New Deal currently out ....

[Gregandmel]

I was just curious if anyone thinks the new deal will attract a lot of people who haven't already booked their vacation - or if the majority of people taking advantage of the Gift Card already have something planned and will apply it to their current reservation. We are going the end of April and got a PIN code for 35% our moderate accomodations and the $500 gift card (in place of that) isn't really a better "deal" (too bad we can't stack discounts!!) I know the 4+3 deal really brought in a lot of people last year so now I'm curious if this one will bring in the same amount of "deal seekers". Thoughts anyone?

[DizneyRox]

It's really a shell game...

When you compare everything together, I haven't seen much in terms of any deals, including the 4-3 deal. The free dining requires tickets AND rack room rates, so does the 4-3 deal. The gift card I'm sure requires the same or something else.

Smoke and mirrors I say...

That said, people will think it's something different and probably buy in.

[Genie1953]

I am not sure it can be applied to the cost of the trip as it is given to you after you check in.

[Gregandmel]

I am not sure it can be applied to the cost of the trip as it is given to you after you check in.

That's correct. It has to be booked as a package deal meaning you have to pay for the trip 45 days before you get there (that's my understanding anyways as far as package deals go). The gift card we would've received could have been used on food or merchandise, but not applied to the room rate. The gift card is received upon check-in.

[PetefromRI]

We were going anyhow so MJ just switched our ressie so that we get the 500.00 gift card.With the 4/3 deal we would have saved about 560.00 and with an AP rate about 518.00.It's not a terrible deal.The giftcard will be our spending money for the week.

[Genie1953]

We have Disney Visa Reward dollars saved up that we were going to use for spending money, however now we will probably put that towards the cost of the trip and just use the $500 Disney gift card for spending money instead. Does anyone know if Disney has ever had the Disney Gift Card promotion before?

[PetefromRI]

It seems to me that alot of people are always expecting better deals to come along.I know that the golden rule is to never pay rack rate,but when they offer a 500.00 giftcard on top of that,I think that it's a pretty good deal.Disney is in the business to make money,but they also make dreams, so I hate to always think that they are out to get us.When they offer free dining,4/3 or bounceback,I think that it's a good deal.I've stayed at other places and only gotten a little off with the AAA Rate.

[jonahbear2006]

my thoughts exactly, that it is the same thing. My first thought was, " that is the same thing as free dining." If we stay, family of five for 5 nights, dining ends up being $500 then the tips for the week,.....ends up being about $750.

[Jenemmy]

Well, the new promo lured me.....BUT, I was planning on going in the spring anyway.

I like this promo -- I have a tendency to talk myself out of things I want to buy, or restaurants I want to try or tours I would like to take due to expense. This is gonna be like my mad money to do some things I may not have normally done.

[jonahbear2006]

well it does lure me. I dont care what style they put it in, if my family gets free dining then it is worth it to me to go and stay for a week and use our passholders.

[Suz36]

Does anyone know if Disney has ever had the Disney Gift Card promotion before?

We got one when we went in February of this year. I think it was for $200, plus we were on the 4+3 deal.

[happy day]

which is better the gift card or the reduced rate for rooms that is newly offered>

[luvdiznee]

One thing to look at with the GC, if you are looking at it in the place of "free dining" at least your tips and apps can be included. :mickey:

[Genie1953]

which is better the gift card or the reduced rate for rooms that is newly offered>

Our vacation package begins on 4/11/09. We are staying at a moderate for 8 nights so we qualified for the 35% off room rate discount. The new discount gave us a savings of $627 so we are going to bypass the gift card promotion and use this new discount. FYI....Magical Journeys is great! I woke up this morning and found an email from Denise, our Magical Journeys Disney specialist, telling me about this new discount and outlining the savings of the gift card promotion versus the new room discount. She has already gotten it applied to our trip. On another note....we are actually checking in on 4/10 however that falls during peak season dining rates which would have carried through the entire 9 day stay so after talking with Denise we did a room-only reservation for that first night and will do DTD that first day and pay out of pocket for that evening meal. This saved us about $180 on the cost of our dining plan for the rest of our stay. As a result of that initial recommendation and now this new discount we have saved about $807 total on this 9 day trip for my husband and I. I just can't say enough great things about Magical Journeys and specifically...Denise.

Here is a Disney's link to information about the new discount:

http://bookwdw.reservations.disney.go.com/ibcwdw/en_US/specialOfferDetails?name=Promo&promotionCode=fy10q3room&market=fy10q3room

[BrerGnat]

It's all a numbers game. Depending on where you stay, when, and for how long, either the GC deal or the new room only deal will work out to be a better deal for you.

For us, the GC deal is the best one, right now, by a margin of about $75 over the "room only" deal. This is because we are checking in on 3/26, and everything from 3/28 and on is blacked out from any current deals. So, by checking in on 3/26 at LEAST we get the $750 GC, which we would not get if checking in two days later. Since our travel dates are NOT flexible, it's the GC offer vs. Rack Rate over Easter week...for us, ANY savings is something.

Since you can use the GC towards your "room balance" at the end of the trip, we will be charging all our meals and any extras to our KTTW, and then just use the $750 to pay it off (or at least, down) on the last day.

[jwb0323]

what exactly can you charge to your rooms? Can you charge any meals in the park such as character dining? Can you charge purchases at stores inside the MK?

[KylesMom]

what exactly can you charge to your rooms? Can you charge any meals in the park such as character dining? Can you charge purchases at stores inside the MK?
I don't want to hiijack the original post, but here goes: As long as you authorize charges to your KTTW card, yes, a great many things can be charged to your room. We usually charge everything back to our room & then pay it off with our Chase Disney Visa. However, the gift card would suffice in this situation! :mickey:

Welcome to INTERCOT, JWB0323!

[bxrluv]

Please excuse my ignorance here. :blush: If we check in on say 3/25, we don't get that rate for the whole stay? The blackout dates still apply even though we checked in before? I guess in that case then the GC would be better.

[KylesMom]

Please excuse my ignorance here. If we check in on say 3/25, we don't get that rate for the whole stay? Disney went to date-specific pricing some time ago. So no, if you check in on one date and pricing increases during your stay, you'll be charged at whatever the prevailing rate is for each date.

[PetefromRI]

We decided to do the minimum 5 nights at the POFQ with an 8 day hopper,QSDP and get the 500.00 GC,and then we'll jump over to the Poly for 3 nights on the other deal and we'll use our GC for meals there.

[bxrluv]

Please excuse my ignorance here. :blush: If we check in on say 3/25, we don't get that rate for the whole stay? The blackout dates still apply even though we checked in before? I guess in that case then the GC would be better.

One more thing...so even PIN codes checking in on those dates, once you hit the blackout dates don't apply I assume?

Maybe the GC would be a better deal!

[BrerGnat]

Disney went to date-specific pricing some time ago. So no, if you check in on one date and pricing increases during your stay, you'll be charged at whatever the prevailing rate is for each date.

Disney also likes to change their own rules when they feel like it. We are booked March 26-April 2 @ BC on the military 40% off room only disocunt. EVEN THOUGH Disney specified blackout dates from March 27-April 10, we were able to get the discounted rate for our entire stay, since we are checking in on 3/26. This is for a room only reservation, not a package. Not sure if the "rules" are different, or if Disney just likes being inconsistent. ;)

[bxrluv]

Disney also likes to change their own rules when they feel like it. We are booked March 26-April 2 @ BC on the military 40% off room only disocunt. EVEN THOUGH Disney specified blackout dates from March 27-April 10, we were able to get the discounted rate for our entire stay, since we are checking in on 3/26. This is for a room only reservation, not a package. Not sure if the "rules" are different, or if Disney just likes being inconsistent. ;)

And this is why I'm so confused! I thought they went to the new way of pricing but then I thought I saw somewhere that it was still the old way. I got a price from MJ with my code and was floored. I do need to clarify with them, I know. I just didn't want to keep bugging them because I might just end up staying at Swan. It could end up being cheaper. I would NEVER normally come to Disney during peak season for this and many other reasons. Just had to see my daughter's band play:play:

[Tink1]

And this is why I'm so confused! I thought they went to the new way of pricing but then I thought I saw somewhere that it was still the old way. I got a price from MJ with my code and was floored. I do need to clarify with them, I know. I just didn't want to keep bugging them because I might just end up staying at Swan. It could end up being cheaper. I would NEVER normally come to Disney during peak season for this and many other reasons. Just had to see my daughter's band play:play:

Do not worry about asking us questions or for different pricing, we are more than used to it!

Nanc