Cabins and 4/3 deal...

[LSUmom4kids]

I called several weeks ago, checked WDW site on line, and called Dreams Unlimited Travel hoping to take advantage of the 4/3 deal by gettng a cabin for 7 nights beginning 8/7/09 - two of my children have birthdays during that week.

I am being told that there are no cabins during that week!

Has anyone had luck getting a cabin if they keep calling back or checking the WDW website, or begging the travel agent to check EVERYDAY to see if a cabin comes available or if someone cancels their reservation? I'm hesitant to call WDW because each phone call to them takes at least 15-20 minutes and it's long distance and I really don't want to re-enter/say all of my "information" again and again. (they seem to want my name, address, phone number, entire party name and ages, etc.)

Is there a possibility that they only had "a few" cabins available for the 4/3 deal and I will never be able to secure a cabin with this special - no matter how many times I call back? Am I setting myself up for failure if I hope I will be able to get one?

We will have 5 or 6 going to WDW and we want a kitchen, so our choices are limited with the funds we have set aside for vacation. The Family Suites are also booked up for my dates.

We cannot afford any of the Villas, so that's not an option for us - unless we win the lottery or inherit some money - both very remote.

The last 2 times we went we stayed at the Swan (too cramped for us) and then a Townhouse off site (very nice and spacious). Both times we went to Fort Wilderness to experience the movies and smores and I wanted the kids to experience some freedoms with the bus system and the entire FW area. The Townhouse is not available for our dates - I know I could probably find another one, but I wanted to take advantage of the 4/3 deal and all the on site benefits.

Any advice for us? Anyone lucky enough to secure a cabin by continuing to check back on a daily basis? If so, what was your strategy?

Thanks for any help you can give us.

 

[mjmoon]

Look into campatthefort.com.. it's a great alternative to the cabins and saves a lot too.

 

[marlboroman]

Yes, I made reservations at the cabins 10 days ago and was able to receive the 4/3 promotion. It got a little confusing, but this is how the agent broke down my 14 night stay with 5 people ( 3 children and 2 adults )

7 nights from July 20th until July 27th including cabin and 7 days at parks for $2327.05 (tax in)

7 nights from the 27th until the 3rd of August including cabin and a minimum purchase of 1 day park ticket $1584.75 (tax in)

Total cost: $3911.85

We have a total of 8 day park tickets and I will be purchasing the water park and fun options for $50 each , which will fill our remaining days and the children can enjoy Disney Quest as well as the water parks.

Total cost: about $300

I requested loop 2800 but after reading all these great post ...I’m thinking of changing it a little closer to the main swimming pool.

Hope that this information can help you out in planning your trip!

 

[2goofycampers]

Either keep calling to pick up someone's cancellation or have rhonda@dreamsunlimitedtravel.com do it for you.

You may want to have a backup plan also.

 

[MaineWoodsTribe]

It's a hassle but keep calling every morning as early as you can (like 7:00 AM EST if possible!) If you are diligent you should be successful, cancellations are made every day. Also, be flexible with your dates when booking. You want your vacation to start on 8/7/09 and run for 7 nights correct? If that doesn’t work when you call try booking from 8/609 or 8/5/09 and running for the 7 nights. Another strategy people use is to piecemeal the days together. For instance maybe starting 8/7/09 for 7 nights isn’t available but 5 nights is. That wont initially get you the 4/3 deal but grab it anyway with the hope of expanding it in the days ahead. Disney is very good about repackaging your vacation days to meet your needs and their specials. For some reason it seems easier to modify, i.e. shorten or lengthen a reservation once you are ‘on the books’. A word of caution if you go this route - watch closely the 4/3 deal doesn’t expire on you before you’ve wrapped up your 7 nighter and make sure in the end that your vacation is repackaged as one individual reservation. If for some reason the date is drawing close and you haven’t got the dates you need you can cancel and get your deposit/$ back. I believe it’s seven days prior? - not sure check on that. Hope this helps.
You will love the cabins; most of us on this board wouldn’t stay anywhere else (that’s why you’re having the problem!) Be brave! - staying at the The Fort is worth the effort!

 

[BigDaddyRog]

Hiya LSUmom...we're neighbors...How's yamomenim? I agree with mjmoon...the 5th wheel camper is an excellent alternative for a family needing a kitchen and plenty of room for sleepy kids to crash...her RV sleeps up to 9 people. Im pretty sure the 4/3 deal doesnt apply to campsites, but with with the savings over the rack price of the cabins...you may still come out better. The owner of www.CampAtTheFort.com is a regular here on the boards, and you can send her a PM and aske her for info that fits your family's needs... her DIS name is tinah159.

Good Luck....hope you are able to tie something up to enjoy some good times at the fort!!!

 

[tloveswdw]

We used Denise at Dreams Unlimited, she was great. We got the cabin deal for June back in Dec. She was so willing, to check for avail., (she got our ILs a family suite at ASMusic which kept coming up as full, but, she checked and checked, and got it for them)....

We are a family of 6, so i know on-site is limited. I would check with a reputible travel agent to help you out, (then you don't have to make the calls over and over).

GL

 

[BigDaddyRog]

I personally would suggest RHONDA at Dreams Unlimited...since she's their Fort Wilderness Specialist....and retired Moderator of the camping board forums.

 

[ccbrianf]

Having just been through this myself, I can tell you that they release the previous days cancellations first thing in the morning at, or a bit before, 7 AM EST. You can check the Disney reservation web site every morning for availability . It's my experience that the web and phone methods have the same availability, but the web is much less of a pain to check every day .

 

[ccbrianf]

It's a hassle but keep calling every morning as early as you can (like 7:00 AM EST if possible!) If you are diligent you should be successful, cancellations are made every day. Also, be flexible with your dates when booking. You want your vacation to start on 8/7/09 and run for 7 nights correct? If that doesn’t work when you call try booking from 8/609 or 8/5/09 and running for the 7 nights. Another strategy people use is to piecemeal the days together. For instance maybe starting 8/7/09 for 7 nights isn’t available but 5 nights is. That wont initially get you the 4/3 deal but grab it anyway with the hope of expanding it in the days ahead. Disney is very good about repackaging your vacation days to meet your needs and their specials. A word of caution if you go this route - watch closely the 4/3 deal doesn’t expire on you before you’ve wrapped up your 7 nighter and make sure in the end that your vacation is repackaged as one individual reservation. If for some reason the date is drawing close and you haven’t got the dates you need you can cancel and get your deposit/$ back. I believe it’s seven days prior? - not sure check on that.

All of that is good advice, but the cancellation change policies are not correct. From the mousesavers site:

You can change or cancel your reservation without penalty up until 45 days in advance. From 6 to 44 days in advance, there is a cancellation fee of $100. If you cancel 5 days or less in advance, you pay a $200 penalty.

Any changes that result in a rate change, such as applying a discount code, reducing number of days and/or changing to a differently-priced resort, made 45 days or less prior to arrival, are subject to a $50 fee.

 

[Shan-man]

Isn't the penalty on canceling 6-45 days only if you have a package? I know that campsites, at least, can be canceled at least 5 days in advance without penalty so long as it is a "room-only" reservation.

 

[2goofycampers]

Yes, Shan is correct 45 days apply to packages, 6 days for room/site only.

 

[mousefanmichelle]

Keep checking I just got a cabin to open up for my week in May and I have been checking the website every day too! I didn't want to wait to call the 407 number so I booked on-line and will have to have my other reservation changed over or cancelled. I was waiting on a cabin to open up for our party of 6 - 2 adults and 4 kids. This is the cheapest alternative for staying on-site and since we enjoy camping anyway - it's a bonus for us!!! I am very excited and may not tell my family I switched from 2 rooms at POP to the cabin!!!! Keep checking online!!!!!

 

[ccbrianf]

Isn't the penalty on canceling 6-45 days only if you have a package? I know that campsites, at least, can be canceled at least 5 days in advance without penalty so long as it is a "room-only" reservation.

Yes, but the OP is talking about the 4/3 package for the cabins.

 

[eandesmom]

All of that is good advice, but the cancellation change policies are not correct. From the mousesavers site:

You can change or cancel your reservation without penalty up until 45 days in advance. From 6 to 44 days in advance, there is a cancellation fee of $100. If you cancel 5 days or less in advance, you pay a $200 penalty.

Any changes that result in a rate change, such as applying a discount code, reducing number of days and/or changing to a differently-priced resort, made 45 days or less prior to arrival, are subject to a $50 fee.

I went from a BWV ressie (thanksgiving 08) to a spring break OWV 09 ressie to a spring break FW Cabin ressie 09 to a Presidents week 09 ressie. Only at the presidents week was I able to convert it to the then-new 4/3 promo. They allow so many at that rate so your dates may simply be gone for the promo, try it one day +/- and see if that works.


DESPITE what the paperwork says about change fees, I incurred not a one. All my changes were made by the 45 day (or ON the 45 day) window.

We just returned

 

[ccbrianf]

DESPITE what the paperwork says about change fees, I incurred not a one. All my changes were made by the 45 day (or ON the 45 day) window.

I'm not sure what you mean by DESPITE since you say you always met the 45 day requirement. Thus, no fee was required.

 

[eandesmom]

I'm not sure what you mean by DESPITE since you say you always met the 45 day requirement. Thus, no fee was required.

But they don't. Or at least my original reservation had that clause, it seemed to go away with the changes. I expected to get dinged $100 on the first change.

 

[ccbrianf]

But they don't. Or at least my original reservation had that clause, it seemed to go away with the changes. I expected to get dinged $100 on the first change.

I guess I'm just being dense, but if you made each change 45 or more days before that reservation, then you played by the rules and there should not have been any fee. I just don't want to give people the idea that this is common unless someone has really had it happen. It seems to me that you haven't actually pushed the limits, no ?