New spring discounts: enough to entice people?

[JJsmama]

i am curious what you all think the result of these new discounts will be for people who may have been 'on the fence.' So, average tavelers, basically- not necessarily DIS experts ( but you can answer that too.)

There is just nothing in the discounts I saw today that would make me say "Oh that's a great deal! I've gotta book that quickly!"

In fact, I actually wonder if it has put some people off. For people who were already planning to probably go, but waiting for discounts (and expecting better deals than came out), will they still book or think the deal was no good enough.

I am booked, but I was definitely expecting a better deal or at least better choices of rooms in the deal that was offered. Is that just because, as a DISer, I know too much....??

 

[TJA]

No great deals for my dates!! Part of the problem I'm seeing is the rack rates/full prices are just way too high now, and the discount percentages are lower than normal. Combine those 2 facts and that equals some not-so-great resort rates.

I am currently booked with a PIN offer, Easter week, for 30% off AKL CL. Was hoping to change to GF CL (RPC), but the discount would have to be insanely high to get the cost down to under $1,000 a night. Crazy!! So far the entire GF is bookable in every room category for my dates so that should tell Disney something??

Still holding out hope for AP discounts or Orbitz/Expedia deals...

 

[Tigerlulu]

These are not good deals at all! We are booked at POFQ and was going to switch when discounts were released.
I can switch to a POR royal room and save 15 bucks. All availablity at CSR were king rooms and CBR was pirate rooms. Nope!

If we weren't going because of my kiddos school band trip, I'd give this a big pass. I would simply not go.

But we will stay at POFQ and deal with it. Will cut back on our dining plans instead.

ETA: either way they will be getting way less of our money. We are now adding on a universal day and will be canceling two Disney hotel nights to stay universal.

 

[wdw4rfam]

I'd say, we picked the perfect time to buy DVC because the discounts get worse every year. These are not great at all.

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

I'd say, we picked the perfect time to buy DVC because the discounts get worse every year. These are not great at all.

I agree with you so much. Glad we bought into DVC this year so no more worries about hunting for discounts!

 

[Disneytam]

Prices have just gotten too high at the resorts. I just canceled a CL stay at the Poly because I just can't justify the cost anymore. My husband and I just had a nice trip at the BWI CL and a couple of nights at PB at Universal and even though we love Disney we are not going to be renewing our AP this year. We did upgrade our tickets to AP at Universal and might do a late fall trip there instead. I just can't ignore the huge diference in price between the two, and we really loved our club level stay at PB. Buying into DVC just is not an option for us. The prices are crazy high, the fees are nuts, and I have no intention of cooking and cleaning while I'm on vacation. We did look into it but that is not the way I want to vacation and I don't like all the out of the way places that they stick the vacation club rooms.

 

[alex9179]

It's what I expected with the bounce back topping out at 30%, though I was bummed about the availability. GP discounts have been similar to this recent release. I'm going to keep checking in case they open up the less expensive booking categories at POR. I was able to get close to 30% off my YC room by maximizing who I booked through and using my Disney visa for rewards.

I'll end up close to my estimated cost.

 

[Tigerlulu]

We are now considering dropping down from POFQ to POP. 600 bucks cheaper (not including the savings of chopping off two Disney nights) and I can use that money to stay at universal.

 

[DLBDS]

Definitely not what I was expecting (which was at least 30%). But since I've had this trip (June '17) in the works since spring of this year I've had a lot of extra time to save for it so it's not going to be a hardship. Actually upgraded to WL CL today with this 25% discount. It's a special trip for DD19 and her BFF18. Probably going to be the last one in a long while so I don't mind the extra expense this time. Well that's how I justify it to myself anyway. But yeah, if this had been a traditional visit, I would be disappointed with this discount and would probably give POR (Magnolia Bend) a go. Really want to stay in a Royal Guest room at some point.

 

[KrazeeK120]

I was expecting a little more availability. I was already booked at CSR, and now there are no rooms available at that resort on my dates, even at rack rate! POFQ was not part of the discount. All that was available at CBR were pirate rooms, which were still more expensive than standard rack rate at CSR. I could have saved a whole $80 by switching to POR. I actually did end up switching to WL. There were standard rooms available there as part of the deal and it was less than $100/night to switch. It's a beautiful resort and we will be spending quite a bit of time at MK with our 18 month old, so I went for it.

 

[Roxyfire]

I posted this elsewhere, but I'm glad I got a pincode (UOC) earlier this year. Here's hoping they extend their 13-month AP deal so I can take advantage of it.

 

[prmatz]

Is it unusual at how limited the room options are? I'm booked at CBR and was counting on a discount here or switching to POR if necessary (we have 5 so options limited). Neither resort standard rooms qualify, only the preferred which starts so much higher in price that the net discount is negligible.

Is this unusual? Any chances they add standard rooms to the discounts later? Too bad the options for a group of 5 are so limited. Frustrating!

 

[JJsmama]

I thought the lack of room types was unusually cheap and sneaky seeming. I happened to look at the site at 7:02 ESt this morning and already there were only the most expensive categories at almost every resort. Most of the prices I saw were More Expensive than when I was checking rack rates the night before.
I should be grateful. I did get a decent rate at BWI. I will probably still change to rack rate at POFQ though and I have almost always stayed Deluxe. I just am not feeling the 'value/ worth' of the deluxes right now though. Our last stay was GF and it was our least favorite resort/ most let downs ever.

 

[Roxyfire]

Is this unusual? Any chances they add standard rooms to the discounts later? Too bad the options for a group of 5 are so limited. Frustrating!

It depends on your dates. Spring is usually pretty easily propped up by Spring Break and Summer by the usual business of families taking annual vacations. Attendance was lower last summer so you may yet see something better. It's not terribly difficult to fill standard view rooms at a moderate.

I thought the lack of room types was unusually cheap and sneaky seeming. I happened to look at the site at 7:02 ESt this morning and already there were only the most expensive categories at almost every resort.

The point of the discounts is to encourage people to book the more expensive room categories or to bump up in resort category when you normally wouldn't. I don't want to beat the dead horse of "Walt Disney World is a business and wants to make money" but its true. Water/pool view and King Bed categories (in moderates) are probably less likely to be booked up so it makes more sense to put those on discount.

 

[alex9179]

It depends on your dates. Spring is usually pretty easily propped up by Spring Break and Summer by the usual business of families taking annual vacations. Attendance was lower last summer so you may yet see something better. It's not terribly difficult to fill standard view rooms at a moderate.



The point of the discounts is to encourage people to book the more expensive room categories or to bump up in resort category when you normally wouldn't. I don't want to beat the dead horse of "Walt Disney World is a business and wants to make money" but its true. Water/pool view and King Bed categories (in moderates) are probably less likely to be booked up so it makes more sense to put those on discount.

I've seen this to a lesser degree in previous years. They try to book the more expensive categories and offer a limited amount of the more reasonably price options. They didn't even bother with that, this time! It's likely that we'll see them open up after a while. Previously they've offered more room options, after that first frenzy from the discount release. Keep checking for availability. Also, check 3rd party companies. You might get a little extra off of Disney's discount...so investigate

 

[cruiser21]

This will be our first trip in 4 years. I'm only doing it for my youngest kid. Yeah prices have gone up a lot since we were there last. We started cruising 5 years ago and found it to be a much more relaxing affordable vacation then visiting theme parks. We got a pretty good deal on our 1 week Beach club stay in May, but it's still costing more then our 10 day med cruise over the Summer. In 2018 we'll head back to Europe on another cruise. I would love to visit WDW every year, but the cost has just gotten too high for a theme park vacation. WDW is fun, but if the cost keeps me from visiting places on my bucket list...just not worth it.

 

[forsberg21]

I am a little happier than most. I was booked at POR over spring break but switched to CBR. Room rate of $207 ($52 savings per night off inflated rack). After originally booking at a rack rate of $291 at POR, the savings seem significant. The big decision now is it worth paying $1,000 for QS for a family of 5 for 5 nights: DD14, DD12, DS7 plus mom & dad.

 

[forsberg21]

I am a little happier than most. I was booked at POR over spring break but switched to CBR. Room rate of $207 ($52 savings per night off inflated rack). After originally booking at a rack rate of $291 at POR, the savings seem significant. The big decision now is it worth paying $1,000 for QS for a family of 5 for 5 nights: DD14, DD12, DS7 plus mom & dad.

Further analyzed my trip in comparison to my last visit in November of 2015:
9 nights at CBR with FD & hoppers $4,003
April 2017: 5 nights at CBR paying for QS $3,909

Both trips had 5 days of parks.

It cost me less than $100 for a family of 5 for 4 extra nights with the Dining Plan and Park Hopper. Dates do play a role as we departed on Thanksgiving.

Feeling much less excited about my room only 20% savings

 

[dtstampz]

I'm disappointed as well. Decided to stay 6 nights instead of my usual 7, and I booked
PoP instead of a Moderate. Was really hoping to stay at CSR but it had no availability.
Shopped UCT but they are higher priced than Disney's site!

 

[Stacy's a freak]

I got a pin code and it's not in the budget still. But even if the rates were lower and the discounts very good, I would have to get an AMAZING deal since there is so much construction going on. Since MGM/whatever-you-want-to-call-it-these-days is under so much construction, it doesn't seem worth it to me to go to that park at all. I think many people feel this way so the crowds that are usually spread amongst 4 parks are now crammed into 3 parks. So unless the price is very VERY low, I cannot justify a trip now knowing that the theme park experience is likely to be 75%, at best.