WWYD about this??

[princessap]

In order to get good flights using reward points we usually need to book at least a year away!!! We are debating between late September and early October 2014...I had decided on October but was looking at past discounts and sometimes that week is excluded from discounts??

Once we lock in our flights we are set for dates unless we want to pay the charge for changing them.....should I risk going without a discount in October?? how does everyone else do it when booking flights sooo far ahead??

we could pay for flights but then I know we would not be staying at poly or CR so really want to use points...


thanks!

 

[smorkovsky]

Why October? I mean, I'd just evaluate why I really wanted to go in October versus the week before in September. I was recently debating a similar issue, and I just decided to go with September and count on the discounts they almost always offer the month of September. It seems like a safer risk to me. But if October is really important to you for whatever reason (it wasn't for me) then risk it!! Cheap flights are worth it, since that is one of the HUGE expenses. We are flying five, so that is more money saved than just about any discount Disney will ever offer.

 

[dansdad]

In order to get good flights using reward points we usually need to book at least a year away!!! We are debating between late September and early October 2014...I had decided on October but was looking at past discounts and sometimes that week is excluded from discounts??

Once we lock in our flights we are set for dates unless we want to pay the charge for changing them.....should I risk going without a discount in October?? how does everyone else do it when booking flights sooo far ahead??

we could pay for flights but then I know we would not be staying at poly or CR so really want to use points...


thanks!

Our last couple of trips we have used a different strategy which has greatly reduced the hand wringing and worrying about discounts. We decide on our dates, resort, length of stay, etc and use the WDW site to price it out. If we have enough saved, we book it. If not, we postpone our plans and continue to save until we have more $$. Then IF a discount comes out that fits our dates, resort, etc we book using the discount. Then we use the $$ saved to splurge on a Wishes cruise, a tour, or put $$ down for the next years trip if there's a bounce back offer. It has completely eliminated the anxiety I used to feel a couple months before our trip waiting and hoping for a discount.

 

[princessap]

Why October? I mean, I'd just evaluate why I really wanted to go in October versus the week before in September. I was recently debating a similar issue, and I just decided to go with September and count on the discounts they almost always offer the month of September. It seems like a safer risk to me. But if October is really important to you for whatever reason (it wasn't for me) then risk it!! Cheap flights are worth it, since that is one of the HUGE expenses. We are flying five, so that is more money saved than just about any discount Disney will ever offer.

I have heard October is nicer weather and not so much hurricane weather. that is why I am leaning towards October. We normally do feb/march and I am a little worried about how hot it will be in September.

I agree about prices though. The flights are free which is why I want to use the points and save the money we would have spent on flights on the dining plan (if no free dining) or extras if we get free dining. when i was looking at feb again i called 11 months out and all direct weekend flights were already gone so want to be on the ball this time!!

why did you decide on september?? did u use points too??

 

[Wood Nymph]

We always book our trips during the lower priced value seasons. Then we are getting cheap room rates to start with. If a discount is announced, then that is the icing on the cake. The value season for room rates often coincides with lower airfares, too. We also fly on days that tend to cost less, too.

 

[Hoosier Mom]

We booked the 3rd week of September once (2006) and got the free dining that year. But had we known it was going to be so Hot and Humid and large swarms of love bugs, we would have booked late October. To us, it wasn't worth the discount. What about January? There's sometimes discounts for January. 2010 I think we only paid for 4 nights/days and got 3 free. And 2012, we got free dining. I'm not sure they offered a discount for January 2013 though. Still waiting to see if there's anything offered for this coming January.

Good luck planning your trip. To me, planning is half the fun.

 

[princessap]

Our last couple of trips we have used a different strategy which has greatly reduced the hand wringing and worrying about discounts. We decide on our dates, resort, length of stay, etc and use the WDW site to price it out. If we have enough saved, we book it. If not, we postpone our plans and continue to save until we have more $$. Then IF a discount comes out that fits our dates, resort, etc we book using the discount. Then we use the $$ saved to splurge on a Wishes cruise, a tour, or put $$ down for the next years trip if there's a bounce back offer. It has completely eliminated the anxiety I used to feel a couple months before our trip waiting and hoping for a discount.

We will be going either way too, but if I can get free dining even better. Who doesnt want to save money? lol

Our flights being free mean we can stay deluxe again which is what we want so it is worth it to us to book ahead I just havent done it this far in advance yet!!

 

[trishadono]

We booked the 3rd week of September once (2006) and got the free dining that year. But had we known it was going to be so Hot and Humid and large swarms of love bugs, we would have booked late October. To us, it wasn't worth the discount. What about January? There's sometimes discounts for January. 2010 I think we only paid for 4 nights/days and got 3 free. And 2012, we got free dining. I'm not sure they offered a discount for January 2013 though. Still waiting to see if there's anything offered for this coming January.

Good luck planning your trip. To me, planning is half the fun.

The one time we went over Columbus weekend at POFQ we were swamped with those love bugs! So I guess weather, promotions and bugs are part of the unknown planning

 

[Hoosier Mom]

The one time we went over Columbus weekend at POFQ we were swamped with those love bugs! So I guess weather, promotions and bugs are part of the unknown planning

Oh no, does that mean sometimes those bugs are there in October too? They didn't bite, but they sure were a huge nuisance. We were swatting all week and the bus's wipers and windows were just caked with them. So gross.

 

[ElizabethG]

The week that has the third Thursday in October is the unofficial Minnesota week! The k-12 schools are all closed. Minnesotans don't really stand out in a crowd, so it's hard to tell we're there in such numbers (A-hem - jersey week)!

 

[Hoosier Mom]

The week that has the third Thursday in October is the unofficial Minnesota week! The k-12 schools are all closed. Minnesotans don't really stand out in a crowd, so it's hard to tell we're there in such numbers (A-hem - jersey week)!

Ours schools here in Indiana are taking longer breaks now in October also. Ours has 1 full week the third week. Some have 2 full weeks off.