Unfairness in discounts

[pskorf]

I have been a long time "Disney Fan". I love the place and have taken my family on 4 vacations in 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008. This year we were very excited to share some of this Disney magic with my inlaws and are going to take a 4 day cruise with them starting on Jan 25.

Because of the flight schedules with our local airport, DH, DD and myself are flying out on Jan 22 and will be staying at AS Sports Jan 22-25. The inlaws will be arriving on Jan 24 and stay the one night at AS Sports. Then we cruise until the 29th and the inlaws are flying home that afternoon. DH, DD and myself are then staying at ASSports from Jan 20 till Feb 1. This way we get to hit the parks in addition to the cruise.

I have been playing the travel coordinator for the family and have booked everything online. I made the hotel reservations, etc. and even paid for the inlaws room at AS Sports with my credit card. They also do not have email so everything is tied to our email account.

Well this morning, DH noticed that we received an email from Disney promoting 40% discounts on "select Disney value resorts" and the dates where for when we are going to be there. I was so excited and called. I was told however that I was not eligible. This discount offer was for my mother-in-law!!! What???

When I explained the situation to the Disney CM on the phone, she was very pleasant and tried to help me out but was unable to as the offer is "Non-transferrable" and was not for us!!! I asked her why my inlaws were given this offer and not us and she replied that these were "randomly sent out by marketing". I guess that they are extending this offer because my inlaws are only booked for one night. Repeat customers such as us are not who they are targeting!!!

Well, I am less than 2 weeks from our trip and was super excited about it, but after my experience today it has lost some of it's magic! I don't understand why they don't offer the same discounts to everyone??? I work in the banking industry and this same practice would be illegal!!

I guess that I will have to seriously look at other options for our annual family vacation!!!

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

pskorf,

Discounts from Disney are in no way determined by the number of stays or the length of your stay.

I have been to WDW more than 30 times and we started receiving codes in 2006.

We got 40% in 2006, 40% in 2007, nothing in 2008 and 40% this year.

Apparently we were added to the list randomly. If you look around the boards you will see that first time guests AND return guests get codes. There is no way to predict it.

In addition, Disney doesn't own you, me or anyone anything! They are a business and they sell a product. If they feel that they can sell that product for full price then they can. If they choose to give discounts to some, that is their prerogative. But no one is ENTITLED to any discount.

 

[dclfun]

Disney doesn't owe a discount to anyone, but it does hurt when people post about getting a code every year and some people get none. How would you like to be the person who never gets a code? I understand the OP's frustration and don't blame anyone for being angry for being passed by. Looking at things from their perspective it's unfair.---Kathy

 

[Allison]

Your bolded sentence says a lot. They really don't need to target repeat customers with special codes. The pin codes are a targeted campaign. Disney is certainly not the only company to do this.

It's not unfair at all.

 

[Rylee]

Aww pskorf, I'm sorry you can't use the code.

I have read about others being able to use a code that was mailed to their address but not in their name, (usually for another family member.) I don't know if they're still allowing this or if it depends on the CM. Perhaps making another call and talking with a different CM would produce different results.


If not, you'll still have a great time... it's Disney!

 

[BabyFu18]

I understand not getting a code is disappointing, believe me I've been there. Either way though, you were planning a vacation and we were not dependent on a code so don't let not getting one ruin your vacation.

I think people just need to look at it like if you get a code great, but if not you can't lose something you never had.

Disney can't give discounts to everyone all the time, if they did it wouldn't be a promo that was worth having.

I've gone to disney several times in the past and always without a pin code, but I still go. And when I hear of others getting codes, of course I wonder why I didn't get one, but I move on and realize it just wasn't meant for me at that time. Plus, aside from pin codes that are specific to one person/family there are a good number of disney offers out there that are for the general public.

Sorry you didn't get to use the code, but it's not that Disney is trying to leave you out, it is random and that is a valid option they have (they are not the only company that does that). Either way, I hope you enjoy your vacation and maybe you'll be the lucky one next time to get a pin code or be able to use a general code.

 

[dlyn88]

There can't be any rhyme or reason to these codes - my DBf and I get every single code that comes out (started receiving these after our first trip in 2007) and even though we normally take advantage of these offers, we have continued to receive them...I'm not sure how we ended up getting them. I joined all the mailing lists but my DBf didn't join any and gets the e-mails too. So it seems random

 

[Baltazar]

We've received discounts we couldn't use. It is a random mailing, like winning a prize.
You just didn't win.

i just go "Darn!" and move on. I think you may be taking it too personal.

Disney World is still the greatest thing going.

 

[edwardsfire]

I have been a long time "Disney Fan". I love the place and have taken my family on 4 vacations in 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008. This year we were very excited to share some of this Disney magic with my inlaws and are going to take a 4 day cruise with them starting on Jan 25.

Because of the flight schedules with our local airport, DH, DD and myself are flying out on Jan 22 and will be staying at AS Sports Jan 22-25. The inlaws will be arriving on Jan 24 and stay the one night at AS Sports. Then we cruise until the 29th and the inlaws are flying home that afternoon. DH, DD and myself are then staying at ASSports from Jan 20 till Feb 1. This way we get to hit the parks in addition to the cruise.

I have been playing the travel coordinator for the family and have booked everything online. I made the hotel reservations, etc. and even paid for the inlaws room at AS Sports with my credit card. They also do not have email so everything is tied to our email account.

Well this morning, DH noticed that we received an email from Disney promoting 40% discounts on "select Disney value resorts" and the dates where for when we are going to be there. I was so excited and called. I was told however that I was not eligible. This discount offer was for my mother-in-law!!! What???

When I explained the situation to the Disney CM on the phone, she was very pleasant and tried to help me out but was unable to as the offer is "Non-transferrable" and was not for us!!! I asked her why my inlaws were given this offer and not us and she replied that these were "randomly sent out by marketing". I guess that they are extending this offer because my inlaws are only booked for one night. Repeat customers such as us are not who they are targeting!!!

Well, I am less than 2 weeks from our trip and was super excited about it, but after my experience today it has lost some of it's magic! I don't understand why they don't offer the same discounts to everyone??? I work in the banking industry and this same practice would be illegal!!

I guess that I will have to seriously look at other options for our annual family vacation!!!

you have GOT to be joking, i hope.

Its Disney, not Vegas.

 

[edwardsfire]

We've received discounts we couldn't use. It is a random mailing, like winning a prize.
You just didn't win.

i just go "Darn!" and move on. I think you may be taking it too personal.

Disney World is still the greatest thing going.

AHHHH, a breath of fresh air.

 

[ElizabethB]

I once attended a Food & Wine Festival dinner and was placed at a table hosted by a highly placed Epcot executive. After a few drinks, she got quite chatty. When I asked why we never got a discount offer, she said, "You come here regularly. Why would we give you a discount?"

Those who visit WDW regularly and still get discount offers are lucky. We visit regularly and never get them, except we did get the 40% passholder offer, which I used to book a trip today. It seems to me that this year WDW is handing out discounts with both hands due, no doubt, to the bad economy. If you don't get one, just wait. I'm sure there will be more public discounts ahead. Traffic through Orlando Airport is down significantly.

 

[drp4video]

I have gone to WDW and Disneyland over 24 times in the past 9 years and only recently recieved a code that I have not been able to use. One time though, I got a code in my daughter's friend's name who I took once with us on a trip to WDW. We all stayed in the same room that I paid for, so my address was of course used for the friend. Well, when I got the code in my daughter's friends name, I thought about going, and called to see if I could use the code given to my daughters friend at my address and was told only the friend could use it. I laughed because she was 14 at the time. You have to have a sense of humor about these things. Its too bad you can't use the code, but go and have a good time.

Maybe you could at least make the reservations in your mother in laws name for the night that she will be there and save for that night. Or you could always try back and get another CM, maybe they will give you a different result.

 

[Pakey]

OP, I have had dozens of vacations to WDW beginning in 1977 and I have never gotten a code. Does it change the magic? Absolutely not. Disney and I both know they have me hooked and saving $40/night on a hotel room isn't going to change it for me.

 

[DMRick]

I never got a code until I signed up on line and used my post office box (that I use for business). I get them there all the time..although seldom when I'm going LOL!

 

[kgle]

Wait, why was it for your MIL if it was sent to YOUR email address?

 

[Tink415]

I understand your frustration pskorf. I'd want to have the 40% in my pocket too. I've gotten plenty of offers in guests names we've brought on trips with us that either stayed in our room or I paid for their room.

I don't let it bother me anymore, I look at it this way, if I already have a ressie I was going anyway, and if not, maybe I can talk the person into taking me on a trip with them Not much chance of that happening when most of the offers are for 14-21 years olds but I can always hope

Seriously, I think the program that targets new customers from old ressies should be smarter, but I work in I/T not marketing. Next thing we know an email will be required for each person in addition to their address. And the only magical part of making a ressie for me is knowing I'm going, the rest of it is, well, frustrating and annoying. But I keep going

 

[kpadalik]

I think the codes are randomly sent out...However, I got mine in my email the day after our annual passes expired. We were annual passholders for years and decided not to renew this year. I have never rec'd a PIN code until now. Kind of ironic, don't you think?

 

[morgy827]

Your bolded sentence says a lot. They really don't need to target repeat customers with special codes. The pin codes are a targeted campaign. Disney is certainly not the only company to do this.

It's not unfair at all.

I have been to WDW 16 times and DL once and on DCL once and I ahve received codes. I would consider myself " a repeat customer" I know it sucks to see everyone else get a code but instead of getting angry over it consider it some disney magic bestowed upon those people.

Hope you get one soon!!

 

[NMW]

We have been going to Disney yearly since 2002 and we have never recieved a code.

 

[Lilolvr]

Isn't the 4/3 discount available to anyone? How much more do you want than that? That's a 40% discount plus $200 gift card.