How far out do you book?

[CouponGirl]

I'm hoping to plan a trip for Nov 2018 - quite possibly over Thanksgiving. Given the busy time of year, I'm wondering how early I need to make my room reservations. This would be the first time staying on site.

I'm hoping to possibly be able to do a DVC place to get more bang for my buck, but in case that doesn't work out, I was thinking I should book a room to ensure we have a place to sleep! I also wasn't sure if I should wait to see about promotions or if there's a way to take advantage of a promotion even if you've already booked your room.

 

[Stigsmom]

For dvc- it only opens for renting 11 months in advance, if I'm not mistaken, as I am currently trying to find rooms for June 2018.

Those rentals are non-refundable in case of finding a different deal.

 

[Twilight Sparkle]

So far we have only rented DVC for our trips, and I make sure to book 11 months out. Sometimes we've had to stay on a waiting list to get what we want, but we have always had a room by the 9 month mark.

November near Thanksgiving might be hard to rent a room, so I would check at exactly 11 months and be prepared to be flexible with your choices.

 

[ozliz]

If you're looking at somewhere popular for DVC then I would contact the brokers (assuming that's the point rental plan) before the 11 months in advance window opens so they can try to find a member match who is willing to make the booking immediately when the window opens. As already mentioned, DVC point rental is nonrefundable so be sure about your dates.

If going the hotel room direct through Disney route I'd book as soon as you know when you're thinking of going and then make changes later as needed or as specials come out. Personally I book as soon as I've got my flights booked which is over 6 months in advance because I am a planner (and international specials are often more reliable far in advance thank taking a chance on last minute).

 

[ColoradoMom12]

We are also hoping to rent DVC points for Thanksgiving 2018. In case it doesn't end up working or we change our minds after thinking it over the next few months, we are going to book a resort as a backup. We'll probably make the resort reservation sometime in the next 6-8 weeks. It's early, but it's only $200 to hold the reservation. It will be our first time renting DVC points.

Edit: You can add a discount to your resort reservation if one becomes available after you book. You'll want to keep an eye out for discounts and call to apply it to your reservation ASAP if one becomes available. Availability is limited (sometimes very limited).

 

[Nancyg56]

I book as soon as I know we are going. I have a trip in place for December that was booked last December. I need to change it becuase for the first time ever, my husband has asked for a family trip elsewhere. I'll call and change it as soon as my nieces firm up thier dates for December 2018. I want to make sure our accommodations are in place.

 

[tinkerbella16]

We like to go book shortly after we get home from the previous trip or a couple of months after.

 

[Nancyg56]

We like to go book shortly after we get home from the previous trip or a couple of months after.

Have you thought about the Bounce Back offer while you are onsite? I always book one, and while I may change resorts later on, or move the date a little, I know I have locked in a decent discount. This December trip is the first time I have to cancel altogether. I cannto see any way the CM would be able to let me move one yesr's BB to the next year, LOL!

 

[KrazeeK120]

I book as soon as I know I'm going. I already have a trip booked for October 2018. If something comes up between now and next September which causes us to be unable to go, I'll cancel. No harm, no foul.

The trip we went on in May I booked last July.

I have booked as close as 2 months out (found out I was pregnant and wanted to get a trip in at a specific point in my pregnancy).

 

[tinkerbella16]

Have you thought about the Bounce Back offer while you are onsite? I always book one, and while I may change resorts later on, or move the date a little, I know I have locked in a decent discount. This December trip is the first time I have to cancel altogether. I cannto see any way the CM would be able to let me move one yesr's BB to the next year, LOL!

We actually book with a TA who has great agency exclusive deals, so we wait for them to release those and that is always shortly after we come home from the trip, this time it was a couple of months after.

 

[Marionnette]

I'm hoping to plan a trip for Nov 2018 - quite possibly over Thanksgiving. Given the busy time of year, I'm wondering how early I need to make my room reservations. This would be the first time staying on site.

I'm hoping to possibly be able to do a DVC place to get more bang for my buck, but in case that doesn't work out, I was thinking I should book a room to ensure we have a place to sleep! I also wasn't sure if I should wait to see about promotions or if there's a way to take advantage of a promotion even if you've already booked your room.

A DVC owner would have to book the resort in late December for a Thanksgiving trip. I know that this sounds negative, but that would be during Christmas week (Thanksgiving 2018 is Nov. 22). If I were booking for myself, I'd walk the reservation so that I didn't have to be online at 8 AM during a very busy time in my personal life. I wouldn't be online to do it for an agency because there's nothing extra in it for me. I could get paid the same amount by an agency to book a reservation for late-January or mid-August. And since the agencies have more demand for rentals than they have DVC owners willing to make a reservation, I know if I were to go that route, my points would get used regardless. If I didn't own DVC and I wanted to get a villa for Thanksgiving I would look into renting directly from an owner who may be willing to go that extra mile for you.

For the regular resort reservation, I would book where I was comfortable staying, knowing that it is completely refundable and can be re-booked with a discount if one were to come available. And I would book it as soon as I had a rough idea of my travel dates.

 

[CouponGirl]

A DVC owner would have to book the resort in late December for a Thanksgiving trip. I know that this sounds negative, but that would be during Christmas week (Thanksgiving 2018 is Nov. 22). If I were booking for myself, I'd walk the reservation so that I didn't have to be online at 8 AM during a very busy time in my personal life. I wouldn't be online to do it for an agency because there's nothing extra in it for me. I could get paid the same amount by an agency to book a reservation for late-January or mid-August. And since the agencies have more demand for rentals than they have DVC owners willing to make a reservation, I know if I were to go that route, my points would get used regardless. If I didn't own DVC and I wanted to get a villa for Thanksgiving I would look into renting directly from an owner who may be willing to go that extra mile for you.

For the regular resort reservation, I would book where I was comfortable staying, knowing that it is completely refundable and can be re-booked with a discount if one were to come available. And I would book it as soon as I had a rough idea of my travel dates.

I hadn't realized that the DVC booking would have to be made right there during Christmas. What you're saying makes a lot of sense.

 

[CouponGirl]

Thanks everyone for the feedback! It was all very helpful and made me consider some things I had not realized and/or thought about!

 

[Wild4Walt]

We have already booked out trip for September 2018. I will try for a DVC resort as it gets closer but if that didn't work we knew we wanted to stay at AoA for the microwave in the room. ( My DB's must have )

 

[NMAmy]

Well, I just booked for Thanksgiving THIS year yesterday. No problems but we didn't book DVC and we're arriving on Thanksgiving and staying the following week. I can't imagine booking 18 months in advance.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

When renting DVC points, we contacted the company (in our case, we use David's with absolutely no complaints) about a year out. That way, we are at the top of the list at the 11 month mark when people can start booking them. That's for the more popular resorts, though. If it was SSR or OKW, you might have a little extra time.

Quite honestly, Id be shocked if they had any good deals over Thanksgiving since that is a very popular time to go. Personally, I'd put in the DVC requests early and then, if I don't have a room booked by the end of February, I'd book something through Disney.

 

[georgina]

Like Jenna, I contacted the same DVC rental place a year ahead of our October trip. For my solo trip in August, I waited until the summer discounts were released in March.