Surprise announcement update!

[DRDISNEYMD]

I just got off the phone making a reservation a while ago and had a very chatty CM. I asked if he knew what this was about and he said it's supposed to be a variety of things. Everything from info re: the Fantasyland Expansion (things that hadn't previously been announced/released) to some major promo. He said they weren't given many details other than beginning January 1st, it's going to be very busy for them. He said they're not normally given that kind of warning of how busy it's going to get unless it's something very big like free dining, but he doesn't know exactly what it will be, just that it will be BIG. Now, I know hearing this from a phone reservationist CM may be along the same lines of "hearing it from the bus driver", but he sounded pretty certain. We shall see!

Gosh, I really have to wonder if this will be "BIG" news. Okay, I admit it, I can't help but get excited, of course I signed up, lol. I just don't know, I'm hoping for something really unique and special that everyone could enjoy!

 

[DebbieB]

I wonder if it will be something like a free night at your hotel plus a free day on your park ticket? That would be kind of neat...it certainly seems like it's something regarding extending your stay somehow, or getting more time on your vacation. Whatever it is, hopefully it's something that will benefit everyone looking to visit in 2012.

If that's the only discount you can get, it really isn't much compared to current discounts offered. On a 5 night trip, 1 extra free night would be about 20% off. A extra day on a MYW would only be about $8 off.

 

[doconeill]

I wonder if it will be something like a free night at your hotel plus a free day on your park ticket? That would be kind of neat...it certainly seems like it's something regarding extending your stay somehow, or getting more time on your vacation. Whatever it is, hopefully it's something that will benefit everyone looking to visit in 2012.

Disney's done far better than that in the past with the 4/3 and 5/2 deals - pay for 4 or more days, and get 3 free, etc. That applied to both room and tickets in a package (don't recall if dining was also included). Of course, it did squat for the DVC members and locals.

 

[Marshay]

Disney's done far better than that in the past with the 4/3 and 5/2 deals - pay for 4 or more days, and get 3 free, etc. That applied to both room and tickets in a package (don't recall if dining was also included). Of course, it did squat for the DVC members and locals.

yeah, we did the 4/3 deal a few years ago and that was great! No dining for us with that. Now that we are DVC and many times AP, I'm hoping for at least FPs if not something better.

Also, we leave in 26 days so it'll be interesting to see if we can even take advantage of this promo...may need to add a 2nd trip in the fall...

 

[Selket]

What if Disney offered a park ticket equal to the one you bought in 2012 (good on a return trip, good only in 2013 or something to mean a return visit). So a family buying four - 7 day tickets in 2012 would get 4/7 tickets for a return visit.

I don't think it is just something to do with the leap year extra day.

The 4/3 room promo they had a few years ago would be better than just getting an extra hotel day.

It would have to be something like 4/3 or free dining to get people to jump on it (or GAD).

 

[jayandstacey]

Pure conjecture:

Disney has a capacity problem, not an attendance problem. I like the 24 hour thing but maybe it goes well beyond just one day.

What if every weekend includes 24 hour 'nights'? Like, Epcot every friday night and MK and DHS every Saturday night? Maybe they shift around; over time - but every weekend includes such a night or more.

Staff is there anyway. Maintenance can wait one night. And it becomes a selling point..."come in Saturday and not leave until YOU are ready to!" It might also make the mornings and midday more comfortable on those days.

I doubt it will happen but one can dream, right?

 

[fla4fun]

You are tired.. you are looking at it wrong as far as a passholder. You obtain a pass that is good for one year.. that year is a calendar year regardless if it is leap year or not. If they do a promo where it is adding a day to a multi-day ticket.. we do get cheated.. our pass is for one calendar year.. and the "29th" is included on that calendar.. Now if they were to extend our expiration date by a day, then we would be getting that "day".

I guess I was looking at it from the stand point that normally I get 366 days on my AP (11/27 through 11/27) and the current pass will give me 367 days during that same period - so I have one more day than I had for the last pass. While it's not as flashy as adding an extra day on a multi day, it's still an extra day in 2012. But I see your logic as well.

I'm still hoping for something related to resort stays . . .

 

[MrsDuck]

Thank you! I signed up!

 

[larryz]

I'm guessing it's along the lines of "buy four, get one free." Get it? "One more" Disney day.

It looks like a great deal, but then again, it's just a 20% discount.

 

[larryz]

Disney's done far better than that in the past with the 4/3 and 5/2 deals - pay for 4 or more days, and get 3 free, etc. That applied to both room and tickets in a package (don't recall if dining was also included). Of course, it did squat for the DVC members and locals.

Yeah, but that was before Iger announced they were cutting back on the promos.

I'll admit that I've received far fewer pins than in years past, and those I have received were tied to specific dates I had projected on their reservations website.

I think that with all the capital expenditure (FLE, Art of Animation, redo at DCA) they're unlikely to go to the 30 - 45% discount zone except in limited applications.

Doesn't matter to me, really, unless it's a long-term deal, as I'm in the SISK demographic now (single income, squatting kids). We aren't going back as a family until the FLE is done and the initial crush dies down -- I figure it'll be Jan 2014 before that happens. (yeah, right -- I'm still waiting for the "initial crush" to die down on TSMM...)

 

[PolynesianLili]

Also, the discounts for the general public are lower for next year as well. Usually we would get 30% off at least, but this time for our trip in April/May it is only a 20% discount. Don't get me wrong though, any discount is nice to receive.

Signed up as well, thank you so much for posting this thread!

 

[LMN]

Thanks for the heads up, OP! I just signed up. I am really curious to see what this announcement is! We are planning a June 2012 trip, so hopefully it will be something we can use. And to the pp that posted an idea about Disney doing a "buy a package in 2012 get that same package for 2013"- I LOVE IT! Not so sure they would do that, but that would be something that would have me and many others running for the phones to book their trips!!

 

[EMHDad]

I don't see the leap day 24 hour idea happening. Their promotion needs to be big enough and widespread enough to really generate new/repeat business. That means being widespread available throughout the year. The extra day concrept is more likely. However, there will also almost certainly be limitations. Giving every person an extra day would cause such an increase in park attendance beyond and benefit of new business.

Their birthday promotion was available all year, and they got to market it all year, but only a small percentage of the overall pop. actually redeemed it. The GAD program capped out at a million people.

If it is as good as we hope, there will be a cap in who can participate in some form. (it will still be a lot, but not universal).

 

[PolynesianLili]

Hypothetically - If they were to give an extra day lets say, what would happen to those people who already have their park tickets bought? (Not that I think this will happen...)

 

[doconeill]

Hypothetically - If they were to give an extra day lets say, what would happen to those people who already have their park tickets bought? (Not that I think this will happen...)

"So sorry."

It really depends on what the "extra day" actually is.

With the 4/3 deals, nothing was done. If you wanted to take part, you HAD to get the package through Disney.

With the free 1-day base ticket deals (Birthday and GAD), they offered other options, like a pin set, special Fastpasses, etc. But they never offered that to everyone before - it was always limited to a certain percentage of the overall guests.

 

[sjs314]

I'm guessing it's along the lines of "buy four, get one free." Get it? "One more" Disney day.

It looks like a great deal, but then again, it's just a 20% discount.

Exactly what I think. While buy 4 get 3 free would be wonderful I do not see it happening the way Disney has scaled back discounts.
As you said 1 free day sounds great but in actually depending on what level resort your at the % of savings is not all that great. I did the Math on our upcoming trip in March and we are saving more with the 30% Spring Offer.

At least we only have a week to wait to see what the "Big Announcement" is.

 

[Robo]

I'm guessing it's along the lines of "buy four, get one free." Get it? "One more" Disney day.

It looks like a great deal, but then again, it's just a 20% discount.

If you're talking strictly about park tickets,
Disney "giving away" a fifth day is not nearly a 20% discount.

Adult 4-day: $243
Adult 5-day: $251

Difference: $ 8.00

Percent: 3.9% savings.

If you are including the Resort Room, then, yes, it is about a 20% savings.

(All prices, plus tax.)

 

[larryz]

If you're talking strictly about park tickets...

Nope -- more like package discounts. Something along the lines of, "Buy a 5 day/4 night non-discounted Disney lodging package including Magic Your Way tickets, and we'll add one free day to your package, giving you and your family one more Disney day to enjoy, and even more memories that will last a lifetime."

Of course, what would make it even nicer is if that one free day would include Premier or Platinum package privileges, but I am not going to hold my breath on that one...

 

[LMO429]

I think it would be nice idea whether you bought a one day pass, annual pass or stay on site. That you receive a one time fast pass per park. This would allow more "time" to experience more at disneyworld. Just a thought but I doubt that this is what the annoucement is about

 

[larryz]

If everyone in a park has a park-wide fastpass, then nobody has a park-wide fastpass.