Will you shift your dates? - August discounts

[momto3gr8boys]

I know there have been several threads discussing whether people will cancel if no FD is offered for late summer/fall, but how many of you will shift your dates if it is offered at a different time than you are currently booked?

As of right now, all the predictions seem to be pointing to the next promo starting the week of August 25th. The current promo ends the 14th, leaving a ten day gap of potentially no discounts of any kind. This seems odd to me, especially since there hasn't been a gap all summer, but assuming there will be one, what will you do?

We are going August 18-27 and our dates are set in stone - there's no way we can switch them now as air is booked, time off from work is set and my youngest DS has orientation for school starting on the 29th. I'm still crossing my fingers Disney will not allow a ten day gap in discounts, but we're going either way.

How about your plans?

 

[everythingALICE]

My friend and I are planning a quick visit August 22nd/23rd-26th (She will likely arrive earlier in the day on the 22nd, but my flight won't be getting into MCO until 11:40PM), but we haven't booked anything yet in the hopes of a discount coming out.

Right now, flights are a little more expensive the following weekend due to Monday being Labor Day. If FD is announced, but doesn't start until the 25th, then we may opt to go that weekend, since the money saved from FD would exceed the difference in the flight cost. If it is a room only discount, we will probably stick with our original dates, since we are planning on staying at a Value.

Unfortunately, I'm in grad school and am at an internship on Tuesdays and Thursdays (hence the short trip) and classes will resume in September, which prevents us from pushing our dates back further.

 

[kpm76]

Our dates are firm (Aug 14-22) but we are not waiting on FD, just an AP discount We don't do the DDP, but with the price increases, is it still a "value" to hold out for FD as opposed to booking with a room only discount (assuming they are available) and adding the DDP? Never ran the numbers, just curious. I'm guessing if people are willing to cancel their plans if there's no FD then it's still a value....

 

[Nutbean]

Our schedules are pretty flexible and we haven't booked airfare yet, so we will switch dates (currently booked Sept 10-18) to get FD if it is offered.

However, since I would ideally prefer to go to DW in the first week of December to see all the Christmas decorations, if they do not offer a good discount in late summer, we will go then.

Or not at all. Universal is looking pretty good to me right now actually.

 

[IhrkeFamily]

We are staying with our dates no matter what. Airfare is booked and the kids start school two days after we get back. Wish we could be more flexible, but that's the way it goes with kids!

 

[Team Bunch]

We have not booked yet, have been waiting for free dining to be announced. My fear is that there will be free dining in September only and only mods or nicer. We will be out of luck then.

 

[Kitikat]

We are not booked as we are holding out for Free Dining. If there is none we just won't go this yr.

 

[squirrel4569]

Won't shift my dates because we're running right into the start of the school year as it is plus we've purchased airfare so our dates are set.

What we might do, depending on the discount and if we acquire any traveling companions, is change our room or resort. We're booked at AoA LM so there won't be any discounts for that, especially since they are sold out already for the week we are there. Depending on how much it is we may go to Pop, upgrade to a suite at AoA or go to a mod if the discount is worthwhile.

We've budgeted full price but really hoping we can get something back even though it likely will just go back into Walt's pocket anyways.

 

[momof2gr8kids]

Our dates are firm (Aug 14-22) but we are not waiting on FD, just an AP discount We don't do the DDP, but with the price increases, is it still a "value" to hold out for FD as opposed to booking with a room only discount (assuming they are available) and adding the DDP? Never ran the numbers, just curious. I'm guessing if people are willing to cancel their plans if there's no FD then it's still a value....

Depends on the number of people in your room and the resort.
Two people in a deluxe resort - well a 30% off room discount is probably better than FD.

Five people in a mod (like we were, with 4 being disney "adults") then FD is definately the better discount. Last time we went the discount would have been $50 for Room only. No way I could have fed my family for $50 a day! Everyone needs to run the numbers for their own situation and see what's the better deal.

That being said, we still would have gone with a room only discount and paid OOP for food and adjusted where we ate. Less TS and less buffets, more breakfasts in room, etc.

 

[DESKRoberts]

Currently, we are booked at AoA in a LM room. We plan to do DDP regardless, but if FD comes out, we will upgrade to POR for the same price as we are currently paying now. We can't change our dates because we have already purchased airfare, but we will change resorts. We wanted to stay at POR anyway, but it is just a bit out of our price range with out FD.

 

[kpm76]

Depends on the number of people in your room and the resort.
Two people in a deluxe resort - well a 30% off room discount is probably better than FD.

Five people in a mod (like we were, with 4 being disney "adults") then FD is definately the better discount. Last time we went the discount would have been $50 for Room only. No way I could have fed my family for $50 a day! Everyone needs to run the numbers for their own situation and see what's the better deal.

That being said, we still would have gone with a room only discount and paid OOP for food and adjusted where we ate. Less TS and less buffets, more breakfasts in room, etc.

Thanks! That makes sense. Our kids are still young, one under 3, so I forget that as they get older they get more expensive

 

[buzzmom12]

Just wanted to make sure you all saw there is another thread with fd dates looks like it is not starting until Sept.

 

[honkytonkmama]

I wish we could shift our dates, but our oldest starts school sept 3rd. ugh

 

[passthepixiedust]

We can't switch our dates (aug 21- sept 3) as plane tickets are purchased, but may do the unthinkable and cancel our disney reservation and stay offsite. We may also consider using it as a reason to not spend entire trip at Disney and do some other Florida attractions.

 

[2kidsForMe]

Our dates are set in stone, August 17 to 26. Airfare is purchased and the kids start back to school on the 28th. I am keeping fingers crossed for a room only discount, or free dining. Anything really....

 

[momto3gr8boys]

Our dates are set in stone, August 17 to 26. Airfare is purchased and the kids start back to school on the 28th. I am keeping fingers crossed for a room only discount, or free dining. Anything really....

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but FD was announced in another thread today and it isn't starting until 9/2. It does seem very strange to me though that there won't be any type of discount the last two weeks of August, but maybe so many people booked that they don't need to offer one now .

I am glad to see so many people are going regardless! I would hate to think the lack of FD would mean people have to cancel or postpone

 

[Singinglizzie]

Yeah, our tickets are already purchased, and we are gonna arrive Aug. 28 - so if rumors are true (which I believe they are) then no free dining for us. The new plan is to rent a car for a couple of days and do a bit more off-site dinning. Joe's Crab Shack and the Gaylord Palms are 2 places we hope to eat at. I'm also going to switch some ADR venues to lunch to minimize costs. Plus we can skip desserts at some meals, which will means it will cost about the same. Also sticking to our LM room, so no upgrade to a moderate or deluxe room this time as we have typically done. Still we will be at Disney!

 

[juliehoey]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but FD was announced in another thread today and it isn't starting until 9/2. It does seem very strange to me though that there won't be any type of discount the last two weeks of August, but maybe so many people booked that they don't need to offer one now .

I am glad to see so many people are going regardless! I would hate to think the lack of FD would mean people have to cancel or postpone

I'm surprised at that start date as well. But he did state it was not the US promotion so hopefully the dates are different for us here. As for booked rooms...I've done a lot of trips that time of year in late August and in the last two years, we've walked right onto attractions. The parks are 'empty'. Our first night there to watch the fireworks, in Town Square had maybe 50 people standing to watch. Keeping fingers crossed the dates come out different for the US promo

 

[delgrec]

I'm surprised at that start date as well. But he did state it was not the US promotion so hopefully the dates are different for us here. As for booked rooms...I've done a lot of trips that time of year in late August and in the last two years, we've walked right onto attractions. The parks are 'empty'. Our first night there to watch the fireworks, in Town Square had maybe 50 people standing to watch. Keeping fingers crossed the dates come out different for the US promo

It was confirmed that it is also the US promotion :-(.

 

[ArwenMarie]

While free dining is great, lower crowds are great too