SHOCKED by 2007 Rack Rates-Deluxe

[d-hlaw]

even if I were wealthy enough to pay those prices, I wouldn't. I just don't think I could enjoy it knowing I paid that much. The Grand is nice, we've stayed there before. We got such a good deal. Got a CM discount rate from a friend - paid $209 a night. That'll never happen again, huh?

I prefer the Polynesian actually. I need to check their rack rates. I've never paid rack rate at any Disney resort - always seem to get some type of discount...AP or something.

PamNC

I think that there is alot of truth in the enjoyment part...... I too have been questioning whether I would have fun knowing that I am spending so much and footing the bill for so many. My wife and I have decided that the money would be better utilized in other ways if not saved. AKL is a no go for x-mas. I think that WDW may be pricing themselves to the upper limits of the market. I will wait until things level out or just adjust my standards!!! Back to reality!!!

 

[eliza61]

Ok, I guess I'll be the insane person here. Every ones idea of value is different. I grew up in NYC, mid town Manhattan hotels prices are routinely $350+/night in a decent hotel. standard room. Would I pay $500 per night at the GF maybe, maybe not. Have I paid 850/per night to a view of the Eiffel tower out my suite window, you betcha. My husbands 50th b-day is next year, we're planning a cruise on the QE2. Is it outrageous priced, probably but we think it will be a once in a life time trip. Give me the GF, I'll pay the price.

 

[Caitsmama]

Well, we are planning on Sugar Loaf for Nov.2008, but ONLY b/c my inlaws are taking us -- and they always stay concierge deluxe. However, if were ME paying, HECK NO. Like someone else said, i would be at a mod/value for a week for the price of concierge in the main building for a night. But, then again, we (dh and i) don't make enough money anyway to even consider the GF if we were paying.. So, i guess it's all relative if you have the money, and want to splurge on a hotel.
I think though, that WDW has a great variety of rooms/resorts to fit almost any budget.. So, for those who can afford it - i think more power to ya! LOL,

 

[Jalva22]

I think that WDW may be pricing themselves to the upper limits of the market.

Maximizing profits. I would guess that Disney's goal is to always price themselves at the upper limits of the market. From Disney's perspective, if people will pay more for rooms than they are charging, they've left money on the table that wouldn't have cost them another cent to gather in. I think that's why they prefer to keep rack rates as high as possible. If the rooms fill, then great. If not, toss out just enough discounts to fill them up. In the end, we are the ones as Disney consumers who really determine the prices. Disney just tosses out numbers until they find what our upper level of tolerance is. Just good business sense. Not that I like it, but that's the way it is.

 

[DaisyD]

even if I were wealthy enough to pay those prices, I wouldn't. I just don't think I could enjoy it knowing I paid that much. The Grand is nice, we've stayed there before. We got such a good deal. Got a CM discount rate from a friend - paid $209 a night. That'll never happen again, huh?

I prefer the Polynesian actually. I need to check their rack rates. I've never paid rack rate at any Disney resort - always seem to get some type of discount...AP or something.

PamNC

I just booked the Poly again for 2007. We are getting a GV room with a AAA rate and paying $380 a night including tax. I remember just a few years ago I was only paying $225 a night! What a huge difference. We go twice a year so it is hard to tell my DH that I am paying almost $8000 for a room at WDW and I'm not even taking him! LOL!

 

[DaisyD]

When we stayed in HI March 2005, we booked a room at the Royal Hawaiian, which I thought was supposed to be a gorgeous hotel....I booked an "Island Suite" and with our SPG discounts it still ran about $700/nt. I was expecting spectacular and clean/beautiful PERFECT....the lobby, hallways, gardens, service was terrific, but when they took us to our $700/nt "island suite" .....Man, was I disappointed. It was a rundown dump that was supposed to have a waterfront view. Instead it had a view of a huge pillar and we had to look past broken wooden blinds to see that. There was no floor covering, nothing hanging on the dirty, scuffed white walls, the furniture was battered, the fridge did not work, AC broken, safe didn't work, the sofa bed mattress my DDs were to sleep on was litterally falling apart - I mean the foam was coming out and you could see the springs clearly. The bathrooms were old and dingy. The towels were threadbare and scarce. It was just AWFUL. I felt like I was going to cry after travelling 18 hrs to get there - to my "island suite". I asked the valet please don't unload our stuff yet. I called the front desk and asked to be moved. A manager came and moved us down the hall to a room kept up a bit better but still no way near $700/nt worth. Their response to me was that the hotel is on the beach in Honolulu and that is what rooms there go for. They were nice, but I had NEVER been to HI and thought for $700/nt I would get a beautiful room. I was really shocked and extremely disappointed. We are used to Disney deluxe rates and thought we'd get something comparable as people often describe the costs of WDW/HI as being fairly similar. Being Starwood memebers they did upgrade us after a few nights to an absolutely gorgeous suite that I felt like was worth $700/nt, but they told me it normally runs for $1500!

Now I lost my train of thought, lol, but that stay pretty much turned us off HI.....I can't afford a $1500/nt room for at least a week to 10 days and it seems that is what it costs to get a "nice" room in HI.

I agree that worth and value are very subjective. Maybe that's where I was going with this. The GF is worth it to us. It has things we love - I prefer the MK to a crowded beach anyway! I love the monorail vs walking a crowded city street. I love the view at the GF better than looking out at the ocean. Just me, but it's true. The whole time in HI, I was wishing we had booked WDW/GF instead!

Lives4Disney

We too paid that at the Royal Hawaiin and our stay wasn't much better! I actually wrote a letter when we returned and the manager called me. He gave me a letter of a free 7 day stay at the RH anytime I want to use it. We haven't used it yet but it is there waiting for us. I doubt we will go back there again though. There are so many other resorts that are nicer.

 

[jonestavern]

Maybe it's because of the weak dollar. Because Disney hosts a lot of foreign visitors they can ask a lot.

Yep, I think you're spot on, here.

Jean

 

[jonestavern]

When we stayed in HI March 2005, we booked a room at the Royal Hawaiian, which I thought was supposed to be a gorgeous hotel....I booked an "Island Suite" and with our SPG discounts it still ran about $700/nt. I was expecting spectacular and clean/beautiful PERFECT....the lobby, hallways, gardens, service was terrific, but when they took us to our $700/nt "island suite" .....Man, was I disappointed. It was a rundown dump that was supposed to have a waterfront view. Instead it had a view of a huge pillar and we had to look past broken wooden blinds to see that. There was no floor covering, nothing hanging on the dirty, scuffed white walls, the furniture was battered, the fridge did not work, AC broken, safe didn't work, the sofa bed mattress my DDs were to sleep on was litterally falling apart - I mean the foam was coming out and you could see the springs clearly. The bathrooms were old and dingy. The towels were threadbare and scarce. It was just AWFUL. I felt like I was going to cry after travelling 18 hrs to get there - to my "island suite". I asked the valet please don't unload our stuff yet. I called the front desk and asked to be moved. A manager came and moved us down the hall to a room kept up a bit better but still no way near $700/nt worth. Their response to me was that the hotel is on the beach in Honolulu and that is what rooms there go for. They were nice, but I had NEVER been to HI and thought for $700/nt I would get a beautiful room. I was really shocked and extremely disappointed. We are used to Disney deluxe rates and thought we'd get something comparable as people often describe the costs of WDW/HI as being fairly similar. Being Starwood memebers they did upgrade us after a few nights to an absolutely gorgeous suite that I felt like was worth $700/nt, but they told me it normally runs for $1500! ....
Lives4Disney

How terribly sad!
As a child, my family lived in Hawaii in the '50's & the Royal Hawaiian was the standard for Island luxury. My aunt & uncle stayed there & I will never forget the loveliness of the suites.
I am so sorry the RH has been run down to such a state. What a waste!
It is a crying shame you & yr family had to experience such a nasty let down.
Fifty bucks a night or $1,000 a night, there is no excuse for broken & dirty surroundings.
Lovely lobbies & nasty rooms, while common, is really false advertising & simply deceptive business practice.
Bet they'll really let it go, declare it a safety trap, scrap it & build a 'nice', gleaming--high capacity--mega hotel!

Jean

 

[ptrbryant]

We usually stay at WL/VWL and have also tried out POR and ASMo. I thought both of the latter were great for what they are---honestly had no trouble with ASMo even though I went into the stay with great apprehension about how awful it may be based on some reviews here. We loved it! Anyway, we thought POR was a kind of upgraded Value. For us, once you lose the interior corridors, you lose a lot. With both MODS and Values having exterior-only, motel-style hallways, the biggest difference was the landscaping and, possibly the pools. The foodcourts seemed better at the Values. In our experience, the cleanest room we ever had onsite was at ASMo. I would say the MODs are worth about 25% more than the Values...but $196 per night???? For a smallish room with no interior corridors? That seems insane. It's not like any of the MODs are on the monorail to justify price. Really, if that was my only choice, I think I'd HAVE to stay off-site rather than put down that money for that level of accomodation.

Karla B.

 

[Lives4Disney]

How terribly sad!
As a child, my family lived in Hawaii in the '50's & the Royal Hawaiian was the standard for Island luxury. My aunt & uncle stayed there & I will never forget the loveliness of the suites.
I am so sorry the RH has been run down to such a state. What a waste!
It is a crying shame you & yr family had to experience such a nasty let down.
Fifty bucks a night or $1,000 a night, there is no excuse for broken & dirty surroundings.
Lovely lobbies & nasty rooms, while common, is really false advertising & simply deceptive business practice.
Bet they'll really let it go, declare it a safety trap, scrap it & build a 'nice', gleaming--high capacity--mega hotel!

Jean

DaisyD - I wish I had written a note, lol!! I would go back and try it again. The suite they wound up giving us was out of this world gorgeous. I am glad it wasn't just me!!! People I talked to on the beach couldn't believe it either. They thought like Jonestavern did(and I thought too, til I checked in!)

Jonestavern - Thanks for your kind words. I can't tell you how SHOCKED I was when they opened that door to the "Island Suite". The lobby is beautiful, the plants, flowers & art, the people working there.....So many great things. I have to say the Hawaiian people were the NICEST people. There are beautiful rooms - as I said the suite we wound up in was on the top floor of the new building (our Island Suite was on the lower floor of the new building) and the service was just awesome. I don't know if we just got the shabby rooms because we checked in about 1 am and the place was full or what - but beware of booking "Island Suites" at the RH. The nice, newer suite had the Heavenly beds, the cruddy suite had lumpy old beds. It was very strange. Maybe they were in the process of redoing the place and started with the top.

Lives4Disney