Why does UK get preferential pricing?

[LuzzBightyear]

Completely understandable. Eight years ago, when our (Canada's) dollar was only worth 65 cents US, we were offered great incentives to come to WDW. Now that we are trading at or slightly above the US dollar, we don't seem to get anything that is not offered to our US friends.

I would say if the cost of travel from Europe were ever to decrease, so would the Disney discounts

 

[Disney Dad Canada]

The simple answer is because Disney's bean counters determined it's the best way for Disney to make more money.

Everyone can find deals they can't get, just be happy with what is available for you.

 

[ClareH37]

The simple answer is because Disney's bean counters determined it's the best way for Disney to make more money.

Everyone can find deals they can't get, just be happy with what is available for you.

Absolutely

As a UK resident I do not get any pins, although a few UK residents on the Dis have apparently got them, but they are in the minority as even Disney have confirmed they do not send them to UK email addresses Disney US release a restricted number of rooms to Disney UK, Disney UK then apply the discounts. These are not 'last minute' discounts as such though, they are offered a long time in advance as most UK travellers book their airfares/make arrangements way in advance.

The £/$ rate is not as attractive to UK residents as it used to be, therefore staying onsite as well as eating onsite, is prohibitively expensive for a lot of UK travellers, then of course the airfares, OMG the airfares, crazy, crazy, crazy. This has put a Florida Disney holiday out of reach of a lot of UK travellers, you only have to look at the UK airlines cutting back on the number of daily flights/class of cabin available to realise that.

I'm in the UK (but have friends outside the UK who have booked through Disney UK to take advantage of some of the discounts), although I've got free dining for my stay I am actually paying more for my room at the BC compared to rack rate on the Disney US website, not to mention those US residents who have managed to apply pins/other discounts to their bookings.

I'm happy for anyone who has a discount and manages to get the 'happiest place on earth' for their vacation, do I feel any sour grapes for the person who is staying in the room next to mine at the BC but has a 40% pin discount compared to my rack rate? Nope, I'm on vacation

 

[ChipnDaleRule]

DLPR is not a destination where you would want to spend more than a few days, it has 2 parks and they are not on the scale of Orlando. You would go to France/Europe not just DLPR. When we visit WDW we stay there for 3 weeks.
Did a quick coparison on flights too. If you were flying to Paris from JFK in October 2011 using AA it would cost a family of four $4650 round trip. A family of four flying London to Orlando using AA would cost them $6400 (identiacal dates).
Our taxes + the resession have sent taxes crazy eg 1 litre of Diesel is currently £1.40 + new green taxes on flying, ash cloud fiasco last year were planes were grounded for weeks have meant airlines have cut back on flights and increased fares to stay afloat.

 

[Hooked On The Mouse]

DLPR is not a destination where you would want to spend more than a few days, it has 2 parks and they are not on the scale of Orlando. You would go to France/Europe not just DLPR. When we visit WDW we stay there for 3 weeks.:.

Thanks for this. We had noticed long ago that the UK gets great price breaks that the US and we Canadians do not get. We never resented it and did understand about the huge price to fly overseas, but I've always wondered why it wouldn't just be easier and cheaper for Brits to go to Paris. Now I know why they don't. Now if someone can just explain to me why UK visitors seem to like AKL so much. We like AKL too, but it always seems like there are way more Brits staying there than resorts like Grand Floridian. Maybe I'm imagining it?

 

[epcot.girl]

Now if someone can just explain to me why UK visitors seem to like AKL so much. We like AKL too, but it always seems like there are way more Brits staying there than resorts like Grand Floridian. Maybe I'm imagining it?

I would guess that most Brits who stay on property are staying in the Value resorts due to the cost over 2-3 weeks. Those staying Deluxe are probably more likely to be at the cheapest (AKL) than the most expensive (GF) because of the same reason.

(Obviously I know cost also depends on room category, but those are broadly the cheapest and most expensive respectively.)

 

[ChipnDaleRule]

Thanks for this. We had noticed long ago that the UK gets great price breaks that the US and we Canadians do not get. We never resented it and did understand about the huge price to fly overseas, but I've always wondered why it wouldn't just be easier and cheaper for Brits to go to Paris. Now I know why they don't. Now if someone can just explain to me why UK visitors seem to like AKL so much. We like AKL too, but it always seems like there are way more Brits staying there than resorts like Grand Floridian. Maybe I'm imagining it?

Booking through Disney Direct 2 weeks over Spring break staying at Grand Floridian G/V =$14380 inc tickets,DDP (not free). Same deal for Animal Kingdom S/V = $11500. Then you would have to include flights on top:scared1
: Also, for the money AK has a a great draw in its savannah, i mean what child or adult wouldnt want to wake up and see giraffes from their balcony

 

[5boyz]

Absolutely

As a UK resident I do not get any pins, although a few UK residents on the Dis have apparently got them, but they are in the minority as even Disney have confirmed they do not send them to UK email addresses Disney US release a restricted number of rooms to Disney UK, Disney UK then apply the discounts. These are not 'last minute' discounts as such though, they are offered a long time in advance as most UK travellers book their airfares/make arrangements way in advance.

The £/$ rate is not as attractive to UK residents as it used to be, therefore staying onsite as well as eating onsite, is prohibitively expensive for a lot of UK travellers, then of course the airfares, OMG the airfares, crazy, crazy, crazy. This has put a Florida Disney holiday out of reach of a lot of UK travellers, you only have to look at the UK airlines cutting back on the number of daily flights/class of cabin available to realise that.

I'm in the UK (but have friends outside the UK who have booked through Disney UK to take advantage of some of the discounts), although I've got free dining for my stay I am actually paying more for my room at the BC compared to rack rate on the Disney US website, not to mention those US residents who have managed to apply pins/other discounts to their bookings.

I'm happy for anyone who has a discount and manages to get the 'happiest place on earth' for their vacation, do I feel any sour grapes for the person who is staying in the room next to mine at the BC but has a 40% pin discount compared to my rack rate? Nope, I'm on vacation

You must live with my husband cuz he lives in his own little world too....

 

[mytripsandraces]

My guesses:
1) To entice them to spend the extra travel expenses to "cross the pond."
2) Because of the distance traveled, they tend to stay longer, therefore spending more.

I guarantee you that Disney's marketing department has determined what price points are most profitable in which markets. So the short answer is "Because it works & it's profitable."

So then Disney offers the US similar offers to cross the pond and attend DLRP, right????????

I don't think the travel is part of the equation. Last year, I met a UK friend in Paris to go to Disneyland Paris. We each looked for rates and hers were about half of what I was offered. We went with her offer (including staying on-site and tickets, but no dining). We had such a great time (her first Disney trip ever) that we're planning to do another Disney trip, too.

As to DLRP not being a destination because it's only two parks, that may be true and we did spend a day in Paris first, but I could have easily spent more time at DLRP (and more time in Paris). Wonderful parks!

 

[laurilla]

sorry but I don´t understand the reason.
I live en Spain and we don´t have those fantastic offers. and we have to pay de flght ticket from Europe too, and of course we spend more or less the same money as UK people.

In Spain we would like to have the same prices as in UK, but it is not that way

 

[ClareH37]

You must live with my husband cuz he lives in his own little world too....

LOL, I thought I was the only one

 

[huge mickey fan]

Here is my question. I may be completely crazy but why in the world is anyone taking the time to check out the prices for our UK friends if you live here? If I ever get to England it wouldn't occur to me to compare what I am quoted to what they quoted for a trip to London. My point is it has never occured to me to look at the prices the Brits are getting. I worry about my own trip. I am proud to be American (no offense to my European friends) but I live here. If that means that I don't get a free dining + 15% off for my Disney vacation than I really don't have a problem with it. I live in America and pay American Prices. I am fortunate enough to bring my son to my favorite place yearly. I don't worry about the amount that others pay.

 

[mytripsandraces]

I can't speak for the others, but, as I pointed out in my post, I was meeting a UK friend in Paris, so we both checked prices to see if one of us would get a better deal. She did, so we went with hers.

 

[dizneeat]

sorry but I don´t understand the reason.
I live en Spain and we don´t have those fantastic offers. and we have to pay de flght ticket from Europe too, and of course we spend more or less the same money as UK people.

In Spain we would like to have the same prices as in UK, but it is not that way

You are free to book with Disney.uk. You do NOT have to book with a spanish agent.
AND you can book with Disney.com as well. It is up to you.

 

[epcot.girl]

I am proud to be American (no offense to my European friends) but I live here.

That's not offensive. Most people are proud to be whatever nationality they happen to be - everyone thinks they were born into the best nation in the world!

 

[laurilla]

You are free to book with Disney.uk. You do NOT have to book with a spanish agent.
AND you can book with Disney.com as well. It is up to you.

no, I can´t. I checked it with my Disney agent, she is American, not Spanish. And she confirmed me only UK residents can take that offer.
I would like to know why you think I can do it if I don´t have a England passport. Maybe there is a way to do it that my Disney agent doesn`t know, and neither me...
How can I do it if I am not UK resident, no Enlgand passport and no residence there?

 

[ClareH37]

no, I can´t. I checked it with my Disney agent, she is American, not Spanish. And she confirmed me only UK residents can take that offer.
I would like to know why you think I can do it if I don´t have a England passport. Maybe there is a way to do it that my Disney agent doesn`t know, and neither me...
How can I do it if I am not UK resident, no Enlgand passport and no residence there?

It is possible, but through some UK agents who then will book through Disney UK for you one of my friends has booked through my UK agent in order to get the 45% off OKW with free dining deal

 

[dizneeat]

no, I can´t. I checked it with my Disney agent, she is American, not Spanish. And she confirmed me only UK residents can take that offer.
I would like to know why you think I can do it if I don´t have a England passport. Maybe there is a way to do it that my Disney agent doesn`t know, and neither me...
How can I do it if I am not UK resident, no Enlgand passport and no residence there?

Well, I do NOT hold a UK passport, I do NOT reside in the UK and for the last few years we booked with Disney UK and got the 42% off AND Free Dining deals. We are doing the same this year.
Go to the Disney UK website, price it out and book it yourself - some tickets are for UK guests only, but the rest is open for ALL of us Europeans. If your TA won't do it for you - do it yourself - I manage all my own bookings - easy!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Brandis]

Even the 14 day and 21 day Ultimate Disney tickets which say "UK and Ireland residents only" can be bought and used by anyone.

And dizneeat is right, I have several friends in Germany and Switzerland who regularily book through Disney.uk.

 

[dizneeat]

Even the 14 day and 21 day Ultimate Disney tickets which say "UK and Ireland residents only" can be bought and used by anyone.

Haven't tried those, we are AP holders. But thanks for the tip!