Whats the deal with All the 'deals'

[Dwarful]

We just got back from WDW. March 27 - April 3. We booked on the AP rate and this trip we seemed to get 'bombarded' with offers during our stay. Mind you I am not complaining, but just curious as to the push for all these deals. At check in we received a gift card with $5 on it. Then we took the gift card to DTD where we put $100 on it and received $20 extra for a total of $125. At almost every meal we received a '20% off your total purchase' at the main gift shops at each of the parks. We didn't really need this as we have the AP's. We also received coupon vouchers at the parks when we entered for 'buy one get one free entree's' at different counter service restaurants. Each park had 3 counter service restaurants participating..at least thats the coupons we received. We are headed back to Yacht Club in July and were just wondering when WDW started offering all these 'deals'.

I know we didn't really spend very much cash this trip. What we did spend was mostly at the F & G Festival buy Mother's Day gifts. The girls also spent some on gifts for friends. But we didn't even hit $500 for a one week stay.

Again, I am not complaining, I am just wondering if perhaps people aren't parting with their cash so easily.

 

[_Scar]

Economy

 

[JimboJones123]

Interesting indeed. The $ per gate turned must be getting pretty low.

PB J anybody?

 

[kbmum]

I've never seen discounts like that in all the years I've been going to the parks. I'd love to see some of those when we go this summer!

 

[Dwarful]

I've never seen discounts like that in all the years I've been going to the parks. I'd love to see some of those when we go this summer!

exactly! We couldn't believe the discounts. We did see lots of people bringing in food and drinks for lunch. At the food court we did see lots of people using old mugs vs. buying new ones. So I guess lots of people are making concessions in order to have a vacation. The one discount that really got me was the buy one entree get one entree free. That would be a good deal for those not on the dining plan.

 

[rsoxguy]

The laws of supply and demand. Things will become more expensive as the economy improves.

 

[Monty]

I'm not certain because I haven't been there to try it myself, but I think when you have those 20% coupons and an AP you can use both discounts.

Any APers out there care to confirm or tell me I'm crazy?

 

[Pioneer Hall]

The food "discounts" seem to be more about crowd control over incentive to dine. They are only valid during the off peak dining times and it seems for only the busy season. Disney would rather offer you incentive to eat at an off time as opposed to you skipping a meal altogether and just eating snacks.

The other discounts of course have to do something with the economy. Hotel rooms are mainly a fixed costs. It is better for them to have you pay a discounted price and be in the room, than for it to sit empty.

 

[Toveck]

We just got back as well from the World and got some of the same offers. From what I read somewhere, the discounts at the gift shops were given if you ate during non-peak dining hours. Kinda a way to get the meal crowds spaced out a bit.

If you eat before or after the traditional meal periods, then you got the discount offer on the receipt.

 

[Dwarful]

well we ate at both traditional times and at off peak times and seemed to get the coupons regardless. The Photopass CM's were handing out the buy one get one free entree coupons. I did try to use both the 20 % off and the AP discount but the CM didn't allow it. I only tried the one time. I figured I already was doing well...paying $100 for the $125 gift card and then getting the 20% off my purchase...not too bad. I was just surprised as originally the week we went was a 'blackout' week, then we got a last minute AP discount. Then all the 'deals'. Honestly up until Thursday I didn't think the crowds were bad. Weds. we rode TSM at the Studios three times in a row without using fast passes. We did grab FP's first, rode three times, then went and grabbed fp's for ToT before riding TSM a fourth time.