Very restrictive Changes to WDW Annual Passholder Resort Discounts

[Tink10]

Disney could have stopped the abuse by enforcing a current AP upon check-in. It was rarely verified.

Hi Jim,

The big problem wasn't the enforcing the AP rates on check-in, it was the incredible amount of telephone calls & the bookings by people who had no intention of keeping them.

I don't know how often you've visited the resorts board or the budget board, but when AP rates were released there were so many people calling & booking rooms when they didn't even have an AP. I have no doubt that a good number of those people ended up cancelling their rooms for whatever reason. Those rooms, cancelled so close to the check-in date really do mean that Disney is losing money and of course, they're going to put an end to it.

Right now, there are so many people on Disney boards that think that Disney has a personal vendetta against AP holders and they feel punished, but, a really good & loyal customer, who cares about the company, will understand why they're doing it.

I totally believe that if people aren't comfy booking with a nonrefundable deposit, then they shouldn't book it, but as I said above, when people realize that the only way that they're going to get the discount is by booking BR, then that's what they'll do......JMHO

 

[bavaria]

But I would bet that there are some longtime passholders out there who are used to calling fo a room at an AP discount when they can free up a weekend. If they call and are told too bad we started this new program and you had to book it at 120 (no wait, 60 days) out, I would bet there might be some unhappy AP holders.

And that describes my travel patterns. I have been to WDW and DL 6-10 times a year for the last ten years, and held an AP at both locations for many of those years.

In fact, I have been thinking about a quick September or October trip today....

The Best Rate program won't work for me unless they offer AP rates short term. So I either use my small DVC contract or pay another hotel company to stay offsite. Even if I stay offsite for free, Disney loses on potential incidental revenue from me (internet, meals, phone calls, etc).

Granted, I certainly don't fit the typical demographic in terms of vacation patterns and home location. But my options to book a room have been reduced, with no comparable option. I could book at full rate but why when I can use that money to add on to a DVC contract or do another trip later in the year?

Again, I fully support Disney's business decision - it gave me a headache just looking at the thread titles on the codes board. But I am still hoping that there will be a business case for AP rates short term - perhaps at a higher rate that the Best Rate AP rate, but still an AP discount. Imagine the low occupancies in January, and the opportunity to sell some of those empty rooms to an AP holder for a last minute trip...

 

[CarolMN]

..(snip)..... But I am still hoping that there will be a business case for AP rates short term - perhaps at a higher rate that the Best Rate AP rate, but still an AP discount. Imagine the low occupancies in January, and the opportunity to sell some of those empty rooms to an AP holder for a last minute trip...

I really think the 60 day advance requirement will be lifted in the near future. Seems to me to be a win-win situation. If there are unreserved rooms that Disney wants to fill, then why not make them available via this program? If there aren't a lot of rooms that would otherwise go empty, then there won't be any to book at the last minute.

That said, I know there is more that goes into the "formula" than that. For example, it doesn't do any good to fill rooms if there won't be staff at the resorts to support them. I have no idea what lead time Disney needs to make sure staffing levels are appropriate for the number of expected guests.

Best wishes -

 

[patsal]

FWIW, I don't think the AP rates under the BRP are going to come out any earlier than they did previously. Right now, they are not available for stays past mid-February, 2006. I don't remember ever being able to book an AP discount 10 months or more in advance. I'm remembering 3 - 5 months, max.

You can still book rack or AAA early on to make sure you have a room. If an AP rate comes out, you can book that via BRP and cancel the rack reservation or AAA discount at that time. That's essentially what you were doing before anyway.

Best wishes-

No, you're correct I've never booked with the AP code 10 months or more out, but what I was trying to say is that I booked my resort at 10 or 12 months in advance using a AAA code and if an AP code came out for my dates/resort I was always able to apply it to my reservation, now I doubt I'll be able to do that. Not a huge deal, I buy the AP for the parks and the extra discount was just a perk, but I do sort of feel left out, if I won't be able to apply the discount to the current reservation, it seeems so much more complicated.

 

[patsal]

I am also planning a trip that is just over a year away. How I handled this was I have already booked my rooms with the AAA discount for Dec. 2006. Then at 60 days out if the Best Rate is better, I'll book there. There is no cancellation fee for the AAA discount as far as I know and you can cancel up to 6 days before you arrive.

So this way I ensure I will not pay rack rate.

If I can do that than I guess I won't have any problems and it will be like the way I've always done it anyway. I was under the impression that it couldn't be changed for some reason. I'm glad I was wrong!

 

[Aneille]

If I can do that than I guess I won't have any problems and it will be like the way I've always done it anyway. I was under the impression that it couldn't be changed for some reason. I'm glad I was wrong!

Yes the Best Rate has the non refundable first night if cancelled and a change fee (which I don't know the details of really) but you'll be going the other way so it shouldn't be a problem!

 

[Tink10]

To clarify the fee....

The change fee is $50 and will only be charged if you spend less on the new ressie than you were on the original one. Some have supposedly had success at having the fee waived, but if someone were changing to a less expensive ressie, then they should definately plan on paying it.....

 

[JimMIA]

I totally believe that if people aren't comfy booking with a nonrefundable deposit, then they shouldn't book it,

I have to agree. I just don't see what the big deal is with the one-night non-refundable deposit 120 days out. I book ski vacations a lot farther out than that and have to pay 50% up front and everything non-refundable by about 90 days out. (Or more. It obviously depends on the resort and type of accommodations)

I understand situations where people might want to book tentative reservations farther out, or reserve with no deposit. Fine, go ahead. Call and make a regular reservation.

But they shouldn't be allowed to tie up reservations they don't even qualify for, and if Disney wants to attach a string to a program like BR, that makes sense to me. They're offering a specific benefit, and there's no such thing as a free lunch.

I think JimC is right. When the economy turns down again, you will see a lot more flexibility. But it's not that way now, and Disney has every right to maximize their revenue. Actually, they have a responsibility to their shareholders to do just that...it's not a charity.

 

[JimC]

Hi Jim,

The big problem wasn't the enforcing the AP rates on check-in, it was the incredible amount of telephone calls & the bookings by people who had no intention of keeping them.

I don't know how often you've visited the resorts board or the budget board, but when AP rates were released there were so many people calling & booking rooms when they didn't even have an AP. I have no doubt that a good number of those people ended up cancelling their rooms for whatever reason. Those rooms, cancelled so close to the check-in date really do mean that Disney is losing money and of course, they're going to put an end to it.

Right now, there are so many people on Disney boards that think that Disney has a personal vendetta against AP holders and they feel punished, but, a really good & loyal customer, who cares about the company, will understand why they're doing it.

I totally believe that if people aren't comfy booking with a nonrefundable deposit, then they shouldn't book it, but as I said above, when people realize that the only way that they're going to get the discount is by booking BR, then that's what they'll do......JMHO

Hi Tink,

I don't venture much outside of DVC boards, maybe on occaision to DL and DCL and an odd post here or there elsewhere.

They could require the AP code on the ticket to book the room. That ensures that an AP ticket was purchased and would likely cut down on wasted booking time. Would AP holders engage in the kind of activity that is causing the problems?

My problem is not the non-refundable deposit. I am used to those. It is the you get the best rate that becomes available to the public piece that I don't like. AP codes were never available to the public - only a special group.

I don't think Disney has a vendetta against AP holders. That would be very much counter to their values and culture. I believe they looked to more efficiently improve room yields. The best rate program is one element of that effort. When market conditions change, they will respond with more changes to efficiently improve room yields. That is how things work and I am okay with that.

I still use a travel agent for a cash reservation -- particularly with the Disney specialists who really know what they are doing (Dreams Unlimited comes to mind). It costs me nothing. They look for discounts and specials for me. I can benefit from their expertise and market knowledge. They can interact with the Disney folks more efficiently than I can. So with a good travel agent I still don't see where this new program does anything for me. Some new rules that the travel agent can learn. Me -- I just want to go and have fun!

 

[bavaria]

Hi Tink,

They could require the AP code on the ticket to book the room. That ensures that an AP ticket was purchased and would likely cut down on wasted booking time.

And this is what I never understood... Whenever I called to book a DL resort using my AP, I had to have the code on the back in order to reserve. In fact, I recall that they wouldn't even quote a rate without the code. (I don't usually stay at a Disney hotel at DL, and didn't use boards like this back then)

If DL could do that for several years, why did WDW never implement such a policy? Is it because WDW guests typically book much further out than DL guests?

And WDW compounded the issue by not checking for AP at check in. Very rarely have I been asked - in fact, typically the desk clerk asked if I needed to purchase tickets.

Sadly, this created a situation where some people did try and take advantage of this lack of enforcement.