Have we held off booking? Yes and no.
We have tried everything to trigger a good discount.
First, we booked, paid no deposit, and cancelled three days later hoping that perhaps Disney would send an offer. Nope.
Second, we ordered the DVD for 2008, since our 2007 DVD ordered last fall triggered a 20% e-mail code that was good for our dates, but we had to book by Dec. 31/07. A couple of days after ordering the 2008 DVD, we got another 20% code via e-mail, covering the same dates, and it was actually the SAME PIN number! So, we booked again (about a week ago) but I still haven't paid the deposit. I'm hoping that if I wait until the last minute, perhaps another code will come out from Disney enticing us to "confirm" our pending ressie. Whether Disney's database has the capability of figuring that out, I have no idea, but it's worth a shot.
If we get nothing by the deadline, I'll put the deposit down anyway, The CM converted our 20% room-only code to allow it on a package, so we'll have until the first week of July to cancel for our ressie due to start on August 25.
I will NOT pay the balance until that 45 day deadline. We will also likely cancel if no better offer comes out between the day we pay our deposit and the 45 day deadline.
I figure that there are four full months (March to June) for better offers to come available. Some of the possibilities include:
1)
Free Dining - IF it comes out and IF it can start on Sunday August 24 rather than Sunday August 30, we will save another $300 over our current deal.
2) A 30% room-only code converted into our package would save us another $150.
3) A 40% room-only code converted into our package would save us another $300.
4) The ticket upgrade to Hoppers and Water Parks & More during value seasons as a package deal have, in the past, seemed to include a 15% discount on the room portion as well. Changing our package to this (we currently have Hoppers) would save about $125 more than our current discount.
5) The dream of all dreams - if they brought back the Buy 4 Get 3 Free Package. THAT one, I think, would save us an extra $450 to $500.
Anyway, our trip is planned during Value season, the last week of August (when the parks start to get less crowded), well within hurricane season. There is no way ANYONE should be paying full rack rates at that time, and - arguably - there should be deals that save far more than 20% off accomodations available. It makes sense for Disney to offer the best discounts at that time - they want to increase attendance, but since there will still be fewer people anyway, fewer discounts will actually get used. And lastly, offering discounts when there prices are at their lowest anyway means that they "lose" less money in the long run - at least when some of the discount is associated with accomodation costs. Free Dining and Ticket Upgrades are essentially equal, regardless of when they're offered.
Essentially, if I'm remebering my old economics class correctly, if Disney in their yearly financial plan decided they want to budget approximately one million dollars in discounts, that will go a lot further during Value season.
So, we're prepared to cancel, but we're pretty confident that we won't have to. I hope!
... and it is so difficult for me 
... in previous years, I would have already been booked by now for our annual Dec. trip 
... but this year, I am soooo disappointed and frustrated that we never get a code 
that we're probably not going to go to WDW this year at all if we don't get one 
... in one way it's sad, but in another way, maybe a change will be good 
