Paying rack rates

[Liz]

How often have you had to pay rack rates for your resort?

I called CRO today to check prices for next June and, of course, was quoted a non-discounted rate. Ouch! I want so bad to make a reservation but if no discounts come out we'll be at the All Stars ($110 per night including tax) and my kids don't want to stay there again after being spoiled at the Dolphin & CSR!

 

[bytheblood]

Hi. I am going next June as well. Booked my rooms for Pop in March and will be paying $99 a night as quoted for rack rate. Of course I will not be paying rack. Codes will be released during the early part of next year.

You will need to sign up for some newsletters, watch this board and keep your eyes peeled for codes. Codes will be released, but you will not see codes for June until February or March of 2005. I suggest the following newsletters....

www.allearnet.com

www.mousesavers.com

You can book your room now and once codes are released, you can add them on. You know if you do a room only reservation, you have up until 5 days prior to arrival to cancel or make changes.

 

[Ilovestitch]

I would never pay rack rate- I always at least get the AAA rate. -Steph

 

[skiwee1]

We always used to pay rack rate before reading these boards. We never knew discounts existed until 3 years ago! After that I have either used a public code or AP discount. I did actually pay AAA rate for the Poly in May. That was over $3500 for 10 nights but worth every penny. We are again booked at the Poly for October and will pay rack if we have to to stay at our favorite resort.

 

[j's m]

Our first two trips were planned through a travel agent, and not knowing any better we paid rack rate. Even worse, the trip to GF started one night before value season and we paid all 5 nights at regular season rack rates. Now I know it should also have been 2 ressies to get the lower rates.

Our last three trips were AAA (CSR), postcard rate (YC), and AAA (WL). This year so far we have AAA for WL and are really hoping for room only code.

Thank goodness for Mousesavers and DIS, I've learned so much.

 

[Tasha+Scott]

In 1992, (around the time of the Gulf War), my dad was still in the Air Force. The Dolphin had a special promotion where people in the military could stay one night in their resort for free. My parents, my grandmother, my aunt, my 2 brothers, and myself all had a really nice, FREE, stay. That is the best deal we ever got as you can well imagine!!!
Unfortunately, I did not know about this board until a couple of months ago. SO, my last couple of trips we have paid rack rate!
The bright side? Next year, we will not pay rack rate. We are also planning to go in June and will be watching for discounts!
On a side not...I absolutely love this board...where else would you get such good advice and great tips??

 

[dpic]

"Rack rate" The worst four letter words allowed on this site.

 

[DebbieB]

I have stayed at WDW 21 times, 11 of which were DVC. Of the 10 other trips, I never paid rack rate. Our first trips in 1994 and 1996 were on packages. The 1994 trip had a special promo of $250 disney dollars. The 1996 trip was the old "fall fantasy" where you got breakfast included everyday, the total package was few dollars less than regular price (without the breakfasts). After that, did "room only" and got AP's. On those trips, I got a minimum 20% off, mostly the old Magic Kingdom Club, some AP rates, once AAA.

 

[johnsonet]

Up until this April, I paid rack rate every time I finally wised up and got an AP - also there was the 2004 Spring Resort offer but my AP rate beat that... But I paid Rack for AKL Concierge last October. I have to say...it was worth every penny
My DH is a last-minute kind of guy and 10 years ago he reserved the Cape Coral Suite at the GF for us (we were engaged to be married) at rack rate; last July he paid rack rate for the Graceland Suite at Hard Rock Hotel Of course, suites probably aren't discounted anyway but STILL
Getting an AP rate just "does" it for me...I feel so EMPOWERED - not quite sure why It's fun, though, isn't it?

 

[Tasha+Scott]

Well, I for one, can't wait for that feeling of empowerment!

 

[mrsR123]

THis thread is really interesting to me. We just joined DVC, and when I tell DH how much we'll save over rack rates for the same property, he skeptically questions whether anyone really pays those prices. Apparently, plenty of people do!

 

[diznee25]

THis thread is really interesting to me. We just joined DVC, and when I tell DH how much we'll save over rack rates for the same property, he skeptically questions whether anyone really pays those prices. Apparently, plenty of people do!

Interesting comment. I had looked into joining DVC, and yes, if you compare rack rates to DVC, then DVC is the way to go. But I have always gotten room codes for 45% off. As long as Disney offers discounts like this, there's no need to buy into DVC. (At least for me anyway. I'll go whichever route is cheaper! Although I'm still jeaulous of all you DVC owners. It would seem that's the altimate way for me to state that I'm a huge disney fan!)

Sorry to get off topic.
Diznee25

 

[billybaruch1]

I pay rack rates or get the current Disney discount, if any. The difference is not worth the hassle to me. If I could get more of a discount I would, but why put up with restrictions and time periods and all that noise?*

I subscribe to Mary Waring's newsletter. She usually has a lot of irrelevant off-property deals and Disneyland stuff, along with the already well-known WDW deals.

*(Hoping for someone here to suggest some easy ways to save money, aside from buying an AP.)

 

[Shells9]

<---Cannot imagine paying rack rate!

 

[MAGICinMYHEART]

I have been staying on site since 1983 and have never paid rack rates...but I do live in Florida and found the Florida Resident Speacials and Florida Seasonal passes way back then...I worked for a large telecommunication company that helped build one of the original attractions at EPCOT it is very large and very round.
We received a special two day admission pass for EPCOT's opening and a free membership to The MagicKingdom Card Club...from then on always stayed on property and have never paid rack rates...BUT I have always been flexible with my dates if no doscounts where available for my first dates I will change them...( I also purchased a DVC Membership a few years ago because the great rates where not being offered as often) Then after 9/11 the great discounts where back...I don't know how much longer the good discount rates will be offered but with Florida Resident Rates and DVC I'm covered.

 

[ksc37]

Rack Rates??? NEVER!!

Even before I knew about these boards, I had a Magic Kingdom Club card through work, which was good for about a 20% discount. Now we have AAA, which is not the greatest discount, but beats nothing.

The best for me are the room-only codes that are released. I've used these for the past five years or so (Postcard or General Public codes). I've never had an AP, but plan on getting one this fall (hoping for AP or other discounts in September this year).

Here's hoping I don't even have to pay the AAA rate in September!!!

 

[D&R love Disney]

Not very often but I did have to pay rack rate for a garden suite for my wedding in March AAA rates are not available on the suite and AP rate wasn't available either I sucked it up since it was my wedding

 

[Jen D]

I almost paid rack rates once!

Last year our trip was planned less than three weeks in advance. It was a true spur-of-the-moment Mother-Daughter trip, and we wanted to spend as little as possible, so we were going to stay at a Value Resort. Unfortunately, all the codes had already expired-- we were booking so late! We were going to pay rack rates for a value resort during President's Week. But--- when I called to book, I was offered an upsell to a moderate for $10 more a night-- woo hoo! Okay, so we didn't go as cheap as possible, but we got a bargain, so somehow it felt like we were saving money. And POFQ was fabulous!