WDWLOVER1957
Active Member
you are doing something wrong, we get the best discounts going, much better than the USA ones.
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You better travel to WDW now, 2011 going to get more expensive.
- Thread starter DisneyparkFreak
- Start date
you are doing something wrong, we get the best discounts going, much better than the USA ones.
misterID
Well-Known Member
And the park would have to close before dark. There would be less CM to run anything. Few eateries open. And eventually, you wouldn't have a park. Have a nice vacation.
WDWLOVER1957
Active Member
you have not noticed Disneys quarterly profits then.
we will have a nice vacation thanks in 26 days, then back again for xmas and new year.
polymissy
Active Member
Quick question: I currently own my first ever Annual Pass. When you speak of discounts being reduced, does this include the AP discount? I haven't had one long enough to know if the AP discounts we've been seeing for the past year or so are "regular" or in response to the economy, etc.
misterID
Well-Known Member
Yes, it was up 55% thanks to the discounts and the attendance being up. We're talking about pricing people away from the park and how nice it would be for there to be no lines, right? That would be a better vacation? Yeah... There also wouldn't hardly be any attractions open.
misterID
Well-Known Member
You're okay. They're not talking about APers.
COProgressFan
Well-Known Member
AP discounts will likely stay about the same. In the past, AP discounts were often the only discounts available (aside from CM discounts, etc.) for many time periods during the year. Its only been the past few years that the discounts have been offered so much to the "general public" just about all year long, including holiday weeks.
So to answer, AP discounts are "regular", though there still may be some blackout weeks, etc., and limited rooms available. In general though, you should nearly always be able to get some kind of AP discount on property (maybe not in your top choice resort), even if the other public discounts dry up a little.
tirian
Well-Known Member
I for one would be glad to see the discounts go, but not from a standpoint of price, but of principle.
Luckly I am DVC and have an AP, so most of the time I ignore the discounts. However, I have a trip in August on cash. It was almost as bad as buying a car.
Am I going at the right time ?
Is there a way I could get it for less ?
Did I get the best deal possible ?
What about if I try my AAA card ?
Maybe I will get a PIN ?
Will they extend free dining ?
What about AP discounts ?
It is almost as bad as booking airfare. Do I wait, or do I pull the trigger now? Maybe if I fly out of another airport? What if I book through a different website?
So yes, I would like to see simple, straightfoward pricing, with no discounts.
The cost per night for that room is X, no discounts. It costs this much to go for everyone, period, end of story. Set the price at a real price that will make Disney money and allow people to go. Stop inflating the prices just so they can offer discounts.
As a semi aside, I always thought FL residents should pay the same AP rate as the rest of us. Being a resident means you will be able to visit the parks more, so your AP is allready worth more to you. They should be giving people who live far away (like me) an incentive to buy an AP.
-dave
That is the biggest problem right now. Disney has purposely inflated their resort and dining prices to make up for the discounts.
What happens when the discounts end? We know Disney won't lower their resort and dining prices out of the stratosphere, but the public won't pay for the current rack rates. The recession has affected our financial mentalities the same way the Great Depression influenced our grandparents—we expect discounts and deals, and we know that money doesn't magically appear, even at WDW.
For example, we can assume the majority of guests at the Deluxe resorts are using discounts up to 40%, because Disney has been advertising this discount for almost two years. At first, the discount was only available during September, October, and February, but now it's available year-round with very few black-out dates. The company has also adjusted its hotel prices accordingly so that the final prices are reasonable and still profitable. A standard view room at the Grand Floridian isn't worth $500 a night, and Disney knows it; but $300 a night sounds better to the right demographic, and it still gives Disney a healthy profit. Throw in free dining and a gift card, and the trip is even more attractive.
Disney NEEDS to wean itself off the discounts because that's a weak business strategy, but it also needs to determine the best way of bringing its inflated prices back to reasonable levels.
COProgressFan
Well-Known Member
Just to add my two cents, I love a discount as much as the next guy, but does anyone see how constant discounting lowers the value of the product in the public's mind? Most visitors, especially regulars, are now conditioned to expect discounts all the time, and would never pay rack rate (I am one of them). This sort of creates a mindset of a WDW vacation being a discount or value product rather than a high quality one, as it had been previously thought of. In the long term, I don't think that is a good thing. It doesn't matter how much money you make or are willing to spend.
Also, does anyone else think that if rack rates weren't so absolutely ridiculously high in the first place (especially for deluxe resorts) then the discounts wouldn't be as necessary? I mean, if the prices were more reasonable to begin with, then people would be more inclined to pay them without discounts. Overall, the resorts are wonderful, but the prices just keep going up and up (while service is arguably going down). There is an major issue of price vs. value for your dollar.
We're at the point now where it seems like Disney knows their resort rates are ridiculously high, but hey, look at the great discounts we're offering, come on down! Is something being truly being discounted if it is always on sale?
Also, does anyone else think that if rack rates weren't so absolutely ridiculously high in the first place (especially for deluxe resorts) then the discounts wouldn't be as necessary? I mean, if the prices were more reasonable to begin with, then people would be more inclined to pay them without discounts. Overall, the resorts are wonderful, but the prices just keep going up and up (while service is arguably going down). There is an major issue of price vs. value for your dollar.
We're at the point now where it seems like Disney knows their resort rates are ridiculously high, but hey, look at the great discounts we're offering, come on down! Is something being truly being discounted if it is always on sale?
WDWLOVER1957
Active Member
55% ok wasnt that due to the movie side of Disney especially Alice in Wonderland , attendance up you really didnt read it did you, it was down, if your going to reply at least have the courtesy to read the facts first, you dont really believe people wont go if their are no discounts, im not talking about pricing people away, Disney is saying they are going to stop deep discounting.
COProgressFan
Well-Known Member
Well said! I have long suspected they know (using your example) a room at GF isn't worth $500, but if they are discounting nearly all of the rooms, they will raise prices to make up for it. As you and I well know, Disney is making good money on every room on property, no matter how discounted they are, or how many free meals, or gift cards you receive.
But in order to wean itself off that model, they will need to lower rack rates, or at least hold them steady for a few years while inflation catches up. I reall don't see that happening at all. They're in a catch-22 right now, and based on comments from Staggs and now Rasulo they know it. I just don't see them having the dedication to truly solve the problem.
Pumbas Nakasak
Heading for the great escape.
Id say the lack of new attractions would be more of a factor to visit elsewhere.
Besides poor people like me are happier at Universal anyway.
Besides poor people like me are happier at Universal anyway.
misterID
Well-Known Member
http://www.wdwmagic.com/Other/Walt-...tion-2009-attendance-report-now-available.htm
You were saying something about courtesy and getting facts straight?
And let me try to make this as simple as possible: I made a post about Disney raising prices to only cater to the wealthy cutting out the middle class. And I said the only good that would come of that is that there would be short wait times. You responded to that saying that would be a better vacation. And I answered with what the results of that would be, like letting go a huge portion of CM's, closing early, shutting down restaurants and attractions, because they would be cutting out the very group of people they depend on. Do you understand that now?
Of course the discounts were going to end. But cutting them will also hurt attendance.
Please explain how prices going back to normal deters any one from going to WDW. As I stated it means I just have to budget a little more again like I use to before the economy went south. I do not understand how Disney can be a vacation for the elete. I do not also see how discounts can be a bad thing as well. I am going to WDW this September and planning on it again for 2011 and 2012 and beyond. When a discount can be had it's nice to get it and take advantage of it, and when it is not oh well just book your vaction, pay for it and move on. I take great pride in saving and budgeting every year to go on vacation to WDW and still pay all my bills on time and pay some completely off. I just don't see how the prices are a bad thing. Disney has so much to offer see and do and relax and be spoiled and forget about life for awhile. I am a middle class family that spoils ourselves once a year by going to WDW for 8 to 10 days. Been doing this since 1998. Only missed one year do to a death in the family. The thing that is cool that I can afford to stay at a moderate resort and have had the pleasure of staying at a Luxery resort. I have also had the pleasure of staying at a value resort (all star movies) and had a great time. The point here is I am on vacatiion with the DDP and in WDW having the time of my life. Disney is for all to see and enjoy. If it means it takes two years to save and go then so be it. To me it's well worthe the effort and time and I would'nt trade it for the world. Over the years I have had the pleasure of meeting and seeing people who are poor to middle class and of high class go to Disney. The one thing that I seen by all these classes were smiles and laughter on their faces. To me that is what makes us all the same.
wannabeBelle
Well-Known Member
Um Actually not to be the black cloud in this discussion, but there are a few things on this one worth mentioning.
1) This discussion is about ALL discounts, AP or otherwise. I think AP Discounts will still be offered but kind of in the way they have for the majority of the time I have been following them (since 2002) which is closer to your travel dates and without the ability to plan far in advance.
2) Recently within the last year or so I have seen a shift in that General Public package and room only discounts have been offered well in advance of AP discounts.
3)if you do a search you will see many people complaining about the lack of AP rates/ AP rates not being much better than the GP discounts/ Not enough rooms being available/GP getting a better deal than AP'ers/ etc.
I for one hope that the discounts do continue. Even at the prices that are being charged , people are still at least shopping for a trip. Also I for one feel that even though Disney does charge more, you arent being nickle and dimed to death which does happen at other vacation destinations where everything is a fee or a charged amount. The AP room discounts are great and I hope that does continue, but I wouldnt make that my sole reason for the purchase of an AP. Marie
I don't think anyone argued that it does. A few posters have attributed Disney World as some sort of elite destination that only the wealthy should get to enjoy (which it isn't, nor which was it ever intended to be). They claim that people who book using discounts don't deserve to go to Disney World because they aren't paying full price. Most people defending the discounts are trying to defend against the elitist attitude of those posters by illustrating that discounts can be necessary for a business to stay afloat. A few have argued (myself included) that Disney has overpriced itself to a level that many people don't think is worth the cost, but the discounted price makes it more worthy (the very capitalistic concept of supply and demand...something that some of the elitists try to ignore when it works against their arguments).
ChrisM
Well-Known Member
Personally? I wish WDW would end the discounts, and accept lower park attendance (read: fewer crowds, better vacation). So far, they have been discounting to death, killing their profit, and crowding the parks. Reminds me of the used car salesman that lost 10 cents on every sale & claimed he made it up on volume
In a nutshell, that's it.
I would have added some sophistry and and a bit more colorful language but to each their own.
DisneyRunner
Active Member
I thought there were going to be fewer discounts this year. The offers have still come out, just later than in previous years. In the past, I don't remember seeing commercials for Disney during this time of year. I always see commercials in January and February.