Need Help For December 2019 45th Anniversary Trip

[liltoot]

I was speaking to a cast member who helped me set up my MDE because I was having problems.
She told me that I could book for Dec. 2019 now. We want to stay at the Beach Club with tickets and park hopper also the dining plan. We haven't gone since 2010 and from what I could remember they didn't let you book that far in advance. It's been so long since we were at Disney there is a lot I don't know. My questions are: 1. Should I wait until I get a chance at free dining? 2. Is it better to book room only or package with dining now? 3.If free dining comes out during my time frame can I call and change to free dining or am I stuck? 4. What is a good trip cancelation company? Pro's and Con's to any of this. Thank you in advance for your help . I'm confused right now.

 

[mickeynut1]

I was speaking to a cast member who helped me set up my MDE because I was having problems.
She told me that I could book for Dec. 2019 now. We want to stay at the Beach Club with tickets and park hopper also the dining plan. We haven't gone since 2010 and from what I could remember they didn't let you book that far in advance. It's been so long since we were at Disney there is a lot I don't know. My questions are: 1. Should I wait until I get a chance at free dining? 2. Is it better to book room only or package with dining now? 3.If free dining comes out during my time frame can I call and change to free dining or am I stuck? 4. What is a good trip cancelation company? Pro's and Con's to any of this. Thank you in advance for your help . I'm confused right now.

You can book 499 days out, so depending on when in December you are planning to go, you may or may not be able to book just yet (499 days from today is December 17).

1. If you know your dates and will go regardless of whether FD (or any other discount) is offered, I'd book as early as you can to guarantee you get the resort/room type you want. However, if your trip is dependent on a discount, I'd wait to see what (if any) discounts are offered for your time frame.

2. If you know you want the dining plan, it's best to book a package rather than book RO now and change to a package later. Changing from one reservation type to the other will require you to cancel and rebook. Since RO and packages are different reservation systems, money paid toward one cannot be applied to the other.

3. If you book now and FD comes out for your dates, you can have it applied to your existing reservation, provided what you have booked is available under the promo. If the resort/room type you have booked isn't offered under the promo or is offered but not available for your dates, you wouldn't be able to have it applied as having a reservation already in place does not guarantee a discount can be applied later.

4. I can't help with trip insurance as we've never purchased it.

HTH

 

[Wild4Walt]

My DH and I decided we wanted the AKL Jambo House Deluxe Studio room. We also did our research and knew there weren't a ton of these rooms. We were able to book 11 months out because it was a DVC and we did. Once they announced Free Dining I called back and they converted the reservation.

The room same room type has to be available at the time you call, but we got lucky and ours was. No harm in booking now and updating later.

 

[kaytieeldr]

My questions are: 1. Should I wait until I get a chance at free dining? 2. Is it better to book room only or package with dining now?

1. Wait
2. Booking now removes that room from inventory for that period. Removing any room(s) from inventory reduces the need for Disney to include that resort and/or those dates in any discount offer.

 

[sndral]

I have a feeling that Dec. 2019, is goin to be very popular, particularly for the resorts near DHS, due to a certain land opening there ‘late fall’ 2019. With that in my mind I wouldn’t wait for discounts before booking for late 2019, any other year, sure - wait, but if I knew I wanted BC then I’d book and if discounts are released call and ask for the discount on the booking.
OP, free dinning isn’t the great deal it was back in 2010, when you last visited WDW. For couples a % off the room discount might save you more money than free dinning.