book now, or wait for discount? please advise

[hvanes]

We've only been to WDW twice, and both times I booked trips just 3-4 months in advance in correlation with PIN codes we received (trip 1 was a 35% off deluxe room-only discount, trip 2 they lured me in with a free dining PIN code).

We know we want to go in May '13 and have been waiting for the dates to come out. If we book our trip now and some sort of discount comes up later, will we be able to utilize it? If not, I think I'll take my chances and wait. Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[BelleBeautyandtheBeast]

You can book now and if a code/discount comes out you can just call and modify your existing reservation

Happy planning!

 

[disneychic2]

Yes, book it now if you know when and where you want to stay. I've added discounts as they are offered after the fact with no problem at all. Just watch for them, here on the DIS or at Mousesavers etc. and call to have it applied to your reservation. Good luck!

 

[danceintherain]

We've only been to WDW twice, and both times I booked trips just 3-4 months in advance in correlation with PIN codes we received (trip 1 was a 35% off deluxe room-only discount, trip 2 they lured me in with a free dining PIN code).

We know we want to go in May '13 and have been waiting for the dates to come out. If we book our trip now and some sort of discount comes up later, will we be able to utilize it? If not, I think I'll take my chances and wait. Thanks in advance for your help!

From what I understand, Disney releases discounts based on the currently empty rooms at the time the discounts are released. By booking in a certain room category, you may very well be keeping it from being added into the pool of available rooms should a discount be released for your dates. You would then have to switch rooms in order to get a discount, and it's unlikely that anyone else will be able to book the cancelled room at a discount.

It depends on what is most important to you: a discount or a specific room category.
If it's a discount, then you gain nothing by booking now, because there's no guarantee that the room you book will be available at a discount.
If it's a specific room category, then by booking now you guarantee that you will have that room for your dates with or without a discount.

There are only two other factors that may be relevant: dining and air reservations.
You must have a reservation at a Disney resort in order to book at 180+10 days. If no discounts are released by the time this window opens, then you may want to book a hotel reservation in order to get some hard to get ADRs.

Sometimes a discount on airfare can be too hard to pass up. If you book your airfare before discounts are released, then it makes sense to book a hotel reservation somewhere in order to guarantee you have a place to stay. This locks you into particular dates, which makes the likelihood of you being able to apply a particular discount go down.

No matter what, if a discount is released before the balance is due on your package and you are willing to book into an applicable category, you can change without penalty.

 

[cc-atl]

From what I understand, Disney releases discounts based on the currently empty rooms at the time the discounts are released. By booking in a certain room category, you may very well be keeping it from being added into the pool of available rooms should a discount be released for your dates. You would then have to switch rooms in order to get a discount, and it's unlikely that anyone else will be able to book the cancelled room at a discount.

It depends on what is most important to you: a discount or a specific room category.
If it's a discount, then you gain nothing by booking now, because there's no guarantee that the room you book will be available at a discount.
If it's a specific room category, then by booking now you guarantee that you will have that room for your dates with or without a discount.

There are only two other factors that may be relevant: dining and air reservations.
You must have a reservation at a Disney resort in order to book at 180+10 days. If no discounts are released by the time this window opens, then you may want to book a hotel reservation in order to get some hard to get ADRs.

Sometimes a discount on airfare can be too hard to pass up. If you book your airfare before discounts are released, then it makes sense to book a hotel reservation somewhere in order to guarantee you have a place to stay. This locks you into particular dates, which makes the likelihood of you being able to apply a particular discount go down.

No matter what, if a discount is released before the balance is due on your package and you are willing to book into an applicable category, you can change without penalty.

Thanks fror the thorough information.

I am going in Feburary. My room preference will probably be to try out the new LM rooms at AOA. I do want to make some ADR's - such as the Be Our Guest Restaurant and Cinderella's Table so I think I will want to book now.

But I know that the LM rooms are currently not included in the Free Dining offer for this fall, if Free Dining becomes available in February and the LM rooms are excluded again I would want to cancel that room and likely move to a moderate to get the plus dining plan. Not a big deal, but my question is this - if that happens and I have to change rooms to take advantage of a discount, do my ADRs go with me or would they be lost?

If they go with me I'll go ahead and book the LM room if not I may go ahead and book a different room/resort just in case discounts become available.

Thanks

 

[hvanes]

Thanks for the helpful - good things to think about. We have a large family (4 kids + a baby), so we're considering a 2-br villa at Saratoga Springs or a deluxe club level room at Boardwalk Inn (which we stayed in before and loved). I'm thinking those are less likely to be discounted. However, we've also kicked around getting two standard rooms at the Poly, which, if discounts come available, would be less in cost than either of the aforementioned resorts for us.

Does anyone know or recall what types of discounts have typically been offered for late May/early June (if any)?

 

[Sue M]

I agree with the fact that if rooms book up before discounts are released, WDW won't put any or a lower discount on that resort or room cat. It also has no bearing on if you will get that discount if you book now. So by booking now it may work against you.

If you have AAA you can get a room only discount by asking WDW reservations.
In the past I've done this- we've gotten a 20% room only discount on moderate resort. Then when WDW releases discounts I've switched, they usually were better in the past. When moderates got 30% discounts. Now who knows with dwindling % off by Disney

I'm thinking of booking for Jan. trip using AAA discount so I can make my 180 day ADRs.

 

[hvanes]

I agree with the fact that if rooms book up before discounts are released, WDW won't put any or a lower discount on that resort or room cat. It also has no bearing on if you will get that discount if you book now. So by booking now it may work against you.

If you have AAA you can get a room only discount by asking WDW reservations.
In the past I've done this- we've gotten a 20% room only discount on moderate resort. Then when WDW releases discounts I've switched, they usually were better in the past. When moderates got 30% discounts. Now who knows with dwindling % off by Disney

I'm thinking of booking for Jan. trip using AAA discount so I can make my 180 day ADRs.

So when Disney's discounts were released, did you just call reservations and ask to apply a different discount code to your room/package? And you had no trouble doing so?