When you say AP rates...

[nbandfour]

I'm a little confused about terminology. Are there more than one set of AP rates at hotels, one that any AP holder can get when they make their room reservation and one that is available to AP holder with a code that comes out close to the dates it is applicable? Or does the term AP rates mean just the rate AP holders get with a code?

NB

 

[wuv tigger]

The latter. It is the rate that AP holders get with a code. What changes is the inventory. Lately they have been emailing existing AP holders with the code the day before they are released to the public. If you do not have a current AP then you will have to wait a day or watch the DIS. Usually the next day or so they release a public code that does not require an AP that is not quite as good a rate. There is only a limited number of rooms, so they go fast. If you do not get one for your date you can keep checking because the rate is usually for a couple of month window. You may get an AP rate two months after they are released if someone cancels or if they make more rooms available.

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

wuv tigger explained it really well.

However, in our case, the general public room-only code for 1/2-4/16/05 came out way before the AP rate for that same period. We were able to get the public code applied to our reservation, and when the AP rate came out (2 months later) it was only a few dollars better. So, in our case, we passed on the AP code because we weren't current AP holders, and had no future trips planned, so the additional cost didn't offset the savings.