Not so special Fall Specials

[RyansMum]

i am planning my first solo trip to Disney/Universal this fall. In the past, I've stayed at POR and loved it each and every time I've gone. However, with the Canadian dollar being so poor, it's just not feasible for me to spend that much on a room just for me. I just checked the newly advertised fall special offers (20% off) and nothing is available! There are a ton of rooms at both Port resorts if I am willing to pay regular price or book a package. But not one single room is available at the special offer price.

So.....I decided to check out Universal's Cabana Bay which compares to a Disney moderate and the price blew me away! The room is a suite that sleeps 5, complete with kitchenette and lazy river and was almost half the price of Disney. POR would have cost me $1500 while Cabana Bay was $900.

I did read a news article that said Disney is slowly getting rid of the "special offers" as too many people take them for granted. Disney is packed at regular price so why bother offering discounts? Well, people like me depend on them. So now instead of me buying a 7 day pass for Disney, I'll buy a 3 day and just visit my favourites once. The rest of the time I'll explore Universal and surrounding areas. I know Disney doesn't care, but I think they dropped the ball with this one.

 

[Owlpost23]

Cabana Bay is a lot of fun-very comfortable beds! You'll have a great time at Uni!

 

[dansdad]

i am planning my first solo trip to Disney/Universal this fall. In the past, I've stayed at POR and loved it each and every time I've gone. However, with the Canadian dollar being so poor, it's just not feasible for me to spend that much on a room just for me. I just checked the newly advertised fall special offers (20% off) and nothing is available! There are a ton of rooms at both Port resorts if I am willing to pay regular price or book a package. But not one single room is available at the special offer price.

So.....I decided to check out Universal's Cabana Bay which compares to a Disney moderate and the price blew me away! The room is a suite that sleeps 5, complete with kitchenette and lazy river and was almost half the price of Disney. POR would have cost me $1500 while Cabana Bay was $900.

I did read a news article that said Disney is slowly getting rid of the "special offers" as too many people take them for granted. Disney is packed at regular price so why bother offering discounts? Well, people like me depend on them. So now instead of me buying a 7 day pass for Disney, I'll buy a 3 day and just visit my favourites once. The rest of the time I'll explore Universal and surrounding areas. I know Disney doesn't care, but I think they dropped the ball with this one.

If you owned and operated a resort that was selling out regularly without offering a discount, why in the world would you offer a discount?

As the WDW discounts keep drying up, people will stop going and discover how great Universal is. Then the discounts will start coming back.

 

[fla4fun]

Usually the only way I can get a discount at one of the Port Orleans resorts is to go through a third party like Expedia or Orbitz when they are offering a special on their websites that can be applied to Disney hotels. So if you still want to stay at Disney, I would check that route.

However, Cabana Bay is a nice resort as well and I am sure you will have a good time there.

 

[RyansMum]

I completely agree with you Dansdad. Why discount if you don't have to? Like I said, Disney doesn't care if they have lost the business of one single traveller or even the dozens of travelling friends I have who are now renting condos off site. We are just tadpoles in the big pond. Having worked in the hotel business, I learned you can't take the boom for granted. You have to be monitoring the crowd and focus on the future. A family friend of ours works at Universal and they have noticed the drop in Canadian tourism due to the dollar! No one wants to admit that though.

I'm excited to stay with Universal as I get to explore all by myself

 

[RyansMum]

Usually the only way I can get a discount at one of the Port Orleans resorts is to go through a third party like Expedia or Orbitz when they are offering a special on their websites that can be applied to Disney hotels. So if you still want to stay at Disney, I would check that route.

However, Cabana Bay is a nice resort as well and I am sure you will have a good time there.

I do have a credit card with points that is linked to Expedia so I've been watching that. Cheers!

 

[Donald Duck888]

As the WDW discounts keep drying up, people will stop going and discover how great Universal is. Then the discounts will start coming back.

Very true. Pure supply and demand. If demand at regular price meets or exceeds supply then there will continue to be less and less discounts. Having said this I am still hoping for a discount for our early December trip this year. We will see I guess.

 

[RyansMum]

Cabana Bay is a lot of fun-very comfortable beds! You'll have a great time at Uni!

Awesome! I like the fact that the room has a separate sitting area with couch (I'm a reader at night) and kitchen. I have a bit of a special diet so having the fridge and counter space to prep foods will be a bonus.

 

[RyansMum]

Very true. Pure supply and demand. If demand at regular price meets or exceeds supply then there will continue to be less and less discounts. Having said this I am still hoping for a discount for our early December trip this year. We will see I guess.

I was surprised to see a meal plan special offer as Disney said they would prefer to do away with that. I remember visiting Disney/Universal just after the economy crashed. The prices were reduced greatly. My party of 5 were the ONLY people walking down the street near the Mummy ride. One of the employees stood in the middle of the street and said they've never seen it like that before. Over at Magic Kingdom, we rode Big Thunder Mountain at least 6 times in a row by walking straight on the ride. No problem getting a table for a sit down meal either.

 

[Babsy]

I'm from Canada as well. It is painful. The rates are high enough in US dollars with out a discount. Adding on over 20% on top due to the exchange rate (for EVERYTHING!) really makes an expensive vacation too expensive for many people.

Other PP's are right though - Disney really has no reason to care if all Canadians stopped going to WDW. (never mind you and me) There are plenty of other people willing to pay the prices they charge to stay there. As long as the rooms fill up at regular price, they are happy to have whoever it is that is paying! Why would they charge less than what the market will easily bear? WDW is a business after all.

 

[hedberg1661]

I love Cabana Bay. I think you will really enjoy this resort.

 

[Hopefully]

i am planning my first solo trip to Disney/Universal this fall. In the past, I've stayed at POR and loved it each and every time I've gone. However, with the Canadian dollar being so poor, it's just not feasible for me to spend that much on a room just for me. I just checked the newly advertised fall special offers (20% off) and nothing is available! There are a ton of rooms at both Port resorts if I am willing to pay regular price or book a package. But not one single room is available at the special offer price.

So.....I decided to check out Universal's Cabana Bay which compares to a Disney moderate and the price blew me away! The room is a suite that sleeps 5, complete with kitchenette and lazy river and was almost half the price of Disney. POR would have cost me $1500 while Cabana Bay was $900.

I did read a news article that said Disney is slowly getting rid of the "special offers" as too many people take them for granted. Disney is packed at regular price so why bother offering discounts? Well, people like me depend on them. So now instead of me buying a 7 day pass for Disney, I'll buy a 3 day and just visit my favourites once. The rest of the time I'll explore Universal and surrounding areas. I know Disney doesn't care, but I think they dropped the ball with this one.

How do you figure that $900 is half of $1500?
Enjoy Cabana Bay and have a great trip

 

[AshleeH]

Fall is the new summer - the days of it being a slow time where they need to entice people to come are years over. And I can see Disney getting rid of more and more offers as the years go by.

 

[sandam1]

Cabana Bay is fabulous and I think that you will really enjoy it. The theming is spot on (make sure to check out the phone!) and the lazy river is the best. For my upcoming split trip, my three nights at Universal are costing about the same as my one night at Disney (although admittedly, I am staying at a moderate/value at Universal and a deluxe at Disney). If Disney can sell the rooms at full-price, good for them. But they are losing my ticket/food/souvenir money as well.

Looking at the length of your stay, you might be better off getting an annual pass for Universal (if you don't already have one). A power pass (with black-out dates) is just a little more than a three day park to park and you might be able to get a better deal on your room. To check out the passholder rates on-line, the promo code is "APH." The only danger with an Annual pass is that it will lure you into additional trips over the year. I'm currently planning trips 3 and 4 in my first year as a passholder and I am thinking hard about renewing in November.

 

[goofy4tink]

Sadly, for us, Disney doesn't offer discounts unless they need to fill rooms. And in the past few years, it's not an issue! The resorts are close to full at full price. No need for Disney to put out discounts. What is telling, though, is free dining. No room discount but you do get 'free' food. So, for those times that aren't 'crazy busy', you can possibly get free dining. Me? I prefer room discounts!
For US/IoA....if you're there for more than 2 days or so, get an annual pass! And you could get a discount on your room. Don't forget that Cabana Bay doesn't get you front of the line, unlike the other three resorts. You do get into the parks an hour early though. And, it's not nearly as close as the other resorts.

 

[RyansMum]

How do you figure that $900 is half of $1500?
Enjoy Cabana Bay and have a great trip

I didn't say exactly half.......if I remember the quote, POR was $1595 and Cabana came in at $879? I was rounding for easier figures.

 

[RyansMum]

Sadly, for us, Disney doesn't offer discounts unless they need to fill rooms. And in the past few years, it's not an issue! The resorts are close to full at full price. No need for Disney to put out discounts. What is telling, though, is free dining. No room discount but you do get 'free' food. So, for those times that aren't 'crazy busy', you can possibly get free dining. Me? I prefer room discounts!
For US/IoA....if you're there for more than 2 days or so, get an annual pass! And you could get a discount on your room. Don't forget that Cabana Bay doesn't get you front of the line, unlike the other three resorts. You do get into the parks an hour early though. And, it's not nearly as close as the other resorts.

Thanks for the tip about the express pass. A coworker of mine gifted me an express pass for the duration of my stay so I plan to take advantage of it. I never even thought about the annual pass so now I'm going to look into that. I have enough Airmiles points to get a 2 day pass for free but if the annual pass rate is really nice, I'd opt for that.

 

[RyansMum]

Fall is the new summer - the days of it being a slow time where they need to entice people to come are years over. And I can see Disney getting rid of more and more offers as the years go by.

Since I live in eastern Canada where we get an obscene amount of snow from October to May (12+ feet some years), most people here choose to head south in February-April. We are sick of snow, the cold and the short days. And of course the kids have spring break which is a bonus. I thought October would be a fun time of year to vacation as I'll feel refreshed for the busy Christmas season at work.

 

[RyansMum]

I'm from Canada as well. It is painful. The rates are high enough in US dollars with out a discount. Adding on over 20% on top due to the exchange rate (for EVERYTHING!) really makes an expensive vacation too expensive for many people.

Other PP's are right though - Disney really has no reason to care if all Canadians stopped going to WDW. (never mind you and me) There are plenty of other people willing to pay the prices they charge to stay there. As long as the rooms fill up at regular price, they are happy to have whoever it is that is paying! Why would they charge less than what the market will easily bear? WDW is a business after all.

I just noticed that the new Universal hotel-Sapphire Falls is offering discounted rooms WITH $150 food credit. Not too shabby!! I like the separate sitting area and kitchen at Cabana Bay but that food credit is certainly enticing.

 

[AshleeH]

Since I live in eastern Canada where we get an obscene amount of snow from October to May (12+ feet some years), most people here choose to head south in February-April. We are sick of snow, the cold and the short days. And of course the kids have spring break which is a bonus. I thought October would be a fun time of year to vacation as I'll feel refreshed for the busy Christmas season at work.

It is definitely fun - that's when we always go. The Halloween decorations and party alone are enough to go during that time of year . But it used to be a great time to get the special events, great deals, and low crowds. Now, a few short years later, only 1 of those 3 is still realistic. But you'll have a great time!