New Classification System for Walt Disney World Hotels?

DizneyFreak2002;2505556 wrote: Don't know about that... Disney has an uncanny way of convincing people to part with their money LOL...

Yep, they find a way to monetize almost anything.
I have travelled to WDW 3 times over the last several months (my kids are DCP) and have seen first hand how FP+ has totally screwed up the park experience. People eater rides that would normally be walk-ons all have waits because of how FP+ embargoes the queue. I have noticed, however, that I have been able to get at least a tier 1 and two other FP each day for a park of my choice with little to no advance planning (3-4 days early) which I feel shows that their attendance numbers are not that great.

Back on topic - Again having stayed at several resorts over the past few months, I also see how Disney has managed to try and lower costs at the values by cutting staffing at the food courts and other smaller changes in the rooms as well. If I wasn't getting a break on some of these stays, I would definitely be staying off-site.

Roger's #1 Fan;2506164 wrote: Yep, they find a way to monetize almost anything.
I have travelled to WDW 3 times over the last several months (my kids are DCP) and have seen first hand how FP+ has totally screwed up the park experience. People eater rides that would normally be walk-ons all have waits because of how FP+ embargoes the queue. I have noticed, however, that I have been able to get at least a tier 1 and two other FP each day for a park of my choice with little to no advance planning (3-4 days early) which I feel shows that their attendance numbers are not that great.

Back on topic - Again having stayed at several resorts over the past few months, I also see how Disney has managed to try and lower costs at the values by cutting staffing at the food courts and other smaller changes in the rooms as well. If I wasn't getting a break on some of these stays, I would definitely be staying off-site.

One of the reasons we are exploring other vacation options for next year.

texas211;2506180 wrote: One of the reasons we are exploring other vacation options for next year.

I highly recommend cruising.

Cinderelley;2506183 wrote: I highly recommend cruising.

That is what Im told and being led to. I'm apprehensive of being trapped on a boat with so many others. Wife wants to do a disney cruise, some friends recommend another. I'm like, if I can't smoke a cigar, somewhere, I'm not going...

My vote is Hawaii or possible a lake rental somewhere.

texas211;2506191 wrote: That is what Im told and being led to. I'm apprehensive of being trapped on a boat with so many others. Wife wants to do a disney cruise, some friends recommend another. I'm like, if I can't smoke a cigar, somewhere, I'm not going...

My vote is Hawaii or possible a lake rental somewhere.

Well, I know it is the Disney name, but I think Disney cruises are outrageously priced. I like Royal Caribbean, and I know they have smoking areas. You aren't really trapped on the boat. You get off and do stuff in port. Then come back to your ship. Try a short cruise and see how you like it.

Cinderelley;2506221 wrote: Well, I know it is the Disney name, but I think Disney cruises are outrageously priced.

You're not the only one.

Wayne;2506244 wrote: You're not the only one.

That staterooms look pricey ,and just hate to spend it if I don't love it.

And my Mark Twain quote:
“It has always been my rule never to smoke when asleep, and never to refrain when awake.” Mark Twain

texas211;2506180 wrote: One of the reasons we are exploring other vacation options for next year.

My wife and I were annual+ visitors for the better part of two decades but stayed away after the Forsaken Plan, er, Fast Pass was implemented. We recently moved to Florida, so I decided to give DW a try. I absolutely hated it. Essentially, we were told what we could and could not do and when we could and couldn't do it.

There are more enjoyable ways to spend my hard earned money.

texas211;2506248 wrote: That staterooms look pricey ,and just hate to spend it if I don't love it.

And my Mark Twain quote:
“It has always been my rule never to smoke when asleep, and never to refrain when awake.” Mark Twain

If you like to drink and smoke, Carnival Cruises may be for you.

Cinderelley;2506262 wrote: If you like to drink and smoke, Carnival Cruises may be for you.

I've heard they'd directly conflict with my personality. The wife wants disney, I've been looking at Norwegian and Royal as thats what folks told me I should try.

But on topic, yeah, and the soap thing...

Just watch, the test plan for opting out of getting your room refreshed daily... That will be a mandatory thing at some point. And everyone cheaping out to and taking that for the current gift card, is causing the bobsled to that even faster.

I watch on tube the old 90's A Day at the MK and a Day at Epcot Center. The further disney gets from that, the less I want to come.

Roger's #1 Fan;2506164 wrote: Yep, they find a way to monetize almost anything.
I have travelled to WDW 3 times over the last several months (my kids are DCP) and have seen first hand how FP+ has totally screwed up the park experience. People eater rides that would normally be walk-ons all have waits because of how FP+ embargoes the queue. I have noticed, however, that I have been able to get at least a tier 1 and two other FP each day for a park of my choice with little to no advance planning (3-4 days early) which I feel shows that their attendance numbers are not that great.

Back on topic - Again having stayed at several resorts over the past few months, I also see how Disney has managed to try and lower costs at the values by cutting staffing at the food courts and other smaller changes in the rooms as well. If I wasn't getting a break on some of these stays, I would definitely be staying off-site.

I want to like this post 100 times... Yes, FP is off topic, and we have discussed this many times... But yes, it has skewered the wait times, and not in a good way...

As for hotels, they have recently removed the bars of soap and bottles of shampoo and conditioner from the rooms... replacing them with dispensers on the wall... Now I have seen pictures of this from Port Orleans and have heard reports they have rolled this out to the value resorts as well... Not sure how this affects DVC... but more than likely, it will... Discussions about this on other sites say this is the new industry standard... I can say I haven't stayed in any hotel recently where bars of soap or shampoo, conditioner, and body wash aren't provided in bottles... I am talking casinos in Atlantic City, Sheratons, and Hiltons...

I can say, cutting down costs are happening everywhere with staffing and house keeping... On a recent stay in Atlantic City's Sheraton, I had the option of turning down housekeeping.. They state it is because they are going green and it is good for the environment if they don't have to wash our sheets every day if we are staying more than 1 night.. OK makes some sense... but still... let's call a spade a spade here and say what it is... Of course I turned down service because I was given 500 rewards points for doing such!!!! No such reward system at Disney for turning down service... Heck, they would probably tell you if you want service it's $100 a night and if you don't it's $150!!!!

DizneyFreak2002;2506339 wrote: As for hotels, they have recently removed the bars of soap and bottles of shampoo and conditioner from the rooms... replacing them with dispensers on the wall... Now I have seen pictures of this from Port Orleans and have heard reports they have rolled this out to the value resorts as well... Not sure how this affects DVC... but more than likely, it will... Discussions about this on other sites say this is the new industry standard... I can say I haven't stayed in any hotel recently where bars of soap or shampoo, conditioner, and body wash aren't provided in bottles... I am talking casinos in Atlantic City, Sheratons, and Hiltons.

Indeed this is the new standard. We recently went on a little road trip from Virginia to Illinois to St. Louis and back, and stayed in different chain hotels all along the way. They were all of the "Marriott Residence Inn" variety, and all of them had those dispensers on the wall. And, for the record, I'm cool with that. As long as they keep them full.

texas211;2504974 wrote: I think w/ SW land, everything else, I think the room rates are really going to be increased.. So, I think the idea of moderates will fade out. There new reclassification I think will allow them to more easily sneak in substantially higher prices.

I think that they could just raise the prices without reclassification. I don't think reclassifying has anything to do with trying to figure out a way to make more money, simply because they can raise prices whenever they want.

If you want to go to WDW cheap(er), there is always a way. Yes, it might necessitate staying off-property and eating off-property, or still going when there is free dining if you insist on eating at Disney restaurants.

12-14 years ago, we bought a couple of DVC contracts second-hand. 50 points at OKW for $4500. Man has that paid off many times over. For example, 11 months ago we planned a week-long trip to WDW with some friends. Bought our packages, got free dining, stayed at Port Orleans Riverside. On the last day of the trip, we went to a Guest Relations counter, and applying our existing MYW pass value, we upgraded to Annual Gold Passes. With a DVC discount, and what we had spent on the vacation we were currently taking, it was something like $150/person to upgrade. Maybe $200.

Then I came back for a conference in November (at the Dolphin), and had access to the parks in the evenings. Then in February my wife and I went to Hawaii, and had enough points to stay at Aulani for three days at the end of our trip. Then in March, we went back to WDW with my sister, used an AirBNB to stay off site, but had our APs for the parks. Then two weeks later, I had another conference (at a Disney Springs hotel) and again had access to the parks. Now, in less than two weeks, my wife has a class on Amelia Island for work, so we're taking our daughters down to WDW the week before and using our APs one last time before they expire, staying at Old Key West on our DVC points for six days. Since we have those APs and DVC points (which we paid off years ago), our only out of pocket expense will be food and any souvenirs we want. And since we have Disney Visa CC's, we have rewards points for a lot of that.

I mean, we certainly give a lot of money to Disney, it's true. But we have had multiple trips where our only out-of-pocket expense was food because of the judicious use of DVC points and APs. Every trip doesn't cost thousands of dollars.

I don't think people are necessary complaining about the price yet, but the value for that price. I'm spending a good fee on rooms, then I consider the soaps part of it. Given dispensers like at lower level chains, is not my idea of good value. Just disney cheaping out. If we are down to comparing disney to Residence Inn, then, boom, off site I go.

Just unfortunate.

azcavalier;2506362 wrote: Indeed this is the new standard. We recently went on a little road trip from Virginia to Illinois to St. Louis and back, and stayed in different chain hotels all along the way. They were all of the "Marriott Residence Inn" variety, and all of them had those dispensers on the wall. And, for the record, I'm cool with that. As long as they keep them full.

Thank you for confirming you have seen and experienced these new dispensers elsewhere, confirming this does indeed look like it is becoming the new standard... I'm with you on keeping them full.. I am also wondering how easy they are to remove and manipulate... People are mental... And I don't trust everyone to have good intentions... What is stopping someone from tampering with the soap???

removes tinfoil hat