Grandma needs advice

[TIS Grandma]

We haven't been to Disney since our kids were kids! Now planning to go with grandkids and their parents in January (not during marathon) -- 9 of us. We're looking at room only (3 rooms), perhaps in AoA or maybe another value.

I bought the Unofficial Guide and sent pricing requests to several TAs recommended there. Of course, no prices yet for next year.

If I call Disney and book rooms, 1) can I transfer reservation if the TA has a deal? 2) If I book 3 rooms, what kind of deposit can I anticipate? 1 night$/room? 3)If I wait till mid summer for TA prices is there a chance no rooms will be available?

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me! I didn't expect this to be so complicated

 

[scrapquitler]

If you book directly with Disney, and you book room only, the deposit is 1 night (and you'll have to pay that for each room you reserve). That's the only one of your questions I can answer for sure.

 

[Babsy]

1) I have transferred reservations that I had already made to TA's in the past. I don't see any reason why you would have any difficulty there. ETA: Apparently this is a problem when new discounts are involved or after 30 days.

2) three rooms would require 3 one night deposits (if you are booking a room only - that is, no ticket or dining along with to make a package)

3) In order to book a discount, the room has to be available to book. Having an existing reservation does not increase your chances of getting a discounted room later. Basically, discounts are offered on rooms that are as yet unbooked. Particular room categories at certain resorts may well be 'sold out'. We usually book a resort where the non discounted price works and where we would be happy to stay if no discounts are offered during our planned vacation. then, if a better deal or opportunity comes along we change the reservation to take advantage of that.

Good luck!

 

[plutolovr]

We haven't been to Disney since our kids were kids! Now planning to go with grandkids and their parents in January (not during marathon) -- 9 of us. We're looking at room only (3 rooms), perhaps in AoA or maybe another value.

I bought the Unofficial Guide and sent pricing requests to several TAs recommended there. Of course, no prices yet for next year.

If I call Disney and book rooms, 1) can I transfer reservation if the TA has a deal? 2) If I book 3 rooms, what kind of deposit can I anticipate? 1 night$/room? 3)If I wait till mid summer for TA prices is there a chance no rooms will be available?

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me! I didn't expect this to be so complicated

First, there will be no discounts or "deals" for the Little Mermaid Rooms. They are always excluded from offers. So if you are planning on a discount, you may want to switch to another Value resort. There really is no advantage to booking a room now, only to change it to a package when the packages are released. You will have to cancel your rooms, get refunded your deposits, and book new packages.

 

[wdwthanksgiving]

The advantage to booking your rooms is that you have the rooms in hand. When you call Disney to get a discount, they will not cancel your current reservations until they have secured the discounted rooms...and if no discounted rooms are available, you at least still have the rooms.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

If a TA has a "deal," you will not be able to transfer the reservation.

 

[purple figment]

1) can I transfer reservation if the TA has a deal?
2) If I book 3 rooms, what kind of deposit can I anticipate? 1 night$/room?
3)If I wait till mid summer for TA prices is there a chance no rooms will be available?

1. You can transfer reservations to a TA, but if the TA has a special deal, you might have to re-book with them because the special offer might not apply to rooms booked elsewhere.
2. The deposit will be one night's rate per room at current rates.
3. No one can say when a particular night or resort/room category will sell out. If you know what you want and will stay there regardless of whether a deal comes out or not, book now to insure you'll get what you want. If you will only stay if you or a TA gets a deal, there's no point in booking until the deal comes out because having rooms now will not give you any advantage. Rooms for a special offer come from a different inventory so there will have to be availability for your resort/room category/dates when you try to apply the special to your reservation.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

We haven't been to Disney since our kids were kids! Now planning to go with grandkids and their parents in January (not during marathon) -- 9 of us. We're looking at room only (3 rooms), perhaps in AoA or maybe another value.

I bought the Unofficial Guide and sent pricing requests to several TAs recommended there. Of course, no prices yet for next year.

If I call Disney and book rooms, 1) can I transfer reservation if the TA has a deal? 2) If I book 3 rooms, what kind of deposit can I anticipate? 1 night$/room? 3)If I wait till mid summer for TA prices is there a chance no rooms will be available?

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me! I didn't expect this to be so complicated

If you book through WDW and want to transfer to a TA, it has to be done within 30 days of the initial booking. That TA can take over the booking and look for any general public discounts that are released. You can do the same (just keep your eye on these boards for discount releases!), but if you would rather have a TA do the leg work, my advice is to work with a reputable TA from an EarMarked agency that knows the ins-and-outs of WDW promos and WDW in general.

If you are hoping for a special agency discount, those are booked through a different department in WDW and a room or package you book through Disney yourself will not be able to be transferred to that specialty discount.

If you book three rooms, you will put down three, one night deposits. If you wait until the packages are released (usually summer), you will put down three $200 deposits.

If you book through WDW and a special TA deal comes out that you want to take advantage of, you would have to cancel the rooms with WDW and book directly with the TA.

 

[TIS Grandma]

Thanks Everyone! I think we'll take our chances and wait until 2018 prices are released.