May Park Attendance Spike? Summer effect

[tonypitt]

My wife, some friends, and I were planning a weekend trip to WDW May 13-15. According to the Unofficial Guide this is normally a slow weekend. I expected that with the 50th Anniversary that might not be the case. What I didn't expect was our inability to get a hotel room!

We don't want to stay a value resort, but at this point we can't get a (non-suite) room at a moderate or deluxe. The only choices I'm coming up with are very expensive suites (overkill for our time and budget). I've also checked at hotels we've stayed at off property (Wyndham Palace and others), and they're booked up as well. I guess I'm naive, but I figured that with all the resort rooms Disney has that they never totally filled up. Obviously, I'm wrong.

Looks like this means we'll have to cancel this trip. I'm wondering, though, what this is likely to mean about crowds this summer. Will the huge crowds in May lower the overall summer attendance or are all the parks going to be overrun for the next few months?

I've got one major question for the experts here: If you had the entire summer free and could visit WDW anytime in June-late August, which dates would be best for about a 10 night stay? (Which dates will overall crowd levels be lowest?)

 

[NIU EE]

you're right, those dates seem booked. the next week has alot free though.

 

[Pongo]

We don't want to stay a value resort, but at this point we can't get a (non-suite) room at a moderate or deluxe.

What's wrong with a Value Resort?

 

[speck76]

The city is pretty tight due to a major convention.....the higher end hotels are probably close to full as it is a medical convention....lots of doctors.

I believe the convention is using about 55,000 rooms in the city.

Although most convention attendees do not stay on Disney property, they will fill-up the LBV and I-Drive hotels, which will displace the guests that would be staying at those hotels to the Disney hotels.

 

[Woody13]

We don't want to stay a value resort, but at this point we can't get a (non-suite) room at a moderate or deluxe. The only choices I'm coming up with are very expensive suites (overkill for our time and budget).

I just checked the Disney CRO and found the following moderates to have rooms during your proposed trip:

Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort

Disney's Coronado Springs Resort

Disney's Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter

Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside

P.S. All of the deluxe resorts had rooms too!

 

[dave2822]

mm i hear your pain. i was planning to stay at pop for the first time in early june, and everything was completely booked. i was lucky to get into all star sports.

i think it is a combination of the celebration but also a lot more people are starting to get more and more comfortable with planes and travleing again

 

[wishiwere@wdw]

If you can handle not knowing exactly when you are going ahead of time, try calling the week you want to go. Usually a room pops up at some point from a cancellation.

Are you calling are using the website? I noticed the website showed hotels booked up and then calling would get me a room.

Very good point though. This year may be tough to find a trend with the 50th kickoff in May.

Good news though They need this rebound.

 

[Woody13]

If you can handle not knowing exactly when you are going ahead of time, try calling the week you want to go. Usually a room pops up at some point from a cancellation.

Are you calling are using the website? I noticed the website showed hotels booked up and then calling would get me a room.

Very good point though. This year may be tough to find a trend with the 50th kickoff in May.

Good news though They need this rebound.

I just checked the website and found plenty of value, moderate and deluxe Disney resort rooms available for that weekend. All of the Disney resorts have plenty of rooms to spare during this period. :wave:

 

[lentesta]

speck76, 55,000 rooms is roughly half the hotel capacity of the Orlando metropolitan area. Is that convention really that big? I didn't see it listed in the Orlando Convention Bureau stats, but I may have missed it.

Thanks!

Len

 

[surfsupdon]

There was absolutely no problem making any PSs for the 3rd w/e in May. As long as it isn't like Christmas thru New Years week, I will be happy.

 

[tonypitt]

Not sure how you're showing moderate rooms during that date. If I go to the WDW website and look for "room only" for May 13-15, the initial screen shows lots of options. When I click on any of the moderates, the only one that actually shows availability is a Junior Suite at Coronado Springs. At $750, that doesn't seem worth it to me for a quick weekend trip. The only upgrade shown is cabins at Fort Wilderness.

This is consistent with what my wife was told in 2 separate phone calls to disney yesterday.

At this point we might consider staying at a value, but considering that this is a quick weekend trip planned to take advantage of low crowd levels, we're a bit spooked to see all the resorts as booked up as reservations tells us they are. Seems like more of what you'd see at a peak time.

 

[speck76]

speck76, 55,000 rooms is roughly half the hotel capacity of the Orlando metropolitan area. Is that convention really that big? I didn't see it listed in the Orlando Convention Bureau stats, but I may have missed it.

Thanks!

Len

Yeah.....it is not nearly the largest convention......one in January of this year was about 100,000 rooms....

 

[Woody13]

This is consistent with what my wife was told in 2 separate phone calls to disney yesterday.

I think it best that you consult a travel agent at this point. A good agent will be able to help you see the big picture and find Disney accommodations that meet your needs.

 

[PixiePower]

I have been trying to upgrade for a week to a deluxe resort for the 12th -16th and I can't get it. I will keep trying but if not we will be in 2 rooms at POR. I am just a bit leery of going near the parks on Sat though...if its that booked do I really want to be in the MK? Maybe looking at a different Orlando attraction or 2 for the weekend!

On the flip side I was able to upgrade to AKL Deluxe Sav room for 16th-19th. Maybe thatis a good sign!

 

[AEfx]

What's wrong with a Value Resort?

LOL right on.

If it came down to not going to WDW at all or sleeping on the pavement in the parking lot, I'd choose the latter.

That said, as Woody and others have pointed out, there are a wide variety of rooms available during that time. Not sure where he is looking for rooms, but they are definately there.

AEfx

 

[SpenceMan01]

Yeah.....it is not nearly the largest convention......one in January of this year was about 100,000 rooms....

Ah yes, the Home Builder's Convention. It was starting near the end of our vacation. Needless to say, we avoided I-Drive like the plague!

 

[joshwill]

What's wrong with a Value Resort?

right on!!

the only place i stay at is all star sports.

personally, tho ive been to visit most of the more expensive resorts to have a look see and take some pix, i dont see the sense in spending that much more money for a place that im not gonna be at except to sleep and shower. i spend as nuch time as is possible at the parks.