What is the quickest trip you have planned for Disney?

[twinnersmama]

Meaning, from the time you booked it until the time you were there?

We always book far in advance of the 180 day mark ... currently I am thinking of an October trip but I just can't commit yet. We are hoping to see an event at ESPN and I have to make sure that is in the works first.

Just wondering if I'm going to break the bank (and not be able to get any ADRs) if I end up waiting until 2-3 months out ...

I did get an offer for FD for the time that we would be going

 

[wdw4rfam]

The quickest we ever did was 5 months out. Only because I could still get ohana dinner, it was in 2009 before you had to be on the computer at 6:00am on your 180 mark. We had decided to skip a year that year, but got a free dining offer for Dec that I couldn't refuse because we have never done Christmas at Disney. Now I personally wouldn't do it because if I can't get my ADRs I wouldn't spend the money. If they aren't as important to you...go for it.

 

[Marionnette]

Meaning, from the time you booked it until the time you were there?

We always book far in advance of the 180 day mark ... currently I am thinking of an October trip but I just can't commit yet. We are hoping to see an event at ESPN and I have to make sure that is in the works first.

Just wondering if I'm going to break the bank (and not be able to get any ADRs) if I end up waiting until 2-3 months out ...

I did get an offer for FD for the time that we would be going

Assuming that you know your expected travel dates already, why not book those ADRs right away? You can cancel them later if the trip doesn't materialize.

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

I booked in 8 days for a trip about a week ago. Stayed offsite but had a BOG dinner, CP pre park opening breakfast, and a Cali Grill fireworks dinner. I spent more time than I'd like to admit stalking the ADR website, but the only thing I didn't get that I wanted was the dessert party. I was able to book that a month out for an october trip last time. Between the cancellation thread here and a lot of time, it is definitely possible to get good ADRs on short notice.

 

[librarymom2007]

We booked and went in 6 weeks. The only ADR I couldn't get was BOG.

 

[goofyisinphilly]

I think we booked and went in 3 days for a 5 day trip. My DH's new job came through and we had to go before it started the next week.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

5 1/2 HOURS - decided at 6:30 one night to head down for a quick 3 day stay - left at midnight when DH got off work - drove 10 hours went directly to the parks -had 3 great days - drove back!

 

[Funfire240]

Last summer I planned our week trip 2 weeks before we left. I got all out normal adrs and was surprised to get BOG as well! Dd even had her BBB appt. At MK it was our best trip yet!

 

[JillianMarie]

I think it was 3 weeks between when we booked our tickets to when we were there last fall. No problems getting ADRs at all - I just stalked the reservation cancellation board on here. That place is very handy.

 

[julluvsdisney]

8 weeks! It's for our trip in 5 weeks. I was able to get all adrs except bog . If I was you I would book in anticipation of going and cancel if you have to! Have a great trip!

 

[strmtroopr96]

Just last week I booked everything with 24 hours or less to go for a crazy 36 hour whirlwind trip! I was bidding on Priceline for airfare for the next day to try and take my oldest DD down to the MK for the 24 hour event at the very last minute. Once I snagged something that cheap enough, I reserved a room at Pop and booked our ME as well.

The next afternoon we were headed to Florida, spend 6 hours at Pop before it was time to head to the MK to Rock our Disney Side from 6 am Friday to about 3:30 am Saturday before having to head right back to the airport and fly back to NY. Crazy but so worth it!!

 

[disfan07]

About 7/8 weeks....and that's a Christmas trip! Got there Christmas Day and left New Years Eve. We got the hotel we wanted (POP century....could only afford values over Christmas time) and we got all ADRs we wanted and we were actually able to change some ADRs when we got there! That was our third holiday trip, very little planning and an absolutely amazing trip

3 months later in a March, we planned an end of June trip so about 3 months later. Got AP discount at POR and all ADRs we wanted. At the beginning of June, we decided to switch to a 1 bdrm at SSR and got the AP rate about 3 weeks before the trip. We actually ended up switching to the Contemporary halfway through the trip and they gave us the same AP rate we had at SSR (cheaper than AP rate at Contemporary). Again, little planning outside of ADRs and amazing trip.

This year, we just booked Our trip for August a few weeks ago....so about 3 months out again. We got exactly what we wanted....summer discount on contemporary bay lake view. And I finalized ADRs yesterday. Got everything. Dinners at California Grill, Citricos, Crystal Palace, and 1900 park fare. lunch at the Wave and an Liberty tree Tavern. That's basically it on the planning. We are only doing MK 1 day and just relaxing the other 2 1/2 days.

We've always been able to get what we want, but we are pretty flexible and we don't have a "make it or break it" resort. If Contempory had been sold out, we would have done either GF, or WL and we wouldn't mind.

If it wasn't for my extensive list of food allergies, we probably wouldn't even make daily ADRs because we would eat anywhere on property if we could. Haven't decided if we will do Fastpass+ reservations this time....kind of want buzz light year and haunted mansion and WISHES fireworks though.

 

[JanaDee]

The majority of our trips have been booked at the 8-10 week mark, with a couple in the 4-5 month range.

 

[BelleBeautyandtheBeast]

I did it in under a week once. I was able to get ADRs without a problem, maybe the super popular places weren't available but we ate and had fun! We also went during a less busy time in October and had free dining. That was a number of years ago at this point.

Like others have mentioned, go ahead and book the ADRs and be willing to be flexible. You can make it work if it works out that you can go (2009).

 

[Shleedogg]

Less than 24 hours. Jetblue was having a sale and flights were $40 RT. Couldn't pass it up. We only stayed a day though.

The quickest real trip was about 3-4 weeks. I got paid from a show I was directing and decided that my money was going for a trip. We're DVC but had no issue getting a room, flights were still reasonable, got some character adrs. This was 2011 though. The raise in flight prices would make a last minute flying trip impossible for us now.

 

[rdevine10]

Our april trip last year we booked about 7 weeks out. It was the closest we have ever booked ANY vacation (other than a weekend getaway). We knew we wanted to go away, couldnt decide where. Intially we were thinking Disney in August, but pulled the plug for april instead when the crowd predictor calendars said they would be about the same. It was a moot point though as we went back in August anyways

 

[Shanna-like-Banana]

3-4 hours

enough time to make hotel reservation, pack the bags and load the car up.

We drove 8 hours straight, went for 3 days, drove back home on a Monday, kids went to the school and we went to work the next day

 

[JakeAndHooksMom]

I booked our trip for last December in 8 weeks. We stayed offsite (cashed in credit card points so our hotel was FREE!), got most of the ADR's we wanted because I stalked the ressie's online like a psycho, bought our tickets through AAA and got a free parking pass from them for the Diamond lot.

 

[Minnie-Mickey]

3 days. DD booked it. She was 12 at the time. She pulled it together. Managed to get everything she wanted. I gave her my cc and told her to handle it. I trusted her enough to know she would not go crazy. She booked a value and base tickets. Who knew she listened to me all these years. I am an uber planner. So a very long time for me.

 

[lady9]

5 1/2 HOURS - decided at 6:30 one night to head down for a quick 3 day stay - left at midnight when DH got off work - drove 10 hours went directly to the parks -had 3 great days - drove back!

We did the exact same thing only drove from Ohio, 16 hours! It was the best trip. It started with me asking DH what he wanted for dinner since he was on vacation. He replied, "What do I want or what will I settle for?" Turns out, he wanted Japanese from a restaurant we love in Orlando. So we packed up and left.