EVERYONE who hates the new AP program!

[C.Ann]

It is worth considering using caution with regard to any information we read online. In this case, there are more than 10 threads about this, many of which began with the assumption that something was being taken away instead of what appears to be the reality -- that something is being added.

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I'm still very confused by what these changes are.. All I want to know is if an AP holder can still book more than one room at a time - with or without this new "program".. If the answer is no, then they have in fact "taken something away"..

 

[crazy4wdw]

My concern is that this new program is really a gamble. What if you book under the new program and discounted rates are not released? Then you are stuck paying rack rates and you cannot receive a refund on your deposit. I would not take a chance on it. I am probabaly not going to be staying at the deluxe resorts very often given this change. I'll change to staying at the moderates if I can obtain a AAA rate.

I am really upset with all the changes Disney has made over the last several years. Changing Magic Kingdom Club to Disney Club, cutting Disney Club benenfits, ending Disney Club, then ending Disney Magazine. They have also made dramatic changes to the Walt Disney Classics Collection and Disney Collectors Society. The Disney Co. sold the license to the WDCC to an outside company and the pieces are no longer designed by Disney animators (I guess there are not many Disney animators left).

I am one unhappy Disney fan!

 

[MagicKingdom05]

crazy4wdw,

You have a very good point about being stuck paying rack rate if no AP discount comes out. Atleast if I made the reservation by phone, I would be guaranteed atleast a AAA discount of 10-15 which on a deluxe like Polynesian, could be atleast a $50-65 savings a night depending on which season.

With the AP online promotion, the only thing your guaranteed is that you very well could pay rack rate which would be the best rate that WDW is offering at the time.

 

[U2FanHfx]

Some new info.

So here are the facts on the Passholder “Best Rate” Program offer:

This discount offer can only be booked online at the Passholder website. Passholder discount offers will still be available thru 1-407-W-DISNEY but the discount percentage will be greater if booked online with this Program. The online offer is guaranteed to be the best offer* available at the time of the booking for the travel period offered. If Disney subsequently reduces the room rate to the general public* for the same room and nights you booked online under the program, Disney will automatically reduce your room rate to match that lower rate.

The reservation must be made at least 120 days prior to arrival date. Currently the program is only available for arrivals through 12/19/05. An adult Passholder using the Passholder’s credit card must make the reservation. The adult Passholder MUST be part of the traveling party. Only one room can be booked per reservation.

You can book this offer using an Annual Pass Exchange Voucher ID number, and your voucher will then be validated by the website at the time of the booking.

A one-night NON-REFUNDABLE credit card payment is required at the time of booking. No further payments can be made by phone or mail; the balance is due at check-in at the resort. The Passholder must present their valid annual pass at check-in.

A Modification Penalty of $50 will be charged for any changes to the length of stay, party size, room type, resort, arrival/departure dates, or to change child’s age. All modifications must be made by phone, and can be made up to the day prior to arrival.

The number of rooms and nights available for this Program is limited and rooms are not available every night. This Program is subject to change or discontinuance at any time and without notice.

*Does not include group rates, auction rates, or rates conditioned on group/club memberships or other specified eligibility requirements. Note that Disney considers Passholder rates, Florida Resident rates and any broad offer (advertised on disneyworld_com or in local newspapers, tv ads, etc) to be general public discount offers.

 

[MagicKingdom05]

U2FanHfx,

So it looks like they are rewarding those people who already have AP's 120+ days out with a higher discount then those people who wait for the codes to come out and then a month prior make a reservation. I looks like they are trying to get some of the call volume down and are hoping that this does the trick. I wonder when 2006 reservations will beable to be made, because I have my vacation dates already for 2006.

 

[C.Ann]

Some new info.

A Modification Penalty of $50 will be charged for any changes to the length of stay, party size, room type, resort, arrival/departure dates, or to change child’s age. All modifications must be made by phone, and can be made up to the day prior to arrival..

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Looks like this an another not-for-the-better change as well..

I just hope the former AP rules and offers (via telephone) will stay in place because I really don't see how this new program is "better" - with the exception of cutting down on the telephone calls for the CRO people..

 

[Sammie]

This new program does not have to be used by eveyone that is looking for a discount. It does offer those that use it, the BEST discount available and why shouldn't it. If someone is willing to book 120 advance, and stick with the reservation and not bail out of it and leave Disney with an empty room, why shouldn't they get the best discount.

It also offers the best discount to families that buy APs for everyone in the family, again why shouldn't it. It also guarantees a discount on a room that when booked the guest knows they can afford a rack rate. That guest certainly would love any additional savings, but does not have to have it to keep the room.

This program is not for those that book a room in a category they can only afford with a certain percentage discount.

I think if all the rooms are not booked either with this program, at rack rate, or AAA, then some rooms will still be available for the old ways. But I don't think there will be many of them.

The discounts and they way they were offered in the past happened because Disney had a lot of empty rooms and they were desperate to book them anyway they could. However that is not the case right now.

As Bicker stated, nothing has been taken away.

 

[C.Ann]

As Bicker stated, nothing has been taken away.

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Only if using the AP in the old manner.. If using the new program, much has been taken away..

 

[Sammie]

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Only if using the AP in the old manner.. If using the new program, much has been taken away..

But then again, if you use the new program then much has been given, in fact the Best discount possible has been given.

 

[freediverdude]

But the passholder rate was already the best discount usually, it was usually the same as the florida resident or code rates. Maybe if they make this new program even lower than the current passholder rates by phone, it might make sense, but otherwise why bother with the restrictions. I have noticed that the florida resident/passholder rates aren't as low this year as the past few years, maybe they are leaving room now to make this new rate what last year's passholder rate was, just an idea.

 

[Sammie]

But the passholder rate was already the best discount usually, it was usually the same as the florida resident or code rates. Maybe if they make this new program even lower than the current passholder rates by phone, it might make sense, but otherwise why bother with the restrictions. I have noticed that the florida resident/passholder rates aren't as low this year as the past few years, maybe they are leaving room now to make this new rate what last year's passholder rate was, just an idea.

Rates were not as low recently as previous years because Disney discounts rooms to fill empty rooms. If rooms are not empty then larger discounts are not needed. Disney is guaranteeing users of this program they will get the "best" discount possible. You can not compare it to what was offered in the past, you have to compare it to what is offered now. That would be like saying I am not going to pay $100,000 for this house I want, because 10 years ago it sold for $75,000.

Why bother with the restrictions, if a guest books a room at rack rate, knows they would stay there regardless of the price and has no intention of cancelling why would not use the program.

Not everyone is going to benefit from this particular program, but then why should Disney have to offer any type of discounts at all if rooms are being booked.

 

[C.Ann]

in fact the Best discount possible has been given.

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That's the only thing that has been given - at least the only "positive" thing, providing it happens..

Other givens that are not so enticing are:

The 120 days out requirement.
The non-refundable rack rate deposit.
The limit of 1 room per AP holder.
The $50 modification penalty.

I must be missing a big part of the picture here because I don't see where this could possibly be "better" for the guests - although I do see where it would be better for the CRO folks in having less telephone calls to deal with..

 

[freediverdude]

But you can already get the "best possible rate" by calling up CRO and using the old passholder system. Why use the new program then? Do you know any passholders who regularly book online through disneyworld.com at rack rate and care little about the price? Neither do I. Or if someone does, that passholder would be in a very small group, not likely large enough to make this program successful.

 

[Sammie]

But you can already get the "best possible rate" by calling up CRO and using the old passholder system. Why use the new program then? Do you know any passholders who regularly book online through disneyworld.com at rack rate and care little about the price? Neither do I. Or if someone does, that passholder would be in a very small group, not likely large enough to make this program successful.

Yes you could in the past get the best possible rate by calling up CRO, but that is not going to be the case now. With this new program they are going to make sure that the guest that books online using this program gets the best discount, over calling CRO.

You can not compare it to what they used to offer, you will now have to compare it to what they will offer now.

Now of course if for some reason, they do not hold true to their statement, then I see lawsuits on the way. The only discount, according to the way I understand it and like everyone I am still wading through the info is, the only discount that could possibly be better is AAA.

For example if they offer a 50% discount using the new program and if you use the old call in method, a 10% discount, do you not think people would be willing to take out travel insurance and use the new program. I know I would.

 

[freediverdude]

Well that's exactly what I'm saying, they'll have to make the discount with the new program higher, and make it a pretty consistent discount (high probability of getting it) in order for the program to be successful. Otherwise people won't bother with those restrictions.

 

[LisaS]

It also guarantees a discount on a room that when booked the guest knows they can afford a rack rate. That guest certainly would love any additional savings, but does not have to have it to keep the room.

This program is not for those that book a room in a category they can only afford with a certain percentage discount.

I was thinking about this same thing last night. When it comes to AP discounted rates, people seem to fall into one of four catagories:

A: Those who book a place they can afford at rack rate hoping for a discount so they can upgrade to a nicer room category at the same resort or to a more expensive resort,

B: Those who book a place they cannot really afford, in hopes that discounts are announced and if not, they will downgrade,

C: Those who don't even reserve a room at WDW unless and until discounts are announced,

D: Those who book what they can afford at rack rate and if discounts are announced they make no changes to their reservation, they just have more money to spend on other things on the trip like more table service meals or souvenirs.

This new program benefits only those in category D, and I think that's a small percentage of us here on the DIS boards. From what I read, I think there are a lot of category A types here -- book what you can afford but upgrade when discounts are announced. I'm a category C type myself -- I don't even book anything until discounts are announced. With this new program, any discounted rooms go first to those who sign up for the Best Rates program and the rest of us get what is left, if anything. Prior to these changes, we were confident we'd be at the head of the line to get the discounts since we're all so diligent in monitoring these boards and mousesavers.com, ready to call CRO the instant any discounts become available. Now we're going to be at the end of the line, and that is making a lot of us anxious about our chances of securing room discounts for our next trip.

 

[Sammie]

I was thinking about this same thing last night. When it comes to AP discounted rates, people seem to fall into one of four catagories:

A: Those who book a place they can afford at rack rate hoping for a discount so they can upgrade to a nicer room category at the same resort or to a more expensive resort,

B: Those who book a place they cannot really afford, in hopes that discounts are announced and if not, they will downgrade,

C: Those who don't even reserve a room at WDW unless and until discounts are announced,

D: Those who book what they can afford at rack rate and if discounts are announced they make no changes to their reservation, they just have more money to spend on other things on the trip like more table service meals or souvenirs.

This new program benefits only those in category D, and I think that's a small percentage of us here on the DIS boards. From what I read, I think there are a lot of category A types here -- book what you can afford but upgrade when discounts are announced. I'm a category C type myself -- I don't even book anything until discounts are announced. With this new program, any discounted rooms go first to those who sign up for the Best Rates program and the rest of us get what is left, if anything. Prior to these changes, we were confident we'd be at the head of the line to get the discounts since we're all so diligent in monitoring these boards and mousesavers.com, ready to call CRO the instant any discounts become available. Now we're going to be at the end of the line, and that is making a lot of us anxious about our chances of securing room discounts for our next trip.

You are exactly right. However just because this program might not be popular with some DISers, does not mean it will not be popular with others. There are alot of people that visit Disney that never read the Internet forums such as these.

I just can not believe Disney research and marketing is so weak that they do not know their market base. I just don't think many here realize what it truely is.

 

[MagicKingdom05]

LisaS,

I agree that the AP online promotion is geared toward the type D person on your list:

D: Those who book what they can afford at rack rate and if discounts are announced they make no changes to their reservation, they just have more money to spend on other things on the trip like more table service meals or souvenirs.

I have a hunch that once in a while they will release a code that is just for those who have booked the AP promotion online to get people to use it.

 

[Tagrel]

Had to try out this new system, so I logged into the passholder section and tried a booking.

Chose the Polynesian for 4 nights in October (16 - 19th).
Total: $1488. Lagoon view. Room only. No tickets or packages.
Required non refundable deposit (room + tax!): $496!
With a $50 change fee to boot?
On the CHANCE that I might get some nebulous discount? I don't think so.

And if Disney marketing has identified a majority of AP holders that think this IS a good deal, well then I'd sure like to see this research. I think it must have been the same marketing team that determined the guests WANTED the Character Caravan. Disney marketing makes PLENTY of mistakes. And if enough people let them know this is one of them, it will change as well.

 

[HollyJoy]

I'm so confused! WE were planning on buying Annual passes for our next trip (most likely Jan. 2006). But, we were going to have them activated down in WDW. So, what I'm understanding now is that if we do this, we won't be able to get the AP rate unless we have them activated here 120 days prior to our reservations? So we lose 3 months worth? *sigh*