Room category not available for 5 nights, but available for 6

[Jax1023]

I’m trying to book a room for 5 nights, and the category I want shows as unavailable online. If I change it to 6 nights, it’s now available.

does anyone know if I call can they book me just the 5 nights? Or if I book 6 can I then modify to 5?

thanks!

 

[MomOTwins]

It depends. The cast members you talk to on the phone normally can't book you anything you can't book yourself online, but sometimes guest relations can override it, but it is case-by-case and not guaranteed. Here, I'd want to know if you are trying to book a discounted rate or rack rate. If you're trying to book one of the promotions, I doubt they will budge because the whole point of minimum stays for promotions is that they want to save the discount for people booking a longer stay. But if you're paying rack rate, they might be okay with giving you an override.

 

[SarahC97]

Disney's website uses some algorithms that make wonky things like this show up. I'd call and see what they can do for you.

 

[Jax1023]

It depends. The cast members you talk to on the phone normally can't book you anything you can't book yourself online, but sometimes guest relations can override it, but it is case-by-case and not guaranteed. Here, I'd want to know if you are trying to book a discounted rate or rack rate. If you're trying to book one of the promotions, I doubt they will budge because the whole point of minimum stays for promotions is that they want to save the discount for people booking a longer stay. But if you're paying rack rate, they might be okay with giving you an override.

It’s an annual passsholder rate. There is no minimum stay requirement.

 

[focusondisney]

It’s an annual passsholder rate. There is no minimum stay requirement.

There is no listed minimum stay for the discount. But resort & room type availability is based on algorithms that help Disney keep every room as fully booked as possible. That way they don’t end up with rooms available for individual nights that are almost impossible to book. That algorithm shows what rooms are “available “. And availability will vary by dates. A check in 2 days later may very well show a 5 night stay with the discount. In your case, they have a room open for 6 nights. If they let you book it for only 5, it will be open for 1 night & might not get booked. Disney used to allow you to book any length you wanted but started this system about 4 years ago.

Guest services is able to override this system. You can call & ask about booking just the days you want. You can book what is showing then call & ask to drop the unneeded night. The CM can ask guest services to make the change. But guest services doesn’t have to make the change. Some people have gotten the dates they want & some have been told no & the dates they want just aren’t available or the night couldn’t be dropped. Very much a YMMV situation. The only think you can do is call & ask. Or wait & keep looking for what you want. Things are constantly changing with Disney resorts & discounts.

 

[MomOTwins]

It’s an annual passsholder rate. There is no minimum stay requirement.

I didn't mean to confuse--it's not a preset minimum stay per the terms and conditions of the offer, but it is effectively a minimum stay because that's what Disney's algorthims require for a stay at that time. If you look at the passholder offer description (like all of Disney's special offers) it says say something like "for stays most nights." What that translates too is that the discount is not available for all stay dates, and is instead based on their algorithm which factors in things like length of stay, resort popularity for your dates, trying to prevent "orphaned" nights where you have the room until Monday and nobody else books it until Wednesday leaving Tuesday empty, etc..

 

[cakebaker]

You can't book the 6, then drop to 5. It's basically the same thing as making a new reservation and would be subject to availability. We've had this issue before and no amount of pleading got them to over ride the system and book the days we needed.

 

[Kestryl]

Call in- I had a similar issue with the Sun and Fun offer. I needed May 23-30. The room was available for May 22-30 and May 23-31. I could also book a May 23-24 and May 24-30, or May 23-25 and May 25-30, etc. I just couldn’t do May 23-30 online for some reason, and the reservations team was able to over-ride it.

 

[mickeynut1]

Guest services is able to override this system. You can call & ask about booking just the days you want. You can book what is showing then call & ask to drop the unneeded night. The CM can ask guest services to make the change. But guest services doesn’t have to make the change. Some people have gotten the dates they want & some have been told no & the dates they want just aren’t available or the night couldn’t be dropped. Very much a YMMV situation. The only think you can do is call & ask. Or wait & keep looking for what you want. Things are constantly changing with Disney resorts & discounts.

This^^. I've had to modify 2 reservations in the past and have gotten lucky with guest services, but one of the times it took some doing. The first one (last year) took 4 phone calls as the first 3 CMs couldn't make the change (understandable since they can only do so much), but wouldn't even try to talk to guest services. The 4th was very helpful and got the change made through guest services. For our stay last month, I booked 4 nights, but only needed 3. I took the gamble that I would call back and guest services would take 1 night off. When I called, I got a very nice/friendly CM that said she'd see if she could take care of it. If not, she'd speak to guest services to see if they'd make the change. After about 10 mins on hold, she came back with my reservation modified to the 3 nights. Keep in mind that it's not always that easy and as stated in the above post, it is a YMMV situation as there is always a chance your reservation will not be modified. Good luck!

 

[maryj11]

Call in- I had a similar issue with the Sun and Fun offer. I needed May 23-30. The room was available for May 22-30 and May 23-31. I could also book a May 23-24 and May 24-30, or May 23-25 and May 25-30, etc. I just couldn’t do May 23-30 online for some reason, and the reservations team was able to over-ride it.

I had the same problem. I went ahead and booked ours with an extra day because it was not available for our dates. I called and they took off a day with no problem.

 

[ColoradoMom12]

My only experience has been with a rack rate room, which I accidentally booked a day earlier than the day we were arriving. I couldn’t modify it online (and when I searched, thinking I would just cancel and rebook, there was nothing available), but the CM had no problem changing it when I called.

I have also encountered times when I’m checking availability and the nights I want aren’t available, but if I break up my stay into 3 + 2 nights or something like that, there is availability for both reservations. I’ve done this before and successfully gotten a CM on the phone to combine the two reservations into one so that we could keep our room.

 

[maxiesmom]

I had the same problem. I went ahead and booked ours with an extra day because it was not available for our dates. I called and they took off a day with no problem.

Sometimes they can make the change, sometimes they cannot. But you lose nothing by calling and having them try.