SHOCKED by 2007 Rack Rates-Deluxe

[Luv2Roam]

There are always going to be guests who don't even look at price. They just book for how ever many nights they want and what they want.
And not to say those rack rates are reasonable. And I would not judge as I have not even been a guest there.
This reminds me of DH last year looking for a reasonable room in NYC for 3 - 4 nights while he was there for the marathon.
WDW prices are bargains in comparison and bang for the buck. I did not know there was even such a thing as guests sharing bathrooms since early this century until we went room hunting in NYC. By booking through Travelocity, or similar site, he got a room for around $300 a night (Best Western at the convention center -- midtown). The room was so small the bed took up the entire room. He had to climb over his bed to get anywhere in the room. It literally was a place to sleep and shower.
$300 a night in early November would get you a pretty decent resort and room in WDW.
And I know downtown Chicago is no better.

 

[Lives4Disney]

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

 

[Misti]

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

Oh what a horrible experience at the Royal Hawaiian! If you ever decide to head to Hawaii again, try another island (or avoid Waikiki). SOO very different everywhere else. You'd love the Fairmont Kea Lani in Maui I think! (I know we have similar resort tastes ). We only did Waikiki a few days because we thought we should see it at least once and it left much to be desired ("ladies of the night" downtown at night, traffic galore, "seedy" people walkin around etc etc).

Okay back on WDW! Less than a week till I go, can you imagine how excited I am now??!!

 

[Jalva22]

Value is a strange thing! The thing Disney has going for it with its resorts along the monorail is uniqueness. If you could go to Michigan or Texas or New York and find an experience that is similar to WDW, then people wouldn't be willing to pay these prices. But you can't do that. Many, many people want to experience WDW, and they want to experience the monorail resorts. So Disney can basically charge what they want and they'll get it. I started to say "within reason", but the prices they're charging and getting are just nuts. Is it worth it? Well, if you want the full Disney experience, yes it's worth it. You can't go anywhere else to get it.

We came down as a family in 2005 and went the Poly/AKL route and loved it. I'd love to do it again in 2007. We can swing the cash, but try as I might I just can't see my WWII-era grandfather paying that amount of money on a vacation to a theme park. Will I do it? Yes. Will I have a blast? Yes. But there will always be a nagging voice inside me that says it's stupid to pay that much money for a hotel room. But, you know, I think I can live with that voice!

 

[LSUDis]

I booked a moderate--CBR--for late May of 2007.

Boy, was I shocked when my 1 night deposit (which, of course, equals one night's stay) was.....hold on to something.....$196 and some change.

Can you believe it? A moderate for almost $200/night! This was NOT a preferred room, either--no suite or whatever...just a standard room.

I told the CM, "Wow! The price of moderates has gone up!" and she said, "Yes, a little bit." What an understatement!

Again, $200 for a moderate!
--not preferred
--not a peak season
--no special requests
--no extra adults
--no rollaways, cots, or anything

We were going to spend a night or two in a deluxe, but I didn't book one b/c I was afraid to even ask what they were going to cost. I think that we'll be cutting down on the length of our stay, too.

 

[minnie61650]

I booked a moderate--CBR--for late May of 2007.

Boy, was I shocked when my 1 night deposit (which, of course, equals one night's stay) was.....hold on to something.....$196 and some change.

Can you believe it? A moderate for almost $200/night! This was NOT a preferred room, either--no suite or whatever...just a standard room.

I told the CM, "Wow! The price of moderates has gone up!" and she said, "Yes, a little bit." What an understatement!

Again, $200 for a moderate!
--not preferred
--not a peak season
--no special requests
--no extra adults
--no rollaways, cots, or anything

We were going to spend a night or two in a deluxe, but I didn't book one b/c I was afraid to even ask what they were going to cost. I think that we'll be cutting down on the length of our stay, too.

I agree the rates have really increased. Keep looking for specials.

Here is a link for the rack rates for 2007:

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/disney-rates-2007.htm#VALUE

Have fun at Disney!

 

[d-hlaw]

Part of the problem also is that Osceola county has gotten into a feeding frenzy of taxation on resorts. On my AKL Pres suite the taxes alone are $400 per night!!!

 

[Misti]

Part of the problem also is that Osceola county has gotten into a feeding frenzy of taxation on resorts. On my AKL Pres suite the taxes alone are $400 per night!!!

$400 a night for TAX??!! Is it still 12% or has it gone up??

 

[minnie61650]

$400 a night for TAX??!! Is it still 12% or has it gone up??

The tax on the All Star Resorts is 13 and a half %.
The tax at all the rest of the Disney resorts is 12 and one half%.

 

[Jalva22]

Part of the problem also is that Osceola county has gotten into a feeding frenzy of taxation on resorts. On my AKL Pres suite the taxes alone are $400 per night!!!

At 12.5%, does this mean you're spending $3,200/night for that suite? (Scanning through the list of Smilies icons, but I don't see one for a massive coronary) Must be some room! That's 4.5 times my monthly mortgage payment!

 

[d-hlaw]

Rack rate is $2575 per night, with taxes its just a hair under $3000 per night....

 

[lyzziesmom]

Rack rate is $2575 per night, with taxes its just a hair under $3000 per night....

Wow, I can't even imagine what it must be like to spend 1/2 my yearly salary on a room for less than a week.

 

[Von Drake]

I booked a moderate--CBR--for late May of 2007.

Boy, was I shocked when my 1 night deposit (which, of course, equals one night's stay) was.....hold on to something.....$196 and some change.

Can you believe it? A moderate for almost $200/night! This was NOT a preferred room, either--no suite or whatever...just a standard room.

I told the CM, "Wow! The price of moderates has gone up!" and she said, "Yes, a little bit." What an understatement!

Again, $200 for a moderate!
--not preferred
--not a peak season
--no special requests
--no extra adults
--no rollaways, cots, or anything. QUOTE]



Mod rates are nearing a ceiling and competition from offsite resorts will balance them out. I will not pay rack rates for any Moderate today...

I am amazed that they have gotten this high...

...Unless they are looking to raise Value rates. The disparity in rates is clear.
Value guests---get ready...just a prediction... to pay more.

 

[SuperTink]

"Rack rate is $2575 per night, with taxes its just a hair under $3000 per night...."

Sorry, but that is insane.

Flame me all you want.

 

[maxiesmom]

I booked a moderate--CBR--for late May of 2007.

Boy, was I shocked when my 1 night deposit (which, of course, equals one night's stay) was.....hold on to something.....$196 and some change.

Can you believe it? A moderate for almost $200/night! This was NOT a preferred room, either--no suite or whatever...just a standard room.

I told the CM, "Wow! The price of moderates has gone up!" and she said, "Yes, a little bit." What an understatement!

Again, $200 for a moderate!
--not preferred
--not a peak season
--no special requests
--no extra adults
--no rollaways, cots, or anything

We were going to spend a night or two in a deluxe, but I didn't book one b/c I was afraid to even ask what they were going to cost. I think that we'll be cutting down on the length of our stay, too.

This is because late May is now "Summer Season." The new price range between regular season and peak season for the Values and Moderates. Notice it is not a season at the Deluxe resorts. You might want to look and see how much difference there is cost wise between the Moderates and the Deluxes.

Apparently Disney has decided to take advantage of the high demand for rooms during May and June and thought they would jack the price up. Not very nice, but good business sense, I guess. I know I am thinking of taking a trip in August for the first time, to try to keep costs down.

 

[maxiesmom]

"Rack rate is $2575 per night, with taxes its just a hair under $3000 per night...."

Sorry, but that is insane.

Flame me all you want.

I think I need my head examined for booking a room that is over $300 a night. I can't comprehend $3000, it is so far removed from my reality. But if you got it to spend, why not?

 

[k5thbeatle]

Prices go up! I used to make $5.25 an hour and now I don't! I used to buy gas at $1.00 per gallon and now I don't. It would be nice if things would always stay the same...but they don't?

The one constant through it all???...You get what you pay for!

 

[SuperTink]

I can't comprehend $3000, it is so far removed from my reality. But if you got it to spend, why not?

Because the relative value is obliterated. My ire is at Disney, not the consumer.

But yes, if this is your choice then I respect your right to choose it. And I apologize if I offended anyone.

 

[PamNC]

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

 

[boomhauer]

Funny thing is, if I won a Disney vacation and could stay wherever I wanted, the GF would be one of the last ones I'd chose. Other than it's closeness to the Magic Kingdom, there's nothing I like about that place. Granted, never stayed there, but been to it several times. It does nothing for me at all.

I also agree with the above poster - Even if I could afford it, I wouldn't feel right paying those prices. We were giong to stay at Polynesian next year for our family trip. I even booked it and put the deposit down. It was $3,700 for 10 nights. Paying it off over a year I could have done it. However, I realized - It was absurd. I could take my family, get 2 rooms at All Star for half the price and take the rest of the money and use it on fun stuff down there.

$400 a night for a hotel room just seems silly to me.