How far out do you actually NEED to book?

[sbkline]

I know many of us like to book a year out, or as soon as we check out from our current stay, or whatever. But I think this may be due more to enthusiasm for planning than necessity, and I am one of those who tends to book a year in advance. But again, that is more of a tradition based on an excitement to begin planning the next trip.

But I am just curious, is this really necessary? How far out do rooms actually book up? Could I just as well wait until August, when room rates are released, to book for our annual April trip? I think we're gonna do the Beach Club next time around, and our next trip is for April next year. If I am not mistaken, Easter will have already taken place, since we like to plan our trip around being home for Easter. So Easter will be earlier April and we will go April 17-27 (tentatively). I thought about waiting until room rates come out in August, but I don't know if I can wait that long. I may just go ahead and call and book today. But either way, I just want to know out of curiousity, if it is really necessary to book this far out, or if my chances would be just as good in waiting until August?

 

[timeman]

I have never booked that far out for any trip. My three week long trips last year were all booked three or less months in advance. I booked my April trip in February, my August trip in late May and my New Year's trip in October. I was able to get a room and discounts for all three trips for where I wanted to stay on property with no problem. The thing you will have to look at is which resort are you planning on staying at and the time of the year you are going. If you are planning on staying at a resort that is hard to get into than you want to book it as soon as possible, but if you only want to stay on property and don't care which resort it is than you are safe waiting till August.

I would say with the Beach Club I would book it as soon as possible as this is one of the more popular resorts. I always stay at Pop Century and even there they do completely book up at certain times of the year.

 

[harryk]

With DVC as soon as possible.
Have friends who are not DVC members and they have found that they have had to 'settle' for other resorts than they wanted due to waiting until the last minute. They like to be spontaneous. Great idea - but - doesn't always work out.

 

[R W B]

For my trip last July 4th we booked in may, so about a month and a half to 2 months before and then for my upcoming trip in a week, we booked just last Saturday lol. This trip coming up started off being an off site trip 3 months ago but we decided to stay on property and use my free dining PIN code which expired last Saturday.

I'm always a spur of the moment type of guy and I don't think I could book 8-12 months out, right now anyway. If I had kids or if it was a big event I was going for then that could change things. Also if you won't ADRs at the big names places you need to book a good bit ahead of time too.

 

[Hot4Hudgens]

I don't think you need to book too far ahead unless your trip is going to be very detailed and intricate in terms of where you want to stay and places you want to go on exact dates, etc. I mean, a few years ago I booked just 5 days before my actul trip and didn't have any issues, but I usually book a month prior. Not much longer than that.

 

[dave&di]

We 've already booked 17 months beforehand!!! :sohappy:

 

[sbkline]

Like I said, I was just curious. Regardless, I decided just to go ahead and book today. Decided on 5 nights at the Polynesian, then 5 nights at the Beach Club. I've been wanting to try the Poly and my wife definitely wanted the Beach Club for next year, and she was fine with it if I split it up between the two. In addition, before beginning the WDW portion, we're gonna do 2 nights at the Nickelodean Suites, because my son was thrilled to death that we stayed there for one night on this last trip, in a Spongebob room. We haven't booked that portion yet, as they aren't booking that far ahead. But we'll arrive on Sunday the 15th and stay 2 nights at Nickelodean, then arrive at the Poly on the 17th for 5 nights, then the Beach Club on the 22nd for 5 nights.

 

[britdaw]

17 months??!?! Wow.... LOL And I thought I was jumping the gun with my planning. LOL

I'm going to book in September for our March 2012 trip... That way I can call in and go ahead and get my ADR's reserved as well.

 

[SAV]

I think it all depends on if you are using a PIN code or not. Just last week, my Free Dining PIN was expiring and I tried to get POP for 5 nights in August(yeah, I know...HOT!!!) and I couldn't. There were non discounted rooms available, but not for the PIN code. There was some availability on different dates too, but not for the ones I wanted.

I'm sure if I would have tried shortly after getting the PIN we would have been fine, but last minute was a no go.

 

[R W B]

I think it all depends on if you are using a PIN code or not. Just last week, my Free Dining PIN was expiring and I tried to get POP for 5 nights in August(yeah, I know...HOT!!!) and I couldn't. There were non discounted rooms available, but not for the PIN code. There was some availability on different dates too, but not for the ones I wanted.

I'm sure if I would have tried shortly after getting the PIN we would have been fine, but last minute was a no go.

That has to be the same pin code I used. I guess it just depends on wen you wanna go because like I said above, I was able to book AS Sports only 2 weeks out.

 

[dave&di]

17 months??!?! Wow.... LOL And I thought I was jumping the gun with my planning. LOL

I'm going to book in September for our March 2012 trip... That way I can call in and go ahead and get my ADR's reserved as well.

It makes it seem closer and more real to book it when its available! Plus we would get a good deal by booking it at the beginning of April! So we did!!! 486 days to go.:sohappy:

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

Our last few trips have all been booked as soon as the brochure dates became available - usually no less than 15 months before we travel. Unfortunately, to ensure we get seats on planes, on chosen dates it has to be done that far ahead.
Yes you can gey last minute availability but there's nothing like the feeling you get knowing there's a Disney trip to look forward to, even though it is over a year away

 

[dave&di]

Our last few trips have all been booked as soon as the brochure dates became available - usually no less than 15 months before we travel. Unfortunately, to ensure we get seats on planes, on chosen dates it has to be done that far ahead. Yes you can gey last minute availability but there's nothing like the feeling you get knowing there's a Disney trip to look forward to, even though it is over a year away

This is exactly why we had to book already, when we looked on the Virgin website and went through the options just to estimate the cost, we noticed there we no more Premium Economy seats for the date we wanted, we were told to either wait till October when they would allocate more and possibly still be disappointed or book now, we had to add an extra day on to get the Premium Economy seats the day before! Oh well!:sohappy:

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

we had to add an extra day on to get the Premium Economy seats the day before! Oh well!:sohappy:

Oh the sacrifices we Brits must go through just to get to WDW

 

[dave&di]

Oh the sacrifices we Brits must go through just to get to WDW

Ha Ha, we did HAVE to though :ROFLOL: There were no Premium Economy for the Tuesday we wanted, or for the wed, but we didn't want to lose a day, we even tried for the Tue the week after!!! So, we were basically held to ransom! I can only fly Premiem Economy and wouldn't have gone otherwise, (well...... I probably would!) We had to go to work the next day and explain we need more days off than allocated.... but we HAD to!!! :drevil:

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

and wouldn't have gone otherwise, (well...... I probably would!)

Oh, I'd go in the luggage hold if necessary.............

 

[dave&di]

Oh, I'd go in the luggage hold if necessary.............

Or just hold on to the wings! At the time I was having a hissy fit as I'm not good with flying, well, more confined spaces so having always travelled Premium I was anxious to have to fly economy, at least my stroppiness got us an extra day.

 

[Monty]

If all you want is a room to sleep in most times of year you call call while you're on your way to WDW, they'll almost always find a room for you.

Really busy times around the holidays and sometimes spring break they're booked solid, but otherwise there are rooms to be had. You won't get any discounts, the available rooms may be quite expensive and you will be limited in Table-Service ADR options, but you'll be there.