Advice About Booking WDW Hotels - Is Sooner Better Than Later?

[1nfrequent]

Wanted to pick the brains of the board. I've just booked to go back to WDW next March and am looking to stay on site for 4 nights. I've previously stayed at POR, POFQ and YC and enjoyed them all.

Looking at prices at the moment, a de luxe hotel is too much for me and I've found POFQ at £615. Is this a reasonable price for that hotel or should I hold on for a couple of months in case the price goes down? I don't need free dining (which I think is now over) - just somewhere to place my head for the night.

1F

 

[scoobydooby]

From memory money off deals tend to follow free dining so I might hang on a while and see if that happens. I booked in February this year for May this year and got 30% off AKL. There was money off some moderates too but can't recall which ones.

 

[1nfrequent]

Thanks, scooby. I might just hold back for a few weeks then and see what happens. So difficult to know what to do!

1F

 

[Elise79]

There is a room only discount covering March if you book through Disney US. If you book room only through a TA or by phone deposit is one night with balance due a check in. Deposit is fully refundable until 6 days before check in. (There are different rules for online booking with balance payable 45 days out)

I would recommend Dreams Unlimited if you want to go that route as they are so easy to deal with and you pay the same as booking direct but it's all done by email and they make sure you get the best discount

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I would book now. The longer you wait the chance that they lower room rates will be gone. Here is how Disney works.

When room rates are released they set a number on the amount of rooms they want to sell for a certain price.

Rooms 1-100 booked will be sold for $110
when 101 -200 are booked they will be priced at $160
201-301 will be priced at $200

So the closer to your date the higher the price.

If you book now and they have a sale you can always call and get your reservation switched to the sale price.

 

[heatherbelle]

Also read the Poly thread on here, because that agent might have bought up blocks of rooms for your dates.

 

[Elise79]

I would book now. The longer you wait the chance that they lower room rates will be gone. Here is how Disney works.

When room rates are released they set a number on the amount of rooms they want to sell for a certain price.

Rooms 1-100 booked will be sold for $110
when 101 -200 are booked they will be priced at $160
201-301 will be priced at $200

So the closer to your date the higher the price.

If you book now and they have a sale you can always call and get your reservation switched to the sale price.

Thats how DCL works but now WDW. They put all rooms on sale at rack rate then as they get closer they release discounts to fill unsold rooms.

If you are set on one resort then it is best to book and switch if you can get a discount but if you are flexible I would wait for the discounts.

 

[scoobydooby]

I would book now. The longer you wait the chance that they lower room rates will be gone. Here is how Disney works. When room rates are released they set a number on the amount of rooms they want to sell for a certain price. Rooms 1-100 booked will be sold for $110 when 101 -200 are booked they will be priced at $160 201-301 will be priced at $200 So the closer to your date the higher the price. If you book now and they have a sale you can always call and get your reservation switched to the sale price.

That is absolutely not my observation of booking rooms at WDW from the UK. Room discounts historically follow free dining. Of course that's no guarantee it will happen again, but it is a more accurate historic reflection than the above post.

 

[1nfrequent]

I've been keeping an eye on resort prices and a third party site (note sure whether it's okay to name it here but can do so if it's permitted) had a really good deal on Beach Club, so I've taken the plunge. The price was the same as what I paid for Yacht Club earlier in the year and it was a couple of hundred cheaper than booking via the Disney site so I feel like I got a good deal. Of course, the temptation now is to keep looking to see if I can get a better one. It's a rate that I can cancel without penalty so if a better deal pitches up, I will take advantage of it. Still, very excited though - feels like my holiday's starting to come together at last.

1F