Why Treat AP Holder Worse than non-AP Holders?

[kath1210]

I don't have an AP, but I don't understand the new AP plan. If I can make several reservations and put down a refundable deposit, then why not let AP holders do the same? Is Disney trying to discourage AP sales, or do they just want to discourage AP discounts? If it's the latter, then they can just announce that they'll be limiting AP discounts, and AP buyers can make their decisions from there. I just don't get this...

 

[DebbieB]

Supposidly, this is a separate plan for AP Holders, not the only way to get an AP rate. If you are willing to put down a non-refundable deposit, you will be guaranteed the best possible rate. If you don't want to do that, then you can wait to see if AP rates come out through the current channels.

 

[missypie]

The non-refundable deposit is my one huge problem with the new program. I can understand that if they can sell out their rooms at rack rate, they have no need to offer any discounts at all. But to make one group put down a non-refundable deposit when no one else has to is unreasonable.

 

[lllovell]

Do you call your airline and gripe when they make you check the little box (or listen to the paragraph from a person) saying you understand your "reduced rate" ticket is non-refundable or non-transferrable?

Disney doesn't treat me worse than a non-AP holder. I get a whole book full of discounts and other benefits that make my experience at WDW even more wonderful. If it includes discount rates on a hotel room - whoopie for me! If it doesn't, I still get huge discounts like 25% off shows and 10% off lots of restaurants or the ability to buy the DDE for $50 and then get 20% of food and alcohol at TONS of restaurants.

I love my AP. I would never give it up unless it became financially unreasonable for my family to get them. We get back way more value than the $$$ I outlay for them.

But, what is that saying...mileage may vary with user...

 

[Lewisc]

Do you call your airline and gripe when they make you check the little box (or listen to the paragraph from a person) saying you understand your "reduced rate" ticket is non-refundable or non-transferrable?

The airline is giving us a greatly reduced fare, the discounted fares we book are usually well under half the fully refundable fare.

Disney is booking us at full rack rate, even higher than available AAA rates. Of course we have cause to gripe and complain. I won't even think about booking under these terms. Disney is adding a change fee and charging a non-refundable deposit but is giving us nothing in return. Unless it changes we're actually booking at a higher rate in exchange for inferior terms but the potential of a future discount.

 

[lllovell]

The airline is giving us a greatly reduced fare, the discounted fares we book are usually well under half the fully refundable fare.

Disney is booking us at full rack rate, even higher than available AAA rates. Of course we have cause to gripe and complain. I won't even think about booking under these terms. Disney is adding a change fee and charging a non-refundable deposit but is giving us nothing in return. Unless it changes we're actually booking at a higher rate in exchange for inferior terms but the potential of a future discount.

Do you really think this is how this system is going to play out?

Disney execs woke up one morning and said "lets run off all the people that are dying for an AP discount by locking them into rates and screwing them every chance we get". Of course not. This system is designed to say "you will get the best rates, so book now and stop worrying".

I do feel if your family cannot afford to go to Disney EXCEPT with an AP discounted room, however, you did find a way to afford the AP to begin with so I suspect things aren't as tough as some would like people to believe.

If you are that family, book a package deal. If you have to travel in the worst peak times when the package deals are not available, chances are you won't swing a "great" AP discount either.

I am not saying the current system doesn't need to be tweeked (in some areas a lot), I am simply saying that the non-refundable part (for one night only - not your whole trip) is not that different from any other programs out there.

 

[Lewisc]

I see you're no longer trying to defend your airline comparison. Airlines give us deeply discounted fares in exchange for restrictions.

I have no idea what Disney is planning. My resort decision depends on the availability of discounts. I certainly have no intention of booking a reservation with penalties without knowing what my rate will be. Will it be rack rate? A AAA type of rate? The current AP discount, around $75/night? The old AP discount, around 45% off rack? Maybe at 45% off I'd book LV POLY and at $75 off rack I'd book WL. At rack rate I'd probably look for an offsite resort. I guess some guests want a particular resort and room type and don't care what it costs. Those guests might like this new system.

Disney isn't saying we'll get the best rates. They've made it clear they don't have to match a variety of discounted rates even including AAA. Many of the recent discounts have been PIN targeted or package discounts.

I don't know of ANY PROGRAM that charges the guest a one night non-refundable deposit on a RACK RATE reservation. Would you care to share a few examples?

Do you really think this is how this system is going to play out?

Disney execs woke up one morning and said "lets run off all the people that are dying for an AP discount by locking them into rates and screwing them every chance we get". Of course not. This system is designed to say "you will get the best rates, so book now and stop worrying".

I do feel if your family cannot afford to go to Disney EXCEPT with an AP discounted room, however, you did find a way to afford the AP to begin with so I suspect things aren't as tough as some would like people to believe.

If you are that family, book a package deal. If you have to travel in the worst peak times when the package deals are not available, chances are you won't swing a "great" AP discount either.

I am not saying the current system doesn't need to be tweeked (in some areas a lot), I am simply saying that the non-refundable part (for one night only - not your whole trip) is not that different from any other programs out there.

 

[DebbieB]

The non-refundable deposit is my one huge problem with the new program. I can understand that if they can sell out their rooms at rack rate, they have no need to offer any discounts at all. But to make one group put down a non-refundable deposit when no one else has to is unreasonable.

They are not making one group put down a non-refundable deposit. If you are an AP Holder and want to use this new program, you put down the non-refundable deposit. If you are an AP Holder and want to wait for the regular AP rates to come out, you can do that and if they come out you can put down a refundable deposit. An AP Holder has either option.

 

[lllovell]

I see you're no longer trying to defend your airline comparison. Airlines give us deeply discounted fares in exchange for restrictions.

I have no idea what Disney is planning. My resort decision depends on the availability of discounts. I certainly have no intention of booking a reservation with penalties without knowing what my rate will be. Will it be rack rate? A AAA type of rate? The current AP discount, around $75/night? The old AP discount, around 45% off rack? Maybe at 45% off I'd book LV POLY and at $75 off rack I'd book WL. At rack rate I'd probably look for an offsite resort. I guess some guests want a particular resort and room type and don't care what it costs. Those guests might like this new system.

Disney isn't saying we'll get the best rates. They've made it clear they don't have to match a variety of discounted rates even including AAA. Many of the recent discounts have been PIN targeted or package discounts.

I don't know of ANY PROGRAM that charges the guest a one night non-refundable deposit on a RACK RATE reservation. Would you care to share a few examples?

I am not defending anything lol If you don't want to stay, it really doesn't effect my family one way or the other. I would hope most people in the world get what they want though.

You are not happy with this program, then don't use it. All AP reservations will now require a non-refundable deposit. If you are willing to wait for the SAME RATE you would get if you reserved NOW and maybe there will be a room or two left, I think sometimes you will get it sometimes you won't. Either way you will be charged one night's stay non-refundable (at least that is what I am reading so far - which is changing hour to hour). No one with an AP will get a cheaper rate than you only people that wait might not get a room at all.

You are frustrated at Disney about a program that really has not even begun to be implemented. Same situation happened with Magic Your Way and any other new "programs" that are announced. I don't feel the need to "defend" much here, so good luck to you being off-site or finding another place to vaction. I love WDW because there is something there for everyone, on or off-site!

 

[Sammie]

Even though right now the discounted rates are not loaded into the system, this plan guarantees the lowest possible rate, the BEST discount available to anyone. Why is that so hard for some to understand. It will be better than what you can book without the restrictions.

Yes there are restrictions, but if the discounts are worth the restrictions then it will be worth it. If the discount is not worth the restrictions then the program will fail. But why doom it to failure and give Disney heck for trying something new, even before we know how it is going to work.

I agree that right now we don't know what the discount will be. For some it might not be enough to justify the restrictions. But regardless it will be for some; as it will be the BEST discount available at the time they want to go.

I see no where that Disney is mistreating AP holders. With this plan they are going to get the best discounts without even have to call back and check on them, or the possiblity of getting shut out of any discount at all by someone that did not even buy a pass.

As I stated many times in other threads, this program is not going to appeal to the person who is looking to upgrade by getting a discount. This program is going to "greatly" appeal to the person who is willing and can pay rack rate and is going to be guaranteed that if any discounts are offered they will get the best.

What many DISers are not seeing is, many, many people are comfortable paying rack rate, if Disney will guarantee that after the book if any discounts are made available they get them first and they get the best.

What is probably going to happen is unless you use this program or AAA you are not going to see many getting any discounts in the future.

People have to quit comparing this program to the days of multiple and plentiful discounts due to the travel slump, I think those days are over.

This also stems the abuse called by those booking discounts with an AP, those booking multiple rooms and last minute cancellations and those that call, call, call, to check on discounts trying up the phones. All these have cost Disney money.

 

[Anewman]

Until this plays out how does ANYone think Disney is treating AP holders worse?

It could turn out that they REWARD big time, the ap holders that CHOOSE to put down a deposit up front. And it could turn out that they get the same AP rate everyone else gets, B4 those rooms sell out.

But AP holders are not FORCED to use the new program, so how is this "WORSE"?
Since when is having an extra option a bad thing?

 

[NCombs]

I have no idea what Disney is planning. My resort decision depends on the availability of discounts. I certainly have no intention of booking a reservation with penalties without knowing what my rate will be. Will it be rack rate? A AAA type of rate? The current AP discount, around $75/night? The old AP discount, around 45% off rack? Maybe at 45% off I'd book LV POLY and at $75 off rack I'd book WL. At rack rate I'd probably look for an offsite resort. I guess some guests want a particular resort and room type and don't care what it costs. Those guests might like this new system.

Disney isn't saying we'll get the best rates. They've made it clear they don't have to match a variety of discounted rates even including AAA. Many of the recent discounts have been PIN targeted or package discounts.

I don't know of ANY PROGRAM that charges the guest a one night non-refundable deposit on a RACK RATE reservation. Would you care to share a few examples?

Who needs to share examples? It doesn't matter if anyone else does it or not.

If your resort decision depends on the availability of discounts, then this plan probably isn't for you. That doesn't mean others won't use it.

People are getting upset without giving the program a chance to even get started.

 

[MagicKingdom05]

Some people just don't like change. I think that some people don't like the idea of this because those who book through this promotion supposedly will get first dibs on the discounts and maybe higher discounts than those who book by phone. I love the idea of being able to book my resort online, seeing for myself what's available and not have to worry about missing out on the first round of discounts because it will be added automatically.

 

[MagicKingdom05]

lllovell,

We heard alot of the same things when MYW was first released, but as people have found out, it's a pretty good program. Obviously not all parts of MYW works with everybody, just like the new best rate promotion won't work for everyone.

Just like with MYW, it took time for people to understand it and the same is needed for the best rate promotion.

 

[NCombs]

Some people just don't like change. I think that some people don't like the idea of this because those who book through this promotion supposedly will get first dibs on the discounts and maybe higher discounts than those who book by phone. I love the idea of being able to book my resort online, seeing for myself what's available and not have to worry about missing out on the first round of discounts because it will be added automatically.

See-perfect example. It looks like it will be a good thing for you. That's great. For me, no, I don't think it would work. But, I'm certainly not upset it is being implemented.

This is an example of information getting out so early on the internet, it must really be a hassle for Disney. They haven't even gotten a chance to get things rolling and I'm sure they have hundreds of emails from people already saying how terrible the plan is and how upset they are. I best most don't even understand everything about the program and if it actually replaces anything or is just an additional option.

 

[gullyf]

lllovell,

We heard alot of the same things when MYW was first released, but as people have found out, it's a pretty good program. Obviously not all parts of MYW works with everybody, just like the new best rate promotion won't work for everyone.

Just like with MYW, it took time for people to understand it and the same is needed for the best rate promotion.

And now we know how they intend to pay for MYW... so instead paying a limo service $100 for transportation, you get it "free", just for paying rack rate at the hotel.. great deal: an additional $18 to $75 per night (read: $750 over 10 days) to save $100....

 

[MagicKingdom05]

NCombs,

Who knows if this is really going to work out for me or not. Until this actually gets going, nobody really knows.

I agree that it's way to early to say this is going to be a bad program when not all the information on it has been released yet.

 

[lllovell]

And now we know how they intend to pay for MYW... so instead paying a limo service $100 for transportation, you get it "free", just for paying rack rate at the hotel.. great deal: an additional $18 to $75 per night (read: $750 over 10 days) to save $100....

I don't follow you. Sorry - can you try that again?

I think you are talking about M.E., which is available to everyone staying onsite for free and doesn't have anything to do with the particular room or package you are staying on.

Am I missing something?

 

[seashoreCM]

According to what Disney advertised...

If you booked using the new AP reservation plan, you get the "AP rate" automatically if an AP rate is announced later for your dates.

There is still a question, suppose that one or more nights during your stay were blacked out for a discount. Would you get the AP rate for the remaining nights?

(THe black out question does not apply if even one room were offered at a discount rate for a given night, your rate would be price matched.)

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[MagicKingdom05]

lllovell,

I was wondering about that as well. Everyone is jumping to conclusions before this promotion has a chance to get going.