AP Discount Watch and FAQ 2023. 10% - 40% off select nights July 11 - Sept 28; Oct 2 - Dec 25

[GrumpySue]

Wow! Please let us know. I am fortunate enough to be in the crazy 70% off club too...wondering if all is well or if, as they say, the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.

Sorry for the (maybe) bad news. However the agent I spoke too was very apologetic and said I need not worry. But still, until I have a definite confirmation I will.

I will let you know as soon as I hear anything, keep your fingers crossed. I have always wanted to stay in a Garden Suite but never, ever could afford it so it would be a real amazing treat !!

 

[GrumpySue]

Wow! Please let us know. I am fortunate enough to be in the crazy 70% off club too...wondering if all is well or if, as they say, the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.

Also, I did go in and book a tentative alternative reservation for the time being so that I can save at least one room with the AP discount before they are all gone. I can always cancel later.

 

[NYMommy80]

I also got the insane rate at BWI Garden Suite Club Level, it was close to 70% off. I called to try to add two nights and the CM told me my 11 night stay currently at $5,994 would jump to $12,891 !! I told her not to add the nights, that I would keep the original reservation. A bit later I received a confirmation email stating the new $12,891 price tag so the CM screwed up my reservation by changing it without my okay. I called and talked to them was sent to a guest service coordinator who asked me to send my original email confirmation and that they were looking into a system error, but that I would hear back by Friday and not to worry. So I am hoping they will honor it but until I hear back I am definately worried. I hope it works out for all of us, it was their error.

If they said not to worry I think it will be ok. The first email with the rate for each night is helpful and hopefully that's all they need to fix it. I tried modifying online to take two days off the stay (to move to a resort my family would be in) and when I played with it online the price jumped so I just left it alone. Did you get the second email?

 

[NYMommy80]

That's weird because the speculation from travel agents is that the GF is having trouble filling occupancy.

I love GF but can't justify the price

 

[ninafeliz]

I'm still a bit miffed with Disney that they don't mention that the weekends are not discounted for moderates and values for most of the dates in the offer. I know people don't realize it because they just price the entire trip, but if you look at the "offer details" you can clearly see that Fri and Sat are rack rate.

Are they rack rate or is it just less of a discount? It's the same with my GF room for February - Friday and Saturday night are a lot more than the weeknights, but they are still less that rack rate. So I was assuming there was just a lesser percent off. I asked earlier if anyone knew, but either no one did or it just got pushed down the thread and forgotten .

 

[Runnsally]

Sorry for the (maybe) bad news. However the agent I spoke too was very apologetic and said I need not worry. But still, until I have a definite confirmation I will.

I will let you know as soon as I hear anything, keep your fingers crossed. I have always wanted to stay in a Garden Suite but never, ever could afford it so it would be a real amazing treat !!

I think you’ll be ok. I doubt the person reinstating the reservation and the person who will potentially taketh away are one in the same.

 

[Wood Nymph]

I also got the insane rate at BWI Garden Suite Club Level, it was close to 70% off. I called to try to add two nights and the CM told me my 11 night stay currently at $5,994 would jump to $12,891 !! I told her not to add the nights, that I would keep the original reservation. A bit later I received a confirmation email stating the new $12,891 price tag so the CM screwed up my reservation by changing it without my okay. I called and talked to them was sent to a guest service coordinator who asked me to send my original email confirmation and that they were looking into a system error, but that I would hear back by Friday and not to worry. So I am hoping they will honor it but until I hear back I am definitely worried. I hope it works out for all of us, it was their error.

I really hope it works out for you and that Disney returns your great discount.

Unfortunately, it is in the fine print that Disney can change the prices of your original reservation if you make any changes to it. This happens most often when a person books a package before the ticket prices go up. If they try to change the package then Disney can charge the new ticket rates. So it is always best to leave a great deal alone.

 

[GrumpySue]

I really hope it works out for you and that Disney returns your great discount.

Unfortunately, it is in the fine print that Disney can change the prices of your original reservation if you make any changes to it. This happens most often when a person books a package before the ticket prices go up. If they try to change the package then Disney can charge the new ticket rates. So it is always best to leave a great deal alone.

I get that, but I did not change it the CM did. So hopefully they will honor it.

 

[ashleyrm]

Are they rack rate or is it just less of a discount? It's the same with my GF room for February - Friday and Saturday night are a lot more than the weeknights, but they are still less that rack rate. So I was assuming there was just a lesser percent off. I asked earlier if anyone knew, but either no one did or it just got pushed down the thread and forgotten .

From everything I've looked at there is some discount on Fri and Sat for Deluxe and Villas. It is just no discount on values and mods for Friday and Saturday for most of the dates. I sent an email to Disney because I really think its disingenuous that they don't specify that weekends aren't discounted. Have not heard anything back.

 

[ashleyrm]

I also got the insane rate at BWI Garden Suite Club Level, it was close to 70% off. I called to try to add two nights and the CM told me my 11 night stay currently at $5,994 would jump to $12,891 !! I told her not to add the nights, that I would keep the original reservation. A bit later I received a confirmation email stating the new $12,891 price tag so the CM screwed up my reservation by changing it without my okay. I called and talked to them was sent to a guest service coordinator who asked me to send my original email confirmation and that they were looking into a system error, but that I would hear back by Friday and not to worry. So I am hoping they will honor it but until I hear back I am definately worried. I hope it works out for all of us, it was their error.

Hope it works out for you. I've had CMs mess this type of thing up for me before, but not for $7000. Sheesh.

 

[Sarahslay]

From everything I've looked at there is some discount on Fri and Sat for Deluxe and Villas. It is just no discount on values and mods for Friday and Saturday for most of the dates. I sent an email to Disney because I really think its disingenuous that they don't specify that weekends aren't discounted. Have not heard anything back.

I had this problem with the discounts over the summer. I was going just for the SWGE AP previews and could find nothing at a discount for the two nights I was there (saturday and sunday). It was pretty rediculous clicking the different offers and seeing no price change, but I suppose this is their way of trying to control crowds. It didn't make much difference since I was staying at Movies anyway, and the price was already not bad by my standards (which is kinda sad), but it still makes you scratch your head. I doubt you'll hear much of anything back, this seems to just be their current way of doing things.

 

[Isabelle12345]

For those of you who are used to it, does availability change for AP discounts?
I wanted to book a YC garden view but now only water view is available for 50$/night more
Is there usually a pattern? (60 days? 30 days? Etc) or it can happen anytime?

 

[emmabelle]

For those of you who are used to it, does availability change for AP discounts?
I wanted to book a YC garden view but now only water view is available for 50$/night more
Is there usually a pattern? (60 days? 30 days? Etc) or it can happen anytime?

I have seen availability change for sure, especially if there is a room block for a convention. We stayed at YC a couple of years ago and it seemed like half the hotel guests were a group from Sherwin Williams. I just keep checking every morning which is a royal PIA but I have gotten what I was looking for doing this.

 

[Isabelle12345]

Thanks this is actually what I have been doing but I was wondering if that was a total waste of my time...
Hopefully it turns out well!

 

[GrumpySue]

Thanks this is actually what I have been doing but I was wondering if that was a total waste of my time...
Hopefully it turns out well!

Availability can change all the time, people cancel or change reservations a lot. I have seen thing pop up from hour to hour so keep trying.

 

[ninafeliz]

For those of you who are used to it, does availability change for AP discounts?
I wanted to book a YC garden view but now only water view is available for 50$/night more
Is there usually a pattern? (60 days? 30 days? Etc) or it can happen anytime?

It changes all of the time, check as often as you can. I would just keep a tab up on my computer and check when I got a chance. I have had very good luck at getting what I am looking for. Possibly not exactly, but at least something toward the top of my wish list.

One year we wanted a weekend during F&W and literally nothing was available, and with watching I saw BWI and BCV pop up, and even got BCV with a discount (not sure if it was AP or GP, but still not RR). For our upcoming stay in Feb I grabbed GF SL with the AP discount last week since it was 35% off, then the next morning saw RPC pop up and quickly switched to it, and when I looked yesterday nothing at the GF showed at all. However, if I were a betting person I would think something will pop up again, but I'm still glad I grabbed them.

 

[vinotinto]

The AP offer that is out right now is very poor. Let's take, for example, Friday and Saturday night - Feb 14 and 15. Values and Mods are full rack rate. Some deluxes have discounts, but the rack rates are so ridiculous, that you are still looking at $600+ per night once you add the tax.

More telling, many of the deluxes that have AP "discounts" have the same discount under the public offer. It used to be that we could get an extra 5% off. Doesn't seem that way anymore. For example, Riviera is $670+ tax per night for a studio. Wow. And it's the same discount for APs as for the general public.

I had already decided that we would let our Platinum APs expire in March and this pretty much confirms it. Unless you get a very rare price error, there is very little value anymore on the room discount with the APs.

 

[ninafeliz]

The AP offer that is out right now is very poor. Let's take, for example, Friday and Saturday night - Feb 14 and 15. Values and Mods are full rack rate. Some deluxes have discounts, but the rack rates are so ridiculous, that you are still looking at $600+ per night once you add the tax.

More telling, many of the deluxes that have AP "discounts" have the same discount under the public offer. It used to be that we could get an extra 5% off. Doesn't seem that way anymore. For example, Riviera is $670+ tax per night for a studio. Wow. And it's the same offer for APs as for the general public. Really unbelievable.

I had already decided that we would let our Platinum APs expire in March and this pretty much confirms it. Unless you get a very rare price error, there is very little value anymore on the room discount with the APs.

I certainly agree that it isn't spectacular. However, I booked the GF at 35% off in Feb. The weekends are less, which stinks, but it still saved me a lot of money. My kids wanted the CR, my DH would probably have rather had the Poly, but they were both only 10% off so I got my wish for the GF (I do love all 3, though, don't get me wrong. Well, maybe the CR a little less, but still a great option).

ETA for our week there aren't tons of options, but the RR is $380 for a studio and the BWI is $360 for a standard view, both room choices I would have been more than happy with if I didn't want CL. However, the Poly is $900 (all they have is TPV CL). AOA is $329 and FW cabins $290. SS is $497 2BR, $602 2BR preferred, and $625 Treehouse villas which seem pretty good for the rooms if you want that resort. Those are my only choices except a $1500 room at AKL, but we need rooms that sleep 5 so I didn't check what else might be available for a max of 4.

 

[Runnsally]

I wouldn’t be surprised if one of the next “loopholes” Disney closes involves room only reservations - the ability to make overlapping room reservations for the same party, the ease at which you can book/cancel rooms online, etc. Sure, there will be workarounds, but I could definitely see them adding some friction to the process.

 

[ninafeliz]

I wouldn’t be surprised if one of the next “loopholes” Disney closes involves room only reservations - the ability to make overlapping room reservations for the same party, the ease at which you can book/cancel rooms online, etc. Sure, there will be workarounds, but I could definitely see them adding some friction to the process.

IDK, I agree Disney seems to be closing many of the strategies and/or loopholes that have been used over the years. But what you describe don’t seem like loopholes, those are just booking resort rooms. It is in their interest for booking to be easy (how well their website works doesn’t really work in their favor though). To be able to modify online would have as much Chance of getting them more money than less, since I know when I see it’s only $xxx more to upgrade above what I already booked rather than seeing the entire total at once it’s easier to swallow and jump on. The only thing I could see them focusing on would be holding multiple reservations for the same time period, but then they get into the issue that some people actually need more than one and intend to keep them, so they don’t want to alienate them to close what is probably not a hugely done practice since you have to put one night deposited down on each reservation and unless they are all value rooms that can add up.

Just my random thoughts to avoid cleaning my kitchen!