How hard is it to take impromptu trips these days?

[lynzi2004]

I think last minute trips are fairly simple...it's people who try and book about 3 months out that have the problem! All ADRs are hoarded and hotels might even be more full. As it gets closer to time, less than 30 days out to a week or so, people have cancelled unneeded hotels and ADRs.

 

[hamilkm]

I planned a weekend trip this past weekend 31 days out. I am a DVC memeber, so I got the only studio available on points (AK Kidani, somewhere I had wanted to try to see if my family would like for longer trips), got every fast pass I wanted except FOP (but did actually score a same day one!), and could have gotten BOG lunch and many other popular reservations the day before but decided to go with the flow and no reservations instead. I had an amazing time! Just as much fun as my trips that I planned months out.

 

[BattyMcDoon]

I've been able to book a trip only 10 days out before but it really depends on your travel style and what you are looking to accomplish while there as well as what time of year you are going. October and November are considered holiday time, crowds are a little busier and rates seem to be higher so it may be a little more difficult to get things accomplished.

 

[kayteekt]

ADRs likely won't be a concern, my biggest worry would be crowd levels around Food & Wine. I'm not terrible with crowds but if I feel like there's so many people that I'm not having a good time it may not be worth it.

I get this, totally. Can you possibly *not* go over a weekend. Maybe leave on a Sunday, come back mid-week? We've been to f&w last couple years, it is packed on the weekends (just like everyone says).

 

[mjallemand]

The next issue to tackle is finding a cheapy-cheap-cheap hotel to stay in offsite along with attempted cheap tickets, but at just 2 days I dunno if that's gonna happen.

 

[Pacolovestacos]

Wouldn't even consider an impromptu trip to WDW. Execs have pretty much destroyed the ability to do that.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Avoided October and November...

It's gone from "great" too awful in 10 years flat...

The people are pounding the place and not getting the hint to move along now.

Not only is it Epcot...it's the hours crunch in magic kingdom when they kick out the day crowd 47 times in two months...it's gotten out of hand.

So I would suggest going to one of the other periods. Honestly...other than the heat summer isn't bad anymore...it's manageable.

Most of November is nice, January to march...

Honestly...I've seen Easter crowds, summer crowds, and October/November crowds many times over the last ten years and October/November have been the most unpleasant for many reasons.
Just my take..

 

[livyy]

We do impromptu trips all the time. Pretty much live by them with myself being in nursing school. We are annual passholders and Florida residents who live only about an hour and a half away from WDW. We make spontaneous trips all the time AND stay on resort property. We've even booked a Disney hotel the day beforehand for a quick, cheap one night stay. It is 100% doable. If you want to be eating at BOG or Cinderella's Royal Table every night or grabbing that 7 Dwarves Mine Train FP, then no.

 

[Sparkly]

Wouldn't even consider an impromptu trip to WDW. Execs have pretty much destroyed the ability to do that.

Really? Are they personally preventing you from booking FPs at less then 60 days? Of course it's possible.

 

[Pacolovestacos]

Really? Are they personally preventing you from booking FPs at less then 60 days? Of course it's possible.

Everyone has their own style of touring WDW. My post was relative to my style. For me, impromptu trips are not possible. Sorry.

 

[arminnie]

Planning 6 months ahead is long-term planning for me. I just planned a trip for September. I had no problems getting FPs to all the new hot new attractions or getting a room.

 

[KimBean]

I'm not aware that the Epcot 35th Anniversary is even a thing. I know 2021 is going to be HUGE for all of WDW due to the 50th, and 2022 will be big for Epcot's 40th, but this year???

I know there is merch and a pin set. And D23 is hosting events on 10/1 but I don't know what it takes to get in there.

 

[Jennasis]

We took an impromptu trip to WDW last year. It was in early October that I got a really good deal on an off-site room and said to DH "Hey, wouldn't it be crazy if we went to WDW for your birthday (first week of Dec)?" And since we had annual passes that would expire in early December...

Yup...we went and had a fantastic time! No ADR's. Got plenty of good FP's.

 

[quandrea]

Wouldn't even consider an impromptu trip to WDW. Execs have pretty much destroyed the ability to do that.

If I could take a last minute trip over no trip, I'd jump on that in a heartbeat. There are plenty of fast passes/ADRs available even day of. It's a misconception that you can't have a good trip without six-eight months of planning. I'd never dissuade someone from taking a trip just because they may not score an ADR for Ohana (overrated anyway) or Be Our Guest. You can still have a great trip even if you don't get that Flight of Passage fast pass.

 

[isabellea]

Last week I helped a friend to plan her 1-day trip to WDW 3 days later (she went last Saturday) as she was already in FL (staying offsite). She was able to get a CRT PPO ADR and FP+ for 7DMT and Splash at great times. Everything is possible.

 

[CurtisB]

We just got back from a fairly impromptu trip. about 4 weeks out. We were at Epcot on Saturday July 8th and the park was empty. Summer is becoming a lower crowd time. Don't just assume that because kids are out of school that it's going to be crowded.

 

[DisneyMandC]

I booked our upcoming trip 70 days out. Not exactly impromptu in terms of Fastpasses, but I was able to book ADRs for Be Our Guest dinner, Yak and Yeti, and Boma. No issues with finding a discounted room offer or airfare.

 

[prprincess]

We did it last March--decided that we were going to Orlando on a Tuesday and left on a Thursday. I was nervous going into it (my husband planned it all!!) but we kept our expectations low, as far as TS and FPs. Thankfully, we ended up doing more than we thought we'd do, so it turned out great. And like you said about Epcot, MK is our happy place, and so we were just grateful to be there.

 

[Minnesota!]

I don't think it is hard. We are doing little planning for our upcoming trip. I grabbed FP for FOP because they were available. I have 2 meals booked.

However, yesterday, I was curious as to same-day availability so I looked, at 130 pm CST, for dinner last night at WDW. Almost everywhere had prime-time availability. If I had been there, I would have had my choice of almost everywhere. That is how we roll at WDW - whatever sounds good that day is what we do/eat/play.

I just wish airfare allowed for more spontaneous trips - that is where I have to book ahead.

 

[Soarin4us]

Our trips are always last-minute. We book a few days to 3 weeks in advance. As long as you're flexible regarding timing, it's easy. We've booked California Grill, Jiko, and fastpasses for almost everything we wanted, just 1 or 2 days in advance.