People - please listen to this

[Cmbar]

My DH just walks away. I was working on my spread sheet on the computer and he just shooked his head and walked away. The plan A and plan B were just too much for him.

Unfortunatley he has the habit of throwing a wrench in the plans when at Disney he decides he want to do this instead of that. He was laughing at me when the dates were posted for P&PP, how I got out my spreadsheet saying okay this day we can go and then change this park to this day so we can then go to Spectro this night.

He drew the line when I had him call to see if there was a pin number attached to his name. Of course there was but it was for room only and I have no idea for what dates. He just said thank you and hung up. I said call back and find out exactly what the dates were and what was the discount. He said I want the DP so it is useless to us. So then I had an idea to call to see if I had a pin associated with my name, but I did not. He is at the point that all he wants to know is when we land at MCO what hotel he needs to go too... That is another story.

I am little confused? Do you and your DH live in the same house? Why in the world would you not use his discount? Sorry if I am offending you if your expenses are separate or something, but my PIN was in my mother-in-laws name but with our address. The CM at reserevations just laughed when I said "please tell me I don't have to take my MIL with me again". She said "No, anyone at the household can use this". Also usually (maybe not always) when you have a PIN associated to your name you usually can upgrade to a package with dining. Certainly worth asking!! Why pay a higher price for the same thing? Also, You husband does not have to call. Just say I am calling to check to see if there is a PIN availabe for our dates under mine or my husbands name or address. Just a thought.

 

[ToyStory]

No offense taken. I tried getting it when I called, but I wasn't able to. I thought it had to do with me having a different last name from him. But again it depends on the CM. I will try again.

Thanks.

 

[djm99]

Everyone keeps wishing for FREE Dining, it seems like the 40% code would be a much better deal than FREE Dining. I Know for my early August dates, it would be cheaper for my same vacation with hopping and dining (and the code) vs. my Base package with hopper only.

 

[thunderbird1]

Everyone keeps wishing for FREE Dining, it seems like the 40% code would be a much better deal than FREE Dining. I Know for my early August dates, it would be cheaper for my same vacation with hopping and dining (and the code) vs. my Base package with hopper only.

It all depends on your family, and where you stay. If you are a single parent with one child staying at Poly for $300+ a night, 40% off is a much better deal than the <$50 benefit you'd get from free dining. But if you are a family of 4 with 2 adults and 2 "juniors" (kids 10-17) staying at a value for ~$100 per night or a moderate for ~$150, the nearly $160 per day value of the free dining plan beats the pants off the 40% discount.

Besides, not all of us were fortunate enough to have a 40% discount offer bestowed upon us.

 

[djm99]

It all depends on your family, and where you stay. If you are a single parent with one child staying at Poly for $300+ a night, 40% off is a much better deal than the <$50 benefit you'd get from free dining. But if you are a family of 4 with 2 adults and 2 "juniors" (kids 10-17) staying at a value for ~$100 per night or a moderate for ~$150, the nearly $160 per day value of the free dining plan beats the pants off the 40% discount.

Besides, not all of us were fortunate enough to have a 40% discount offer bestowed upon us.

Actually, I just did those numbers too. 2 adults 2 juniors in preferred Value room w/hoppers and FREE dining would cost $1700. This same scenorios w/ hopper, and Dining and the 40% off code is $1580. I want that code - forget FREE Dining......

 

[Donnask8pro]

Yea, but I have 4 adults and 1 child. I also have to book 2 rooms b/c its cheaper than 1 room for 5. I got the 40 and am hoping for FD instead.

 

[thunderbird1]

Actually, I just did those numbers too. 2 adults 2 juniors in preferred Value room w/hoppers and FREE dining would cost $1700. This same scenorios w/ hopper, and Dining and the 40% off code is $1580. I want that code - forget FREE Dining......

Your math had me completely confused, until it occurred to me--are you taking 40% off the entire package, including the DDP and parkhopper tickets? As I understood it (and I'll remind you--I was not one of the chosen ones, so I haven't actually seen the postcards/emails with the coveted 40% off code), the 40% was off of the room portion only, so you still have to pay full price for the DDP and parkhopper tickets. I could be wrong, but I'd be very surprised if Disney was offering 40% off their park tickets.

 

[annie1995]

Your math had me completely confused, until it occurred to me--are you taking 40% off the entire package, including the DDP and parkhopper tickets? As I understood it (and I'll remind you--I was not one of the chosen ones, so I haven't actually seen the postcards/emails with the coveted 40% off code), the 40% was off of the room portion only, so you still have to pay full price for the DDP and parkhopper tickets. I could be wrong, but I'd be very surprised if Disney was offering 40% off their park tickets.

You are right. The 40% is off the room only. Tickets and DDP are full price.

 

[HotMama]

Don't book a room in hopes to change it to the free dining offer later. The more people book rooms now the less availability there will be with the discount and you may be shooting yourself in the foot. You can't automatically get a discount applied just because you have the room booked in a particular hotel. There actually has to be availability with the discount, when checking as a new reservation, in order to have the discount applied to an already booked room

The more rooms are booked at full price or with AAA discounts the less discounted rooms will be left. Wait until this is actually available to book and this way there will be more availability with the free dining offer.

If people start making the reservations now and a hotel gets pretty full it may not be available at all with the free dining offer

Please Please do not fill up the rooms at regular rates
That is why the offer isn't being offered until August 26 because most of August is pretty full already at the hotels

I totally believe this and that's why we are waiting to book

 

[PamNC]

Well, that's not entirely true as the recent 40% promo had rates for those right around there

Yeah, but I didn't get such a promo code/pin/thingy. I'd like to get one.

PamNC

 

[belle and woody fans]

Sorry, guys. I am with all of you waiting for some kind of discount. I am booked at rack rate at AKL ( savannah view, too) August 6-12. Well, it was 5-11, but I want to take the kids to the P&P party on the 11th. Anyway, we thought about maybe switching resorts because my kids think they might get tird of AK, and the contemporary was completely booked! I know that we (on the DIS) are not all staying there, so it goes to show you that we are a small, secret society

By the way, has anyone been checking the Disney Visa website? Last year around this time, everyone would check in around 7 am and announce if there was any new news. Visa cardholders knew it was going to be offered first. Just a suggestion.

I think djm is being the optimistic one around here, keep it up!

 

[djm99]

You are right. The 40% is off the room only. Tickets and DDP are full price.

Dang - I thought if was off the whole package - wouldn't that be grand - 40% off the whole package - now that's a Year of a Million Dreams wish.

 

[ktink]

Actually, I just did those numbers too. 2 adults 2 juniors in preferred Value room w/hoppers and FREE dining would cost $1700. This same scenorios w/ hopper, and Dining and the 40% off code is $1580. I want that code - forget FREE Dining......

The deal we got w/ the code was better than what we would get w/ free dining. We're staying at Poly for 6 nights, 6 day base tickets/ 2 adults, 1 jr, & 1 child. DDP 3 adults (dd 11) & 1 child for $2951.52 we priced it online and w/ free dining same package was over $3100. And if we stayed w/out code w/ dining it was over $3800.

 

[Donnask8pro]

I check the Disney Visa website everyday. It is going down on March 26th to be updated. Maybe they'll add it then. Nothing in the mail from them with my bill either. I'll let you know if I see something.

 

[DisneyBride'03]

To all of you wishing for free DDP.....here is some pixie dust to make the wish come true!!!

 

[ga9497]

For those of you that have posted that don't believe that booking rooms doesn't affect if Disney offers discounts, here is more information someone else posted

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1397433

 

[chilis]

While I understand wanting a discount, it is certainly not a given. If you really want to go to Disney you will book where you want, when you want and just hope for the best. Personally, I am not going to delay booking my vacation so that more discounted rooms and/or free dining MAY be available for somebody else.

 

[thunderbird1]

While I understand wanting a discount, it is certainly not a given. If you really want to go to Disney you will book where you want, when you want and just hope for the best. Personally, I am not going to delay booking my vacation so that more discounted rooms and/or free dining MAY be available for somebody else.

You're right--it's not a given. Which is why many are recommending to people who are hoping for a discount NOT book until such discount is actually announced. I don't think anyone's saying that you, or anyone else who is going with or without a discount shouldn't book so that more rooms will be available for those of us waiting for one. Quite the opposite--if you're going either way, you should book ASAP to get the resort and room type that you really want. But if you'll only go if there's a discount, by booking early, you may shoot yourself in the foot.

 

[jnorth1007]

I suppose you believe that if the 50-100 people who booked trips throughout the month that free dining would be offered, cancelled their reservations than Disney would suddenly decide that they need to fill those rooms and offer free dining??? I agree that free dining is dependent on bookings but I don't agree that the people you will reach with this message to cancel their reservations will make a difference in the number of reservations needed to be cancelled in order for Disney to decide that they are low on bookings. Come on now, 100-200 rooms over a month is going to make a difference????

 

[jgallant]

My husband was on the phone with a supervisor for about an hour, when the 40% deal was being offered, we called several times to try and get it, never did. She did say basically that the promotions were based on supply and demand sort of thing, so I agree that if people are only going to book in hopes of free dining for August /September, that they should rethink their strategy, because it does "skew" the numbers slightly. We go every year in September, we have gotten free dining and paid for it. It is a HUGE deal to get it free, that being said though...I would pay for it if we have to b/c for us it is worth every dime. We just went in January didn't buy the dining (on purpose) so we could compare, and it is definately worth it. (for us). Convenience PLUS plus. I have noticed one thing though..either we were awe strucken with it, the first time they offered free dining and now we are just used to it and judging it objectively OR that Disney restaurants are slipping in their service and offerings because it is free there is not much value in it...EXCEPT I suppose that they sell more souveniers, etc. and where some people save $ they just spend that saved money somewhere else (like myself...) I reason that if I saved on the dining then I will stay at a deluxe...whoknows!!! To each is own, but the supply/demand thing makes perfect sense to me.......