The plan right now is for a WDW vacation in March or April 2020 (i.e., in a year-and-a-half), staying at the Contemporary Resort. However, a while ago I'd heard hotel rooms there have a major waiting list, as in years. As in, even if I made reservations today, nothing is available until 2024. I'm skeptical of this rumor, though I wanted to learn if any of you has more perfect knowledge. Perhaps more specific details will help; I'd like to book a "good" room, something in the A-Frame's upper floors, with a park view. An extravagance, but that's why it's taken years to save enough. Perhaps rooms in general are available, but there is a waiting list for the "good" ones. Any a
-
The new WDWMAGIC iOS app is here!
Stay up to date with the latest Disney news, photos, and discussions right from your iPhone. The app is free to download and gives you quick access to news articles, forums, photo galleries, park hours, weather and Lightning Lane pricing. Learn More -
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Waiting List for Contemporary Resort Rooms?
- Thread starter Terrified Amateur
- Start date
Skibum1970
Well-Known Member
I don't think that is true. You just have to book further out in advance, especially for March or April. I could be wrong but I don't believe that there is a waiting list. It's just a popular hotel to try and book. Someone here would know how far out you can book. The only issue could be that you won't be able to take advantage of any discounts without having to call and try to get one that way.
Just tried to book and I could book up through January 2020. FYI - I tried to book a week in April 2019 and Contemporary was available. For $630/night. Don't forget to look at Bay Lake Tower as an alternative.
HouCuseChickie
Well-Known Member
I don't think there's any truth to this. I just priced it out for my bday week in 2019 and I'm getting booking options for multiple kinds of garden wing rooms as well as tower rooms with Bay Lake or theme park views. Even standard view rooms in the Garden Wing are coming up as bookable...and those usually go fast since they get booked for conventions and such pretty quickly.
StarshipDisney
Well-Known Member
No way. Bad rumor.
Contemporary is my favorite resort and I have never had an issue...just reserve early as you are doing. Go to the Disney web site and make your reservation up to 499 days out.
Contemporary is my favorite resort and I have never had an issue...just reserve early as you are doing. Go to the Disney web site and make your reservation up to 499 days out.
ProfSlim
Well-Known Member
Not sure where you heard this, but there's no chance they are booked out that far in advance, so fear not
. If you are planning to go anytime in the March/April timeframe (of any year), since that is peak season for them (school vacations), you'll want to get your reservations done sooner than later, I'd suggest 9-12 months in advance to be safe. But as an example they currently have availability for this coming April (Spring break week) for most all room types.
HwdStudio
Well-Known Member
Absolutely not true. And you don’t have to be a terrified amateur here. We will help you with whatever info you need to plan your trip. You have come to the right place. If you get your info from WDWmagic and not from some of the other sites you can bet it will be factual. Welcome aboard. You will want to book as soon as March/April becomes bookable to get exactly what you want but the only waitlists at Disney are for their version of a timeshare called Disney Vacation Club and that is for members and doesn’t apply in your situation.
Thanks much for the advice! Your report encourages, as you were successful even in 2020, beyond when I contemplated.
Thank you, that's reassuring. An endless waiting list did seem odd, but what do I know? We are talking about the Contemporary, after all, the one resort even those who never have been to WDW "know." It seems even the Comtemporary's available, provided I move promptly. Fair enough. Much obliged!
Greatly appreciated! Your insight lights the path. 499 days? Given my plans, that means the door will open...let's see...around Thanksgiving this year. Nice! Guess who's going to be thinking about more than just turkeys this November?
Thanks! Oddly, I don't remember where I heard this either, though as with most rumors, good and bad, it likely started with someone saying, "I heard…" Shame on me for allowing the rumor to discourage me for years, and realizing only now that I should've asked the people who actually would know. Your valuable information has refined my plan, and I'm grateful.Not sure where you heard this, but there's no chance they are booked out that far in advance, so fear not
Wow, imagine my good fortune at finding such a vast storehouse of information! Thanks for the details and the pointers. Obviously , I want to book the hotel promptly, so that I may "build" the airline reservations around it. One more question, if you don't mind - most flights that work best for me land in Orlando around lunchtime, though hotel check-in isn't until 3:00PM, I believe. My checked baggage won't be an issue, as Disney finesses those logistics for hotel guests, but what about my carry-on? Can I leave it at the front desk upon arriving so that I don't have to schlep it around the park with me for a few hours until check-in time?
nickys
Premium Member
That’s not a problem. You can check in any time after about 6am I think, maybe 7am. Your room may not be ready, but Bell Services will hold all your bags, and once checked in you are free to use the resort facilities. So if you wanted to, you could pack swim stuff in one bag and all head to the pool (there are changing rooms near the main pool at each resort at least).
ProfSlim
Well-Known Member
Nothing is ever an issue for Disney
. My family and I always take the first flight from BOS to MCO, the flight is usually between 6:15am and 7:00am....puts us at MCO around 10am...onto the Magical Express and at our resort (we either stay at the Yacht or Poly) by 11:30am and we do precisely as nickys states above...carry-on has the day's essentials and any resort is happy to check it for you... MagicBands are also a nice touch, those get activated and you'll get a text when your room is ready, no need to front-desk check in any longer...Thanks so much. It does make sense - thousands of guests staying on-resort must fly in every day, and their flights can't all land at or after check-in time.
Congratulations on a rare accomplishment, getting me to worry about one less thing. Yes, I've heard about MagicBands. So much different - and better - than it was when I last visited WDW, in the '80s and as a child. Heck, I think I still have my (paper) park ticket in an album somewhere.Nothing is ever an issue for Disney
Disneybub
Member
We booked for our Honeymoon in July 2017 and we travel this November. It took us 4 months of being "on request" before it was officially confirmed in the November of 2017 (I believe we were waiting for the free dining to end as the allocation had been sold) The other factor against us was the fact that we wanted a TTPV room for 14 nights, So we just had to wait for it to become available.
Your valuable information is much appreciated - thanks for sharing! Not to dismiss the challenges you overcame and the worries they caused, though I think my more "modest" request (5 nights) may be a little easier for Disney to fulfill. If this works, next comes the happy task of deciding the five restaurants, one a night, that will receive dinner reservations. Right now I've selected three: The San Angel Inn (I remember the magnificent setting from a childhood visit), Teppan Edo (I love Japanese cuisine) and The California Grill (I've heard good things). A year remains to fill the other two spots. By the way, congratulations on your wedding, and on accomplishing your honeymoon plans!
nickys
Premium Member
That wasn’t because they were waiting for a room to become available due to lots of other people having booked though. You weren’t waiting for a cancellation.
That was because although you can make a room-only bookimg 499 days out, they don’t confirm things until 12 months . Which is why you can’t link a reservation number into MDE more than a year ahead of your trip.
Disneybub
Member
I haven't said i was waiting for a cancellation? Free dining was still on at the time, and the allocation for the contemporary had all been sold, I could have booked if i was happy to stay somewhere else.
As soon as November 6th rolled around and FD ending, we were able to book the package through Virgin Holidays.
nickys
Premium Member
OP was asking about a waiting list. There is no such thing. You were not on a waiting list for the Contemporary.
Still not 100% sure why you had to wait, other than you can never get a fully guaranteed package / room until a year out. Even if you book through Virgin 20 months out, they still reserve the right to move to move you (buried in the small print).
That said, Virgin have an allocation of rooms from Disney at each resort. If Virgin have reached their limit, they may operate a waiting list, to see if Disney will give them more rooms at the 12 month mark.
Sounds like you were wanting a Virgin package You were wanting the Contemporary, but not the free dining offer? Virgin offered to book you elsewhere earlier but said they didn’t rooms at the Contemporary, until a year ahead? If so, that tallies with them having sold all their allocation of Contemporary rooms under the deal,terms, and needed to wait until Disney would give them extra.
Whatever the actual reason, it wasn’t because Disney were operating a waiting list. Which is what OP was wanting to know about.
Enjoy your honeymoon, and Congratulations!