No availability Christmas week ???

[BaseballMoM2007]

What are the chances that someone will cancel a camper site the week of Christmas??

 

[KristinU]

What you'll want to do is stalk the booking site every day or multiple times a day and be willing to look for portions of your date range and stitch together your stay. It take patience, but it can be done. That's how I did it a few years ago when we decided to go for Christmas long about this time of year.

 

[PaHunter]

Well there is always a chance. Especially as the cancellation window draws near and people who booked a year out find out they indeed can not go.

 

[peg110]

As others have said... Stalk the booking... Call the CM's to try. Be persistent and it will pay off in the end. The problem is that "In the end" can sometimes mean a few week out (which can get really nerve racking). Consider an Alternative plan as well (like another resort or another campground) Just in case things don't work out. (Would hate to say to family... "Trip is cancelled" because we didn't get the Fort. Better to say, "We are going but staying at XXXX instead.")

 

[trcastan]

Any suggestions on Campgrounds nearby during Christmas if you cant get into the fort?

 

[PaHunter]

Any suggestions on Campgrounds nearby during Christmas if you cant get into the fort?

Not sure about campgrounds locally to recommend. But it is also hard that time of year to get a campground reservation. One word, Snowbirds !! We went to book a trip in Feb two years ago and found the one campground had only a couple sites not taken up. A lot of campgrounds give them discounts if they are staying for a few months, some do not. So again my 2 cents, would be find a campground and book early.

 

[FtW Mike]

Like many others I second the idea of checking everyday for an opening. I would try in the early am Like 7am EST/EDT as the previous nights cancellations will then be available at night consider like 9. We had to cancel our trip this past Christmas due to a major mechanical malfunction while en route. We called our TA affectionately referred to here on Disboards as The Crazy Bird Lady in 1600 loop. Gave a quick idea of problem and that we needed to cancel and re-book for this year. She explained that even though it was a year out we might not to get too excited. Three days she called to say she was able to get all but 3 nights two weeks ago she let me know she got those 3 nights

 

[Yarbogash]

Ty for the suggestions here!

Was trying for Dec 10-17 and no luck. Played with the dates and now have 10-16. Will keep looking for that last night. Will Disney link them so we don't have to move? Renting trailer so moving would be tricky.

 

[bama_ed]

Any suggestions on Campgrounds nearby during Christmas if you cant get into the fort?

The usual suspects like Tropical Palms RV resort in Kissimmee, Lake Louisa State Park, Turkey Lake (Orlando City Park), some KOA's, and other RV parks (plenty within a 30 minutes radius too numerous to mention).

Yarbogash, if both reservations are of the same site type (both Full for example) you can get them linked so you won't have to check in/out nor will you have to move. If they are different types (one Full one Preferred), you have a good chance of having to move.

Bama Ed

 

[Yarbogash]

The usual suspects like Tropical Palms RV resort in Kissimmee, Lake Louisa State Park, Turkey Lake (Orlando City Park), some KOA's, and other RV parks (plenty within a 30 minutes radius too numerous to mention).

Yarbogash, if both reservations are of the same site type (both Full for example) you can get them linked so you won't have to check in/out nor will you have to move. If they are different types (one Full one Preferred), you have a good chance of having to move.

Bama Ed

Ty, that's what I needed to know. Booked Full so will hold out for that. If it came down to it I think we'd rather do one night at somewhere like CBR rather than get into moving the trailer.

 

[BeachMama13]

Right there with you in hoping for a cancellation during Thanksgiving week. My dad just bought an RV so we are super late in making reservations. We were going to just rent a house again this year, until the RV opportunity came up.

I've lucked out and picked up 5 days so far but haven't been able to squeeze in for Weds & Thurs (Turkey Day). We have been looking at Orlando RV Resort in Clermont, but not sure if it's really a nice park or not. I'm not a fan of losing $25 if we cancel at any time. Worst case, we will just head home on Weds, as of now.

 

[bama_ed]

Keep in mind, Yarbogash, you could get that extra day one of two ways (I've done it both ways).

I checked the on-line Disney reservation tool for the one day I needed on two different trips. Once I saw my desired day was available, in once instance I was able to log into my MDE and use the "Change a Reservation" link to change my departure day by extending it out one day. No extra deposit was required and my reservation number remained the same.

In the other instance, I saw the available day but had to book a separate 1-day reservation with a deposit (which meant that reservation was fully paid for) and then later contact Disney who transferred me to "Guest Services" who combined the dates into one reservation number (the longer first reservation I had) and also moved the deposit over (meaning I ended up with two days pre-paid for a deposit).

The reason I had to book the 1-day reservation the second trip is that MDE did not have a "Change a Reservation" link for me on that one. So I called and tried to do it over the phone. The CM (who had a very un-Disney bad attitude) said she would have to try to cancel my entire first reservation and then attempt to book an entirely new reservation that was one day longer. I was unwilling to do that. So I hung up and did the 1-day then had them merged.

So you can definitely get there if you see the day you need but there is more than one way to get there.

Bama Ed

 

[2goofycampers]

Right there with you in hoping for a cancellation during Thanksgiving week. My dad just bought an RV so we are super late in making reservations. We were going to just rent a house again this year, until the RV opportunity came up.

I've lucked out and picked up 5 days so far but haven't been able to squeeze in for Weds & Thurs (Turkey Day). We have been looking at Orlando RV Resort in Clermont, but not sure if it's really a nice park or not. I'm not a fan of losing $25 if we cancel at any time. Worst case, we will just head home on Weds, as of now.

It's not the Fort, but we like it. The front part is very open, the back part has a lot of vegetation. They have been upgrading their electric and water. They have also been trimming up the back part. There is no cable TV. The name is actually Thousand Trails on the sign.

 

[Yarbogash]

Keep in mind, Yarbogash, you could get that extra day one of two ways (I've done it both ways).

I checked the on-line Disney reservation tool for the one day I needed on two different trips. Once I saw my desired day was available, in once instance I was able to log into my MDE and use the "Change a Reservation" link to change my departure day by extending it out one day. No extra deposit was required and my reservation number remained the same.

In the other instance, I saw the available day but had to book a separate 1-day reservation with a deposit (which meant that reservation was fully paid for) and then later contact Disney who transferred me to "Guest Services" who combined the dates into one reservation number (the longer first reservation I had) and also moved the deposit over (meaning I ended up with two days pre-paid for a deposit).

The reason I had to book the 1-day reservation the second trip is that MDE did not have a "Change a Reservation" link for me on that one. So I called and tried to do it over the phone. The CM (who had a very un-Disney bad attitude) said she would have to try to cancel my entire first reservation and then attempt to book an entirely new reservation that was one day longer. I was unwilling to do that. So I hung up and did the 1-day then had them merged.

So you can definitely get there if you see the day you need but there is more than one way to get there.

Bama Ed

Just got it this morning!

Ty again for the good advice. Would have preferred to modify the original reservation but I was on my phone and it did not show that option. So made a new res and will follow your instructions.

Now for the really hard part, waiting.

 

[BeachMama13]

It's not the Fort, but we like it. The front part is very open, the back part has a lot of vegetation. They have been upgrading their electric and water. They have also been trimming up the back part. There is no cable TV. The name is actually Thousand Trails on the sign.

Thanks for that info. Is there another RV park/resort nearby that you recommend? We are traveling with 2 kiddos and our small dog. Something fun for the kids.

 

[robinstrip]

What are the chances that someone will cancel a camper site the week of
Did you see where someone posted that they just cancelled for the week after Christmas?

 

[MomTo3PrincessesInNJ]

I just cancelled a preferred site from 12/16-1/1. It's more $ than a tent site, though.

 

[bama_ed]

I know of one other Premium campsite for Christmas-New Years that will be coming on the market soon...

Bama Ed

EDIT: - oh heck, I took care of it tonight. Pushed a Premium for 12/24-12/30 into January for a Preferred. So there is a Premium available now.

 

[bama_ed]

Thanks for that info. Is there another RV park/resort nearby that you recommend? We are traveling with 2 kiddos and our small dog. Something fun for the kids.

BeachMama13,

I would have said Tropical Palms which over the years has had the best non-Disney resort rep for RV parks in the Florida theme park area. But in checking rvparkreviews.com, it appears TP has been sold recently to the big Encore conglomerate that owns many campgrounds especially in the sunny touristy areas. And the recent reviews seem to show a slip in TP quality. So I don't know what to tell you now.

Bama Ed

 

[2goofycampers]

Thanks for that info. Is there another RV park/resort nearby that you recommend? We are traveling with 2 kiddos and our small dog. Something fun for the kids.

I know people like Lake Magic, I have no personal experience there. It is closer to WDW. But, that means lots more traffic.