Week After Turkey Day Shenanigans

[Iowamomof4]

Ok so I am feeling really dumb but I have tried several times and I can't figure out how to sign up with out needing a credit card. Help?!

Go to touring plans, ignore the "subscribe" stuff. Type "reservation finder" in the search bar at the top right of the home page. Click on the top result and you should see the following message:

"If you do not have a TouringPlans.com account, you may join TouringPlans.com. Although we encourage you to explore the many benefits that come with a reasonably-priced subscription, you do not need an active subscription in order to use the Reservation Finder; an account with only "basic access" for Walt Disney World is sufficient."

If you click the "join Touringplans" link, along the right side of the page (to the right of the subscription information form) is a blue link that says "basic access". Click that, and you can create an account for free and use the reservation finder.

 

[wishinitwas]

Go to touring plans, ignore the "subscribe" stuff. Type "reservation finder" in the search bar at the top right of the home page. Click on the top result and you should see the following message:


"If you do not have a TouringPlans.com account, you may join TouringPlans.com. Although we encourage you to explore the many benefits that come with a reasonably-priced subscription, you do not need an active subscription in order to use the Reservation Finder; an account with only "basic access" for Walt Disney World is sufficient."

If you click the "join Touringplans" link, along the right side of the page (to the right of the subscription information form) is a blue link that says "basic access". Click that, and you can create an account for free and use the reservation finder.

Thank you! I don't see the basic access link on my phone but I will try on my desktop. I just want to keep an eye out for a couple reservations.

 

[heath92681]

Thank you! I don't see the basic access link on my phone but I will try on my desktop. I just want to keep an eye out for a couple reservations.

I can't get it to work from my phone either. I had to use the laptop.

 

[babygsmama07]

Welcome to the DIS!

Since we are a hub for Delta, they are one of the very few non-stops from the Mpls-St. Paul. And after pricing SW, it's practically the same cost once you add everything up, at least without one of their very special deal-deals. Plus, we want pre-assgned seats, so, we do Delta...then Magic Express to and

We fly from Nashville and always fly Southwest. I can't speak of United but my two cents for SW is this. I never get the early bird check in when traveling with our LO. The first time we flew she was 19m and I wasn't paying attention because several friends were on the same flight. We ended up boarding in B and still got 2 seats together since she was lap child. Our last trip she was almost 3. Still did not get early bird. What they typically do is let some of A seating on (the early birds) and then families traveling with small children. This is when we boarded and had no trouble getting 3 seats together. The same was on our return flight home. Let in part of A and then families with small children. We also have direct flights from Nashville so no worrying about changing planes, etc.. Hope this helps.

So glad you decided to post. This is the perfect place to ask those questions. This group has been awesome and so helpful to me! We flew SW last year and are again this year. With the little ones the free baggage is key and like others have mentioned we are able to do family boarding which pretty much eliminates the need to pay for early bird. However our flight is nonstop. I cannot imagine having to switch planes. Bleh. That would be a huge consideration for me on the final decision. Glad u got ur dates all fixed! It's going to be an amazing time!

Oh and def use magical express. It is so smooth and economical.

If you can't get a nonstop on SW I'd probably lean towards United. With 3 kids and one of them an infant the stress of a layover would tip me over the edge. We had a nonstop in and a short layover home and just with 2 kids it was a pain. Of course the price would be a big deciding factor too.

Agree. Nonstop if at all possible!

Thanks everyone for the welcome and feedback! SW does not offer a nonstop from our airports. United will be about $300 more total including baggage, but I think it would be worth it! My husband thinks it's crazy to book a flight this early, but I'm glad to read everyone else is as well!

 

[CaraMiaBelle]

Thanks everyone for the welcome and feedback! SW does not offer a nonstop from our airports. United will be about $300 more total including baggage, but I think it would be worth it! My husband thinks it's crazy to book a flight this early, but I'm glad to read everyone else is as well!

I'm waiting. Rates will drop in a few months. I would pay more to stay with a closer airport as well though. By the time you drive to a further airport, you could be drive down and be thatch closer. Not that I'd drive down if at all possible either. Lol!

 

[Iowamomof4]

I'm waiting. Rates will drop in a few months. I would pay more to stay with a closer airport as well though. By the time you drive to a further airport, you could be drive down and be thatch closer. Not that I'd drive down if at all possible either. Lol!

I'm waiting, too, but I'm also anxious to book and will do so as soon as I see a price I like. That could be tomorrow or it could be a month from now.

 

[CaraMiaBelle]

Yes,

I'm waiting, too, but I'm also anxious to book and will do so as soon as I see a price I like. That could be tomorrow or it could be a month from now.

I'm hoping it will be sooner rather than later. I'm sure I will get to a point that I'm feeling impatient.

 

[chewysmom]

Anyone have an Akershus ressie they are considering cancelling? My friend is on the prowl for one, and I'd love for her to be able to get it.

Her dates are 11/28-12/4. I think Tuesday and Wednesday are the best days for her that week, though I'm sure she'd be willing to shuffle things around if possible. She had a rough time booking her ADRs.

 

[chewysmom]

Well, I just found another thread where everyone is having lots of problems booking Akershus, so at least it's not just her. It looks like the general consensus is Disney is holding back some ressies and will release them later. *shrug*

This whole process is getting ridiculous. (But I'm a sucker for punishment apparently, bc I do this dance with Disney every year. )

 

[jlundeen]

Well, I just found another thread where everyone is having lots of problems booking Akershus, so at least it's not just her. It looks like the general consensus is Disney is holding back some ressies and will release them later. *shrug*

This whole process is getting ridiculous. (But I'm a sucker for punishment apparently, bc I do this dance with Disney every year. )

yes, I think that a lot of Epcot's TS restaurants are not booking for our time frame for dinners yet. Maybe like someone else said the Candlelight Dinners/Processional has something to do with it, but it sure seems strange, since they should know by now whether there will be dining packages or not. HS Studios and AK may be waiting for updated park hours....who knows! Very frustrating to try to plan ahead!

 

[heath92681]

This whole process is getting ridiculous. (But I'm a sucker for punishment apparently, bc I do this dance with Disney every year. )

Yup, me too!

 

[MonaMN]

Thanks everyone for the welcome and feedback! SW does not offer a nonstop from our airports. United will be about $300 more total including baggage, but I think it would be worth it! My husband thinks it's crazy to book a flight this early, but I'm glad to read everyone else is as well!

For me, I have never seen the price drop by more than a few dollars - so I would rather just get the flight I want and know we are ready to go!

 

[jlundeen]

For me, I have never seen the price drop by more than a few dollars - so I would rather just get the flight I want and know we are ready to go!

me too, especially if there is a chance to get seats we prefer, rather than having them fill up before we can book.

 

[kimyinpink]

me too, especially if there is a chance to get seats we prefer, rather than having them fill up before we can book.

Last year we booked flights for our beginning of Nov trip in July. Ridiculously low rates $99 round trip (but we fly out of ATL) and its a 2 1/2 hour drive to get there (we for real live in the middle of nowhere). Our flight down was a preferred time of day but our flight back not so much. This year I didn't know what to do bc I've never flown around Thanksgiving. Didn't know what to expect. Went ahead and booked bc the price was decent and we got our preferred times. Making it s priority to not start our trip exhausted this year! I think the Thanksgiving break will help with that too!

 

[CaraMiaBelle]

me too, especially if there is a chance to get seats we prefer, rather than having them fill up before we can book.

I find they actually open up BETTER seats and times! I guess because they put out the undesirable times first at lower prices hoping to sell since the early morning ones (that's what we prefer anyway) aren't available. Then add more flights. Last time I went prices dropped $50 for us. Times 5 is a BIG savings!

 

[kimyinpink]

Well, I just found another thread where everyone is having lots of problems booking Akershus, so at least it's not just her. It looks like the general consensus is Disney is holding back some ressies and will release them later. *shrug*

This whole process is getting ridiculous. (But I'm a sucker for punishment apparently, bc I do this dance with Disney every year. )

I remember last year the same thing happened with Garden Grill during our dates. It wasn't candlelight processional. I still dunno what the deal was. But it had no availability for weeks. Not sure when they released the ressies. In the meantime they opened up brunch at Chef Mickeys so we did that instead. But it is super obnoxious that you just have to check and check and check and that ur 180+ doesn't help.

 

[tacboze]

Ohhh BOG PPO. I might be interested in it. Nice job!

YES!! I'm interested...never done forums before...when

So weird that the app worked so well for me! My computer is a dinosaur so I expected issues there.

I've definitely got some stuff I'll be dropping in the coming weeks - likely a BOG PPO bfast on 11/29, a BOG Lunch, and a BOG dinner either the 29th or 12/2. I'll offer them up here first in case anyone wants them

Oh and an Ohana for sure too. I need to decide between BOG and Ohana on 2 nights lol

Have you posted what you're cancelling? I don't see it, but just not sure if I'm looking in the right spot. Where will you post? I'm DEFINITELY interested!!!

 

[tacboze]

Well, I just found another thread where everyone is having lots of problems booking Akershus, so at least it's not just her. It looks like the general consensus is Disney is holding back some ressies and will release them later. *shrug*

This whole process is getting ridiculous. (But I'm a sucker for punishment apparently, bc I do this dance with Disney every year. )

Does Disney hold back reservations? Why would they do this? Is this normal?

 

[Iowamomof4]

Someone just posted that 'Ohana dinner reservations are now available for early December dates!

EDIT: Weird. I just went looking and had to go all the way to December 4 before I found a dinner reservation for 6 available. December 4 and after there are several times available, but nothing up to that point!

 

[Meeko5]

YES!! I'm interested...never done forums before...when



Have you posted what you're cancelling? I don't see it, but just not sure if I'm looking in the right spot. Where will you post? I'm DEFINITELY interested!!!

I haven't decided just yet, need to find some time to sit down with DH and map it all out. I'll post here in this thread before I post it anywhere else.

Also there are monthly cancellation threads on the dining board that people post in often before cancelling, find and watch those threads too if you're looking for stuff!