Resort Change by Disney

[sah95]

Received the call from Disney today. Moved from ASMusic to Caribbean Beach (price protected). Trip is Dec 10-18, 2020. It's an upgrade & I'm grateful for it.

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

Bump

 

[cristen72]

Still waiting to be contacted. Our check in date is 12/28

 

[brockash]

I was going to say. There is no way they would only offer you a King bed if you had more guests in your party. Also, CSR is an upgrade from AS.

Just because it's a price upgrade doesn't mean someone who booked one resort would want/be happy with/excited about the change.

 

[Dug720]

Just because it's a price upgrade doesn't mean someone who booked one resort would want/be happy with/excited about the change.

This. Not everyone loves every resort.

I'm currently booked at the Poly beginning its scheduled reopening date in July for my birthday, hoping that being able to focus on it they really are able to stay on schedule or at least they are able to open most of the buildings. I have a TPV room, so really the only upgrade from that is Grand Floridian, and I have no desire to stay there - I just feel like it's way too fancy for me and I'd never be able to relax. My TA knows this, and we are coming up with alternatives to ask for in case she gets the dreaded email - even if they would be technically a downgrade - and they offer the Grand. (And yes, I'm well aware that I am very weird in that I would not be jumping up and down screaming for joy if I were bumped to the Grand Floridian. But that's why god made chocolate and vanilla and all the other flavors!!)

 

[JacknSally]

This. Not everyone loves every resort.

I'm currently booked at the Poly beginning its scheduled reopening date in July for my birthday, hoping that being able to focus on it they really are able to stay on schedule or at least they are able to open most of the buildings. I have a TPV room, so really the only upgrade from that is Grand Floridian, and I have no desire to stay there - I just feel like it's way too fancy for me and I'd never be able to relax. My TA knows this, and we are coming up with alternatives to ask for in case she gets the dreaded email - even if they would be technically a downgrade - and they offer the Grand. (And yes, I'm well aware that I am very weird in that I would not be jumping up and down screaming for joy if I were bumped to the Grand Floridian. But that's why god made chocolate and vanilla and all the other flavors!!)

We have no desire to stay at Grand Floridian, either, so you wouldn’t be alone in your lack of jumping up and down!!

We still have a POFQ package for 12/1-12/5 that is unresolved. Our TA seems kind of frustrated that we haven’t just accepted something they’ve offered us so far, but the couple of options they’ve offered just don’t work for us. We‘re not trying to be difficult, and it’s not like we’re wanting/expecting/demanding the Castle suite or anything outrageous. We just don’t want to spend the money to settle for a resort we won’t be happy at, even if it’s technically an upgrade because Disney charges a little more for that resort than POFQ ordinarily.

 

[VicarJT]

We still have a POFQ package for 12/1-12/5 that is unresolved. Our TA seems kind of frustrated that we haven’t just accepted something they’ve offered us so far, but the couple of options they’ve offered just don’t work for us.

As a long-time POFQ fan, I am curious to know what they have offered, and what you would want to accept that they have not yet offered. POFQ is such a unique resort that there is no way to have a similar experience someplace else.

 

[maxiesmom]

For what it is worth when I asked for pricing for next October for the Boardwalk Inn or Beach Club I was told neither are scheduled to be open at that point.

 

[maxiesmom]

We have no desire to stay at Grand Floridian, either, so you wouldn’t be alone in your lack of jumping up and down!!

We still have a POFQ package for 12/1-12/5 that is unresolved. Our TA seems kind of frustrated that we haven’t just accepted something they’ve offered us so far, but the couple of options they’ve offered just don’t work for us. We‘re not trying to be difficult, and it’s not like we’re wanting/expecting/demanding the Castle suite or anything outrageous. We just don’t want to spend the money to settle for a resort we won’t be happy at, even if it’s technically an upgrade because Disney charges a little more for that resort than POFQ ordinarily.

Not looking down at you for your love of POFQ, but what offer would make you happy? It is hard to replicate the POFQ experience at any other resort.

 

[maxiesmom]

You shouldn't have any issue with all of your rooms getting moved, if need be, to the same resort. We've had 3 different times of 4 rooms/reservations and each time we've been able to get moved to the same resort with no problem.

I would be more concerned with moving and getting connecting rooms. That poster said they had booked connecting rooms, which is impossible. You can request connecting rooms, and Disney will make note of it. But that is as good as it gets.

If that poster needs connecting rooms, and it sounds like they do, they will probably need to be even more flexible.

 

[JacknSally]

As a long-time POFQ fan, I am curious to know what they have offered, and what you would want to accept that they have not yet offered. POFQ is such a unique resort that there is no way to have a similar experience someplace else.

Not looking down at you for your love of POFQ, but what offer would make you happy? It is hard to replicate the POFQ experience at any other resort.

I absolutely agree it’s hard to have an experience comparable to POFQ at any of the other resorts! Especially at Christmastime. This is a splurge trip for us for our anniversary, and the POFQ atmosphere was a big deal to us. We’re still debating pushing our trip off altogether in hopes that POFQ reopens before Christmas next year, but there’s no guarantee of that.

In the last week, we were offered a tower studio at Riviera and a one-bedroom at Saratoga. I’m sure most people would jump at those, but they’re just not our cup of tea.

I know the Riviera is new, but we watched videos of the tower studios and they didn’t appeal to us because of their size and the pull-down bed. We don’t really want to be at a skyliner resort, either.

Saratoga we stayed at for a night last August and it was fine for what we needed/wanted at the time, but we don’t like the larger, sprawling properties (also why we haven’t just switched ourselves to CBR or CSR) and the theming wasn’t our favorite. Plus we just don’t need the amenities of the one-bedroom.

Most of our go-to resorts and bucket-list resorts aren’t open right now - POFQ, Riverside, All-Star Movies, All-Star Music are favorites, Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Poly are dreams... Back in January we rented one night in a studio at Copper Creek for 11/30. Staying there for the remainder of our trip would be convenient, and the room type is bookable for those dates now through Disney’s site, but obviously at an increase from POFQ.

We’d really like a studio at Kidani for the 4 nights - the standard view is bookable now through Disney’s site, but at an increase from POFQ. POFQ was the top of our budget, so we were hoping for a price-protected move.

Price-wise, the Kidani studio and the Copper Creek studio are comparable to the one-bedroom at Saratoga that’s been offered... I’m sure Disney is confident they can fill the studios at rack-rate more easily than they can fill the one-bedrooms, though, so they don’t want to lose a studio to a significantly discounted rate right now. I’ve been on the hotel-side of that game many times, so I get it.

We‘re not worried about it. With the Magic Is Here discount, dropping a night makes the savanna view studio package roughly the same price as our POFQ package. If Disney isn’t able to price-protect 4 nights in a standard view, we can adjust our travel dates and do 3 nights in the savanna view. It’s not perfect since it messes with our flight home a little, but it will cross a resort off our bucket-list, while staying close to our original budget. Mathematically, it’s less of a per-night value, but we’re happy with it.

 

[VicarJT]

I absolutely agree it’s hard to have an experience comparable to POFQ at any of the other resorts! Especially at Christmastime. This is a splurge trip for us for our anniversary, and the POFQ atmosphere was a big deal to us. We’re still debating pushing our trip off altogether in hopes that POFQ reopens before Christmas next year, but there’s no guarantee of that.

...

In the last week, we were offered a tower studio at Riviera and a one-bedroom at Saratoga. I’m sure most people would jump at those, but they’re just not our cup of tea.

Thanks for this - I enjoy learning about others’ thought process as they make these kinds of changes. While we love POFQ, we also love Gran Destino Tower which we never would have stayed at if we hadn’t been unable to book POFQ one year. Obviously, vastly different feel, but amazing in its own way. For our upcoming trip, we had chosen GDT once POFQ was out of the picture, but with the limited food offerings there, we have moved to a split-stay between Riviera and Saratoga. Both new resorts for us so, as you say, checking them off of the list. We did upgrade from a Tower to a Deluxe Suite; we took advantage of a great deal. We did keep the 1-bedroom at Sarasota. We don’t need the room either, but the refurbished rooms look wonderful and we want to try them out.

I hope that you do get to keep at least one night at Copper Creek. As I’m sure you know, WL is amazing at Christmas time.

 

[JacknSally]

Thanks for this - I enjoy learning about others’ thought process as they make these kinds of changes. While we love POFQ, we also love Gran Destino Tower which we never would have stayed at if we hadn’t been unable to book POFQ one year. Obviously, vastly different feel, but amazing in its own way. For our upcoming trip, we had chosen GDT once POFQ was out of the picture, but with the limited food offerings there, we have moved to a split-stay between Riviera and Saratoga. Both new resorts for us so, as you say, checking them off of the list. We did upgrade from a Tower to a Deluxe Suite; we took advantage of a great deal. We did keep the 1-bedroom at Sarasota. We don’t need the room either, but the refurbished rooms look wonderful and we want to try them out.

I hope that you do get to keep at least one night at Copper Creek. As I’m sure you know, WL is amazing at Christmas time.

Gran Destino looks absolutely stunning - I’m so glad you loved it! I haven’t read many reviews of it. The limited offerings at the reopened resorts really do make things so tricky right now, and I don’t blame you for moving because of it.

I hope you enjoy your two new-to-you resorts! If you spend much time at Disney Springs, the walk between Saratoga and DS is lovely.

And thank you! WL at Christmas is a longtime dream so we’re very hopeful we’ll be able to stay there as planned. Our DVC rental is secure as of now, so the only reason we’d miss it is if we decide to cancel our trip altogether. Hopefully they put up the holiday decorations as usual - with the non-DVC-side of WL still closed, who knows what they’ll decide to do. Fingers crossed!

 

[VicarJT]

Since there is an abundance of outdoor eating at the Springs, we will be eating most of our meals there once we make the move from Riviera. And I am looking forward to being so close - though would love to have the boat option too!

 

[skeeter31]

For what it is worth when I asked for pricing for next October for the Boardwalk Inn or Beach Club I was told neither are scheduled to be open at that point.

The phone CMs don’t know when the resorts will be opening. But you can’t take them telling you that they won’t be open as gospel. Phone CMs have as much, or less, information as us when it comes to Disney operations. That’s just a CM seeing that those resorts are currently closed, and are not accepting reservations with the new window opening post 9/26/21.

 

[OnceUponATime15]

The phone CMs don’t know when the resorts will be opening. But you can’t take them telling you that they won’t be open as gospel. Phone CMs have as much, or less, information as us when it comes to Disney operations. That’s just a CM seeing that those resorts are currently closed, and are not accepting reservations with the new window opening post 9/26/21.

The new window opened for dates after 9/26/21 this past week. I’m now able to book on the Disney website... I have 3 bookings saved for December 2021 in my “compare” file on the site.

fwiw... there are several of the Suites in the Tonga longhouse available for booking online now.. that’s a new option, you usually have to call to book those.

 

[gottalovepluto]

For what it is worth when I asked for pricing for next October for the Boardwalk Inn or Beach Club I was told neither are scheduled to be open at that point.

You can see the official schedule online of resort openings. If a date has not been announced you cannot book that resort. Once a date is announced for a resort THEN you will be able to book it again.

Basically- Do not try to read into this as “BWI or BC won’t be open in Oct next year”. That is not what is being said. Disney is simply stating they are not scheduled to be open then. Technically every resort that does not have a reopening date is not scheduled to ever be open again.

 

[skeeter31]

The new window opened for dates after 9/26/21 this past week. I’m now able to book on the Disney website...

Right, but you can’t book any of the resorts that are currently closed:
All Stars
Port Orleans
WL
AKL
BC
BW

They all remain closed indefinitely. And that’s what I meant, phone CMs see that and are assuming they will still be closed at that time, whereas it’s more likely some will open between now and then but they’ll want to limit bookings.

 

[maxiesmom]

The phone CMs don’t know when the resorts will be opening. But you can’t take them telling you that they won’t be open as gospel. Phone CMs have as much, or less, information as us when it comes to Disney operations. That’s just a CM seeing that those resorts are currently closed, and are not accepting reservations with the new window opening post 9/26/21.

It wasn't a phone CM. It was a Disney travel agent.

 

[skeeter31]

It wasn't a phone CM. It was a Disney travel agent.

Unfortunately they wouldn’t know that information either. They don’t have inside knowledge as to when certain resorts will be opening. They’re operating based on the fact that they’re not currently booking, just like us.