Late Nov/Early Dec

[aussietravellers]

I'm looking at dates for 7 nights over a two week period arrival date. Yet I checked for 7 nights, the day after Thanksgiving and almost every resort at WDW has availability. Yet the next 2 weeks after Thanksgiving have nothing, except BWI.

There is nothing, at any resort, other than Boardwalk Inn and on one day check in only there is also Caribbean Beach.

I have never been to WDW, even booking 4 days out, and had literally every single resort booked out except 1.

Is this normal? Do a lot of people book to possibly go and then cancel? Or could this be some sort of glitch?

I do have accommodation, but am possibly needing another room for an extra 2 people but am just a bit shocked that the whole of WDW is booked out at the beginning of December.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

There was free dining for those dates, and they are quite popular. People have read its lower crowd. Because all the people are coming now for the lower crowd it won't be.

 

[mom2rtk]

There was free dining for those dates, and they are quite popular. People have read its lower crowd. Because all the people are coming now for the lower crowd it won't be.

Hard to say. Just because onsite resorts are booked up doesn't mean offsite is.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Hard to say. Just because onsite resorts are booked up doesn't mean offsite is.

True. Although I think people who think "but it's not supposed to be busy" will still find it more busy than they expect. I've seen some "but it's supposed to be low season and it was still an hour for {headliner!!!} and I still couldn't get {'Ohana/BOG/PPO breakfast} 90 days out! woe!" last year.

I do think the promos shift business onto campus, which does actually make some things (dining, especially) busier.

 

[Mpls Mom of 4]

We have gone the first week in December/week after Thanksgiving several times and have experienced low to medium crowds. We once booked about 45 days out; sometimes it appears that the closer you get to the 30 day payment window some rooms will free up, but of course that is not guaranteed so unfortunately you may to need to secure something offsite. Or keep monitoring the site for availability.

 

[GoBlue21]

You never know. They could be holding rooms back for some reason.

 

[beccasmom]

We had to cancel a free dining package at the CR in early September (for F&W Festival) and wanted to reschedule for November (so we could attend the Candlelight Processional) but our choices had been snapped up by that point. We opted to stay at one of our home resorts instead; luckily, we had enough points. People do cancel their packages, so I would keep checking.

 

[Amelia :)]

I'm seeing a lot of threads saying there is limited availability through sept/oct/nov/Dec. I know there are less moderate rooms available, but I think we are going to be looking at a busy fall/winter guys! (We'll be there from Nov 25th to Dec 9th, im not really phased, we'll have a great time whatever.)

 

[Clare Voince]

Whoa, I may rethink the timing of my trip. I guess touring plans crowd calendar isn't accurate anymore?

 

[Dakota731]

Beginning of November is nice and a lot less crowded if you are able to go then. Weather is great as well.

 

[Sue M]

I noticed this too! We are going during the same time period.
I would have them book a room in the Disney Springs Resort area. They are right by Disney Springs and some are right across the street. They have park shuttles running every 30 min so it would be easy to meet up in the parks via texting or prearranged agreement. Or for that matter at a resort. They'd just have to take their bus to closest park and transfer to resort bus like everyone else.
Google Disney Springs Resort area disneyspringshotels.com And also look at mousesavers.com and search their preferred hotels, they have some discount codes they offer for their preferred hotels in Disney Springs.

And keep in checking WDW web site to see if something opens up.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Beginning of November is Jersey week.

 

[BoatDriver]

I'm seeing a lot of threads saying there is limited availability through sept/oct/nov/Dec. I know there are less moderate rooms available, but I think we are going to be looking at a busy fall/winter guys! (We'll be there from Nov 25th to Dec 9th, im not really phased, we'll have a great time whatever.)

We're there on a Bounce Back reservation December 8-15. Just before our ADR dates, I kept reading posts from people who were having difficulty getting anything at all. That had me really worried when I woke up on ADR morning. Not only was I afraid we'd have trouble with our reservations, but that led me to believe we were looking at a high crowd vacation.

Surprisingly, when I logged on at day 180, I had zero issues getting each and every reservation I wanted at the exact times I wanted. I was shocked. Not only was this the opposite of what I expected, it was the first time I can remember in a long time that I haven't had to make even a single compromise.

Something is going on with the couple of weeks after Thanksgiving. I don't know whether it's Free Dining or something else. But, also I don't know if this points to a busy fall season overall, or just a hard blip in attendance.

 

[GoBlue21]

I am wondering what people consider "available." All of the searches that I have run show a lot of availability the first two weeks in December.

 

[Amelia :)]

We're there on a Bounce Back reservation December 8-15. Just before our ADR dates, I kept reading posts from people who were having difficulty getting anything at all. That had me really worried when I woke up on ADR morning. Not only was I afraid we'd have trouble with our reservations, but that led me to believe we were looking at a high crowd vacation.

Surprisingly, when I logged on at day 180, I had zero issues getting each and every reservation I wanted at the exact times I wanted. I was shocked. Not only was this the opposite of what I expected, it was the first time I can remember in a long time that I haven't had to make even a single compromise.

Something is going on with the couple of weeks after Thanksgiving. I don't know whether it's Free Dining or something else. But, also I don't know if this points to a busy fall season overall, or just a hard blip in attendance.

Yeah I didn't have any of the problems others reported with their ADR's, but I'm definitely not expecting low crowds. Touring plans lied to me so much last year I'm taking all their predictions this year with a pinch of salt
Like I've said before I think it's always best to expect/plan for busy, and anything less than will be a bonus.​

 

[aussietravellers]

I am wondering what people consider "available." All of the searches that I have run show a lot of availability the first two weeks in December.

I've been looking at dates from 27th Nov to 8th Dec and apart from BWI there is not one room showing available. At BWI, all that is showing available (and by available I mean, there is a price and a room to select) and that I could book, was a BWI garden cottage. On one of the arrival dates (as I was playing with dates), there was the possibility to book Caribbean Beach or BWI. There was not one room showing available (as in every resort was saying there were no rooms and I could not book) at any other resort. Yet, prior to the 27th, I could book a room at almost every resort.

 

[GoBlue21]

That's odd. I ran a search for three people, and it came up with AKL, BLT, AoA, AllStar, granted, some of these may be DVC. But, there should be more than just BWI. Try calling.

 

[momofkids]

Pop Warner is December 2-9. That may be affecting availability. There may be more rooms once they release from their blocks of rooms.

 

[Clare Voince]

Could it be that I'm searching for room only, and that there are rooms reserved for packages only? When I search for 12/4-12/9, only Coronado Springs, AKL, BC and YC come up as available, and the last three have insane prices: $867/night for AKL, $1431/night for BC ad $1524/night for YC! It's like it's only showing me suites.

 

[chainkid]

We always stay during the end of Nov to Dec 10th when we go and for the first 10years this was a great low crowd time to go. However my last two trips were so crowded that it felt like high season. I used to get the dining plan but ADR's were so hard to book that we no longer get it and plan to visit restaurants off site if we can't get the exact times we want. I'm tired of planning a trip around ADR's. Luckily we can go a lot more than most so I do not wait to see anything ,as it will be there on next trip but my personal feeling is that if I was visiting as a one time guest I would be put off by the long waits, broken down rides etc. I do not feel there is a low season anymore so if you go knowing you have to use fast passes or get up at the crack of dawn to get your money's worth out of your tickets then you will still enjoy your experience. Haven't experienced the new Pandora area or the Epcot area Frozen or soaring additions but if it means spending an hour in line I will miss some this trip as well. If I can't get a fast pass at 60 days out then I get up early and go to that ride only then just enjoy the ambiance . At least in Dec, you have added fireworks, cooler temperatures, and festive decorations to help you endure the increase in people.