No more slow season at Disney?!?

[DebbieB]

I am at BWV right now. What we have noticed this week is the crowds are more adults than we have ever noticed before. We were on the bus to MK yesterday and noticed the entire bus was adults, it was only about half full but that's unusual. Of course there are still kids, but mostly younger kids. I think adults are finding it a good time to go on their own.

 

[patsal]

I did but nothing is available: no studios, no 1 br and no 2 br either!
They suggested I stay outside of the DVC and into a regular Disney hotel but, even checking into that, the pickings were slim....In fact, I could stay at the Polynesian for 300+ pts; a cabin at FW for 297 pts or Port Orleans for 169.
I'm not going to use 300 pts on this vacation! I mean, one of the reasons we like late spring and fall is that we can use less points (with lower crowds and milder weather to boot).
Port Orleans is more doable but, of course, we'd be in a moderate resort room, 3 of us in two double beds and no amenities....
Should I wait and see if something at DVC becomes available or do you think I should take the Port Orleans deal?

In an odd way it is comforting to know I am not the only one. DH has a business trip and DD and I were going to tag along the second week of November for three nights...no rooms in the studio or 1 Br category for any of the days we want with the exception of one of the days at SSR in a studio. It is too short a trip to bother moving so we are doing a regular resort room with the AP Discount. It used to be so much easier to get something, anything even relatively last minute and I admit that I miss that. My plan was to borrow and slowly get DH to agree to purchasing more points, but now there is no need to!

 

[AUPr8Hd]

I tried to secure a room last night (any room, I was flexible) for a last minute decision to run the marathon in January with no luck. Not a thing. Nada. In any size. Last minute decisions just don't work for DVC if there is ANYthing going on that might draw people. Oh well. We're flexible. On to the next vacation opportunity.

DisneyPups

Try again. I had called last week looking for Jan 6, 7 & 8 for marathon weekend. At the time, there was availability for Jan 6 & 8. But, no 7th. I decided yesterday that I would go ahead and register for the race and try and find something else for lodging. I called this morning to check one last time and was able to book all nights at SSR (studio).

 

[ekm]

We have three nights booked at OKW Dec 4-7. Our daughter is joining us for one night, Dec 4th, and we couldn't get any room of any size at any DVC property for that night. All the resorts are fully booked. Couldn't believe it.
She ended up booking the Disney Dolphin on Starwood points.

 

[Coach81]

There are "slow times" at Disney????

 

[jcemom]

I was ready to book the week in the all-inclusive package from Disney directly when I decided to call MS one last time.
Well, wouldn't you know that a 1 br at OKW had become available for the last week of October, as we wanted? I could not believe it!!!! MS had 6 nights but we're on a wait list for a 7th and that's fine with us!
We have never been to OKW before (we are SSR owners but stay mostly at the Epcot resorts) and, having heard wonderful things about it, we can't wait to stay there!!

Yay! Happy it worked out for you! We've stayed at OKW three times, and loved it every time.

 

[sandy0904]

We decided last minute to book a trip to Disney from Nov 27 - Dec 3rd. I knew that there was not going to be much available but called on Oct 26 and was able to get a studio at SSR from 11/27 - 12/3 except for Dec 1st which we took a 2 BR at SSR and waitlisted for the studio. It came thru on Oct 30th!!! I guess i'm just trying to say that people do cancel and rooms become available. Not sure if a studio is easier to find though.

 

[Pixie_Dust]

I suspect that hideous entity known as "Free Dining" may have something to do with it. Not for DVC members, but for all of Disney in general.

Glad I'm not the only one who doesn't like "free dining." It seems to have ruined a lot of things.

 

[Granny]

I am at BWV right now. What we have noticed this week is the crowds are more adults than we have ever noticed before. We were on the bus to MK yesterday and noticed the entire bus was adults, it was only about half full but that's unusual. Of course there are still kids, but mostly younger kids. I think adults are finding it a good time to go on their own.

I've got my own unsubstantiated theory too. Lots of DVC owners purchased between 1991 and 2003 or so. Many of those owners have children who are no longer available/interested in WDW trips...high school, college, etc. All of a sudden all these quasi-empty-nesters (like us with two girls in college) are free to vacation at WDW any time of the year they like.

So naturally we gravitate to the lower point times, or special events, or times when we think WDW will be less crowded or nicer weather.

I think the boomers are the primary DVC owners and as they get empty-nested or even retired we will see this becoming more of an issue. It will also put more pressure on the studios and 1BRs as the larger accommodations won't be as necessary for just two.

Just a theory. Nothing at all to support it.