Annual Passes and Disney resorts...

[slappy magoo]

Hey, all. First time posting so if this has been covered before, please be gentle. I heard about how vicious and bloodthirsty Disney internet forums can get.

So, I went to WDW the first time in May of 1996. Used Length-of-Stay Passes, because we didn't plan on leaving the park grounds.

2nd time was in November of 98. That time, we got Park Hopper Passes, because we planned to go to Universal and spend one day just at water parks & Pleasure Island (this was when a 5 day Park Hopper Pass included 7 days at the water parks, Discovery Island and Pleasure Island from the first day of use).

Now I'm going again with my girlfriend in August (she's a teacher, and she teaches summer school, so August is the only time we can go. We're prepared to sweat early and often).

I called WDW direct to get an idea of what kind of pass to get, and the woman who assisted me let me know that annual passes include room discounts, sometimes as much as 40 percent. That was the incentive I needed. We got reservations for Port Orleans French Quarter for 5 nights and Carribbean Beach for 5 nights (we couldn't decide). We got airfare cheap (but no refunds available). We're leaving 8/26 bright and early, leaving Orlando late afternoon on Sunday 9/6, just before Labor Day. 11 days 10 nights. And a few days ago, we went online and picked up our annual passes. And it all seems to be even cheaper then the last time I went to WDW, 6 years ago, for only a week, with Park Hopper Passes. SO I did a little happy dance and went to sleep.

Here's where I get concerned.

I called 407 WDISNEY yesterday to find out what kind of discounts might apply to our rooms at that time with a Premium Annual Pass. After a few minutes of checking, the CM told me there are no scheduled discounts for our hotels for that time period. None. Nada. Zip.


Now, because it's still over 3 months before my trip, MAYBE the room rate reduction hasn't been disclosed. I can understand that. But I decided to go for the passes, and the length of stay, based on the money I thought I'd be saving on the room. If there is no discount, aside from feeling misled, it will really put a crimp in anything extra we wanted to do (nicer restaurants, Cirque de Soleil). Heck, I may need to downgrade the hotels entirely, which I'd hate to do because I thought the ones we chose look beautiful.

Are there any CMs out there, or any Disneyphiles who know everything about everything, that might be able to shed some light on this matter? Are there periods where resorts give no discounts to Annual Passholders? Am I just jumping the gun and need to wait a few weeks?

Thanks for your help. Looking forward to being a presence here.


slappy magoo

 

[bhg469]

well first off welcome to the bloodthirsty board. Anywho i hink you might find some info at www.mousesavers.com they might have something you can use.

 

[ZHoyt]

the discounts for that time period haven't been announced yet. don't sweat it, they will be, and the discounts will apply. keep your eyes on mousesavers for when the discounts are announced, and as soon as you see your dates, call disney to make sure they apply the discounts.

don't worry about what central reservations tell you, they are usually very, very, out of the loop from my experience.

 

[lamarvenoy]

What resort were you planning on staying at?

 

[ZHoyt]

actually, the codes for august are out, i just checked on mouse savers. i would try calling back, ask them to use the specific code (AZB).

 

[Becky]

Originally posted by ZHoyt
actually, the codes for august are out, i just checked on mouse savers. i would try calling back, ask them to use the specific code (AZB).

You will have to pick one hotel or pay full price for your last five days

Code AZB is good for check-ins 7/5-8/28. If you stay five nights at one hotel you would get the discount but you would be checking in to the CB on 8/31 and there is no discount for that period (yet).

If you check in on 8/26 and stay at one hotel the discount will apply for the entire ten nights The price charged for the whole stay is the price at check in.

I stayed at Port Orleans Riverside 5/15-22 and loved it.

Rooms at discount go quickly so you better hurry:animwink:

 

[Moustronaut]

Something also to keep in mind is that Regular Price season for Moderate Resorts ends on Aug 28th. Value price season starts on Aug 29th but the annual pass discounts for the Value season probably won't be announced until mid-late July if at all. Last year there were no AP discounts between Aug 23 and Oct 2.

So you could book the whole thing at regular season discounted rates with a single check in on the 28th.

Or roll the dice and and hope you can get a discounted value season rate for the last half of your trip and keep your resorts split like you have now.

 

[slappy magoo]

Hey all...

Thanks for all your help.

Since "24" is over the season, I'm assuming (and rightly so) that what happens to me is the most suspenseful story around. So now that all our priorities are in order...

I called up 407 WDISNEY again. The CM I talked to was very helpful, after a frightening beginning when my info could not be found.

There is still no word on what's going on with my second room, as those discounted room rates have not been released yet. However he assured me that there would be discounted rooms available, there are always discounted rooms for passholders, despite what it says at mousesavers.com (which, he diplomatically put it, means well but is not as thorough as you'd hope, so don't take their info as gospel).

"But what if he's wrong, and there aren't passholder discount rates at that time?" some of you ask. "But I KNOW he is wrong, and there WON'T be discount rates!" others may shout. Read on...

...as far as the problem goes with getting a discounted rate for the Port Orleans French Quarter (code AZB, as some of you wrote), the code does not apply to all rooms. You see, I was going for romance, getting the best, most secluded rooms one could get at the moderate resorts, king sized bed instead of 2 twins, but apparently that style of room isn't offered at the discounted rate. The CM allowed me to switch to a standard room (though he's going to try to give us a little more privacy in where that room is located), and the savings were instant. I think the total price was around 460 for the 5 nights. Hey, when we're in the room and the curtain is drawn, it won't matter WHAT the view is, heh heh...

He also assured me that if, for some reason, there will not be any passholder discounts offered during the second half of my trip, I can switch to 10 nights in Port Orleans French Quarter and keep the same rate. But it's also possible that the nicer rooms WILL be discounted during that period, so I kept the second half of my stay intact for the time being. If I can keep it as is, OR if I have to switch to a standard room in the Carribbean, OR if I have to stay the entire time at PO-FQ, I'll be set with a good price. I should know the deal by mid-June.

I want to thank everyone who wrote; you helped ease my mind.
Now if I can just win that damn lottery, none of this would matter.

slappy magoo

 

[lamarvenoy]

Book the best deal you can right now, and keep checking back.If things get better just modify your reservations.

 

[mhead]

The number of AP discount rooms keeps shrinking and shrinking. I had a problem getting one and emailed WDW, they said we will get back to you within 72 hours. It has been 3 weeks now and still no response.

 

[aimster]

If its been 3 weeks with no response, I suggest you email them again... or call.

 

[wolf29]

We just returned from WDW. We are AP holders. I had originally made our reservations at FW Cabins, but when the discounts came out for the dates of our stay, I was able to get the first two nights @ Animal Kingdom, Savannah View and then move to FW for the last six nights. I had to make a number of calls before I was able to have a discount code work for all the days. I wound up having to make two continuing reservations @ FW. Had to check out, then back in (did NOT have to leave our cabin). Just need to be persistent, even calling every day. Mousesavers has a list of applicable codes. You can try a number of codes with the agents to see if one will work for you.

 

[slappy magoo]

Thanks again for the advice, all.

But I decided to throw another monkey wrench into the works. I was going to throw another monkey, but really, what did a monkey ever do to me?

BTW, I wasn't sure if this question was better asked here or HERE:
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=39392

Here's hoping I made the right choice.

Whether I split my trip up between the two resorts or stay exclusively at PO-FQ, The resort price will be a little under a grand for 10 nights. Factor in the use of a rental car (and gas, which I understand might be a bit pricey nowadays ) and I'm looking at about 1300 for the resort-car combo.

CON: I do intend to use WDW transportation a good chunk of the time, and mainly use the car for the occasions where we want to eat at a different hotel, (which we intend to do), or when we're just being impatient and want to leave NOW (I blame living near NYC for my impatience, and I pity anyone waiting on line near me at any popular ride with a long queue...grrrr).

PRO: I can go anywhere I want any time I want, including off-property (though not likely this trip), and when it comes to arriving/leaving WDW, we have more control over getting the most of that first and last day, rather then adjusting to the schedule of a shuttle company.

NOW...

I found out that, for about the same amount of money as the moderate resort-car combo, I can get a standard room at Animal Kingdom or Wilderness Resort. That might make affording a rental car a little trickier, BUT we can stay at nicer resorts with more room in the rooms (including those queen-sized beds...mee-yow!). I heard both resorts are beautiful, and I think my GF would get a kick out of the Animal Lodge. Of course, Wilderness Resorts means being a monorail*** away from the Contemporary/WDW/Fort Wilderness, for more dining options. The main drawback is having to rely solely on the WDW transportation setup, and shuttiling to/from the hotels, which would still clost a little more money.

I'm curious as to what you all think is a better course of action?


*** Edit: I meant to say "ferry," not "monorail." D'OH! Sorry for any confusion.

 

[Vernonpush]

Fort Wildreness and Wilderness Lodge are not connected to the monorail. Only Grand Floridian, Poloynesian, Contemporary and Magic Kingdom are on the monorail loop.

 

[slappy magoo]

Vernonpush, you are right. I meant to say that WIlderness Lodge is connected via ferry, not monorail. I edited my post to reflect that, but in a way that everyone knows what the original screwup was.

 

[Moustronaut]

W I L D E R N E S S L O D G E

Way way WAY more romantic than either moderate. The grounds of the wilderness lodge are just awesome. The lobby is to die for. Artist pointe is a great restaurant and a perfect place for dinner for two. And the rocking chairs at the iron spike room at the Wilderness Lodge Villas are my wife's favorite place to unwind at the end of the day with some coffee. Not sure if we're really supposed to be using the DVC areas, but they haven't stopped us yet.

Animal Kingdom is great in its own right, but my personal opinion is for Wilderness Lodge.

If you can find it, see if you can track down the travel channel's Great Hotel episodes about the Wilderness Lodge or Animal Kingdom Lodge. Popkid has them on his IRC site for download I think. That will certainly convince you.

For all the horror stories we've read about disney transportation, we swear by it. Only time we've ever used our car down there was to get to the wide world of sports. Otherwise we've had great luck with the buses over the last 5 years and 7 trips. And we do more resort hopping that park hopping when we go... restaurants, spa trips, boating etc.

I totally think you should go for the wilderness lodge.

 

[swimmom]

I would forego a rental car for a stay at WL or AKL. We use Disney transportation all the time and I enjoy not having to drive anywhere for a week. WL is our favorite resort and we use the ferry/monorail to go to MK, Epcot and the monorail resorts. There may be faster ways, but we enjoy the trip.

If you are going early in November when it's not so busy, you will probably have a good chance to upgrade your room at check-in.

 

[Moustronaut]

Originally posted by Moustronaut
W I L D E R N E S S L O D G E

Way way WAY more romantic than either moderate. The grounds of the wilderness lodge are just awesome. The lobby is to die for. Artist pointe is a great restaurant and the perfect place for dinner for two. And the rocking chairs at the iron spike room at the Wilderness Lodge Villas are my wife's favorite place to unwind at the end of the day with some coffee. Not sure if we're really supposed to be using the DVC areas, but they haven't stopped us yet.

Animal Kingdom is great in its own right, but my personal opinion is for Wilderness Lodge.

If you can find it, see if you can track down the travel channel's Great Hotel episodes about the Wilderness Lodge or Animal Kingdom Lodge. Popkid has them on his IRC site for download I think. Those will certainly convince you.

For all the horror stories we've read about disney transportation, we swear by it. Only time we've ever used our car down there was to get to the wide world of sports. Otherwise we've had great luck with the buses over the last 5 years and 7 trips. And we do more resort hopping that park hopping when we go... restaurants, spa trips, boating etc.

I totally think you should go for the wilderness lodge.

Oops... sorry. ment to hit edit

 

[phlydude]

I booked the WL for a trip this upcoming early to mid August and was surprised to find that there were no standard rooms available for AP discounts. The only room they could give was a Woods view or Courtyard view (I didn't bother asking about concierge 'cause I can't afford it!!).

The Woods view cost $134/night. Plus 11.5% tax over 10 nights can get up there (about $1500). If you don't plan on leaving the property and don't have anyone who lives local that you want to see, save the rental car money and pay $25 pp for Mears bus to take you back and forth to the airport.