New Passholder Best Rate Program

[Jekyll Baker]

Just saw this topic on another site/forum and didn't know if anyone here knew about it yet.

This is from the Passholder page:

Planning a vacation in a few months? Then it's time to try our Passholder Best Rate Program! Now Passholders booking a Disney Resort room online under the Passholder Best Rate Program at disneyworld.com/passholders can rest easy knowing they have received our best room rate offered to the general public* at that time for the room and nights booked. And, if we subsequently reduce our room rate to the general public for the same room and nights you booked online under this Program, we will automatically reduce your room rate to match that lower rate.

Rooms must be booked at least 120 days in advance and, unlike our normal cancellation policy, a non-refundable deposit of 1-night's room charge and tax must be paid at the time of booking. Currently this program is only available for arrivals through 12/19/05. 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.



It's access through the passholder section of disneyworld.com, and let's you book through what looks like the regular booking engine. I looked at it briefly, but since AP rates for 120 days away haven't really been announced, it gives rack rates. So you'd be leaving it up to Disney what price you end up paying.

I dunno 'bout 'dis. What ya'll think?

[Jekyll Baker]

On an upside though, the Passholder site now lets you make a room only ressie at AP rates (not through the Best Rate program)

[Sulley]

Originally Posted by Jekyll Baker

...rest easy knowing they have received our best room rate offered to the general public* at that time for the room and nights booked. And, if we subsequently reduce our room rate to the general public

This is tempting, but I question the use of the phrase general public. Would an AP rate be considered a rate given to the general public? If not then you're just getting the rate everyone else would be getting.

-Sulley

[AkiraRaptor]

Originally Posted by Jekyll Baker

Rooms must be booked at least 120 days in advance and, unlike our normal cancellation policy, a non-refundable deposit of 1-night's room charge and tax must be paid at the time of booking.

Don't like the look of this. Mousesavers has a few words about it too on there site.

Tell me Disney, if I'm gonna book on line, but I was going to buy my AP when I arrive, how will it work? Do I have to pre buy the AP and activate them 120 in advance to get the discount.

And you are seriously asking the public to trust you give us the best price. And if we don't think it is 'ya got our deposit too.

Low...very low...

[JPVonDrake]

Be sure to read ALL the fine print before booking this offer.

[jazzzz]

so now someone who only has a voucher can no longer book at the AP rate?

[jazzzz]

and according to mousesavers you can only book one room. This new program doesn't seem very good at all.

[lawyergirl77]

Hmph. If they still have the AP discounts, I guess it's okay, but if they do away with them, then I will be mighty irritated.

Can you tell us anything about why the fine print is so important, JP (or at least direct me to a place where I can read and decipher it for myself?)

[Master Yoda]

It sounds pretty much like the service that Pam at Kingdom Konsultants already offers. When you book through her you pay a 1 night deposit and when discounts become available that you qualify for she rebooks under the new discount code.

[drp4video]

My AP comes up for renewal AUgust 8, and with all these new pricing changes at WDW, I am seriously considering not renewing. Besides, my daughter just graduated from High Shool and has informed me that she does not want to go anywhere this summer. We ALWAYS go to WDW in August, and as it is just her and I, I am thinking we are not going

I am worried about out annual Christmas/New Years trip as well as it will be her first break home from college and I am guessing she will want to spend it home with her friends, therefore, I am thinking that I won't renew and will just do the magic my way pass if we decide to go.

Now with them messing with the AP, what is the point of having that if you have to book 120 days in advance and get the best rate offered to the public. Heck, AP holder's always got a better rate than was offered to the public. If this is the case, I am better off with my AAA discount.

[New2WDW]

And think, I almost purchased an AP but I am glad I did not! It sounds like they are trying to get people to stop buying an AP just to get the latest and greatest offer. So if you have an AP you have to hope you get a good rate! The only great thing to me about an annual pass (other than the ticket perk) is the room rate discounts.

[drp4video]

It will only be one year this August that I have had the AP, and I wanted it for the room discounts, for the fact that we started going twice (this year three times) a year, and for the convenience of going only a few hours a day sometimes, and not feeling like we wasted a day pass.

My first reaction too was that it seems like disney is trying to do away with the AP. It seems like they will make more money it you have to buy a pass everytime you go. In my case, I would just not go as often, which means they will lose money on my hotel, food and souvenier spending.

[surfsupdon]

Looks fishy, giving a non refundable deposit for something that is only a "maybe."

I like the idea of being able to book an AP rate online, but not in this manner...

[drp4video]

So out of curiosity I went to the site and started booing randomly for October 15 to October 25 using an AP. I got a rate equal to the rate that a person without an AP would get. I would be better off with a AAA discount!

I will have to pay $378 to renew my AP. But for $276 (or $278), I can get a 10 day pass with the no expiration feature, and use AAA to book my room. I hardly ever use the hoping option, only for a day I am at AK, so I can either use two days of my pass for that day, or go to the pool or mall on the day I do AK.

Before I got the AP we use to get a 4 day hopper and do a park a day. GUess I will be going back to that and I will save money since I will have 10 days, which could be split between two visits, for $100 less than an AP.

[brkgnews]

So, let's see if I've go this straight. For September I can either book my room the...

(OLD WAY) Call with the AP discount code, pay a one night deposit, and get my room for like $59 a night.

(NEW WAY) Call with the new "best rate" code, pay a one-night deposit, and get my room for rack rate and maybe hope it will go lower than that (but probably no lower than the AP rate to begin with).

Seems like a no-brainer to do it the old way. Am I completely missing the point here?

JP -- HELP!