New Classification System for Walt Disney World Hotels?

BrerGnat;2504916 wrote: Switching to queen beds, adding a coffee maker, 55" TVs, hard flooring, a sliding privacy divider near the sink, dual shower heads, and convertible bedding is a notch up from what most value rooms have.

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Well, I don't drink coffee or watch TV. I prefer carpet to hard flooring, because it is warmer. I'm also only 5'4", so queen beds aren't a big deal to me. The privacy divider will be nicer, but what in the world do you need dual shower heads for? I like to shower by myself. I'm a water hog I guess. :P Being able to put the second bed up will be nice for extra room, but I really don't bring enough stuff with me to have to worry about room. My clothes are packed in the drawers or hung up and then the suitcases are put away.

I am sure some people are happy with the changes, but they don't really do much for me. I liked the atmosphere of the old Pop and the new rooms seem very austere to me.

texas211;2504927 wrote: Yeah, but I see the pricing jumping way on up.

No thanks. I'll stay at offisite premiums, enjoy my rental Tahoe, and still be way less expensive and a better value. I don't mind paying premium rates, but I feel like the Disney hotels just really dont do enough to justify such prices. Other hotels, sure.

I see it becoming a thing where staying on site is a draw because you can schedule your fastpasses/dining reservations/etc earlier when staying on site, not really because the resorts are worth as much as they charge for them.

So, basically, there will still be pricing based on resort amenities and room sizes, but they're just getting rid of the "deluxe, moderate, and value" descriptors? I agree with those who are saying that this is a way for them to sneak in higher prices in all the resorts...moderates and values, especially. Guest will stop expecting "value", if the word isn't used.

Wow, just when you think they can't screw things up any worse, they prove you wrong. My Disney days might well be over....

Just want to reiterate these are just rumors... Rumors based on a plan, yes... but just rumors at this point...

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texas211;2504927 wrote: Yeah, but I see the pricing jumping way on up.

No thanks. I'll stay at offisite premiums, enjoy my rental Tahoe, and still be way less expensive and a better value. I don't mind paying premium rates, but I feel like the Disney hotels just really dont do enough to justify such prices. Other hotels, sure.

Amen to that. The week of Thanksgiving I am staying in a 3 bedroom, 3 bath townhouse for $1000 less than it would have cost me to get two rooms at an all-star resort. Even when you consider the extra money I will have to pay for parking I am still saving $800 by staying offsite. And that is not even including the savings on food, because we will be cooking breakfast at the townhouse rather than buying it in the resort food court.

Cinderelley;2504984 wrote: I see it becoming a thing where staying on site is a draw because you can schedule your fastpasses/dining reservations/etc earlier when staying on site, not really because the resorts are worth as much as they charge for them.

Oh I totally think that is their idea. However, since they now have so many resorts, and building more, it matters less to me. All the best FPs are taken all the time. You can still get them, but just at less preferred times.

We were seeing 300-400 for POR, and up from there. Again, if I liked it enough I'd pay it. But I feel like I'm being ripped off. It'd be like buying a ticket to go to just DHS right now with most of the place under refurb.

Cinderelley;2504984 wrote: I see it becoming a thing where staying on site is a draw because you can schedule your fastpasses/dining reservations/etc earlier when staying on site, not really because the resorts are worth as much as they charge for them.

Paying a premium to be able to pre-book attractions months in advance is even beyond my love for vacation planning. If weather or ride closures disrupt this months-in-advance plan, you're back into the pool with everybody else anyway. FP+ was sold as making things better for the customer, but it really is about making things easier for Disney. If it were about making things better for the customer, it would be a lot more powerful and wouldn't require booking so far in advance.

It is a testament to the power of marketing that Disney does all of these things and people so easily believe it is for them. They have truly found the Holy Grail. I tell you pretty much all businesses wish they could make things easier for themselves, while charging their customers more, and have their customers believe it is about providing them a better experience (rather than simply padding the profit margins). They have people willingly boxing themselves into plans made months in advance, even believing it is in their interest to pay a premium for the opportunity.

Tekneek;2505417 wrote: Paying a premium to be able to pre-book attractions months in advance is even beyond my love for vacation planning. If weather or ride closures disrupt this months-in-advance plan, you're back into the pool with everybody else anyway. FP+ was sold as making things better for the customer, but it really is about making things easier for Disney. If it were about making things better for the customer, it would be a lot more powerful and wouldn't require booking so far in advance.

It is a testament to the power of marketing that Disney does all of these things and people so easily believe it is for them. They have truly found the Holy Grail. I tell you pretty much all businesses wish they could make things easier for themselves, while charging their customers more, and have their customers believe it is about providing them a better experience (rather than simply padding the profit margins). They have people willingly boxing themselves into plans made months in advance, even believing it is in their interest to pay a premium for the opportunity.

Yep

Tekneek;2505417 wrote: Paying a premium to be able to pre-book attractions months in advance is even beyond my love for vacation planning. If weather or ride closures disrupt this months-in-advance plan, you're back into the pool with everybody else anyway. FP+ was sold as making things better for the customer, but it really is about making things easier for Disney. If it were about making things better for the customer, it would be a lot more powerful and wouldn't require booking so far in advance.

It is a testament to the power of marketing that Disney does all of these things and people so easily believe it is for them. They have truly found the Holy Grail. I tell you pretty much all businesses wish they could make things easier for themselves, while charging their customers more, and have their customers believe it is about providing them a better experience (rather than simply padding the profit margins). They have people willingly boxing themselves into plans made months in advance, even believing it is in their interest to pay a premium for the opportunity.

Get ready to pay for pre-booking FP at WDW....

DizneyFreak2002;2505504 wrote: Get ready to pay for pre-booking FP at WDW....

Isn't Disney MaxPass (the $10 per ticket add-on for Disneyland) the testing for that? I assumed that would end up being the new FastPass scheme for everyone eventually. I am surprised I have not seen a lot of talk about that.

Tekneek;2505526 wrote: Isn't Disney MaxPass (the $10 per ticket add-on for Disneyland) the testing for that? I assumed that would end up being the new FastPass scheme for everyone eventually. I am surprised I have not seen a lot of talk about that.

Could be. But MaxPass is sort of a different animal in that Fastpass at Disneyland is still the old system (with a tech overlay now), and FP isn't used by guests there to the same extent that it is in WDW. We were there in June and other than Radiator Springs Racers and GotG, it didn't seem to be used much. We consistently were able to get FP for rides with return times of NOW, while the standby line was 30-40 min. There's a different mindset at Disneyland.

The interesting thing about MaxPass, is that it's a mixture of products. It includes FP and what would be Memory Maker at WDW. But, and this is where I think there may be some testing going on, there is a daily charge PER TICKET for it. Annual passholders have the option to pay a $75 annual upcharge.

MaxPass FP can only be made once you are in the park, and only 1 at a time. You don't actually get to schedule them - it's just the old FP System using your phone instead of running to the machines.

But (putting my business consultant hat on), it will be interesting to see if/how they position a pay to play FP+ structure at WDW. As a guest, however, I'll hate it.

Steve

Well, maybe if it goes to a pay to play format, it'll be a bit more usable as less people will buy in.

Tekneek;2505526 wrote: Isn't Disney MaxPass (the $10 per ticket add-on for Disneyland) the testing for that? I assumed that would end up being the new FastPass scheme for everyone eventually. I am surprised I have not seen a lot of talk about that.

I don't know if that is the test or not... it may be... All I have heard was they want guests for FP at Disney World... Just when this is going to happen, your guess is as good as anyone's...

texas211;2505536 wrote: Well, maybe if it goes to a pay to play format, it'll be a bit more usable as less people will buy in.

Don't know about that... Disney has an uncanny way of convincing people to part with their money LOL...