September question

[Cold71]

I was debating between posting this here or on the resort board so my apologies if anyone thinks this is the wrong spot

For all the September Dis vets out there... is it odd to see this many rooms booked up for late Sept? I was recently looking at rooms online and it appears most if not all the moderates are booked up. I know free dining brings a lot of people down to Disney World (as in the point of free dining). Though based on past crowd calendars during years where free dining was in place. Most if not all the calendars still rated the crowd levels fairly low. Does anyone have any reason to believe this year will be any different?

 

[DisneyFive]

All 4 of our previous trips (2010-2013) have been late September. I find it hard to believe that this year will suddenly be a LOT busier than the other years. Not sure why the resorts appear more booked up. You are right though. I just looked up a stay for a party of 4 for the last week of Sept (Sept 26th - Oct 3th to be exact) Only three resorts (deluxe villas)were open, no matter the offer I picked. I find it incredibly hard to believe that all of these resorts are booked to capacity. Something seems off with the WDW reservation system.

Kids are still in school, and that makes it a slower time. A good indication of increased crowd levels might be if they start adjusting park hours later to account for more crowds. So far that hasn't happened for the end of Sept.

http://media.disneywebcontent.com/staticfiles/parkhours/wdwtravelagent_september.pdf
http://media.disneywebcontent.com/staticfiles/parkhours/wdwtravelagent_october.pdf

Dan

 

[DarkPaw]

Free dining and room discount offers brings in alot of people onsite, wich might have stayed offsite any other time.

So even if all the rooms onsite are booked, if there's almost no one staying offsite, it still won't be busy

 

[Nohal]

We've been going in Sept for the last 12 years and since free dining started it is more and more crowded every year. Still not as crowded as summer and holiday times. The F & W festival starts on Sept 25 so between that and free dining it will be extremely crowded especially that first weekend. I'm surprised to hear that there are very limited rooms available.

 

[Cold71]

Thanks! All very helpful responses. Guess there's only one way to know for sure..

 

[bc7ate9]

If you search for rooms with NO discounts, you will see MUCH more availability. They just limit the number of guests who can get the promotions like Free Dining.

 

[DisneyFive]

If you search for rooms with NO discounts, you will see MUCH more availability. They just limit the number of guests who can get the promotions like Free Dining.

No offense, but have you tried this? I even did a fresh search on my iPhone with no offers pre-selected. Same result. Only have availability at Bay Lake Tower, Villas at GF, any Poly villas. This just CAN'T be right.

Weird.

Dan

 

[kcpinwdw]

even did a fresh search

I just check orbitz for the last week of sept and they have availability for pretty much every resort (value and mods at least). Disney probably handed off their inventory to third-party sellers.

 

[bc7ate9]

No offense, but have you tried this? I even did a fresh search on my iPhone with no offers pre-selected. Same result. Only have availability at Bay Lake Tower, Villas at GF, any Poly villas. This just CAN'T be right.

Weird.

Dan

Not via my phone - the web site lets you search for "Offer Type: Room" and it shows lots of availability. I had the same results as you when I was searching with a promotional discount. I was looking specifically at Coronado Springs - https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/coronado-springs-resort/rates-rooms/room-only/#

 

[bc7ate9]

No offense, but have you tried this? I even did a fresh search on my iPhone with no offers pre-selected. Same result. Only have availability at Bay Lake Tower, Villas at GF, any Poly villas. This just CAN'T be right.

Weird.

Dan

Results for all the moderates: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/#/moderate/

 

[DisneyFive]

I just check orbitz for the last week of sept and they have availability for pretty much every resort (value and mods at least). Disney probably handed off their inventory to third-party sellers.

Not via my phone - the web site lets you search for "Offter Type: Room" and it shows lots of availability. I had the same results as you when I was searching with a promotion discount. I was looking specifically at Coronado Springs - https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/coronado-springs-resort/rates-rooms/room-only/#

Results for all the moderates: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/#/moderate/

Yes! Thank you! There we go. Not sure why my browser kept applying an offer. Once I went to room only through your link at CS, then I could search again for all resorts without an offer attached. Still LOTS of availability.

...Although I did notice that the ONLY rooms for a party of 5 like us at POR for the week we're there are Pool views. Looks like the resort will be pretty busy, but that's pretty typical for POR.

Dan

 

[newestkg06]

Also, Food and Wine starts the last week of Sept. So, free dining with Food and Wine...and it is getting more popular.

 

[little miss minnie]

Im confused. I followed your link bc7ate9 but when I still searched, there was 0 availability? What are you doing that I am not?

 

[bc7ate9]

Im confused. I followed your link bc7ate9 but when I still searched, there was 0 availability? What are you doing that I am not?

1. I go to www.mydisneyexperience.com via my browser at my desktop computer.
2. Click "Places to Stay"
3. On the search screen, I enter my dates (9/23-27) and select the "Moderate Resorts" filter from the "Resort Category" dropdown.
4. Click "Find Resorts"
5. 5 moderate resorts display with Standard Room Rates

If you are searching under any kind of discounted promotion, you will only see the rooms that are left - and at this point, it is very few.

You may be searching under a promotion without realizing it since it just applies whatever your last search was. I log out completely and start my search over to "reset" that stuff.

 

[little miss minnie]

1. I go to www.mydisneyexperience.com via my browser at my desktop computer.
2. Click "Places to Stay"
3. On the search screen, I enter my dates (9/23-27) and select the "Moderate Resorts" filter from the "Resort Category" dropdown.
4. Click "Find Resorts"
5. 5 moderate resorts display with Standard Room Rates

If you are searching under any kind of discounted promotion, you will only see the rooms that are left - and at this point, it is very few.

You may be searching under a promotion without realizing it since it just applies whatever your last search was. I log out completely and start my search over to "reset" that stuff.

thank you!

 

[Junebugwv]

We have gone in September for years and free dining has made a significant impact. Just a side note: we have a grandson in a school system north of Atlanta and they started school early and have their "Fall Break" the last week of September. I don't know if other schools in the south are on a similar schedule.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

If you are looking for the culprit, look no further than the F&WF and Free Dining combo. Used to be a great time to go, but it is off our list.

 

[danny1649]

I'm proud of you fellow Board members. You stayed at it until OP's question was resolved and no snarky replies.Gold Star and pat on back for job well done. TP&S Board Moderator Danny

 

[PeasandCarrots]

Late September is the first week of Food and Wine, fairly reasonable rates, and free dining. My guess is the main reason for the rooms being books is F&W.