Why is disney.co.uk more expensive than disney.com prices?

[martinstev]

Does anyone out there know why if I compare prices listed on disney.co.uk web pages listed in £ they seem much more expensive than prices in $ on disneyworld.com web pages.
Eg Poly MK view = 2 x £154 = £308 V's $455 (@1.8 $ to £ = £252)

Can Brits book via the USA site? What if any are the pit falls to look out for?

Help!
:confused2

[essexmick]

more taxes i would guess

hasnt this site got a US resident TA at all

[das c]

Becuase we live in rip off Uk!!!!!!!!!

You can order off American sites just make sure you get proper tickets and not vouchers.

Have a look on here you can get them here as well.

[debs1505]

Does the US price include taxes? If not, add between 6 & 10% and P & P and you will find it probably works out near enough the same :wavey:

[essexmick]

Becuase we live in rip off Uk!!!!!!!!!

You can order off American sites just make sure you get proper tickets and not vouchers.

Have a look on here you can get them here as well.

das the OP wasnt about tickets :wink :)

[BevS97]

When I have checked I've found them to be pretty similiar to be honest, but you can book via either site. If you book through the USA site then you are as well phoning CRO and doing it over the phone - they sometimes have access to rates that aren't on the website - also always check www.mousesavers.com as they have details of discounts too. We have always booked through the CRO rather than through the UK site as we have nearly always managed to find a discount code to lower the rate further.

I suspect they set the rates at the beginning of the year and then the exchange rate has changed making the US ones a better deal, but I don't know for sure.

[martinstev]

[QUOTE=BevS97] If you book through the USA site then you are as well phoning CRO and doing it over the phone - they sometimes have access to rates that aren't on the website - also always check www.mousesavers.com as they have details of discounts too. We have always booked through the CRO rather than through the UK site as we have nearly always managed to find a discount code to lower the rate further.

QUOTE]

Forgive my ignorance but what is CRO? How do I get number for them / him / her / it?
Cheers

[BevS97]

I wasn't convinced there was that much difference, so i've just tried a sample booking.

UK
Disney's Polynesian Resort
Arriving on 01/05/2007 for 4 nights
2 Adults
Resort Stay only
£1,008.00†Room Type: STANDARD PB
Ticket Type: None



USA
Disney's Polynesian Resort
Date May 01, 2007 Date May 05, 2007 Staying for 4 nights, 5 days Adults 2 Children 0
Room Total ($385.00 per night) $1,540.00 Tax $192.56
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Grand Total† $1,732.56 which is $887



I make that a 10+% saving if you book through the USA site.

[BevS97]

CRO- Central Reservations Office. 001-407-W-DISNEY

[BevS97]

http://www.mousesavers.com/disneyresorts.html#ap

I don't know when you are planning on travelling, but there are discounts available for 4/15/07-6/2/07 (April to June) which are worth $100/night - it could be worth buying 1 Annual Pass to qualify for those discounts.

[martinstev]

okay so I take it I add about 10% tax to my HOTEL price (not worried about tickets yet). That makes the price a bit closer but for a Magic Kingdom view room at the Poly I still get

£308 v's £278 ($455 + 10%) = £30 cheaper x 7 nights = £210

and thats using a mere 1.8 dollar to the pound at 1.9 dollar to the pond it's nearer £308. That's a few character meals for free!
:d:

[martinstev]

http://www.mousesavers.com/disneyresorts.html#ap

I don't know when you are planning on travelling, but there are discounts available for 4/15/07-6/2/07 (April to June) which are worth $100/night - it could be worth buying 1 Annual Pass to qualify for those discounts.

Traveling August! The heat.... The crowds...... But Mickey!!!!!

[essexmick]

free dining might be back soon too

[martinstev]

free dining might be back soon too

?? :confused2 Do only Brits get free dining? Is this a scheme to get us not to us the USA site?

[Whitequeen]

okay so I take it I add about 10% tax to my HOTEL price (not worried about tickets yet). That makes the price a bit closer but for a Magic Kingdom view room at the Poly I still get

£308 v's £278 ($455 + 10%) = £30 cheaper x 7 nights = £210

and thats using a mere 1.8 dollar to the pound at 1.9 dollar to the pond it's nearer £308. That's a few character meals for free!
:d:
Tax on Disney rooms is 12% except on one of the AS resorts which is higher because it's in a different county.

[BevS97]

The tax should be quoted on the US site, look at the quote I have posted, it shows the tax right on there.


Free dining has been offer to the Brits and to the Americans - usually at different times (let me rephrase, the free dining is nearly always for September, but the period when you can book it tends to be different for the UK site than the US)

[martinstev]

Tax on Disney rooms is 12% except on one of the AS resorts which is higher because it's in a different county.

12% it is then, Thanks for the clarity. Why dont they just add it to the price if the tax is compulsory? Seems a bit mad to me.
Cheers
:d:

[BevS97]

it's £280 per night on Expedia.co.uk

[BevS97]

Why dont they just add it to the price if the tax is compulsory? Seems a bit mad to me.


it is not added to any price anywhere in the USA - I think it is to make prices in shops more attractive.

[landkmum]

I don't know if will help anyone, but we booked thru a US travel agent last year who was able to get prices which were considerably cheaper still than the US disney site. I don't know what the rules are on here for posting a link so I won't do it unless I'm otherwise informed but if anyone would like to know which TA we used please feel free to PM me.

[martinstev]

The tax should be quoted on the US site, look at the quote I have posted, it shows the tax right on there.


I took my price from the room rates section in the description of each hotel. Absolutely no mention of tax there!

If I go and get a quote it does go up by 12.5% so I assume they must be tax free prices on display. :( They must assume you know what the state tax is and that you have to add it!

Very confusing,
:confused2

[BevS97]

It is the case across the USA - if you go to buy a meal, or a pair of jeans, they will add the tax on at the till. When I moved here it took me ages to realise that if it said a pound, then it meant a pound and not a pound and some change.

[jentill]

?? :confused2 Do only Brits get free dining? Is this a scheme to get us not to us the USA site?

The free DDP started being offered in the US, it has only been over the last couple of years that us UK folks were offered it. Thank goodness - I'm on it - whoooppee. I would have booked through the US site if they had not offered the free DDP on the UK one - but I found the US site difficult to understand.:blush:

[Amyrlin]

If ypou book thorugh the UK site you have no exchange rate risk, Disney bear that risk, if you book on the US site you bear the risk of the exchange rate movements, and there is a good possibility it will change and sterling fall. They will always charge some sort of premiumum if they are going to bear that risk.

Alsom, the standard formate for the US is to show prices before tax.

[Cinders Mum]

more taxes i would guess

hasnt this site got a US resident TA at all

Not sure if you mean myself essexmick.

I am able to book Disney Hotels both from the UK and the US sites as well as the Annual Passholder rates, and any other offers currently available,

[Andre]

The US website does include 12.5% tax in its quotes, and it shows you the breakdown:

Disney's Polynesian Resort
May 01, 2007 - May 05, 2007
Staying for 4 nights, 5 days
Adults 2, Children 0
Garden View, Room Only

Room Total ($385.00 per night) = $1,540.00
Tax = $192.56
Grand Total = $1,732.56
Deposit = $433.14

i.e. about £240 per night at $1.80, or nearer £225 if you pay with a Nationwide credit card.

Two other pluses of booking via the US site which I don't think apply to the UK site (not sure about the UK options though) are that with a US booking you only have to pay one night's deposit in advance - the balance is paid when you get to your hotel - and you can cancel right up to 7 days before arrival (and get your whole desposit back) which is great for making a flexible extended booking and then getting a late flight deal.

Andre

[martinstev]

If ypou book thorugh the UK site you have no exchange rate risk, Disney bear that risk, if you book on the US site you bear the risk of the exchange rate movements, and there is a good possibility it will change and sterling fall. They will always charge some sort of premiumum if they are going to bear that risk.

Alsom, the standard formate for the US is to show prices before tax.

Well that's fair I suppose, it's basically speculating on the currency markets! I assume they wouldn't object if I paid it all upfront when the exchange rate is good? That would then take this risk out exchange rate fluctuations

[martinstev]

The US website does include 12.5% tax in its quotes, and it shows you the breakdown:

Disney's Polynesian Resort
May 01, 2007 - May 05, 2007
Staying for 4 nights, 5 days
Adults 2, Children 0
Garden View, Room Only

Room Total ($385.00 per night) = $1,540.00
Tax = $192.56
Grand Total = $1,732.56
Deposit = $433.14

i.e. about £240 per night at $1.80, or nearer £225 if you pay with a Nationwide credit card.

Two other pluses of booking via the US site which I don't think apply to the UK site (not sure about the UK options though) are that with a US booking you only have to pay one night's deposit in advance - the balance is paid when you get to your hotel - and you can cancel right up to 7 days before arrival (and get your whole desposit back) which is great for making a flexible extended booking and then getting a late flight deal.

Andre



I must be looking in the wrong bit, I have seen no mention of tax so far and certainly no break down of the costs like that. Hmmm

Nationwide credit card? Is this disscussed else where on Dibb? Could you give me a quick explanation of why a Nationwide credit card? Thanks

[Andre]

Just go through the booking process, choose the hotel and any features/room options you want, and click on the Continue Booking link and it will give you a more detailed breakdown. The next stage after that would be to confirm it with deposit paid by credit card, so don't actually type in your card details until you're sure (although as I said, you can always get a full refund from Disney if you change your mind up to 7 days before arrival date).

Nationwide's credit & debit cards do not charge you any commission fee (most banks' cards charge around 2.75%, but it's built into their "exchange rate" figure, so you won't spot it). Nationwide cards have been giving very close to $2 to the £ with the recent good interbank rates. This sort of card would also help if you want to get a refund from the USA by the way; otherwise you'll pay 2.75% to send the money to the USA in the first place and then another similar amount when they send it back, so you lose both ways.

Andre

[jandlsmum]

we use are nation wide cc in jan this year and was getting $1.95-$1.98 which was fantastic ,but just had to pay for most of it yesterday note most of it used it alot more than we should have ,but it was a fantastic holiday
jayne