Last minute availability

[Disney Princess]

Just to give all of you hope out there who might want to book a last minute trip:

We had to cancel our October reservation in August because my new school didn't have the same fall break as my old school. My husband has a conference in Orlando the first week of October too, so our first trip was not meant to be. We were disappointed, but of course we were both grateful that we had jobs.

Fast forward to today. My husband is booking his flights for his conference (paid for by his company). They are $132 RT!!!!! He called me, and we decided to try and create a reservation so that I can join him after the conference for a long weekend. We called DVC looking for a studio or 1 BR ANYWHERE for October 7, 8, and 9. We knew it was a long shot, but we have rooms!!!!

We've only ever stayed at the BW (our home resort). We want to try out new resorts, but we never seem willing to book elsewhere at the 7-month mark. We have to move each night of the trip, but we'll have a rental car to store our stuff, and we are two adults who are understanding of being homeless in the afternoons. We got a standard view studio at Jambo House for the 7th, a studio at VWL for the 8th, and a 1 BR Garden View at BWV for the 9th. We are ecstatic to have a room for each night, and we get to try two new resorts.

The only negative is that we are getting a 1BR on that last night - we've only ever stayed in studios. I think that could ruin us forever!

The moral of the story - if you are flexible and don't mind moving, you can get rooms one month out. And one night at the BW during F & W at that!

 

[Cee]

That's wonderful! Congratulations! We'll be leaving on the 7th. Enjoy the F & W Festival!

 

[Mert]

Yeh sometimes the personal schedules screws things up. I'm glad you were able to work things out. Good luck have a great trip

 

[kevmag]

I guess you never know when rooms are going to free up!

For work reasons also, we just recently had to cancel the 1st 4 days of a 2 week vacation in late October. The week of October 17th, we cancelled 3 nights in a studio in VWL and 1 night in a Kidani studio, so I imagine someone on a waitlist got lucky.

 

[csharpwv]

In 2009 we had a 3 night Disney cruise (Departs on Thursday) so we had decided to drive down - leaving on Tuesday morning, overnight somewhere in the middle, check into Bay Lake Tower for Wednesday night - and then head to the port on Thursday morning.

We worked on Monday and intended to go out and have dinner, go home, pack the car, go to bed early, and get up early the next morning and head out.

Well - spur of the moment me, while at dinner, said "What if we leave tonight?"
And my plan a trip down to the last second wife said "Are you crazy?" and before she realized she knew the answer to that questions - she said.... "OK - but don't expect me to drive very much!"



So we finished up our meal, went home - packed the car - tied up loose ends around the house - AND - off we went.

We agreed to drive until we were both too tired to go on, and then stop for the night....

Well - we left home around 11:30pm - stopped for a few naps along the way - and got into South Carolina right around breakfast the following morning - we stopped at Shoney's (Mmmm great breakfast buffet!) Finished up breakfast, went to the car, and called Member Services as soon as they opening hoping that there would be a studio available for one night ANYWHERE on property.

Well - the first one the CM said was VWL! WOO HOO! Our FAVORITE resort of all time!

We literally pulled up to the port cochere at 4:00pm - checked in - showered - and then went out to grab a few things at the local Target store - had dinner at Steak and Shake- went back to the resort and went to bed.

We got up early the next morning and made our way to the Magic Kingdom - we shared a counter service meal at Starlight Ray's (shared the huge lunch platter - PLENTY of food!!

We checked into BLT that evening, we had decided to do the dining plan for that night, went up to the TOTWL to catch Wishes, and then we went to Ohana for our late ADR - and then caught the monorail back to the Contemporary - woke up the next morning used out other counter service credit for breakfast - and OFF to the port we went!

If was our first cruise - so of course it was amazing!

We got back into the port early in Sunday morning - we packed up, had breakfast, and made it to Mass in Coco Beach - then we drove to Animal Kingdom Lodge for our 7 night post cruise stay! AMAZING!

12 nights total - it was AMAZING!

Last minute bookings can be the best!

 

[bobbiwoz]

Wow, that's a great air fare, and you were lucky to find rooms. Great!

 

[mdsd8700]

Seems like it was meant to be! Enjoy the pixie dust and have a great trip!

 

[Disney Princess]

Thanks for all the well wishes everyone! We are definitely excited.

 

[Carl'n'Ellie'sDad]

"The only negative is that we are getting a 1BR on that last night - we've only ever stayed in studios. I think that could ruin us forever!"

Be prepared to be "ruined"/spoiled. The good news is your moving up at the end of your trip; it would be "much tougher to move from the 1BR to a studio.

Enjoy your weekend!

 

[AnnaS]

Happy to hear you were able to get your reservation booked. Are you waitlising? You never know - you might only have to move once or none at all. Good luck and have fun!

 

[Havana]

That is great you got rooms

This spring we called on a Wed to book for arriving the next day for Easter Weekend and got SSR for all three nights.

 

[CarolMN]

Congratulations! You were very lucky to get rooms for that weekend!

Looking on the bright side -

1. You will get to try two different resorts. I totally understand your feelings. I too think about trying other resorts, but when that 7 month window rolls around, somehow, I just can't make my self give up that location, LOL. (We did venture off once to try BLT, though. I'm glad we did, but have no desire to return).

2. You will come home each afternoon to a clean room!

3. You're ending your trip at BWV - quick and easy stroll over to EPCOT to catch some adult F&W time.

4. That Friday & Saturday is the Swan/Dolphin Food & Wine weekend. Might be fun to check it out.

5. You could do your laundry Sunday night and pack clean clothes instead of dirty ones!

HAVE FUN!

 

[Disney Princess]

You all are full of positive thoughts - I love it!

AnnaS - we didn't waitlist. We are within 31 days already, so we didn't want to end up using fewer points and have points in holding.

Carol - I forgot that we too tried BLT once on a split stay (only one night) - I missed BWV the whole time. I enjoyed getting to try TOWL, and the walk to MK was nice, but Epcot is my favorite, so the BWV just suits me better.

Havana - I think your score right before Easter was much for impressive!