Resort Booking. Take a chance or wait it out? WWYD?

[DisneyDiana!]

I’m leaning towards booking a trip next November. I wanted try to get free dining. I’m picking a week where it’s historically offered. I’m wondering if it’s too early to book. I wanted to stay at POFQ but they are usually not included in the free dinning. Do you suggest I book another mod like POR or Saratoga knowing that I may be able to get free dining applied trough my TA or do you suggest I stick with my 1st choice POFQ and see if my TA can transfer me to one of the other resorts when (or if) free dining is offered. Should I take a chance? I heard that all of the free dining rooms were booked really fast when it was first offered so maybe I should just stay at POFQ where I really want to stay or book my 2nd choice and move to POFQ if I can't get free dining.. We’ll be taking our 2 young children
(2 and 5) so I’m leaning towards POFQ because of the resort’s size. What would you do?

 

[shyjade]

Booking a room now in hopes that FD comes out during your dates won't help you get FD any faster. If you book it ahead of time, you will still need to call and have your reservation switched over to a FD reservation once/if it's released.

I was one of the lucky ones...I started calling minutes before the FD offer went live at 7am and was only on hold for 95 minutes before getting through to make the switch! I had already booked (and paid for) our trip a few months prior.

 

[laceyinwonderland]

I’m leaning towards booking a trip next November. I wanted try to get free dining. I’m picking a week where it’s historically offered. I’m wondering if it’s too early to book. I wanted to stay at POFQ but they are usually not included in the free dinning. Do you suggest I book another mod like POR or Saratoga knowing that I may be able to get free dining applied trough my TA or do you suggest I stick with my 1st choice POFQ and see if my TA can transfer me to one of the other resorts when (or if) free dining is offered. Should I take a chance? I heard that all of the free dining rooms were booked really fast when it was first offered so maybe I should just stay at POFQ where I really want to stay or book my 2nd choice and move to POFQ if I can't get free dining.. We’ll be taking our 2 young children
(2 and 5) so I’m leaning towards POFQ because of the resort’s size. What would you do?

Your story sounds very similar to mine, and let me tell you what a crazy experience I've had this year! We knew we were taking a trip in Nov of 2013. I went ahead and booked POFQ, where we wanted to stay, and hoped for FD. I was so hopeful b/c it WAS included in the Sept FD, so I know it does sometimes happen. Well, I think I shot myself in the foot, b/c Im sure myself, along with others who booked and hoped for FD, filled up the rooms, so FD was not offered there.

We ended up moving our resort to Pop so we could get free dining. My TA had to call and make the switch, and she was on the phone for HOURS. If she had been making a new reservation, she could have done it in seconds online. So yes, you are right, the rooms did fill up fast, but the people making new reservations got through faster than those trying to change existing ones.

I am by no means a Disney expert, and maybe someone else will offer you different advice, but my advice is to WAIT to book!!!! I know I personally will never book then hope for a discount. I was stressed out for days, really for no reason. I hope this helps!

 

[shyjade]

I agree with laceyinwonderland: wait! We were originally booked at ASMo which has always been included in FD (as far as I know) and it was a huge hassle trying to switch resorts at the last minute (moved to Pop to get FD).

 

[Babsy]

If you will only stay at that resort if you get a discount or FD then do NOT book in advance. That will actually reduce your chance of a discount as Disney sees that room as booked at full rate. they offer discounts based on where they are not selling rooms quickly enough. if you want a reservation somewhere in case no discounts are offered then book where you will stay at rack rate. Never book at rack rate a room that you will not stay in without a discount!

You can book Pop as a back up, for example, and upgrade to POFQ if discounts are offered later, but, as others have said, when discounts are real eased you are at a disadvantage trying to change as ressie as opposed to booking new.