RO discounts vs seasonal rates

[Mikie]

I'm thinking of booking next trip in a deluxe for the first time vs our usual pattern of values and moderates. Discount for this will obviously be much more impactful!

Disney still has seasonal rates, right? Meaning Christmas rooms are more expensive than February, even without a special offer? If so, are the RO offers discounted from that season's already-lower rate, or from full rack rate? Which means that 30% discount is a little misleading considering few ever pay full rack rate & would really compare that room's price to the non-"special offer" seasonal rate available at that time. Hope this makes sense.

Just trying to plan ahead and wondering whether to look at historical discount charts or seasonal regular pricing to help gauge times of year and get decent rough numbers for budgeting. Thanks!

 

[aaarcher86]

I'm thinking of booking next trip in a deluxe for the first time vs our usual pattern of values and moderates. Discount for this will obviously be much more impactful! Disney still has seasonal rates, right? Meaning Christmas rooms are more expensive than February, even without a special offer? If so, are the RO offers discounted from that season's already-lower rate, or from full rack rate? Which means that 30% discount is a little misleading considering few ever pay full rack rate & would really compare that room's price to the non-"special offer" seasonal rate available at that time. Hope this makes sense. Just trying to plan ahead and wondering whether to look at historical discount charts or seasonal regular pricing to help gauge times of year and get decent rough numbers for budgeting. Thanks!

Yes, they have seasonal rates - but the seasonal rate IS the rack rate. So even though it's $130 in Feb vs $250 during a holiday, the $130 is still the rack rate for that time frame. That is what the discount will come off of, not the highest possible rate for the room.

 

[Mikie]

Yes, they have seasonal rates - but the seasonal rate IS the rack rate. So even though it's $130 in Feb vs $250 during a holiday, the $130 is still the rack rate for that time frame. That is what the discount will come off of, not the highest possible rate for the room.

Woo hoo! That's good news. It's how I would have thought to calculate potential costs, but it would be a rude awakening to budget that way and find out different!

I'm planning to use historical special offer timing (from allears.net I think?) as a planning guideline and Disney's special offers page to actually grab the discount when it comes - is this the right approach?

 

[LetsTalkWDW]

Woo hoo! That's good news. It's how I would have thought to calculate potential costs, but it would be a rude awakening to budget that way and find out different!

I'm planning to use historical special offer timing (from allears.net I think?) as a planning guideline and Disney's special offers page to actually grab the discount when it comes - is this the right approach?

That is one approach and it can work. But remember you may have to be flexible because discounts are always based on availability, so there is no guarantee that you will be able to get the offered discount for your specific room.

I am not sure if allears has the historical discounts but I have seen them on mousesavers.

Here:
http://www.mousesavers.com/historical-information-on-walt-disney-world-resort-discounts/#2014

Good luck.

 

[TJA]

Just wanted to add that we've been going to WDW for many years and almost 100% of the time I find out about new deals right here on the DIS in this "Disney Discount Codes and Rates" section. I think this latest spring 30% deal took many people by surprise and I might not have been able to reserve exactly what I wanted had I not seen the deal posted here first thing in the morning.