Hey Ap'ers, how does it feel to know you are a contingency plan?

[LSLS]

The rooms at Royal Pacific are the same size as at the Disney lodges, significantly less expensive, and were recently renovated. I prefer the lobbies at Cabana and Sapphire, but in no way, shape, or form is the Pacific lobby equivalent to a Marriott. I have a suspicion you had determined your opinion of the resort before you set foot in it.

Eh, not really. I picked some random dates. They are the same size as AKL and OKW, and the prices are within $10 of each other. Most of the other WDW deluxes are significantly more expensive, but also offer almost 100 sqft more. I've never stayed at Universal, but kind of a general theme I've noticed as I've looked more into Universal as my WDW desires start to go away is that Universal is really not much cheaper.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Eh, not really. I picked some random dates. They are the same size as AKL and OKW, and the prices are within $10 of each other. Most of the other WDW deluxes are significantly more expensive, but also offer almost 100 sqft more. I've never stayed at Universal, but kind of a general theme I've noticed as I've looked more into Universal as my WDW desires start to go away is that Universal is really not much cheaper.

For a week in mid-January chosen at random, Pacific is 288 and Wilderness is 485. They’re not exactly comparable, because WL offers a “nature view.” Part of the trick is that it is almost always possible to get a discounted rate at Universal with a couple tries. If you’re an AP holder at Uni the discounts go even deeper, but that’s not really relevant here. Looking at a full rack rate in February for a Pacific water view vs a WL nature view, Pacific is still about 100 cheaper.

Honestly, though I love the resort, Pacific may be the worst bang for your buck Universal offers. Portofino isn’t much more expensive but offers much bigger rooms and theming comparable to any Disney resort while Sapphire is significantly cheaper then RP (or Disney’s “moderates”) with rooms of roughly the same size. When you compare the wonderfully themed Cabana to something like Caribbean, the value difference is incredibly stark.

It should also be noted that the size of the WDW rooms vary significantly - rooms at the Contemporary are less then 60 sq ft bigger then RP.

 

[matt9112]

Eh, not really. I picked some random dates. They are the same size as AKL and OKW, and the prices are within $10 of each other. Most of the other WDW deluxes are significantly more expensive, but also offer almost 100 sqft more. I've never stayed at Universal, but kind of a general theme I've noticed as I've looked more into Universal as my WDW desires start to go away is that Universal is really not much cheaper.

It’s really not a 1 to 1 comparison….you can legitimately walk to both parks from all three of the top tier universal resorts. (Similar to contemporary or the GF) than you have the included express for everyone in your room…a perk that legitimately cannot be matched by any disney accommodations.

I’m paying 360 a night in mid December for portofino. (That’s with taxes)

I just looked up the rack rate for disney for the same exact dates and Coranado is 311…..poly is 700 plus. the pop century is 260ish that’s comical.

I booked in advance so I just looked up fresh rates for a fair comparison rack to rack and portofino is 465. The AKL I guess is the closest? At 570. So for 100 dollars less you get….Express…..walking to parks….boat transportation.

For full transparency I am using an AP rate for universal but the price difference wasn’t much off rack rate.

 

[Casper Gutman]

It’s really not a 1 to 1 comparison….you can legitimately walk to both parks from all three of the top tier universal resorts. (Similar to contemporary or the GF) than you have the included express for everyone in your room…a perk that legitimately cannot be matched by any disney accommodations.

I’m paying 360 a night in mid December for portofino. (That’s with taxes)

I just looked up the rack rate for disney for the same exact dates and Coranado is 311…..poly is 700 plus. the pop century is 260ish that’s comical.

I booked in advance so I just looked up fresh rates for a fair comparison rack to rack and portofino is 465. The AKL I guess is the closest? At 570. So for 100 dollars less you get….Express…..walking to parks….boat transportation.

For full transparency I am using an AP rate for universal but the price difference wasn’t much off rack rate.

Even better you can walk to the park from Sapphire or take the fantastic boat. During my last stay there I was paying less per night then the rate at most I-drive chain hotels.

 

[Andrew M]

I'm not exactly sure how you expect a corporate leader to look at their customers, especially when we've proven over and over again there seems to be an unlimited demand for their product despite insane price hikes.

I was on the fence about renewing my AP, but when it came down to it the only reason to renew was 'they might not offer it again' so I decided against it. I'll probably get it eventually when they inevitably offer it again if/when it lines up with some future trips, but I'm guessing I'll atleast take a year off.

Especially since we recently took our kids to Disneyland and the entire experience there just blows WDW out of the water. The characters actually interact with people! We were on the Mark Twain waiting for it to leave and Tiana randomly walks on, my daughters lost their minds. Plus you really get a much better value there when you can easily knock out everything in 3 days.

 

[matt9112]

I'm not exactly sure how you expect a corporate leader to look at their customers, especially when we've proven over and over again there seems to be an unlimited demand for their product despite insane price hikes.

I was on the fence about renewing my AP, but when it came down to it the only reason to renew was 'they might not offer it again' so I decided against it. I'll probably get it eventually when they inevitably offer it again if/when it lines up with some future trips, but I'm guessing I'll atleast take a year off.

Especially since we recently took our kids to Disneyland and the entire experience there just blows WDW out of the water. The characters actually interact with people! We were on the Mark Twain waiting for it to leave and Tiana randomly walks on, my daughters lost their minds. Plus you really get a much better value there when you can easily knock out everything in 3 days.

You bring up a good point….I feel like disney world is designed to drag out your vacation….it shouldn’t need to be a 7 day affair.

 

[matt9112]

For a week in mid-January chosen at random, Pacific is 288 and Wilderness is 485. They’re not exactly comparable, because WL offers a “nature view.” Part of the trick is that it is almost always possible to get a discounted rate at Universal with a couple tries. If you’re an AP holder at Uni the discounts go even deeper, but that’s not really relevant here. Looking at a full rack rate in February for a Pacific water view vs a WL nature view, Pacific is still about 100 cheaper.

Honestly, though I love the resort, Pacific may be the worst bang for your buck Universal offers. Portofino isn’t much more expensive but offers much bigger rooms and theming comparable to any Disney resort while Sapphire is significantly cheaper then RP (or Disney’s “moderates”) with rooms of roughly the same size. When you compare the wonderfully themed Cabana to something like Caribbean, the value difference is incredibly stark.

It should also be noted that the size of the WDW rooms vary significantly - rooms at the Contemporary are less then 60 sq ft bigger then RP.

I know it gets shade and is definitely considered a step below hard rock or portofino I liked the look of the royal pacific from photos at least. I hope I get to pop in. It’s also cheaper per night on average so if room size isn’t a big factor.

 

[LSLS]

For a week in mid-January chosen at random, Pacific is 288 and Wilderness is 485. They’re not exactly comparable, because WL offers a “nature view.” Part of the trick is that it is almost always possible to get a discounted rate at Universal with a couple tries. If you’re an AP holder at Uni the discounts go even deeper, but that’s not really relevant here. Looking at a full rack rate in February for a Pacific water view vs a WL nature view, Pacific is still about 100 cheaper.

Honestly, though I love the resort, Pacific may be the worst bang for your buck Universal offers. Portofino isn’t much more expensive but offers much bigger rooms and theming comparable to any Disney resort while Sapphire is significantly cheaper then RP (or Disney’s “moderates”) with rooms of roughly the same size. When you compare the wonderfully themed Cabana to something like Caribbean, the value difference is incredibly stark.

It should also be noted that the size of the WDW rooms vary significantly - rooms at the Contemporary are less then 60 sq ft bigger then RP.

I mean, January 17th has a seasonal rate starting at $390. Wilderness and OKW are $407. Saphire is $252, while Coronado is $222, and POR are $247. I'm sure there are ways to really save at Universal that once Epic opens I will investigate a lot more, but it always surprises me when I look at pricing.

 

[Andrew M]

I know it gets shade and is definitely considered a step below hard rock or portofino I liked the look of the royal pacific from photos at least. I hope I get to pop in. It’s also cheaper per night on average so if room size isn’t a big factor.

Out of the 3 there, this one I liked the most. It definitely feels alot like the Polynesian.

 

[Casper Gutman]

I mean, January 17th has a seasonal rate starting at $390. Wilderness and OKW are $407. Saphire is $252, while Coronado is $222, and POR are $247. I'm sure there are ways to really save at Universal that once Epic opens I will investigate a lot more, but it always surprises me when I look at pricing.

Sapphire is not comparable to the moderates. Cabana is, though it’s clearly superior to all but (pre-renovation) Old Quarter.

I searched the week that included Jan 17 at WL and didn’t see that rate. I guess I’ve lost the Disney discount-finding knack.

Also, for how many nights are you searching? Uni rates generally plummet if you stay more nights.

 

[LSLS]

Sapphire is not comparable to the moderates. Cabana is, though it’s clearly superior to all but (pre-renovation) Old Quarter.

I searched the week that included Jan 17 at WL and didn’t see that rate. I guess I’ve lost the Disney discount-finding knack.

Also, for how many nights are you searching? Uni rates generally plummet if you stay more nights.

Oh, yeah that would be why, I just picked a few random 1 nights during the week.

Ok, making more sense. I checked for a random Sunday-Friday (I do my best to avoid weekends usually), and the prices do go down quite significantly (Pacific down to $300 a night). See, I've not done anything really with Universal, so this is all new to me. I'm still waiting on Epic, but learning. Sorry, back to AP stuff and the CFO not knowing how to talk when you are being recorded.

 

[Minnesota disney fan]

I know it gets shade and is definitely considered a step below hard rock or portofino I liked the look of the royal pacific from photos at least. I hope I get to pop in. It’s also cheaper per night on average so if room size isn’t a big factor.

FWIW: We love RPR. THe tropical ambience is what we like on vacation. The rooms were spacious enough for us. They were sparkling clean and we had no problems with them. The front desk went out of their way to put us where we wanted. Everyone there spoke to us and offered any help we would need. I love Jake's Bar and the pool bar. I think the Portofino resort is too far away and too big for us. I also don't really care for the Italian ambience, but that's just me. Hard Rock would be fine too, but RPR is the place we love. It's a good fit for us. I hope you give it a try.

 

[Brad Bishop]

First, I'm a bit amazed at how much people will defend Disney, no matter what. However, the people pointing out that their contingency plan is just that, are correct. They need to state what they will do in the event of a downturn in the economy. One of those things is their traditional method of using APers as "filler". It's what they do.

What these defenders miss, however, is the "love and devotion to Disney" from those who'd likely buy an AP. These folks feel VERY tied to a Disney community and to Disney, specifically. This has been bred over their lifetimes from watching Wonderful World of Disney or Disney Channel on TV to now. Everything is "magical" to them. As such, it's a bit off-putting to have the CEO of Disney describe you as "undesirable" (or whatever word he used - it wasn't flattering) and have them play games with you like, "Sure you can have an AP with no black-out dates but not ALL dates will be available for a reservation because that's an entirely separate issue. Also, give us your money!" only to find out they want you to buy their APs now and get you in the parks to boost numbers but know that, as soon as the numbers start rising again, they'll go back to the old ways of encouraging to renew your AP but maybe not come as often (they still want your money, after all).

For those of you who grew up in the Church of Disney. Your god doesn't care about you. He wants your money but will take others over you if they'll pay more. That's the way this works.

We've discussed, several times on this forum, how APers are "filler". Why this is a sudden surprise to people blows my mind. You're "filler" like it or not, that's what you are and all you'll ever be as an APer. I'm not saying it's bad nor good. It is what it is.

Internally they have a word like, "Annual Assholders," or something along those lines. That's where you stand.

The interesting take is that if you're an APer for any other operation, they appear to appreciate you. I think Dollywood does this best. They're happy to have loyal customers. Disney, however, has enough loyal customers that they aren't happy about it but more annoyed that they have to deal with it (unless they need filler). Generally speaking, they don't want you because they have a ton of people lined up screaming, "I LOVE DISNEY! TAKE MY MONEY!".

I'll add: It sucks that this is where we're at.

 

[Disstevefan1]

First, I'm a bit amazed at how much people will defend Disney, no matter what. However, the people pointing out that their contingency plan is just that, are correct. They need to state what they will do in the event of a downturn in the economy. One of those things is their traditional method of using APers as "filler". It's what they do.

What these defenders miss, however, is the "love and devotion to Disney" from those who'd likely buy an AP. These folks fill VERY tied to a Disney community and to Disney, specifically. This has been bred over their lifetimes from watching Wonderful World of Disney or Disney Channel on TV to now. Everything is "magical" to them. As such, it's a bit off-putting to have the CEO of Disney describe you as "undesirable" (or whatever word he used - it wasn't flattering) and have them play games with you like, "Sure you can have an AP with no black-out dates but not ALL dates will be available for a reservation because that's an entirely separate issue. Also, give us your money!" only to find out they want you to buy their APs now and get you in the parks to boost numbers but know that, as soon as the numbers start rising again, they'll go back to the old ways of encouraging to renew your AP but maybe not come as often (they still want your money, after all).

For those of you who grew up in the Church of Disney. Your god doesn't care about you. He wants your money but will take others over you if they'll pay more. That's the way this works.

We've discussed, several times on this forum, how APers are "filler". Why this is a sudden surprise to people blows my mind. You're "filler" like it or not, that's what you are and all you'll ever be as an APer. I'm not saying it's bad nor good. It is what it is.

Internally they have a word like, "Annual Assholders," or something along those lines. That's where you stand.

The interesting take is that if you're an APer for any other operation, they appear to appreciate you. I think Dollywood does this best. They're happy to have loyal customers. Disney, however, has enough loyal customers that they aren't happy about it but more annoyed that they have to deal with it (unless they need filler). Generally speaking, they don't want you because they have a ton of people lined up screaming, "I LOVE DISNEY! TAKE MY MONEY!".

I'll add: It sucks that this is where we're at.

Amen.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

People need to get over the naive idea that any (big) company “cares” about you or should - even if they call you a guest instead of a customer.

 

[Disstevefan1]

People need to get over the naive idea that any (big) company “cares” about you or should - even if they call you a guest instead of a customer.

THIS!

 

[Brad Bishop]

People need to get over the naive idea that any (big) company “cares” about you or should - even if they call you a guest instead of a customer.

While this is true, I think the nuances between Disney and other are different.

If you own a restaurant and Bob and Jane come in, you appreciate their business. You welcome them. You make them feel welcomed. You don't tell Bob & Jane, "I don't really care if you're here or not because there's someone else, probably with more money, behind you."

You're cordial to the guests in your restaurant and appreciate their business even though you really wouldn't know/care if they got hit by a bus the next day.

I don't think Disney expresses this type of appreciation to their customers. They seemed to have lost common courtesy / etiquette. They will openly say, "You regular customers (APers) are undesirable. We want more affluent customers, not you middle-classers. You're not really worth our time."

While neither company will know/care if you die the next day, the restaurant example is warm and welcoming, which is traditionally how you want to treat your customers. Disney's current attitude is not. It's blunt and insulting. It's a "We'll tell you when we want you to come spend money in our parks and you'll do what we say."

That wouldn't encourage me to be a customer of Disney. Still, others have enough nostalgia going through their veins that they'll accept this.

 

[TQQQ]

People need to get over the naive idea that any (big) company “cares” about you or should - even if they call you a guest instead of a customer.

Thats ridiculous.........It's all relative

They USED to treat their customers, i mean guests, WAY better

 

[Disstevefan1]

Thats ridiculous.........It's all relative

They USED to treat their customers, i mean guests, WAY better

Sure, Disney USED to treat their guests WAY better.
I think the point is, that's over. Today, you pay the price, or don't go, that's it.

 

[Ayla]

Sure, Disney USED to treat their guests WAY better.
I think the point is, that's over. Today, you pay the price, or don't go, that's it.

We used to be guests. Now, we are customers.

There is a distinct difference.