DC rates vs AP Discounts

[StinkerbellsMom]

OK ... I am wondering WHICH is best? Our trip is for Thanksgiving Week and when I booked I was NOT a member of DC, but am now. When I made the ressie, the CRO CM told me that when I do become a DC member, I would have to call the WD Travel Co to do the ressie because CRO doesn't deal with DC. I am weary of this because I don't like the cancellation policy with the Travel Co (and with 3 kids, theings happen and cancellations/changes can occur at ANY TIME lol). We are planning on buying an annual pass since we are going for 10 days and it is cheaper to get an annual pass than it is to get length of stay type pass. When I purchase my AP at our local Disney Store, do they input my info into the computer or something so that I can get a discount on Room Only type stays? The CM I spoke with said there was NO DISCOUNT on resort stays with purchase of AP. I didn't question it much because she didn't seem too knowledgable about the AP's at all. Am I making sense? LOL I am sorry if I have baffled some of you, but I am just sitting here feeling kind of ummm Confuzzled!!! LOL Also, what is Connections and what are these vouchers I have read about?! Any answers would be greatly appreciated

:::sprinkling faith, trust & pixie dust::::

 

[Disneydenise]

Most likely there are no discounts for the AP's in the computer yet. I think you may get something but it is not a time I travel to DW so maybe this bump up will get you a better answer. You can probably get a AAA discount now and I would start to watch the travel section of your local paper. They have had some great codes this past year. AP's are usually a very good discount and even worth the purchase for only one member of the family to obtain the room discount.

 

[GoldenOldie]

It is true that if you book a room with a DC discount that it must go through WDTC. However the cancellation policy for DC reservations is much different than the regular WDTC reservation. Read Resort Reservation Policies on Deb's site for a better explanation.

Most CRO CM's can only give you information about discounts when you give them a code to check. If you just ask for an Annual Passholder's discount (never say "AP discount"!!), most will not know what the computer code for it is. The only way they can look it up is by the code.

Your AP discount is not automatic. You must call CRO to book it, give them the proper code, and there must be rooms available at the discounted rate at the resort you want.

Since you are going Thanksgiving week, I'd book whatever discount you can get now. There may or may not be other discounts available for that week. If there are, you can always change your reservation. If you wait too long, you might get stuck with rack rate at that time of year.

 

[HookedOnDiz]

Bump

 

[Bete]

I'm in the same fix as you. I decided since you get a discount on tics from DC it's worth joining even if you go with AP tics. With your group it sounds like you would be money ahead for the club discount on park passes. With both the AP and DC you stand a better chance of a discount at a resort in my opinion. I think there are more DC discounts then AP ones for rooms.

 

[disneymom3]

From what I understand, being in the process of getting APs myself, the rates for passholder discounts for dec won't come out until the Mickey monitor for August is sent out. I found www.themeparks.com on another link on this site and they have the current Mickey monitor that lists passholder benefits.

Good luck.

 

[StinkerbellsMom]

Just saved $510 by using the DC!! I will in fact be checking back for the AP Rates that's for sure! I have bookmarked all the sites I was referred to and am studying hard for those discounts!! We always paid rack rates but since we usually travel off season it was never a big deal to me ... well NOW that I KNOW of all the discounts there are out there ready to be grabbed up I am a discount code fool!!! WOO HOOO lol Thanks again all!

 

[goofy4tink]

So, my question is...I'm already a DC member. Last year I booked using my DC, but later got an even better rate. So, because I couldn't just switch my deposit over, I canceled the DC ressie and made a new one using a code. For my next trip, in Aug '03, should I just makes ressies in the fall, and then change them as codes come up? I was thinking of getting one AP, with DC discount, and maybe getting a better rate. When the AP rates are published do I just call and change my existing ressie to the AP rate?? I'm under the assumption that I don't have to have my AP in hand, that I just ask for the Annual Pass rate and then have my voucher in hand upon check-in. Is this correct?? I'm getting so confused here.

 

[StinkerbellsMom]

Originally posted by goofy4tink
For my next trip, in Aug '03, should I just makes ressies in the fall, and then change them as codes come up? I was thinking of getting one AP, with DC discount, and maybe getting a better rate. When the AP rates are published do I just call and change my existing ressie to the AP rate?? I'm under the assumption that I don't have to have my AP in hand, that I just ask for the Annual Pass rate and then have my voucher in hand upon check-in. Is this correct?? I'm getting so confused here.

Well, this is exactly what we have done to this point. We made original ressies, then joined DC and called back to see if I could "switch" ressies to DC. The first half of our trip is staying at 2 rooms in AsMo for five days, then we are going to Poly Concierge (originally had AK Concierge, but from all that I have read, Poly is the way to go with the kids -- plus after seeing Lilo & Stitch I am SURE my girls will NEED to stay there LOL). Anyway, we called up and the AsMo did not have DC rates for that time and the CM who was dealing with me, while she was lovely and polite kept telling me that she was just about sure there would be no discounts for the time I am travelling (Thanksgiving week and after), I insisted to be transferred to the Travel Co that does the DC club ressies and they did not find any DC rates for the Movies resort, only for Sports & Music, but I did get the Poly Concierge DC rate which was better than rack. The CM I spoke with there told me that I should call in late July, early August and request Passholder Rates from the Mickey Monitor. I have read where folks say they need a particular code, in that case I will be checking it out often, but the CM told me that usually they can look it up when you tell them it is Annual Passholder from Mickey Monitor ... who knows what will happen at time of booking ... different CM's, different answers all the time. LOL I just can't wait to get going!!! Best to you on your trip planning