First time booking a trip. help please!!

[cupcakegirl]

ok. i'm booking this myself so what number would I use to book the vacation? i'm so nervous doing this, hope i don't mess up. LOL... Also, when I book the vacation I want to take my daughter to the Cinderella Castle for breakfast, can i book it now or do i do the calling at the 90 day mark? we're going November 6-12 and I'd like to do the breakfast on the 7th. any tips or help you could give me would be so appreciated. This is also our first disney trip and we're so excited.
Thanks in advance.
Chris

 

[katallo]

Call 800-828-0228. As far as booking Cinderella's Castle be on the phone at 7:00 am 90 days out. Have fun. I still get excited each time I plan a trip.

 

[cupcakegirl]

so does that mean 90 days from the day I want to book it for or 90 days from the day my vacation starts? sorry i sound so stupid, never did this before.
thanks.
chris

 

[LucyStorm]

90 days from the date you want. Even if you don't get the reservation the first time, keep trying, there are cancellations. There is also the princess breakfast in Epcot now.

 

[cupcakegirl]

so we're going November 6. Does that mean I would start calling August 6 at 7:00 a.m.?

 

[LucyStorm]

Go to the home page of the DIS, look for the dining link. Click on that, go to the bottom of the page to the priority seating calculator and put in your dates. It will tell you exactly when you can start calling for whichever kind of meal that you would like.

Above all, have a great time!

 

[katallo]

Here you go'

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/pscalc/dispscalc.html

 

[Dismom63]

Here's how I have gotten the coveted "Cindy's Ressie" several times. Dial the 1800wdwdine # about 6:58 am eastern time, hang up before you get the recording and then just hit redial until you get an answer at 7am (hopefully).

 

[DisneyWorld Delight]

It is good you are booking breakfast at the beginning of your trip. If you don't get a table on the 7th, you can try again the next day for the 8, and so on until you get it. Have a credit card ready, you must pay a deposit and read up on the exact technique, like at AllEars. This is serious business if you want a table. You must call exactly at 7 am. Tables will be gone by 7:01.

My daughter always loves it.

 

[cupcakegirl]

First off, thank you to all who gave me great tips and help. I called the disney number and booked our very first Disney Trip!! I am so excited, still can't believe we're actually going. Also, she gave me great advice on how to call for cinderella's breakfast. Just like you guys told me, start calling 6:58 and use other people with cell phones and all call till hopefully one of us gets an operator. Thank you all so much for your help. Greatly appreciated.
Chris

 

[laurfisher]

If you have a AAA card you can get a discount on your hotel room. AAA discounts are not valid on hotel and ticket package. so if you have AAA book hotel separate and tickets separate. I am going for the first time in April. we are not renting a car...there is transportation provided by Disney (in May) free from airport to hotel. Disney bus transportation will take you to Disney parks and breakfasts free....
good luck

 

[2tinkersmom]

My biggest and best trip planner help was mousesavers.com!! I can not say enough about that site. I too was nervous planning our first trip this January, didn't want to make any mistakes and wanted to save money. I literally planned for more than a year with books and that site. Subscribe to the mousesavers.com newsletter (there is a spot on the site to do it). It comes to you via email every month and she publishes all new discount codes, new info, everything. I kept watching for any and all discounts I might use and because I waited until I think 2-3 months prior to our trip date, I got a discount code for the Fort Wilderness Cabins (which are normally at least $229 a night) and paid $149 per night!
I would also recommend booking things seperately if you feel comfortable. I used the mousesavers recommended travel agent Small World Vacations to book our cabin once I had the code - they were so helpful.
We were all set to drive from PA to FL because my initial check into airfare was just to much money for us. But then about 6 weeks prior to our trip, I happened to be surfing some of the air sites and found tickets at southwestairlines.com for all four of us for just under $400 total!! It would have cost us more to drive!
So just keep checking sites and you will be amazed at the help and discounts you can find.

 

[julieunruly]

Thanks for posting this link. Very helpful!!!