Major Room Discounts Coming for Early Summer and Late Spring 2025

[HauntedPirate]

Disney’s biggest problem is that their brand has been tarnished severely because guests don’t see any value in it.

Disney has never been cheap. (Neither has USO either) But guests perceive USO as a much better value and USO has leaned into that. Disney on the other hand continues to do things that decrease perceived value.

Wait... you mean to tell me that a 25% discount on a rack rate of $1000 (that should be $500) isn't a great deal?!?!

 

[HauntedPirate]

It hasn’t worked in 2024. Remember domestic attendance was only up 1% down from 6% in 2023 and it doesn’t separate out DLR and WDW.

I was going to say - TDO has been trying every non-ticket trick in its playbook to get people to come since mid-2023. Eventually they're going to run out of runway and are going to have to break that seal.

 

[monothingie]

Wait... you mean to tell me that a 25% discount on a rack rate of $1000 (that should be $500) isn't a great deal?!?!

It used to be when families couldn’t get a far superior resort or lodging options off property.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Given how much Disney is relying on DVC income these days, it would be a grave strategic error for them to figure out a way to include LLMP with deluxe stays charging rack rate but not give it to DVC members staying on points.

 

[jennab55]

So any rumors on what the room discount percentages will be and for what dates? I’m looking at end of April into early May. Sadly the current $200 offer wasn’t good as I got discounted tickets elsewhere. The other spring promo only went through 4/30 so didn’t even cover half my trip.

 

[Master Yoda]

Based on all the travel data for the last 3 years…they’re going other places. On property hotels rocking 50-70% with regularity is appalling if you’re Disney. They just have bad, incapable management

This is us in a nutshell.
Up until about 6-7 years ago, we were in the parks nearly monthly. We stayed and ate exclusively on property.

The main differences between now and then...

• Florida resident seasonal AP's were affordable and actually usable.
• Room rates were higher than off property, but not so high that their limited value was eclipsed.
• The food was expensive, but the convenience and quality were there if you knew where to go.
• We genuinely enjoyed the parks. Not so much now.

A rather unenjoyable trip for the 50th anniversary made us US AP holders for 2 years, but a knee injury sidelined us for the time being. That problem should be remedied in the next year and we plan on becoming US AP holders again.

In the meantime, we have been doing other things. We still enjoy the occasional Disney cruise, but the bulk of our travel budget now goes to season tickets for our local ECHL team. We frequently travel to away games and enjoy what those areas have to offer.

 

[Touchdown]

Some wishes:
-Stop all VQ, they are not needed
-Make Morning Extra Magic 1 hour again
-Make Deluxe Evening Magic Hours more numerous. A night at DHS, MK, Epcot weekly. AK or an additional MK night to round out the weekdays would be welcome too

 

[CarolinaSoprano]

Can anyone tell me WHY the majority of discounts last year excluded club level and this year (2025) for the first time ever club level rooms are excluded from the military discount. What gives?!

 

[bmr1591]

Always thought that was a silly thought. I know the old "rising tide lifts all boats". But bottom line here is that there is X amount of discretionary vacation $ available. When your main competition ups the ante with something has huge as Epic, there's a better chance of your boat running aground. Not to mention that some of the highlights of Epic will appeal to families with young boys, and that Disney is more focused on princesses and offerings like BBB, I think management may be in for a rude awakening.

I've always thought it was strange how 95% of character dining is geared toward girls. Take Mickey and crew out of one of these places (they're in so many already) and give it to a different group that will appeal to boys. Also, why Roundup Rodeo isn't character dining is beyond me.

Yep. Room prices and ticket prices are the two biggest budget busters for a family vacation at WDW. Management has over-inflated both over the last decade to the point where the trajectory is unsustainable. They can't squeeze a lower number of guests in the parks harder to keep PGS numbers up. The place was built on middle-class families visiting en masse. The previous guy knew that. At some point, something has to give.

While I totally agree, the moment they lower ticket and room costs to a reasonable amount is the moment people complain even more about how packed the parks are.

 

[Master Yoda]

Can anyone tell me WHY the majority of discounts last year excluded club level and this year (2025) for the first time ever club level rooms are excluded from the military discount. What gives?!

One would assume they are not having a problem selling the club-level rooms.

 

[HauntedPirate]

While I totally agree, the moment they lower ticket and room costs to a reasonable amount is the moment people complain even more about how packed the parks are.

They'll never be "reasonable" again, but they could lower rack rates without attracting any attention outside of, "Hey, my room is only $2800 instead of $3200, cool!". Ticket prices are sadly a third rail that they'll never touch.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

This is us in a nutshell.
Up until about 6-7 years ago, we were in the parks nearly monthly. We stayed and ate exclusively on property.

The main differences between now and then...

• Florida resident seasonal AP's were affordable and actually usable.
• Room rates were higher than off property, but not so high that their limited value was eclipsed.
• The food was expensive, but the convenience and quality were there if you knew where to go.
• We genuinely enjoyed the parks. Not so much now.

A rather unenjoyable trip for the 50th anniversary made us US AP holders for 2 years, but a knee injury sidelined us for the time being. That problem should be remedied in the next year and we plan on becoming US AP holders again.

In the meantime, we have been doing other things. We still enjoy the occasional Disney cruise, but the bulk of our travel budget now goes to season tickets for our local ECHL team. We frequently travel to away games and enjoy what those areas have to offer.

I just can’t commit to the AP…it’s been 6 years and everytime I try to wrap my brain around it…the conclusion is I’m “less screwed” by disposo tickets and limited days.

They did their best to kill it…which was the point…but then the torpedo turned back on and the attendance is falling and they are burning bridges to try and keep the revenue up

Brilliant, Bob…

So after a short visit in March…I’m thinking “guess I better get the pass…”

And then a week later that died and I’m heading to Anaheim

So that’s where I’m at…a few days in Disneyland is more attractive than a year with 3-5 visits to Orlando.

But we are going to epic.


And disclaimer: I recently almost died…so these decisions are made with total clarity…unlike my typical stupidity

 

[Doberge]

Increased Food And Merch Discounts (Likely)

Is Dining down enough to bring back Tables in Wonderland?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

While I totally agree, the moment they lower ticket and room costs to a reasonable amount is the moment people complain even more about how packed the parks are.

Except they have never lowered those costs…not once

Then do promotions on a temporary basis to fill in…prices always rise.

What happened in the past…based on the overall economy…is they would let inflation catch up to them a little and restore value. Those are the “boom periods”

This management has effectively killed that possibility

The pre-COVID “boom” and reactionary spending wasn’t a “boom” in the Disney parks sense at all…it was the start of a collapse

Once a product is deemed a ripoff…you’re over the ledge

The whispers are getting louder and multiplying

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Is Dining down enough to bring back Tables in Wonderland?

It has been for 5 years…and yet they drew the line.

These decisions were made with the two bobs in 2018…when the Napoleon declared to investors and trades that discounts were “obselete” in more elaborate turns

Blue Ocean…which is as stupid as trickle down

 

[Master Yoda]

I just can’t commit to the AP…it’s been 6 years and everytime I try to wrap my brain around it…the conclusion is I’m “less screwed” by disposo tickets and limited days.

They did their best to kill it…which was the point…but then the torpedo turned back on and the attendance is falling and they are burning bridges to try and keep the revenue up

Brilliant, Bob…

So after a short visit in March…I’m thinking “guess I better get the pass…”

And then a week later that died and I’m heading to Anaheim

So that’s where I’m at…a few days in Disneyland is more attractive than a year with 3-5 visits to Orlando.

But we are going to epic.


And disclaimer: I recently almost died…so these decisions are made with total clarity…unlike my typical stupidity

Getting the US AP's for us came down to simple math. Regular tickets were going to be just shy of the price of the AP. When we added in a room discount and US's simple 10% AP discount on food and merchandise we were in the black.

A second trip in that year put us well in the black.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Getting the US AP's for us came down to simple math. Regular tickets were going to be just shy of the price of the AP. When we added in a room discount and US's simple 10% AP discount on food and merchandise we were in the black.

A second trip in that year put us well in the black.

I totally agree with you math wise…so we just shorten the days if I’m squirley the day I’m buying tickets…and it’s not a loss to me at all.

The blackouts and killing of any dvc discount also really sticks in my saddle

Huge jump from tier 2 to tier 1…

They wanted to weed out the “rif raf”…it’s working…I can dump $50,000 each year or two quite easily somewhere else

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Some wishes:
-Stop all VQ, they are not needed
-Make Morning Extra Magic 1 hour again
-Make Deluxe Evening Magic Hours more numerous. A night at DHS, MK, Epcot weekly. AK or an additional MK night to round out the weekdays would be welcome too

All that stuff is “free”…not gonna happen

 

[jennab55]

Getting the US AP's for us came down to simple math. Regular tickets were going to be just shy of the price of the AP. When we added in a room discount and US's simple 10% AP discount on food and merchandise we were in the black.

A second trip in that year put us well in the black.

The DVC AP pass or the non DVC one (which is quite a bit higher). It seems unless someone is going 3+ times a year, their highest tier pass doesn’t make much sense (that’s the only one non FL residents, non DVC can buy)

 

[wannabeBelle]

I just can’t commit to the AP…it’s been 6 years and everytime I try to wrap my brain around it…the conclusion is I’m “less screwed” by disposo tickets and limited days.

They did their best to kill it…which was the point…but then the torpedo turned back on and the attendance is falling and they are burning bridges to try and keep the revenue up

Brilliant, Bob…

So after a short visit in March…I’m thinking “guess I better get the pass…”

And then a week later that died and I’m heading to Anaheim

So that’s where I’m at…a few days in Disneyland is more attractive than a year with 3-5 visits to Orlando.

But we are going to epic.


And disclaimer: I recently almost died…so these decisions are made with total clarity…unlike my typical stupidity

Sorry to hear you werent doing well, I hope you are feeling much better!! Marie