Booking for Nov/Dec 2018~ Need some helpful tips

[TheSouthernBelle]

I am confused. We want to book a trip in November or December as we've never been to WDW for the holidays. We live within driving distance to disney and so our trips are usually only planned about 6-12 weeks out from travel. In which case even when I check the site, no new deals have cropped up between our time of booking and travel. So my questions are:
1-outside of having my pick of resort and dates at this far out, (which aren't that great even 9 months out) what is the benefit to booking this early??
2- If we book a package now for Nov/Dec and a better, cheaper deal comes up, how do I get the new deal? Just call WDW? Has anyone done this before and have some tips/feedback on what they did??
3- If we go in December and free dining becomes available, I assume we would have to change what we booked completely to meet the package requirements, is that correct? Does my $200 to hold my vacay just move to another vacation package at that point?

I am a planner and I always do great with our trips but I don't want to book something just to cancel it later if there's no benefit to doing so. Seems like a lot of work for something you just may get rid of.TIA!!

 

[sharonabe]

2- If we book a package now for Nov/Dec and a better, cheaper deal comes up, how do I get the new deal? Just call WDW? Has anyone done this before and have some tips/feedback on what they did??
3- If we go in December and free dining becomes available, I assume we would have to change what we booked completely to meet the package requirements, is that correct? Does my $200 to hold my vacay just move to another vacation package at that point?

For either one of these, you can either modify/change your existing reservation or call. Free dining will have requirements and may require moving to a different resort or getting a different room category. It will almost certainly require at least a 2-day park hopper ticket, so if park hopping isn't your thing, a different discount might be better. Some people have been able to simply modify an existing reservation to a free dining reservation, but many more end up making a completely new reservation and cancelling the old, and sometimes it just doesn't work at all. Other discounts are much easier to modify/change.

If you can't modify/change an existing reservation and have to make a new one, you would be refunded your $200 and have to pay another $200. They won't just move it to another reservation. The refund may or may not happen within the same month of the new payment.

 

[pigletgirl]

I am confused. We want to book a trip in November or December as we've never been to WDW for the holidays. We live within driving distance to disney and so our trips are usually only planned about 6-12 weeks out from travel. In which case even when I check the site, no new deals have cropped up between our time of booking and travel. So my questions are:
1-outside of having my pick of resort and dates at this far out, (which aren't that great even 9 months out) what is the benefit to booking this early??
2- If we book a package now for Nov/Dec and a better, cheaper deal comes up, how do I get the new deal? Just call WDW? Has anyone done this before and have some tips/feedback on what they did??
3- If we go in December and free dining becomes available, I assume we would have to change what we booked completely to meet the package requirements, is that correct? Does my $200 to hold my vacay just move to another vacation package at that point?

I am a planner and I always do great with our trips but I don't want to book something just to cancel it later if there's no benefit to doing so. Seems like a lot of work for something you just may get rid of.TIA!!

1. I believe most resorts still have availability. It gives you the option to have a better choice of what type of room you want. You can also spread out your payments if you want.

2. You'll have to cancel the existing reservation, and hope the free dining package is available. Be prepared to be on hold for a few hours.
3. If you are sure about your dates, I'd book now. No sense in waiting because it will fill up!

 

[disneydreamer1980]

And if you get tickets before price increases, you can lock in the lower price.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

And if you get tickets before price increases, you can lock in the lower price.

That is a very valid point that I completely missed, thank you. I heard rates are going up February.