AP discounts or early confirmed bookings?

[Andrew Bichard]

A question for wheelchair users:

Do you book early to guarantee an adapted room and pay full price, or wait until discounts are announced and risk that no adapted rooms are left?

For the past few trips I have done the former, despite having an Annual Pass that would entitle me to discounted room rates. My reason being that I need to book my airline tickets well in advance (I am flying in from the UK) and I need to be certain I have somewhere to stay when I arrive at Disney. Because I use a wheelchair, I need a ‘disabled’ adapted room with roll in shower. As there are relatively few of these at each hotel, I have considered it safest to book early, as soon as I have my air tickets. Of course, booking this early means I must forgo any AP discounts, as these are not generally announced ‘till quite late on.

This year though, I made a terrible mistake. When I made my bookings back in March, I checked out room availability as usual, but probably forgot to ring back and confirm once I had confirmed flights. Yesterday, I called back to enquire why they hadn’t sent me room confirmation through the post as is usual, to be told they had no record of my booking.

Terror and Panic!!!

Did they have any adapted rooms free for my dates? – Yes

Relief!!!

And then, just as an aside, and more of a joke than anything else, I asked if AP discounts were announced yet, and if so, could I have one? - Yes and Yes again, so I made my booking.
My mistake back in March has left me with around $700 extra in my pocket to spend this next trip. Had I bought all my previous hotel stays at AP discount rather than full rate, I would be several thousand dollars better off today. I am still nervous about leaving my booking late enough to risk not getting an adapted room at all, yet the savings involved are more than just peanuts – in fact they are probably enough to buy APs for my wife and I.

Has anyone else experience of booking adapted rooms at the last minute?

Andrew

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I do not neeed an adaptive room. However, I will often be able to change my reservation. For example, for an upcoming trip I initially booked at full price, then at the Disney Club discount, and finally at the AP rate. My ten night stay in the Contemporary Tower has dropped by over $1,500. This does require investing in a few phone calls, and also dealing directly through Disney reservations and not an agent. First step is to book the room to be sure you get what you need. When you find out about reduced rates call in to make a new reservation without initially stating you need an adaptive room. When you are given the new reservation number, then tell the person that you need an adaptive room and, "by the way I already have a reservation number ???" and have them cancel that one and immediately confirm you to have an adaptive room.