OTUP just increased in price

[AnnaKristoff2013]

The only thing is that it was $22 a few years ago and they lowered it to $20, and now it’s going back up.

Maybe it’s related to MMB but at least they didn’t go higher than what it was before.

They did go higher though. It was $22. Now it’s $22.50.

 

[Sandisw]

They did go higher though. It was $22. Now it’s $22.50.

You are correct…I forget the 50 cents.

 

[Genie+]

The 2 different ways to look from a MMB perspecitve:

Now costs $30 more to buy 24 bogo OTUPs (was $240, now $270)

Now saves an additional $30 when compared to purchasing without MMB (saved $240, now saves $270)

So glad I bought this year’s last week.

 

[Doberge]

Oof. I've had plans to buy some soon, drop whatever new reservation, and then apply to an existing reservation.

 

[JamJam2021]

Oof. I've had plans to buy some soon, drop whatever new reservation, and then apply to an existing reservation.

How does dropping new reservations and applying to new reservations work? I was wondering what the risks are of other picking up your reservation when it’s cancelled or it gets lost to a waitlist

 

[juliebee]

How does dropping new reservations and applying to new reservations work? I was wondering what the risks are of other picking up your reservation when it’s cancelled or it gets lost to a waitlist

A common strategy for the OTUP is to call in to reserve a room that you don't actually want to purchase the OTUP. Then get off the phone with member services and cancel the reservation. That puts the points into your points bank and then those points are ready in your account for when you want to get a reservation- especially helpful at 8am Eastern at the 7 month mark or when you find a desirable room during hours that Member Services isn't open.

 

[Doberge]

How does dropping new reservations and applying to new reservations work? I was wondering what the risks are of other picking up your reservation when it’s cancelled or it gets lost to a waitlist

Like juliebee said if you drop a reservation you don't lose the OTU points but they stay in your account and can be used for reservations within 7 months. In my situation I already have a June reservation so I'm planning to make a placeholder for 24 points, cancel, and "modify" my existing reservation to allocate the OTU points to it.

I would not drop a reservation that is at risk of being lost if cancelled.

 

[JamJam2021]

Like juliebee said if you drop a reservation you don't lose the OTU points but they stay in your account and can be used for reservations within 7 months. In my situation I already have a June reservation so I'm planning to make a placeholder for 24 points, cancel, and "modify" my existing reservation to allocate the OTU points to it.

I would not drop a reservation that is at risk of being lost if cancelled.

Does this type of modifying and re-allocation also work for holding account points??

 

[Cyberc1978]

Does this type of modifying and re-allocation also work for holding account points??

Yes holding points works the same. However holding points can only be applied to a reservation 60 days out.

 

[Genie+]

A good thing to know - OTUP will expire at the end of your UY.

I have a Sept UY.

The points I bought for our April 2026 trip will expire Aug 31, 2026.

The points I bought for our Sept 2026 trip won’t expire until Aug 31, 2027.

If I needed to reschedule, the points remain valid until the end of the UY for the original reservation date they were purchased. That expiration date depends on what UY your membership has.

Of course the normal rules apply - those points can only be used to book reservations 7 months out or less, and if they ended up in holding the 2 months or less rule applies. But you’d still have until the end of your UY to use them.

 

[Girlstar30]

Literally was thinking about calling this week to buy some. Grrrr!

Ive been wanting to call and buy some too for 2027 but at least with MMB its bogo so I still think its worth it. $22.50 is kinda steep considering you can rent a reservation from the rental store for $26 pp i believe.

 

[Girlstar30]

ahh so it was worded like hey we are just charging tax now not raising the price, when they are just raising the price. I thought it was fishy they suddenly needed to charge tax when they hadn't in the past.

Who is getting this tax?

 

[JamJam2021]

Ive been wanting to call and buy some too for 2027 but at least with MMB its bogo so I still think its worth it. $22.50 is kinda steep considering you can rent a reservation from the rental store for $26 pp i believe.

Id say $22.50 is more of a convenience tax compared to a rental store. Say I need 10 points to round off a reservations, I'm not going to make a second transactions with a rental store. I'll just pay the extra, book, and move on.

 

[Genie+]

Who is getting this tax?

I believe it is just like the cash room taxes at WDW

6% Florida resort/tourism tax and a 6.5% Orange County sales tax

(Interestingly a few resorts are in Osceola County which charges a 7.5% sales tax, so those resorts add a total of 13.5% taxes. I think that’s mostly All-Star resorts?)

 

[Brian Noble]

I think the All Stars and ESPN-WWOS are the only Disney Things in Osceola. The dividing line is roughly Osceola Parkway to the east, and US-192 to the west.

 

[Girlstar30]

I believe it is just like the cash room taxes at WDW

6% Florida resort/tourism tax and a 6.5% Orange County sales tax

(Interestingly a few resorts are in Osceola County which charges a 7.5% sales tax, so those resorts add a total of 13.5% taxes. I think that’s mostly All-Star resorts?)

That is interesting! It will be interesting to see the breakdown when someone buys them if they are truly $20 pp now and they just arent saying it straight out. Im still catching up with this thread so maybe thats already been figured out

 

[PolyRob]

That is interesting! It will be interesting to see the breakdown when someone buys them if they are truly $20 pp now and they just arent saying it straight out. Im still catching up with this thread so maybe thats already been figured out

@Cyberc1978 purchased with the new tax and provided the email breakdown here https://www.disboards.com/threads/otup-just-increased-in-price.3980323/post-66610383