Christmas 2021?

[Bill Tozzo]

Hi Guys:

I've been calling weekly trying to book Chrstmas 2021. Every time they tell me that they are not booking out that far yet. Yesterday I think I got an agent that really did not know what she doing yet. She said "All I show is December 10th." We spent about the next five minutes trying to figure out whether it was because they were full or Disney hasn't released those dates yet.

Christmas is a dream of mine for many years and I don't want to miss the boat - especially after this horrible year.

Can anyone shed any light or suggest anything?

Bill

 

[bama_ed]

Bill,

Over on the DIS Resorts board, they noticed that Disney availability for 4Q2021 opened up around mid-October 2020 with no sort of announcement by Disney. It just "happened".

DIS Resorts Board Late 2021 Reservations Open

Thus I would think, as is typical around Christmas, that it booked up completely (or enough to only leave a night here, a night there available). Given these times, people probably book the reservation and say, "I can always cancel if I need to" closer to time.

Folks have had some luck lately catching cancellations (sites becoming available) within 30 days of travel here lately as folks do the same in late 2020. (Book, wait, decide)

I tried a reservation for a couple days in the week before Christmas and only got Tent sites available. So I think it's been booked up. And as fyi Christmas-New Years is the toughest/most expensive time. Any time in December is still nice.

Bama Ed

 

[Bill Tozzo]

Hi Ed!

You were so helpful last year in a similar situation - thanks again.

Hey, do you think it's true that they will release more sites (inventory), or is that BS?

Bill

 

[PaHunter]

Hi Ed!

You were so helpful last year in a similar situation - thanks again.

Hey, do you think it's true that they will release more sites (inventory), or is that BS?

Bill

Disney puts all the sites out at once is my understanding. Now TA's may have some sites allocated to them, that later make their way back in to the general pool. But that is purely speculation on my part. That is a tough time of year to book under normal circumstances, and add to it the influx of new campers due to Covid, and all campgrounds are getting tougher to book.

 

[bama_ed]

I agree with PaHunter. Disney does not hold inventory back. I've seen that point speculated around the DIS but nothing to confirm it. And it doesn't make sense to.

Having just booked a group through a Travel Agent and done the stay (our DISMeet last month), I learned a few things about bookings. At the Fort, the TA's have several groups who reserve "blocks" of sites and those are only available to the group to book, not the general public. But they have a window of time when, if not booked by the group members, the remaining inventory (if any is left unbooked) rolls back to general public availability.

People also think when a discount is announced, withheld rooms are released with the discount code. Whereas, I believe the discount code is only applied/available on already existing inventory. The Fort is just extremely popular as the boomers have aged and as the population has grown, the number of Fort campsites over the decades has remained relatively fixed/constant.

Pick your level, Bill, (Premium, Full, etc.) and try to piece together your dates with a day here, day there all at the same level. As far out as you are, people have had success with this approach if they are diligent. (Is that what you did last time?). Halloween time, Thanksgiving time, and Christmas time is when the Fort fills up fast and early.

Ed

 

[2goofycampers]

Call/check online every chance you get.

 

[Bill Tozzo]

Thanks guys. I joined the FB group and asked for help, and contacted a TA that one of you recommended in a DM. I'll keep trying daily of course. My routine is every morning at 7:00 . . .

Wish me luck, I'll let you know how I do.

Bill

 

[Sjm9911]

I tryed to get halloween for 2021, and as soon as they opened up the bookings they were gone. The cast members had no clue it qas sold out, told me they havent opened bookings. I still check for the dates and nothing. So november 2021 it is. Take what you can get. Its crowded out there for sites.

 

[bjschil]

Hi Guys:

I've been calling weekly trying to book Chrstmas 2021. Every time they tell me that they are not booking out that far yet. Yesterday I think I got an agent that really did not know what she doing yet. She said "All I show is December 10th." We spent about the next five minutes trying to figure out whether it was because they were full or Disney hasn't released those dates yet.

Christmas is a dream of mine for many years and I don't want to miss the boat - especially after this horrible year.

Can anyone shed any light or suggest anything?

Bill

We booked Christmas through January 9, 2021-2022 through a travel agent several weeks ago. We used Once Upon A Star travel group.
good luck.

 

[meohmy]

Do you pay a deposit when booking a campsite, as you do with rooms, or the full amount? We are unable to book the campsites online in the UK, thus my ignorance.
Thank you.

 

[bama_ed]

meohmy,

If you are booking a camp site only, it is one night's site fee as a deposit and the balance is due when you arrive.

Packages (tickets/site combination) have different payment structures which includes full payment made a few weeks before you arrive.

Bama Ed

 

[meohmy]

Thank you very much, I appreciate your advice it is most helpful.

 

[DL1WDW2]

Any updates from Bill?
so campsites are worse than walking the DVCs at 11 months!
Good luck

 

[bama_ed]

Well, in all honesty the tough campsites to get are around Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Those have to be booked at the earliest possible time (500 days in advance of the arrival day) and looking at the date of Bill's original post, he was WAY inside that.

Weekends also get booked way up by "locals" (those folks within maybe a half day's drive of the Fort) for fall-winter-spring (I would too if I could).

The DVC reservations, on the other hand are ALL 11 month walkers if you believe the posts on the DIS DVC Boards. I'm glad I didn't buy DVC since I am a camper. It was a good run at the Fort for 15+ years but the annual commitment is daunting. I'm lucky to be travelling elsewhere and not obligated or forced to deal with a DVC financial commitment (because I have to).

As far out as Bill was looking, you can get what you want if you are diligent and check frequently/daily/often. But it takes commitment - and this board is full of past posts of people who pulled it off. But the variables are how far in advance, how often you check, what level site you want, and how many nights you're looking for.

Bama Ed

 

[FtW Mike]

I will echo everything Bama ED has said on this subject. We give our Travel Agent the dates for our Christmas trip 2 years out. This way she can work her magic and get us booked at her earliest opportunity.
That being said 2 years ago and again for this year we decided to add days at the start of our stay. These I booked myself. I found myself Online or the Phone every morning at 7am EST and it took a few tries but I did manage to Cobble together exactly what we wanted and once I had the stay covered, I called Disney and had them merge the individual reservations into one. Yes it took time and effort but it was worth it

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) Call EVERY day, and hope for a cancellation.
2) Christmas and Halloween are usually fully booked.
3) And, booked 499-days in advance.
4) Of course, COVID sis change some of these ressies.
5) Best times to call to check for openings
. . . 7:00am-7:30am
. . . 8:00pm-9:00pm
. . . these catch the times when people who cancel have just called