calling for discounts

[pollyannap]

I just saw on the news that Universal is offering 7 day pass for 2 parks for $100. We have already had to cut our trip time from 10 days down to 7. When I called to make that adjustment, I swear my hotel price went up, but the reservations desk said it didn't. (Previously, I had taken my total price and removed the ticket prices and then divided the result by the number of nights and got about $100, and when I did that again after decreasing our days I got $190)

So, I guess my question is: Is it worth a try to call and ask to see if there are any other deals available? We already are getting in on the free dining--that being the case, will they not give us any additional discounts? Should I even try?

When we made the decision to cut our days, it was to get under a budgeted amount, and then since we didn't get as much off as we expected, we are still overbudget, so I'm trying to figure out ways to cut another $300-$400 out somewhere.

My husband says I should call them and mention the Universal deal and hint around that we may decrease our stay again and spend a few days at Universal. Anyone think that might work?

 

[ClemsonTigger]

On paper or with other businesses that might sound reasonable...but Disney does not need to practice "matching best prices" and doesn't. You will only confuse the agent with your call as they have no capacity or precident to do that kind of deal...it's not like going into Best Buy with a Circuit City ad....

nice thought, but definitely no!

 

[krankenstein]

When is your trip?

 

[erikwatts]

I agree with Clemson. We've tried exactly what you are suggesting and did nothing more than confuse the agent. You may be better off to try to gain some budget wiggle room in other areas of spending.

Good Luck!

 

[DisneyJoe]

We already are getting in on the free dining--that being the case, will they not give us any additional discounts? Should I even try?

Disney does not allow you to "stack" discounts - you can only have one or the other, not both.

Did you confirm that you still had free dining on your reservation?

 

[pollyannap]

to answer questions....

Our arrival date is 9-17. And yes, I did confirm we are still getting free dining--but now that you mentioned it I'm nervous about it.

 

[OneLuckyMom]

Make sure that when they adjusted the dates of your vacation that:
(1) the type of tickets stayed the same (e.g. they didn't add Park Hopping or Water Parks & More when you wanted just basic MYW tickets w/no park hopping) and
(2) they didn't accidentally change the TYPE of room you had (from standard to preferred at the values, or from a regular to an upgraded view at the moderates/deluxes)

I've had both happen in the past.

 

[kimmychad]

you can also make sure insurance wasn't added if you didn't want it.

 

[sarabi]

Make sure that when they adjusted the dates of your vacation that:
(1) the type of tickets stayed the same (e.g. they didn't add Park Hopping or Water Parks & More when you wanted just basic MYW tickets w/no park hopping) and
(2) they didn't accidentally change the TYPE of room you had (from standard to preferred at the values, or from a regular to an upgraded view at the moderates/deluxes)

I've had both happen in the past.

Also... and correct me if this is not a Disney practice... but at many hotels Weekends are more expensive than weeknights. So if your 10 day included two weekends and your 7 day included two weekends as well, then your average price per night would be higher.

 

[Llamaface]

Also... and correct me if this is not a Disney practice... but at many hotels Weekends are more expensive than weeknights. So if your 10 day included two weekends and your 7 day included two weekends as well, then your average price per night would be higher.

Excluding a holiday long weekend, how could a 7 day trip include anything but exactly 2 days considered a weekend by a hotel regardless of what you day you checked in?

 

[Disney_Belle]

I don't recall ever having the rates go up on weekends in a Disney hotel, just depends on the season you go in (value, regular, peak etc.) is what determines what you pay nightly.

 

[Disney_Belle]

Make sure that when they adjusted the dates of your vacation that:
(1) the type of tickets stayed the same (e.g. they didn't add Park Hopping or Water Parks & More when you wanted just basic MYW tickets w/no park hopping) and
(2) they didn't accidentally change the TYPE of room you had (from standard to preferred at the values, or from a regular to an upgraded view at the moderates/deluxes)

I've had both happen in the past.

I have had this happen too. Especially using the website, the perferred room and the insurance is always added in automatically. And so is the ticket options, so I agree, make sure that there weren't any extra things added in that you did not want added in.

 

[OneLuckyMom]

I've been thinking about this some more.

Room (this is without dining):
10 days @ $100 = $1000
7 days @ $190 = $1330

The ticket price difference between a 10 day and a 7 day ticket is only $6 (unless you got the no expiration option).

So, if the prices are what you said for the rooms, changing from a 10 day reservation to a 7 day reservation actually made your total cost go UP!!

But you said the total decreased, just not by as much as you expected.

So I am thinking you either just got the math wrong somewhere, or you had the price of tickets wrong and thought that a 7 day ticket is much less than a 10 day (when it's really not).

 

[Southern_Tink]

I've read in unofficial disney guide books that the longer your stay is in disney the cheaper the rate. So if you booked 10 days then moved down to 7 that would make sense if that is indeed Disney's practice.

 

[DisneyJoe]

I don't recall ever having the rates go up on weekends in a Disney hotel, just depends on the season you go in (value, regular, peak etc.) is what determines what you pay nightly.

Its new for 2008, weekend rates can be higher than weekday nights, but not always.....

 

[The "Pro"]

DisneyJoe is correct. There was a change in 2008.

 

[SAV]

... I'm trying to figure out ways to cut another $300-$400 out somewhere.

You didn't mention the park tickets that you have, but one way to save money would be to downgrade from a hopper to a regular MYW ticket. Or to get rid of the Water Parks if you have them on there.

 

[OneLuckyMom]

I've read in unofficial disney guide books that the longer your stay is in disney the cheaper the rate. So if you booked 10 days then moved down to 7 that would make sense if that is indeed Disney's practice.

That's referring to the cost of tickets - once you are past 5 days or so, adding extra days to tickets only costs a few dollars.

The hotel rates do not get cheaper the longer you stay at Disney. You may see changes due to weekday vs. weekend, or a change in seasons mid-stay, but there is no change to the daily rate just because your stay is 10 days vs. 1.

 

[Master Yoda]

Also... and correct me if this is not a Disney practice... but at many hotels Weekends are more expensive than weeknights. So if your 10 day included two weekends and your 7 day included two weekends as well, then your average price per night would be higher.

You are correct but it does not seem to consistent. Sometimes weekends are more expensive while at others times they are the same.

I don't recall ever having the rates go up on weekends in a Disney hotel, just depends on the season you go in (value, regular, peak etc.) is what determines what you pay nightly.

It is a somewhat new policy that I believe is less than a year old. Also they have revised the system so rates can change mid trip. In the past if your trip started in value season and ended in peak you would be charged the value rate for your entire trip. That is no longer the case. The same is also true for AP and Fl resident rates.