Why has resort pricing gotten so complicated??????

[jbharr1]

My history with WDW only goes back to 99 but my recollection is they have always had multiple seasons and multiple categories. What is different to me is Disney publishes rates for the year in advance and the only way they change is with discounts. My two other main vacations destinations are New Orleans and Vegas and hotel rooms for those trips can change weekly.

 

[Amanda999]

Go test-book a room at Swan or Dolphin - which aren't owned by Disney - if you want options. (Its remarkable the number of results you get. They have so many that there's a link on that page that says "Too many choices?," and you can choose whats most important - like balcony, refundable - and then it will show you just a couple of rooms/prices.)

I'm glad Disney resorts have many categories and prices. If I want a special view or preferred location, then I'm happy to pay for it to get it - and would be disappointed if every room cost the same, as maybe others don't care about it at all and would have preferred to save money instead.

As to seasonal pricing, well, its basically a discount to attract customers during times they are less likely to sell out. It wouldn't make sense to price Christmas week the same as the 1st week of February, at a child-centered resort.

 

[Dis703]

I thought it's always been like this. We only started staying onsite about 5 years ago, but that's the way I remember it for both Disney resorts and non-Disney hotels.

 

[Dis703]

BUT....... It's NOT POFQ that is more expensive.... it's POR!!! So that totally BLEW YOUR THEORY OUT OF THE WATER!!!

I get the whole hotel pricing stuff..... but the point is Disney never used to be so extreme about it!! It's gotten crazy!

POR also fits families of five so maybe that's part of the higher price.

 

[Nancyg56]

BUT....... It's NOT POFQ that is more expensive.... it's POR!!! So that totally BLEW YOUR THEORY OUT OF THE WATER!!!

I get the whole hotel pricing stuff..... but the point is Disney never used to be so extreme about it!! It's gotten crazy!

POFQ tends to end up costing more because typically, the discount available for PORF is much less than for any other moderate. I usually book when there is a discount that brings my cost down enough so that my total package falls within my budget, so several times when I costed my trip I saw that the only discount offered for POFQ was 5%. The upfront cost of POFQ was lower, but after adding in resort discount it was more.

Disney has always offered select views and preferred rooms categories, but several years ago IIRC, additional views were offered for moderate resorts and a few pricey ones for Deluxe. They make no difference to me, I only book standard or garden (whatever it is called. I refuse to pay for a view in a resort that has exterior hallways, and I am too cheap to pay for a view in a deluxe. Except AKL. I will pay for Savannah View there.

If I may make a suggestion, stop looking at all the breakdowns. Book what you want. If the cost is too high after applying any discount available, change resorts. But do not look at daily prices. You will end up with a headache. WE are traveling to a wedding in MI this June. We will be offered a "wedding" rate for one night, but not the night we arrive. WE move to another hotel after two days, and will be offered a wedding rate there for one night. DH wants the total cost, and I am happy. I do not want to spend an hour trying to explain daily rates. It costs what it costs.

 

[KonaKaiTom]

Straw man

Why would you say that?? I'm just stating my personal opinion, not shilling for anyone. Personally, as someone who generally stays Deluxe, I believe that Disney should be offering the Early Morning Magic Hours as part of the perks of staying Deluxe -- but, they don't seem to have to as they run such a high occupancy rate.

Tom

 

[jbharr1]

Why would you say that??

Why? Because I don't think you honestly believe someone will buy a one day ticket, add park hopper to it and then buy early morning magic? To get to that price level. Straw man

 

[KonaKaiTom]

Why? Because I don't think you honestly believe someone will buy a one day ticket, add park hopper to it and then buy early morning magic? To get to that price level. Straw man

I didn't say I believe that anyone would.....I just stated the obvious....that a 1 day ticket costs that much....apparently you find facts confusing.

Tom

 

[jbharr1]

I didn't say I believe that anyone would.....I just stated the obvious....that a 1 day ticket costs that much....apparently you find facts confusing.

Tom

Not really. I think using technically correct facts, that are pretty much unrealistic, to prove a point, weak.

 

[maxiesmom]

Disney used to have longer periods of time where the rate didn't change. And it used to be that whatever the rate was the day you checked in was the rate you paid for your whole stay.

 

[gtpoohbear]

It's really pretty simple. Its all about demand. Disney is going to charge the most per night at each resort that they think people will pay. That's obviously going to be different on different nights and at different resorts, even within the same category. Their priority is to maximize profits, not make it simple.

They don't add up the cost of each different amenity, they really don't care. The general idea is that people are willing to pay more if they have more amenities, and they set thier rates on that willingness.

But if for some reason there was suddenly more demand for ASMo than POR (because the world lost their mind and just couldn't stand the thought of not having that giant dalmation outside their door), then ASMo would be more expensive. Not likely to happen, but Disney wouldn't care.

 

[Polydweller]

As others have said, it's how the industry work giving different prices for different seasons and different prices for different features. Every hotel has three general seasons Peak, Shoulder and Low. Prices are reduced in low season to entice guests, increased in shoulder to keep a profitable rate but still somewhat enticing, and raised to full price in peak season when no enticement is needed.

Charging more for an upscale room is influenced by the cost of running the room, the furnishings of an upscale room generally cost more to buy. Better quality of everything from carpets to chairs to mattresses etc. And they cost more to replace and generally have to be more frequently to maintain the upscale value. That's built into the pricing.

And, amount of inventory and demand come into costing. There are only so many desirable rooms in a hotel ie closest to lobby/restaurant etc and the demand for those few rooms is high. Higher pricing is one way of controlling demand on the premium rooms. Besides, it's well known in the industry that people don't believe they've recieved a premium room unless it costs more.

Bottom line, Disney is doing nothing that all of us in the industry do.

 

[cheshirealliekat]

You forgot to add in the "premium parking" if that comes. Even if you pay more to be the first, you pay to park close

Oh, the premium parking is here. We ended up parked in Rapunzel 65 or something last weekend. I didn't even know that section of the parking lot existed. The preferred parking lot was about half full.

 

[KonaKaiTom]

Not really. I think using technically correct facts, that are pretty much unrealistic, to prove a point, weak.

While thinking someone would book a one day ticket, with park hopper and early magic hours is, in deed, not likely, my point was to note that as you and other posters have noted - WDW is about making money. As a publically traded corporation, they have an obligation to return maximum value to their shareholders. While my example was, and I agree, unrealistic, it was meant as an example of the potential cost you could face. As we all know, the magic number is 4 night stays where you get the most value of multi stay packages with park hoppers etc. After a 5 day pass, the daily park rate drops from 125 to an incremental minor amount of somewhere around $20 per day, the facts, as unrealistic as they are, make day one of a package $264 if you go all in for the MK and preferred parking. Several years ago we were stranded at WDW due to hurricane sandy. Instead of a 5 night and 5 day stay at the GF, we had an 8 night 9 day stay at the GF. I'm pretty sure that the additional 4 days of park hoppers passes cost us less per person than day one.

However, nothing above means we won't be back. Much like vacations at the Venitian and the Bellagio-we know going in that we are paying a price for a reason. Disney delivers what we are paying for and we will continue to go back.

Tom

 

[jon18uk]

The internet has changed the way people book trips. You don't need to look up dates in a grid anymore to work out pricing for which dates are value or premium, the website does it for you. So as it is easier to get a quote online, hotels are now free to have different pricing for every night depending on demand.

 

[MillauFr]

Not really. I think using technically correct facts, that are pretty much unrealistic, to prove a point, weak.

I thought is was a perfectly legitimate argument.