Magical Holidays discount not magical:(

wdwthanksgiving

DIS Veteran
Joined
Nov 28, 2005
Called WDW yesterday morning as soon as I saw that the discounts for November were out - I waited 40 min only to find out there were no discount rates for standard rooms available AT ANY of the deluxe hotels for the first couple of weeks of November. We have three rooms reserved at Wilderness Lodge - only thing available was to upgrade to a courtyard view with bunk beds and that would certainly be more expensive than what we already are paying...checking all hotels thinking that perhaps we would move, I was told that there were not any standard room discounts available. It is getting harder and harder to find discounts for standard rooms while the room rates continue to rise. There were no bounceback offers for the month of November - the only discount left will be for a Passholder (if even offered) and those will be scarce. Very disappointing, discouraging and frustrating.
 
With so many people booking rooms as soon as they can, the resorts don't need to add many rooms to discounts. They are already at their target occupancy rate. There's zero incentive to discount many rooms.
And certainly not standard rooms.
 


Agree with what's been said already...people book early, knowing they can (historically) apply a later discount - we've done this ourselves in the past.

Well, now Disney is calling those people's bluff. Either you're going to pay the going rate or you're going to cancel. Disney is banking on people paying up, so, until people stop complaining and start cancelling, it will probably become the norm for any discounts to be extremely difficult to find/use.

Note: I'm not saying that the OP is a complainer (I, too, like a good discount and would be frustrated). I'm just saying that, for things to change on Disney's side, words would have to become actions on a large scale.
 
With so many people booking rooms as soon as they can, the resorts don't need to add many rooms to discounts. They are already at their target occupancy rate. There's zero incentive to discount many rooms.
A good reason not to book in advance and wait for discounts!!

I looked at discounts just realeased or should I say lack of? No discount at all unless you're looking for a 2 bedroom villa.
 


I wonder if we will start seeing an increase in people canceling and moving offsite once they have secured their fastpasses and magic bands have shipped. I can stay at the Wyndham for about half of what YC is going to cost me. I will be obsessively MDE checking (even more than now) in the weeks leading up to our trip.
 
I wonder if we will start seeing an increase in people canceling and moving offsite once they have secured their fastpasses and magic bands have shipped. I can stay at the Wyndham for about half of what YC is going to cost me. I will be obsessively MDE checking (even more than now) in the weeks leading up to our trip.
If that happens, I hope that Disney starts cancelling fastpasses and keeping Magic Bands on site for pick up.

On site perks should be for those actually staying on site.
 
With so many people booking rooms as soon as they can, the resorts don't need to add many rooms to discounts. They are already at their target occupancy rate. There's zero incentive to discount many rooms.
This. It sucks, but apparently that's what's going on. The past 3 regular & AP discount sets have been almost non-existent. ^^^That's basically what all the CMs have told me when I called looking for a discount. It really sucks because the hotel discount is a big part of why I love my AP. Hopefully something changes by next year, because if I can't afford to stay there I can't go as often. :'(

If that happens, I hope that Disney starts cancelling fastpasses and keeping Magic Bands on site for pick up.

On site perks should be for those actually staying on site.
For real! I saw somewhere (was on here on DisBoards?) that this is an actual strategy people use. They allow you to cancel so last minute that you will already have your magic bands by the time you cancel your hotel, so you get free magicbands & you got to book your FPs early too. This is why I'll be checking for hotel openings up through the week I get there. If you can free cancel up to 5 days before, people will do it!
 
This. It sucks, but apparently that's what's going on. The past 3 regular & AP discount sets have been almost non-existent. ^^^That's basically what all the CMs have told me when I called looking for a discount. It really sucks because the hotel discount is a big part of why I love my AP. Hopefully something changes by next year, because if I can't afford to stay there I can't go as often. :'(


For real! I saw somewhere (was on here on DisBoards?) that this is an actual strategy people use. They allow you to cancel so last minute that you will already have your magic bands by the time you cancel your hotel, so you get free magicbands & you got to book your FPs early too. This is why I'll be checking for hotel openings up through the week I get there. If you can free cancel up to 5 days before, people will do it!

The only way this will change is if people stop booking so far ahead without a discount thinking when discounts come out they'll get it. This strategy worked years ago but as people can see, it doesn't anymore. It now works against you.
 
A good reason not to book in advance and wait for discounts!!

I looked at discounts just realeased or should I say lack of? No discount at all unless you're looking for a 2 bedroom villa.

Th problem with waiting for discounts is that you may not be able to book anything, at all, at the resort of your choice.

Personally, I book whatever I'm happy with and then if discounts come out later, I look at it as a treat. I've already got a standard room booked at AKL for October 2018. I'd be shocked if any of this type of room remain by the time discounts are announced next summer (if there are any discounts).
 
The only way this will change is if people stop booking so far ahead without a discount thinking when discounts come out they'll get it. This strategy worked years ago but as people can see, it doesn't anymore. It now works against you.
True, people still do that all the time (especially when using a travel agent because they're booking so far in advance). Because I have an AP my strategy was to check the website every day until the discounts came out, but now doing that I can't get a room at all, because they're all booked up. Right now I'm booked at off-site hotels for my trips this year, and I'm just going to keep checking & hope someone cancels their room. :/
 
I've gotta say this is the crappiest "discount" I've ever seen from Disney.
It excludes more than it includes.
But I believe they are doing it on purpose because discounts have become too popular and have actually brought in too many people so they are upping prices/phasing out good discounts to try to lessen crowds while still bringing in high profits.
 
True, people still do that all the time (especially when using a travel agent because they're booking so far in advance). Because I have an AP my strategy was to check the website every day until the discounts came out, but now doing that I can't get a room at all, because they're all booked up. Right now I'm booked at off-site hotels for my trips this year, and I'm just going to keep checking & hope someone cancels their room. :/
Yes, if only people would wake up and realize booking without a discount is back firing on them.

I will not pay the over inflated rack rate, so if I'm unable to get a discount I'll be booking in the Disney Springs hotel area. There are some very nice hotels there for a fraction of WDW pricing. I signed up for mousesavers newsletter and I get emails for their Hot Deals. The new Hilton Buenavista Palace ? just opened up. It looks very nice and has a lazy river. Deluxe resort for less than a moderate. And just across the street from Marketplace. It doesn't feel like your off site, you are still in WDW. These hotels have bus service every 30 min. Not bad.
Mousesavers just released a discount code for Doubletree that includes free breakfast and room discount for the same price or less than a WDW value resort. And you get a huge one bedroom suite.

I don't know where off site you booked, but this area is worth looking into. It's not really off site, most hotels are within walking distance to Disney Springs, and some of the hotels offer theme park views so you still feel in the bubble. They aren't out in the real world!
 
Yes, if only people would wake up and realize booking without a discount is back firing on them.

I will not pay the over inflated rack rate, so if I'm unable to get a discount I'll be booking in the Disney Springs hotel area. There are some very nice hotels there for a fraction of WDW pricing. I signed up for mousesavers newsletter and I get emails for their Hot Deals. The new Hilton Buenavista Palace ? just opened up. It looks very nice and has a lazy river. Deluxe resort for less than a moderate. And just across the street from Marketplace. It doesn't feel like your off site, you are still in WDW. These hotels have bus service every 30 min. Not bad.
Mousesavers just released a discount code for Doubletree that includes free breakfast and room discount for the same price or less than a WDW value resort. And you get a huge one bedroom suite.

I don't know where off site you booked, but this area is worth looking into. It's not really off site, most hotels are within walking distance to Disney Springs, and some of the hotels offer theme park views so you still feel in the bubble. They aren't out in the real world!
Thanks for the tip about mousesavers newsletter discount codes! We drive from Canada and usually arrive the night before our WDW reservations and are always looking for a hotel the night before our vacation starts. I was always curious about the DS area resorts and this sounds like a great way to try one.:)
 
Yes, if only people would wake up and realize booking without a discount is back firing on them.

I will not pay the over inflated rack rate, so if I'm unable to get a discount I'll be booking in the Disney Springs hotel area. There are some very nice hotels there for a fraction of WDW pricing. I signed up for mousesavers newsletter and I get emails for their Hot Deals. The new Hilton Buenavista Palace ? just opened up. It looks very nice and has a lazy river. Deluxe resort for less than a moderate. And just across the street from Marketplace. It doesn't feel like your off site, you are still in WDW. These hotels have bus service every 30 min. Not bad.
Mousesavers just released a discount code for Doubletree that includes free breakfast and room discount for the same price or less than a WDW value resort. And you get a huge one bedroom suite.

I don't know where off site you booked, but this area is worth looking into. It's not really off site, most hotels are within walking distance to Disney Springs, and some of the hotels offer theme park views so you still feel in the bubble. They aren't out in the real world!

Do the offsite DS area hotels offer free transportation to and from the airport?
I don't have a car unless I drive.
I would also need the hotel to be at or less than the price of a standard room at a value resort especially if I have to provide my own transport at an extra cost.
 
Do the offsite DS area hotels offer free transportation to and from the airport?
I don't have a car unless I drive.
I would also need the hotel to be at or less than the price of a standard room at a value resort especially if I have to provide my own transport at an extra cost.
No, you would have to get your own airport transportation. Either Mears shared shuttle , super shuttle,or Quicksilver Town Car. I've used them, and they were great.

Have a look on mousesavers.com. Look for their preferred Disney Springs hotels. They get some good discounts for their readers. I'd sign up for the newsletter, then you'll get emails for extra deals. They aren't a booking company. Or travel agent. So you will see links for booking discounts on their web site.
 
Thanks for the tip about mousesavers newsletter discount codes! We drive from Canada and usually arrive the night before our WDW reservations and are always looking for a hotel the night before our vacation starts. I was always curious about the DS area resorts and this sounds like a great way to try one.:)
Yes! We changed our plans once ( the perils of when I had an AP) and arrived a day early. I had a great offer from mousesavers at the time for a 1 bdrm suite at The Doubletree in DTD for the price of a value resort I got a huge suite with free breakfast. They had a parking fee but I don't drive (from west coast )! I saw a recent discount that waived parking. And included breakfast!! But it was on their Hot Deals mail out.
The following day we booked into our WDW hotel. I think we may have had a free dining pkg. so staying at Doubletree was great for us. I really liked it too. Soooo much room!
 

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