Jan 2017 booking/marathon weekend

[kjmmdisney]

Hi, I'm new to posting here but have found posts very helpful in planning our past disney vacation. I am now looking to book Port Orleans Riverside for Jan 2017 for marathon weekend. My questions are- should I book the resort by phone now thru disney to at least guarantee a room given how busy that week is? I am aware you can book 499 days out by phone and prices are based on 2016 rates until 2017 released. Versus waiting until July time frame and booking online once the 2017 rates are released. Other questions- if I book by phone now, do I then rebook online once 2017 rates released, add on tickets, dining if I so choose? Or is this not necessary- just add on whatever I want based on my by phone room only reservation? And finally- I believe room discounts tend to be available in the fall of 2016- do I again just rebook at that time if a discount is available?

 

[Wood Nymph]

Hi, I'm new to posting here but have found posts very helpful in planning our past disney vacation. I am now looking to book Port Orleans Riverside for Jan 2017 for marathon weekend. My questions are- should I book the resort by phone now thru disney to at least guarantee a room given how busy that week is? I am aware you can book 499 days out by phone and prices are based on 2016 rates until 2017 released. Versus waiting until July time frame and booking online once the 2017 rates are released. Other questions- if I book by phone now, do I then rebook online once 2017 rates released, add on tickets, dining if I so choose? Or is this not necessary- just add on whatever I want based on my by phone room only reservation? And finally- I believe room discounts tend to be available in the fall of 2016- do I again just rebook at that time if a discount is available?

The 2017 prices haven't been released yet, so if you book your room now you won't get a guaranteed rate until the rates are released. We were at Disney for marathon weekend and we didn't have any trouble getting the resort we wanted when we booked last fall. This isn't a really crowded weekend and there are plenty of rooms at POR, so I wouldn't worry about booking a room until sometime after the 2017 rates are out.

Traditionally, they don't offer a discount for race weekend. It was blacked out for our trip dates. But we were able to get a really cheap rate from Orbitz, something we couldn't get through any of the Disney discounts. The race organizers, runDisney, will often offer race packages, although I don't know a lot about it.

As with any resort reservation, if you have an existing reservation and Disney comes out with a discount for your trip dates, resort and category, then you will be able to get the discount.