Early November room reservations?

[KatieCharlotte]

I was checking weekend room rates for one adult, one child in early November, and I saw very high rack rates and several resorts (like Pop Century and Port Orleans) were listed as unavailable. I know about Jersey week, and the second weekend is Veteran's Day, but it still seems unlikely that some resorts are full and all resort rooms are significantly more expensive than I could book right now for the middle of this summer. I don't think free dining applies in early Nov? What am I missing? Are the "unavailable" resorts a glitch? Do I need to wait for better room deals?

 

[bfost87]

As unlikely as you might find it, it is in fact the case. Jersey Week, Marathon Weekend, Veterans Day, end of Halloween, Beginning of Christmas. Summer isn't the 'busy season' anymore, Christmas is, and many are travelling at this time to get in Christmas before the mass crowds decent in December. Hotels that are 'unavailable' are unavailable for a reason, rooms may open if people cancel, but you can't wait for better rates on rooms that aren't available. As for the high rack rates, you can try to wait for a better deal if Disney releases specials, but as rooms book up, rates will only go higher, as hotels yield their rates.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

There will not be "better room deals" for those dates. Marathon weekends are often their own rate tiers at Disney, and W&D is super popular. It also overlaps Jersey Week, as noted. That weekend fills all the rooms on campus.

Heck, I was looking at DVC availability the other day, and even the Poly Bungalows and CCV Cabins, which are Insanely Expensive, are unavailable. Fully booked. One night, there is literally ONE DVC option on campus, and there may have been only a single unit of that - and it was a Saratoga Treehouse.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Room-only discounts have not been released for that time period, as of yet and, even if WDW offers them, there is no guarantee anything within your price range will be available. If you know you want to go, I would book something within your price range now (if anything is available) and then keep your eye open if discounts are released that could either be applied to your existing reservation or that you could switch to if something else you like happens to be in discount inventory.

 

[KatieCharlotte]

To be honest, this is a reminder that WDW trip planning has become insane. Booking hotels more than 6 months in advance for random weekends in November. Hyping the off-season, so there is no off-season. Deciding six months in advance where you will eat -- which makes people spend a lot more $$$ on their meals. Deciding 60 days in advance which ride you will be on at which park and what time.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

To be honest, this is a reminder that WDW trip planning has become insane. Booking hotels more than 6 months in advance for random weekends in November. Hyping the off-season, so there is no off-season. Deciding six months in advance where you will eat -- which makes people spend a lot more $$$ on their meals. Deciding 60 days in advance which ride you will be on at which park and what time.

I understand your frustration, however, there really isn't an off-season in November. I just booked a November trip about 3 weeks ago and had a very hard time finding something that would accommodate our group. Though it wasn't exactly what we wanted, I did find something and we are content with what we have. Zero discounts at this point as well.

Is anything within your budget available for your dates?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

That weekend in November is hardly random. It is a huge event.

And in general, there is a limited season in which Disney can schedule runDisney events. You're dealing with Florida weather, and citizen racers. For Food & Wine, early November dodges the end of hurricane season in October and is the start of the (hopefully) cooler season. (The Chicago Marathon, in October, has had heatstroke issues some years recently.) The tail-end of the season of reason tends to be the Star Wars race event, as afterwards you start dealing with heat heat heat.

Citizen racers and high heat for 13.1/26.2 is no good. Even pro marathoners can have issues with heat. So, yes, runDisney helps drive traffic at specific intervals, but it's not like this would be a plausible tactic for August anyway.

 

[VeronicaZS]

Disney also seems to play with room availability based on your length of stay (shorter or longer than you intend) or if it includes a Saturday night. I had luck modifying an existing reservation so you may want to play around with dates and then modify after to fact. Based on my experience for Jersey week last year I am seriously considering a split stay depending on discounts and am holding AOA as backup. Good luck!

 

[Dave006]

Booking hotels more than 6 months in advance for random weekends in November.

What weekend are you look at in Nov, there are no longer random weekends in Oct-Nov. as Disney has figured out that by offering extra events or running other events, starting earlier and ending later in the season. For example, the first weekend of F&W and the first MNSSHW party now start in August!

The first weekend is the last weekend of F&W at Epcot. The second week starts on Sunday Nov 4 with the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon presented by MISFIT™. The second week is also runs into Veterans Day with the holiday on the 12th and a popular time for a quick vacation. That really leaves you only on 1 weekend on Nov. 17-18 that could even be remotely "quite" or random but don't forget the Mikey's Very Merry Christmas party on Friday Nov. 16.

Dave

 

[KatieCharlotte]

Disney also seems to play with room availability based on your length of stay (shorter or longer than you intend) or if it includes a Saturday night. I had luck modifying an existing reservation so you may want to play around with dates and then modify after to fact. Based on my experience for Jersey week last year I am seriously considering a split stay depending on discounts and am holding AOA as backup. Good luck!

That's really why I was curious if what I was seeing was normal. I've been making mock bookings for a summer trip, and then I mock book a short weekend stay in the fall (I actually checked the first and second weekends in Nov and the first weekend in Dec) and find unavailable resorts and double the prices. Playing with prices like that is common, not just at Disney.

No worries. I wouldn't be ready to book anything for months. I just can't plan that far in advance for various reasons. If we decide to go and there are affordable rooms, awesome. If not, we stay offsite or don't go. I know that WDW is not a spontaneous place, as much as I wish it would be. My kids are actually begging to go back to DL because it was a more relaxed trip.