Thanksgiving booking strategy

[belias21]

OK - If anyone knows the answer to this (or has done it) it is bound to be someone on this site...

I'm in the process of putting together dates and planning for a Thanksgiving 2013 trip (yes, 2013). But I'm using 2012 promos, dates, and crowd calendars for information.
Given crowd levels, I want to try and spend as much of our time AFTER Thanksgiving as possible. At the same time, I want to try and avoid taking our kids out of school for too long (I'm OK with maybe 2 days but no more). So we're looking at arriving on Thanksgiving and checking out the following Tuesday (using that as strictly a travel day). We'll follow the same formula that we did on our last trip which worked really well for us. We do 5 nights with 2 park days and 3 pool/resort-hop/DTD days. Everything I've read shows that the Saturday after Thanksgiving is the start of things slowing down again. Given that, we probably wouldn't even hit a park until that day.

So... my question is this. If I'm using the 2012 free dining promo as a gauge, it looks like potential promos and rate decreases typically begin on that Saturday. If I check in on Thursday, I can't use them (I don't think). Would it be feasible to book 2 reservations? One arriving on Thursday for 2 nights with no dining and no parks. One arriving on Saturday for 3 nights with dining and 2-day MYW. That way when/if promos come out, I can still apply them to the latter reservation. Obviously, we'd be fending for ourselves on food for the first 2 days. Also, we likely wouldn't be guaranteed the same room for both reservations (maybe use that as an opportunity to switch resorts).

Anyway, I know this can be done - just curious if it HAS been done and how that worked out for anyone.

Thanks!
Brian

 

[SnowyWhite]

I have not done this, but I have been looking into the same thing.
You can only use the free dining or special resort rate discounts beginning the day of your arrival. You would have to book a couple of days on your own as you had mentioned for the first half of your trip. Then make another reservation to get the discount that would apply only to the second half of your trip. If the offer is free dining then you cannot use the dining plan until the day of the arrival noted on your second reservation.

While doing the "Live Chat" on the Disney site with a cast member here is the answer I was given (I copied and pasted it for my own reference) -

"Yes, you can book two separate reservations each for 4 nights. However, we cannot guarantee that you will not have to change rooms. If you make sure to book the same room type for both stays, this will limit your chances of having to change. Also, we place a note on your reservation after booking it that states you are continuing your stay at the same location. This also helps."

 

[Missytara]

I arrive the Saturday after Thanksgiving and unfortunately your information is incorrect. I have had discounts the last four years and they all do not start until Sunday - Saturday is still blacked out.

I have had to do a room only the first night and switch to a package on Sunday.

Also with free dining, it has been a minimum night stay - of which one year was three nights.

 

[curlycue241]

I've been doing the same thing trying to get a rough estimate of what pricing would be for Thanksgiving 2013, the promo this year is free dining starting the 23rd which is the Friday after Thanksgiving you must also have a reservation for 6 nights/7 days. I'm thinking of arriving the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and staying the following full week so if they do this next year I can split my reservation to still meet the requirements but if you are only staying 5 nights total it would not work.

 

[shannonstar]

This is why we do the week before Thanksgiving. It's easier b/c as long as you arrive on the Thursday before Thanksgiving, your entire trip is included.

 

[popgfd]

every other year we bring our adult DS plus adult DD, spouses and 13 g-kids for a total of 23. 2013 will be the 8th family trip

the Friday before THanksgiving or the following Monday are cheaper airfares. we use Tables in Wonderland so I can't help there. The Tuesday after the holday is the first day of normal or reduced fares.

The Tuesday before Thanksgiving to the following Sunday are very busy so finding pricing deals when the parks and resorts are crammed make it unlikely to find deals. I've seen the buffets go up $4 or $5 per person just because it is busy.

We try for Friday thru Monday before the holiday to get much of the park rides and then we get very selective with FP's etc and take in the shows. Most of the families go home Friday or Saturday morning

Must have ADR's.

Pop

 

[momofkids]

This is not correct. You can stay for fewer days. I believe it is for a minimum of 3 nights and 2 days of tickets. If you look at the bottom of the ad it says for other stays. The 6 nights is just Disney's suggested stay. If you check out the details on the special offers page, you will see that it reads "Be sure to check packages for other lengths of stay." You can get up to 14 days of free dining also. Disney is deliberately vague so that you book for the 6 nights.

I've been doing the same thing trying to get a rough estimate of what pricing would be for Thanksgiving 2013, the promo this year is free dining starting the 23rd which is the Friday after Thanksgiving you must also have a reservation for 6 nights/7 days. I'm thinking of arriving the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and staying the following full week so if they do this next year I can split my reservation to still meet the requirements but if you are only staying 5 nights total it would not work.

 

[Valista]

To get the free dinning you must stay 3 nights and have 2 days worth of tickets. To do what you are suggesting you would have to buy your tickets twice(3day and a four day versus one 7 day pass) and those first two days are very expensive. Our school system has the entire week of Thanksgiving off, so we are going to take the kids out of school for 2-3 days and stay Thursday before Thanksgiving (last day to check in and still get free dinning before the Thanksgiving holidays)thru the tuesday before Thanksgiving. We will get the free dining and leave as it is getting really crowded.

 

[amyr1]

I believe you can make 2 reservations--one a "room only" from the time you get there until the free dining starts--and the other a "package" starting with free dining date until you leave.

If you want to go to the parks BEFORE the "pkg" reservation starts you can ask to pick up your tickets early. You can buy up to 10 days worth of tickets regardless of how many nights you stay.

Amy

 

[Valista]

I believe you can make 2 reservations--one a "room only" from the time you get there until the free dining starts--and the other a "package" starting with free dining date until you leave.

If you want to go to the parks BEFORE the "pkg" reservation starts you can ask to pick up your tickets early. You can buy up to 10 days worth of tickets regardless of how many nights you stay.

Amy

I didn't know you could pick up your tickets before your package started. This may change how I book things in the future. Thanks for the info.

 

[belias21]

All good info on here - thanks guys! So, has anyone been there the weekend BEFORE Thanksgiving? Unfortunately, the 2013-2014 school calendar isn't out yet, but our kids usually have the Wed before Thanksgiving off. If i took them out that Mon and Tues, we could spend a longer time but I fear it would be crazy busy.

 

[itsjustlisa]

we are going this year for thanksgiving and are planning to travel the wednesday before. we have to book two nights (wed and thurs) and then start our free dining reservation on friday (checking in the 23rd) and we'll leave on tuesday. we are contemplating staying off site wed and thurs, to save some money) and then just doing the friday through tuesday through disney and having free dining those days.

 

[unionville]

This will be our third year of spending Thanksgiving at Disney. We use DVC so the free dining promotion does not come into play. We arrive the Saturday before Thanksgiving and leave the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The crowds seem to pick up on Wednesday (the day before Thanksgiving). I would assume they slack back off by Sunday. We go knowing that there will be crowds and just enjoy the moment. Our school's get Wednesday - Friday as holidays so my son only misses 2 days of school.

Pool days may or may not happen at this time of year. The first year we went and wore hats, coats and mittens for half the trip and then my son was able to swim for a couple of afternoons - but too cold for parents. The second trip, we had warm afternoons for swimming at the pool but the mornings and evenings were cool. Just plan to be flexible when planning pool days.