I thought I'd share my strategy for tomorrow morning anticipating that there will be even more pressure on values given the rumoured mod QS offer. While every year is different based on demand & inventory, last year I was a good half hour late booking after the FD drop and the POP standard rooms as well as AS Music standard rooms were gone. Preferred rooms at both were still available but I didn't want to pay the difference. My guess is that WDW releases limited standard room inventory across the board at all resorts hoping to squeeze Free Diners into up market rooms. Now, many people have reported that they booked POP & AS Music standard rooms in the days after FD dropped (TA's had released holds, etc.) so this may not be the end of the world and you may be able to change to what you want in the days or weeks following drop. AS Sports standard rooms were the only value standard room available for my dates when I booked & that's what I took. I had a very good experience at Sports and didn't regret my stay at all. While the Sports theme is the least appealing of any WDW resort to me, it worked out very well. I was there late Sept to early Oct and saw no sign of sports teams or cheerleaders. I stayed in the Basketball Hoops Hotel Bldg 2 and was a quick 5 min walk to the bus. The only real theming I noticed was the Surfs Up preferred section that I cut across every morning and evening. AS Sports worked perfectly for me. So this year, I'm going to try immediately for AS Sports standard room and not waste time or mess with other options. Sports bus is the first to pick up and first to drop off when sharing with other AS resorts. While I prefer the AS Music theming, I have stayed there previously & had some concerns. At that time, the Jazz section was still standard (now preferred) and even with that section, it was a fairly dark walk to and from the bus late at night for a single guest. Now that standard rooms are even deeper back in the Music footprint, the theming just isn't enough to overcome the distance esp in the dark. I had significant bus sharing & transpo delays & Music is the worst in the middle spot to be for sharing. Like always, discuss your options with your family and have backups in place should your first choice not be available. If FD is the reason you are booking, then be prepared to book what is available for your vacation dates. You may be able to change later but be comfortable with your choice in case you can't.
. I have to drive 2 hours to and from work. Dilema- waking up at 3:40 or waking up at 4:45 and select any available inventory at Value.
I'm not that mean. But you're right, strangely enough, it doesn't sound that weird.
