Thinking about paying 'rack' - am i nuts?

[aka-mad4themouse]

I would pay rack rate if that's all I could get for my choice of resort and dates. However, the cheapskate in me just hates to pay full price for anything, so I would look for the best possible deal for that resort and dates before I settled on the rack rate.

Definitely look into a AAA membership if you are determined to get a package. It's the only possible discount for your dates, right now. And then keep your eyes peeled for any codes that can be applied.

 

[Peter Pirate]

Well, certainly they should do what's best for them...They asked if we (the board members) thought they "were nuts?" ... Some of us do, some don't.

As for skiwee and I debating, I think we're following the guidelines of this topic and I'd hardly call this sharing of opinions a debate. We have different views which I believe were presented in a fair and respectful manner.

Anyway, certainly the OP should do what is right for them, I just don't think rack (especially at a deluxe) would ever be in my plans.

 

[EthansMom]

Not everyone has what it takes to get the extreme discounts -- booking a hotel reservation at the AAA rate and calling CRO constantly to find out if an AP rate is available. Reviewing each and every menu to find out if you can "make money" on the dining plan. Many people would find that nuts.

I say that if a package deal seems like it would be better for you, then it probably would. I would try to book it through AAA though. You should be able to save money with AAA, even after the cost of the card.

Enjoy your vacation! That's the important part.

EthansMom

 

[AbbysFamily]

Thanks for all the advice...
With all the discussion of codes on these boards, I'm just glad that I've got some feedback that backs me up on what I'm thinking.

However, I will definately look into the idea of a AAA membership. If I can get 20% off the room I will save about $150 after paying for the card. That would mean a decent savings, even after paying $60 for the card.

The only thing that had me questioning that approach is that I've seen several threads where people try AAA and don't get any better rates than thru disney.

As for the other debate - I have no issue with it.. It was just another perspective on my question. But this trip is going to be disney... My daughter loves the princesses, and I'm a big disney kid too...

As for continually calling to find out about discounts - why do that when I've got this site??

 

[DancingBear]

You don't have to go through AAA, just ask when you call WDW if there is a AAA rate available. I don't think you have to give your AAA membership number until you check in, so you don't have to join AAA unless the discounts are available. Here is what Mousesavers.com has to say about AAA rates:

__________________________
AAA and CAA Resort Hotel Discounts
American Automobile Association (AAA) and Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) vacation packages are not usually discounted. However, there are AAA/CAA "room only" discounts. You can generally save about 10-20% at the Disney resort hotels, depending on the season.

In general, the discounts run as follows:

During Value Season you can get up to 15% off at the Disney Deluxe and Home-Away-From-Home resorts, or 20% off at the Value and Moderate resorts and the Ft. Wilderness campsites.
During Regular Season you can usually get up to 10% off at the Disney Deluxe and Home-Away-From-Home resorts, or 15% off at the Value and Moderate resorts and the Ft. Wilderness campsites.
During Peak Season you can usually get up to 10% off at the Disney Deluxe and Home-Away-From-Home resorts, or 15% off at the Value and Moderate resorts.
The only time AAA/CAA discounts don't usually apply is Holiday Season (around Christmas).
AAA/CAA discounts are not always the best rates available; if discount codes are active, they usually beat these rates. However, sometimes the AAA/CAA discounts are the only ones available for certain popular times of year. (See the historical trends chart for more details, to get an idea when deeper discounts won't be available.)

You don't have to book AAA/CAA rates through the Auto Club. Room-only reservations with an AAA discount can be booked directly through the Disney Reservation Center at (407) W-DISNEY. Just call and ask if there is an AAA or CAA discount for your dates and resort.
__________________________________

BTW, I've had AAA for years and we get our money's worth from the occassional towing, jumpstarting, changing a flat tire service, plus the maps, let alone the discounts.

I understand what my friend Mr. Pirate is saying, but I think everyone's a bit fixated on "rack rates." Either the price is worth it to you vs. the other travel alternatives you might be interested in, or not.

 

[Leota]

I was asked for my AAA number when booking AAA rate for AKL this April. I wish they would do that for AP rates as well, but that's another debate....


Anyways - Not nuts at all. We have booked packages & felt we got good value. We have paid rack rates at Deluxe resorts because we had our hearts set on staying there during a particular time frame. We have been flexible & booked with general & AP code rates when we could. Each time we enjoyed our trip just as much & each time had no problem paying for what we wanted. We were prepared to pay rack at AKL this coming trip because that's where I want to celebrate my birthday.It's Spring Break & Peak rates. I was able to get AAA with one phone call & if AP rates come out, I will definatly try to get lucky, but am not worried or stressed about it. It is a vacation after all, it shouldn't be stressful.

 

[bigbabyblues]

We're also planning on doing the dining package, which means we'll pay rack rate for the room, but to us, it's ok. Everyone is different on what they are and aren't willing to pay for, and there are different options for all of us. We're staying at Pop Century too Abbysfamily, and I can't wait!

Steph

 

[trirae]

I don't think you're nuts either. I have a feeling that when the time comes, I may be doing the same thing. I really like the dining package. I know it's not for everyone, but we like the feel. It would be great if they came out with some package discounts, but since that seems unlikely, go with what feels comfortable. We like having the food decided on.

Good luck to you!

 

[JeffnFl]

Heck, I live in Florida and am spoiled by the discounts, but when the opportunity came to visit DW in March - peak season <gulp>, with no discounts available <double gulp> - I bit the bullet and booked not only a deluxe, I booked a tower room at the CR. This will be twice what I paid last December for a garden view at the GF, and I remember myself then saying that anyone who pays more than $250 for a Disney hotel has got to be nuts. So, if you are nuts, then I am nuts. If it is what you want and you can afford it, then go for it. The memory of your stay will most likely last far longer than your memory of how much you paid. (And least I am counting on that to be true with me!)

 

[estnh]

We are annual Disney visitors, and usually use a code of some sort. However, when the MYW dining package came out this year, we also opted for a package over a code.

However, I would urge you to join AAA. If you are staying for 6 or 7 nights it will pay for itself, and you will have the benefits of the membership for a year.
You do have to book the package through AAA--Disney will give you a room only reservation with AAA discount, but not the package.

There are also some other benefits to the AAA MYW package, including special parking areas, the AAA lounge, and a few other minor items.

We think the dining package is great, and would have paid rack rates if we had to, but a least the AAA package gives you a few bucks off!

 

[Sheaboys]

I am in the same boat. I just don't have the patience or the time to look for codes, research codes etc. I checked out prices on the websites out there, including disney. So I know the prices for rack rate, that we can afford, which is moderate for either 6 or 7 nights and the MYW with dining. Since we are a family of 5, one of them under 3 (changing while on vacation), he can share with his other brothers the meals and sit down meals with us. The other boys are 5 and 7 at time of travel. I want this paid for before we go, I don't want to deal with allocating cash for certain meals. I feel we would spend much more if not on the plan, or we would not go to many of the sit down character meals or expensive stuff, feeling if we did not have the cash for it, or just feeling cheap about it, and then all the magic would be gone if we scimped, you know what I mean. But I will you tell you this, I am going to use a disney travel agent, possibly Magic for Less, so that way if discounts do come out, they will apply them and look for them, I won't have to. Plus they will do my PS's, another thing I am not so sure I can do.
BTW, we don't take vacations every year, dh does not get paid vacation time, holiday, sick or anything, so we are always on a tight budget, since I stay at home. But this is our 10th anniversary and we honeymooned there, I really want to spend a week with the kids there. We have gone to the World and Disneyland, but only for 1-2 nights max. Not enough time to really enjoy all the Magic.

 

[Cindybell]

Not everyone has what it takes to get the extreme discounts -- booking a hotel reservation at the AAA rate and calling CRO constantly to find out if an AP rate is available. Reviewing each and every menu to find out if you can "make money" on the dining plan. Many people would find that nuts.

That is just to funny and to true.

 

[NJDisneymom]

another option I don't think I saw mentioned was letting a Disney specializing travel agency do the legwork for you on discounts. dreamsunlimited and magicaljourneys come to mind.

They can book the package for you at rack rate and if a discount on packages happens to come along they might be able to get it for you. This way you are not constantly on the lookout for codes and such.

And I do not think you are nuts. I booked my trip at rack rate, if a discount comes out in the next 2 weeks great, if not we are still going. This is our 2nd family trip to Disney, our dates were not negotiable (thanks to DH's job) and I'm not sure we will get there again in the next few years (GASP!) so we are just doing it. Yes, if I had the opportunity to go any time there were discounts I would certainly hold out for them, but that isn't always the case for many of us.

 

[Peter Pirate]

With all of you people willing to pay rack rates at WDW I now understand why prices are rising and discounts are slimming. They are doing very, very well and people think it's worth the money even at full price.

Good for Disney, bad for folks like me who don't feel it's worth full price. Oh well, I said earlier that there was more to see in the world, I guess I may get the chance to actually see it.

 

[Dobie]

Well, we couldn't get a discount for spring break so instead we're flying to San Francisco (a great city) for 187.00 per person. Staying at the Wharf (Sheraton) for two nights, a great hotel in Napa for two nights (doing a balloon ride and winery trip via limo) then onto Mendocino for horseback riding, whale watching, redwood forest train ride, etc.. Of course not to mention the fine dining, wine tasting, mueseum visits (Alcatraz at night) and nature in its splendor and more for way less than WDW would have cost. And we may make a day trip to Reno/Lake Tahoe so the kids can see snow for the first time...

The moral? The real world is out there and sometimes it is a better deal than fantasyland.

We actually went to SF last year because at the last minute the peasants decided they didn't want to cope with the heat of WDW in July.

We stayed at the Wharf Sheraton. Horrible service. Small, small, small rooms. Rude staff. The people at the "concierge" desk just wanted to sell us a time share. Great chowder in the bar. Great location.

ALcatraz smells. See a Giants game.

 

[leighe]

I would pay rack to get the resort I really, really wanted. However, we like so many of them and there are usually such good codes, AP rates that we usually go with a resort where we can get a good rate. DH and I really want to try YC this summer so I may pay rack (or at least AAA) for that if I have to.

Have a great trip!

 

[swilphil]

You don't have to go through AAA, just ask when you call WDW if there is a AAA rate available. I don't think you have to give your AAA membership number until you check in, so you don't have to join AAA unless the discounts are available......

You can only get AAA discounts on room-only reservations when you call Disney directly. To get package discounts, you have to book through AAA.

 

[tigerlilly]

I don't think you are nuts at all. We are dealing with all the same decisions right now. These internet sites are great but sometimes I think I read them and think "I should try for a code, I should wait for a better deal"...On our first trip to WDW we did a package and it was great...no stress. Now I am stressing myself out trying to decide what to do. Do I wait for codes to book? Do I book a room now and hope codes come out? What if I book and everyone else books and then no codes come out since everything is booked ? You could literally drive yourself insane...this isn't a vacation this is an invasion of Orlando...Disneyworld to be exact

 

[AbbysFamily]

Just to update everyone on my decision:

Due to some health complexities (grandparents coming along), we've decided to bite the bullet and deal directly with Disney. The discounts would be nice, and I may attempt to watch for them, but in general the headaches of dealing w/AAA, etc won't be worth it. (seeing too many problem threads there).

We are going to go for the low stress approach... If a discount happens, cool - If not, well thats ok too.

Thanks again to all for the advice.

 

[DancingBear]

Due to some health complexities (grandparents coming along), we've decided to bite the bullet and deal directly with Disney. The discounts would be nice, and I may attempt to watch for them, but in general the headaches of dealing w/AAA, etc won't be worth it. (seeing too many problem threads there).

Once again, you don't have to "deal" with AAA to get the AAA discount, other than getting your membership. Just ask when you call Disney if any AAA discount is available.