Christmas 2004

[disrailfan]

When do I need to make attempts to book for Christmas 2004? Does this follow the normal 11 months out for your home resort or do they start taking resies earlier. Any guidance would be appreciated.

Thanks,

 

[gazeborob]

11 Months out, and do it day by day.

Good Luck,
Rob

 

[danny1649]

What Rob told you.

 

[RobDoc]

There was originally a Holiday Special Preference List, where members could indicate an interest in the week between Christmas and New Years. Those on the list were given an oppoprtunity to make the resrevation about 14 months in advance.

The list was discontinued a few years ago, since the week never filled from the list. The provision still exists and can be reinstated if the need arises.

Until then, the 11 month priority works well at all resorts!

 

[disrailfan]

Thanks all! I knew I could get the answer here!

 

[CaliforniaDreaming]

We're also planning on going next year. Anyone else going to be there for the holidays?

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

We are going this year and will be returning in 2004. It is our favorite time at WDW.

Only negative is that next year Christmas and New Year's fall on a Saturday, meaning lots of points to be there at that time in 2004.

HBC

 

[lenshanem]

Doc, I don't understand the holiday list. How did you get put on it and how far out did you have to do it? Was thsi a list you just stayed on for every year or did you ahve to get put on it each year?
I don't understnad the difference - making it at 14 or 11 months. It is basically thsoe that plan ahead and accordingly woudl get the ressie regardless of the list I woudl think.
Am I missing soemthing?

 

[PamOKW]

You don't need to worry too much about the Holiday List because I doubt it will be resurrected.

When it was in effect, you put your name on the list any time during the year. You could request any resort whether or not it was your home resort. At 14 months out, they would start calling down the list to take reservations. You could "pass" for one year and still remain on the list for the following year. If you "passed" a second time, you had to call in again to be put on the list. I also seem to recall sometimes they would send out letters desinating a day (usually a Saturday) to call in and make reservations if you were on the list.

For Christmas 1999, they changed the system somewhat and turned it into a lottery system instead. Soon after that the holiay list was stopped and reservations were taken on a regular basis with home resort priority in place.

 

[lenshanem]

what determined what pace you were on the list? I'm assuming then if you passed thats eond tiem your name woudl go down on the bottom?

How did the lottery work?

Sorry just curiuos...

 

[RobDoc]

You were placed on the list in the order in which you called and requested to be added. The lottery was instituted for 1999 due to the crowds expected for the Millenium. For the lottery, names were drawn from those who had called to be on the list- since more were on the list than rooms available.

If memory serves, even for that year, the resorts did not fill from the list and reservations were available at 11 months. The list was stopped afterwards.

 

[InstImpres]

Originally posted by WebmasterDoc
You were placed on the list in the order in which you called and requested to be added. The lottery was instituted for 1999 due to the crowds expected for the Millenium. For the lottery, names were drawn from those who had called to be on the list- since more were on the list than rooms available.

If memory serves, even for that year, the resorts did not fill from the list and reservations were available at 11 months. The list was stopped afterwards.

That is true. It was my first trip home and we did it at 11 month window for a studio and 2 Bdrm. no problem. (Dec. 27 - Jan 1 stay)

 

[lenshanem]

Thansk Doc. Even back for NYE 1999 we got three rooms at CS for 7 nights less than a year notice. We had been on the waitlist for DCL, but our travel agent at the time got hold of this ressie first. Laster, we came up on the waitlist for the cruise but stayed with CS cause it was so much less expensive.
I think we had to stay the full 7 nighst to get in at CS if I remember correctly. We had a special package that came with a beautiful magongy wood box and a Mickey laser cut crystal inside.
I guess WDW overestimated the NYE 1999 celebration?

 

[dianeschlicht]

WE were on the lottery list for 1999/2000 too. I felt so thankful to have gotten on the list, even though we only needed it for the Dec. 31 date. We arrived at OKW at 1:30 pm and went to Epcot imediately after checking in. They closed the park to capacity less than an hour after we got in.

 

[lenshanem]

We stood in thsi insane lien at the back Epcot entrance by BC for Epcot NYE 1999/200. Is it always liek that on nYE? I really didn't find it that crowded, but we spend most of our time that day in FW, inclduing sleping on the grass1 LOL