What about us poor schmucks who are not AP holders/FLA residents???

[tigerlilly]

WDWBetsy...thanks for the advice on the AAA...we actually have one and I currently have a room booked under the AAA card.

Sammie...I Totally agree with you that Disney can do whatever they want and they obviously do...But that doesn't mean I cannot be irritated with them Believe me I love WDW so I will play by their wacky rules and they will get my thousands of dollars this year, they have no worries there .

 

[freakylick]

If they can sell them at a higher rate why should they sell them for less?

I think the posters point was..if they are going to give $X million in discounts in a given year, then why not just reduce the price of rooms evenly to reflect that $X million and not give any discounts.

That being said, they wouldn't do that because they don't know how much in discounts they will give...they adjust accordingly as the year goes along depending on how bookings are going.

 

[Sammie]

That being said, they wouldn't do that because they don't know how much in discounts they will give...they adjust accordingly as the year goes along depending on how bookings are going.

Exactly, as with any business they would prefer to offer no discounts and sell all rooms at rack rate. However at times that is not possible. What we are seeing now though, is fewer and fewer rooms discounted. While I understand completely the disappointment in not being able to secure a discount, I like them as much as anyone. I never consider it unfair by Disney to reduce them. Only good business.

When I buy an Annual Pass I buy it solely for the benefit of unlimited access to the parks. The savings in that is tremendous. Anything else that is offered with it is just icing.

 

[bubbaloo311]

I was told by my TA that Disney offered the free meal offer as a way to pump up traffic during Hurricane Season. After last year's triple whammy, booking were low August and September.

Also - my husband and I got married in Disney November 14, 2003 - which used to be value season. Now it's regular season - since demand at that time has gone up.

The Food & Wine Festival used to last 1 month - now it's six weeks - as a way to boost bookings.

As you all said, it's ruled by supply and demand. Now that tourism has rebounded after the post 9/11 slump, the days of awesome discounts may be a thing of the past.

 

[wdwobsessed]

The major codes were never offered until after 9/11. When tourism hit an all time low in Florida.

That is not a totally accurate statement. I used a code for my trip that came out in the spring of 2001 that saved me a HUGE amount of money on WL and YC... we were in Disney labor day week of that year ... we got back just a few days before 9/11.

The major difference was that codes were not advertized as well back then ... like they were not posted on the official site or in commercials / ect. The one I used was the "hispanic" code that came out in Latin American papers to target that demographic ... but anyone could use it. There were others as well, just none advertised as well as they do now ... you had to be a little more internet savy back then.

I think that Disney will continue to offer specials of some kind when it needs to fill rooms.

WDWO

 

[mill4023]

Since there haven't been any general codes released all year I think its safe to say that those who aren't FL residents or AP holders will either have to settle with an AAA discount or pay rack rates.

Ebs and flows in the tourism industry and this is one of those times where offering discounts isn't necessary.

Not really true for several reasons:

First, as someone else pointed out, there were general codes good for stays through 4/16 of this year.

Second, the 50th celebration kicked off on May 5th and was probably a big part of the reason they didn't need codes during that timeframe.

Third, the fact that they offered free dining this fall makes it pretty clear that they still see the need to offer discounts or extras to attract more people during certain times of the year.

So no, I don't think it's safe to say there won't be any discounts for the general public. It all just depends on how the bookings go. If they have rooms to fill, they'll offer discounts, and if they don't, they won't.

 

[cobbler]

Not really true for several reasons:

First, as someone else pointed out, there were general codes good for stays through 4/16 of this year.

Yes that is true but they were released at the end of 2004. Therefore making it true that no codes have been released to the general public this year.

Second, the 50th celebration kicked off on May 5th and was probably a big part of the reason they didn't need codes during that timeframe.

Yes, see above

Third, the fact that they offered free dining this fall makes it pretty clear that they still see the need to offer discounts or extras to attract more people during certain times of the year.

Yes this is true but this is during peak hurricane season, after getting hit pretty hard this year it was necessary to offer something to entice people down. With the food and wine festival going on plus all the holiday things at the end of the year they probably won't have anything available because there is no need.

So no, I don't think it's safe to say there won't be any discounts for the general public. It all just depends on how the bookings go. If they have rooms to fill, they'll offer discounts, and if they don't, they won't.

Hay, I still would like to see an AP rate for the end of November that isn't through best rate but I honestly wouldn't hold my breath on a general code discount since there haven't been any except during hurricane season.

I would honestly think that if we don't see anything by the end of next week for general codes and AP call in codes its a pretty assured bet there won't be any.

 

[WaltD4Me]

Sigh........

It's like anything, hotel rooms, cars, even clothes.

They will try to sell them at full price first, if they can't do that, then they discount them.

If I see a beautiful sweater at a department store for $100 and think "Oh, I don't want to pay that much." ... I wait for it to go on sale, but if they sell out of the beautiful sweater, it obviously isn't going to go on sale and me, the poor schmuck, doesn't get the sweater.

Much as I hate it, Disney is filling up it's rooms and doesn't feel the need to offer discounts right now.

 

[cobbler]

Me too. Its nice they can fill up the rooms. To bad my stock prices don't reflect any such thing

 

[EmmaAndQuinnsMommy]

For me, the best thing to do is to go during value season and use a CAA discount. And then I can hope for a code or free dining to add to my ressie later. I doubt either will transpire but at least I feel comfortable about the price I am paying (with the CAA discount).

okay I understand AAA, but what is CAA?

 

[riu girl]

Sorry I wasn't clear. CAA is the Canadian version of AAA. Same Disney discounts, I think.

 

[chyam]

CAA is the equivelant of our AAA..........American Automobile Association.
Canadian Automobile Association...
Learned that from all the snowbirds here in the winter!

 

[EmmaAndQuinnsMommy]

Sorry I wasn't clear. CAA is the Canadian version of AAA. Same Disney discounts, I think.

Oh! That makes sense now. I went to the abbreviation page to see what it meant. LOL! Thanks for the clarification!

Carrie =)