Experts, tell me what to do please :)

[mommymanda]

This trip is in the planning since 2010, but kept being postponed. We are going August 2014 nothing to stop us.

I will have $4800 saved for this trip/flights (driving is not an option)

I am just trying to figure out what is the best option. I am a family of 5 and my youngest turns 2 mid August. So I was planning to go the week of his birthday so he'll still be a 2year old and free for most at that point.

Right now at rack rates I am getting ASM, with flights and DDP (yes we want it, we are only going once and going all out ) and it will cost me $4715, so pretty much everything.

My hubby will have his official holiday info by the end of December, which is when I plan to book. This of course means any summer discounts will not yet be released.

So do I book December and hope a discount comes up that I can qualify for? Or do I wait until later and book once discounts are offered?

I am mainly worried because of flight prices. If I wait too long I will pay more on the flight...plus we won't have much to play with spending wise at rack rates.

 

[fla4fun]

There is no guarantee that discounts will be released, although typically there have been some for that time of year. I would book what you feel comfortable with and if a discount comes along, see if you can get it applied.

Since it sounds like you want the higher priced dining plan, a free dining promotion would help, but you would still have to pay to upgrade to the higher priced plans. Free dining doesn't give you any discount on the room, because you pay rack rate for the room to get the food free, and the value resorts only qualify for free counter service dining.

So far as I am aware, you have to buy a package to get a dining plan (unless you are DVC or have an AP) so that may restrict the discounts that you are offered. However, the good thing with a package is you can make payments a little bit at a time so you have it all paid for when you arrive.

You should do a little research into the types of package discounts offered in the past for your dates to get an idea of what you might expect - but again, there are no guarantees. The iffy thing may be your timing - mid August tends to be the changeover time from any summer promotions to the fall ones, and sometimes there are a few days that aren't covered by either. That's why you need to do a little research, so you can get a better feel for which days have the best potential to save you the most money.

 

[dis_guy]

This trip is in the planning since 2010, but kept being postponed. We are going August 2014 nothing to stop us.

I will have $4800 saved for this trip/flights (driving is not an option)

I am just trying to figure out what is the best option. I am a family of 5 and my youngest turns 2 mid August. So I was planning to go the week of his birthday so he'll still be a 2year old and free for most at that point.

Right now at rack rates I am getting ASM, with flights and DDP (yes we want it, we are only going once and going all out ) and it will cost me $4715, so pretty much everything.

My hubby will have his official holiday info by the end of December, which is when I plan to book. This of course means any summer discounts will not yet be released.

So do I book December and hope a discount comes up that I can qualify for? Or do I wait until later and book once discounts are offered?

I am mainly worried because of flight prices. If I wait too long I will pay more on the flight...plus we won't have much to play with spending wise at rack rates.

Since it seems like you're going anyway and you have the budget sorted, I'd book as soon as you have your dates. You can take advantage of any special offers once they're announced. By the way I usually book flights first as you may save some money by choosing your days to get the cheapest fares. Then I book Disney to match.

 

[hj1madison]

This trip is in the planning since 2010, but kept being postponed. We are going August 2014 nothing to stop us.

I will have $4800 saved for this trip/flights (driving is not an option)

I am just trying to figure out what is the best option. I am a family of 5 and my youngest turns 2 mid August. So I was planning to go the week of his birthday so he'll still be a 2year old and free for most at that point.

Right now at rack rates I am getting ASM, with flights and DDP (yes we want it, we are only going once and going all out ) and it will cost me $4715, so pretty much everything.

My hubby will have his official holiday info by the end of December, which is when I plan to book. This of course means any summer discounts will not yet be released.

So do I book December and hope a discount comes up that I can qualify for? Or do I wait until later and book once discounts are offered?

I am mainly worried because of flight prices. If I wait too long I will pay more on the flight...plus we won't have much to play with spending wise at rack rates.

I recently heard from a well respected TA on NPR that booking flights too early can cost much more than waiting until 4 or 5 months out. I wish I had heeded his warning -- our flight tickets are now about 1/2 what they were when I purchased 8 months early! I have now subscribed to Hotwire to monitor car rental rates. Wish I had done so with airline tickets. On the positive, buying early definately committed us to the trip. When I booked our room thru Disney I asked about whether discounts could be applied later and the CM told me yes. You could book your room and then monitor the boards for any discounts.

 

[Aliceacc]

SOOOO NOT an expert, but...

We're going the first week of August, pretty much the same time we've gone in the past.

We like to fly Jetblue-- we like the fact that the first bag flies free, the free in flight snacks, and the fact that each of us has our own TV. (Keep those baggage fees in mind when you book; they can make an apparent "good deal" far less appealing.)

Here's a list of the fees associated with most of the US airlines:
http://www.airfarewatchdog.com/blog/3801089/airline-fees-us-carriers-updated/

I've always found that I'm happy with the prices I get if I book the week between Christmas and New Years. So that's my plan unless they offer some incredible deal between now and then. Right now, round trip from JFK is running ballpark $360 a piece. Last year our flights came to less than $1400-- so I'm shooting for a price somewhere near $280 apiece. I think that having some sort of a target price in your head is a help. Start pricing things out now, and researching last summer's prices so you'll recognize a good price when you see it.

It's possible that booking later would save us money. But I like KNOWING our flights are set... if I wait too long, I get antsy.Likewise, I know I could probably do a little better flying Southwest, but I also like KNOWING that we'll be sitting together. Both of those are options you can consider, weighing in the cost difference against your peace of mind.

As to discounts, every single time I've gone to WDW, we've gotten a discount or deal of some sort. Our TA has had no problem applying the discount.

So, like you, we're budgeting for rack rate, but I sincerely hope to pay less. We booked our vacation when the new prices came out early in the summer. (We're teachers, so we're very confident that we'll be off during the week we're going. )

Oh, and can I suggest another money saving idea? You mention that you're planning to stay at ASM. If you're thinking the family suites, take a look at Port Orleans Riverside. It's a moderate, and supposed to be gorgeous! They have some rooms that sleep 5, with a Murphy Bed that folds down. It's typically cheaper than the family suites. It gives you less room to play with, but friends LOVED the resort.

And, as you budget, keep food prices in mind as well. We love the DDP, (and, yes, I've done the math. For us it works) But lots of people find that it's not a bargain. Either way, know that food in WDW is expensive and will have to be a part of yoru calculations.

 

[black562]

There is no guarantee that discounts will be released, although typically there have been some for that time of year. I would book what you feel comfortable with and if a discount comes along, see if you can get it applied. Since it sounds like you want the higher priced dining plan, a free dining promotion would help, but you would still have to pay to upgrade to the higher priced plans. Free dining doesn't give you any discount on the room, because you pay rack rate for the room to get the food free, and the value resorts only qualify for free counter service dining. So far as I am aware, you have to buy a package to get a dining plan (unless you are DVC or have an AP) so that may restrict the discounts that you are offered. However, the good thing with a package is you can make payments a little bit at a time so you have it all paid for when you arrive. You should do a little research into the types of package discounts offered in the past for your dates to get an idea of what you might expect - but again, there are no guarantees. The iffy thing may be your timing - mid August tends to be the changeover time from any summer promotions to the fall ones, and sometimes there are a few days that aren't covered by either. That's why you need to do a little research, so you can get a better feel for which days have the best potential to save you the most money.

Booking early doesn't guarantee you'll get a discount if offered. You would still have to call and have it applied when available and would depend on availability. In fact, we caution people booking early because if too many do that, bookings will be higher and there will be less incentive for Disney to offer a discount. Remember they offer discounts to fill rooms, so if rooms are already filled, they may not offer one at all.

 

[rainboots]

I booked our flights 8 months early, out of little Flint, MI airport, and they were $100 each way. I doubt it gets much lower, so I feel like I got a good deal. Today, the same flight is $137 each way.

Don't forget to factor in gratuities on meals, I imagine those will add up and eat up some of your budget. I am not excited about that. Actually, I would prefer to pay a little more on the DDP, and have all gratuities taken care of, just so we don't have to worry about that either. I am probably in the minority.