How many days out can you book your next disney trip?

[TXDisney]

My wife and I have been to Disney 5 times over the last 2yrs. So we are gonna take a small break. But I'm getting the itch already to go again. She doesn't want to go again until like early May or 2016. My question is, how far in advance can I book this? The earlier the better for us. I know when booking in advance over the phone, you only have to pay for one nights stay at the resort we choose. So that would give us time to save for park tickets, flight, spending money and the resort. But I think booking this trip will satisfy my itch to go there, knowing I have one planned and started paying for. Plus booking in advance will let us get the dining restaurants we want. Thanks!!!

 

[ToTBellHop]

My wife and I have been to Disney 5 times over the last 2yrs. So we are gonna take a small break. But I'm getting the itch already to go again. She doesn't want to go again until like early May or 2016. My question is, how far in advance can I book this? The earlier the better for us. I know when booking in advance over the phone, you only have to pay for one nights stay at the resort we choose. So that would give us time to save for park tickets, flight, spending money and the resort. But I think booking this trip will satisfy my itch to go there, knowing I have one planned and started paying for. Plus booking in advance will let us get the dining restaurants we want. Thanks!!!

If you want a package, you are looking at July 2015. Otherwise, I believe 499 days, although they will not guarantee your room rate until those rates are released in Summer 2015. Perhaps open a Disney Vacation Account with the goal of a 2016 vacation. This way, you feel like you are putting money away for your vacation and you get $20 back for every $1000 you put in and spend. Not too shabby.

 

[TXDisney]

How do I do that? Never heard if that before?

 

[Master Yoda]

How do I do that? Never heard if that before?

You will need to call the reservation center or go through a travel agent like Kingdom Konsultants to book a room only at 499 days out.

For the Disney Vacation Account simply start here.

https://disneyvacationaccount.disney.go.com/

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

Plus booking in advance will let us get the dining restaurants we want.

You don't need a trip or a room to book a dining reservation. ANYBODY can make an ADR at WDW from 180 days before its required

 

[Master Yoda]

You don't need a trip or a room to book a dining reservation. ANYBODY can make an ADR at WDW from 180 days before its required

but.....

A room reservation will allow you to book the length of your stay up to 10 days from that 180 day mark. Restaurants like Be our Guest and Ohana are often booked solid at 185 +/- out.

 

[TXDisney]

Went to that website and I get how you put in the info and such, but you're not actually booking anything it doesn't look like. Just pretty much setting up a savings account for you and allowing you easier access to what the price will be.

 

[dreamfinder]

Went to that website and I get how you put in the info and such, but you're not actually booking anything it doesn't look like. Just pretty much setting up a savings account for you and allowing you easier access to what the price will be.

Correct. That is a saving site, allowing you to simply save the money in advance so you basically pre pay for your trip. As pointed out, bookings for dates not available online need to be done on the phone through CRO or through a travel agent. They will let you book up to 499 days from now, charge you a deposit for the reservation, and then update pricing once it is released later on.

 

[cgulls]

I read what you're writing about the pricing. But I've booked several trips prior to the next year's rates being official. And they've always told me my rate is my rate. That is, once I booked, it wouldn't increase. And that always was the case. It never increased. I don't have any official word on this, only that my experience is that when you call to book a room-only reservation within 499 days, the rate you get will be your rate.

PS. I see zero advantage in opening a Disney Savings Account.

 

[Master Yoda]

I read what you're writing about the pricing. But I've booked several trips prior to the next year's rates being official. And they've always told me my rate is my rate. That is, once I booked, it wouldn't increase. And that always was the case. It never increased. I don't have any official word on this, only that my experience is that when you call to book a room-only reservation within 499 days, the rate you get will be your rate.

PS. I see zero advantage in opening a Disney Savings Account.

When you are booking a room only that far out ,the price you are typically quoted is the current years holiday rate plus a little extra. Because of this your rate often goes down once prices are released.

 

[cgulls]

When you are booking a room only that far out ,the price you are typically quoted is the current years holiday rate plus a little extra. Because of this your rate often goes down once prices are released.

Aah, I didn't realize that. My MO has been to book at rack as soon as we decide to go. Call at 7:00 a.m. the day the earliest discount is available (so far, it's been Visa), then call again when AP rates are available. Maybe the better plan is to wait until the target year's rates are announced first?

(I love that you quote Richard Dawkins)

 

[Master Yoda]

Aah, I didn't realize that. My MO has been to book at rack as soon as we decide to go. Call at 7:00 a.m. the day the earliest discount is available (so far, it's been Visa), then call again when AP rates are available. Maybe the better plan is to wait until the target year's rates are announced first?

(I love that you quote Richard Dawkins)

Wanting a very popular or rare room type during a very busy time of year regardless of cost is the only real reason to book as far out as 499 days. If you want a theme park view, club level in the tower at the Contemporary for the week of Christmas to New Years then you need to book wayyyyy in advance. On the flip side, you have a god bit of leeway if all you want is a standard room at any of the value resorts for the second week of October.

When to book is always a tough thing to figure out and is a little like gambling.

Do you book as soon as you you are guaranteed that you have particular dates at a particular resort or do you wait for the promotions to come out and take what is left?

Booking a room before discounts are out is surprisingly not always the best policy since Disney runs promotions based on booking rates. If a resort comes up short, they offer a promotion. If they are meeting their numbers, they don't. That room you booked 9 months in advance could be the difference between discount and no discount.

In the before times back in the long long ago when I was a TA, I would tell my clients to set a budget and book according to that budget once their travel dates were locked in. If a promotion came out they could upgrade or pocket the savings. If they absolutely needed a discount to afford the trip, wait for the promotion and then jump on it ASAP.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I read what you're writing about the pricing. But I've booked several trips prior to the next year's rates being official. And they've always told me my rate is my rate. That is, once I booked, it wouldn't increase. And that always was the case. It never increased. I don't have any official word on this, only that my experience is that when you call to book a room-only reservation within 499 days, the rate you get will be your rate.

PS. I see zero advantage in opening a Disney Savings Account.

There is the nominal $20 per $1000 you get, but you can do better with rewards credit cards. If you are a bit obsessive and have a need to feel like you are saving for a trip, it can be nice. Personally, we bought Disney gift cards from Target at 5% off and I didn't want to call Disney with 40 gift cards, so I loaded them into the vacation account, gave Disney one number to pay for the trip, and got a further $40 in gift cards back. That's a benefit to me.

 

[TXDisney]

I wouldn't mind booking my resort as far out in advance as possible but actually book it. But I'd like to just have to so the deposit to secure the reservation and speratically while saving purchase my tickets, flight, resort money, spending money, etc. So if I'm reading this correctly I can actually book my reservation for the hotel 499 days in advance? And with only paying the deposit? (one night stay)

 

[Master Yoda]

I wouldn't mind booking my resort as far out in advance as possible but actually book it. But I'd like to just have to so the deposit to secure the reservation and speratically while saving purchase my tickets, flight, resort money, spending money, etc. So if I'm reading this correctly I can actually book my reservation for the hotel 499 days in advance? And with only paying the deposit? (one night stay)

Correct.

 

[TXDisney]

So I'm looking to do like an 7-10 day trip in early May of 2016. I can book that trip actually in like the next couple weeks then? Awesome!!!