Reserving Campsites at Christmas

[Gizerd]

Good afternoon,

My husband and I are WDW newbies, but we fell in love with it this spring on our honeymoon. He is really, really excited to camp so we thought we'd do a 1 week camping, 1 week resort stay during my 3 week winter break. (we are tent campers out of our latch-on Jeep tent--so very sturdy even during torrential rain)

Although we are looking at after Christmas (Dec28-Jan3) the entire campground is completely booked and it's only April! We were a bit surprised despite knowing about all the Christmas decorations.

My husband is very disappointed so here are my two questions:

1. Do people ever share campsites? Since they allow 10 people per site and we are used to backpackers sharing, I wasn't sure if people did this at Disney? I know from reading and pictures that I'm sure the site doesn't hold 10 adults in separate tents/campers but...two couples should easily fit? Is this unheard of or silly?

or

2. When did the reservations fill up like this? We would be willing to book out as far in advance as necessary, and 2015 isn't available online...maybe it is on the phone? ...what time period do people book campsites to ensure they get a site?

We'll just have to do a cozy resort for both weeks this time thumbsup2) but maybe next winter break we can book early enough?

-e

 

[jbrostek]

its an interesting beast but sometimes your better off calling, as the online will show it booked, but if you change the date by one day you can get a site for the entire stay plus a day.

We always are setting up a grand gathering (a way to link multiple site reservations for grouping nearby.) So we always have to call as the online system will not let you create or specify a grand gathering number (at least every time I have tried.)

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Do people ever share campsites? Since they allow 10 people per site and we are used to backpackers sharing, I wasn't sure if people did this at Disney?
. . . no

I know from reading and pictures that I'm sure the site doesn't hold 10 adults in separate tents/campers but...two couples should easily fit?
. . . separate campers/RVs would not be allowed for such a purpose
. . . regardless of quantity of campers

Is this unheard of or silly?
. . . unheard of

When did the reservations fill up like this?
. . . about 450-500 days ahead of time for the major holidays

We would be willing to book out as far in advance as necessary, and 2015 isn't available online...maybe it is on the phone? ...what time period do people book campsites to ensure they get a site?
. . . early
. . . early
. . . early

but maybe next winter break we can book early enough?
. . . let's hope so
. . . of course, you could call 3-5 times per day and hope for a cancellation
. . . once a day is not enough due to the demand

 

[bama_ed]

Good afternoon,

My husband and I are WDW newbies, but we fell in love with it this spring on our honeymoon. He is really, really excited to camp so we thought we'd do a 1 week camping, 1 week resort stay during my 3 week winter break. (we are tent campers out of our latch-on Jeep tent--so very sturdy even during torrential rain)

Although we are looking at after Christmas (Dec28-Jan3) the entire campground is completely booked and it's only April! We were a bit surprised despite knowing about all the Christmas decorations.

My husband is very disappointed so here are my two questions:

1. Do people ever share campsites? Since they allow 10 people per site and we are used to backpackers sharing, I wasn't sure if people did this at Disney? I know from reading and pictures that I'm sure the site doesn't hold 10 adults in separate tents/campers but...two couples should easily fit? Is this unheard of or silly?

or

2. When did the reservations fill up like this? We would be willing to book out as far in advance as necessary, and 2015 isn't available online...maybe it is on the phone? ...what time period do people book campsites to ensure they get a site?

We'll just have to do a cozy resort for both weeks this time thumbsup2) but maybe next winter break we can book early enough?

-e

The week between Christmas and New Years fills up nearly a year in advance. Also any days from the weekend before Christmas to Christmas day will fill up well in advance.

Sharing a site has been asked before and while a few good souls may offer, it has generally fallen flat here. So I wouldn't count on it.

You can call and book a site 500 days in advance. So take the last day of your planned vacation and count backwards - that's when you can book. Rates for 2015 will be set this summer and that's when the online tool will allow booking. But you can call within that 500 day window and reserve at 2014 rates (which will update to the new rates once published).

If your vacation time frame allows time after New Years day, you might be able to get a reservation and see the Christmas decorations for a few days before they come down.

to the DIS Camping Board.

Bama ED

PS - I would also put Halloween in that "book it well in advance" category

PPS - damn, Scupper was too fast for me

 

[Gizerd]

Thanks everyone. I'll call and see if perhaps we can work around some dates.

It won't make my husband feel better, but perhaps if I reserve for the following year he'll be happier

Just to clarify; we are tent campers, not RV though I understand why it was confusing. It's a tent that has an optional portal, if you will, to the back of our jeep for access to storage. We're backpackers and tent campers, so sharing is sort of second nature when on trails.

500 days...and I thought April was early!

 

[Flametamr]

You may try the trick of booking extra days (longer stay) and then drop the days you don't want a little later. Some times that works. But it's a long shot at best.

 

[bgula]

Just keep trying every day just after 7am for this Christmas. Eventually you will be able to piece together a reservation as people do cancel all the time, especially closer to Christmas. I was late booking my ressie this year and couldn't get anything near Christmas, but now I'm booked from Dec 15 - Jan 1 and only missing 1 day at this point which will come up eventually. Hope this helps.

 

[Gizerd]

Thanks for the tip Bgula. I have been checking 3-5 times a day and have my husband checking too but always later in the day. I'm up at 6 so I will check right after 7 now.

The one issue I'm running into is that while I can check for up to Dec 31-Jan 4, until they release the new year I can't start the dates on the 1st. I called and also no availability 1st-4th. But I didn't do them individually..so, I have a question to make sure I'm understanding:

If I am able to reserve for say...the 2nd and 3rd, I should grab those days. Then...should I check for the same type of campsite for the other days as individuals and see if they come up?

How does this work...do they just get added onto my already existing reservation? Will I need to do that primarily by phone?

If they are the same type of campsite, I shouldn't have to move midweek, right? (we are looking at the tent/popup sites)

-e

 

[bgula]

I just checked and it's gone, but I know for a fact that there's been a tent site available on Dec 28 for at least the last week as that's the one day that I'm still looking for. If I was you, I'd put in my range of dates each morning and see if anything comes up. If not, search by individual days and make note if more than 1 consecutive day comes up. If it's your initial reservation, make it online as it's faster than calling.
As you search for more days in the future and they come up, you can either book online (however you will be charged the full rate of that day) or if the day that is available bumps up against your current ressie, you can call and have them add it onto your reservation, thereby avoiding to have to pay for it now. It's your choice. Once you've got all the days you want, and if you have several reservation numbers, give Disney a call and they can merge the ressie into 1 so that you're not having to go to the front desk for new KTTW cards every day or so. It is unlikely you would have to move even if you had different ressie #'s, but not impossible, which is why I'd have them merge it into 1.
I share your pain about not being able to search individually after Dec. 31 as I'm still looking for Jan. 2. Not sure myself when they open those dates up online, but again, be patient and you will be rewarded. It may not happen until the fall, but it WILL happen. Sites are cancelled all the time. I stand to be corrected, but 7am is when those cancelled sites go back into the system for us to see.

Good luck!

 

[jbrostek]

One year we had a family that wanted to go down with us and join the grand gathering, they made the commitment in June and the stay was new years through the week. They where calling at random and about to give up by August until I found out they where calling maybe once or twice a month. When they finally commited to calling every day or every other day, they finally got a preferred site with no moves required for the week stay. When we arrived the 4 sites where all next to each other. Persistance wins if you cannot call and get a reservation ahead of a full booking.

 

[Gizerd]

I have been following all of your advice and I think I see a bit of light, thank you!

I was able to snag the Dec 28th tent site that was open and have officially started the piece hunt. I tried calling today but no luck getting through as the lines are currently down--but I will keep trying.

Thank you for the information that you can merge reservations together when you have them altogether, I will make sure to do that!

-e

 

[golobos]

Same boat you are in Gizerd. I have been trying since Jan to book anything, and just a couple weeks ago finally saw partials available for my dates from Dec 21-30 and booked it. Those have been appearing pretty often since. Never have seen any of the other three categories open, but I am content with a partial, although I keep checking for the others.

 

[Gizerd]

Bgula---just fyi, it's not an exact date but I was told by the reservation and online chat people that although they never know the specific date the next year will open, that it's usually mid June? Also...it was mentioned that if you get the reservation by calling before the new year dates are posted, you get this year's rate rather than next year's increased rate. I'm a newbie, so I'm just repeating information at this point.

And ps. I now have 4 of my 7 nights reserved!! Just looking for that high traffic time period for Dec 29-31st /sigh

 

[bama_ed]

Also...it was mentioned that if you get the reservation by calling before the new year dates are posted, you get this year's rate rather than next year's increased rate.

Uh, if this is true it's a change from the past.

Disney sets rates for the next year during the summer. Some years it's been August, some years it's been June, and the rest of the times in-between. Once they do, it has normally taken a few days for rates to populate for the online entire next year. Last year it was: first day after rates announced - available through March arrivals; second day after rates announced - available through October arrivals; third day after rates announced - the entire year.

In the past there has not been such a thing as locking-in-last-year's-rates-for-this-year. You can make a ressie now for next year (over the phone but not online) and pay a deposit based on this year's rate of one night's fee. But the balance due will convert to the new year's rates before you arrive and check in. Since I travel so often in the spring to the Fort I have nearly always made the ressie in the prior year before the next year's rates were set. If this is new for 2015 then so be it but it has not been the case historically. Personally I hope you are correct though.

Good luck with getting the rest of your dates. Be persistent, I bet you can get them.

Bama Ed

 

[bgula]

Bgula---just fyi, it's not an exact date but I was told by the reservation and online chat people that although they never know the specific date the next year will open, that it's usually mid June? Also...it was mentioned that if you get the reservation by calling before the new year dates are posted, you get this year's rate rather than next year's increased rate. I'm a newbie, so I'm just repeating information at this point.

And ps. I now have 4 of my 7 nights reserved!! Just looking for that high traffic time period for Dec 29-31st /sigh

Congrats! Still lots of time until Christmas! Don't want to even think of Xmas right now as spring still hasn't arrived in the north and it's driving me crazy! Can't wait for our August trip to the Fort to get some HEAT!

 

[Gizerd]

Some nights opened up for Full Hookup sites around December 31st for anyone looking for it.

I am still looking for tent/popup for that night. BUT...it's my last night!! All 6 other nights are reserved

I asked reservations and they said they could not guarantee that I wouldn't have to switch nights unless it was the same type of site, so I'm not going to risk taking that night.

On a side note, my husband and I purchased our first used popup We're testing it out this weekend.

-e

 

[kelsma03]

I've had our christmas sites booked since last October/November.

Last christmas I started booking our sites in March (for two weeks) and it took until November to put together the whole two weeks. Just keep trying, closer to the date sites will open up. I checked every morning for a while.

We also have Thanksgiving reservations and I still need to get three nights right in the middle of our trip for Premium. I just check every few days or so, but I don't expect anything to show as open quite yet.

 

[bama_ed]

On a side note, my husband and I purchased our first used popup We're testing it out this weekend.

-e

We need pictures or it didn't happen.

Bama Ed

 

[Gizerd]

SUCCESS!!

Our last night opened up and we are officially fully booked for the week of New Year's!!

I never in a million years would have thought to try a single day at a time and be persistent if all of you hadn't given me the information. My husband is through the roof. Thank you thank you thank you!

And...Bama-Ed

It's dismantled a bit right now as were washing and cleaning it, but I will take pictures of our new popup and post them to make it official, lol (ps. Congrats on your camper too!--I'm heading over to look at your thread now)

 

[bama_ed]

SUCCESS!!

Congrats! You're proof that persistence pays off.

Have a great trip.

Bama Ed