No more triple or quad prices + PEAK season

[tammydel]

OK, maybe I'm a little (or a lot) slow.
I was rather surprised when I called and got my pricing. It seemed a really big increase from last year.
Now I figured it out. They have taken away the discount for having 3 or 4 in a room. Everyone is being charged as a double. That is why they have been offering the 2 rooms to 4 people, because that is how you are being charged. Plus they have added a peak season - last year there was just regular and value. Do some fancy math and figure in a smaller early booking discount and my trip, Southwest Splendors 8/16/08 just saw a 27% price increase from the same trip, same dates last year!
Wow. I love Disney, DVC memeber, still planning on taking the trip - we've gotten so excited, but wow. I feel like Disney has just stuck it to me.

Maybe if you were a double anyway and can travel at the value dates, this all won't be so bad. But for a family of 4 with kids who needs to travel in the summer, wow.
Tammy

Just redid my math. Wish I hadn't. 2007 would have been $5696 - this year $8216. That my friends is a 44% increase.

 

[Joan1]

I agree. We were really looking forward to getting the information for 2008 since we already had our plans for this year when 07 was announced. The pricing is really overboard.

We have travelled to Europe before on our own with and without children and stay at 3-4 star hotels. We are also booked on the 15nt Panama Canal DCL cruise in 08 and were going to compare doing that vs an Adventures trip and then decide which to actually go on but these adventures totally priced themselves out of our budget. The 15nt cruise seems like a bargain next to the adventures. Even pricing the 6nt Tuscany in value season is $7600 for our family of 4 before airfare and that is if the early booking discount is available. That comes to $1266 per night

We have a balcony room for 15 nights on the ship for $9600
We could also spend 2 weeks in Europe at nice hotels for what they are charging for 6 or 7 nights

 

[MJGirl]

I agree. We were really looking forward to getting the information for 2008 since we already had our plans for this year when 07 was announced. The pricing is really overboard.

We have travelled to Europe before on our own with and without children and stay at 3-4 star hotels. We are also booked on the 15nt Panama Canal DCL cruise in 08 and were going to compare doing that vs an Adventures trip and then decide which to actually go on but these adventures totally priced themselves out of our budget. The 15nt cruise seems like a bargain next to the adventures. Even pricing the 6nt Tuscany in value season is $7600 for our family of 4 before airfare and that is if the early booking discount is available. That comes to $1266 per night

We have a balcony room for 15 nights on the ship for $9600
We could also spend 2 weeks in Europe at nice hotels for what they are charging for 6 or 7 nights

I'm not justifying the high price, as that is what I thought before I left on my adventure, however, now that I've been on one of the trips, I believe they are worth it. On the London/Paris excursion, we stayed in 5 star hotels, all but 3 dinners were included, all our admissions, transfers, tips (except for the 2 abd guides), trains were covered and even centre orchestra seats for Mary Poppins. We even got a backstage tour of the sets of the show, which only Disney could arrange. The trip was fantastic. I couldn't have planned a better trip myself.

 

[tammydel]

Thanks MJGirl
It helps to remember they are doing a great job, and I'm sure we will have a amazing time. It's just that it is SUCH a big jump in price from 2007 to 2008.

Joan - I'm trying hard not to compare it to something else we could do - imagine how I could spend it in Disney World!!!- Trying to keep my mind on how special the trip will be and (Hopefully) how well taken care of we will be on the tour. I've worked hard on selling the kids the idea of the Grand Canyon next year instead of Disney. My DH I've worked hard on selling him the idea of ABD. I know the only way to send them the message that I feel this year's pricing is too high is to not go. But we've so got our heart set on it now. It is just going to be tougher pulling all the $$$$ together. And then there is that underlying feeling that they are taking advantage with this new pricing.

Tammy

 

[kd2226]

I also love Disney and would dearly love to do an ABD tour at some point - but won't do it unless the prices come down to being more in line with other tour companies. I know they do a great job and it's all deluxe - I don't mind paying a bit more for the Disney experience (like taking a Disney cruise over another line, staying on Disney property instead of offsite at Disney World, etc), but I just can't justify spending the amount of money per day for a family of 4 that Disney is charging for ABD.

 

[bicker]

The prices for ABD are higher as compared to mainstream tours in the same way that the prices for the Disney Cruise are higher as compared to mainstream cruise lines.

For example: We're taking a Caribbean cruise in February on Holland America, 10 nights, veranda cabin; The price is $2263 total. By comparison, a Caribbean cruise in February on Disney Cruise Line, for only 7 nights, balcony cabin, is a minimum of $4072 total.

 

[Pattiwig]

I totally agree, I too feel as if Disney is sticking to us. We 'saved the date' for Viva Italia 6/29. As DVC members I wanted to use points for my DD portion of the trip. I was told that my two choices were to pay the DVC cash price for the adult portion, which is $400 more than the ABD early booking price and use points for my daughter OR pay the ABD early booking discount rate and pay a single supplement point rate... which is 193 points more than the regular point value. I was very angry. I feel we are being penalized for using the points. Disney is getting my money either way, why make me feel ripped off! Now considering not doing the trip. Disney doesn't care, someone else will take our place - no problem.

 

[Joan1]

deleted

 

[DaveO]

I don't mind paying a bit more for the Disney experience (like taking a Disney cruise over another line, staying on Disney property instead of offsite at Disney World, etc), but I just can't justify spending the amount of money per day for a family of 4 that Disney is charging for ABD.

Great point - I am thinking the same thing and in the same boat ....

I think my family will really enjoy the trip as it is something different than we usually do, but the price has be second guessing.

Has anyone actually done a cost analysis on pricing the exact itinerary out themselves comparing apples to apples? Or is there another post that has tried to do that? I think I am going to try that this weekend for the Southwest trip. I do not mind paying a premium but I do not want to get ripped off either.

Thanks

Dave O.

 

[bicker]

I totally agree, I too feel as if Disney is sticking to us. .... Disney doesn't care, someone else will take our place - no problem.

I hope you can recognize that these two statements are arguably contradictory. If enough people are willing to pay the rates being charged, there really is nothing personal enough to be called "sticking it to you".

It's just business.

 

[tammydel]

Just edited my original post:
Just redid my math. Wish I hadn't. 2007 would have been $5696 - this year $8216. That my friends is a 44% increase.

bicker - you're right. I know it's business, they can charge whatever they can get. It is not a not-for-profit with the goal of low cost family vacations. It's a business, they are in this to make money, that in itself is of course not a bad thing.
It is just shocking to see the increase from one year to the next be so high. I also keep reminding myself that they are of course under no obligation to offer the same early booking discount. The part that seems unfair is charging everyone as if they are a double (Thus 2 rooms for a family of four) even if you are only reserving one room. It would be fair if they only had rooms that accomodated 2 and we had to take two rooms. But this is obviously not the case for the Southwest trip.

I wish we had booked for this year!
I'll be thinking of everyone going on the 15th. Jealous because you are already there and how much less it would have cost me!!!
Tammy

 

[Pattiwig]

bicker- although you are right and the two points seem contradictory, and it's not personal - it's business - it doesn't make it right to be penalized for using points. One thing Disney doesn't care about is customer loyalty. We have been DVC members for 15 years, we have added more points several times over the years. Yet Disney keeps taking away perks that made us buy points in the first place, and being penalized for using the points in the flexible way we want, and is their big selling point, just leaves a bad taste.

 

[bicker]

It is just shocking to see the increase from one year to the next be so high.

I wonder to what extent the economy played a part in that, because Disney also significantly increased the price of the Disney Dining Plan this year, by 20%-40% (depending on who you ask). The Dow Industrials Average is up 25% this past year alone.

The part that seems unfair is charging everyone as if they are a double (Thus 2 rooms for a family of four) even if you are only reserving one room.

I agree that they shouldn't even offer that option. They should just go "double occupancy only" and be done with it. If four guests want to stay in the same room, even though they have two rooms, that should be their business.

 

[bicker]

it doesn't make it right to be penalized for using points.

That's just it -- we're not being penalized. A price is set. It's as simple as that.

One thing Disney doesn't care about is customer loyalty.

Disney, like all major companies, does care about customer loyalty, to the extent that customers are really willing to offer it (which is increasingly less and less), but I think you have to keep in mind what customer loyalty means in business: Customer loyalty is the customer's willingness to pay a premium (read: pay more money) for your products or services, rather than seeking the lowest cost.

 

[Joan1]

If you look at the price for 2 adults it still doable except for the now peak season prices but when you are a family of 4 and they are charging you double even if the kids are under age 10 that is a huge increase over 2007

Here is the address to write to ABD
https://secure.disney.go.com/abd/en_US/general?name=ContactUsPage