Very upset - Different discounts in Germany than in all other countries

[giuly09]

the problem is, the less offers are available to a country, the less people from that country will go to DLRP.
I think I read last year that Spain was the object of a marketing campaign, including ads and offers, to raise their attendance: it makes much more sense to me!!

This makes a lot of sense but it doesnt seem to be what they really do - well after all in Italy.
DLRP is not much advertised on television -unless it is in kids programs that i dont watch lol - and prices are so high that a family of four adults (as we are as both my sons are older than 12) needs to save a whole year to pay a four days trip

 

[Ware Bears]

Eurodisney should look for more clever people to work in their promotion department.

Or is my thinking wrong?

I think we could do a much better job ~ they should employ us and then we'd all get free hols as a perk!

 

[ElenaP]

This makes a lot of sense but it doesnt seem to be what they really do - well after all in Italy.
DLRP is not much advertised on television -unless it is in kids programs that i dont watch lol - and prices are so high that a family of four adults (as we are as both my sons are older than 12) needs to save a whole year to pay a four days trip

And don't forget to mention the little detail that, on the 18th of July reservations for winter season are not open YET

 

[bavaria]

Marcus, I haven't read the whole thread yet but like you I am getting tired of this. Then when I call I reach the agents in FL who can't even quote a rate in Euros, but insist on quoting in pounds which means nothing at all to me.

Even when I call FROM Paris and call the French or German lines I am often redirected to Florida as they take overflow calls there. I have told them many times that it is actually very disappointing to assume that people only want rates in pounds, especially when people are calling FROM a Euro country and are booking a stay IN a Euro country.

I know that non-UK, non-French DLRP fans are not that common, but it is very annoying to book this way. I can't tell you how many times I have been fed up since they changed all the Europe country numbers last fall!

 

[thelittlemermaid83]

Marcus, I haven't read the whole thread yet but like you I am getting tired of this. Then when I call I reach the agents in FL who can't even quote a rate in Euros, but insist on quoting in pounds which means nothing at all to me.

Even when I call FROM Paris and call the French or German lines I am often redirected to Florida as they take overflow calls there. I have told them many times that it is actually very disappointing to assume that people only want rates in pounds, especially when people are calling FROM a Euro country and are booking a stay IN a Euro country.

I know that non-UK, non-French DLRP fans are not that common, but it is very annoying to book this way. I can't tell you how many times I have been fed up since they changed all the Europe country numbers last fall!

I didnt know you was not able to get quotes in Euros, i find that really shocking. I hope they sort this out so everyone from all countries are entitled to discounts etc.

 

[bavaria]

We can get quotes in Euros, but only if we can reach a European CM and not an American one. Overflow calls go to America so I have to ask where the agent is located (and most don't understand why we are so frustrated!)

I would say that 1 in 6 calls I make from France or from Germany go to Europe; the rest go to America and hence get quoted in pounds.... ARGH

 

[BONITATIME]

The are free extra nights in Spain. We get to book very late but there are always extra offers.

 

[marcus.ka]

Good to know that they offer this in Spain too. It is like I thought; they give these offers to the three countries with the highest number of visitors. France, UK and Spain.

@Bavaria: I have never been redirected to Florida. (I always use the German 0180 number to call DLRP, that also guaranties you to get a CM who speaks German)
So I never experienced this Pound/Euro thing. I am just angry that visitors from Germany, Italy and many other countries do not get the same discount and are punished because the number of visitors is not as high as from other countries. That way they don't have to wonder if the numbers from these countries keep on going down.

And even Disney should know that it is very easy these days to find out with the Internet what oter countries pay and what kind of special offers other countries have. And that can only lead to anger. And this anger can cause that people will not visit the resort anymore.

 

[bavaria]

@Bavaria: I have never been redirected to Florida. (I always use the German 0180 number to call DLRP, that also guaranties you to get a CM who speaks German)

I thought perhaps that it was due to calling via Skype (United Airlines recognizes all Skype users as 'Willy' for some reason) But even when I call from a land line or my German handy same results. I also try and call late in the day Europe time if I am in America. I have been told that if the lines are busy they send the calls to FL. Sometimes my CM is Dutch and I offer to speak in French or English; if I reach an American then they don't speak anything but English.

The most annoying experience was last fall when they changed the numbers; I was sitting IN PARIS calling the French line and was directed to America.

 

[marcus.ka]

If anyone should be interested: Look what I just found browsing my old documents. That was my letter of complaint from AUG 2007.
There have been no 3=2 offers last year this time. And the CM on the phone told me it would be new. I knew I remembered correctly that they didn't have any offers last year.

------------------

Dear Ladies and Gentleman,

After visiting the resort for 14 times as a shareholder (and we always stayed in one of the seven Disneyhotels) I would like to contact you with a complaint.
Since the beginning of July I am asking in German travel agencies for your new winter brochure. Now it is finally available since 6th August.
I was hoping that there would be a 3=2 offer for November like all the prior years. But I couldn’t find such an offer online that’s why I wanted to wait for the new brochure.
In the brochure I didn’t found a 3=2 offer but the 15% Birthday Discount.
Just some minutes ago I wanted to book our next stay (19th November-22nd November at the Disneyland Hotel) via the German hotline but the Disney operator told me that this 15% offer is not available anymore. (Neither for November nor December)
Only two days after the release of the German brochure this offer is not available anymore? And that although there are no school holidays in France, UK or Germany during this period!
The Disney operator told me also that this 15% offer has been online for a long time. But this is not true; this 15% offer is only available since the end of July.
How few rooms did you have actually for the Disneyland Hotel for this 15% offer? There are more then enough standard rooms available for this period.
Are German guest not important anymore for the Eurodisney SCA? Guests who live in the UK even get a 3=2 offer for this period! And German guests are told that this offer is not available anymore and those two days after the brochure has been released and for a time during low season.

I saved a long time for this stay at the Disneyland Hotel and I would like to stay there from 19th November to 22nd November with the 15% reduction but this seems not to be possible. Neither for this nor for another time during November or December.
I think you are not honest with your German guest in this matter.

I would appreciate a fast reply. Because we make it dependent on your answer if we will visit the Resort in November anyhow.

Kind regards
Your disappointed regular visitor
____________________________________

 

[tinks4ever]

And don't forget to mention the little detail that, on the 18th of July reservations for winter season are not open YET

OMG i have had Dec 16th booked for aprrox 2 months now
Disney is meant to be magical for ALL!!!!!!!!!! not just who visits the most....

 

[ElenaP]

OMG i have had Dec 16th booked for aprrox 2 months now
Disney is meant to be magical for ALL!!!!!!!!!! not just who visits the most....

And I am biting my nails, as I am aiming at a 3x2 at the Disneyland Hotel... it they don't open the bookings, I won't find a thing

 

[Jonjo]

Maybe we should all consider writing to Euro Disney SCA to complain about this. Especially the shareholders amongst us.

I would have thought that all the discounts would be available to all parts of Europe. Maybe not to all the countries at the same time, but evenly spread country by country throughout the year so that the hotels and parks are always busy.

Maybe this is something the shareholders among us could ask why this is happening at the next Shareholders' Combined General Meeting?

 

[BONITATIME]

I do understand that Markus is upset but this is how marketing works. You target specific markets. It is like their child free under 7 AP. What about the people with 8 year olds they have a right to be upset but that is what is being offered.
I will only stay onsite if the offer is right other wise I will stay elsewhere.

 

[bavaria]

ARGH! Sorry to stray a little from the topic, but I just received an email confirmation for a booking which I cancelled (with an American CM) several weeks ago. The email tells me to call (33 1) 60 30 60 53 but I called my usual German number.

I did get a CM in France this time; he apologized profusely and said that he showed that I spoke with a 'Ms Bavaria' last time (my real name is very common in Germany and in France, but very uncommon in America) I had to point out that I am 'Ms Bavaria' and he was quite frustrated too. At least he understood how annoying it is to call a number in Germany from Germany and reach someone in America.

My reservation is at least cancelled but it doesn't alleviate the ongoing booking issues.

I do understand selective marketing; however I think that DLRP makes it more difficult than it needs to be for us to book (I always look for AP rates and not 3/2 etc offers)

I will say that I always check the TUBI site for any offers too http://2000-reisen.de/tubi/

 

[marcus.ka]

BONITATIME I think there is a difference in drawing the line somewhere (like all under 7 go free) or not to offer something for a huge range of people.

Because you have to draw a line at some point but you don't have to exclude so many people.

I think it is not unfair to offer something only to a special age or during a special time.

I feel the same as Jonjo:

I would have thought that all the discounts would be available to all parts of Europe. Maybe not to all the countries at the same time, but evenly spread country by country throughout the year so that the hotels and parks are always busy.

That's how they have done this in the past. UK had the first week in November, France the second week, Italy the third and so on.

 

[BONITATIME]

I tend not to book through Disney as I have an AP and their AP rates suck.
I book with expedia and check every european site I can read. I have the last 2 trips booked with expedia.de, they don't care where you live!!!!

 

[Anke]

Good to know that they offer this in Spain too. It is like I thought; they give these offers to the three countries with the highest number of visitors. France, UK and Spain.


In the Netherlands they also offer the 4 nights for the price of 3 nights during the following periods.

29 Augustus t/m 4 September, 17 t/m 22 september, 29 september t/m 3 oktober, Van 5 Oktober t/m 9 Oktober, Van 17 Oktober t/m 24 Oktober, 7 november t/m 18 december 2008, 1 januari t/m 4 februari, 1 t/m 11 maart 2009

 

[marcus.ka]

Thank you for that. These are the same dates as in the UK and in France.

So what do we know until now: They offer these in UK, France, Spain and in The Netherlands; but not in Italy and Germany. That makes the discrimination of these two countries even worse.

 

[ElenaP]

So what do we know until now: They offer these in UK, France, Spain and in The Netherlands; but not in Italy and Germany. That makes the discrimination of these two countries even worse.

Marcus, in Italy they do offer specials, usually 3x2, less than in the UK. The problem is they open reservation 2 to 3 months after they have been opened in the UK, which of course means we only have a handful of rooms availables for those 3x2 offers