*sigh* Beginning to feel like no general codes will come out?

[dcibrando]

Are you like me (without an AP or a florida address) and feel like general codes probably won't come out? I see a lot of talk on here about codes but it sounds like mostly AP and florida residents.

 

[ILoveWDW2003]

Codes will come out IF Disney needs to fill resort rooms.

If the rooms are already full, or at a certain percentage, no codes will be needed.

Supply and demand economics 101.

 

[Trekker]

Since the release of the new package for WDW vacations the only discounts we have seen at all are for FL. Res. - AP and AAA.

It sounds like the resorts are pretty full through most of April with Spring break and there has been no need for Disney to release codes, sounds the the old days when there was no such thing as a discount at Disney.

 

[3PrezGirls]

I'm hoping for general codes for May but I'm already booked no matter what we're going to WDW and can't wait!! Although a code would be nice to save more money.

 

[dcibrando]

the fact that they still send out postcards and email discounts make me wonder why they don't offer SOME general discount still. It's marketing... offer a few at a low price... draw ALOT of people there.

 

[ILoveWDW2003]

The current ad push of a family of 4 for $1500 is still drawing ALOT of people there....

 

[Sammie]

But at the same time, you have to make your customers happy.

This subject has come up many times here. If Disney decides to stop offering codes, they're going to distance themselves from a great many passholders.

Disney can only fill as many rooms as they have to offer. Regardless of who fills them. So if they are able to book them without offering discount, as a business why should they. If the rooms are not booking, then discounts will be offered.

Most passholders buy the ticket for admission to the park. Not offering a discount will not prevent many from buying the ticket.

I think part of the problem is people book rooms hoping for a discount, giving Disney a false sense of room occupany levels.

 

[ILoveWDW2003]

jovidan - I was mostly referring to general public codes.

I believe that Florida resident discounts of some sort, even if in very limited amounts, will always be offered - probably AP discounts too.

 

[emmabelle]

Since the release of the new package for WDW vacations the only discounts we have seen at all are for FL. Res. - AP and AAA.

I'm confused by this.

Disney had already released general codes for 1/02/05 - 4/16/05 on October 21, 2004, expiring on December 1, 2004. Codes did exist for the time period during MYW, they just expired early.

 

[BuckNaked]

To make repeat customers happy. It's like why Vegas hotels give their high rollers rooms for free - They know who their repeat customers are. The money they make isn't from the hotel room - It's from the money their customers spend.

There is a huge difference between the high rollers lured by casino resorts and families coming to WDW, IMO. If a room can be filled at rack rate, that family is going to spend money too, just like the family that came last year at a discounted rate. It just doesn't make good business sense to sell a room for $84/night when there are people out there willing to pay $149/night.

 

[vernon]

But at the same time, you have to make your customers happy.
This subject has come up many times here. If Disney decides to stop offering codes, they're going to distance themselves from a great many passholders.

Disney has a far greater obligation, and that is to their shareholders. As Sammie says, if they can fill their rooms without giving discounts it is the fiducuary duty of the management/board to their shareholders to do so. The company has also invested huge amounts of extra money in advertising for the 50th aniversary, the economy seems to be picking up and the exchange rate means HUGE amounts of Europeans and Brits are taking advantage of some of the cheapest trips to WDW for many years. As most Europeans will have booked months in advance Disney could well ( I'm certain they are) be sitting in a position where they have their highest occupancy rates already booked for later this year.

If Disney doesn't need to discount their rates that much, they aren't going to do it. I think there has been a big change this year in the power balance. Since the 9/11 attack the balance of power has definately been in the hands of the consumer. We have ALL benefitted from some great discounts and deals over the last 3 or 4 years, it has been the shareholders and the companies bottom line that have taken the hit for these discounts. IMHO the pendulum has swung back in the favour of the company's bottom line and in favour of it's shareholders. If Ei$ner is calling the shots, he's going to want to go out in a blaze of glory, profit wise, if the new guys are calling the shots, they are going to want to show to the shareholders in general and the institutional shareholders in particular that the new hands at the wheel can generate huge profits for the shareholders from the company, either way , if the money is there to be made , the board is going to want to make it THIS YEAR more than any other. JMHO.

 

[CarolA]

Plus Vegas discounts only when they need to for those of us who are not high rollers. Try and get a cheap room in Vegas on a big weekend. You can get them M-R, but Friday and Saturday are much more expensive.

 

[ILoveWDW2003]

To make repeat customers happy. It's like why Vegas hotels give their high rollers rooms for free - They know who their repeat customers are. The money they make isn't from the hotel room - It's from the money their customers spend.

But they can only give Vegas high rollers free rooms when rooms are available...

If the Disney resorts are at 95%++ capacity for a certain time frame, and they do release AP rates, but only a few rooms per resort, wouldn't you then be upset that they didn't release enough rooms for the AP holders?

I can honestly say, if I found out Disney were no longer offering AP discounts, I wouldn't buy an Annual Pass anymore. It's the discounted rates of the resort rooms that allow me to make 2 trips in a year. if not for that, I wouldn't go more than once.

Well, if tourism continues on the upswing, many families will be spending rack rate for their rooms, and Disney won't offer too many discounts, if any at all.

 

[goofy4tink]

Sorry, but I don't think Disney 'owes' it to anybody to give out discount codes. You buy an AP for park admission and sometimes you might get lucky and get a discount on a room. Terrific. But, don't buy an AP just to get a break on your room. Especially with the new admission options.

It would seem that Disney doesn't have a huge amount of empty space to fill up this spring. Why would anyone expect them to release discounts if they can get people in there for top dollar? This is a business. And I have to wonder how many people out there have booked rooms, hoping and praying for a good discount code to come out so that they can afford to go. When this happens, Disney gets an inflated room count, and then doesn't need to discount!!! And then, people say.."No discounts mean we can't go!!" And now, we have empty rooms...viscious cycle. Book what you can afford and if a discount comes out, down the road, try to make a switch to a different resort.

I'm sorry if I sound harsh, but I see a trend toward the belief that a trip to WDW is a right...that everyone should be able to go, so Disney should make it affordable for every single family/person that wants to go, to be able to do so. Sorry, this is real life and not everyone that wants to go to WDW will be able to afford it. I didn't go until I was almost 50!!! My family couldn't afford it, so we didn't go. And when I went when I was 49...I paid rack rates because I didn't even know there was any other pricing. Now, with there great boards, I can watch and sometimes get a good rate or just plan my trip for a cheaper time of year. Or stay at a cheaper resort or spend fewer nights there. So, there are different ways to get your money's worth other than discount rates.

 

[BuckNaked]

Very well said, goofy4tink and I agree 100%!

 

[CarolA]

Actually the people Disney "owes" things to are the stockholders. And what they owe them is to maximize returns. Plus if Disney makes more money by selling rooms at higher prices it means they have more money to spend on park upgrades! (Cheap parks don't get as many frills as Disney LOL!)

 

[Sammie]

To make repeat customers happy. It's like why Vegas hotels give their high rollers rooms for free - They know who their repeat customers are. The money they make isn't from the hotel room - It's from the money their customers spend.

I can honestly say, if I found out Disney were no longer offering AP discounts, I wouldn't buy an Annual Pass anymore. It's the discounted rates of the resort rooms that allow me to make 2 trips in a year. if not for that, I wouldn't go more than once.

I certainly understand your side of the situation and respect that. However I am not sure you can compare Disney to Vegas. As you said Vegas hotels want their frequent customers to keep coming back to "thier" hotel and casino not someone else. Disney is not in that position. There is only one Disney World. Certainly a few customers could be lost to Universal but many are not going to do that.

I for one wouldn't and I would not stop buying my ticket if discounts on rooms are not offered. We bought DVC instead, as we knew we would be going often. Also to reward that purchase DVC just recently offered a discount on the AP.

 

[shoes99]

We are AP holders and will be taking a 4 night trip the 3rd week of April. We are staying offsite. We know that AP rates are not quaranteed, in fact we haven't gotten AP discounts in 2 years. One year we used the "come back" rate at AKL, and the last several trips we did a group rate at Value and Mods..with our pin trading friends. We will have a rental car, so for now off-site is the way to go for us. Two adults, no kids.

 

[missypie]

Hey, I know...how about a rate code for Disney shareholders whose investment hasn't made money?

 

[Violetx3]

Another point of view...

I paid close to rack rate for my rooms for an upcoming trip (AAA discount only) and I would prefer to think that other discounts are available sometimes but not all the time. Otherwise you almost feel like a fool for paying full price.

To me it is just like buying clothes or anything else. I pay full price if I really want it, otherwise I risk that the store will run out of my size.

(Maybe Disney would distance itself from me if they offered discounts to select groups year-round.)