Vacationing at WDW during school breaks - is it really impossible to get a good rate?

[kboo]

DD1 just started kindergarten at a fairly academically rigorous public school (it goes through 8th grade, so I'm not really asking about this year) that has explicitly cautioned us against taking kids out of school for vacation. Today I got a PIN code for early 2017, so just for yuks I plugged in some variations on her February and April vacation dates. Even at 30% off the rates at the deluxe hotels were prohibitively expensive! Does this mean that the rates during those time periods are not going to get any lower (I assume they are sold out of all lower priced rooms)?

We are not planning on going during school breaks this year since we are planning a summer trip, but in the future, how early do we need to book for school breaks in February and April to get a decent rate? Or are the rates just so high that it will be impossible to get anything lower? As you can see from our signature, we have been lucky enough to travel at off times and have gotten REALLY great rates where we've stayed. I'm wondering if that ends now that DD is in a school where she'll be marked as an unexcused absence if we take her out for vacations.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

In general, the dates you mention probably hew to some of the higher rack rates of the year: http://www.mousesavers.com/2017-disney-world-room-rates-season-dates/

February 17-19 gets "Presidents Day" rates, which aren't quite as high as Christmas, but they ain't pretty, either. Right after is "Peak" which is also one of the higher rack rate seasons. In fact, most of spring break season runs on Peak, which is one of the highest rate seasons. Easter is another expensive holiday.

So if you're confined to those periods, yeah, you're all of a sudden paying for a much pricier rate season.

Basically, rate seasons, in order of high to low:

• Most holidays
• Peak
• Couple of minor holidays
• Regular
• Value 2
• Value

Your dates all fall into the top 2, as Presidents Day and Easter are with the pricier holidays.

 

[Harambe]

We still pulled our kids out at cheaper times when they were in K-2nd grade. But once our oldest got to 3rd, the make-up work and raised eyebrows were a bit much, and we accepted that our Disney trips would have to be in August. August is pretty cheap! And pretty hot!!!

Look on the bright side - when they get to college, their breaks are in January. Also pretty cheap!! But college is not pretty cheap!! So you can't do many trips!! LOL - it's all good!

 

[MinnieMSue]

We booked moderate hotels last year during the week leading up to Easter and Thanksgiving week. We got a decent discount both times. I feel the cost of deluxe doesn't justify the benefits which is why we didn't stay there. I think my discount saved me $500 Easter week. Cannot remember the amount from Thanksgiving. I wasn't expecting anything either time so I was very happy.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Our Disney trips are now at the end of August. Yes it's HOT but the rates are pretty good and crowds are low. We start school after Labor Day so we go late August. We do have to watch out for hurricanes which is a huge negative.

My son is in high school so no pulling him out. My daughter is in 5th grade could probably handle being out a week but our district has toughened up their attendance policy. Plus I just went to her back to school night and she is in an accelerated program that she was specifically picked for. One of the requirements to be accepted is good attendance and to remain in the program you must have good attendance.

 

[TJDisneymama]

DD1 just dates. Even at 30% off the rates at the deluxe hotels were prohibitively expensive! Does this mean that the rates during those time periods are not going to get any lower (I assume they are sold out of all lower priced rooms)?
rates where we've stayed. I'm wondering if that ends now that DD is in a school where she'll be marked as an unexcused absence if we take her out for vacations.

Doesnt matter how early you book, once the rates are released, they really dont change. The price you got with the PIN is about the lowest theyll go.

 

[kboo]

We still pulled our kids out at cheaper times when they were in K-2nd grade. But once our oldest got to 3rd, the make-up work and raised eyebrows were a bit much, and we accepted that our Disney trips would have to be in August. August is pretty cheap! And pretty hot!!!

Look on the bright side - when they get to college, their breaks are in January. Also pretty cheap!! But college is not pretty cheap!! So you can't do many trips!! LOL - it's all good!

Lol. DD is in an accelerated school, so we already got the "please don't take your kids out of school for vacation" talk - after we had already planned a trip to Hawaii in January. D'oh! They are pretty intense. I'm thinking we may shoot for longer weekends over the Jewish holidays, and maybe she'd miss a day instead of a week.

I had to laugh at your late August comment! My birthday is the last week in August and DD is usually over Labor Day weekend. So it makes sense to go then, and this cruise and pre/post cruse bit will be in late August. I have a feeling that is when our Disney trips will be, in the future.

Or, maybe this is when I start making the case for buying DVC...

 

[kboo]

Doesnt matter how early you book, once the rates are released, they really dont change. The price you got with the PIN is about the lowest theyll go.

Bummer. That's what I was afraid of. We lucked out last spring - got an end of April rate through orbitz that was close to 40% off, and then due to snafus upon check in, they reduced our rate even more. I know we will never get a rate like that again.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Holidays are also the highest point times for DVC. The good news is that February and March-April, save for a few dates, are low season for DVC bookings.

 

[Selket]

We are not planning on going during school breaks this year since we are planning a summer trip, but in the future, how early do we need to book for school breaks in February and April to get a decent rate? Or are the rates just so high that it will be impossible to get anything lower? As you can see from our signature, we have been lucky enough to travel at off times and have gotten REALLY great rates where we've stayed. I'm wondering if that ends now that DD is in a school where she'll be marked as an unexcused absence if we take her out for vacations.

I had to laugh when I read your post - only because I have felt your pain. My kids are getting older (one in college) but I still have one in high school.

One thing that has worked well for us is that when my son gets a long weekend we take one day off and make it a Fri-Mon trip and fly down. We did that for the Halloween party last weekend and had a great time. We used the free dining offer too which is a huge savings once your kids turn into "adults."