So much for being excited about free dining...

[TigrLvsPooh]

My main issue with using a travel agent, is not having control over my hotel and dining reservations. I could not change or cancel my own dining reservations until arrival. The agent would have to make that call.

Actually you always have control of your own dining reservations. Just link the ADR confirmation #'s to your MDE account.

 

[aaarcher86]

I agree the returning guests and already booked disney guests should receive FD . We are the reasons disney is what it is...

That doesn't make any kind of sense from a business stand point (which is what Disney is in the end).

If all of my rooms are booked for $100 why would I turn around let everyone have them for $80, cutting my profits? I want to shift the desire to the rooms I need filled, not the ones I already have.

 

[todd222222]

We had AoA Lion King booked for Nov 15-22

We are going the exact same dates and when I looked online yesterday morning at 7:50am the only thing available at AoA was Cars and Generic Family Suite - I went to check something else and came back 3 minutes later and they only think available was the Generic Family Suite - so I booked it.

I started looking around 7:15am...had lots of problems with the site, basically finding the link to book, looks like they kind of "hide" it so that they could control the load on the server. But using the links provided on this site I was able to search and eventually book around 8:00am

I was just curious and I continued to check to see if it was available, I looked at 10am and it was...but when I looked at Noon they were not.

This is why I didn't use a TA (even a Disney specific one)- I didn't have a previous reservation so I knew I could just book it online figuring it would be easier to do it myself and not have to call to change a reservation.

I know their are people out there who have a great relationship with their TA and their TA will go to the moon and back to take care of their clients, booking their reservations first....I don't have that....so I knew I would be towards the "bottom" of the list of clients they would be booking for....I didn't want to risk that so I held out and booked it myself.

Just keep checking your dates, I hope they open up for you.

As far as moving everyone who booked to free dining, I completely disagree. Airlines don't do this....if a lower fare comes out you can often get a credit for the difference, but you have to make the call, just like with Disney. The point of these offers is to fill rooms that have gone unsold.

It seems this time the demand for the rooms that have the offer has outpaced the supply....maybe this is on purpose, trying to get those who will go anyway to book the left over rooms.


Todd

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

That doesn't make any kind of sense from a business stand point (which is what Disney is in the end). If all of my rooms are booked for $100 why would I turn around let everyone have them for $80, cutting my profits? I want to shift the desire to the rooms I need filled, not the ones I already have.

I've been thinking the same thing. When something goes on sale at a store for a great price, it often says "no rain checks". Once stock is gone, it's gone. Even stores that offer price matching have a time limit on when you can come back to get a lower price. Every other hotel chain I've stayed at offers special discounts on some rooms, but when the allotment of rooms is booked, they don't offer the discount to all the other rooms. Even airlines like SW have restrictions on getting money back if the price is lowered on your flight. You have to be on top of it and call and ask for the lower price, while it is still available.

People have ridiculous standards when it comes to Disney. And don't give me that "they call themselves the most magical place on earth so they did this to themselves" line. Being magical requires money. Tinker bell can't wave her wand to pay the electric bill.

 

[Bama_C]

I've been thinking the same thing. When something goes on sale at a store for a great price, it often says "no rain checks". Once stock is gone, it's gone. Even stores that offer price matching have a time limit on when you can come back to get a lower price. Every other hotel chain I've stayed at offers special discounts on some rooms, but when the allotment of rooms is booked, they don't offer the discount to all the other rooms. Even airlines like SW have restrictions on getting money back if the price is lowered on your flight. You have to be on top of it and call and ask for the lower price, while it is still available.

People have ridiculous standards when it comes to Disney. And don't give me that "they call themselves the most magical place on earth so they did this to themselves" line. Being magical requires money. Tinker bell can't wave her wand to pay the electric bill.

I agree completely. Disney is a business. They do not OWE us their loyalty even if we choose to give them ours. They are definitely a cut above in the service department, but the bottom line is the bottom line.

The WHOLE reason they offer the FD promotion in the first place is to FILL rooms that were not being filled otherwise. When those rooms become filled (pre-booked due to anticipation of FD promo) then the BUSINESS NEED of offering a promo for those rooms is taken away. It is a LOGICAL issue. They can't know which or how many of those who booked the rooms are waiting for FD. So, we who are waiting for the FD to ACTUALLY be announced are stuck with whatever inventory they have left.

And it just amazes me that those who pre-book have the audacity to complain about availability or not being able to upgrade their ressie. It's about the bottom line... simple mathematics.

 

[caselaw3]

I was on the phone within 5 minutes this morning and AOA suites were sold out for our dates--it most likely isn't the TA's fault. Hopefully they gave you a variety of options for your dates. You can get two rooms at Pop for less than one suite at AOA, so you don't have to spend more for less room.

I'm sorry you didn't get it, and I hope something will open up for you soon, but it sounds like you knew that you were increasing the likelihood of fewer rooms being made available for the FD discount, and knew that having one booked didn't guarantee you FD, but you pre-booked anyway. It is exactly as many here warned; while it always stinks to be the example, by virtue of stating you know all the reasons not to pre-book, you were better aware than many that it would be a hindrance. It isn't Disney's fault that they followed the same algorithm for allocating discounts as the rest of the industry.

Again, I really hope a suite opens up for you once the madness dies down

How does pre-booking hurt? Cant you just cancel and rebook when the discount offers come out? I am just curious - I have prebooked for next Feb. but i did so because I wanted to have the money to pay for the hotel up front - which I was able to do....now I am just waiting to see what discounts come out before I purchase dining, etc....

What is the danger in having pre-booked? not getting the room I already have?

thanks

 

[caselaw3]

It is too late now, but when I called last week to book my fd trip all the aoa family rooms were available. I have a disney debit from chase and I get the same advantages except points as a credit card holder. It may be worth it to get that card for future use so you can get in on deals earlier. Good luck.

How do you get that debit card?

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

How does pre-booking hurt? Cant you just cancel and rebook when the discount offers come out? I am just curious - I have prebooked for next Feb. but i did so because I wanted to have the money to pay for the hotel up front - which I was able to do....now I am just waiting to see what discounts come out before I purchase dining, etc.... What is the danger in having pre-booked? not getting the room I already have? thanks

Promos are offered because rooms are not full and Disney is trying to entice people who weren't planning on going to visit. By pre-booking, you increase the number of rooms that are already full, either lowering the amount of rooms available under the promo that need to be filled, or removing the need for a promo at that hotel all together.

If a promo comes out for your trip after you book, you can call and have the promo applied IF there is still inventory available of rooms designated for the promo.

 

[caselaw3]

Promos are offered because rooms are not full and Disney is trying to entice people who weren't planning on going to visit. By pre-booking, you increase the number of rooms that are already full, either lowering the amount of rooms available under the promo that need to be filled, or removing the need for a promo at that hotel all together.

If a promo comes out for your trip after you book, you can call and have the promo applied IF there is still inventory available of rooms designated for the promo.

ahhh got it
I had to pre-book because I am not good at saving money - so when I got my tax return in - I booked and paid for our room only - hopefully we will be able to get where we need to be when and if promos come out for Feb.