Extended stay

[bradisgoofy]

1.) Is there a maximum number of days you may stay at FW?

2.) I've read here that the price you pay for a site on your arrival date ( read - arrive during Value Season ) is the price you pay for your whole stay. Do you think that will continue with the new weekend pricing structure?

[becky1960]

The price you pay varies from season to season and day to day, with Fri-Sat and Holidays being more and will go up and back down depending on your dates. This is a new policy. I do believe there is a maximun and you may have to make more than one reservation.

[lawnspecialties]

When we went last year, there was a bus there like something a rock star would travel in. Folks were talking about it on the bus ride to the park and they were saying it was some "snowbirds" from up north. Supposedly, they come down and stay at the Fort every winter for six months.:eek:

[drafthorsecrazy]

The maximum days you can stay on one reservation is 30 days. To stay longer one must make a second, third, fourth etc. reservation. To my knowledge there is no limit to the number of reservations one can make. If you visit during the winter you will run across many people staying several months.

[des1954]

There are probably about 175-200 winter guests that stay for 3-4 months at the Fort during the winter. DH & I did this the winters of 2002 & 2003 when we each retired from our first careers, respectively. (Too young to retire-retire & now had to go back to camping on weekends & once in a while week-long trips ---WAAAH!).

Central Reservations allows you to book for 28 days on one reservation (they say that is a Florida State Regulation). Those staying for months at a time must make multiple reservations. It used to be that if the first of your 28 days was a value rate day, then your entire reservation would bill at the lower rate.

Beginning in 2008, your reservation will be priced on a day-by-day rate. So, if you come in on a Sunday you will be charged the week-day rate for Sun-Wed. Thurs-Sat, the rate will jump to the weekend rate & on the next Sunday it will drop back to the week-day rate.

[drafthorsecrazy]

My Jan 08 reservation is for 30 days. Jan. 1 -30. My Feb. reservation is from Jan. 31- Feb 29. Another 30 days.

[ftwildernessguy]

My Jan 08 reservation is for 30 days. Jan. 1 -30. My Feb. reservation is from Jan. 31- Feb 29. Another 30 days.

Are you bragging?

[des1954]

My Jan 08 reservation is for 30 days. Jan. 1 -30. My Feb. reservation is from Jan. 31- Feb 29. Another 30 days.

I defer to your ressie!!! The last time we did this was in 2003-4, when we stayed for 4 months. At that time, they only allowed us 28 days per ressie.

Perhaps.... just perhaps.... if I win the Florida State $40K lotto tomorrow nite, I can stay there year round!! :woohoo: :cloud9:

[drafthorsecrazy]

Are you bragging?

Nope! Just confirming that WDW will take 30 day ressies

[Rhonda]

Nope! Just confirming that WDW will take 30 day ressies

I think you should say yes!! I would definitely brag, if I could stay 30 days at a time!!! :thumbsup2 :banana:

[ftwildernessguy]

Good thing you're not bragging, cause I'm jealous. Too bad you're not gonna be there in October, I'd invite you over for a Kungaloosh and some good Disney conversation.

[drafthorsecrazy]

Your Kungaloosh sounds good! I wrote the receipe down and plan to indulge in a few while there.

[DznyRulz]

Beginning in 2008, your reservation will be priced on a day-by-day rate. So, if you come in on a Sunday you will be charged the week-day rate for Sun-Wed. Thurs-Sat, the rate will jump to the weekend rate & on the next Sunday it will drop back to the week-day rate.

This is correct but the infamous seasons still apply. Even though the daily rates are different for Sun.-Thu. and Fri.-Sat. they are still applied within the season. It looks like the old standard where your entire stay is based on the season of your first day when the season changes has been done away with. I just ran a quote for 2/10/08-2/16/08 and the daily rate changed with the season:

Date Rate per Night
Sun, Feb 10 $ 47.00
Mon, Feb 11 $ 47.00
Tue, Feb 12 $ 47.00
Wed, Feb 13 $ 47.00
Thu, Feb 14 $ 82.00
Fri, Feb 15 $ 85.00
Sat, Feb 16 $ 85.00

This is going to have a big impact on snowbirds. I don't see on Disney's website the extra special rates for Fri.-Sat. or the holidays. I wonder how much extra for the July 4th weekend? I ran a quote for 6/30/08-7/7/08 and the Fri.-Sat. rate, normally $73, was $74 so I guess the extra increase for the holiday weekend is minimal.

Date Rate per Night
Mon, Jun 30 $ 71.00
Tue, Jul 01 $ 71.00
Wed, Jul 02 $ 71.00
Thu, Jul 03 $ 71.00
Fri, Jul 04 $ 74.00
Sat, Jul 05 $ 74.00
Sun, Jul 06 $ 71.00

Here is information on the rates from a reliable source. This is another reason we go during Value season, the Friday & Saturday rate increase does not apply during Value season.

2008 Site Pricing
Sunday - Thursday (tax not included)
Type Value Regular Peak Holiday Pre-Holiday
Partial Hook-Up Site $ 42 $ 60 $ 70 $ 81 $ 46
Full Hook-Up Site $ 47 $ 71 $ 82 $ 94 $ 52
Preferred Site $ 56 $ 77 $ 88 $ 99 $ 60
Wilderness Cabin $ 255 $ 299 $ 340 $ 380 $ N/A

Friday - Saturday (tax not included)
Type Value Regular Peak Holiday Pre-Holiday
Partial Hook-Up Site $ 42 $ 62 $ 72 $ 83 $ 48
Full Hook-Up Site $ 47 $ 73 $ 84 $ 96 $ 54
Preferred Site $ 56 $ 76 $ 90 $ 101 $ 62
Wilderness Cabin $ 255 $ 314 $ 355 $ 395 $ N/A


Additional special rates (i.e. higher rates) apply during the following holidays:
Martin Luther King Weekend, January 18-20.
Presidents Day Weekend, February 15-17.
Easter Week, March 16-27.
Independence Day Weekend, July 4-5.
Thanksgiving Weekend, November 26-29.
2008 Season Dates - Cabins
Value Season: 1/1 - 2/13, 7/20 - 10/01, 11/30 - 12/18
Regular Season: 3/30 - 7/19, 10/2 - 11/29
Peak Season: 2/14 - 3/29
Holiday Season: 12/19 - 12/31

2008 Season Dates - Campsites
Value Season: 1/1 - 2/13, 8/03 - 11/20
Regular Season: 3/30 - 8/02
Peak Season: 2/14 - 3/29
Holiday Season: 12/19 - 12/31
Pre-Holiday Season: 11/21 - 12/18