New Passholder Best Rate Program

Jekyll Baker

Jekyll Baker

New Member
Just saw this topic on another site/forum and didn't know if anyone here knew about it yet.

This is from the Passholder page:

Planning a vacation in a few months? Then it's time to try our Passholder Best Rate Program! Now Passholders booking a Disney Resort room online under the Passholder Best Rate Program at disneyworld.com/passholders can rest easy knowing they have received our best room rate offered to the general public* at that time for the room and nights booked. And, if we subsequently reduce our room rate to the general public for the same room and nights you booked online under this Program, we will automatically reduce your room rate to match that lower rate.

Rooms must be booked at least 120 days in advance and, unlike our normal cancellation policy, a non-refundable deposit of 1-night's room charge and tax must be paid at the time of booking. Currently this program is only available for arrivals through 12/19/05. The number of rooms and nights available for this Program is limited and rooms are not available every night. This Program is subject to change or discontinuance at any time and without notice.

* Does not include group rates, auction rates or rates conditioned on group/club memberships or other specified eligibility requirements.



It's access through the passholder section of disneyworld.com, and let's you book through what looks like the regular booking engine. I looked at it briefly, but since AP rates for 120 days away haven't really been announced, it gives rack rates. So you'd be leaving it up to Disney what price you end up paying.

I dunno 'bout 'dis. What ya'll think?
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
KevinPage

KevinPage

Well-Known Member
If anyone reads the latest Mouseplanet article by Kevin Yee, he explains what Disney's logic may be. Seems to make some kind of senses, in the long run.
 
Upvote 0
wannabeBelle

wannabeBelle

Well-Known Member
Thanks Lebeau, I still am stuck on the idea that from what we understand from a really GREAT source JPVonDrake, this system will grant the lowest discounts for those who can preplan like that. The old system will still be in place for vacations sooner than 120 days out. Somehow I dont much see Disney turning down people who want to come and fill vacant hotel rooms last minute, now or in the future!!! I think many people who can do a spur of the moment trip would be willing to call, see what is available and at what rate and make their getaway decisions on that. Every vacation destnation offers last minute deals, why would Disney be any different?? Belle
 
Upvote 0
lebeau

lebeau

Well-Known Member
After reading Kevin's article on Miceage, I can see some of the reasoning here.

If the hotels are filling up and the rooms are being filled at significant discounts, they may be better off losing some repeat business and even having empty rooms if they can still get a higher rate for the rooms that are occupied.

In the long run, once everyone gets used to a world with fewer discounts, Disney could make out very well even if a number of feathers get ruffled in the short term.

I do feel for everyone who was counting on using the AP discounts during the time these changes are going into effect. Hopefully this will all work out for the best.
 
Upvote 0
bgraham34

bgraham34

Well-Known Member
I plan on going to Disney in Dec. I plan on getting a Annual Pass so i get a discount on the room. I also plan to return next year. Without a decent or any discount it will make it hard for me to take a trip down there this december especially with the high costs of Airfare. Its 300 RT from NJ. Last December I paid 130 RT.
 
Upvote 0
dxwwf3

dxwwf3

Well-Known Member
Isn't Kevin's article inaccurate in the fact that this new system will be the ONLY way to book? We've been told here by very reliable sources that this program is another option, not a replacement.

So I am taking that article with a big grain of salt.
 
Upvote 0
slappy magoo

slappy magoo

Well-Known Member
tigger1968 said:
I still stand by my question to Mousemerf though. Why exactly are you so hung up on making sure we all know that AP holders are not entitled to a room discount? I have asked you more than once to explain your position a little more clearly, but you don't seem to get beyond reminding us that we should feel lucky to get a discount if it's available.

I still feel that WDW should make every effort to reward those of us who are AP holders. We tend to make multiple trips, usually stay on property, and most likely spend considerably more money over time than your average resort guest. I still feel that one of the best perks to have as an AP holder is to have access to a discount on my room. Casinos have done this for years for their regulars, because they recognize that frequent returnees spend more over time than one time visitors.

Once again I ask you....are you willing to explain your point of view? I just honestly would like to see a good defense of your position. How 'bout it? :)
Click to expand...

Let me play Devil's Advocate here...

Despite Disney's reputation for being a place that worships at the altar of the family, the decisions they make are almost-always based on the bottom line. Even decisions that seem based on creating good will and good PR, they know or hope, will affect the bottom line eventually. And sometimes they'll futz around with their business plan to see if it improves the bottom line. Someone brought it up before, but a good case in point was when they dropped the early morning hours in exchange for "Character Caravans," buses filled with characters who would come to cavort with your kids at your resort, so you could spend less time waiting on line for an autograph at the parks. Problem is, most people staying on-property got used to the early morning hour perk, and Disney dropping it adversely affected business. They forgot why the early morning hour was created, and paid a price for it.

The fact that Passholders get room discounts is not because Disney feels Passholders are "entitled" to perks. They give Passholder discounts because they know, for a person or family to shell out that kind of scratch for an annual pass, they're going to have to make some kind of concession. And hopefully, if they give them a perk or some kind of value, that money saved and more will be spent on expensive on-property food and souveneirs. At least, that's always been part of the business model. It's not out of the goodness of their heart, it's because they've always thought it was good business.

But now, who knows? Maybe with the MYW ticket structure, they don't see APs as the necessity they once did. If instead of an AP you buy a 10-day ticket, with or without the no-expiration date, but you pay full-rack for the room, maybe they'll make more money. At least in the short-term, before they notice that all those APs aren't getting renewed. But even then, if the new ticket structure winds up improving the bottom line, they'll keep screwing with the APers.

That's why I made my original comments in this thread. I think the suits are playing Wait And See with this new appraoch. If all the Passholders follow these new rules and they book most of the rooms this way, it will result in less of a discount and that will become the only way of doing Passholder rates. If the Passholders rebel and they see a noticeable decrease in attendance as a result, they'll keep the discounts the way they have been and adjust this new way of booking a room. It's up to us, to make sure they hear us with both our words and our wallets...and then hope we make enough of an impact.

But mark my words: Disney doesn't really think you're entitled to anything, just because you have an AP, so you shouldn't think you're entitled to anything either. They just think what they've been giving you up to now is a good way of doing business, and hopefully that won't change.
 
Upvote 0
Master Yoda

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
dxwwf3 said:
Isn't Kevin's article inaccurate in the fact that this new system will be the ONLY way to book? We've been told here by very reliable sources that this program is another option, not a replacement.

So I am taking that article with a big grain of salt.
Click to expand...
True, it is an alternative way to book not the only way. I think most of us around here are a little worried about it becoming the only way to book and there by loosing one of the best perks to having an AP.
 
Upvote 0
dxwwf3

dxwwf3

Well-Known Member
Master Yoda said:
I think most of us around here are a little worried about it becoming the only way to book and there by loosing one of the best perks to having an AP.
Click to expand...

Believe me, I'm just as worried as everyone else. I just don't want everyone to think that the article is accurate, as of now.
 
Upvote 0
R

robhedin

Well-Known Member
mousermerf said:
Lets play pretend:

Assume all 23,385 registered users (as off 11:08pm EST) of wdwmagic.com are AP holders who visit WDW the same way you guys do.

That's still the vast minority of WDW guests on any given day.

I understand why you personally may be upset or inconvienenced. There is no doubt this wont be "good" for everyone in the worst case scenario - but you're just not the majority in this matter.
Click to expand...

just to keep playing this (because it's an interesting what-if)

Assuming there are only 23,385 annual passholders at WDW and that, on average, they spend $5000/year at WDW that works out to about $117 million dollars. Given that Disney Parks and Resorts (all of them- WDW, DLR, TDR, and EuroDisney) made $7.8 billion dollars last year, and assuming that WDW did 2/3 of that we get about $5.2 billion dollars of which these annual passholders account for about 2.5% of revenue to the bottom line.

If WDW accounts for less than 2/3 of the revenue, or there are more than 23k passholders, or seasonal passholders can also book discounts, or the average expendatures is higher, then it follows that the percentage of revenue would also increase.

I tend to think the above numbers a tad on the low side although I would be very surprised if passholders accounted for more than 4 or 5 percent of revenue.

So the interesting question is: do the powers that be feel that they can give up a "sure thing" and make up the revenue loss with "full paying" guests. If they're capturing statistics on room availability queries then that's an easy question to answer-- if they have requests for rooms for "full" resorts that have rooms allocated to passholders, and that they are unable to migrate those potential guests to other (possibly higher priced) resorts, then they are losing money.

rob.
 
Upvote 0
T

TeeCeeFitz

Member
Slightly off topic!

Can you still purchase MYW tickets & upgrade to an Annual Pass?

The reason I am asking is that I might consider using the Meal Add-On option & then upgrade to an AP to use on future trips.
This is just another option that I am considering for my upcoming trips in the next year! :sohappy:
 
Upvote 0
mousermerf

mousermerf

Account Suspended
About the dining plan:

If you try the dining plan, like the dining plan, aren't you more apt to buy the dining plan on your next trip because you got to see how much food you get for 30 bucks a day?

As far as bookings are concerned:

Lead-time for rooms has been steadily increasing this year. That means people are booking farther and farther out. The Contemporary was sold out in June (read: overbooked) and other Deluxe resorts are having "challenges" along those lines as well.

MNSSHP and MVMCP are selling fast, not sold out, but doing very well. They even stopped Advanced Purchase Savings for the most popular nights of both events.

January through June has seen more bookings at the reservation center than ever before. They have broken their previous records.

As far as why i have my viewpoint - First off, anyone can get a discount, no harm no foul. I don't begrudge anyone that. I just don't feel its something a company has to offer anyone and I am very much the type who sees value in a product and pays for it if i feel it warrants that price. I feel Disney resorts typically are worth their price, so discounts aen't required to make them appealing.

Along those lines, Disney is in the process of upgrading all the resorts. Started with fridges in the mods and deluxe, and has been moving up ever since. Contemporary's new rooms are gorgeous, Poly's will be particularly nice too - everyone is getting new pillows (yay!) and those flat panel TV's are being rolled out.

Rack rates have gone up across the board for 2006. I don't know if Mousesavers has the rates posted yet, but they all jumped a good chunk of change for 2006.

I don't think the Mouse is hurting for occupants.
 
Upvote 0
mousermerf

mousermerf

Account Suspended
TeeCeeFitz said:
Can you still purchase MYW tickets & upgrade to an Annual Pass?

The reason I am asking is that I might consider using the Meal Add-On option & then upgrade to an AP to use on future trips.
This is just another option that I am considering for my upcoming trips in the next year! :sohappy:
Click to expand...

You can, as long as you've got a day left to upgrade with, and the AP then begins from the day you first used your original ticket.

Second option is the little known fact that you can have an AP and just buy 1 day ticket with the plan. The meals are tied to nights-stayed, but the ticket can be any length. For the package you jsut gotta buy the minimum of 1 day per person. (Meaning if you buy 3-days during the "free-meal plan" period and the $60 ticket per adult you've jsut saved $30 on food)
 
Upvote 0

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom