seems weird that most everyone plans on discounts?

[Nancyg56]

I think that Dis-folks see use of more discounts because we're all here researching it. But the majority of the public, in my opinion, doesn't have a clue about free dining and the other discounts Disney offers.

I agree with you. I spoke with a mom who took her little girl on their "dream" trip. SHe booked through a local agent who sold her the DLXDDP, told her that she would be given priority seating for all her meals and then sent her on her way. The trip was one expensive disaster.

 

[MMS1125]

As a teacher and with my husband's industry usually getting a discount there's always a little something for us to fall back on. Free Dining is a bigger savings to our family but sometimes we can't go while it's offered. I book what we can afford and where we want to stay first and foremost then if something comes out that by moving can save us some $$ then I'm not opposed to doing so. I'd never plan something we couldn't budget for and be disappointed to not be able to take the vacation b/c WDW didn't release a discount for my vacation.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Mostly I book when I see a good deal. Not just Dinsey. If rack rates are/were good enough, I'd book. But $600 a night is too much for any WDW resort. It's not so much that I require a discount, as I have in my mind what I'm willing to pay. When I see a price I like, I book. Usually that means a discount.

Take the choice of getting a rental car or airfare. If I see an an airfare deal, I book. If not I drive. Same with a rental car, if I see a price I like, I book. If not, I do without. I'll pay say $100 for a car for a certain duration, but not $600.

If I don't see a price point I like, I skip it.

If I see a better deal, I will rebook at a better discount, but I don't see it was work, so much as extra money, or an extra day of vacation.

If the economy is bad, Disney offers discounts. When the economy is better, they offer less. I think over the last ten years though we've always got some kind of 'discount' on at least part of our vacation. If there are no resort discounts, then I buy discounted park tickets from UT or AAA, and I play with dates to get the lowest airfare. I just sort of see it as kowing what's out there.

I also don't get alll the DIS hype though....

 

[ourpartyofsix]

We booked a vacation we could afford without a discount. That meant a value for us. Free dining came out and we changed from two standard value rooms to one family suite and saved about $30

 

[kerplop]

We don't go if there's not a discount, but it's okay - there's a big world out there to explore and I'm sure they'd like my money. But I don't get bent out of shape and rant about Disney owing me something. It is what it is.

 

[glocon]

I guess there aren't many people fessing up to making ressies then cancelling when not getting a discount, at least on this thread.

I can't even imagine planning a trip we couldn't afford, and I can't imagine planning a Disney trip then cancelling it because of planning a trip we couldn't afford while knowing we couldn't afford it. That would just break my heart!

We have stayed both off-site and on-site depending on finances, but for sure I would rather stay on-site if at all possible. But we have always waited for a discount before making plans. We got 30% at BC this trip, and the AP rate for HRH. Can't wait to go to the MNSSHP and HHN!

 

[cwt580]

This is our last planned trip as this is DD last trip w/ Mom and dad at week after college grad and onto the realworld ....Last time Disney gets our cash. Shes welcome to continue the memories if shes ever blessed to do so...


We paid rack because we wanna go when we wanna go. Stay where we wanna stay. eat what we wanna eat.....Just gonna keep my eyes open for a discount but we are not willing to downgrade views or resorts......id upgrade at the chance though....after research history only points to RO discounts for first full week of MAY before SW weekends. luckily still in Flower festival time hopefully.

Not thrilled with the cost but its gonna be one of those special trips in life.....

as mom and dad inch closer to retiremnt, we have rv membership(lifetime) that we will use more. sold the first one a couple yrs ago as we werent using it. so now we will have to find another after she graduates college...

At this point its about waitng for 2 things...adr's and start of vacation. done.....flights purchased. timeoff work scheduled, resort res made...

 

[TandLMommy28]

If Disney didn't offer a discount, or didn't offer me the package I wanted at a price I find reasonable, we'd simply vacation elsewhere. The prices really are getting out of control and even though it's a better vacation than a lot of other places, at some point I'll have to say "Wait a minute, is this REALLY worth it?"

Like just yesterday we returned from a great non-Disney vacation. It was local, only an hour away, but still. We rented a cabin (with air conditioning and wi-fi) at a very nice campground. There were four pools, waterslides, a restaurant, a splash pad and an activity schedule from 8am to 10pm everynight that kept us all busy. With rental fees, travel, food, and paying for the activities that were extra money, we spent a whopping $700 on a six day, five night vacation. My kids declared it the best vacation EVER. Better than Disney, they said.

So yeah. I rely on the discounts to make it feel like I'm getting some kind of value out of it. Our upcoming Disney trip is going to cost us $4,000 total with everything. Hardly a bargain compared to our $700 "best vacation ever". I'd never pay rack rates because we are just as happy to rent a cabin (no tents! I don't do tents!) at a campground or rent a beach house or something else.

 

[4HppyCamprs]

Does most everyone on here plan on discounts most of the time? I see people book...rebook... cancel..rebook with Fd....etc etc etc....


Seems so stressful to plan that way. Im sure there are those of us that like doing it and trust me i understand why.


What if Disney just decided no FD only discounts on rooms from now on with no warning. Would that eliminate your planned trip?


It seems that i would just book and HOPE for a lucky discount OR just plan to wait and see and take whats available for that particuliar discount.

With all the construction coming up i bet discounts will be ok for this yr for those resorts. And people in the know will have already booked somewhere else before it was too late.

So i seem to see that price is more important than where to most on here?

Guess its just some OCD kicking in. I like to plan............I like to book it.. hope for magic instead of being disappointed in whats left to book. I plan to pay X amount and getting a discount would be awesome to use but dont want it to affect the great vacation planning....

i watched for months of Discounts, no discounts but FD, Fd upgrades, resort upgrades, downgrades,,,,,etc......Im not a last minute planner so id be way too stressed about last minute changes and scheduling. How do you all do it?

Id do a poll but havent figured that out......

PRICE or LOCATION? which do you think is more important? And before flames get thrown, i understand the cost of deluxe,mods, and values in the scheme of ones planning.

I plan for what we can afford without discounts. If a discount comes along then I am happy and consider that "found" money. I would NOT plan a vacation I could not afford on the sole hope that a discount would come out and make it affordable. Therefore as much as we loved the poly we book the POR because that is what we can comfortably afford without stressing about discounts.

 

[buzznina]

We are another family that only goes if there is a discount, will not pay rack rate because those rates are Outlandish So we do not plan a trip early, we wait to see what kind of discounts come out, before deciding.

 

[lbv7]

Given the ridiculously overpriced rack rates at WDW, the title of your thread should be " Isn't it weird that there are some people who don't get a discount when they book a room?

 

[Nancyg56]

Given the ridiculously overpriced rack rates at WDW, the title of your thread should be " Isn't it weird that there are some people who don't get a discount when they book a room?

I know! I plan trips but I would never never pay rack rates., Never. Did I say I would never pay full price? I have a pretty good idea when discounts are offered and plan accordingly.

 

[Jessij25]

We are taking our kids to WDW every year until they tell us otherwise! We book what we can afford which is four to five days. I have not received any discounts but I wish I had the time and energy to look for them. I try not to Judge people do what you can afford, if you like to book only when there are discounts then more power to you! Plz teach me!!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[sndral]

Despite the recession, Disney has routinely raised it's prices about 10% per year the last couple of years. I have not gone w/out a discount for the last several years, and frankly think the rack room rates have been raised to such ridiculous levels that I doubt that I'd book w/out a discount anymore. As others have said, it's not that I can't afford it, it's a question of value for the money v. other venues.

 

[Sue M]

We are taking our kids to WDW every year until they tell us otherwise! We book what we can afford which is four to five days. I have not received any discounts but I wish I had the time and energy to look for them. I try not to Judge people do what you can afford, if you like to book only when there are discounts then more power to you! Plz teach me!!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

Mousesavers.com is a great place to check to see what discounts are out. They also have a chart with historical discounts for the past few years, so you can look at your dates and see if or when discounts were released. In their Search field enter Historical Discounts and you should be able to pull them up.

And of course checking the WDW web site under the Special Offers link.

You can also get an AAA room only discount thru WDW Travel. Just ask for it.

Don't book online, phone to book, and ASK- are their any discounts available?

Hope in the future you're able to save some $ with discount.

 

[Sue M]

Given the ridiculously overpriced rack rates at WDW, the title of your thread should be " Isn't it weird that there are some people who don't get a discount when they book a room?

 

[maryj11]

I can't really book more than a 4 night trip without a discount. So...each year I do a 4 night trip. Some years when Disney offers a good discount, I have been able to extend my trip - which is good for Disney and good for me. Everyone does what they need to do and this year, all I can do is a Value, so will give it a try. Would love to see another 4/3 offer!!!

Without a discount this is what I do stay 4 nights. A lot of people need the discount to be able to afford to go because Disney is so expensive. Right now I'm booked at CBR with 10% off pin which is all I can get. I would love to stay at the Poly but without a higher discount it is way to much. And you can bet if I get a better discount I will be going to my favorite resort the Poly.

 

[maryj11]

I agree

 

[were45]

I price out various scenarios (length of stay, hotel options) then pick what suits our desires and budget best. However, I was absolutely on the phone ASAP when FD was released as that saves big money. I was hoping for it ever since I booked the vacation, but would have gone anyway.

It is true that many people don't seem to even know about all the discount options. We all come to this board as people who are aware, and willing to learn, so that we can maybe save some money and plan a great trip. It's just the kind of people we are. (Not better, not worse, just 'us'). As far as the people who refuse to look for or take advantage of discounts - well, I learned to just accept them and don't bother them with my unsolicited advice. Our neighbors went last year during FD and when I asked if they had gotten the Free Dining they looked at me like I was bonkers and said, "Uh, we bought that dining plan".

We are going this Nov with friends. I know them well enough to know they don't want to hear anything about discounts. They are thus spending more to stay at SOG for 5 nights plus paying for all their dining, than we are to stay at POR for 8 nights with PH tickets and Free Dining. Do they have a different financial situation than us? Yep. They also look for different things on vacation than we do. Opposites attract, right?

 

[BuzzLiteyear]

Does most everyone on here plan on discounts most of the time? I see people book...rebook... cancel..rebook with Fd....etc etc etc....


Seems so stressful to plan that way. Im sure there are those of us that like doing it and trust me i understand why.


What if Disney just decided no FD only discounts on rooms from now on with no warning. Would that eliminate your planned trip?


It seems that i would just book and HOPE for a lucky discount OR just plan to wait and see and take whats available for that particuliar discount.

With all the construction coming up i bet discounts will be ok for this yr for those resorts. And people in the know will have already booked somewhere else before it was too late.

So i seem to see that price is more important than where to most on here?

Guess its just some OCD kicking in. I like to plan............I like to book it.. hope for magic instead of being disappointed in whats left to book. I plan to pay X amount and getting a discount would be awesome to use but dont want it to affect the great vacation planning....

i watched for months of Discounts, no discounts but FD, Fd upgrades, resort upgrades, downgrades,,,,,etc......Im not a last minute planner so id be way too stressed about last minute changes and scheduling. How do you all do it?

Id do a poll but havent figured that out......

PRICE or LOCATION? which do you think is more important? And before flames get thrown, i understand the cost of deluxe,mods, and values in the scheme of ones planning.

I think a vacation to WDW is just like anything else...people are looking to get the most for their money. We do this for groceries, clothes, major electronics purchases, etc...

Many people shop for the bargain. It's the American way