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Originally Posted By dshyates Didn't someone say they were gonna stop discounting by summer this year?
Originally Posted By hopemax Yep, but it is not available for all dates. The two big 2011 periods are: Jan-March (minus holidays and some weekends), and then the Aug/Sept normal period where they offer FD. But yes, Iger's "cutting back on discounts," seems to have been code for "even more discounts are coming!" And what they've done to the cost model for WDW is ridiculous. FD is available in Dec up to 12/21 (my birthday) but if I wanted to book a birthday meal at, say, Boma, I would be charged a "holiday surcharge." Basically, they've set up a system where the only way to come to WDW and not be taken advantage of by pricing strategies, is to book a package with free dining. So people wait for FD, forcing Disney to offer more FD.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 What a total joke. Can we just say Iger, Rasulo and Staggs are liars and move on? A sick business model. Constantly raise prices and nickel and dime (while lowering quality and standards) AND at the same time discount like hell virtually all year long. Geniuses. Really. ~Great B-Day hopemax!~
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Yep, they have lost it. Walmart the product, walmart the guests, and then act like the going out of business store that has been open since 1974 when they first started going out of business. Anyone care to try a Marriott resort? I hear Great Wolf Lodges are great.
Originally Posted By bobbelee9 We stayed in a Marriott in Manchester, NH the night before we flew to WDW and had no hot water, ergo no shower. The same hotel on the night back, they had hot water then.
Originally Posted By A Happy Haunt Service stinks EVERYWHERE!! We just hold Disney to a higher standard because we love it!!
Originally Posted By bobbelee9 But they did babysit our Jeep and shuttle us back and forth to the airport. That was a great convenience.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo It's true - airport hotels are often very good value if the airport is not very close to home. Last time we went to Florida, it was only about $15 more to stay at the Holiday Inn and as our check in was 8am and Jess was not yet 2, it was very worth while.
Originally Posted By disbiz Happy Haunt It's funny that you say service sucks everywhere. We just got back from the Bahamas at the the Wyndham Resort in Nassau and what a disappointment. I always felt that I was bothering someone when I needed help with something. I kept saying to myself that this sure isn't Disney. I guess I shouldn't hold everyone to Disney's expectations.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Well having returned from Marriott Vacation Club in Marbella Spain last week, the service was head, shoulders and midrift about Disney. A real shame
Originally Posted By dshyates I stayed T the Loews Portofino Bay Resort at Universal in June, and I thought the service was pretty impressive. When my 2 daughters (9 & 14) and I went to the pool the the concierge there grabbed 12 towels, escorted us to 3 chaise lounges. He then took 2 towels and covered each chaise. Took a 3rd towel and made a pillow for each, and then set the 4 towel on the foot of the chaise for us to use to dry ourselves with. There was also 2 types (lemon/lime and tangerine) ice water by the pool.
Originally Posted By hopemax It's a heck of a lot easier to fill 3 hotels, than it is to fill 20. And the ones at WDW are bigger than the ones in CA too.
Originally Posted By bobbelee9 Wow dshyates, I hope you left him a big tip. That really sounds like great service. We had a really good waiter at the Castle for dinner, he was really into his role. But the one at the Luau was really quick drop off, quick pick up, I don't think I ever saw his face, just an arm. However, there was a nasty storm that night and they were trying to get the food served and the show done before anyone got struck by lightning. The poor guy doing the fire dance got quite wet, I was afraid he'd slip on the wet stage, but he finished his performance. Great show.
Originally Posted By dshyates Here is an interesting article that speculates that the deals that they are offering are less steep than previous deals to ween the consumer off the huge (7 nights for 4 nights deals) offered of 2009. But they also point out that while attendance is off 2%, ccupancy is off 8%. <a href="http://thedailydisney.com/blog/2010/08/disney-discounts-continue-though-they-arent-as-deep/" target="_blank">http://thedailydisney.com/blog...as-deep/</a> 8% is pretty huge given the numbers that Disney is dealing with. People are equating Disney attendance off 2% with Universal up 2%. But forgetting to mention that Disney is basing theirs off of 17 million while Universal is basing theirs off of 6.9 million for 2009. So while Universal is gaining. 2% off of 17 million is HUGE. And 8% off of occupancy rates is catastrophic to Disney profit margin.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo That is a bigger impact. I know I am less likely to stay on site if and when we head back to Orlando.
Originally Posted By NikkiLOVESMickey Our trip in March falls outside of the Free Dining offer (we get there the day after it expires), but I am hoping that some sort of discount comes out for our week. The price we're paying isn't awful, but I wouldn't mind if it came down a bit.
