accomodations - discounts are not like before

[JoDisney]

We usually do stay many times at Disney throughout the year. Early summer has always been important because school is over and everyone needs a break. However, with the economy and Disney's discounts not as before, do you feel that you do not in good conscious want to spend at Disney as much as before? I look at the rates for Deluxe resorts for June and where we use to do the Deluxe resorts at that time, we are realizing that good sense is taking over and we are saying we do not want to pay that much. During the year, we will do a value or a moderate, but now doing even a summer deluxe is not something we want to do. Do others feel like this? I am totally curious.

[BluewaterBrad]

We live in SW Florida about 3 hrs away. We also visit many times a year, but usually always stay in a value (unless its a special trip). I agree with you that the discounts are not as great as they were a few years ago, but we usually catch some type of break when we visit.:mickey:

[sainter]

My thought is that either the economy is not as bad as we are constantly being told, thus the resorts are still full enough not to warrant deep discounts, or people don't care and are going anyway.

[JoDisney]

Yes, we only go with a discount rate. As I stated during the year, we go discounted value or moderate. We know we are not in the room as there are so many things going on. Early summer is our time for a deluxe, as we take advantage of what the deluxe resort has to offer. The parks are on the bottom of our list then, since we live in Florida and take advantage of the parks the rest of the year. We won't book without the discount for summer this year. I just, in all reality, cannot bring myself to book for summer with no discounts.

[IloveDisney71]

I have stayed at values more than the other Disney resorts. I've only stayed at 1 moderate and 1 deluxe. We treated ourselves and stayed at the Poly for Christmas this past year and I loved every minute of it. BUT I've often thought about what I could have done with the extra $1500 plus that we could have saved by staying at a value resort.
I just don't spend much time at the resorts. We rarely use the pools and usually just take a quick nap during the day (summer months only) but other than that we spend all of our time at the parks. Because of this, I don't mind paying less for smaller rooms, etc. We may be making a return trip later in the year and we are talking about staying at Shades of Green in order to save some money. My gas and grocery bills keep going up so if I have to pinch pennies while staying at WDW, that's what I'll do. :)

[Tigerinvestigator]

I am afraid the extra tax return checks coming out in May will cause alot more people to go on vacation this summer, thus filling the WDW resorts and giving them no reason to discount many of the rooms. Just my personal feelings and the paranoia that lives within me.:thumbsup:

[Taja]

Realistically, with the weak dollar WDW is an even more attractive holiday destination for most international visitors. Even if US visitors decline a bit, I think the international guests will more than compensate.

As others noted, less likely to be significant discounts in the near future.

I tend to save deluxe resorts for special trips--or if there is an incredible discount. Value or moderate resorts work well on solo visits, or with young children.

[DisneyMom3]

[My DH and I were just discussing this very topic the other day. :mickey:

We started going to Disney World on a regular basis just after the 9/11 attacks. We got a rate at the Poly of $140 . Thats back when people were afraid to travel. Not only were the rates inexpensive for Fla residents. The parks were EMPTY. The Florida resident rates for deluxe accomodations stayed low for about three years. This is when we were lucky enough to stay at almost every deluxe on property.

By 2004 the rates began to rise. The BC was about 209 a night at this point. High but still very doable for a special occasion. In 2005 we had to 'down grade' to Moderates. Of course, moderates are still wonderful. We were able to get a FLA res rate at a moderate in 2005 for $84 a night...a little more for a preferred room.

NOW a days...forget about it. We aren't able to touch a moderate for under $140. and thats if we are lucky to snag availablity...even if we were willing to pay rack rate.

Ah yes, I do long for the days when we could not only afford accomodations on site but we could go a few times a year; a real perk of being a FLA resident. Don't get me wrong, staying off site is an option, of course. But, we feel staying on site is part of what makes the experience special...Disney Like. I'm thrilled that we had the opportunity to sample what DW has to offer; that we were able to do Disney the right way...but now we know what we are missing. We are a family of 5...we haven't been to Disney since 2005...we are saving up.[/FONT]:yay:

[Tigerinvestigator]

[[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="4"][COLOR="Magenta"]My DH and I were just discussing this very topic the other day. :mickey:

We started going to Disney World on a regular basis just after the 9/11 attacks. We got a rate at the Poly of $140 . Thats back when people were afraid to travel.

We were there right after 9/11 and got a room at the AKL for $115/night. Never will forget, President Bush made the speech "take your kids to Disneyworld" while we were at the AKL. Scary time, but nowhere better to escape the real world.:thumbsup:

[BelleLovesTheBeast]

I agree the discounts are much less. In 2003 they offered 7 nights for the price of 4. I would have thought that with they way things are they would have had better offers this year. It's amazing but I guess people are still traveling.

Has anyone else notice the huge jump in bread price? I paid $2.59 for the same bread I purchased just a couple weeks earlier for $1.79.

[Mickeymoo]

Like the previous poster mentioned the weak dollar makes WDW a great value for foreigh visitors, plus add in the UK discounts they already get and they pay much less than we do, of course we don't have to fly across an ocean.
Oh well, we'll be fvisitng Disney in May,probably for the last time, and we are looking forward to it.

[lockedoutlogic]

My thought is that either the economy is not as bad as we are constantly being told, thus the resorts are still full enough not to warrant deep discounts, or people don't care and are going anyway.

no...it's not that bad....but it will be

you have a last year "president" whose duty is to screw up as little as possible to keep his party in the race

you have a democratic congress whose job is to not screw up and keep their party in the race

All this BS with interest rate cuts....tax rebates....mortgage relief.....stimulus packages....

cannot be sustained......the government will have to raise interest rates and pull the rug...they'll just do it after the election cycle....the value of the dollar and the price of oil cannot remain where it is.....that is the ony way to get it back toward the normal levels.....


so fear not, Florida residents......you aren't getting good discounts now....but you will sooner than later...and it will probably last a few years