We reserved a 5 night trip in Aug at a Preferred room at Pop. Got an email yesterday they are offering 20% discount during our stay. I just called to see about it and they tell me it doesn’t apply to a Preferred room, but I could save $429 on my trip switching to a standard room. For the extra walking and time lost, it simply is not worth the “discount” An extra 10 mins to and from the room is valuable each day, especially coming back after a long day at the parks. Plus, no way we get the refillable mugs if we have to waste 20 mins every day getting them filled. We just missed the free dining plan & can’t even feel like we are getting anything with this discount. Disney keeps on taking & taking. Is it worth calling to complain?
1 Like
Are you asking if they’ll give you the discount if you complain? Not likely. They always allocate only a certain number or types of rooms for the discounts. Certainly worth continuing to check and see if a discounted preferred room becomes available. You can do that online just as easily as calling.
2 Likes
I only book the preferred rooms at Pop if that’s all that’s left. I have been booking standard and I request 50s section. If you get put in the 80s or 90s they can almost always get you moved to 50s, 60s or 70s. Just takes a quick trip to the front desk. You may have to wait for house keeping to finish up. All of those sections are within a reasonable walking distance to the main hall and the Skyliner.
Complaining to Disney won’t do anything. Personally I would roll the dice and get the standard.
Some standard rooms are closer to the main hall than the preferred rooms too.
4 Likes
Disney offers discounts on rooms NOT to save guests money, but to sell more rooms. So, they generally don’t offer discounts on the rooms they know will always sell, regardless. We have the same kind of thing at All Stars Music. We are staying in a family suite. Absolutely no discounts are offered for those rooms because Disney is able to sell those rooms without offering a discount.
So, no…I don’t think they will decide to offer discounts on the preferred rooms at Pop unless they can’t sell them. Complaining about it isn’t really likely going to do anything.
Now… personally I would choose a standard room over preferred if it meant saving that much at Pop. The additional time walking really isn’t that much. Probably no more than 2 or 3 minutes.
5 Likes
But how much of that savings is the discount vs the natural lower cost of the room? It sounds a little bait and switch to me.
2 Likes
Good point.
Just picking a random date in August, a preferred room is $236/night. Five nights is $1180
A similar standard room is $199/night. Five nights is $995. So that is a savings of only $185.
Take 20% off the standard room, it is an additional $199 savings.
So switching room types saves a combination of the 20% off and the room change itself.
Obviously, the exact dates and taxes will cause those numbers to vary.
Ultimately, though, it is definitely a significant savings. You could argue it is almost a 33% savings to switch room types and take the discount. As I said, at Pop, I don’t think the preferred rooms offer a huge enough advantage, and I, personally, would prefer to save the money.
5 Likes
I never book preferred rooms at Pop. I always book standard rooms and have been in 60’s or 70’s 9 of the 11 times I’ve stayed there. The other two times I book standard pool view rooms and got 50’s and 80’s. We had two rooms and wanted connecting so that request was met in the 80’s section. These are where the preferred rooms are but in a different place in the building. The rooms I was assigned were 2-3 minutes from the lobby and were standard rooms. I’m paying $50 or so dollars less per night for basically the same location as the preferred rooms.
I’d switch to a standard room and make a request through TP. I would not call Disney and complain.
4 Likes
Nope
Disney will discount only what they need to to move inventory. That often means the more expensive rooms - like a preferred room at Pop - will be included, but other bookable room categories will not.
I personally would take the $429 and run (or walk) as far as I needed to. That to me is a substantial savings to take a few more steps every day. But, what’s worth it to me is not worth it to someone else, and that’s okay
6 Likes
This is not a bait and switch
The discount offered will be off the rack rate of the room. OP booked a room without a discount, which is rack rate as well.
I see that Ryan mathed it out for you. There’s always a difference in room category pricing. That’s just normal not bait and switch
3 Likes
Yes, I see what you and @ryan1 are saying. Bait and switch was probably too harsh of a sentiment on my part. But I still find it helpful to know how much of the savings is just in switching room category w/o the discount. Mostly because I’m the logical one and DH would get all emotionally charged up with the potential savings. If I booked a preferred room instead of a standard room, it’s for a reason that I was intentionally willing to pay extra for. I wouldn’t want to snow myself by blurring the cause of the difference in price when deciding whether to switch.
5 Likes
Yes that does make sense
I find that term is being tossed around very casually (see the great mattress scandal of December 2024) recently and it bothers me. It suggests shadiness by Disney that, for whatever their faults may be, just doesn’t happen.
My apologies for responding curtly.
5 Likes
I can see what you’re saying too. I don’t think it is intentionally deceptive on Disney’s part. But logical people hear you can save money by downgrading the room and think, “Well Duh!”. But what’s my real savings, lol.
2 Likes
I used to think distance from room to transportation was hogwash - until the time I stayed at Pop. I was in the 80’s section and it was horribly far to/from the Skyliner. I didn’t mind the walk as a whole, but walking back to the room at night (alone) was intimidating.
But if it meant a significant discount - I would take the discount and suffer the walk. 
4 Likes
Thanks for all of the comments and advice ladies & gentleman. We went ahead and took the discount and keeping our fingers crossed we don’t get put too far away from the lobby/skyliner. The cast member said they would put on the reservation to put us as close as possible to the lobby, so we will see. I’ve tried to request a room on here 6 or 7 tries and never get close to what we asked, especially at Pop, so that was my concern, but more walking is more walking
3 Likes
I’ve never had much luck with room requests through TP at Pop, either. You might have more luck at check-in. If you get a room that’s not what you want, see if you can wait and switch it to something more to your liking. We have done that successfully a few times!
5 Likes
I found out that if you touch anything in the request section during online check in it over writes anything TP has requested.
What time are you arriving on property?
I have gotten the best rooms that way!
2 Likes
I hate this feeling. Sometimes it is better to get a discount - any discount - so you feel like you got a deal. I think walking a little further might be worth this savings, so I hope you are satisfied with the change.
Unlike the others who have posted, I have not had good luck with having my room changed after being assigned, at least not without needing to wait a day. But if you arrive earlier enough it is easier to get your assignment switched. Traveling from the west coast, I am usually arriving after 5pm. That said, I didn’t find the walk unbearable, and I have been assigned the very furthest rooms!
2 Likes
I almost always have to call Pop and have them switch my room. I always say I am checking in by 3pm (or whatever time happens to be around my layover). As soon as I get the room ready text I call the number and ask them to switch me (I want a 4th floor room always, it’s a pretty easy request). They always call me back and give me options, and it’s taken care of long before I even get to Florida.
6 Likes
This is definitely a big consideration! Getting on property before noon has the best luck.
4 Likes