What do you think about online booking for AP holders?

[TDC Nala]

I do NOT like the nonrefundable deposit, it means I can't book a backup at an AP rate when waiting for a DVC waitlist unless I keep the first night of the cash reservation and then move to DVC, and even then I have to pay an extra $50 to knock the cash reservation down to one night.

I do NOT like the 60 day booking window. I used to take a lot of last minute weekend trips when good airfare suddenly appeared. My points will probably go there now.

I don't have an issue with the online booking itself, or with the amount of the discount.

 

[kath1210]

I was disappointed as well about the room choices. I wanted a woods view at WL. Apparently you can't book woods view with BR. I checked for Dec. & Jan. and it's not available. However, I called in & checked to see if they are booked up for woods views & they aren't, so they just aren't offering the woods view with the Best Rate Program.
I went ahead & booked it at full price (which stinks) but at least we'll have the view we want.

I booked woods view at WL from December 18-23 with the BRP. There were woods view rooms a while ago, but they all got booked up. I think woods view is very popular at WL.

 

[katypop]

Katypop, if you have an AP voucher you can use the info on the back to book online. Just make sure you enter numbers where the website specifies

Thanks Daryl,
Sounds like it's the same as with the activated AP then. I thought I read somewhere in the beginning of the program that you had to have an activated AP to access it, glad that's not true

Katypop

 

[PamNC]

Personally, I think their site is slow and cumbersome. I've never gotten a decent "offer" and more often than not, it shows me rack rate. Plus, the 60 days in advance requirement is a problem for us although it's better than 120. The non-refundable deposit is an insult!! Another problem with the on-line booking: I don't like that you can't put in a view preference.

In short, I DESPISE the BR program. I personally miss talking to a friendly CM on the phone. I don't mind holding, and I only recall being on hold for a crazy amount of time once. But, I must add that I'm not one of those folks who called CRO every day asking if there was a code or a discount. I simply waited to hear about it on Mousesavers or these boards, and then I called. No stress, no strain. Never had a problem doing it the old way.

I think the BR program is cold and unfriendly and I long for the good ol' days. I liked dealing with CRO - they were so friendly and got me very excited about my trip. I miss the good ol' days! I keep referring to the "good ol' days", sorry about that, but I can't help it. I remember how exciting it was calling 407WDisney to make my ressies. I loved hearing "Thank you for calling the Walt Disney World Resort. You've picked a great time to visit." I don't like logging on to a slow, unfriendly website that gives me limited options. Give me a live CM anyday! It's so unpersonal. Unfriendly. Cold. and UnDisney. Booking on line for a non-Disney resort is fine with me, but there is something about Disney that makes me feel as if I deserve a live CM.

I doubt we'll renew our AP's next year. Unless we buy into DVC, which we are considering. The cost of AP's has skyrocketed and I'm starting to feel very "unspecial" as a passholder. I think Disney has made a MAJOR mistake with this program.

That's my opinion, and I'm sticking to it.

PamNC

 

[Daryl]

I've noticed that AAA rates (which can still be booked through CRO) at the deluxe resorts are not that much more than the AP rates.

 

[llebrekniT]

I do not like:
That you have to book 60 days out.
That it is non-refundable.
That the discounts are not very good. For instance I paid $188 per night for a FW Cabin during this past Spring Break and am being offered $182 per night for value season in Dec.
There seem to be fewer options available when trying to book a room.

I do like:
Being able to book on-line.

 

[Belle5]

I am really "up a creek" if we have to back out of our trip. I had to pay a non-refundable deposit to a WL room--then another deposit for our connecting room. Then, we are switching resorts-- so I stand to lose 2 more deposits at POR should anything happen. We are looking at losing 4 deposits. Not only that, because each room booked separately, I had near panic attacks worrying that when I went back in the BRP system to book my second room (for the rest of my kids) it might not be available. Thankfully, there were rooms...

 

[kpk89]

I don't care too much about the non-refundable deposit ... like someone else said, if I have to cancel it's due to emergency and then the lost $$$ is a low priority.

I am a new passholder, thanks to the DVC discount, so I had no experience with the CRO method of booking. I like being able to book online, but the website is confusing and glitchy. For example, why does it initially come up with AKL, BC, WL, Poly, CR, etc. but when I click on BC, the choices that come up are SSR, OKW, and GF? Why does BC show up in the initial choices if there are no rooms available??

Also -- there's a glitch with booking my family of 5, which includes a toddler who is in a portacrib -- when I put in the kids and their ages, the systems returned only rooms deemed for 5 people (FW cabins, POR, etc) even though we are legal for a regular 2 queens room with a portacrib. So I had to get around it by booking for the 4 of us, then calling and adding the baby to the ressie and requesting the portacrib.

anyway, the 60 days doesn't bother me either (yet) because we need to book at least that far out for DVC anyway. So if we're adding on cash nights wherever just to save points and extend our stay, we'll probably do so at least 60 days out.

 

[Belle5]

We had the problem with not being able to book with the 2 year old, too. We had to do the same thing as you.

 

[WEDWDW]

I still do not completely understand the BRP.The BRP only gives the Passholder the lowest rate offered to the general public while the Passholder code rates always seemed to be a little lower than the general public code rates.Doesn't the BRP take away a little from the Passholder benefits?Last December during value season the Passholder code for the Value Resorts was $49.00.This December with the BRP it is $59.00.Because of the increase,I am only staying 7 nights as opposed to 8 nights last year,causing Disney to lose another day of meals,snacks,shopping,etc.If Passholders have to shorten their trips because of the BRP increases,won't this cost Disney money in the long run?Maybe it is just me,but it just doesn't seem as "special" to be a Passholder when the general public can obtain the same rate.Am I missing something about the new program?Thanks.

 

[PhotobearSam]

I might have liked it if I could have gotten it to work...But after trying for 3 weeks straight and sending countless emails, I gave up and booked off-site.

 

[LouM]

I don't like the new system. I needed 3 rooms and it's a hassle to go through the online process three times. I also don't like the non-refundable deposit. The best thing for me about AP was the room discounts. Not worth AP anymore. I just booked my trip and ended up using AAA for the best rate (and it even has a refundable deposit).

 

[WDW Poly Princess]

I've been wondering- has anyone who's e-mailed (or otherwise contacted) Disney with their complaints about Best Rate heard back yet? I sent them an e-mail shortly after they switched from 120 days to 60 (lost track of when that was), and I haven't heard anything back, so I'm wondering if anyone has?

 

[cobbler]

It has its pros and cons. I like that we can book online and see what is out there without having to get up at 7am every morning to see. I like that only AP holders or those with vouchers can book, weeding out those that book and never buy the AP. What I don't like is the 60 day booking period. While not horrible because I do plan more than 60 days out I think it should be lowered to 30 days out. I also DO NOT like the non-refundable deposit.

 

[PhotobearSam]

WDW Poly Princess...Your cat is soooooo cute

What is the Cat's name? How old is it...? Such a good shot.

Sorry to highjack the thread.