Early booking discount

Rapunzellover

DIS Veteran
Joined
Sep 3, 2014
Okay, so I had London/Paris and France only booked for this year, but thanks to a once a blue moon issue at work, I had to opt out of the trips prior to final booking cause I won't for sure have the time to go. The dates were put on placeholder, and yesterday, I called ABD to change to the 2018 dates for the exact same trips (exact same dates too, give or take a day). I was told that I couldn't get the early booking discounts cause it was a placeholder. SUCKS! I had gotten the early booking for France when I originally booked too. I'm a little upset they're being so stingy.
 
This happened to me last year with a Wyoming trip. I ended up starting a new reservation to get the discount, and moved the placeholder again and ended up using that on a trip which would not have been discounted anyway.
 


The same thing happened to us, and I was not thrilled, to say the least. We had Backstage Magic booked for 2017 and ended up pushing to a 2018 date yesterday. Our original BSM booking for 2017 had the early booking discount. We lost it when we moved to a Dec. 2017 date as a placeholder, but I wasn't aware we wouldn't get it back when we moved to an Aug. 2018 date that was eligible for the discount. We did get the $100 per person Insider discount at least. ABD's rationale is that it isn't a new booking, but I call bullsh*t on that one. I would have done what DCPhotoGal did and just do a new booking and keep moving our deposit around but I really don't want to be committed to another ABD at this point, since we prefer a smaller group experience, more meals included, etc. that we can get with other high-end group tour providers. Oh well...Definitely not the way for ABD to potentially lure me back in.
 
The same thing happened to us, and I was not thrilled, to say the least. We had Backstage Magic booked for 2017 and ended up pushing to a 2018 date yesterday. Our original BSM booking for 2017 had the early booking discount. We lost it when we moved to a Dec. 2017 date as a placeholder, but I wasn't aware we wouldn't get it back when we moved to an Aug. 2018 date that was eligible for the discount. We did get the $100 per person Insider discount at least. ABD's rationale is that it isn't a new booking, but I call bullsh*t on that one. I would have done what DCPhotoGal did and just do a new booking and keep moving our deposit around but I really don't want to be committed to another ABD at this point, since we prefer a smaller group experience, more meals included, etc. that we can get with other high-end group tour providers. Oh well...Definitely not the way for ABD to potentially lure me back in.

Same boat, wasn't eligible to transfer date and get early booking so I sacrificed original deposit as it saved me $400 after the lost deposit for tour.
And didn't want the commitment either of another trip in the future.
 
Wouldn't it be an interesting read to see the "rules" for the early booking discounts? There must be more exclusion than inclusions lol. It never even occurred to me that you would have to put your deposit down right away (as opposed to the typical 2 day hold) to activate the discount.

I can't believe this is how they "reward" insiders. Here is an early booking discount, but it doesn't apply to you, you and you.

I don't want to dwell on it though. We are most likely going on the August 11, 2018 Iceland trip (still waiting to hear the last day of summer camp next year)and I am excited about it!

The ironic thing is that they will probably fill up every single trip (at least for Iceland), so it's not like it's going to have a negative impact on their bottom line. I remember last year all the 2018 S. Africa trips were filled before the end of June, 2017.
 


I wasn't able to get the discount on S. Africa when booking last year. I found out later the S. Africa trip wasn't even apart of the early booking promotion. Their same day dynamic pricing is aggravating. It's disconcerting hearing guests booking later in the same day and not getting a discount. I don't understand why it matters to them whether a guest places a deposit or first puts a 2 day hold and then places a deposit. It seems nit picky. I think we are all appreciative of the loyalty discount, but we shouldn't have to stress out or be one of the first bookings of the first day to secure it.
 
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The ironic thing is that they will probably fill up every single trip (at least for Iceland), so it's not like it's going to have a negative impact on their bottom line. I remember last year all the 2018 S. Africa trips were filled before the end of June, 2017.
And that's why they do it. Because they're Disney and they can.

Sayhello
 
The same thing happened to us, and I was not thrilled, to say the least. We had Backstage Magic booked for 2017 and ended up pushing to a 2018 date yesterday. Our original BSM booking for 2017 had the early booking discount. We lost it when we moved to a Dec. 2017 date as a placeholder, but I wasn't aware we wouldn't get it back when we moved to an Aug. 2018 date that was eligible for the discount. We did get the $100 per person Insider discount at least. ABD's rationale is that it isn't a new booking, but I call bullsh*t on that one. I would have done what DCPhotoGal did and just do a new booking and keep moving our deposit around but I really don't want to be committed to another ABD at this point, since we prefer a smaller group experience, more meals included, etc. that we can get with other high-end group tour providers. Oh well...Definitely not the way for ABD to potentially lure me back in.


What other tour companies have you used? Who do you like the best? Where did you go?
thanks
Abby
 
What other tour companies have you used? Who do you like the best? Where did you go?
thanks
Abby

We did a family trip to China with Thomson Family Adventures that was fantastic. I did a post on it in the Other Options thread but am happy to give you further info offline if you PM me. I've also done two hiking trips with NatGeo that we're also fantastic (England Coast to Coast and Hiking the Emerald Isle). I also wrote a bit about NatGeo in the Other Options thread. We have a NatGeo deposit we need to use for 2018, so will problaby be trying our first family trip with them, but haven't decided where yet. We're also booked with Austin Adventures for a family winter Yellowstone trip this Dec/Jan and, believe it or not, with Thomson Family Adventures for Japan in 2020 for my DD's 18th bday trip. Nothing like planning in advance, lol...
 
Their same day dynamic pricing is aggravating. It's disconcerting hearing guests booking later in the same day and not getting a discount.

The dynamic pricing really aggravates me in general. I wish they would set a fair price and stick with it like other companies. It's one of the top changes I would make to ABD if I were in charge. The others would be lowering the group #'s and setting clear standards for when trips are guaranteed. Nice to dream, isn't it? LOL

RE the dynamic pricing and these new early bird rates ... for me it will work against ABD. Knowing that I was paying a bunch more than other people would stop me from booking a trip at a later date. Next summer is a great example. I can't jump on a trip right now because I don't know my going away to university daughter's schedule next summer, and there is no way I will book ABD Norway if there isn't an early bird discount left. That's a $2000 difference for my family of 4.

They certainly aren't filling all their trips (which is actually a good thing to me, LOL), so it makes me wonder if it really is working for them.
 
CAgirl- The dynamic pricing aspect of ABD is a major flaw. And this early bird thing is ridiculous...with only a few early birds getting it. So lame. I called ABD back about my bookings and complained. I said I was told with a placeholder that I would have to pay current rate, and the current rate should include the discount. The vacationista hooked me up with a supervisor, who is checking into it for me. Hoping I get my discount.

If ABD didn't have the itineraries I wanted, I'd drop them like hotcakes for this kinda stuff. But I go where the most attractive itinerary is, customer service be damned.

Am I crazy, or what?
 
CAgirl- The dynamic pricing aspect of ABD is a major flaw. And this early bird thing is ridiculous...with only a few early birds getting it. So lame. I called ABD back about my bookings and complained. I said I was told with a placeholder that I would have to pay current rate, and the current rate should include the discount. The vacationista hooked me up with a supervisor, who is checking into it for me. Hoping I get my discount.

If ABD didn't have the itineraries I wanted, I'd drop them like hotcakes for this kinda stuff. But I go where the most attractive itinerary is, customer service be damned.

Am I crazy, or what?
If you are, I am, too. :confused3

Sayhello
 
CAgirl- The dynamic pricing aspect of ABD is a major flaw. And this early bird thing is ridiculous...with only a few early birds getting it. So lame. I called ABD back about my bookings and complained. I said I was told with a placeholder that I would have to pay current rate, and the current rate should include the discount. The vacationista hooked me up with a supervisor, who is checking into it for me. Hoping I get my discount.

If ABD didn't have the itineraries I wanted, I'd drop them like hotcakes for this kinda stuff. But I go where the most attractive itinerary is, customer service be damned.

Am I crazy, or what?

LOL, not crazy at all. That's why I'm doing China with ABD this year--because of the time in the parks. Same reason I was waiting for Japan with them--the park access. I don't think I"ll be doing much else with them though. I was kind of thinking about Norway, but then I realized they eliminated a major activity on one of the days. It isn't as attractive now--even with the $500 pp "discount."

I agree--major flaw. And limiting the # of early birds is definitely ridiculous. I will keep my fingers crossed that you get the discount. Keep us posted!
 
Dynamic pricing is a major turnoff for me as well. Eventually we will do BSM and Peru, and maybe Italy, but not now, given their cancellation policy and others that are pretty consumer unfriendly (and not really in line with competitors). A family of 5 on these trips is no small expense. Of course DCL pricing has become much less dynamic and they just start off high now, at least during school breaks when I am looking. I expect an ABD premium. 20% additional plus gratuities included on other trips is too much for us.

I was really thinking about Ireland with ABD next year because the early bird + Costo travel + DVA/gift card discounts makes it price competitive with Tauck, and then I noticed the itinerary changes. The Blarney castle is one of the things my kids asked for by name. So Tauck Bridges it is.
 
Can't remember which company uses dynamic pricing the opposite of Disney. But, what they do is open pricing at the max that the trip will be. Then as more people sign up for a trip, the pricing goes down, and everyone on that date gets the same price. The variation would be from date to date for the same trip. But, the benefit is that if you are paying more, there is a high probability that there are fewer people on the tour, and if you sign up you know the max price you are paying and there is a possibility that the price will come down.
 
I was just looking at the Iceland price for the August 11th trip and it has jumped $700.00 per person. Yikes. I guess these trips will be very popular for ABD. Already excited and really hoping that the date works out for us.
 
Our May 2018 China trip has already jumped up $700 per person o_O
 

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