Paying Rack rate--like paying full price at Kohl's?

[Ellajoan]

Hi there,
I'm wondering what percentage of people actually pay rack rate? I'd love to stay on site more frequently, but no way I can afford Rack rate. I've only stayed on Disney property a few times, and have never been given the elusive and exclusive PIN code. Do you all just wait for discounts?

What is the chance that a discount will come (room only) for early June or late August 2012?

 

[kerri0616]

Love your post! I won't walk into Kohl's without my coupon. I think they know that I'll ignore a 15%, but I'll be there with my 30% in hand!

I have to pay rack rate, but I'm going at a time when Disney won't offer any discounts whatsoever...Xmas week. I cannot arrive earlier than 12/24 due to my school schedule and the fact that my 10th grader has finals. So, we're staying in a value which at least keeps it sort of affordable.

I think predicting future discounts for 2012 is a big unknown. If Fantasyland isn't scheduled to be completed until fall or later, then perhaps some people won't book summer trips since they want to wait for the opening. If so, perhaps we'll see some discounts for the summer months???

Just a theory. What do I know?

I hope you get an elusive PIN. I haven't seen such an email in years myself. Disney must know I'm a sucker who'll book without one!

Kerri

 

[debrapagliasotti]

We just booked our Christmas package for next year at rack rate. To us it was more important to have the room the wanted...or should I say needed (we are a family of 6 and wanted a particular hotel), rather than wait around and hope for something better price wise. Also, we are booked a few days before Christmas, so the likelihood of a discount was pretty slim.

When we went a few year years ago we took advantage of a last minute (booking 1 month ahead) summer sale, but thats about it.

 

[momtoejanda]

Love the title...and so true...


We have never paid rack rate, however this year, I booked our trip as usual at full price. A promo always comes out right??? Well not this year. Well not really, I booked a room at the BC and I received a pin for 10% off a water view. So what I really got was a water view for the price of a parking lot (?) view which is what I was planning on. I hardly count that as a discount.

We are still going. I think it depends, if you want to go, the timing is right and it still fits in your budget than you still go. If the only way you will go is if you get a good deal than you dont.

 

[MDsMomma]

I don't pay full price for anything.. so you know I won't be for Disney. This will be our fourth year doing free dining. We make the most of our credits and it goes a long way.

 

[hollywoodpc]

If you purchase a package with the FREE DINING included , you are paying full rate .

 

[GC&S]

This is the first year we have not gotten a discount. We had to change our dates from Sept. and are going Oct. 12-19 and staying at the BC. No free dining, no room discounts. We have never gotten a pin. We love the YC/BC as well as POFQ. We tried to change to POFQ but no availability. So we are just going to suck it up and pay full price. Not happy about it but we will still have a great time. We work hard and look forward to our yearly trip. I balance it out by knowing we got great air fare.

 

[momtoejanda]

This is the first year we have not gotten a discount. We had to change our dates from Sept. and are going Oct. 12-19 and staying at the BC. No free dining, no room discounts. We have never gotten a pin. We love the YC/BC as well as POFQ. We tried to change to POFQ but no availability. So we are just going to suck it up and pay full price. Not happy about it but we will still have a great time. We work hard and look forward to our yearly trip. I balance it out by knowing we got great air fare.

we are with you...BC Oct 14-22 but really great airfare!!! $79 each way!!

 

[cajunprincess]

I can so relate! I never pay full price at Kohls or Jcp! My favorite places to shop, and since I've started couponing, I don't know if I'll ever be able to pay full price for anything.

We booked with the FD deal, so while we are paying rack rate for the room, we would have bought the FD had it not been free. So to us we are getting a good deal since we are getting the FD.

However, I'd love to have a room discount! We would still go without any deals or discounts, but it would be a little longer between trips.

 

[disneygal58]

I can so relate! I never pay full price at Kohls or Jcp! My favorite places to shop, and since I've started couponing, I don't know if I'll ever be able to pay full price for anything.

We booked with the FD deal, so while we are paying rack rate for the room, we would have bought the FD had it not been free. So to us we are getting a good deal since we are getting the FD.

However, I'd love to have a room discount! We would still go without any deals or discounts, but it would be a little longer between trips.

Exactly! I love Kohl's, but would never pay a non-sale price for any item - it will go on sale in a week or two. And yes, we paid "rack" for POFQ, but FD is our discount this time around.

 

[Moomduck1]

Bahaha!!!
I refuse to buy anything at Kohls unless it's on sale and I have a coupon! Because if it's not on sale one day, it will be the next.

My experience with WDW is similar. We have gotten a discount every time except when we were there on New Years Eve. So we made 2 different reservations....the first part we stayed at the Pop Century at rack rate, then after New Years, we went to Coronado Springs at a discount. There was one time we went during Spring Break in March. There may not have been a discount, or if there was, it was small, but it was the only time we could go so we did. Usually we are more flexible and try to go when the discounts are offered and the crowds are smaller.

 

[TandLMommy28]

Yup, I think that's exactly it and a fantastic comparison. I don't pay full price for anything beyond necessities--and even then, I do my best to not pay full price. And I *do* consider FD to be a discount even though I am paying full price for my room because I have run the numbers, detailed numbers, and concluded that the dining plan is the best option for our family, so we would buy it even without it being free. Therefore to us, it is a good discount and since we will use it at Pop, most likely, we aren't paying crazy prices for our room to begin with.

 

[RFrank9504]

Anything with the word Free in it means Rack Rate...so all the free diners-actually all pay rack rate. When we lived in NY and would come down annually (our kids were pre school age) so we would often get free dining, and pack rack rate it was still a big savings. Now living here in Florida, I dont book on property unless they offer 40% off. kinda like the pp stated forget the 20-30% off, but definitely to the 40%.

LOVE THE POST TITLE!

 

[spankysmom]

Love the comparison!! I don't buy anything full price at Kohl's...or at WDW.
BUT this year may change that, as we are coming during marathon week. Oh well.

 

[nooneshome]

We don't shop at Kohl's and we won't go to WDW without some kind of offer. We've done the buy four get three free and we also did the upgrade to APs with the 10% discount. We've also had other great room discounts and we really love FD. But alas the kids are burnt out on Disney so it may be a while before we go back just DW and me.

 

[fitzperry]

If you purchase a package with the FREE DINING included , you are paying full rate .

For the room, but unless you were planning to fast if you didn't get free dining, you're still getting a discount. It's a discounted vacation package. If you buy one, get one free at Kohl's, are you not still getting a discount?

 

[TandLMommy28]

For the room, but unless you were planning to fast if you didn't get free dining, you're still getting a discount. It's a discounted vacation package. If you buy one, get one free at Kohl's, are you not still getting a discount?

Exactly--you are paying rack rate for the first thing, getting the second one free. It's still a discount overall. I don't understand the argument that FD is "not really a discount" unless you plan on bringing all of your own food and not buying any food at all from Disney because that's the only way FD wouldn't save you any money at all (and therefore make it "not really a discount").

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

Great comparison. No way will I stay on site without a discount. The resorts are way overpriced and there are too many fantastic places to stay off site. Just got bac from 9 nights at POR and it may be my last time on site. Even with free dining I can do better off site. The cast members were snippy so why bother.

 

[fitzperry]

Exactly--you are paying rack rate for the first thing, getting the second one free. It's still a discount overall. I don't understand the argument that FD is "not really a discount" unless you plan on bringing all of your own food and not buying any food at all from Disney because that's the only way FD wouldn't save you any money at all (and therefore make it "not really a discount").

Agreed. Many people here act as if free dining is some sort of insult. I understand that it can be more difficult to determine exactly what the value of fd is to you (assuming you would not otherwise be paying out of pocket for the ddp, and we would not). But for a family staying at a value or moderate resort, fd is often more cost effective than a room discount. We're staying deluxe on our upcoming trip and while I'd prefer a 40% discount, there isn't one available, so fd it is.

 

[Tltorrez]

I shop at Kohls but I rarely bother with coupons of any kind. My time is more valuable than my money at this stage of my life; coupons are too much hassle. Specifically, when it comes to clothes, if it fits well, is well-made and I like it enough to justify the price then I buy it.

As for Disney, it varies. I booked a trip last Oct 5 days out. Surprisingly, I got a discount but I would've paid rack rate. Our big trip in Jan/Feb I planned with a discount. This trip we have to have a discount to stay in the boardwalk area; but if we don't get it we'll stay somewhere else for rack rate. Christmas 2012 though -- I want a 2BDR at BWV. I'll book it at rack rate in the spring when it comes available; if I get a discount, great. If I don't that's fine. The room type is important for what we're planning.

I've seen a number of posts in the past couple months where people have expressed the opinion that more people go on discount than pay rack rate. Or that Disney deliberately inflates the prices in order to discount them. I don't think either of those is true. Particularly since there aren't discounts during peak season, but even in an off-season i'm still not sure it's true. If so many people on the Discount Codes board are willing to pay rack rate, then the percentage in the general population has to be much higher, as most of those people aren't even aware of discounts or even price seasons.