Hotels blocked or booked

[eliopoulos@desp]

My wife and I are confused.

We've set aside 10 days in February to go to WDW. We've called to make reservations only to find out our choice of hotels is blocked out. I asked if it was booked or blocked out. He said he didn't know, asked around and no one had an answer. He said a few other hotels were blocked out as well.

It's the first week of February, so it sounds strange that so many hotels would be booked. Before booking another hotel, I wanted to know if it was going to be extrememly crowded or if it was just a computer thing and that we could book our hotel at another time. No answers, though he told us to call the hotel directly to get answers if it was booked or not which we did.

The woman who answered there was rather rude, said they don't have that kind of information and we must understand that "Disney is very popular, you know."

So, my question is, how do we get an answer? Do we book another hotel? Do we chance going during a busy week when we were hoping to go at a quiet time? How do we get the answers? Any suggestions?

 

[Moustronaut]

Something odd happens with this Disney system every so often. Maybe JP VonDrake can comment on this. But in the past I've tried to get rooms during the off season and nothing was available. Like no value or moderate rooms for mid January when we called 8 weeks out. Even had my CM friend who takes reservations for WDW call in and she couldn't get any rooms.

But then a few weeks later there were plenty of rooms open at all resorts.

So not sure how to get to what the real reason is, the CM's might not be able to do this either. But call back often. This could and probably very likely will change.

 

[Master Yoda]

Hopefully JPVonDrake will be in here soon to give you a definite answer to your question but I will take a stab at it and JP can correct me where necessary. If you were calling for a room only reservation chances are the cast member had absolutely no way of knowing why the rooms were not available. The only information they are given is pretty much a vacancy or no vacancy. The room can be booked up for several reasons. First room only reservations and package deals are handled by 2 different companies. Room only is done by the Disney Reservation Center (DRC) and package deals are done by the Walt Disney Travel Company (TWDTC) and I believe each are given separate blocks of rooms. Rooms are also purchased by wholesalers such as AAA and Kingdom Konsultants. The rooms you requested can show as not available for any one of those reasons. My advice would be to contact Pam at Kingdom Konsultants (her link is on the main page of this site) give her a few resort options and let her work her magic. If the rooms you want are out there she can find them.

 

[Moustronaut]

First room only reservations and package deals are handled by 2 different companies. Room only is done by the Disney Reservation Center (DRC) and package deals are done by the Walt Disney Travel Company (TWDTC) and I believe each are given separate blocks of rooms.

I thought there was only one now. I thought the old CRO was absorbed into the WDTC and they did everything now.

 

[Master Yoda]

I thought there was only one now. I thought the old CRO was absorbed into the WDTC and they did everything now.

According to a very recent post by JPVonDrake they are still separate.

 

[mousermerf]

Rooms are held for upcoming discount codes (tyey can't offer a discount with no rooms to offer it on), maybe a convention, and also min/max stay bookings, AAA, and other wholesalers too.

How many days are you staying? That's usually the #1 problem.

Second, Disney's systems are not there to help you get a room - the system wants to sell rooms based on what it feels is important. Rooms are offered for sale based on which resort have openings - but with resorts with more openings offered first.

For example, there's lots of bookings at Carribbean Beach but not Coronado, then the system will offer Coronado despite the specific request for Carribbean and wont give up CB until it reaches some unknown ratio of booking at Coronado.

It's bizarre - to say the least - but it's not necessarily as if Disney is not giving out rooms. Hotels often leave whole sections closed or empty so they dont have to staff as many people in certain periods, so this is sorta Disney's way of doing that.

I would book an alternate, with a rasonable refund policy, and check every so often. It very well could be a convention or something.

Early Feb is supposed to be the end of Contemporary's refurb on the tower rooms - perhaps the main building will be shut down to re-do the concourse then. That would displace a lot of reservations, people who called for the Contemporary being put elsewhere instead.

 

[DisneygeekCT]

I am not sure if this relates directly to the blocking of rooms or not, but when my boyfriend and I went to WDW in February (Feb. 2 - 6, 2005) it was the same time as the Dance Competition. There were tons of young (I would say between the ages of 10 & 14) girls there for it. They kind of took over the rides at times. We were in line for Tower of Terror and there were 2 full elevators of them ahead of us and the elevator we were on was mostly full of them as well. I know that there were a few groups at our hotel - because the would practice their dances by the pool at night. Maybe that is why they said that the rooms are blocked. They might hold a certain number for the competition.

(On a side note: They were pretty annoying on ToT - they all sat whever they wanted to once they got in the elevator - never mind where they were supposed to be sitting. My boyfriend and I couldn't even sit next to each other because two of the girls decided to sit down in the middle of the row and totally ignored us when we asked them to move one seat in either direction.)

 

[eliopoulos@desp]

Hey folks,

Thanks for some of these tips.

We WERE planning on going around February 2nd, and that Dance Competition may be a factor, but we were planning on staying at the Yacht Club and yet the Beach club is available.

I just want to be sure that it's a systemic issue and not an issue of tons of people invading the parks. We chose this particular time to go to avoid large crowds and if there ARE conventions or something like that there crowding the parks, it defeats the purpose of going.

I really appreciate all your help and if anyone has any further advice, I'm more than willing to take it!

Thanks!

 

[mousermerf]

Yacht is the convention half of those two resorts - so it could entirely be a convention taking up the space.

 

[scottnj1966]

always call back

Just call back ina day or two, ask another person. It always changes. I have have had different things said just in a 15 minute time span. Someone is always cancelling or changing plans.
1000's of rooms...
good luck

 

[Robfasto]

Also don't forget that Presidents day is in February which makes it possible that only 3 days of your 10 days is Full, you may need to adjust your travel plans taking this into consideration.

 

[shmmrname]

That sucks either way. Disney has to do what it has to do, but it's always bad to hear when it puts somebody's "dream" vacation in the slightest bit of turmoil.
We wanted to stay at PO:FQ last time, but it was filled completely. Luckily, CSR wasn't, and we stayed there. Personally, it's a long drive and a big financial burden for us to spend our time at WDW, so we got scared we'd have to "re-do" a hotel before we've experienced the others first.
MouseMerf's suggestion is right on, but just make sure you keep trying for what you really want. I hope it works out for you!

 

[MinnieSummer]

The dance comptition shouldn't effect staying at Yacht Club or Beach Club as they usually stay at a Value resort. If there is a convention at Yacht Club it is usually a business type and doesn't have that much effect on the parks as they are in meetings pretty much all day. I've stayed at CSR when there are huge conventions going on and the busses were empty going to and from the resort so I wouldn't worry about the parks being over crowded.

 

[Shellybelle]

Just call back ina day or two, ask another person. It always changes. I have have had different things said just in a 15 minute time span. Someone is always cancelling or changing plans.
1000's of rooms...
good luck

I've experienced the same thing. Keep calling and good luck.

 

[eliopoulos@desp]

Thanks everybody!

This little experience has been a bit of a downer.

We usually get that little bit of excitement when calling to make the reservations and walk around with silly grins on our faces for a week. Hopefully this won't change that.

I just figure, if you're cashing out a boatload of money, you should get the hotel you want--at a slow period--not the one they want you to go to.

I mena, when it comes down to it, any hotel at Disney is better than sitting at home working!

Thanks again!

 

[Glasgow]

Thanks everybody!

This little experience has been a bit of a downer.

We usually get that little bit of excitement when calling to make the reservations and walk around with silly grins on our faces for a week. Hopefully this won't change that.

I just figure, if you're cashing out a boatload of money, you should get the hotel you want--at a slow period--not the one they want you to go to.

I mena, when it comes down to it, any hotel at Disney is better than sitting at home working!

Thanks again!

In that same spirit, sitting at home working is better than sitting at work working! lol

 

[eliopoulos@desp]

In that same spirit, sitting at home working is better than sitting at work working! lol

You know, I know it sounds better, but I do work at home. And I know, everyone's first thought is working in your "jammies" and watching Oprah, but the work is always here and I can never get away--even in my own home.

THAT'S why I need DisneyWorld!

 

[JPVonDrake]

I'll be happy to offer answers to the questions that have not been answered yet...

I asked if it was booked or blocked out

As a reservationist, there is no way for us to see if room availablity is blocked or simply sold out.

...he told us to call the hotel directly to get answers if it was booked or not which we did.

Never a good idea, the resorts themselves (except in special cases) cannot book any rooms except for same day arrival. They also can't see what is booked any more then the Reservation Center.

I thought there was only one now. I thought the old CRO was absorbed into the WDTC and they did everything now.

Yes and no. Yes CRO and WDTC are two separate companies as far as our computer systems and policies are concerned. There is no separation of staffing however. All Disney Reservation Cast works with both companies.

Rooms are also purchased by wholesalers such as AAA and Kingdom Konsultants

Kingdom Konsultants and AAA are Travel Agencies, not wholesalers. Both use live availiablity and can book advertised discount offers as well as rack rate rooms. Expedia, Travelocity etc. are wholesalers. They purchase blocks of room to re-sell to guest at a discounted price set by the wholesaler.

Rooms are held for upcoming discount codes (they can't offer a discount with no rooms to offer it on)

Rooms are NOT held for upcoming discount codes. Disney will not refuse a guest a full priced room to hope to sell it at a discount. This is a very common misconception among Cast at DRC. There are many a time that select room types are not availiable at select resorts on a discount offer even on the first day the offer is released. *This is from a very reliable source very high in DRC

also min/max stay bookings

This is VERY common, especially on weekends and holiday periods. These requirements cannot be seen by DRC cast, and are often changed for the same dates as business needs and booking trends change.

Disney's systems are not there to help you get a room - the system wants to sell rooms based on what it feels is important. Rooms are offered for sale based on which resort have openings - but with resorts with more openings offered first.

This is sorta true, we enter in your requested dates, party mix, resort and any discount codes you mention. The system will then list 3 or more offers. The requested resort WILL be one of the offers IF it is availiable with your requests. (ie if you request a discount at Pop Century and only rack rate rooms are availiable, OR you request a room only reservation and only WDTC package rooms are availible, etc, then it will not be listed as an offer.)

As other have stated, the most likely reasons for limited availablity at Disney's Yacht Club may be:

Convention booking - keep checking, conventions hold xx number of rooms and release them once they get a final count of who is comming.

President's Weekend - if any one date is not availiable in your request (such as a holiday), the system will simply return different offers. We have no way of knowing if "some" of your dates are available.

Refurbishments - most happen during value seasons.

In any case, as most everyone has stated, book Beach Club (hey you still get the same great pool) and then keep trying back to modify to Yacht Club.

Good luck and enjoy your vacation wherever you stay! :sohappy:

 

[mousermerf]

Wow, i said KK was a wholesaler? I need more sleep

JP, you forgot to mention you're not allowed to offering whatever Option #3 is unless #1 and #2 have been offered first and refused...

 

[Master Yoda]

Wow, i said KK was a wholesaler? I need more sleep

JP, you forgot to mention you're not allowed to offering whatever Option #3 is unless #1 and #2 have been offered first and refused...

Actually that was my fault. I said they were a whole seller, even though I know they aren't. Glad we have JP around to keep us straight.