Check-In question regarding "seasons"

[ScottNBecky]

I just thought of a question for any "experts" on the boards. Do you PHYSICALLY have to check in at the resort (during value season-as an example) to get the value rate? Or can you make a ressie that begins during value season, but not physically check-in until the next day (which may begin Holiday or Peak season).

A simpler way of putting it, would be say I wanted to take advantage of next years Value season and make ressies for 12/19 through 12/27. Begining on 12/20 the season switches from VALUE to HOLIDAY thus a huge jump in price. But I will not be able to physically check in until 12/20, which would mean the Holiday rate.

My thought was could a person make AND PAY for the 1st night( even though they wouldnt be there), but not actually check-in until the next day? Has anyone done this? I thought Disney probably wouldnt allow that, but then I thought, what about weather related travel issues, plane delays etc...

Any help is appreciated. thanks in advance

 

[maelstrom]

I think you have to physically be there to check-in. I understand your dilemma, though. I bet Pam knows exactly what to do.

*waits for Pam*

 

[Ergens2]

To my knowledge you have to physically check in. You also have to watch out. Some people have reported not getting the value rate for the whole stay. That their rate jumped the following days. And now that Disney is "cracking down" on rates (discounted or not) this will be an even bigger problem for people looking to travel over "seasons".

 

[s25843]

Most hotel companies will jump the rate midstay... and yes, you need to checkin on the 19th, (or the ressie will be cancelled)

 

[ScottNBecky]

Thanks for your replies. My wife and I are both teachers so we are at the mercy of the school calendar. Hopefully for 2005 our vacation can begin during value season, but I was just asking this question in case it didnt work out that way. thanks again

 

[got2lovedisney]

(Also waiting for Pam to confirm/deny)

As far as I am aware...whatever the current Season is when you checkin to a Disney resort, you have that rate for your whole stay. An exception may be if you are say...splitting your stay between 2 resorts which would actually cause you to have 2 reservations.

 

[Kingdom Konsultant]

You must physically check in on the date that you make the reservation for. If you do not check in by a specific time, you are considered a no-show and you then run the risk of losing the reservation and your down payment. If something happens and you will be late (plane cancelled, etc.) and you call them to tell them that you are having difficulties getting there, they should hold it for you without any problems. But if you are going to make the reservation just to get the special rate and try not to check in until the next day, I strongly advise against this.

When you make a room only reservation you must put down the payment that equals one nights stay. If you do not show, you will lose that payment. It goes hand in hand with the cancellation policy where you must cancel 5 days prior and then you acrue penalties when you get closer.

If a room is booked in the value season and it goes to peak or holiday during your stay, they have always given the value price for the entire stay.

I hope this helps

Pam

 

[Debbie]

You must physically check in on the date that you make the reservation for. If you do not check in by a specific time, you are considered a no-show and you then run the risk of losing the reservation and your down payment. If something happens and you will be late (plane cancelled, etc.) and you call them to tell them that you are having difficulties getting there, they should hold it for you without any problems. But if you are going to make the reservation just to get the special rate and try not to check in until the next day, I strongly advise against this.

When you make a room only reservation you must put down the payment that equals one nights stay. If you do not show, you will lose that payment. It goes hand in hand with the cancellation policy where you must cancel 5 days prior and then you acrue penalties when you get closer.

If a room is booked in the value season and it goes to peak or holiday during your stay, they have always given the value price for the entire stay.

I hope this helps

Pam

Let me ask this then: For instance: what happens if the room was already paid for, for the entire week? And the party didn't show up until the following day of the reservation? Would Disney have already started to avail that room to others? With the winter storms that come through; I would imagine a few check-ins were late by a day or so; i.e. last week when that airline shut down........ So if the party calls and says there is a delay; they are covered; if they just arbitrarilly (sp?) show up, the room may not be there.
Happy New Year Pam! :wave:

 

[Kingdom Konsultant]

Yes Debbie, if there is ever going to be any chance of a delay for any reason I strongly advise that you call.

Have a wonderful New Year!

Pam

 

[ScottNBecky]

Pam I know that a person would have to eat the cost of the first night. That isnt the problem. My thought is that Disney wouldnt cancel your ressie, if you had already paid one night's fee, and then show up the next day. THus you would get the "Value rate" for your entire stay even though you dont "physically" check in until the next day which would be "Holiday season".

I was thinking that I would call Disney late on the "value season" day, and say that I was having travel related problems and wouldnt be able to check in until the next day. Since I had already paid one night ( I know that I would lose one night's $- but if I get the value rate for my entire stay it would be worth it to eat the cost of one night) DIsney certainly wouldnt cancel my ressie, since I have paid and would check in the next day. I know that it is not the most ethical thing to do, but it could be a difference of almost $2000 during our stay.

Pam any thoughts?

 

[ScottNBecky]

Again let me state, my wife and I are teachers and hopefully our 2005 calendar works out and we can get to WDW before the Holiday season begins. I am just curious as to the possbility of going another avenue, if it was a last resort.

 

[imamouse]

So, your school's calendar has the Holiday break beginning on Tuesday Dec 20, 2005? Odd (to me) that the break begins on a Tuesday. It's a shame that you can't go down for the w/e and begin your trip well into Value Season. Good luck! :wave:

 

[SpaceRacer2003]

You could book a night early at value rate and it would possibly stay at value rate the length of your stay. If you are scheduled to arrive on 12/19, you have until 11am on 12/20 to show up before being canceled out as a no-show.

When I was in the resort front offices, we had a bunch of people book a night early so they could have a clean room for a very early arrival. Again, as long as they were in by 11am, there was no problem.

 

[Kingdom Konsultant]

If you do not show up on the day of booking, you are considered a no-show and you will lose the reservation at the value price. You will then be charged the holiday price for the entire trip. It does not mater if you make the 1 nights deposit. That does not guarrentee the value rate if you do not check in on that day. If you call to say that you will be late due to travel problems, you are running the risk of not getting the lower Value rate also. I called CRO to double check on this and this is what they told me.

Hopefully you will be able to get there early enough that you will not have to worry about doing this.

Pam

 

[ScottNBecky]

My break for christmas 2005 is a choice between (last day before break) Friday Dec. 16-Jan 2. OR (last day before break) Monday Dec. 19. YEs come back for Monday and then begin break. THese two options are what are district is considering. So we have to wait and see what they decide. SO that is the dilema.

 

[speck76]

If a room is booked in the value season and it goes to peak or holiday during your stay, they have always given the value price for the entire stay.

Really? That is not a very good business practice, although WDW has always been very static in the pricing of their hotel rooms.

 

[Kingdom Konsultant]

Yes, whatever season the start of your stay is in, that is what the remaining is usually priced in.

 

[TURKEY]

That's what it's been, but seems like more and more of the time it's going up automatically as that's what the system will do. It takes CM to go in and override the rate.

 

[SpaceRacer2003]

Turkey is right, I had forgotten about the override days (yeah that was fun ). You would go through all the inhouse reservations and check & correct the rates for the impending season change. If the rate was going up you would override it at the lower rate as the computer defaults to the higher rate. If the rate was going down you make sure the override is not flagged so it would automatically drop to the correct rate.

 

[Kadee]

So, your school's calendar has the Holiday break beginning on Tuesday Dec 20, 2005? Odd (to me) that the break begins on a Tuesday. It's a shame that you can't go down for the w/e and begin your trip well into Value Season. Good luck! :wave:

School calendars never make since. Sometimes breaks happen that way. I'm a teacher, too, so I've experienced this.