Where are the codes?

[Sammie]

Originally posted by PamNC
As an ex-cast member with WDW Advertising in Orlando, I can guarantee you one thing. You guys are on the right track. If enough people book at the rack rate they will not offer the codes, or at the very least it will take longer for the codes to come out. Not just the codes, but the AP discounts and the special direct mail postcard offers. I don't book until the codes come out for that reason. Not that one booking will make the difference.

Anyway - bring on the codes!!!!!!!!!

PamNC

Pam is very correct, if occupancy rates are looking good, discounts will be slower to come out and less of them. I always book what I can afford without any discount, then upgrade to a more expensive location "if" I get a discount.

Booking something you can not afford and will not keep without a discount, gives Disney a false sense of occupancy levels for certain resorts.

 

[peachgirl]

"but if we have to pay $300.00 for a room at BC, we will cancel & getting a cheaper rate off site."

I read a post about this subject not too long ago, and they were right. Booking a room in advance, then waiting for the code doesn't do anything to give you a better chance of getting a discount on that room.

If you're planning on staying at a particular resort no matter what, then you should go ahead and book and get a discount if you can. If you're only going to stay there IF you get a discount, it doesn't help to book before the codes. They only allow a certain number of rooms for any discount. If you call while there's still availability for that code or rate, you get the discount, it has nothing to do with having a room already booked.

All booking a room anticipating discounts does is artificially fill the resort and reduce your chances of getting a room on a code or AP rate. While it may not stop the codes from coming out at all, it does reduce the number of rooms released for any particular code.

I always book the resort I will stay at if no codes are available, then switch if and when the codes come out.

 

[SandraC]

I think Disney would anticipate the practice of folks booking rooms while waiting for codes. I do not think Disney is naive. Prehaps they have something else on the table we haven't heard about yet. I do hope the folks who are waiting for codes get them soon! S

 

[DisneyFreaks]

I sure hope you are right about that SandraC. Disney has to know by now that most guests book first and then wait for codes. We booked three rooms at a moderate resort because we knew we would be paying for two of them. We were happy with the AAA discount we got a few months later. Now my son in law has been layed off because of the slow economy and we will be paying for all three rooms to help them out so we all can still go. A good code or AP rate would sure help now even though we hadn't really anticipated them when we originally booked.

 

[SandraC]

Hi ~ my plan is to book the resort I can afford at the time of booking, code or no code. If I want to spend $100 on a room and that's what it costs at the All Stars then I book the All Stars. If a code comes out and the moderates are $100, then I would likely cancel AS and book a mod. S

 

[Tess]

That advance bookings for summer are below average at WDW. I'm not sure what comparison year the reporter was using because I just hit the highlights of the article. If that's indeed the case, it makes it even more baffling why the APs haven't been released.

I agree with others above though, other than last year, I believe that APs for May, June weren't released earlier than the end of March. In fact, before I held an AP, I made the mistake of booking a DC "package" with length of stay passes. Because I had this package, my cancellation period was 45 days out. I had considered getting an AP that year BUT they weren't released in time for me to beat the 45 day mark before our June trip. So, we may be in for a long wait.

Another thought I had--what do you think about WDW planning some kind of a reduced rate for those that are first in line to open their Disney charge card (March 4-24). It sure wouldn't surprise me if they applied some type of marketing promotion for those that have signed to be one of the "first" to receive the card. Just a thought anyway. . .

With my luck, the APs will be released NEXT weekend (2/21) when I will be out of town!

 

[ZachnElli]

I just am repeating what Tess said. But if you go to the News & Rumors board there is a thread with the link to the New York Post article that says that advance bookings are down at DW. It also says that the first Gulf War was killer to the whole travel industry, so they are assuming another one will be the same way. I think they are waiting until March again like they use to since we haven't actually gone to war yet. I'm just as impatient as the rest of you though! I wanted to stay onsite for the first time. No codes, back to offsite I go!

 

[cindyfan]

I agree with booking what you can afford right from the start.
That is what we do....we have AAA and DC, so we get at least a 10% discount.

THEN..... we also play the waiting game!

If the discounts become available....one of two things happen.....We switch to a more expensive resort. Or we end up just spending the money saved on other Disney things.....such as another character dinner, or lots more souvenirs

No matter what, Disney still gets the money. And IMHO....considering the mark-up % on the merchandise....WDW would do alot better by letting me spend more on souvenirs!!

 

[peachgirl]

With my luck, the APs will be released NEXT weekend (2/21) when I will be out of town

That's exactly what happened to us last year for our trip that started on 12/19! I had booked a less expensive resort, hoping that codes would come out and we'd move to BWI or the Polynesian. I booked in March and patiently waited for months for the AP rates. I know exactly what day the codes came out for December because we were in Las Vegas the Sunday they came out....7/29/02. By the time we returned on 8/1 both resorts were out of AP rates. Luckily there was still availability at WL. It turned out to be a great thing, we loved WL at Christmas.

At any rate, I'll be gone again on 3/15 for a few days...surely this won't happen twice????

 

[frankiemom]

I read somewhere sometimes it is cheaper for at least one person to buy an annual pass to get the AP rate. Can you do that? Can one person in the group get an annual pass just to book the room and the rest get park hoppers? (It seemed a little strange to me)

 

[Tess]

Yes, only one person in the group needs an AP or PAP to book with the rate. The res must be in the AP holder's name.

 

[DisneyFreaks]

We were told you could book up to three rooms with just one AP. I hope that is still the case.

 

[Dancind]

OK, don't hate me for gloating. Our rooms have been booked for our May/June two week trip since last summer. We own DVC and it's always a good deal. We are doing weekends elsewhere this trip because we used so many points last year for a cruise, but those are mostly booked too. Portofino Bay one weekend (Entertainment rate) and I'll try Priceline for a Busch Gardens trip the next. For our third weekend, I'm watching for codes. I'd like to do a Friday night at AKL concierge, and go on the Sunrise Safari. If the rates aren't good, we'll do it another trip. It would drive me NUTS to do the code shuffle every year!

 

[jdpk]

Are the codes everyone is awaiting only for AP holders, or general discounts for the summer travel season. DW, DD and new baby (don't know if it's a dd or ds yet) are DVCing in June but are wanting friends to come. They will definately need code savings if we are going to get them on property.

P.S. SWA just released their summer fares. Not all great, but Indianapolis is dirt cheap to MCO and back.

John

 

[csmommy]

Tess & frankiemom, only one person needs to have an AP in order to get the room rate, & that person can be a child. Which is really nice since a childs AP is cheaper then the adults. This has been verified with CM's at CRO.


jdpk, Some codes are for everyone & some are not. Sometimes the general codes are as good, or close to as good as the AP's.


Everyone can check historical discounts & to see if an AP will work for you at:

www.mousesavers.com

 

[SandraC]

test

 

[peachgirl]

Just in case you don't know...You don't have to have the AP to book the room. You just ask for the ap rate. It depends on your own situation as to whether it's better to buy the AP in order to get the discount.

Depending on how long you're staying, where you're staying and if you plan on using the pass more than once all goes into determining if you save money or not. Generally, if ap rates come out and you're only buying one just to get the discount, you'll come out ahead. At any rate, unless you're going to return to WDW within one year, I definitely would not buy the pass until after you've secured an AP discount rate on your room.

 

[frankiemom]

So csmommy that means I can get an Annual Pass for my 4 year old and then book a room in his name and use an AP code? Won't I have a problem boking a room using the 4 year old's name and pass?

 

[csmommy]

Originally posted by frankiemom
So csmommy that means I can get an Annual Pass for my 4 year old and then book a room in his name and use an AP code? Won't I have a problem boking a room using the 4 year old's name and pass?

When I called they said I could book the room under my name, & use the AP code. Upon check-in I needed to produce both the AP voucher & the child.

Now the voucher thing is up for debate. Some people say that you the CM's have never asked for anything upon checking-in, some people have only had to produce a voucher(this is an AP that has NOT been activated), & others had to show a valid, activated AP. With a voucher, I believe, the year doesn't start until it is activated. I'm sure peolpe here can let us know if this is correct.

Help me out guys, am I either missing, or misstating anything?

 

[lynr]

I would like to make a suggestion to anyone who thinks they might miss the discount if they are not around when they come out.
If you book with Dreamsunlimited Travel they keep checking until the discounts come out. That way you can go about whatever you need to do and forget about watching for the discounts.

I used Dreamsunlimited several times and I just love them.

Lyn