Cancellations

[armadafrfs]

We had reservations for Apr 2010 for 2 preferred sites. However, Disney just announced a deal for military personnel that I could not pass up that is valid through this year. However, the Fort is already booked solid for Dec 2009. She told me to keep calling back. My question is...how many of you have run into this and are cancellations pretty common for Dec? We would really like to go in Dec and save nearly $700 on park admission.

 

[BradyBz12]

However, the Fort is already booked solid for Dec 2009.

Yowsa - really?! Is that solid, solid, or for a particular category of site? What happened to that being the "slow" season???

2 years ago we had to piece together our days to get the whole 2 weeks we wanted (first 2 weeks in Dec) and we did that by calling and snagging cancellations as dates became available. Unfortunately there aren't any guarantees if/when things may open up.

I'd recommend putting Disney Res on speed dial.

Good luck!

 

[2goofycampers]

Your chances are very good of catching a ressie between now and then. It may require many calls and or visits to the website. Don't give up.


Another suggestion is contact Rhonda, a great travel agent, look on the main camping page to the lower right and click on her name and she will do the work for you. That's what alot of us here do.

 

[Shan-man]

Well, there are only 3 preferred loops now, and if you are asking for a preferred pet loop, there is only 1 (300). You stand a much better chance if you request a premium loop.

 

[DisneyBishops]

try grabbing 30 days at a time. i have done this many times. then just call and cancel the days i don't want.

But this is only Jan. so the chances of you getting a ressie is good if you are persistent. Some years i have gotten ressies for christmas in oct.

So just keep trying and you will probably be ok.

Also try for ressies aroung 6 am if you can. This is when cancellations are usually posted.

Hopes this helps somewhat.

 

[zakerdog]

We have the first 2 weeks of December 2009 already booked, I made my ressies as soon as the booking window opened. About 3 weeks ago I needed to just change the arrival date by 2 days and when my TA checked there was nothing available. Within 2 days something opened up for us.

We were there the same time in December 2008, and I know friends who kept trying to piece together a week and were able to. Also, when we drove around the campground there were tons of vacant sites? I say your chance are good.

 

[Shan-man]

You may want to consider asking for preferred or full-hookup if you don't mind being away from the marina. You will more than double the possible sites. I have stayed in 1800 a few times and it is very nice: quiet, pretty spacious, and has it's own CS.

 

[ftwildernessguy]

Pretty sure there are more than 3 preferred loops now. Aren't 1600 and 1800 now considered preferred since the cable went in? I think the real shortage now would be in full hook up loops. I don't know, this whole loop renovation thing has me confused. All I know is the loop that cost me 500 bucks for 10 days last year will now cost me 700 bucks.

I think traditionally as the year progresses, a lot of people who reserved spots a year in advance have a change in plans and end up cancelling. If the economic situation continues, I predict many openings.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

We just made ressies last week for Christmas 2009. We were only able to get 4 of the 12 days we wanted. Our plan is to keep adding as they become available. Right now the ressies are for a preffered loop but I will consider a premium if I have to. We have done this several times and ALWAYS gotten it pieced together. As Jim said, I think there are many cancellations coming up this year.

 

[armadafrfs]

I called back today and we are booked in a premium site.
This is our first Disney trip and now it is going to arrive 5 months earlier!

 

[LarryJ]

Your chances are very good of catching a ressie between now and then. It may require many calls and or visits to the website. Don't give up.


Another suggestion is contact Rhonda, a great travel agent, look on the main camping page to the lower right and click on her name and she will do the work for you. That's what alot of us here do.

I agree on both, especially using Rhonda which has made our upcoming FW/WDW Dec 2009/Jan 2010 saga a breeze. When we stayed at FW from 15 Dec 2007 to 25 Jan 2008 we ended up with 4 different ressies with one being for a single day on 31 Dec that we finally snagged around Aug 2007, so don't give up and just keep trying.

Larry

 

[Shan-man]

Pretty sure there are more than 3 preferred loops now. Aren't 1600 and 1800 now considered preferred since the cable went in?

According to CRO and their new maps for the plan once finished, 1600-1900 will remain full-hookup due to their non-preferred location. So the final tally will be 2 partial loops, 4 full loops (2 pets), 3 preferred loops (1 pet) and about a thousand premiums! My CM said that since I got a preferred pet then I would be in 300, when I said "oh? what about 1600 or 1800" she said no, they are going to be fulls. So there you have it.

 

[ftwildernessguy]

Shan - take a look at this thread:http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2054537

Since the 1600 and 1800 loop have cable, they no longer would qualify as full hook up, but fall into the preferred pet category. This alone would put the info you got from the CM into question. I think Disney needs to get their facts together and inform their CM's so we can get some accurate intelligence. The info I got from the CM I talked to was that the same loop I was in last October (1800) was now preferred and would cost me 200 bucks more for the privlege of having cable TV which I don't even want.

 

[gmflanigan]

We had reservations for Apr 2010 for 2 preferred sites. However, Disney just announced a deal for military personnel that I could not pass up that is valid through this year. However, the Fort is already booked solid for Dec 2009. She told me to keep calling back. My question is...how many of you have run into this and are cancellations pretty common for Dec? We would really like to go in Dec and save nearly $700 on park admission.

We are using military tickets too. I already have the week after Thanksgiving booked so it makes it all the better. Try booking anything they have up front and checking back every week. Sometimes you can get a few days in one site and a few in another.

 

[Shan-man]

I know, I know, I have read all the threads. But the CM I talked to sounded very knowledgeable about Fort Wilderness (a first!) and I questioned her directly about 1600-1900 remaining full-hookup. She assured me that this was a new site map she was given and that this was how sites will be classified once renovations are done. I was booking for next December, post renovations. So, the old definition that distinguished full from preferred as one having cable is no longer the deciding factor, but location, since all sites will have cable. I also know that some folks have claimed they paid for preferred for 16-1900, and my only explanation is that maybe while renovations are under way (i.e. not everyone has cable yet) and since 16-1800 do have cable, they are temporarily considered preferred?

 

[FlaFortCampster]

I think the cable going in was more to help out with the transition from analog signals to digital signals. My reasoning, the 2 partial loops now have cable, but the designation hasn't changed to preferred partial. Although I guess Cottontail Curl could be premium partial and Spanish Moss Lane could be preferred partial.
ANYWAY.....
I think Sha-man's CM is correct. Those loops which are furthest from the facilities and stores shouldn't be charged the same as those closer. It's always been this way at the Fort, the closer you are to the action, the more you pay and I think they realized their error.

 

[lisa8200]

I know, I know, I have read all the threads. But the CM I talked to sounded very knowledgeable about Fort Wilderness (a first!) and I questioned her directly about 1600-1900 remaining full-hookup. She assured me that this was a new site map she was given and that this was how sites will be classified once renovations are done. I was booking for next December, post renovations. So, the old definition that distinguished full from preferred as one having cable is no longer the deciding factor, but location, since all sites will have cable. I also know that some folks have claimed they paid for preferred for 16-1900, and my only explanation is that maybe while renovations are under way (i.e. not everyone has cable yet) and since 16-1800 do have cable, they are temporarily considered preferred?

I believe that the CM you spoke with sounded very knowledgeable and your explanation may have some merit but, I can't believe that Disney will fill these loops at the prefered price and then make them full hookups after the renovations. By the way, our last trip we we were in 1900 and paid for a prefered.This was during October. Jim Checked in on the day we left and had full in 1800 ( I think ) but, we booked within days of our trip.
Not doubting your CM Shan man ( well I guess I am ) but Disney is not known for reducing rates out of the goodness of thier hearts.Especially if they are making money at the current ones..

 

[Shan-man]

I'm not suggesting they will, but they are currently taking Full-Hookup reservations late into next year. If they can get away with charging you for preferred and putting you in a Full they will! And it is not just CRO taking them, it is the website too. I'm not claiming to be any kind of authority here, I'm just passing along what I was told, in no uncertain terms, I might add.

 

[lisa8200]

I'm not suggesting they will, but they are currently taking Full-Hookup reservations late into next year. If they can get away with charging you for preferred and putting you in a Full they will! And it is not just CRO taking them, it is the website too. I'm not claiming to be any kind of authority here, I'm just passing along what I was told, in no uncertain terms, I might add.

And I might add that I claim to be nothing more than normally misinformed I can't keep up with what they are going to do, then not, then maybe...