Originally Posted By dennis-in-ct Hi All - I just booked my Orlando trip and I am not staying at Disney or nenewing my Annual Pass due to the new policies as seen here: <a href="http://mb.laughingplace.com/default.asp?WCI=MsgBoard&WCE=T-70296-P-2&Refresh=1213144001" target="_blank">http://mb.laughingplace.com/de fault.asp?WCI=MsgBoard&WCE=T-70296-P-2&Refresh=1213144001</a> It is my partner's B'day and we booked a 4 night trip today ( a 23 day advance lead time ). The new booking policies need a 60 day advance. I ould have also booked March for my birthday and then Oct for Halloween. So .. what did Disney loose from me as a customer? - 2 annual passes at $378.08 - 4 nights at a moderate for approx 560 total - 4 nights in March for *my* b'day trip at 560. - another 4 nights in Oct at 560. - another 6 nights for Gay Days in June at 860 - at LEAST 150.00 a day in spending if not more ... so ... 2700.00 so they lost 6k from me this year and every year from now on .... this has been my spending approx since 98 or 99 Unless the booking polices change - Disney World has lost me as a customer. And I don't know why the topic was closed for new posts. Did I break the community rules or something?
Originally Posted By dennis-in-ct I guess a family of 4 for a 7 day trip can drop 5k or 6k in one stay - so perhaps I just clog up the parks.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss I don't exactly follow your train of thought. Granted, you aren't (theoreticall) going to be spending as much, but you are still going.... and how do I know you won't end up going once or twice next year anyway? So no, I wouldn't say they have lost you as a customer.
Originally Posted By demderedoseguys I think you're taking a business decision made by Disney and making it way too personal. Just reboot, think about who is really getting hurt here and plan your WDW trips accordingly with the new rules.
Originally Posted By dennis-in-ct << Just reboot >> lol .. I like that !! I am not sure I want to figure out some convoluted back door means to visit a place I feel is trying to blatantly "get more out of me" after being very loyal with my dollar. It feels like a slap in the face. I am put off no doubt. I am sure I will get over it - but I am not ready just yet - maybe in a few years. My above post was simply stating the amount I spend each year and an example of the lead time I book a trip. Yeah - Disney is a business and they need to make money - I get it - I am just really put off by this new AP policy. The message to me is " WE DON'T WANT YOUR BUSINESS " so I am going to Orlando in 23 days for 4 nights and I will not step foot on their property. And I am sure they won't miss me and nor will my lack of patronage hurt them one bit.
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: I hope you know, dennis-in-Ct duckling, that you're certainly welcome to visit us in Morva ANY time. And I'll, personally, make sure you get your money's worth! ORGOCH: 'Course ya might git yerself arrested fer bein' seen in the comp'ny a Morva's most famous street walker. Might even end up in the Horny King's dungeon--locked up in the same cell with the trashiest tramp in town. But, hey!! Some blokes likes livin' dangerous-like!
Originally Posted By dennis-in-ct lol ... thanks ! Come to Parliment House and Univeral - you will find me there
Originally Posted By TDLFAN Dennis.. please know the P-House area is not one of Orlando's best... I personally would not recommend staying in that area. Fun place to visit for the evening but not for staying there...
Originally Posted By LuvDatDisney I wondered why the other topic had been closed as well, Dennis. I was wondering if it had something to do with the negative slant of the thread, which as an APer (albeit a local one) I completely agree with. I haven't seen ANY AP rates being offered through WDW CRO/WDTC since the new customer (un)loyalty program began. Now, it doesn't affect me. If I want to stay at a WDW resort, I just book a Florida resident rate (usually the exact same thing). But I seriously wonder if this policy is designed to end the whole idea of discounts after the Mouse overbuilt and has spent a decade discounting their products to the point where you can usually get rooms now ( as a Floridian, formerly as Passholder) for less than you could in the mid-late 90s. Seems like Disney is trying to close the barn door when the horses ran out with the cows driving the tractors behind them.
Originally Posted By dennis-in-ct Thanks LuvDatDisney ! I just want people to speak up and complain. When I got a call from Disney after writing about my concerns, I was told the booking time went from 120 to 60 days due to the complaints. Well - if people continue to voice their opinions then perhaps the 60 days will go to 30 days or less - nothing will happen if people don't speak-up. In my above example - I just bought flights today for Orlando - 23 days from now. That is a typical example of the flexibility the old AP discount program afforded me. I could call the week before. My trips to Orlando was based on air fare sales or unexpected time off - and always a last minute type of thing. NOT 60 days in advance - that's crazy. And why do you loose a nights deposit when you cancel. Tell me what hotel chain out there has a policy like this ? It is 24 hours cancellation. Why does disney think they are different? I would like to see how many people put up with that. Life happens - and who can predict what is in the future. The fact you can't cancel without incurring the cost of a nights room rate is awful. Some rooms go for 250 - 500 !!! I urge people to speak up
Originally Posted By LuvDatDisney Dennis, I just heard from some friends who have an upcoming WDW resort stay (at Fla. resident rate)and they told me something very telling ---- at least to me. Disney asked them to participate in an online survey ---- pre-trip ---- and the focus was ENTIRELY on discounts. From where they heard about them (and unofficial Disney websites were listed up high) to whether it caused them to make an extra trip to would they have stayed on-site anyway. Clearly, Disney is trying to get a handle on the massive discounting that poor management and overbuilding caused. But with 30,000 rooms onsite, I just don't see this happening. Maybe the $74 rates at moderates and $109 at WL and AKL that were so prevalent the past few years will (or have) go up to say $99 and $139. But the days of Disney commanding rack rate for most guests disappeared around 1996 and just isn't ever coming back. It's all supply and demand and in Orlando there are way too many viable options for off-site stays (or onsite at non-Disney owned props) for that to ever happen again. Personally, I said when Disney added the Boardwalk and Coronado resorts they had reached the diminishing return point and they just kept on going.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< And why do you loose a nights deposit when you cancel. Tell me what hotel chain out there has a policy like this ? It is 24 hours cancellation. Why does disney think they are different? I would like to see how many people put up with that. Life happens - and who can predict what is in the future. >>> Actually, this is now quite common in the hotel industry. Many of the large chain hotels offer "Internet-only prepaid rates" on their own websites that offer a discount off of the cheapest rate otherwise available. Many of these involve the prepayment of the entire stay or at least one night, and often have non-refundability of at least the first night's stay, regardless of how far in advance you book. If you want more traditional cancellation rules, expect to pay more. I think Disney is just following industry trends with respect to having more restrictive cancellation terms with the deepest discounted rates (not that I'm happy about it).
Originally Posted By dennis-in-ct LuvDatDisney - thanks for the info - I am glad to hear you feel the discounts will continue. My beef are the rules to get the discount. A 60 day advance. Fo me personally, I don't operate that way so I can't take advantage of the rates. I just booked 23 days out - not 60 ! Superdry - that's interesting to hear. Very good insight !!
Originally Posted By Inspector 57 <<And why do you loose a nights deposit when you cancel. Tell me what hotel chain out there has a policy like this ? It is 24 hours cancellation. Why does disney think they are different? I would like to see how many people put up with that. Life happens - and who can predict what is in the future.>> While I'm sympathetic to you, Dennis, I'm glad in general to hear that a property (such as WDW in general) is enforcing a cancellation penalty. It was NUTS for people to try to find a room for Disneyland's 50th. Why? Was it because there were SO MANY guests who wanted to be there? No, the attendance that day clearly shows that was not the case. It was because double- and triple-booked reservations out of selfishness. How many posts did we see on LP like this: "Well, I've got a room booked at Paradise Pier for the 14 through the 18 at $119/night, but I think I'll drop that in July because I just picked up Carousel for $85. (Woo hoo!) And it looks like a friend is going to be able to give me the reservation she got an online discount for at HoJo!" I don't know how the hotel markets compare, but if WDW has been subject to this much of guests' planned "hoarding and last minute cancellations" strategy, I think it's actually generous of them to only charge one night for a broken reservation.
Originally Posted By LuvDatDisney "LuvDatDisney - thanks for the info - I am glad to hear you feel the discounts will continue. My beef are the rules to get the discount. A 60 day advance. Fo me personally, I don't operate that way so I can't take advantage of the rates. I just booked 23 days out - not 60 !" I don't blame you at all. The new policy is very AP-unfriendly. Most major hotel chains don't even ask for any deposit, just a CC to hold it. Then you have between 48 hours to 6 p.m. day of arrival to cancel without any penalty. Clearly Disney isn't having any trouble filling its rooms (cough ... cough). Anyone hear about the $38 rooms at Saratoga Springs that were available for Christmas night?
Originally Posted By trekkeruss <<My beef are the rules to get the discount. A 60 day advance. Fo me personally, I don't operate that way so I can't take advantage of the rates. I just booked 23 days out - not 60 !>> I don't want to sound like I am defending Disney... I am disappointed when discounts are reduced or eliminated, or when policies become more restrictive... but I don't get the entitlement mentality. 60 days isn't that much, IMO. Most people can't plan last-minute trips anyway. Sure, you'd get that fantastic room rate, but booking a last-minute discount airfare? There go the savings. Anyway... you can choose to be pissed off if you want. Have a good time in Orlando, whatever the case.
Originally Posted By Mr X Dennis, what the &$#K!!?? If you are spending ALL THAT MONEY, what the %$'K is keeping you from visiting Tokyo Disneyland!!?? You jackass!!!!!!!!!!!!! FGM wants to see you (she said recently "he'll NEVER come to Tokyo!")! And someone else misses you too...no, not ME (well, yeah! I miss you TOO!)! that little person you held and cuddled with not long ago! REMEMBER!? And she would like to visit with your other half too!! WDW doesn't need your money, right? They obviously don't, considering their new policy!! p.s. listen to TDLFAN about Parliment House...I used to live in Orlando and I've heard it CAN be a dangerous place!
Originally Posted By dennis-in-ct << entitlement mentality >>> Why do people (not just Trekruss) feel like AP'ers come off as being entitled? I bought the AP and continued to do so for several years BECAUSE of the program rules. I didn't make them up - it was THEIR rules. Now after several years of being loyal with my dollar playing by THEIR rules - the policy changes. It changes in such a way that no longer allows me to participate - so bye-bye. The disappoint from me comes from the fact Disney has made it difficult to give them my money. Hey - it feels like a slap in the face after all these years of participating in THEIR program. I feel like the message to me is "WE DON'T WANT YOUR BUSINESS" I am not entitled - I am dissapointed that the policy change now exludes me from participating - I can no longer give them my business based on the new rules. When you tell me I feel "entitled" - I don't think that is a fair statement. To say that make me come off like a spoiled kid who is stamping their feet because I don't get my way. I don't feel I am behaving that way.
Originally Posted By dennis-in-ct Hi Mr X ... well my firend - it seems your logic is ringing very true. If Disney makes me plan SO FAR in advance, I might as well plan someone else that warrants a plan - like Tokyo. Going to Orlando from Connecticut is almost like buying a quick commuter bus ticket - it's not a big deal. Well unexpected time off or unexpected air fare sales happen, it is easy to buy a ticket and do a three or four day weekend and sneek to Orlando for some warmth !!! Did I mention I woke up to 6 degrees today??!?!?!? It is precisely the time where we Northerns start looking south for some repreeve to the cold. Now ... if I HAD my AP , I start to think "well, I have this ticket - let me go and USE IT" .... Now .. the new rules - this is not the case. I might as well go somewhere else. Disney will not miss my 6k PLUS this years for the several years to come. If they WOULD miss my $$$ , then they wouldn't have made it difficult for me to GIVE THEM MY MONEY ... Why should have have to figure out some convuluted back door means to continue to visit ??? It is just too much of a bother now and not worth it. For the same aggravation - I could go somewhere else.
