SO glad I have DVC- did you see the new rack rates?

[snowbunny]

Rack is like "suggested retail price" - hardly anyone actually pays that.
The cynic in me says pushing up rack rates helps Disney sell its highly profitable timeshares.

 

[dburg30]

Disney is a marketing machine. They are excellent at selling you the value proposition of the seamless experience and the perks, and has developed an audience that considers those fair value in exchange for the prices they pay.

If you haven't seen the Planning DVD recently, watch it, putting yourself in the shoes of someone who's never been to WDW. At the end of that DVD, the average person would assume that their vacation would be ruined if they didn't stay in a Disney-owned resort.

Disney is by no means the worst offender. Cedar Point's "flagship" resort, Hotel Breakers, costs about $300 a night in season, give or take. The advantage to those rooms: you are steps away from one of the gates to the park. But, it's a dump, comparable to an older Holiday Inn. It would be lucky to pull down $109 a night if it were located anywhere else in Sandusky.

And, dont you get 'EMH' if you stay at the breakers? I've never stayed there, so I dont know. Looking back at going to cedar point and king's island, while there is no doubt they are much more 'thrilling' if you look at the time you stand in line at those places.. goodness, what a rip off.

 

[dburg30]

Rack is like "suggested retail price" - hardly anyone actually pays that.
The cynic in me says pushing up rack rates helps Disney sell its highly profitable timeshares.

Probably some truth to that also

 

[Brian Noble]

And, dont you get 'EMH' if you stay at the breakers?

You do, and that does have some value if you must visit in peak summer weekends.

if you look at the time you stand in line at those places.. goodness, what a rip off.

Just as with Disney, once you get to know how crowds ebb and flow in these parks, it's pretty easy to have a great day with minimal standing around in lines.

 

[dburg30]

Just as with Disney, once you get to know how crowds ebb and flow in these parks, it's pretty easy to have a great day with minimal standing around in lines.

I never figured that out then Granted I really didnt go THAT often.

 

[keishashadow]

A few years ago, at the BW bus stop, my late DH and I got into a conversation with a man staying at the BWI with his family (wife and 2 young children). For ONE week, he was paying about $6000 (tickets included, but no meal plan or air fares)! He booked through a travel agent, and seemed okay with the cost. We told him about DVC (since he thought they'd return at least annually), and instead of going to the parks, he and his family took the "Tour" We didn't see him again during our trip, but we're fairly certain that we made a "convert" .

i have a friend who will only stay concierge says she doesn't make a single ADR & it's handled once they arrive, never disappointed as to what is selected for them .

i cannot imagine leaving planning up to a 3rd party (1/2 the fun imo ); yet i guess it's a niche that Disney has covered

while she's only able to afford to visit once every couple of years, she's satisfied with the experience & has no interest in any talk of DVC different strokes i guess

 

[starbox]

So you have to realize with Disney you are paying extra for "theme" and MAYBE location. Sure locations good IF you have a MK or Epcot Deluxe, but after that.... it's debatable!


There's nothing stoppoing folks from staying off property. We aren't "captured". Personally I think a lot of folks who stay on Disney property really have a very limited exposure to other hotels and just "assume" that's the way things are. My friends in-laws who are true "Luxury" travelers spent ONE night at a Disney Deluxe. Packed up and moved to the the Ritz. They knew what they normally get for those prices and thought that "pretty" wasn't really enough to make up for the so so room quality and service!

You know, I see both sides. ITA with you - Disney is not 5-star (or even 4 star) in terms of the rooms, and I do think that, for a lot of people, a Disney resort is the only "resort' they've stayed in and so they assume that it's worth the $$$$.

And yet - there is something about Disney. Maybe the theme - but more so, I think, feeling immersed in the "magic". We stayed at the Swan, and beds were better but, I don't know - something was missing.

Then again, we stayed at the Orlando Peabody and were very impressed. It was much nicer than the BWV room we checked into afterwards in terms of room size/beds/linens/ameneities - but BW just has that "magic"......

Personally, we've found a happy medium between paying for luxury off-site accommodations and saying on Disney property with DVC. I actually like being off-property at a resort sometimes, but I'm always happy to come "home".

 

[permavac]

...Theming. Disney wins hands down...

...So you have to realize with Disney you are paying extra for "theme" and MAYBE location...

You said it! I guess I can shine some light on this particular issue for you. I have to say that I honestly LOVE Pop Century! Call it theming, call it pixie dust but I have no desire to stay off property - even if it was for $20 per night at the Ritz. There's just something magical about being carted around to where you want to go by someone else with the theming carrying over from where you were to where you're going... It just feels so "HERE".

Yes - I would love a fridge and a microwave and a slew of other nice-to-haves but the Disney Values give me the bare minimum that I need and I guess I'm willing to settle for it, even if I pay a little more. By-the-way, we have always had a hairdryer in every value room we've been in at Disney.

...Personally I think a lot of folks who stay on Disney property really have a very limited exposure to other hotels and just "assume" that's the way things are. My friends in-laws who are true "Luxury" travelers spent ONE night at a Disney Deluxe. Packed up and moved to the the Ritz...

Just to give an example beyond your friends, my DH and I could be called world travelers. We've stayed in many luxury hotels and plenty of non-luxury (i.e. dumps) ones so I can't say I like the Disney Values because I haven't been any place nicer. Maybe my DH and I are a bit of an aberration though. I am a clean-freak and I am pretty skeeved out staying just about any place other than my own home. I do a pretty rigorous search of the room to clean and inspect and plenty of the 4-star properties I have been to have been just as dirty as the 2-stars (oh the horror stories I could tell! ). I guess maybe that gives me a different perspective. When I check into a room, I see a used bed and four walls - whether the bed is decked out in taffeta and lace or a tacky bedspread with 20-thread count sheets, it's still used Yes - makes one wonder why I travel at all Once I get over the gross factor, it's out of my head and I relax and have a ball.

To your point, I certainly wouldn't mind paying less to stay at the Values (but to be fair, I have only paid "rack" rates once so usually our stays are CHEAP and at times include free dining). Anyway, that's my reasoning for not only staying at the Values but actually loving them too. We just bought into DVC (not a lot of points yet) and plan on adding on but we still plan on staying at Values and Moderates when the good "deals" come up to mix things up. Just my two cents.

 

[Tink-n-Belle]

It's Disney so we expect LESS?????? But don't we expect MORE from Disney? Don't we pay MORE for Disney then for Six Flags because it's a superior product? Didn't a lot of us pay MORE for DVC because we thought it was a better product then "Westwood" or some other Timeshare? However, we may MORE for an inferior product with the hotels? And people RACE to pay it... As a shareholder I am pleased but as a consumer...

I paid more for DVC because I can't walk home from Epcot if I own at the Westwood or other time share. I guess the appeal to me is to own at Disney because Disney is just special to me. The same with me having to own at BLT and being a founding member. My 1st real experience with Disney was on the monorail going through the Contemporary and its has stayed with me all these years. I have no interest in owning at a Marriott or Westwood, I don't even want to trade out, but That MOUSE gets me everytime. LOL

 

[deerh]

Originally Posted by CarolA View Post
It's Disney so we expect LESS?????? But don't we expect MORE from Disney? Don't we pay MORE for Disney then for Six Flags because it's a superior product? Didn't a lot of us pay MORE for DVC because we thought it was a better product then "Westwood" or some other Timeshare? However, we may MORE for an inferior product with the hotels? And people RACE to pay it... As a shareholder I am pleased but as a consumer...

Well, for me I think BWV (where I own) is quite nice, and at least a 4 star as far as AAA is concerned. I think that 'rack rates' as others have said are MSRP, and not the norm for people paying that price. If you are unhappy as a consumer of dvc, then SELL!!!
It also depends on what you are saying is "deluxe".. Are you saying pop is? The answer is no, it is not, but you have to compare apples to apples. Comparing Westin to BWV, maybe so, but a Holiday Inn to BWV?? I don't think so..


deerh

 

[CarolA]

Well, for me I think BWV (where I own) is quite nice, and at least a 4 star as far as AAA is concerned. I think that 'rack rates' as others have said are MSRP, and not the norm for people paying that price. If you are unhappy as a consumer of dvc, then SELL!!!
It also depends on what you are saying is "deluxe".. Are you saying pop is? The answer is no, it is not, but you have to compare apples to apples. Comparing Westin to BWV, maybe so, but a Holiday Inn to BWV?? I don't think so..


deerh

1. I never spoke about DVC. I said that the unrealistic Disney pricing was one of the reasons I own DVC. My average night cost is much more in the real world range for the quality I receive!

2. Those rack rates at the Swan/Dolphin are also "MSRP" So the discounts are not exactly bringing Disney into reality.

3. It's INTERESTING that the ONLY rating agency that gives Disney 4 stars is one that get a LOT of it's business from Disney...... True independent agencies give the Disney Deluxe's three stars. Same as the Birmingham Marriott. (And I have stayed A LOT at that Marriott, it's nice, but it's not a deluxe resort either LOL!)

I compare the Disney resorts to their real world counterparts. That's why I compared the All Stars to a Fairfield Inn. I would compare a Disney "deluxe" to a Ritz or the Peabody. Pricing very comparable. Sadly Disney would come out on the short end of the comparision except for location... theme's actually something these hotels have.... I mean the Peabody does have LIVE ducks parading in the lobby! Hotels like the Gaylord have a good theme!

As I said, what I fail to understand is why folks feel the need to "defend" Disney for providing less. If they started to provide the same quality theme park product as Six Flags would we defend them then?

 

[ransom]

And yet - there is something about Disney. Maybe the theme - but more so, I think, feeling immersed in the "magic". We stayed at the Swan, and beds were better but, I don't know - something was missing.

I can tell you that for DW, a normal hotel doesn't say "Vacation" as emphatically as a Disney themed hotel. She doesn't want to stay in a hotel that looks like she's staying somewhere in the course of her job! That's why the Contemporary doesn't appeal to her, by the way. Yeah, it's got a monorail running through it, but it looks too standard-issue to her in many ways.

So, for her, her surroundings are more important than top level service while at Disney. They meet or exceed her minimums otherwise, so she'd rather enjoy the feeling the visual and audio environment gives her.

Me? I'm just happy to be in WDW!

 

[snowbunny]

I would compare a Disney "deluxe" to a Ritz or the Peabody. Pricing very comparable. Sadly Disney would come out on the short end of the comparision except for location...

That's so true. I even came up with a better rate at the Ritz Carleton one time, but ended up staying deluxe on site for the location convenience! Ugh
And as you said earlier, don't even think about loyalty rewards for repeat $$$$ stays on cash at Disney!

 

[DVC Jen]

wow! it would cost us nearly 4K just for the room -before taxes -and it wouldn't include free laundry, or the kitchenette (we stay in studios) for our upcoming june trip.


I can not say it enough LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE DVC!

Ok I just went off and crunched some numbers. When we bought into DVC we were not able to pay for it all at once - we financed. Well we are nearly done with the payments. Even with the interests we have had to pay on the loan we have clearly come out ahead.

I will use our upcoming June trip as an example. I took the nightly cost for a courtyard view, bunk bed room (which is what we would want if we did not have DVC) at the Wilderness Lodge (our home resort) for 10 nights in June of 09. Added the cost along with the 12.5% tax rate and came up with $4162.50. Then I went and added our montly payment and dues together that we have paid for the past year on DVC - and they total $2407.44. We are 2 years away from paying our DVC loan off completely and even with the interest we have had to pay - we have MORE than gotten our moneys worth out of it.

The numbers simply do not lie.

 

[starbox]

I would compare a Disney "deluxe" to a Ritz or the Peabody. Pricing very comparable. Sadly Disney would come out on the short end of the comparision except for location... theme's actually something these hotels have.... I mean the Peabody does have LIVE ducks parading in the lobby!

Other things the Peabody has (and this was not club level):
Spa-quality bathrobes and real fluffy showermats (not a skimpy towel you lay on the floor).
Enormous tile bathrooms with flat screen TVs in them.
Daily bottled water in the room, little duck-shaped soaps.
Turn-down service.
Luxury bedding/linens.

 

[TravelingJen24]

I would say a major lacking in terms of dis rooms compared to a Ritz, is not necessarily the room, but the conc. level rooms. When we stayed at the Ritz in Ca. the conc. level included all alcohol and so much food you couldn't believe. We didn't even have to eat out if we didn't want. They had their own children's club and a candy wall that children could pick from all day. I really wish dis would update their conc. level especially in Ca. They charge you an additional 175. at the GC and you only get continential breakfast. What we paid for the Ritz was less then at the GC. Silly us though, after two days there we were off to dis, using our points over Thanksgiving for five days. I think we are just addicted to the magic.