Reserve room only for 2007 or wait for package?

[heartsy77]

What is the advantage of booking a room only rate now? I was just going to wait until packages are released next month. However I see people saying the have reserved room only for now and then will change it to a package. We are going during January not a very busy time, so I don't think the POP will be full! What are the reasons for this?

 

[Nancyg56]

We reserved two rooms at the Poly in January. I do not anticipate that the resort I choose will be full, but I like to make sure that I have what I want so I reserved the rooms. There is no penalty for upgrading to a package, so I look at it as one thing out the way.

 

[MickeyEars]

My only reason was I just couldn't wait that long to book my next Disney vacation!!! That's my completely honest answer and I'm sticking to it!!!

Carla

 

[kkevcamsmom]

I am waiting to book a package, only because we are still working out the details and trying to keep it quite from the kids. Our 15 yr old knows we are planning but has no clue we have picked a week to go

We decided if she asks we are going to tell her some time in late April, but are really going the last week in January...
I keep going to the Disney site though and putting together packages, I am a well seasoned pro now...

Good luck with your plans!

Lori

 

[bicker]

The only downside to booking a room-only first is that it prompts the hotel to offer fewer discounted rates. By the same token, booking room-only does nothing to secure a room for you at a discounted rate. Either there is an unreserved room at the discounted rate or there isn't. They're not going to apply a discounted rate to an undiscounted reservation unless there is a room in the discounted inventory (which could be booked directly, without having a room-only reservation already). And when they do apply a discounted rate to an undiscounted reservation, the result is one less room in the discounted inventory (and one more room in the undiscounted inventory) -- in other words, it is the same as if someone had booked the discounted rate directly.

 

[english rose 47]

Sorry I dont get is it not a good idea to book ahead because you could end up paying more or did you mean it affects package deals made later? My next question is I read that someone called to firm up their room request and had a hard time because they booked through AAA. Is this right?

 

[bicker]

The latter -- phantom bookings distort projections in the upward direction, and therefore fewer discounts are offered.

If your travel agent gives you the real Disney reservation number, then there is rarely any problem checking on a reservation. However, if you book through a travel agent, Disney pays the travel agent to provide you all pre-visit customer service, so you should be contacting the travel agent for anything you want to do with your reservation prior to your arrival.

 

[fakereadhed]

What is the advantage of booking a room only rate now? I was just going to wait until packages are released next month. However I see people saying the have reserved room only for now and then will change it to a package. We are going during January not a very busy time, so I don't think the POP will be full! What are the reasons for this?

Here is the terms and conditions page from DU:
http://www.dreamsunlimitedtravel.com/room_package_terms.htm

You have a little more time to cancel with room only, and less of a deposit than booking the same resort as a package.