Will the changes in the AP discounts change your resort?

[DisneyMomx7]

We've always had a good AP discount. Now with what's going on (if it sticks) I may rethink our resort choices. Right now we're staying 11 nights at the GF in July and I don't know if we'll be back there for awhile if we're paying rack rate. Good thing I booked a lagoon room this time. In January we're booked at WL woods view room but that's only because in-laws are coming that time to watch DH run the marathon, and we could put one of the kids in their room. Next July if we're just doing a AAA discount we might end up at AK deluxe room, Poly gv, or even split with POR for a few days. It feels like the end of an era.

 

[cobbler]

Yep, it very well might. Next year was our big leap to start doing the deluxes, who knows now. I may still do deluxes and book with AAA but have to take fewer trips. Providing they don't get rid of AAA

However if that scenario takes place I may never get past the moderates unless I take a trip every other year instead of every year.

 

[EthansMom]

Nope. I always book a Moderate, which we can afford, and then use any savings toward other things like nicer restaurants and more souvenir spending.

 

[johnnyr]

Absolutely! It will most likely change where and IF we book. Vacation is just that. A relaxing time to spend with the family. I Thought that is what Disney was all about. If I have to stress over the changes with the AP program, it's not fun anymore and maybe its time to move on. I am a long time dedicated AP holder that has spent enough money in WDW to purchase a second property. We used to spend most of our vactions in the Caribbean until we had children and discovered the benefits of being a Disney AP holder and the joys of staying on a Disney property. If it becomes too much of a hastle to book Disney, we will most definately go back to vacationing elsewhere. I don't want to do it, but these changes are extreme.

 

[DMRick]

It will definately have an impact. Right now, we wish we had not renewed our AP last month, and this will be our last year. We'll be discovering other vacation spots after this AP runs out. 120 days in advance is too long for us to book in advance in the hopes we'll get a discount. Off site will be looking much better to us while we wait for our AP to expire.

 

[Sammie]

It will definately have an impact. Right now, we wish we had not renewed our AP last month, and this will be our last year. We'll be discovering other vacation spots after this AP runs out. 120 days in advance is too long for us to book in advance in the hopes we'll get a discount. Off site will be looking much better to us while we wait for our AP to expire.

Unless I am misreading what was posted, it said you could not book any earlier than 120 days in advance. It did not say you could not book later than 120 days. Now there might not be any rates left but then again with the penalities who knows.

 

[Tinkaroo]

I'm sure down the road it might affect my resort choice, but more importantly, likely the number of nights I'm going to stay (at least on site).

I have enough Starwood points for 5 nights at the Dolphin or Swan that I plan to cash in this upcoming spring, and since we have AP's that will be expiring around that time, I thought we would stay 3-5 more nights at another onsite property (if we could get AP rates). If none of that is now possible (and I don't want to gamble and be stuck with rack rates), we'll probably either call it a trip after our 5 nights, or only stay 1-2 more nights at a moderate (versus a deluxe) resort.

Or maybe offsite (gosh, I never thought I would say that)!

 

[georgina]

I read it as you must book at least 120 days in advance. That part wouldn't be a problem for me, as I always plan way ahead. I just booked a July 2006 stay at the Beach Club (hoping an AP discount would be offered). But no, not getting an Ap discount would not change where we are staying this time. We only had an AP one year, and we went in August, November, and July to use it. If I had to buy an AP for next summer for a discount, we probably would have visited again during the following year. No AP discount - no AP - no return trip!

 

[DMRick]

Unless I am misreading what was posted, it said you could not book any earlier than 120 days in advance. It did not say you could not book later than 120 days. Now there might not be any rates left but then again with the penalities who knows.

Then maybe I'm misunderstanding..I thought it was that you had to book at least 120 out in order to use this new, we'll lower your rate to match any general code plan. In any case, I'll take my chances on what they will offer without this...or not go. Unlike others, I am only an AP holder for the discounts on rooms (3 rooms at times) as well as the ability to come to Disney all year. It's too far from NY, to make it worth it without room discounts.

 

[MinnieM21]

No. I love the Grand Floridian and it's one of the reasons I go to WDW.

 

[LisaS]

We bought an AP for our very first trip to WDW to get a room discount. We ended up making two trips while that first AP was valid. About 7 months after it expired, we bought another AP and have already made two trips on that one and hope to make a third in late Nov/early Dec but only if we can get a discounted room. If I can no longer count on AP discounts, then we won't go back because I think rack rates at deluxe resorts at WDW are just too high and I'm not interested in staying at mods or values.

I don't like this new program at all because the latest I can book is 120 days out and I doubt that any AP rates will have been announced by that time. So I would have to gamble -- pay for one night at rack rate up front and spin the wheel and hope it lands on a discount some time between when I pay my deposit and the start of my trip. Maybe I'll be a big winner and get a huge discount but most likely I'll end up having to pay rack rate for my entire stay and I'm not interested in staying at WDW at that price.

If this is an additional option to reward people who are willing to commit to their dates and choice of resort no later than 4 months in advance in exchange for the possibility of some great discounts, then OK. But if discounts are not guaranteed and you could end up paying rack rate then I'm not interested. If that is the case, then I sure hope the other options are still going to be there, i.e., wait until the AP rates are announced and get on the phone first thing in the morning and hope you can get a discounted room at your preferred resort. Otherwise, I think I just took my last trip to WDW.

 

[susy]

Yep! I am currently booked at BWI concierge for Thanksgiving for $490 plus tax a night. I am not willing to forfeit the deposit. I have no problem going back to the values resorts ot switching to Universal. I wonder if the FL Resident discounts will be next to go.

 

[C.Ann]

It pretty much changes everything for me.. We have a tentative trip planned for late Nov/ealy December - 10 nights, 11 days.. There will be more of us going than the number allowed in a single room..

I will be spending Jan. thru March in Florida next year so I thought that I would purchase an AP for the group trip and reserve two rooms.. It would be pointless for anyone else in that group to buy an AP (for a discount on the second room) simply because they won't be back in Florida again to use it - or use it enough to make it cost effective..

It's also impossible for us to nail down dates 120 days out because the entire trip hinges on my selling my house (unless Disney would like to purchase it in a manner that would work within their new time frame - LOL)..

I am also not the type of person to hand over a non-refundable deposit based on a whole bunch of "if's" and "maybes" and can honestly say that I don't think there is one single room in any of the Disney Resorts that is worth the rack rate that they charge..

So....I guess what it boils down to is that I'll be looking at off-site resorts instead.. I was so looking forward to taking my granddaughter to Pop Century but it looks like that will be impossible now..

 

[Gary M]

Our resort change will probably be in another vacation spot other than WDW. We'll just have to see how this shakes out. We are retired and travel a lot anyway. This year we have already been to New Orleans and Reno, NV. We have trips booked to New Orleans again, Las Vegas (twice), Spain and WDW for the rest of 2005.

 

[Kapp]

for an upgrade to the WL from the POFQ with a purchase of an AP but not it does not look like that will work. Glad we got the POFQ already and didn't gamble on getting a better AP rate with a previous reservation at the WL. VERY VERY bad AP plan now!

 

[Nik's Mom]

It changes things for us in a sense that we will not book using our ap (even though we just bought the ap's in May) because I do not like the non-refundable deposit. We'll go back to using AAA for our discounts.

 

[bigalpf1]

We've always had a good AP discount. Now with what's going on (if it sticks) I may rethink our resort choices. Right now we're staying 11 nights at the GF in July and I don't know if we'll be back there for awhile if we're paying rack rate. Good thing I booked a lagoon room this time. In January we're booked at WL woods view room but that's only because in-laws are coming that time to watch DH run the marathon, and we could put one of the kids in their room. Next July if we're just doing a AAA discount we might end up at AK deluxe room, Poly gv, or even split with POR for a few days. It feels like the end of an era.

I might end up at Marriot

 

[CharlesTD]

Well after reading all the stuff going on we had considered getting one but it really didn't make much sence. We only do 5 park days a trip and we are there for 2 weeks. We have to say going with DVC over trying to rely on AP discounts has definateley been worth teh money now.

 

[utey]

No it will not. I only book what I know I can afford at the time. It's just like when you book the best rate at other hotels on-line. They tell you that in order to get that rate the one night dep is non-refundable. Disney is just moving in that direction.

 

[MagicKingdom05]

They aren't getting rid of the way they use to do AP's at all, but instead adding something for those people who already have AP's, know when and where they want to stay, want to book online, and aren't going to be making wholesale changes to there reservation.

I personally love this idea because I can now make one reservation and know that if a discounted rate comes out for it, I will beable to get it and won't have to worry about missing the release of a code.