What would you do?

[tiggerluvr]

We are heading to WDW on November 11 (3 adults, one of which is a 6' 2" 19yo). We will not be able to actually purchase our package until August because my stepdaughter begins her internship there in August, and we'll be able to get a massive discount at that time. But I'm getting worried, because the resorts are all filling up and what's left is mostly either crazy expensive, under construction, or a value resort. I really don't want to stay at a value resort if I can help it, but I also don't want to deal with a ton of construction noise during our vacation.

It looks like what's left in our price range is:

• Coronado Springs - under construction
• Caribbean Beach - under construction
• Animal Kingdom Lodge - only parking lot view left, plus the buses take forever there in my experience, so this is not my top pick
• Cabins at Ft Wilderness - not really my cup of tea
• Saratoga Springs - OK for me, but the 19yo has stayed there before and might like something different
• Grand Floridian - stretching the budget, but this is my first choice; unfortunately, it looks like there aren't many rooms left and I'm afraid it will be gone in August
• and a couple of the All Star resorts, which I really don't want to do if we can help it

I was hoping for one of the Port Orleans resorts, but that ship has sailed (sorry for the bad pun). In your experience, do rooms open up often? Do people cancel their reservations a few months out? I'd imagine that doesn't happen frequently - more likely it would be right before their vacation starts, in case of illness or injury or some other emergency.

What would you do if you were me? (Probably stop torturing myself with what-ifs until I can actually book the trip, right? LOL)

 

[MomOTwins]

Have you tried searching the standard rate after clearing any promotional discounts? That might give you a better sense of what is actually available, since you plan to use a different internship discount than the ones offered to the public. Disney limits the room types it offers for promos but often more rooms will show up once you search rack rate.

Also, why not book a room only reservation, and then talk to a CM in August to see if you can apply the discount? Not sure if it will work but no real harm as you can cancel and get your deposit fully refunded any time up until 5 days before check in.

 

[HopperFan]

We are heading to WDW on November 11 (3 adults, one of which is a 6' 2" 19yo). We will not be able to actually purchase our package until August because my stepdaughter begins her internship there in August, and we'll be able to get a massive discount at that time. But I'm getting worried, because the resorts are all filling up and what's left is mostly either crazy expensive, under construction, or a value resort. I really don't want to stay at a value resort if I can help it, but I also don't want to deal with a ton of construction noise during our vacation.

It looks like what's left in our price range is:

• Coronado Springs - under construction
• Caribbean Beach - under construction
• Animal Kingdom Lodge - only parking lot view left, plus the buses take forever there in my experience, so this is not my top pick
• Cabins at Ft Wilderness - not really my cup of tea
• Saratoga Springs - OK for me, but the 19yo has stayed there before and might like something different
• Grand Floridian - stretching the budget, but this is my first choice; unfortunately, it looks like there aren't many rooms left and I'm afraid it will be gone in August
• and a couple of the All Star resorts, which I really don't want to do if we can help it

I was hoping for one of the Port Orleans resorts, but that ship has sailed (sorry for the bad pun). In your experience, do rooms open up often? Do people cancel their reservations a few months out? I'd imagine that doesn't happen frequently - more likely it would be right before their vacation starts, in case of illness or injury or some other emergency.

What would you do if you were me? (Probably stop torturing myself with what-ifs until I can actually book the trip, right? LOL)

Disney CMs are going to get offers for those good discounts at resorts of Disney's choosing, that they foresee need guests during your dates. It's not set up that you can pick your resort and then apply their discount.

If it were me, and I've heard many do the same ... book what you are willing to pay for and then you have rooms. When she is able to finally access the discounts then you can move if there is something you want to move to.

My DD was there a year ... we go often and are flexible ... not once could she get a great discount somewhere we wanted the stay. The closest was AKL but we had stayed there several times so the rate still was not attractive to me. She did once get a great last minute rate at CSR where she stayed with a friend, but on another trip her & friend stayed offsite because there was nothing good open.

 

[tiggerluvr]

@HopperFan - wow. I had no idea. I was working under the assumption that we would be able to apply the discount to any room we booked. That is truly unfortunate news. We may have to rethink our vacation plans.

 

[HopperFan]

@HopperFan - wow. I had no idea. I was working under the assumption that we would be able to apply the discount to any room we booked. That is truly unfortunate news. We may have to rethink our vacation plans.

Unless something has changed, hopefully a recent CM will chime in .... and it may be you pick something that will receive the discount ... but it never worked out for us. I was disappointed as I planned to try out new hotels on all our trips. I did stay at POR in a Royal Room on CM discount (friend) for one night. She was able to get it fairly last minute for one night, and it ended up a HA room right on the parking lot.

Maybe @goofy4tink can give you current procedures. My DD finished a few years ago.

PS That is also Veterans Day weekend, very popular time to go.

 

[Shanti]

@HopperFan - wow. I had no idea. I was working under the assumption that we would be able to apply the discount to any room we booked. That is truly unfortunate news. We may have to rethink our vacation plans.

Yes, that's a common misconception that people get on these boards. Whenever I hear someone mention "applying" a discount to a current reservation, I try to correct them & explain that they're really just making a new reservation for a discounted room rather than applying a discount to an existing room they've booked, but it's a losing battle as that misconception is so widespread.

This is an issue because a lot of people book rack rate rooms thinking they'll "apply" a discount to it later, but all they're doing is lowering the available inventory of that resort & room type, making it even less likely than before that a discount for it will ever be available.

I get better-than-WDW discounts on resorts via my travel agent, btw. They book convention-rate WDW resort rooms & pass on the savings to customers. Maybe look into that?

 

[tkgdisney]

There are not rooms available at every resort, there aren’t rooms for everyday. Plan your trip, if you can move to their discount, great, if not, enjoy your visit with them.

 

[DaisyDuck001]

What I'd do probably is book a refundable room offsite for the time being, and then see what places are available at the CM discounted rate once you are eligible for that.

Yes, that's a common misconception that people get on these boards. Whenever I hear someone mention "applying" a discount to a current reservation, I try to correct them & explain that they're really just making a new reservation for a discounted room rather than applying a discount to an existing room they've booked, but it's a losing battle as that misconception is so widespread.

This is an issue because a lot of people book rack rate rooms thinking they'll "apply" a discount to it later, but all they're doing is lowering the available inventory of that resort & room type, making it even less likely than before that a discount for it will ever be available.

Exactly! So many people sabotage their own ability to get discounts, and don't even understand that they are doing that, and then they wonder why the discount they wanted never becomes available. What really puzzles me is that even after they read great posts like yours, some people continue on their original rack rate path.

 

[Babsy]

We are heading to WDW on November 11 (3 adults, one of which is a 6' 2" 19yo). We will not be able to actually purchase our package until August because my stepdaughter begins her internship there in August, and we'll be able to get a massive discount at that time. But I'm getting worried, because the resorts are all filling up and what's left is mostly either crazy expensive, under construction, or a value resort. I really don't want to stay at a value resort if I can help it, but I also don't want to deal with a ton of construction noise during our vacation.

It looks like what's left in our price range is:

• Coronado Springs - under construction
• Caribbean Beach - under construction
• Animal Kingdom Lodge - only parking lot view left, plus the buses take forever there in my experience, so this is not my top pick
• Cabins at Ft Wilderness - not really my cup of tea
• Saratoga Springs - OK for me, but the 19yo has stayed there before and might like something different
• Grand Floridian - stretching the budget, but this is my first choice; unfortunately, it looks like there aren't many rooms left and I'm afraid it will be gone in August
• and a couple of the All Star resorts, which I really don't want to do if we can help it

I was hoping for one of the Port Orleans resorts, but that ship has sailed (sorry for the bad pun). In your experience, do rooms open up often? Do people cancel their reservations a few months out? I'd imagine that doesn't happen frequently - more likely it would be right before their vacation starts, in case of illness or injury or some other emergency.

What would you do if you were me? (Probably stop torturing myself with what-ifs until I can actually book the trip, right? LOL)

If you want to go during a specific time, book something now (room only) that you like and is currently offered at a rate that you are willing to live with if you can't get the discount. Then at least you will have somewhere to stay. If a better offer is later available (such as at the CM rate) - yay! - change to that. Otherwise you have peace of mind knowing that your vacation is assured.

Good luck!

 

[Nancyg56]

@HopperFan - wow. I had no idea. I was working under the assumption that we would be able to apply the discount to any room we booked. That is truly unfortunate news. We may have to rethink our vacation plans.

I suggest that you book exactly what you can afford. If you can make changes later if a discount comes your way, great! If not, you are not locked out of a room that falls within your budget.

Years ago we could "apply" discounts, but no more. As others have posted, you really are making a new reservation.

 

[goofy4tink]

Unless something has changed, hopefully a recent CM will chime in .... and it may be you pick something that will receive the discount ... but it never worked out for us. I was disappointed as I planned to try out new hotels on all our trips. I did stay at POR in a Royal Room on CM discount (friend) for one night. She was able to get it fairly last minute for one night, and it ended up a HA room right on the parking lot.

Maybe @goofy4tink can give you current procedures. My DD finished a few years ago.

PS That is also Veterans Day weekend, very popular time to go.

Wows, you remembered. That's pretty impressive. Yeah, there is no way to be sure it there will be a CM discount. And if there is, it might not bring the cost down enough for you. I'm staying at POR in mid-Sept, in a royal room (nothing else was availabled) on a CM discount. I'm paying close to $200 a night!!!!! That's with the CM discount!!! Even the value resorts were high!!!!
I would book something now, that you can live with. Then, if your CP can get a discounted room someplace, you can cancel the existing one. When she gets on the Hub (the WDW employee site) after she finishes Traditions, she will be able to see what's available for the time frame you want, and book it. But....be aware, not all resorts will be available and you could be surprised about that less than 'massive discount'.

 

[goofy4tink]

tiggerluvr, I've sent you a PM.

 

[HopperFan]

Wows, you remembered. That's pretty impressive. Yeah, there is no way to be sure it there will be a CM discount. And if there is, it might not bring the cost down enough for you. I'm staying at POR in mid-Sept, in a royal room (nothing else was availabled) on a CM discount. I'm paying close to $200 a night!!!!! That's with the CM discount!!! Even the value resorts were high!!!!
I would book something now, that you can live with. Then, if your CP can get a discounted room someplace, you can cancel the existing one. When she gets on the Hub (the WDW employee site) after she finishes Traditions, she will be able to see what's available for the time frame you want, and book it. But....be aware, not all resorts will be available and you could be surprised about that less than 'massive discount'.

YIKES! My brain can't even process that is a CM discount ..... it wasn't that long ago I paid much less than that for Royal rack rate with Free Dining. Guess it just goes to show their occupancy is very high, even at their rates, and they don't have to offer much.

 

[meagarunt22]

As someone who also avoided values, I want to reassure you that if it is what you end up stuck with, I believe you'll be pleasantly surprised. I was for sure. Aside from the food courts, they really are pretty awesome. And if you get Pop, you can walk to AoA and eat there too. We got stuck at AS Music last year and now I choose AS Movies for our upcoming trip.

 

[DaisyDuck001]

Guess it just goes to show their occupancy is very high, even at their rates, and they don't have to offer much.

Probably because as described earlier in this thread, too many people book at rack rate, mistakenly thinking they can apply a discount later, not realizing that by booking at rack rate they make it less likely that there will ever be a discount.

 

[HopperFan]

Probably because as described earlier in this thread, too many people book at rack rate, mistakenly thinking they can apply a discount later, not realizing that by booking at rack rate they make it less likely that there will ever be a discount.

That is the same thing as far as Disney's calculations. They won't know until a much later time who will cancel, so all they can do is project occupancy based on bookings.

 

[emilyindisney]

If you're going to pick off your list and book something now (which I think is your safest bet as long as you're comfortable with the price) I'd highly recommend CSR. We stayed there in January and the construction wasn't bothersome at all. Obliviously we could see tower construction while wandering the resort but noise wasn't an issue and we couldn't see any construction from our room. We were in 7A (I think) and the remodeled room was absolutely beautiful. Honestly, it made the studio we moved to at Kidani village for the second half of the week feel dated and tired.

 

[Sue M]

CMs get a different list of discounts avail to them. You won’t be able to see it until your Stepdaughter starts work. Some are the good 45% fam & friends discount, more if CM actually stays in room with you. Some are just similar to what General Public or AP discount is. We had 45% off at AKL!
It’s been awhile since my cousin was working at wdw so not even sure if those are still the %.
I agree with the others who say book something now that is in your budget and if something better comes up with CM Discount you can cancel. The family member CM has to book for you for CM Discount.
We’ve stayed at AKL a couple of times and bus service was good.