Do rates change (decrease)?

[iujen94]

I can't believe I don't know the answer to this question. For non-Disney hotels, I regularly stalk the prices after I book, and call to get a rate adjustment if prices go down. I've never done this for Disney hotels. I've got a room booked at Contemporary on an AP promo rate for my trip in February. Is it worth checking to see if the rate decreases? Or does the rate stay the same, and Disney just puts out different offers - such that the AP rate today will be the same as the AP rate if I check it next month. Does that make sense?

 

[rwdavis2]

Only if they do special offers. I have never heard of them just lowering a rate once it's set.

 

[kiford]

Not for just the regular rack rate - it is what it is. But if there are new offers that are lower after you book, you can have it adjusted. I just booked for February & May and the CM told my TA to check back early in the new year for the May rates as there may be an offer that comes out and I'd be able to take advantage of it.

 

[dansdad]

I have never heard of them just lowering a rate once it's set.

Agreed. However, they now have no problem raising a rack rate midyear. Something they've done the last 2 years for the first time ever.

 

[longboard55]

They always run sales, we usually go in May and can expect 25-35% off

 

[Farro]

Agreed. However, they now have no problem raising a rack rate midyear. Something they've done the last 2 years for the first time ever.

Gosh.

If I book and then they raise the rack rate, my reservation wouldn't be affected, correct?

 

[dansdad]

Gosh.

If I book and then they raise the rack rate, my reservation wouldn't be affected, correct?

Correct.

 

[Huff]

When you book, read the fine print in their agreement. Disney clearly says that any reservation not paid for in full is subject to cancellation or rate changes at Disney's discretion. That said, I've never heard of it happening to anyone.

 

[AngiTN]

You can always apply a promo to a reservation, provided that the room class is available with the promo.
However, if you have a promo booked now it's pretty rare for them to release a 2nd general public promo for the same dates.
Typically, their promos run back to back, so the next promo's start date is the day after the current promo's end date
The one regular exception to this is AP rates, they'll overlap a general public discount. But since you have the AP rate booked already it's unlikely you'll have any other promos come out for your exact dates.

 

[AngiTN]

Agreed. However, they now have no problem raising a rack rate midyear. Something they've done the last 2 years for the first time ever.

Ironic thing I found is while the rack rate may have increased they increased the %off on the rooms we were booking so we never saw any increase in what we paid for a room from the first half of the year to the second.

 

[Nancyg56]

Not for just the regular rack rate - it is what it is. But if there are new offers that are lower after you book, you can have it adjusted. I just booked for February & May and the CM told my TA to check back early in the new year for the May rates as there may be an offer that comes out and I'd be able to take advantage of it.

This is not necessarily so. You can make a change if your room and stay are included in the discount that is offerer. You may need to make a change if your dates or resort are included. My upcoming trip necessitated a resort change becaause the rooms I had booked at BC were not included.

 

[kiford]

This is not necessarily so. You can make a change if your room and stay are included in the discount that is offerer. You may need to make a change if your dates or resort are included. My upcoming trip necessitated a resort change becaause the rooms I had booked at BC were not included.

What I meant was that they don't lower the price for all rooms once they're set. There has to be some kind of discount that you need to take advantage of and they can limit it to a certain number or percentage of rooms or room type or you have to stay a certain number of nights or the moon has to be waxing on a Thursday or you have to have an "r" in your name or whatever they choose to do to fill up occupancy. They never lower the rate wholesale. And you won't get it automatically - you have to ask for it once there's an offer out there. That's why my TA will be keeping an eye out for me to see if something gets offered that's lower and she'll check to see if we can take advantage of it. I have no intention of changing my dates or resort so I booked something that I was happy with and if I can get a better rate, I'll be happier. We decided not to play chicken and wait, then lose out on where we wanted to stay and when especially when it's possible that we can take advantage later of better pricing.

 

[cutigerlady]

For AP rates, they can decrease after the promotion was released or you will find availability for lower room types that makes it cheaper. AP rates help them fill capacity, and to get the discount you may have to get creative on how you search for your dates (break them up into multiple reservations or add day on beginning or end of trip) and be persistent. In order to take advantage, you need a room only reservation though.

 

[Nancyg56]

What I meant was that they don't lower the price for all rooms once they're set. There has to be some kind of discount that you need to take advantage of and they can limit it to a certain number or percentage of rooms or room type or you have to stay a certain number of nights or the moon has to be waxing on a Thursday or you have to have an "r" in your name or whatever they choose to do to fill up occupancy. They never lower the rate wholesale. And you won't get it automatically - you have to ask for it once there's an offer out there. That's why my TA will be keeping an eye out for me to see if something gets offered that's lower and she'll check to see if we can take advantage of it. I have no intention of changing my dates or resort so I booked something that I was happy with and if I can get a better rate, I'll be happier. We decided not to play chicken and wait, then lose out on where we wanted to stay and when especially when it's possible that we can take advantage later of better pricing.

I understand, however I just wanted to be sure folks reading know that even though a discount is offered, you may not be able to use it if the dates do not match or if there is no availability at the resort already booked. It is not "applied" any longer.