Is there a April 2008 code watch thread? **This seems to be it!!

[cheeringmom]

My trip is April 3 - 11 - according to Disney website and the booking CM it is supposedly a wonderful week of Disney due to lower crowds. Go figure!

FYI our kids are on spring break that week. That is the week we are going too! We live in the panhandle of florida. Still waiting on those codes!!

 

[peaches]

hpefully Aprils will be soon

 

[mferdin]

We will be there 4/5-4/13.. it's spring break in Colorado that week and the week before ..for elem, middle and high schools. We will be at POP, for 3 (out of 6) of us it will be our 1st trip ever so I think we will have fun no matter what

Wishing on a Star for a Code.. hehe

 

[MainStreetFireman]

I think we will have fun no matter what

Hey, I want an April code as much as everyone does. But I have to just accept that I need to book what I can afford (almost) and consider any codes to be just sauce for the goose. In terms of crowds, we'll just "commando-tour" in the mornings and take our time after lunch in whatever park we are in. Worrying about how many people "might" be in the parks will not change anything.

At this point, I'm just glad to be doing the double-digit dance.

 

[barbeml]

We will we there April 16-22, and I am having a terrible time making dining plans (thank goodness for my Dreams Agent). Whispering Canyon is totally booked one night, Mama Melrose Fantasmic package sold out another...this is a first for me, never had a problem with dining before, even with groups of 7 (we are six this time).

Yikes, I'd better start planning for our December trip now.

 

[soontobewed07]

We will we there April 16-22, and I am having a terrible time making dining plans (thank goodness for my Dreams Agent). Whispering Canyon is totally booked one night, Mama Melrose Fantasmic package sold out another...this is a first for me, never had a problem with dining before, even with groups of 7 (we are six this time).

Yikes, I'd better start planning for our December trip now.

Try Mama's for Lunch time! We had luck with that and you still get the package. We grabbed our CS for Dinner and then headed to the show. By the way it might work out better that way my Dsis was begging for every snack under the sun.

 

[barbeml]

Try Mama's for Lunch time! We had luck with that and you still get the package. We grabbed our CS for Dinner and then headed to the show. By the way it might work out better that way my Dsis was begging for every snack under the sun.

Thanks for the tip! I learn something new every day!

 

[Disney Padawan]

I'm waiting for AP rates to be announced (like many of you !) for Apr 18-25. So far we don't have anything booked, no flights either and of course the more we wait the higher the airfare will get.

Still waiting to hear if there will be P&PP in April too. Come on Mickey, give us some good news!

I highly recommend that you call and book ASAP because from what I hear, ALL the resorts are filling up fast! You can always add your code later, it's better to have your room held before it's too late.

This advice goes for all of you who are waiting to book after the codes come out. Historically, the April codes don't come out until late February! By then most, if not all, of the resorts will be booked. If you have plans to go in April, book ASAP!

As far as the crowds are concerned, it should be pretty busy considering some schools go on Spring break in April. This is why Disney calls it Regular season not Value season.

But hey, we're all there to have fun, right?

 

[mindyd]

I am getting really worried about the crowds we went last year around June
20th does any one think it is going to be more crowded then June? Is this normal for April? As long as the crowds are about the same I am fine but I dont want to go if its going to be packed.

Thanks for any help!

 

[EnnEss]

I highly recommend that you call and book ASAP because from what I hear, ALL the resorts are filling up fast! You can always add your code later, it's better to have your room held before it's too late.

I think if they had all the resorts booked, they would not release a code. As for april being busy, the first part is but by the late part most spring breaks are done. I was there last april, last week of it, it was dead empty with the exception of weekend emh parks.

I mainly won't book in advance because of this, Disney knows if you book you are likely to go with or without code. I won't go without a code, so I'm not going to book. If everyone goes ahead and books it lessens the chance of a code. I won't die if I don't see a code, but I won't go.

 

[marivaid]

I think if they had all the resorts booked, they would not release a code. As for april being busy, the first part is but by the late part most spring breaks are done. I was there last april, last week of it, it was dead empty with the exception of weekend emh parks.

I mainly won't book in advance because of this, Disney knows if you book you are likely to go with or without code. I won't go without a code, so I'm not going to book. If everyone goes ahead and books it lessens the chance of a code. I won't die if I don't see a code, but I won't go.

Same here. Without a code, POP would cost us about $200/night + tax (we need 2 rooms). No way on Earth am I paying that for a value.
I agree that if everyone books in advance, Disney will have no reason to offer a code.

Spring break is earlier this year than 2006. I'm having no problem getting ADRs except on party-or-maybe-not-party night so I don't think it's going to be that busy.

Maybe I'll regret this but so far, not worried. For our Christmas trip I could have booked a Value at AP rate a couple weeks before our trip if I'd wanted to, and that's the busiest time of the year.

 

[mamacate]

We're going the 18th to the 28th and I only had problems getting ADRs on the P&P night during my trip, plus I got one at a slightly less obvious location (Whispering Canyon Cafe) for that night. I think the earlier weeks are just going to be high volume like any year.

The conventional wisdom seems to be that April is bad until the middle of the month and then it lightens up considerably. We'll see if that holds this year. We were there for the same break last year, and it was busy but not horrible. Lots of Brits and Bostonians (maybe we can christen it "New and Old England Week" a la Jersey week, lol). With a little planning and a moderate dose of UG tricks, we did fine.

We're staying offsite for a week unless the code is an amazing deal. If the code is just okay, I'll book the first three nights at WL or another MK resort. If there's no code (or if everything is sold out), it's offsite the whole time. Just waiting to figure out which it will be...

Cate

 

[EnnEss]

Marivaid, i see it says you're in paris, how is Disney there?!?!?

 

[marivaid]

Marivaid, i see it says you're in paris, how is Disney there?!?!?

Small, and full of people who don't quite grasp the concept of standing in line.

Oh but they just opened TOT over there, and if we weren't going to the "real" Disney in April I might have been tempted!!!

 

[EnnEss]

Small, and full of people who don't quite grasp the concept of standing in line.

Oh but they just opened TOT over there, and if we weren't going to the "real" Disney in April I might have been tempted!!!

So its the same as skiing in europe vs north america

 

[sjreilly]

Try Mama's for Lunch time! We had luck with that and you still get the package. We grabbed our CS for Dinner and then headed to the show. By the way it might work out better that way my Dsis was begging for every snack under the sun.

Really?? That is great! I have the MM package but it is sooooo early! Which means leaving for a break is impossible. Maybe I will try a lunch and do dinner at Prime Time later. I had no idea you got the package for lunch.

What time would you recommend eating for the early show? The late show?

TIA!

Sarah

 

[soontobewed07]

Really?? That is great! I have the MM package but it is sooooo early! Which means leaving for a break is impossible. Maybe I will try a lunch and do dinner at Prime Time later. I had no idea you got the package for lunch.

What time would you recommend eating for the early show? The late show?

TIA!

Sarah

I hope the lunch still holds true you will have to let me know it did last year.
If you don't get the package then go to the Late show (10pm?) show most people hit the early show. Families with kids etc.... Keep calling back for your date. People cancel ALL of the time.

 

[Disney Padawan]

I think if they had all the resorts booked, they would not release a code. As for april being busy, the first part is but by the late part most spring breaks are done. I was there last april, last week of it, it was dead empty with the exception of weekend emh parks.

I mainly won't book in advance because of this, Disney knows if you book you are likely to go with or without code. I won't go without a code, so I'm not going to book. If everyone goes ahead and books it lessens the chance of a code. I won't die if I don't see a code, but I won't go.

I thought codes came out during this time of year no matter what.


Try calling a CM and asking them how filled they are, it will give you an idea of what I'm talking about. Unless the CM was kidding or being sarcastic, in a month or so, many resorts may be filled. Trust me, selfishly, I hope it isn't true.

As for April, yes, the crowds do die down dramatically the last week. However, I did hear from the same CM that compared to last year, their attendance is higher and is expected to rise.

 

[EnnEss]

I thought codes came out during this time of year no matter what.


Try calling a CM and asking them how filled they are, it will give you an idea of what I'm talking about. Unless the CM was kidding or being sarcastic, in a month or so, many resorts may be filled. Trust me, selfishly, I hope it isn't true.

As for April, yes, the crowds do die down dramatically the last week. However, I did hear from the same CM that compared to last year, their attendance is higher and is expected to rise.

I'm positive codes are a marketing strategy, not a gurantee. I understand they could book to 100 percent, but if they do I know there will not be any codes. That's just how tourism works. If they do I won't go.

I don't know that the CMs will give me accurate numbers, I would think they would forbidden from giving out their vacancy rates. It's a good sales tactic to say buy now or you may not be able to though.

 

[marivaid]

I thought codes came out during this time of year no matter what.


Try calling a CM and asking them how filled they are, it will give you an idea of what I'm talking about. Unless the CM was kidding or being sarcastic, in a month or so, many resorts may be filled. Trust me, selfishly, I hope it isn't true.

Codes are never guaranteed and they may be different every time. For example the summer of 2006, you could only get a discount on Epcot Deluxes. In 2007, it was Epcot Deluxes, all mods and some DVC resorts.

CMs at the reservation calling center work on commission. They have a quota of reservations to get in in a certain amount of time, and some of them will tell you whatever they can come up with to make you book a room immediately.