Lots of people can’t afford deluxe but yay? (Not to mention the AoA suites, for example, are basically the cost of a deluxe no EMH for them!)
(I am actually planning a split stay with WL being my deluxe but not until next year at the earliest - might not be until 2023)
Yeah, I agree it’s a double edged sword. I loved AoA and I’d go back. I loved CSR and I’d go back…now will I? which means less trips overall. But when you do fork it over you get a better benefit. Probably more akin to the paid version.
A friend has just pointed out elsewhere that a value room plus a DAH ticket is cheaper than a deluxe room.
This is clearly a way to try and push people to the deluxe resorts though.
Is it worth it for the benefit, though? This is a completely unnecessary nickel & dime move on Disney’s part to pretend deluxe has some nice perk that others don’t have when in actuality it’s taking perks away from everybody else because everybody staying on site used to get the perk. It’s bullshit.
As a family that could afford to stay deluxe for a shorter trip but prefer to stay value or moderate and do a longer trip…we will not do this vacation if this is a trend. For the first time I feel no pull to go back after returning from our trip last week, and these disappointing decisions/announcements are pushing us farther away.
Depends on how many people are in the room. As a family of 5, we usually come ahead getting the expensive hotel room (to get EP at UOR for example).
Over on another board there is now a discussion of “Does Gran Destino count?” since so many have been comparing it to a Deluxe. Price-wise - unless in a suite - it does come in less than a Deluxe but more than regular CSR.
Oh most definitely at UOR is it worth it. They were selling EP for $279.99 a person or something insane this summer.
Gran Destino even has CL. Are you going to tell me that they won’t get EMH? I mean 
And would it even translate to working? You’re talking rooms that are $500+ a night. I loves me some night hours, but even I wouldn’t get a deluxe room for that alone.
Additionally all this comparison to “moderate/value room + DAH” ticket requires disney to keep offering the DAHs routinely and frequently, are they going to be doing that now? Before it was like almost seasonal, wasn’t it?
I’m also curious what “select nights and select parks” will be. One night of your trip, 3 EMH at Epcot, for Deluxe prices x a 4-5 night stay? Not worth it in the slightest.
This is a good point. And how long will it be for.
The ONE nice thing out of this (put the pitchforks down, or at least don’t wave them at me) is DVC just got a small boost in being worth it.
There are so few onsite perks for anybody right now I get why Disney is doing it sort of. But it’s like cutting off their nose to spite their face. Is this enough of a perk that people will go out of their way to book deluxe to get it? OTOH what incentives are there for anybody in the Value/Moderate categories to stay on site? If rental cars weren’t so expensive I’d go stay in a VRBO rental or one of the many, many resorts in the area. Hell, I’d even go stay at like Cabana Bay. I can’t stand Universal but their hotels are decently priced and look fun!
Soapbox rant coming…. It feels to me like Disney is either intentionally ( which would suck) or oblivious to the fact that they keep creating different classes of guests. It’s like in the dvc member community where they not only have white and blue card holders, now they further segregate resale buyers with the riviera restrictions. Perks should be offered to onsite guests to thank them for choosing to stay on site, regardless of which hotel. No matter what a families income level is, it costs a shit ton of money to stay on site. Paid extras, fine. Let those that can, do. But “free” perks should not discriminate.
Oh, the different classes of guests is intentional. Listen to Chapek’s last quarterly investor call.
They want to maximize and incentivize the whales (big spenders). Everybody else…meh. They’ll throw out some crumbs like 30 minuntes early entry (NOT an hour, oh no!)
I am seriously thinking of booking off site for our trip in October as the car rental charges will more than make up for the savings in spite of being more expensive, even for AoA. I would keep my leading reservation until just before I need to pay then cancel. …and fill out that “other” reason with a very detailed explanation as to why I am cancelling.
There is literally zero reason for me to stay on property now.
ETA…I have been a DIE HARD stay on property Disney geek for a couple of decades now. I felt so strongly about staying in the bubble we used to PAY to stay on property when the kids were little even though we could have stayed w/ my MIL/stepFIL for FREE. They lived 20 minutes away in Davenport. [There was also the upside of only dealing w/ them on a limited basis when they met us for meals, but the bubble weighed in heavily as well.]
I can’t begin to explain how much of a 180 this is for me, and how much it illustrates the vast number of things WDW has removed from the on property experience for me to make this change.
I’d do it. Then make sure you tell guest services what you did and why.
I’m a CPA, I get it and understand his angle on things. But. Guest satisfaction and goodwill is what creates revenue. Not manipulation. He’s really getting on my nerves and I hope he doesn’t last very long.