Is it hard to get AP rate?

[tiggerstail]

we are paying for 18 nights in Sept, part of the reason we decided to stay that long was figuring on a cut in the rates with an AP. Now I am wondering if we are going to be able to get a discount after all. Anyone got any words of wisdom?!

 

[TLinden16]

I have never had a problem getting an AP rate, but at times, I've had to be flexible about where I'm going to stay. For example, one year, I wanted to stay at the POR or POFQ, and I could only get AP rates at the CBR, so I stayed at the CBR. I tried calling every few days to get an AP rate for the POFQ or POR, but never could.

So, if you can be flexible about where you are staying, if AP rates are available for your timeframe, you should be OK. Just watch these boards for an announcement about AP rates, and book them the day they come out. You'll have to split it into two ressies to get it, though, as there is a 10 night limit (or maybe it's nine nights).

Karen

 

[Hieatt]

If you are looking at an October stay, when typically would you see the AP rates come out for that time period? How important is it to call right after the rates come out?

 

[wld]

I can't help you with October, but I have used the ap codes 4 times now, 2 x in January and once for this coming May and once in June. I have never called the day of and I think the May one it had been awhile since the code came out. I still had several options and just picked one. We stayed once at POP (think the code had been out 2-3 days) which is what we wanted. Stayed at WL once, again code out a couple of days and we had to go with woods view instead of standard. Stayed split stay at AKL and Poly several days after code release with views we wanted. Will stay at AKL this time but could have stayed at the moderate we were thinking of as well. This time the code had been out awhile.

 

[cobbler]

Codes for October should be out at the end of August.

 

[landmark]

I have booked with AP rates twice and haven't had a problem with availability at all. I was pretty worried about the March trip as it's peak season and they seemed to wait forever to come out with the codes. I've heard they don't always offer codes for peak/holiday times. We used the code for one night at POR then 7 at the CR Tower with no problem. I booked well ahead and then just called and added the AP code to the reservation when they came out. Others will be more help with the day limit, though splitting the stay in the same resort isn't a problem (done that before) and we didn't even have to change rooms... just go down and check out right back in. It can also be an opportunity to change resorts if you want... you know... "try 'em all!"

 

[Lewisc]

It makes NO SENSE to make a reservation on spec. Is there any chance you'll keep your reservation without a discount? Otherwsie cancel. The more rooms that are booked the lower the probability Disney will need to offer a discounted rate at that resort for those dates.

Look at it this way, if the resort is only 30% booked at the dates you want when discounted rates are released discounted rooms will be available and you'll have no trouble getting a reservation. If the resort is 80% booked then it's unlikely discounted rates will be offered for that resort during that time frame.

Make whatever reservation you'll be willing to keep at the rates that were quoted.

 

[sherry8253]

Jan '05 was the first time I ever had a problem getting AP rate. In the past, I found if I was open minded and had a couple of places in mind, I could get the same hotel for all of the nights. In Jan we had to split our stay because we couldn't get all 9 nights at the same place. We ended up going with Dolphin for the first 4 nights because we got a great government employee rate instead of going with 2 Disney resorts but we could have stayed at 2 Disney resorts for all 9 nights with an AP rate. So if you are willing to go with the flow, you should be able to find something but if you have your heart set on a specific resort or a specific view at a resort yu may be disappointed.

 

[Meezers]

Fingers are crossed for an AP rate Jan 2006!