Campsites Full?? Update below with a ?

[TheDisneyCampers]

I'm trying to make a 10 day campsite reservation for the first week+ of Dec 2016, and the only thing I can find are tent sites. I've tried going back on the dates as far as mid- October and am unable to find a site. Are the campsites truly booked solid, or are there closures going on? I've never had trouble getting a reservation before.

 

[peg110]

It is entirely possible that the sites are booked. Or booked enough that it overlaps your time frame. You are dealing with holidays such as Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Particularly with the holidays, you want to book as far out as possible. We have had our Thanksgiving trip booked for over a year now. DW is looking at when she can book Thanksgiving for 2017!

You may try calling a CM and see if they have better insight. Maybe get a smaller time frame and keep checking (online and by phone) to get it "Extended". It's truly a pain, but that's the Disney way when making reservations.

 

[bama_ed]

Also from early October through Christmas, the weekends particularly get booked up by folks well in advance. Have you gone that same time of year in the past and booked in May?

Bama Ed

 

[peg110]

Confirming what ed said... I just spent time looking at "Weeks" of 5 days (Monday - Friday) and I was able to find various openings other than the Tent/Pop-up sites... If I added a weekend, it was a No-Go. In come cases ALL of them were blocked, including the Tent/Pop-up.

Again, the best bet may be to call and try and "piece" it together. Of course that's brutal when trying to make (and more importantly CONFIRM) your plans.

Often times as the date approaches and other peoples plans change, they cancel and then you can get the dates you want pieced in. (of course you need to check REGULARLY, online and calling) Down side is that you may have "Multiple" reservations (meaning multiple deposits), and if the reservations are not the same type, you may have to move between them. This is the challenge of having a longer reservation. Any other place you'd think 6 months in advance would be good, but not at the fort.

Hope all works out well for you.

 

[TheDisneyCampers]

The last time we went first week of December was in 2010. We also camped in April 2012 and October 2014. Both of those trips were during fairly high crowd times, too. I've never booked more than 6-7 months in advance.

I also noticed that the online booking feature doesn't go into 2017- am I doing something wrong?

 

[peg110]

I think the online booking is only about 6 months out. Anything beyond that you have to call. You can book 499 in advance. Although the pricing will be adjusted when new prices are announce, you can book that far out. In some cases you NEED to book that far out. (Holidays, and such)

 

[tobikaye]

The online booking will not update to 2017 until they officially release the 2017 rates. I want to say last year that this was around late June or early July. I do not remember if the released the full year or only a portion at that time.

 

[bama_ed]

The online booking will not update to 2017 until they officially release the 2017 rates. I want to say last year that this was around late June or early July. I do not remember if the released the full year or only a portion at that time.

This is correct but I want to add what happened last year. Last year not EVERY SINGLE DAY of the next year was available for booking the day that the next years rates were available. IIRC when rates were released, last year people could book in the summer 2015 to about September 2016. IIRC it took about a week to be able to see the rates for the entire next year.

Calling at this point for 2017 will secure your reservation but you do not lock in the rate at the time you call. Your rate will be whatever they are announced to be for that period when the new rates are set.

In the last five years or so new rates have come out as early as June and as late as August.

Bama Ed

 

[TheRustyScupper]

I also noticed that the online booking feature doesn't go into 2017- am I doing something wrong?

1) Make a phone call for these.
2) On-Line booking usually only goes for those dates with confirmed pricing.
3) You can make ressies up to 499 nights in advance.

 

[sippican]

Online booking is usually available much further out than 6 months. We camp three or four times a year at the Fort, and usually reserve online at least a year in advance, however I do see that 2017 is not available yet. You can book by phone up to 500 days in advance, but I'm not sure when they appear online.

 

[TheDisneyCampers]

I was able to reserve 3 sites this morning for 4/30 - 5/9/17. I'm super excited, but also wondering about crowds at that time... Anyone have an opinion?

We have a TT and our second group has a TT, but we will be renting for the third. I've contacted a person recommended by others here, and also Greenberg RV. Anyone have reviews?

Thanks all!

 

[bama_ed]

TheDisneyCampers,

I'd say that's a fabulous time to go and camp at the Fort. Easter Sunday next year is April 16 and the crowds last through the week following (April 23). By early May, all the Easter/spring breakers are gone, summer folks haven't come yet, weather is pretty nice, yada yada.

I did a mid-April (after Easter) trip a few years ago and it was great.

Bama Ed