Wow.. just when you thought you knew it all!

[Valentine]

Well... I just found out something today that I never knew before! I planned a VERY last minute impromptu trip down to Disney for next week. I started calling for prices about a month ago. I could not for the life of me get any AP rates for the weekend of the 11/12/13 Now.. I thought that it was just plain busy... but I found out from the extremely helpful CM on the phone today that the cm's have blackout days listed in their systems.. I never knew there were blackout dates for APs??? Especially when they are advertised AP rates out from such and such date to say 2/16/05. As these rates were. NO mention of Blackout dates. It seems that the 10, 11 and 12 and 14 are all blackout days. Now .. if I had rearranged my reservation, I could book it under 3 different bookings to get the ap rate for 2 of my 5 nights... but that would require me checking and and out 3x.. and possibly haveing to move my room. Hardly worth the 40 bucks I would save (I am staying at POP for this trip) due to lack of AP rates. So... lesson learned.. I guess now that is another question to add to the growing list.... AND the other thing he said.. was that if someone books a room at an ap rate and then cancels it.. .the room does not go back into the system as an AP rate... but as rack rate available.... sooooo this waiting and hoping something will show up at an AP rate is useless... Hmmmmmm.....Anyone find that this is not true? Just curious! Thanks

Kathy

 

[Micca]

I have never heard of blackout dates either. I have always thought that there is only a certain percentage of discount rooms available at each resort, and depending on the volume of rooms booked, that the percentage could vary to optimize profits. Seems like if there are blackout dates, they should make that public.

 

[lillygator]

Well on the special offer WDW page it says the rate is balid for xxxx check in dates...like Sun through Thurs so I take that as meaning weekend check ins are blacked out.

 

[TDC Nala]

This is a recent development that has been turning up on AP rates posted for 2005. www.mousesavers.com lists possible blackout dates. Sometimes it seems only certain resorts are blacked out (for the dates in January they listed as blackouts, it was possible to book the high-end deluxes at an AP rate, but not anything else).

 

[Bugaroni]

Valentine, I believe the 11/12 and 13th are during the Presidents day weekend and I believe the resorts get swamped with the Florida residents.

B.

 

[TDC Nala]

Presidents Day is the 21st, so it's not about that.

I have trouble believing Valentine's Day gets that kind of traffic on its own, especially if it's a weekday. I think WDW is just going in the direction of not offering discounted rates for weekend check-ins.

Some persons (myself included) did indeed get AP rates for Friday and Saturday check-ins in March and April, even though WDW claims they were only available Sun-Thurs.

 

[4mykids]

There are some blackout dates listed on this website under annual pass discounts. However, we are going on Feb 5-12 (this week includes 2 different sets of blackout dates). I kept calling and calling and calling and could never get AP rates for the week. Finally (on January 27) I asked the wonderful CM on the last call if I could split my stay (already had the week at Pop at rack rate $77/night) with the Pop and somewhere with AP rates. She worked and worked and found AKL from Feb 6-11 (this included a couple of those blackout dates found on this site). This would have meant Pop (1 night), AKL (5 nights) and Pop (1 night). I did not want to move twice.

Then she found CR for Feb 5-10 (still included the blackout dates). I reserved that. While we were on the phone, my Pop reservation froze and she could not change it. She made new reservation at CR for the 5 nights and told me she would call me back when she fixed the Pop stay.

She called back a couple of hours later and told me she was able to "squeeze" the extra 2 nights at the CR at the AP rate! So, we are staying the entire time at the CR!!! This includes those 2 sets of blackout dates! $151/night. I was pleased!

She was THE most helpful CM I have had the pleasure of working with. I had her transfer me to the CRO compliment line and sing her praises!!!

So, I do not understand about the blackout dates. When I pull my reservation up on the Disney site, it states that my rate is "Passholder Winter Special rate".

Hope this helps!

Oh, by the way, each time I questioned someone about the "busy-ness" of the week and no AP rates available, they said the night of Feb 11 was the problem.

 

[wirki]

I would call back. I am going next week, and I have an Ap rate for the 9-13. Maybe there are just not any more rooms avaluable at the AP rate.Sorry.
Debbie

 

[Valentine]

I have been calling and calling.. and could not understand the problem.. I have never encountered this before. It seems though.... as usual... each time you call you get a different answer... and no one seems to REALLY know the reason why it was so difficult to get a reservation. I even had a problem getting a rack rate at POP for this time.. and yes.. once again.. the problem was the 11th.... must be something going on that day! I have given up hope... and am just going to pay the rack for POP.. which is not really all that much when I am used to paying for The Swan or Dolphin.. so... I just thought it was a very strange situation and thought I would pass along the info!

Thanks!

Kathy

 

[Lives4Disney]

I had an AP YC room reserved 2/11 - 2/13 that I had to cancel today due to a change in plans. I didn't have any trouble at all booking an AP rate for those nights. I thought I would because I did see the black out dates listed, but it didn't seem to be an issue. I booked it last week. I also get differing answers regarding the rooms booked/cancelled with the ap rate - whether or not they go back at rack rate or the ap rate. I was told it is monitored. If disney thinks they can sell the room at rack rate, it will not go back at ap rate. That makes sense to me. They do open up more rooms at different resorts at ap rate periodically depending on the occupancy. I tried for days to get the GF concierge at an ap rate 2/13/ - 2/17 and suddenly it came available. I was told that they released more rooms into the system. I like booking the last minute trips and I have never had trouble getting the ap rate. just keep trying!!!

Lives4Disney

 

[WDWRC]

There is a HUGE Varsity Cheerleading Competition here next week, and most of the hotels are sold out b/c of that....not mention Valentine's Weekend. Good luck finding an AP rate!

Tracy

 

[G&J's Mom]

Valentine, keep trying. A couple of weeks ago, I got an AP for CSR for 2/10-2/13 at $79+ a night. I was hoping to stay at a value, but the CM said they are booked solid. Fine by me, cause I am really looking forward to CSR.

Denise

 

[FLORIDAFUNFAMILY]

just booked contemporary resort garden wing $144 night 7/1 to 7/3 total $321 This was with a pin code that came on a post card. This is a friday and saturday night. Always wanted to stay at a monorail resort now before our 5 nights at the board walk 7/3 to 7/8 we get a special treat .