Throwaway room (read post #2041 or #2710 before posting)

[wordwitt]

I actually contributed to a thread in September on this same subject that got deleted. Not locked. Deleted. At the time, there were a fair number of people making reservations that they cancelled after receiving Magic Bands. I think Disney definitely frowned on this, because that has apparently become more difficult. However, I made a one night reservation at the Pop before my regular DVC reservation at BWV just so we could test the bands and FP+. I paid for the reservation and had no intention of canceling. In fact, we even tried to get out of Denver in time to use the night at the Pop, but couldn't.

I was called many choice names on the board-- among the most common were variations of "stupid" and "immoral." I still maintain there was nothing immoral about paying for a reservation and not actually occupying the room during a time when there was plenty of room availability at the Pop. ( I can see how the campground may present a unique circumstance, based on reports of limited availability of sites.) As to the accusation that doing so was "stupid," it absolutely was worth it to us. It was my husband's first trip to WDW, and he is sort of a tech geek, so the concept was very appealing to him. On top of it, they just worked well for us and our touring style. (There was no tiering then.) After my stay, I completed an in-depth survey about the experience, and I even provided more feedback at a later date.

Anyway, we had a fantastic time, and I would absolutely do it again if the project was still in limited testing. But it's not, so for us the issue is moot.

 

[nugov2]

Okay, I understand why people might do this at Disney, since at times you can get Value resorts for less than $100 per night.

But why would you ever do this at Universal? To get Unlimited Express Pass, you have to stay in a $300+ per night room. If you're going to spend that and not use it, just buy the Unlimited Express! And these are really nice rooms at fancy resorts. Why *wouldn't* you want to stay there, if you've paid for it?

Universal Express pass can vary from 40 pp to 90 pp x 4 you could pay up to 360 a day at peak time. You get the pass for two days so if you are staying during peak season you save $420 by booking the room. Even at 40 a day x4 you pay 160 a day so depending on the discount you could still save a little bit.

 

[helenb]

Universal Express pass can vary from 40 pp to 90 pp x 4 you could pay up to 360 a day at peak time. You get the pass for two days so if you are staying during peak season you save $420 by booking the room. Even at 40 a day x4 you pay 160 a day so depending on the discount you could still save a little bit.

$300 per night is for value season. During peak times (when the UW is most expensive) it's well over $400, plus taxes. Still, I see what you're saying. Regardless, it's a very close breakeven, and the room is very nice. It's not like booking a Value resort at Dinsey but staying in a deluxe off-site hotel. I'm still not getting why someone wouldn't just stay there.

 

[mare1203]

If someone wants to book a room to get the "perks", so be it. They are still paying for it. If it wasn't being paid for, then it would bother me.

And, having worked at Fort Wilderness, you have no way of knowing what is going on with those campsites. Not everyone checks in on Sunday and out on Saturday. The rooms are placed 2 days prior if possible and at the earliest, and there are actually a lot of caveats to FW because of RV and pop-up sizing, etc. While it may look like there are unused campsites, that doesn't mean they are actually going to stay empty for the week. Someone could check-in on Tuesday. Many, many, many people do the Friday-Monday thing at the campground, leaving Tues, Weds, Thurs pretty empty, but full on the other days. A lot of times it's those weekenders that end up making your week long wants unavailable.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Who is to say paying for valet isn't a waste, but booking a room you won't use to get a perk is. That paying for private dinning on a beach isn't a waste, but paying for VIP tour is.

Apples and oranges. Nobody pays for Valet Parking unless they utilize this service. While it's conceivable that someone might pay for private dining (note single "n" in middle and that 'dinning' isn't a word) or a VIP Tour then not actually show up for the event - you're comparing paying for to using. Apples and oranges.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Universal Express pass can vary from 40 pp to 90 pp x 4 you could pay up to 360 a day at peak time. You get the pass for two days so if you are staying during peak season you save $420 by booking the room. Even at 40 a day x4 you pay 160 a day so depending on the discount you could still save a little bit.

$300 per night is for value season. During peak times (when the UW is most expensive) it's well over $400, plus taxes. Still, I see what you're saying. Regardless, it's a very close breakeven, and the room is very nice. It's not like booking a Value resort at Dinsey but staying in a deluxe off-site hotel. I'm still not getting why someone wouldn't just stay there.

A $300 per night room with tax would be $337.50.
The Express Pass would be the $40 because, well, value season is value season and the price depends on how busy it is.
Four $40 Express Passes times two nights plus tax comes to - wait for it - $340.80. Yup, a grand total saved of $3.30. Except it's not, because they're also paying for the offsite hotel .

 

[helenb]

A $300 per night room with tax would be $337.50.
The Express Pass would be the $40 because, well, value season is value season and the price depends on how busy it is.
Four $40 Express Passes times two nights plus tax comes to - wait for it - $340.80. Yup, a grand total saved of $3.30. Except it's not, because they're also paying for the offsite hotel .

Good point! See, this is why this confuses me. It would make a lot more sense if they were booking Cabana Bay, but that doesn't come with Universal Express (and I'm guessing this is why).

 

[kaytieeldr]

If someone wants to book a room to get the "perks", so be it. They are still paying for it. If it wasn't being paid for, then it would bother me.

And, having worked at Fort Wilderness, you have no way of knowing what is going on with those campsites. Not everyone checks in on Sunday and out on Saturday. The rooms are placed 2 days prior if possible and at the earliest, and there are actually a lot of caveats to FW because of RV and pop-up sizing, etc. While it may look like there are unused campsites, that doesn't mean they are actually going to stay empty for the week. Someone could check-in on Tuesday. Many, many, many people do the Friday-Monday thing at the campground, leaving Tues, Weds, Thurs pretty empty, but full on the other days. A lot of times it's those weekenders that end up making your week long wants unavailable.

But there's a reasonable difference between the weekender who actually camps, and the perk-seeker renting a campsite and another offsite room/home just to take advantage.

 

[2Tiggies]

I'm not sure Disney would have a real problem with someone paying at least $100 for an onsite room just to get the magic bands. The problem lies with the guests who might want to book a room in a resort that turns out to be full, to come here and read that people are booking rooms they have no intention of staying in. Obviously they get frustrated and consider doing so to be rude. Not long ago we had people staying offsite or at DVC who would book a value resort room for an entire week and never stay in it, just to get the free dining. Doesn't matter to Disney as long as you pay for the room and show up to check in.

Disney confuses me with what sometimes seems to be inconsistency. (Okay maybe more than just sometimes, but it in this case it may just be that I don't really get it and cause my own confusion?)

In 2012 we had a trip booked at POFQ. I wanted a few nights CL at the Poly but couldn't afford to upgrade us for the full 18 nights so I called Disney and asked if I could just book the Poly for 3 nights in the middle of our stay and not check out of POFQ as we would be back a few days later. (I really didn't want to have to take ALL our luggage for a few nights so wasn't going to clear out the POFQ room). Even though I was happy to be paying for two resorts at the same time in low season, they wouldn't allow it. I made 3 phone calls and spoke with different agents and they were all consistent with one thing: not allowed.

I'm not disputing that they may not take issue with someone paying for a room and not using it; It's just that it makes no sense to me at all

 

[Laketravis]

Could you please post the link to the page that indicates it's okay to rent, but not use, a WDW room/campsite in order to benefit from the perks granted to only onsite guests?

Can you post a link to a page that indicates it isn't?

Relatively certain that Disney's definition of use includes occupy.

Which means you aren't sure. Can you provide Disney's definition of use and how my presence in the room (and for how long?) is required to fulfill that obligation?

Are you seriously trying to argue that I am violating the contract with Disney if I reserve a room, pay for that room, but don't sleep in that room?


By the way, here are Disney's complete T&C in regards to room reservations:

Room Only Terms & Conditions:

Deposit Requirements:

A credit card deposit must be received at time of booking or the reservation will be automatically cancelled.

Room Location and Information:

Adjacent rooms, connecting rooms or specific room location and types of rooms or bedding are on a "request basis only" and are subject to availability at the time of check-in. These requests for specific room type or location may result in additional charges to be paid directly to the hotel.

Disney owned and operated resort hotels are smoke free environments.

Smoking is allowed in designated outdoor smoking locations only. A room recovery fee will be charged for smoking in guest rooms, on balconies or on patios.

Cancellation Policy:

In order to receive a full refund of your deposit, notification of cancellation must be received at least 5 days prior to your arrival date. To cancel or modify an existing reservation, call (407) 939-7429*.

Rate Revisions:

Room rates are guaranteed as long as your reservation is not changed.

Please Note the Following:

Room Reservations are not accepted until confirmed by confirmation number.

For reservation information and modifications PRIOR TO ARRIVAL, please call (407) 939-7429* .

Disney reserves the right to cancel or modify a room reservation (including after the room reservation has been confirmed) if the room reservation includes or resulted from a mistake or error of any kind, including but not limited to, a mistake or error in the rate, resort or room type or where it appears that a guest has engaged in fraudulent or misleading activity in making the room reservation.

All rates are in US dollars.

All room reservations and transactions are made and consummated in the State of Florida. Room reservations and transactions and these Terms and Conditions for Room-Only Reservations shall be governed by the laws of the State of Florida, without giving effect to any principles of conflicts of law.

These Terms and Conditions for Room-Only Reservations are subject to change by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Online without notice.

Non-Transferable:

Reservations are not transferable, and reservation name changes are not permitted.

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Online
7100 Municipal Drive
Orlando, FL 32819

Please do not send payments to this address.

*If you are under 18 years of age, you must have your parent or guardian's permission to dial this number.

 

[recmouse]

Things have gotten crazy. This throwaway room just brings things to a whole other level of nuts.

That says it all right there!

 

[nugov2]

Apples and oranges. Nobody pays for Valet Parking unless they utilize this service. While it's conceivable that someone might pay for private dining (note single "n" in middle and that 'dinning' isn't a word) or a VIP Tour then not actually show up for the event - you're comparing paying for to using. Apples and oranges.

Thank you for correcting my spelling...I'm not an idiot. That is why it is called a typo. And if you were as good with reading comprehension as you were with spelling you would have understood that what I was talking about in those examples were experiences/items some people pay for b/c they feel they are worth the cost while others do not feel this way. I was not comparing it to purchasing something you don't want to get a perk you do want. For that I used the examples of buying certain items to get a GC or buying a fireworks cruise(you won't go on) to get a special M&G.

 

[nugov2]

A $300 per night room with tax would be $337.50.
The Express Pass would be the $40 because, well, value season is value season and the price depends on how busy it is.
Four $40 Express Passes times two nights plus tax comes to - wait for it - $340.80. Yup, a grand total saved of $3.30. Except it's not, because they're also paying for the offsite hotel .

But there's a reasonable difference between the weekender who actually camps, and the perker renting a campsite and another offsite room/home just to take advantage.

I was just going by the amount posted in the pp's statement. I didn't actually look up room rates, but I must say...your math skills are just as impressive as your spelling ones.

 

[TDC Nala]

Disney confuses me with what sometimes seems to be inconsistency. (Okay maybe more than just sometimes, but it in this case it may just be that I don't really get it and cause my own confusion?)

In 2012 we had a trip booked at POFQ. I wanted a few nights CL at the Poly but couldn't afford to upgrade us for the full 18 nights so I called Disney and asked if I could just book the Poly for 3 nights in the middle of our stay and not check out of POFQ as we would be back a few days later. (I really didn't want to have to take ALL our luggage for a few nights so wasn't going to clear out the POFQ room). Even though I was happy to be paying for two resorts at the same time in low season, they wouldn't allow it. I made 3 phone calls and spoke with different agents and they were all consistent with one thing: not allowed.

I'm not disputing that they may not take issue with someone paying for a room and not using it; It's just that it makes no sense to me at all

If I remember correctly you are in Britain. Things are done differently booking from there.

I can see why they would tell you, since you did ask, that you couldn't keep a room just to use it as luggage storage though. I'm sure that folks doing this don't always ask whether they can do it or not, they just do it. Since most of the time they don't have two onsite reservations (even a DVC reservation might not show for CRO), it won't show in Disney's system that they are double booking.

 

[2Tiggies]

If I remember correctly you are in Britain. Things are done differently booking from there.

I can see why they would tell you, since you did ask, that you couldn't keep a room just to use it as luggage storage though. I'm sure that folks doing this don't always ask whether they can do it or not, they just do it. Since most of the time they don't have two onsite reservations (even a DVC reservation might not show for CRO), it won't show in Disney's system that they are double Yet I don't see the difference between paying to keep luggage in a room, and possibly even going back to the room to retrieve an item during that time, and booking a room for the sake of a few perks

 

[Imhere]

(note single "n" in middle and that 'dinning' isn't a word)

Good Lord.

To tell you the truth, after reading this I didn't pay any attention to the rest of your post.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Which means you aren't sure. Can you provide Disney's definition of use and how my presence in the room (and for how long?) is required to fulfill that obligation?

Correct. I'm not sure - which is why I don't claim things as absolute. I like to use the determination "what a resonable person would expect/believe", which I learned in a law class. Before any challenge, just one single class.

Can you post a link to a page that indicates it isn't?

This:

Disney reserves the right to cancel or modify a room reservation (including after the room reservation has been confirmed) if the room reservation includes or resulted from a mistake or error of any kind, including but not limited to, a mistake or error in the rate, resort or room type or where it appears that a guest has engaged in fraudulent or misleading activity in making the room reservation.

 

[Laketravis]

This:

This what?

"Fraudulent or misleading activity" doesn't specify that not spending the night in the room you reserved is fraudulent or misleading. That is intended to address any fraud or misleading activity "in making the room reservation", not in how you use it.

As others have more eloquently pointed out, a paid for room reservation is not invalid if one does not actually sleep in the room.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Thank you for correcting my spelling...I'm not an idiot. That is why it is called a typo. And if you were as good with reading comprehension as you were with spelling you would have understood that what I was talking about in those examples were experiences/items some people pay for b/c they feel they are worth the cost while others do not feel this way. I was not comparing it to purchasing something you don't want to get a perk you do want. For that I used the examples of buying certain items to get a GC or buying a fireworks cruise(you won't go on) to get a special M&G.

I apologize for the spelling correction. If you look at the Restaurant Boards, many people,do seem to think that word has three Ns.

My reading comprehension is fine, though. I was responding to one part of one specific post - what I quoted.

Good Lord.

To tell you the truth, after reading this I didn't pay any attention to the rest of your post.

See response to nugov2 - but thank you for letting us know?

 

[Luckybee]

I also agree. I spend over a month a year down at wdw. I rarely need fastpass. We get to ride all the headliners without it. Only exceptions might be toy story and soarin. I can see that you can explain away the throwaway room concept to garner fast passes for the length of the ticket but there is no rationalizing stealing parking. An expired pass is an expired pass. Wrong and a terrible message to teach your kids if you have any.

I don't get how people obsess over planning. It isn't necessary. Get to the parks early and you'll get to ride with little wait. It's like dining. People act like they'll go hungry if they don't make adrs 180 days out. Nonsense. You'll never go hungry. Things have gotten crazy. This throwaway room just brings things to a whole other level of nuts.

It isn't " nuts" at all. This is exactly what dh and I plan to do for our trip in Sept./Oct. We have only a few rides in Magic Kingdom/Epcot that we are at all interested in. We want to see wishes, illuminations, and the electric parade. We don't want to "get there early" We wish to leisurely arrive and walk around and not have to "adjust " our schedule and wait in lines for hours. We want to know in advance what times we'll need to be at rides to accomplish this.
If the price to pay to be able to do this for 2 nights is one nights hotel at a Disney hotel then I'm happy to pay that, while dh and I stay stay in 2 lovely Marriott properties, Lakeshore Reserve, and Sabal Palms...both of which imho are preferable to staying on property for our purposes(for us it isn't about the$ ...rather we want a quieter more relaxing off property holiday at luxury properties)
Disney does btw allow this in case there is any question. After I had some similar negative comments about doing this I called and quite frankly the fellow on the phone did think I was nuts. Not for wanting to do this but rather, he couldn't understand why anyone thought this was " against the rules" his comment..."Disney doesn't care if you sleep in the room, only that you pay for it"