Booking at the Fort in 2023

[ontdvc2015]

Hi Fellow Campers,

So this is more of a general booking question, but I figure since it's the Fort we want to book, and some of you will be very familiar with this rule, I would post it here.

We are planning on camping from Feb 5-17, 2023. I know Disney says you can book up to 500 days out. So a couple weeks ago we called o what would have been 500 days from the check in date. The guy we talked to at Disney said that it has to be 500 days from the check OUT date. So he said to call back after Oct 5 and we could book for the 12 nights. So today we called and the lady we talked to today said that the "rooms" have not been released by Disney for 2023 yet.

In Sept 2018 we booked for Feb 2020 and had no issues at all, so now I dont know what is going on. Did the first guy give us false info? Did the woman today give us false info? Have they changed something since 2018 that wont allow us to book this early now?

Hopefully some of you can shed some light on this for me, as sitting on the phone twice for an hour each time to book and getting shot down gets really frustrating.

Thanks for the help!

 

[bama_ed]

Even though the early part of 2023 is within the 500 day window which normally means you can book, it's true that Disney has not released ANY 2023 rooms for booking yet. So for whatever reason, Disney is not operating their booking process like they did back in the non-pandemic days.

Don't know why. Don't know when it will change. Or if it will change. But other people have the same issue you do. They can't book ANYTHING for 2023 arrivals yet either.

Bama Ed

PS - pretty sure the counter moved to arrival date a year or two ago. So it's not counting from arrival or departure that is preventing a reservation.

 

[ontdvc2015]

Thanks Ed.

It was just so strange that the first agent we talked to gave us the date to call back and he also said we could book the first night if we wanted to while we were on the phone and then call back and modify the reservation after. Maybe he had the year as 2022 instead of 23. Who knows. But man did it suck sitting on hold today for an hour to only be told that we couldn't book anything. I guess we just have to wait a bit longer.

 

[bama_ed]

Thanks Ed.

It was just so strange that the first agent we talked to gave us the date to call back and he also said we could book the first night if we wanted to while we were on the phone and then call back and modify the reservation after. Maybe he had the year as 2022 instead of 23. Who knows. But man did it suck sitting on hold today for an hour to only be told that we couldn't book anything. I guess we just have to wait a bit longer.

You know, I'm wondering if Disney is using the pandemic to do a little IT work with the reservations system.

I just had reason to add another member of our MDE "Friends and Family" group to an existing reservation. In the past, adding/dropping a person to a reservation required a call (not possible via the web reservation system). But as you said, hold times are long, so I peeked at MDE and was surprised that the functionality had been added (since I had last tried).

I also saw where you can change the rate plan on an existing vacation "Vacation Offer" which makes it easier to apply a discount to an existing reservation should one become available after it was booked (at rack rates for example).

My point is that Disney IT may be getting 2023 rates set and they are just waiting for the release "soon" so the phone CM's don't have to handle 2023 calls for primary reservations. They used to release "the next year" rates in June for online booking. We might get them sooner than June 2022 (maybe MUCH sooner) and THAT's when we will be able to book 2023. Plus they don't have to set the ENTIRE 2023 year rates in stone. We just need 1Q23 for now and they can keep setting future quarters just of ahead of when their 500 windows open.

It's a theory, anyway. But I bet they will release 2023 rates (out to the 500 day window maybe before EOY2021) and not allow ANY 2023 reservations (phone or online) until they release rates and enable online booking at the same time.

Bama Ed

PS - and for the Disney Management Interns who monitor this DIS Camping forum, any time now guys. Be different. Make a decision. Release the rates. Be a hero.

 

[Bill2e]

I just got of the phone with them to book Feb 2023. Not open yet.

 

[Bill2e]

You know, I'm wondering if Disney is using the pandemic to do a little IT work with the reservations system.

I just had reason to add another member of our MDE "Friends and Family" group to an existing reservation. In the past, adding/dropping a person to a reservation required a call (not possible via the web reservation system). But as you said, hold times are long, so I peeked at MDE and was surprised that the functionality had been added (since I had last tried).

I also saw where you can change the rate plan on an existing vacation "Vacation Offer" which makes it easier to apply a discount to an existing reservation should one become available after it was booked (at rack rates for example).

My point is that Disney IT may be getting 2023 rates set and they are just waiting for the release "soon" so the phone CM's don't have to handle 2023 calls for primary reservations. They used to release "the next year" rates in June for online booking. We might get them sooner than June 2022 (maybe MUCH sooner) and THAT's when we will be able to book 2023. Plus they don't have to set the ENTIRE 2023 year rates in stone. We just need 1Q23 for now and they can keep setting future quarters just of ahead of when their 500 windows open.

It's a theory, anyway. But I bet they will release 2023 rates (out to the 500 day window maybe before EOY2021) and not allow ANY 2023 reservations (phone or online) until they release rates and enable online booking at the same time.

Bama Ed

PS - and for the Disney Management Interns who monitor this DIS Camping forum, any time now guys. Be different. Make a decision. Release the rates. Be a hero.

I don’t care about the rate…… Let me book. I could always cancel if the rates are high.

 

[bama_ed]

You know what, @Bill2e, I bet whenever Disney Reservations opens 2023, there will be a surge of reservations (I bet I will for the Fort) and then we can all figure out if/when we can use the darn things.

The floodgates will open.

And the reservations will ROLL in!

ED

 

[StormyCA]

Our (potential) 2023 trip has been pushed back til Fall (from early 2023). Sounds like I'll just keep my usual habit of starting to check the WDTC website after the 1st of the year.

This may seem like a silly question, but can I book a campsite at 500 days then convert it to a package when the 2023 rates are released (which is usually less than 500 days in advance)?

We usually do a package since we tow our TT from the West Coast, that way if we have to cancel we aren't stuck with tickets we can't use.

 

[tatkins]

They started this whole not letting you book 500 days out during pandemic. We called weekly trying for week after Christmas this year only to be told not booking. Then I seen a post that they had opened reservations 2 days after we called with no info from CM. By the time I seen the post and called (3 days after they opened up) there were no sites for us!! Disney if you’re looking just let people know what the new time frame is. I’m now staying off property for this trip thanks to you!!

 

[bama_ed]

The week after/following Christmas of 2022 has been in the booking window, @tatkins, for weeks. You're thinking logically.

If any of your days/nights fell in 2023, then it's a No Go. Because Duh.

No Rhyme.

No Reason.

No Logic.

If you are looking for data, facts, and supportable info, you are in the wrong place.

This is Disney. There is no rational thought process (as they have shown over decades of operation).

Making up excuses as they go along - that's the Disney Way. For decades. With no communication.

You and many of us are waiting for 2023 dates to come open. They ain't very communicative but then again, we know they aren't the most responsive. This is who they be.

The Interns in the Bunker read these board and inform their Masters who punt to check the DIS stock price on the market ticker. Not much leadership in this arena.

Only on the days that end in "Y" do they scramble and screw things up.

Bama Ed

PS - but I be reptitive ..... ive .... ive ... ive ...

 

[tatkins]

Just to be clear we are going Christmas 2021 into the new year but during one of the phone calls they informed us if they could find a reservation for Dec 27th through the 31st they couldn’t book the 1st and 2nd of January. Keep in mind this is long after 500 day mark. It’s just insane lol!!

 

[bama_ed]

Just to be clear we are going Christmas 2021 into the new year but during one of the phone calls they informed us if they could find a reservation for Dec 27th through the 31st they couldn’t book the 1st and 2nd of January. Keep in mind this is long after 500 day mark. It’s just insane lol!!

Not sure what you mean. Your clarification means you are looking VERY short term. Because any dates/years you want aren't mentioned in your posts specifically.

2021 Dec is less than two months away.

It was probably booked up many months ago unless you are trying to snag a cancellation (rare as hen's teeth but they do happen).

For the record 2022 CAN be booked and HAS been booked. I know because I have a reservation for November 2022. They can book online/phone until the end of 2022 (December 31, 2022). Many of us are waiting for early 2023 dates to become bookable. If you are complaining about not being able to book early January 2023 dates then there is a VERY LONG line (there are many posts that mention this point on our Camping Board) that forms up right behind me.

Again you are thinking/reacting with logic and reason. But this is Disney and there is NO place for that. They'll open 2023 WHEN they want and WHY they want. We just have to be ready.

You.

Me.

Us.

Them.

When the dam breaks and opens up for 2023, we need to be ready.

Bama Ed

PS -DIS is not a stock I would recommend buying but then again I am a person who does math, statistics, and monte carlo sims. It is what it is.

 

[tatkins]

I was posting to let the OP know that we found out the 500 day rule was not in affect in August of 2020 when we were trying to book for Christmas 2021. Then they released reservations and 3 days later all was gone for that week and we didn’t get in. So now we’ll be staying off site thanks to the lack of communication from Disney. Just stinks when you are trying to do your part and they refuse to communicate. Sorry I didn’t put specific dates and caused some confusion that this hopefully clears up

 

[bama_ed]

Okay, gotcha. I understand now. And it does stink.

 

[wdw_dine_junkie]

And we're all still waiting for the same thing to happen for 2023 :/

 

[Sjm9911]

I tried for halloween this year like 30 minutes after they opened the reservation window. All sold out. So, we are here now. I checked like everyday to see if you could book, and they opened it up early, like before 7 am if i remember. So, it may be best to try a travel agent.

 

[tatkins]

I have been thinking that for our next trip I was going to try a travel agent for camping. Has anyone on here done this? I wasn’t sure if they even did campsites.

 

[Sjm9911]

I have , they got me halloween 2 years ago.

 

[tiggerdad]

I am on waiting list with Dreams Unlimited for March 2023. Only ever used agent once before when we did the group camping at FW. I gave her the dates. We'll see...

 

[StormyCA]

Re using a TA, at DLR if you book using a TA they 'own' your reservation and you have no online access to any part of it. This means you can't cancel, add, or change anything directly or even make a direct payment on your trip, it all has to be done through the TA.

Is it the same for WDW? And if so, how does that work with MDE? Does it not show up on MDE until the TA 'releases' it or something?