty even combination of all three.

I wonder how big of an impact that tiered pricing is having - and maybe you are including this in "changing their travel behavior". And it might not be the actual cost that is motivating people to change around when they travel but more subliminal in that "If Disney is pricing this as "peak" then it must be more crowded and I will avoid it"

I'd say that and just waiting for construction to be done ... especially next year there isn't *that* much new until next Fall - so if you only go once every year or every few years, why go in July vs waiting ~6 months and getting all this new stuff?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Sadly, I think some people just see "FREE" and assume its the best deal no matter what and just blindly book so there is no FOMO. Definitely worth crunching the numbers like you mentioned.

Dining/free dining works well for some, but not all.

oh yeah, and I am sure with how quickly the free dining rooms availability can go I am sure people want to get it vs waiting to crunch numbers and miss out

I know for some they really love the dining plan in general and for some see it as a way to save money even when having to pay for it - so then say it is "free" and those people can really be attracted to it. and for some I know it does save them a ton.

But for the dining plan in general I always say it isn't one set "yes or no" answer for if one should buy it - and same goes for when it is part of a promotion

 

[Moliphino]

Combined with the up-thread link about "free dining" I wonder if anybody has compared plans to see just how much free dining costs.

I have in the past and free dining usually worked out to be a little better than room only for us. We're doing the room only this year because we're just tired of the dining plan. It's too much food for us and we want to be able to eat some of the things we've been missing out on for the past few years because of the dining plan (food at lounges, snacks that aren't credit eligible).

 

[rteetz]

News

REVIEW: New Limited Edition Wreck-It Ralph Sundae Comes in a Championship Trophy at the Magic Kingdom

 

[rteetz]

News

PHOTOS: Tomorrowland Speedway Now Closed To Accommodate TRON Roller Coaster Construction at the Magic Kingdom

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I have in the past and free dining usually worked out to be a little better than room only for us. We're doing the room only this year because we're just tired of the dining plan. It's too much food for us and we want to be able to eat some of the things we've been missing out on for the past few years because of the dining plan (food at lounges, snacks that aren't credit eligible).

That is one reason the dining plan doesn’t work for us - just more options without it and even at dining plan eligible places some times we just was appetizers or split an entree or whatever. If you don’t eat how the dining plan is structured it loses value (at least to us)