Teacher Discounts Might be Phased out at s/d

[Bill From PA]

KIS,

SPG.COM has a Government Discount listed on their site. S/D and every other Starwood property I've booked for has this rate. When using their site, I've clicked on the Gov't box and never had an issue with my school being private. This has always been presented in this forum as a Gov't/Teacher/Nurse benefit, regardless of who the employer is. My understanding, reinforced by personal experience, is that this is all one program, open to all three classes of people, and offered by all Starwood hotels/resorts. The first time I booked through SPG, I called Starwood shortly after to verify that the Teacher's discount was the same as the Gov't one, and to learn what sort of ID I'd need.

Bill From PA

 

[Geoff_M]

Bill,

I may be wrong, but my guess is the desk agent can't ascertain from your ID if the college is private or public and leaves it at that. I agree that timing may be an issue with the room availablility when calling direct versus using the web site, but if both programs are one in the same it doesn't make sense for the S/D to instruct people that they have to call them directly for the discount instead of using the normal Starwood reservation systems.


KIS,

I don't see why empolyees of a state run psychiatric center wouldn't qualify for the government rate. All that they require is that you're an employee of an institution run by a governmental authority.

 

[ww52]

Originally posted by KIS

What's "DU", ww 52? I hope you're rigth about discounts.
KIS

DU = Dreams Unlimited - the travel service that sponsors the DIS (there is a link to it on the home page). It seems the rates they are able to get for S/D are comparable to the discounts discussed on this thread.

 

[#1hockeymom]

I hope this is only a rumor and not what will really happen in the future! I felt honored that the Swan and Dolphin gave the nurse/teacher discount along with the government employee discount. It was nice to get the recognition. I do hope the discount doesn't go away since I have just recently become a convert!

Debbie

 

[KIS]

Mouseteacher and Hockeymom, Let's hope we continue to get the recognition AND the discount at s/d. I wonder if it's worth petitioning or something....

Bill from PA, Thank you for your helpful explanation. I recall seeing a related web page which only did not allow for the nurse or teacher option, only the government option. I can't recall which website it was at. I was trying to get a quote online using it but was unsuccessful. Anyway, I did what you did. I clicked on the government rate because I, too, had heard that the government and teachers' and nurses' rate was all the same in terms of the price ticket.

I think it might be worth me calling Starwood and Dolphin tonight to clarify on the Starwood category for government. I would be glad to get back to this board and share what I hear.

Geoff M, Oh, I am definitely a state worker. In NY, the state department, Office of Mental Health runs the psychiatric centers.
My husband is a public school teacher as well.

Take care and here's hoping that this program continues!

KIS

WW52 - Thanks for clearing up that DU mystery.

 

[#1hockeymom]

Kis>> Please let us know anything you find out in regards to the discounts! Look forward to hearing what the story is on the discounts.

Thank you,
Debbie

 

[swilphil]

KIS--Renting points applies to Disney Vacation Club properties like Boardwalk Villas and Beach Club Villas. They are like timeshares, and if the owners don't use them anybody can rent them. Most of the time it seems they are rented at $10 a point, but I saw someone got a last minute deal for $5 a point. You can get a lot of room for less money this way. The Swan/Dolphin Recipe Club is one of their promos. You go to the swandolphin.com site and sign up to receive one of their e-mail postcards. They send you special deals too. The only one I've received so far is the buy 3 nights, get one free. I don't know how often they send out these promos. That's fine if you call me Sherri. I just use the other as my signin name.

As far as choosing a Disney Deluxe over the Dolphin for $300/night, I would do so just because if I was paying that much money I would want something "extra" like Stormalong Bay at Beach Club.

Sherri

 

[KIS]

swilphil and others,

I didn't have a chance to call Starwood or Dolphin last night. I'll see if I can squeeze it in at work today.

Can you imagine I have a life outside of planning this trip?

I certainly will let you know what whoever I speak with has to say about whether the government SPG discount is the same as the direct reservation one at s/d.

Meanwhile, I appreciate learning about the villa deals with renting for points. One day, when I have more of a leisurely pace than today, I plan to explore that option for the future.

KIS

 

[MrsPete]

I have not talked to anyone at the Swan or Dolphn about this, but I suspect that the rumor might be true -- I hate it, but I think they could be planning to phase out the teacher discounts.

Consider . . .

The Swan /Dolphin is a deluxe property in an excellent location (in a place where location, location, and location matter most), but it has two problems: it's surrounded by newer properties and it has the disadvantage of not being a Disney resort (thus some people won't even consider it). How do they deal with these problems? They offer discounts to teachers, nurses, and government employees. This draws large groups of people and fills their rooms.

Then they do $75 million worth of rennovations. They offer the best beds on the property. This makes this more competative with the newer properties. Do they still NEED to offer the discounts? If they can fill the rooms at a higher price, they aren't going to offer the discount prices.

Again, I hope this is not true, but it does make sense to me from a business standpoint.

 

[JandD Mom]

I just wanted to add my $.02 here, though the opinion I express is just my own ...

I would doubt that Swolphin would phase out such a successful discount. I remember back a few years when Mr. Swan/Dolphin was on these boards and started the whole thing, that occupancy started to go up. The discount is offered on a space available basis (ie, if they have a big convention coming with high occupancy, the discount is not offered). Almost all hotels, just like airlines, lower their rates when demand goes down, and raise them when demand is up. So if there is a big convention coming to town on Nov 6 (when I am going) you cannot get the discount (unless of course, you know about DU ).

The same is true with the starwood 50% off discount, points and $ discount, government discount, entertainment club discount, FLA resident discount, etc.

So even if the teachers rate were discontinued, if you are going at a lower occupancy time, there will be some discount. If you are going at a high occupancy time, you will not get the teachers' discount either.

 

[KIS]

I was able to contact both the Dolphin and the Starwood program by telephone to clarify the question that emerged from our recent discussion about whether these two means of obtaining a discount were one and the same or not.

The woman in reservations at the Dolphin thought that they were, but she was not too sure. I got the number of the Starwood program from her. The fellow at the Starwood was able to clarify my confusion. Each Starwood property may well have their own programs for discount programs. For example, he explained that our nurses, teachers, and government workers direct reservation at s/d with a discount is such a program. The Starwood government employee discount program is specifically geared toward government workers travelling on official business. Starwood and the government employers (agencies) have worked out this program. The employers provide travel documents for the travelling government employee. The Starwood workers can ask to see these documents if they are not presented. Sometimes the Starwood person assumes that the employee has all that in order because the employers are responsible for informing employees about the proper use of the program and providing the documentation. That is how the program has been set into place.

It sounds a little different from what Bill of PA experienced, but there you have it, at least from me per this particular Starwood employee for what it's worth.

KIS

 

[Geoff_M]

KIS,

Thanks for the research. But like another famous debatable topic here, what the HQ tells you doesn't mean that's the way the troops in the trenches do it. My wife has used government rates at hotels before as a public school teacher, and the only thing she's ever been asked to show to a front desk clerk at check-in is an ID showing she's a school employee. I don't think they have any idea what a "travel document" even looks like. Anyone here every been asked for anything other than an ID?

 

[Bill From PA]

I show my college picture ID with 'Faculty' on it along with a current contract for a class I'm teaching that year. I present these, along with my Starwood card before being asked for anything, and that has always been that, at the Dolphin and at other Starwood properties. It's a point well taken that the 'troops' don't always know the rules because others posting here have different experiences on check-in.

Bill From PA

 

[KIS]

I would think since the s/d has a discount program of their own going with the overlapping government category, they are more lax. If the s/d did away with their own discount program for teacher/nurses/government employees perhaps the monitoring might change. Simply conjecture, here.

KIS

 

[glo]

I have talked to a director at the Swan and Dolphin, and the teacher discount is NOT being phased out.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=406598

 

[Mouseteacher]

glo, for the good news!

 

[KIS]

Thank you Glo!

You went straight to the top and asked. What a smart solution to the problem.

It's good news.

Thank you also for alerting us all who were troubled about it on this thread.

KIS

 

[gibmom]

Does anyone know if homeschoolers can get the teacher's discount?

 

[Bill From PA]

gibmom,

First time I've read that question! S/D requires a teaching certificate from any state or a paystub from any school district or school, college etc. Do you have any documentation that would identify you as a home-schooler? It can't hurt to call to the resort and ask. Good luck.

Bill From PA

 

[disnurse]

We use the govt discount at numerous hotel chains and have only been asked to show a work ID. It is pretty evident that we are not on official business with 2 kids in tow. Glo so glad to hear your news that the program is not being phased out