Resort Prices - Wow

[captainkidd]

I can honestly say, for the 1st time ever, I'm strongly considering skipping Disney all together in 2011 for another vacation destination. I was looking at the resort prices for 2010, and Disney is getting nuts. $365 for the Poly during value season. Over $200 for a moderate during the summer. Nearly $150 for a Value during the summer.

We always get either a AAA rate or an AP rate, but if the time comes when neother are available, that'll be it for a while. Having stayed at the Poly before, I think Disney is out of their mind charging upwards of $400 per night. Then again, a lot of people stay there, so maybe it's just me.:shrug:

 

[magic2me]

This is one of the best most logical fact based replies in this thread so far.

One thing that has been changing over the years has been the number of people getting room discounts. Thanks to the internet and Disney specific travel agencies like KK fewer and fewer people are paying rack rates. More people getting discounts means the rates are going to go up at a disproportionate rate. Sure Disney could stop offering discounts and possibly lower the rates but that would be counter productive. People want to think they are getting a deal. You will almost always sell more of an item if it is $300 marked down from $500 vs. just $300. It is stupid but is is true.

Funny thing is this is not a new thing. When I was a teenager, many moons ago, we had jeans we got in and were priced at $8. They sat on the rack. for weeks. Then the sale paper went out that said we got them at a deal from the manufacturer and they flew off the shelves at .......... $8. So they were not worth $8 just sitting on the rack but when we got them on a good buy they were so worth $8.

I learned so much about how people think at that job.

 

[Master Yoda]

Funny thing is this is not a new thing. When I was a teenager, many moons ago, we had jeans we got in and were priced at $8. They sat on the rack. for weeks. Then the sale paper went out that said we got them at a deal from the manufacturer and they flew off the shelves at .......... $8. So they were not worth $8 just sitting on the rack but when we got them on a good buy they were so worth $8.

I learned so much about how people think at that job.

I saw the exact same thing during my time in retail. My favorite thing was the regularly priced $3 item being buy one get one free for $6. Items we could not move to save our lives flew off the shelves when they became buy one get one free at double the price.

 

[fosse76]

Does everyone else think (like I do) that these offers of buy 4 get 3 free are adding to the cost of the rooms next year? Makes sense that they must offset the discount somewhere, charge more but still let people think they are getting a good "deal".

Without question. Disney has conditioned its guests to expect a discount. Just look at all the questions on this board that ask when free dining offers are released or if the 4/7 deal is being offered again. By raising the prices, they can keep these discounts and bring in more money.

The problem as I see it is the greed with which companies operate. The laws of supply and demand are disregarded as principle while paying customers are exploited and manipulated. Instead of reducing prices, companies raise prices on the customers still buying, hoping that there are enough of them to make up for the lost customers. When they've exhausted that market and start to lose them, instead of slashing prices these companies make cutbacks. Discounts seem to always be the last resort.

In Disney's case, as I said above, they've conditioned the public to expect a discount. Free dining has been offered so frequently that they most likely would see see a decrease in attendance if they didn't offer it (despite the fact that it really isn't much of a discount for guests in Moderates or Deluxes). The 4/7 deal is also going to be expected now. Only time will tell, but I would expect to see these offers continued in the future.

 

[smk]

Without question. Disney has conditioned its guests to expect a discount. Just look at all the questions on this board that ask when free dining offers are released or if the 4/7 deal is being offered again. By raising the prices, they can keep these discounts and bring in more money.

The problem as I see it is the greed with which companies operate. The laws of supply and demand are disregarded as principle while paying customers are exploited and manipulated. Instead of reducing prices, companies raise prices on the customers still buying, hoping that there are enough of them to make up for the lost customers. When they've exhausted that market and start to lose them, instead of slashing prices these companies make cutbacks. Discounts seem to always be the last resort.

In Disney's case, as I said above, they've conditioned the public to expect a discount. Free dining has been offered so frequently that they most likely would see see a decrease in attendance if they didn't offer it (despite the fact that it really isn't much of a discount for guests in Moderates or Deluxes). The 4/7 deal is also going to be expected now. Only time will tell, but I would expect to see these offers continued in the future.

I hope these offers continue too, maybe one day I will be in a position to take one!

 

[dizzney]

FTR, like many of you, the only time we can take our family vacation is in the summer time. Here is just a sampling of the per night room rates for next summer at Disney Resorts. Keep in mind, this is for a basic room, standard view:

Polynesian - $425 ($445 on weekends)
Grand Floridian - $465 ($485 on weekends)
Wilderness Lodge - $300 ($320 on weekends)
Moderate Resorts - $185 ($200 on weekends)
Value Resorts - $119 ($134 on weekends)
Yacht and Beach Club - $390 ($410 on weekends)

$119 isn't bad by any means, but for Disney to still call it "Value" is a bit ridiculous.

These prices are one of the many reasons we bought into DVC, we get to stay in Disney, but our rooms are fixed in cost and we can enjoy our vacation.:sohappy::sohappy::sohappy:

 

[The Crickets]

Annual Passholders

We are AP holders & we get very upset when we see the packages coming out with buy 4/get 3 .. & buy 5/get2....because we cannot take advantage as we already have A/P & the new packages, you have to purchase multi day park pases....For us, it would be paying twice & that would be insane....We are paying appx. 450.00 each for A/P passes I think they should give us more incentives & that the A/P resort discounts should come out sooner so we can plan ahead....(they are only up to Dec now & we're going in Feb..).......

 

[JimboJones123]

I think the problem is that people are WAY overclassing themselves. Deluxe is for people that want to spend $8-10k on vacation. Mods are for those that spend 3-6k. Value are for those that spend less than 3k. Period.

If you are not at those levels you may not be a Deluxe or Mod customer. If the rooms were not sold out at the current rates, they would drop prices.

Yes. The goal is to sell DVC. Disney wants guranteed money for 50 years.

DVC reservations at non DVC resorts are getting higher too. The parks are busy. Why lower rates?

I would pay 25% mor to have 25% less guests in a heartbeat. Disney knows that many guests feel this way too. They cannot keep turning away business. They also cannot have unmanagable crowds at the parks. Nobody wins.

Do not forget DME savings. $300 a week for car rental or $30 per person on a bus. More for cab.

Prices are just fine.

Just remember. If you are complaining about Deluxe prices you just might not be a deluxe customer. And that should be okay with you.

 

[fosse76]

Just remember. If you are complaining about Deluxe prices you just might not be a deluxe customer. And that should be okay with you.

No. You can stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Plaza, Palace, Four Seasons in New York for LESS than at the Grand Floridian. And I assure you, those hotels make the service and amenities of Disney Deluxes look like roadside motels. Disney has overpriced their hotels, it's that simple.

 

[marcriss]

We have looked into buying DVC resale, but the numbers still don't add up for us. We would not cook and only want a Studio. We also like to switch resorts each trip and this is where I think DVC will not work for us.

I am still on the fence about buying DVC resale.

Master Yoda explained it to me best when we started looking at the DVC:
"if you are going once a year for 10 days at YC then DVC makes a lot of sense and will save you a great deal of money in the long run. You begin to run into a real gray area when you travel less frequently and/or stay at moderate or value resorts. You might want to look into a resale as you can save a good deal on the initial purchase."

I think the threshold is 7 days at a deluxe each year and depends a lot on how much you need to finance and for how long. We'll see what happens this year with pin codes, so far that's beaten every deal that's been out. But if there aren't any real discounts this year we may take the plunge....

 

[DisGal]

No. You can stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Plaza, Palace, Four Seasons in New York for LESS than at the Grand Floridian. And I assure you, those hotels make the service and amenities of Disney Deluxes look like roadside motels. Disney has overpriced their hotels, it's that simple.

I completely disagree - it is very difficult to find a room under $600 at the Ritz and the Four Seasons in NYC for a week night let alone a weekend. I live in Boston and Disney's room rates are sometimes equal and mostly always much lower than most hotels in Boston. Also, I'm originally from Newport, RI and for parts of the year all hotels are all $500+. Yes Disney's deluxe hotels can get steep, but they are reflective of hotels elsewhere.

 

[magic2me]

Master Yoda explained it to me best when we started looking at the DVC:
"if you are going once a year for 10 days at YC then DVC makes a lot of sense and will save you a great deal of money in the long run. You begin to run into a real gray area when you travel less frequently and/or stay at moderate or value resorts. You might want to look into a resale as you can save a good deal on the initial purchase."

I think the threshold is 7 days at a deluxe each year and depends a lot on how much you need to finance and for how long. We'll see what happens this year with pin codes, so far that's beaten every deal that's been out. But if there aren't any real discounts this year we may take the plunge....

This is where we get in the grey area. We like all levels of resorts. We are not a Deluxe or nothing family. DH and I have APs and always get an AP discount. We usually do 2 10 day trips per year but never at the same resort and usually never at the same resort level. We love each resort for a different reason (except two that we will never stay at again).

We will never cook on vacation and always do laundry. The studio does not have a laundry, so this is a wash for us.

As you can see we really are on the fence.

 

[magic2me]

No. You can stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Plaza, Palace, Four Seasons in New York for LESS than at the Grand Floridian. And I assure you, those hotels make the service and amenities of Disney Deluxes look like roadside motels. Disney has overpriced their hotels, it's that simple.

I just checked 11/14 - 11/21 at the Ritz and the cheapest room is.........

Guest room, 1 King or 2 Double

Room details

• • 755.00 (USD) per night
  • Rate rules
  • Reserve a Room
  <LI class=res-rate-description-one>Weekend rate
• The rate for this room changes on 11/16/2009 to 845.00 (USD) per night

That is MORE than the GF!!!

 

[marcriss]

This is where we get in the grey area. We like all levels of resorts. We are not a Deluxe or nothing family. DH and I have APs and always get an AP discount. We usually do 2 10 day trips per year but never at the same resort and usually never at the same resort level. We love each resort for a different reason (except two that we will never stay at again).

We will never cook on vacation and always do laundry. The studio does not have a laundry, so this is a wash for us.

As you can see we really are on the fence.

Yes, you definitely fall into the gray area . I'm with you about meals and laundry. I think if the studios had a laundry we'd be sold. We also really like the YC, but to do it with points would be nuts. We have 2 kids (7 & $4). We're not sure how long we'll be able to do 10 days trips, on the other hand the 1 bedroom option is great. One thing is for sure, our vacation habits will be changing sometime in the near future.

Which two won't you stay at again?

 

[DisGal]

I just checked 11/14 - 11/21 at the Ritz and the cheapest room is.........

Guest room, 1 King or 2 Double

Room details

• • 755.00 (USD) per night
  • Rate rules
  • Reserve a Room
  <LI class=res-rate-description-one>Weekend rate
• The rate for this room changes on 11/16/2009 to 845.00 (USD) per night

That is MORE than the GF!!!

I also checked the Four Seasons in NYC.
We are staying at the Poly in a garden view room the week of Thanksgiving for $415 (first 2 nights) and $435 for the remaining nights. The same dates at the Four Seasons is $855 a night for a standard room. BIG difference!

 

[stitchsMom]

We have looked into buying DVC resale, but the numbers still don't add up for us. We would not cook and only want a Studio. We also like to switch resorts each trip and this is where I think DVC will not work for us.

I am still on the fence about buying DVC resale.

I would do the math on DVC - even despite booking only a studio as a
DVC member, you are still saving as time goes by, and that savings amount can add up fast. Previous to becoming DVC members we have spent on average $5000 a year on our Disney Vacations in the past 5 years (some more than other years depending on which resort we stay at) and the largest chunk of that was for room rates. I wish I had bought into DVC so much earlier than this past year. I alway think back to how much $$ we could have been saving all this time. Plus, you can switch resorts with DVC...

 

[The Crickets]

Resorts

:sohappy:We have stayed @ the Poly & th WL many times, but now that we are retired.....We stay @ The Pops....& really enjoy it!!!! (We go for 5 or 6 weeks a year so we would rather pay less money & go more often!!!!!) I only wish they would announce the Annual Pass discounts sooner,so we can plan ahead.. (Looking forward to Oct...for 2 weeks @ Pops.!!!!!!!.....

 

[magic2me]

Yes, you definitely fall into the gray area . I'm with you about meals and laundry. I think if the studios had a laundry we'd be sold. We also really like the YC, but to do it with points would be nuts. We have 2 kids (7 & $4). We're not sure how long we'll be able to do 10 days trips, on the other hand the 1 bedroom option is great. One thing is for sure, our vacation habits will be changing sometime in the near future.

Which two won't you stay at again?

DH hates the CSR and I hate the CBR. We both love the POR and POFQ.

DH says it is so not Disney and too convention for him. I am so not a Carribean girl. We tried the CBR in a pirate room and DH could tell I still hated the resort. I loved the pirate room but when we left the room I just hated the resort.

I am luke warm on the ASMu but like the ASMo, ASSp and PC values. I would stay at the ASMu again.

DH is luke warm on on the GF but would stay again.

We have tried the GF, Poly, CR, WL and YC. Our favorite is the WL. We both loved the YC too. Both have DVC and we have walked around the area. Neither of us felt the same magic in either of the DVC.

As you can see we really are in the Grey area. I was all ready when the new towers opened, but then I saw the decore and turned off.

 

[JimboJones123]

No. You can stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Plaza, Palace, Four Seasons in New York for LESS than at the Grand Floridian. And I assure you, those hotels make the service and amenities of Disney Deluxes look like roadside motels. Disney has overpriced their hotels, it's that simple.

Even if you are a Ritzer or 4 Seasoner, you are not a Deluxer. Sorry. That is the difference.

Take the entitlement attitude and earn it. It is not given to you.

It is what it is. Be what you are or make sacrifices to be what you want to be.

 

[jaybouch]

I think one thing people forget to consider in this debate is the origin of the posters. I live close to 95 in CT and for me, the hotel prices are relatively cheap. I know some view 180$ a night for a hotel room as expensive, but the POS quality inn down the street from my house is that price.

A day at Yankee Stadium, or Fenway park for my family costs me 800 dollars once all expenses are factored in. I took my family to Mystic aquarium three months ago, and after 2 hours of travel, 4 hours in the aquarium, and dinner, I spent almost $300.

Every year I price a vacation, and almost every year I decide on Disney because it is just has expensive as other locations but I get more value for my money.

 

[pax_65]

We will never cook on vacation and always do laundry. The studio does not have a laundry, so this is a wash for us.

As you can see we really are on the fence.

Well, I'm not sure I should tell you this... BUT once you stay in a DVC 1, 2, or 3-bedroom condo you will never want to do Disney any other way. You will be spoiled rotten. LOL.

My wife and I don't cook much either, but having the full refrigerator is really nice. The living room is great for hanging out, watching TV, etc.The kids sleep on the pull-out couch, we sleep in our beautiful master bedroom.

For me, even if the financials are in a "gray area", which they might be for us since we do moderates probably more often than deluxes, the quality of dvc accommodations far exceed what you get in any standard hotel room on property.

Now if I can't convince you and you're still determined to only stay in a studio, then I think you might be better off outside of DVC because you'll have more resort options. The studios are really nice, but they aren't that much of an upgrade over a standard room - especially in a deluxe hotel (and if you're a big fan of maid service, room service, etc. the deluxe wins hands-down.)