What's up with early Dec. Deluxes???

[PrincessV]

Last week, every Deluxe had plenty of availability online for 12/1 - 12/5. Today, all but the Poly appear to have nothing in the lowest rate room categories. But 12/15 - 12/19 are wide open. What's going on?!

Crowd calendars appear the same for both time periods. So I'm thinking one of two things:
1. Something's drawing new reservations all of a sudden - Christmas parade taping maybe?
2. Disney's blocking off rooms in anticipation of discounts. By forcing folks booking at rack rate to go to a higher category, they stand to recoup what might be offered at a discount. Do/can they even do such a thing?

Either way, I can't decide what to do! I can go either time period - just want to get the lowest possible crowds. And the best rate. Which makes me wonder if I ought to just book now to be safe.

Anyone else care to speculate??

 

[spiceycat]

yea the first weekend in Dec is generally the taping.

lots of conventions are at WDW during that time. So the rooms maybe available closer to Dec. (of course no guaranteeds)

 

[crazy4wdw]

The taping of the MK Christmas parade usually is scheduled for the first weekend in December. Also, the first week of Dec. kicks off many of the Christmas festivities such as Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and the Candlelight Processional at Epcot. Lots of folks come to WDW just for these two events. The first week of December has been getting more difficult to book over the last several years. I made my ressies in January just so I'd be able to reserve the resort and view I wanted.

 

[ga9497]

1. Xmas day parade taping on the first weekend
2. Pop Warner national championships during the whole first week
3. Mousefest
4. People that still think the first week of December is a slow time to visit the theme parks

 

[PrincessV]

Ah, but it still IS a slow time! I live here and go every Dec. It's busier than it was during the last recession, but we still walked on many rides last year, despite MVMCP, Pop Warner and Mousefest. But it's likely these things affect reservations far more than crowd levels.

I'm thinking there's something to the convention idea - I'd place money (not much, mind you ) on Disney pulling blocks of rooms now for conventions and releasing the left-overs in a few months.

 

[ga9497]

Ah, but it still IS a slow time! I live here and go every Dec. It's busier than it was during the last recession, but we still walked on many rides last year, despite MVMCP, Pop Warner and Mousefest. But it's likely these things affect reservations far more than crowd levels.

I'm thinking there's something to the convention idea - I'd place money (not much, mind you ) on Disney pulling blocks of rooms now for conventions and releasing the left-overs in a few months.

I agree the conventions could be part of it and it is not summer or Easter crowd levels but definitely more crowded then say the week after

I just remember last year the the availability did not get any better for that first week of December, there was hardly anything left the closer you got to those dates. There was some availability at the moderate but the deluxes were very hard to get. Discounts were available but the availability very very limited at deluxe hotels

For some reason the search doesn't work for me or I would post links to last years posts about it. Hopefully someone will have more information for you

 

[Dis Ohana]

Is there a convention calendar posted somewhere? It would be nice to see what's going on in the area while we're there.

 

[crazy4wdw]

I remember that last year AP discounts for the first week of Dec. were very slim. I couldn't get a AAA discount for my current Dec. ressie and I booked the ressie in January 2007. I've been calling for months with no luck in getting the AAA discount. Now, most of the first week of Dec. is sold out at the Contemporary so I guess I'm not getting any discount this year! I noticed that the CR sold out fairly quickly after the dates of MVMCP were announced.

One world of caution, stay away from the Magic Kingdom during the Christmas parade. It was a nightmare last year (I didn't go but talked with several people who did).

 

[ga9497]

One world of caution, stay away from the Magic Kingdom during the Christmas parade. It was a nightmare last year (I didn't go but talked with several people who did).

We were at MK 2 years ago during the taping and walking into MK was crazy and hard to get through main st but once we passed everyone that was waiting for the taping the rest of MK was great. Very short lines at the rides

 

[PrincessV]

I remember that last year AP discounts for the first week of Dec. were very slim. I couldn't get a AAA discount for my current Dec. ressie and I booked the ressie in January 2007. I've been calling for months with no luck in getting the AAA discount. Now, most of the first week of Dec. is sold out at the Contemporary so I guess I'm not getting any discount this year! I noticed that the CR sold out fairly quickly after the dates of MVMCP were announced.

I'm glad you posted that - I wasn't abel to get my usual AP rate at WL last year. But that was teh only deluxe I looked at, so I had no idea the rest were so tough, too.

My plan is to book the third weekend for now, so I can get a standard room somewhere. Thanks for the replies!

 

[luvmarypoppins]

We have gone this time frame for the last 2 years. We have to pull our teens out of school but its the time we can go due to dh work schedule. This year we booked 3 weeks out and all we could get was the Polynesian Garden View Concierge for a few days and then the Dolphin. I think I will book earlier this year.Our teen ds were thrilled that on the wed. of our trip they got to see the filming of Beyonce at the MK Castle for the Christmas Parade. I think on Thurs. or Friday they were doing the American Idols there. We didnt see that. We also did the CP and MVMCP. Its a very busy time of year contray to what people think. I am so glad I made all our ADRs ahead of time. We constantly saw people being turned away. The weather was a little cooler and rainier this year than I expected so pack with layers.

 

[crazy4wdw]

Just a reminder, if you're going the first week of December, you can make your advanced reservations for dining next week! My arrival date is 12/2 so I can make my ADR's this Tuesday, June 5.

 

[byoung]

1. Xmas day parade taping on the first weekend
2. Pop Warner national championships during the whole first week
3. Mousefest
4. People that still think the first week of December is a slow time to visit the theme parks

I agree here!