October 2011 Code Watch

[sjs314]

So disappointed in the new offer. The buzz on the dis was right!! 30% off Deluxe and Villas through mid Aug. nothing for Oct. STINKS!! My guess is they won't annouce another discount until this one is up? So does that mean May? Now I have to make a decision........ Book at full price to make my ADR's or hold out for a discount!! hmmmmmmm.....

That was my thought that we won't see anything until May now for Fall. As far as booking now or waiting I think it depends on how set you are on staying at a particular resort, since by time they do announce something you may have to book a different resort or room catagory.

You can still book your ADRs if you know your dates it is just a pain having to book/call each day instead of being able to do them all at once(180+10)
I would definately book in anticipation of FD so as not to be disappointed later

 

[KEPE]

WOw, as late as July/Aug they were announced, yuck!! I would book the same trip, same hotel, same room type, dinning plan, etc. regardless of the offer offered so I don't care if it's % off or FD just something to save a couple bucks and make me feel like I got a deal would make me happy. I guess I can always book and cancle if I change my mind. The only thing that worries me is I keep reading "if the rooms are full there is no reason to give discounts" What to do, what to do, what to do......

O and thanks for the info on the ADR's I thought you had to be booked at a resort to make your ADR's 180 days in advance. Didn't realize I could still do it just need to do each day seperate.

 

[LisaTC]

I am also hoping for an October code, but will go either way since I can't move dd's birthday to another month. In the past 3-4 years, no discounts were released for October until mid July and usually August. So dont give up hope, just sit tight a few more months!! Here are the dates that past pin codes/discounts were released.

Yep...that's what my TA told me. Probably July before/if we saw anything for October. I got about 15-20% with AAA when I booked, but I'll take more! I would've gotten a discount on dining as well, but I didn't get dining. Not for us, but we did get a good rate on a car if booked with our pkg.

Now if airfare would level out that would make me even happier!!!

 

[KEPE]

Lisa TC, the AAA discount was on dinning too? I called to price out a vacation, hotel, park tickets and DDP and the price was $300 higher and didn't include the insurance.

 

[LisaTC]

I booked a while ago. I don't know what their current discount is, if any, but as with most packages, if you add dining there is a bit of a discount, depending on what level of accommodations you choose. I went and checked over a dozen sites and couldn't find anything close to what I got. I saved over $200. However, like I said. I booked about 2 months ago for October! Now, I just went to the Disney site for giggles and priced my same trip, except I added dining, it was about $600 additional for our party. I'd just call Disney Direct and see what you could snag. Can't hurt

You can always book and then if you find a better deal, change your ressie up to 45 days prior.

 

[dskib]

I have read several scenarios on these boards of when & what type of discounts might come out for Oct. But for those of you who have already booked for Oct., WHY?
Why would Disney have any reason to give discounts when families are willing to book at full price. Seems like the more of us who book now hoping for a discount later are just reducing our chances for that discount. I have my Oct. trip saved on the WDW website but have not booked. I don't plan on booking until (if) a discount is released for my Oct dates. Unfortunately for me no discount no vacation, so bring it on Disney!

Seriously? Lots of reasons.

1. DS and MILs birthdays are both in October

2. Last year we learned that September is unacceptable in terms of best and humidity, so in order to keep close to the same timeframe, we wanted to move it to October.

3. Historically, October discounts don't get released until AUGUST! That's only 2 months to plan. In order to get the best airfare prices and best ADRs, you need to plan WAY more than 2 months in advance.

We are prepared to pay rack rate if we have to, as we are not going to change our week, so maybe if we weren't I'd have a different take on it. The thing is, I'm not willing to compromise on my dates or hotel, and the longer you wait, the better the chance that your hotel choice could be booked.

If I definitely couldn't do it without a discount, then I guess I'd choose a date when something was offered and be willing to pick my dates based on availability.

So that's why.

Deb

 

[sjs314]

Seriously? Lots of reasons.

1. DS and MILs birthdays are both in October

2. Last year we learned that September is unacceptable in terms of best and humidity, so in order to keep close to the same timeframe, we wanted to move it to October.

3. Historically, October discounts don't get released until AUGUST! That's only 2 months to plan. In order to get the best airfare prices and best ADRs, you need to plan WAY more than 2 months in advance.

We are prepared to pay rack rate if we have to, as we are not going to change our week, so maybe if we weren't I'd have a different take on it. The thing is, I'm not willing to compromise on my dates or hotel, and the longer you wait, the better the chance that your hotel choice could be booked.

If I definitely couldn't do it without a discount, then I guess I'd choose a date when something was offered and be willing to pick my dates based on availability.

So that's why.

Deb

Deb, I totally agree with you, booking early before discounts become available assures you that you will get the resort/room type you want, especially like me since I wanted Beach Club which can sell out in Oct due to conventions/F&W Festival. If I am going discount or no discount why not book for the peace of mind it gives me.

Saving vacations on the Disney site is fine but if someone else books before you, when you do go back to pull it up again it may no longer be available. I had that happen within hours, WL was available went back after talking to DH and my dates were no longer available, good thing he did not want to switch resorts

I have seen a lot of people when a discount is released reporting that there were no standard room, or cheaper catagories available with the discount, only preferred, water views , or CL for example so yes they are getting a discount but the room they have to book to get it is much more expensive so the savings is not what they expected. Just another reason I book early.

 

[LisaTC]

Why I booked really had nothing to do with any particular discount. I booked solely on weather. The hottest I could stand FL would be October!!! I don't sweat like a normal person! I went to Myrtle Beach last July 4th and the upper 90's were tolerable by the ocean. With no breeze. I'd melt!

I didn't want to do November because of school related, holiday related issues. I don't want to go in December for the same reasons and getting a flight out of Ohio in Jan and Feb is a crap shoot. October seemed like a perfect month for us. If we got a discount after booking, it was the cherry on top.

 

[Dances with Woozles]

Forgive me but when do the fall discounts come out? I noticed that they have came out in mid to late april the last couple of years but did not know if this a regular time or not.

 

[snykymom]

I booked because I wanted POFQ (the food court takes TiW), and we have only one particular week that we can go & hit F&W. We can't go the first week in October because of the Jewish High Holy Days. We don't want to go the week of the 8th because of Columbus Day. My DH has a convention the last week in October, and can't go in early November because he needs to get back to work after the convention. That leaves the week we're going. So I booked it.

I got my AAA discount, which is better than nothing. And POFQ is rarely available with GP discounts.

I'm going with or without an additional discount, so I booked what I wanted. We'll see what happens.

 

[FigmentChick]

I am of the mind that book now, pay rack rate if I have to, but hope for a discount. I'm doing that because October is also the best time for us to go. We love the F&W Festival, can't stand the heat and, because of my job, have to wait until after the 15th of October to go.

 

[abminer]

A friend of mine just announced her wedding will be the first week of October in Orlando. Honestly, we weren't planning to return to WDW for about 2 more years - we need to save the $, but this is a good excuse. If FD or a really good room rate discount comes out that could be the determining factor between us going to the wedding or not. If we don't book until mid-summer, will we have very little chance of getting a room at Pop or POFQ? Those are the resorts we're considering. If I book now with a AAA discount (room only as we'll likely only add DDP if it's free), can I cancel the ressie and rebook later after the discount comes along? Is that the best strategy or should we wait it out?

 

[sjs314]

A friend of mine just announced her wedding will be the first week of October in Orlando. Honestly, we weren't planning to return to WDW for about 2 more years - we need to save the $, but this is a good excuse. If FD or a really good room rate discount comes out that could be the determining factor between us going to the wedding or not. If we don't book until mid-summer, will we have very little chance of getting a room at Pop or POFQ? Those are the resorts we're considering. If I book now with a AAA discount (room only as we'll likely only add DDP if it's free), can I cancel the ressie and rebook later after the discount comes along? Is that the best strategy or should we wait it out?

If it were me I would book seeing how you know the resorts and dates you want and because of MNSSHP and F&W Festival many will be booking already.
Also many people booked the FD that ended in Dec.....booking the last day Sept 29 into the first week of Oct already

If a discount comes out you can always modify your reservation

 

[DisneyMom14]

bump

 

[kelma]

Seriously? Lots of reasons.


We are prepared to pay rack rate if we have to, as we are not going to change our week, so maybe if we weren't I'd have a different take on it. The thing is, I'm not willing to compromise on my dates or hotel, and the longer you wait, the better the chance that your hotel choice could be booked.



Deb

I think that might be different than what the poster you quoted meant. I might be wrong, but I think he wasn't addressing people like you who will go whether or not a discount is offered. I think his point was that if everyone who would not go without a discount goes ahead and books with the hope a discount will come, Disney could look at how many rooms are booked and think they don't need to offer a discount.

I have to agree. Where is their incentive if the rooms are already booked? Again, if you plan on going regardless, it makes no sense not to book, but if you're only planning on going if a discount is offered, you may be making Disney think they don't need to offer a discount.

Kelma

 

[maxiesmom]

I'm kind of glad in a way that they haven't released any discounts for October yet. I'm not sure what I am going to do if/when they do. Right now we are booked at CSR which was not my choice, and I am not thrilled with. However my nieces were allowed to pick which Moderate resort they would like to stay at, and that was their choice. I am really tempted to upgrade to the Wilderness Lodge if they have a good room only discount. Most of our time will be spent in the Magic Kingdom or dining nearby. But then the practical side of me says use the money on the other stuff, like Mnsshp party tickets. I'm confused.

 

[tammyjeanm]

Is it October yet? I am ready to go now, but due to husbands work schedule we are going in October. We paid rack rate, but would love a discount of some kind. So no matter what, here we come Mickey!

 

[tatorswife]

We are booked and going too regardless of discount but a discount would be very very very nice The reason we went ahead and booked is we can only go a certain time in Oct because its our boys fall break from school so i wanted to go ahead and book so we would make sure to have a room. Just hoping for free dining to come out..Might have to change my dates around a day or 2 but that would still save us lots of money. Come on October!!!

 

[Tinker12]

We booked in Feb and with Kids Stay and Play for Free. The only issue is the discount was applied to one day, since the other 8 days are outside of the discount window. I'm hoping for some kind of discount soon. Would appreciate some help!

 

[mommyrosa2]

We were lucky enough to book the BC for the end of October back in December using a pin code we received. The only way I see us saving any more $$ would be with Free Dining. With that said, we have many times in the past booked a package at full price and switched when a deal came out (sometimes changing a resort all together to take advantage of the savings). Never did we leave it up to chance.