So..Let's Talk about how Disney is cutting down on the Discounts

[dawgsgirl]

All the madness today got me to thinking about how Disney has been saying they were going to wean us off the discounts. Seems like the free dining was only limited to black out dates and even the mods got DDP. And the offer even went into 2012. What is going on?? Were the bookings that low?? Is Disney having trouble weaning itself off free dining? What do yo think??

 

[gigi1976]

AND... this offer doesn't require the memory book or whatever that was!

 

[KatieCollette]

yeah what the heck is up with this? I guess they did cut back on the dates a little bit, compared to last year. And I was expecting to have to buy that stupid memory book, glad that I don't have to!!!!

BTW, can't wait for our vacation!!

 

[Bete]

economy, the jobless rate, the stock market and that's why Disney is doing free dining once again.

I was thinking about all those old threads and posts that said you better get use to higher prices and so forth at WDW.

At least we all have a little while longer to enjoy better prices.

 

[saskdw]

Yes, I do think the bookings are that low. They will continue to analyze whether they can cut back on discounts, but if the rooms are not full they have to fill than some how. Too much money invested there to not have people in the parks.

 

[padawans]

There was nothing available at the yc , bc(except water view) or bw for my dates oct 4-9 with a ap discount. I ended up with BWV sudio. Its a nice discount there offering, but the availability seems very limited.

 

[dawgsgirl]

I totally agree that the AP discounts are crappy, but the free dining seems to have plenty of availabilty. Free dining makes Disney more money and it seems that is where the most discounts are.

 

[sjs314]

FD is the most profitable of the discounts Disney offers. It fills rooms at rack rate, keep guests on property and relative food cost is low giving Disney a larger profit margin than other discounts such as % off room rates.

It remains to be seen what Disney will roll out as far as other discounts

 

[padawans]

I totally agree that the AP discounts are crappy, but the free dining seems to have plenty of availabilty. Free dining makes Disney more money and it seems that is where the most discounts are.

I was excited when I saw the 40% off, but then disappointed when I started checking availabilty. Fd won't be on my radar until my kids are disney adults. I am still not sure thats better than a room discount when you will only stay at a deluxe. I wanted to go for four nights in Dec and stay at GF. I have tried every combination of dates available, and I cannot find availabilty at that resort.

 

[havoc315]

FD is the most profitable of the discounts Disney offers. It fills rooms at rack rate, keep guests on property and relative food cost is low giving Disney a larger profit margin than other discounts such as % off room rates.

It remains to be seen what Disney will roll out as far as other discounts

Bingo. A handful of free dining weeks is not a very costly for Disney, especially where they can then book the rooms at rack rate. Plus, you don't know how many rooms are actually allotted to the discount.

But they key is -- if Disney gives $1,000 off the room rate -- that is much more costly for Disney compared to giving you "$1,000 worth of free dining."
Especially when talking about the deluxe hotels, Disney would much much rather give you free dining than a generous room discount.

We'll need to wait and see what Disney does with room discounts over the coming months.

 

[jennabcassell]

I'm upset that they dont offer anything like free dining for us Fla res/AP holders. Our discounts are about the same for the rooms but since were not buying tickets we can't get free dining?? Ive priced out both and its just more expensive for us to book with the free dining.

 

[SarahD]

The CM I booked with today said they found out about the offer yesterday and that they had all been told "No more free dining discounts". I told her "Good luck getting us to believe the end of discounts has arrived ever again!"

 

[carebee21]

I'm not at all suprised to see a free dining offer and expect to see one for most of 2012 as well. As already stated, free dining is the most profitable discount for Disney. It helps ensure people stay on site to sleep, play and eat. And if they're onsite, they're likely to spend their spending/souveiner money there. Plus the economy hasn't improved to warrant most people taking a full price Disney vacation.

And lastly, 2012 may be a difficult year to try to sell people on a full price Disneyworld vacation because parts of the new fantasyland expansion are slated to begin opening in 2013. If this was our once in a lifetime vacation, an every couple of year vacation, or a vacation where I wasn't certain if we would be able to afford coming back again for x number of years, I would hold off on coming until the expansion is complete. So based on this, I tend to think bookings are down or low for 2012.