Saturday, June 2, 2018
Guest Posts
In addition to the posts that the #ReachfortheMagic team may make, we'll also be hosting guest posts from clients who wish to share their vacation insights and magical memories. If you've been a #travelear with us and are interested in sharing your thoughts, please get in touch with your Travel Planner.
Thursday, May 24, 2018
Special Offer 101
Walt Disney Travel Company will often releases special offers, also called promotions or discounts, throughout the year for Walt Disney World and Disneyland guests. These offers are usually released 3-5 months in advance of the travel dates detailed in the offer. The special offer may be for a savings on a package or a room discount. Disney releases a limited number of rooms at each resort for each day of the special offer; they do not offer it blankly to every single guest currently booked. Over the years, we have seen availability become less and less within each offer. A promotion may be available as a room discount or a package discount. The package offers often include a minimum stay and minimum ticket requirement. Due to this requirement, sometimes what seems like a great deal at first glance may actually cost you more money in the long run.
Special offers are NEVER guaranteed, by Disney or Reach for the Magic Destinations, and I strongly recommend you book the package that best fits your needs, wishes, and budget from the beginning of the planning process. Should an offer be released, we check ALL client reservations within the dates of the promotion(s) to see if we save you money. If there is more than one offer available, we check each promotion to see which the best savings is. Again, these offers are all based upon eligibility and availability. I always recommend booking what you can afford for your budget from the start and view the special offer being applied as a bit of Disney magic that happens ahead of your vacation.
A Disney promotion can be good savings. Please remember, however, that promotions are designed to fill rooms or attendance needs during certain dates and at certain resorts. It’s not just Disney being nice.
Here are a couple of things to keep in mind when you hear about a new promotion:
1. In general, discounts are released to fill rooms, restaurants, and theme parks to make them profitable when they otherwise would not be at capacity. More popular dates are less likely to see a discount available. More popular and smaller resorts are less likely to see a discount available. More popular room types are less likely to see a discount.
There are usually always a few resorts that will be excluded from special offers, such as Little Mermaid rooms at Disney’s Art of Animation, campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort, 3-bedroom villas at Deluxe Villa resorts. Disney’s Port Orleans Resort- French Quarter is almost never offered on package promotions because they have fewer rooms to sell. On the flipside, Disney’s Pop Century has 2800 guest rooms. That is a lot of rooms to fill, and if sales are not at capacity, Disney will release a discounted rate to get people to choose this resort over others and stay during dates that are not as popular.
2. You CANNOT combine discounts; Disney allows only one special offer applied to a room or package reservation at a time. Each discount is based on the original price, so not all discounts are equal. Sometimes you have to add the Park Hopper option, or book a minimum number of days on your park tickets, or stay a minimum of so many nights in order to be eligible. This can change your savings amount if you have to add an option or extra days on your tickets.
3. You are more likely to be able to take advantage of promotions if you are flexible with your choice of resort, room, and dates. If you are flexible in your vacation dates, where you stay and how long you stay you are more likely to be able to take advantage of any potential discounts. If you are locked into your dates or resort, be aware that your resort and/or room selection may not be available with a special offer.
Disney vacation are not cheap, we get that. And we all love a good savings. I share this information, so you can have appropriate expectations about the realities of promotions. Please be assured that we will consider every option to get you the best value for your vacation adventure. When a special offer is released, we contact each client individually to advise them of whether or not an offer was able to be applied. In the event an offer is not available, we will continue to monitor for potential savings.
Special offers are NEVER guaranteed, by Disney or Reach for the Magic Destinations, and I strongly recommend you book the package that best fits your needs, wishes, and budget from the beginning of the planning process. Should an offer be released, we check ALL client reservations within the dates of the promotion(s) to see if we save you money. If there is more than one offer available, we check each promotion to see which the best savings is. Again, these offers are all based upon eligibility and availability. I always recommend booking what you can afford for your budget from the start and view the special offer being applied as a bit of Disney magic that happens ahead of your vacation.
A Disney promotion can be good savings. Please remember, however, that promotions are designed to fill rooms or attendance needs during certain dates and at certain resorts. It’s not just Disney being nice.
Here are a couple of things to keep in mind when you hear about a new promotion:
1. In general, discounts are released to fill rooms, restaurants, and theme parks to make them profitable when they otherwise would not be at capacity. More popular dates are less likely to see a discount available. More popular and smaller resorts are less likely to see a discount available. More popular room types are less likely to see a discount.
There are usually always a few resorts that will be excluded from special offers, such as Little Mermaid rooms at Disney’s Art of Animation, campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort, 3-bedroom villas at Deluxe Villa resorts. Disney’s Port Orleans Resort- French Quarter is almost never offered on package promotions because they have fewer rooms to sell. On the flipside, Disney’s Pop Century has 2800 guest rooms. That is a lot of rooms to fill, and if sales are not at capacity, Disney will release a discounted rate to get people to choose this resort over others and stay during dates that are not as popular.
2. You CANNOT combine discounts; Disney allows only one special offer applied to a room or package reservation at a time. Each discount is based on the original price, so not all discounts are equal. Sometimes you have to add the Park Hopper option, or book a minimum number of days on your park tickets, or stay a minimum of so many nights in order to be eligible. This can change your savings amount if you have to add an option or extra days on your tickets.
3. You are more likely to be able to take advantage of promotions if you are flexible with your choice of resort, room, and dates. If you are flexible in your vacation dates, where you stay and how long you stay you are more likely to be able to take advantage of any potential discounts. If you are locked into your dates or resort, be aware that your resort and/or room selection may not be available with a special offer.
Disney vacation are not cheap, we get that. And we all love a good savings. I share this information, so you can have appropriate expectations about the realities of promotions. Please be assured that we will consider every option to get you the best value for your vacation adventure. When a special offer is released, we contact each client individually to advise them of whether or not an offer was able to be applied. In the event an offer is not available, we will continue to monitor for potential savings.
Why use a Travel Planner?
When you book your vacation adventure with Reach for the Magic Destinations, you can expect to receive a concierge-style experience with our Travel Planners. Our services include:
CONSULTATION SERVICES
Your Travel Planner will help customize the right Disney vacation for YOU. No two travelers and vacations are exactly alike! We will work with you to create a personalized vacation adventure.
PERSONAL SERVICES
Phone and email communication with your Travel Planner throughout the planning process. I work from my home office and don’t have standard daytime only office hours.
CONSULTATION SERVICES
Your Travel Planner will help customize the right Disney vacation for YOU. No two travelers and vacations are exactly alike! We will work with you to create a personalized vacation adventure.
PERSONAL SERVICES
Phone and email communication with your Travel Planner throughout the planning process. I work from my home office and don’t have standard daytime only office hours.
BEST AVAILABLE PRICING
You will receive the very best pricing available with Disney. Your Travel Planner will monitor for special offers that may be released and apply them to your package reservation (based upon availability*). *Special Offers are not guaranteed.
You will receive the very best pricing available with Disney. Your Travel Planner will monitor for special offers that may be released and apply them to your package reservation (based upon availability*). *Special Offers are not guaranteed.
PLANNING SERVICES & RESOURCES
Suggestions and resources on how to get the most out of your vacation. Recommendations on dining reservations and Fastpass+ selections along with booking those items for you, if you wish. You’ll learn about the extras you can experience during your vacation as well, such as Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, Pirates League, Cirque du Soleil, and more.
Suggestions and resources on how to get the most out of your vacation. Recommendations on dining reservations and Fastpass+ selections along with booking those items for you, if you wish. You’ll learn about the extras you can experience during your vacation as well, such as Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, Pirates League, Cirque du Soleil, and more.
TIPS
Tips and hints on how to make your vacation an adventure to remember!
Planning Services Include:
Tips and hints on how to make your vacation an adventure to remember!
Planning Services Include:
- Advice on the best time to travel if your dates are flexible.
- Assistance in determining the best resort choice for YOUR family.
- Help in walking through all the package options to figure out which make the most sense for you. Don’t pay for options you will not use.
- Vacation package price protection – We’ll continuously monitor for special offers that may be released, and have them applied to your reservation (based on availability).
- Dining recommendations and reservations
- Advice on which park to visit on what day.
- Tips and hints to help you get the most out of your vacation.
- Assistance with Magical Express transportation option.
- And more!
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