When do you make your reservations? 11? 7? last minute?

[disney dumbo]

It's killing me because I have points and no reservation. I'd really like to have all my reservations made at 11 months... but guess that's not a complete option with me.

I was wondering how it worked for you?

Here's my first attempt at a poll.

 

[bwvBound]

We are mostly "at 7 months" -- however, I've recently had great success booking reservations at 1-3 months using the waitlist.

 

[Inkmahm]

Mostly at 11 months and day by day. But I have added extra trips, like the October F&W festival trip I just decided to do a week or so ago. I knew I wouldn't get boardwalk view because I didn't reserve BWV at 11 months, but preferred view is fine for this trip for just DH and me.

 

[bobbiwoz]

For our once or twice a year "all family" 5-7 night vacations, we have enough points to book the larger villa where ever at 11 months. Sometimes we can also book a studio there as well, but mostly, I also book studios at another resort that I will try to change at 7 months, so everyone will be together.

Usually, I do not book right at the 11 month mark, but within a few weeks of then. The only exceptions were the Beach Cottage and BWV Grand villa, they were the large accomodations and I booked them day by day at 11 months. We still have the Beach Cottage, but somewhere along the line, I realized that I "wanted" my beloved VWL more than the GV! I really don't know how my whole family "really" felt, but it's our 40th anniversary trip and VWL just makes it better IMO!

Bobbi

 

[susieh]

In the past I've always booked at 11 months and sometimes day by day too. This time we wanted to try BCV (especially as we can't pool hop to Stormalong Bay any more) so it was book OKW at 11 months and change it at 7 if there was availability (which there was).

We're driven by booking our flights as soon as they come out. Last time and this time we're going Virgin UC and as there are only 14 seats on the flight we want (and we have no intention of paying £3000 each per ticket!!!) I need to do it as soon as they are available.

In the future if we start using cheaper flight options (when we aren't working and earning good money!) then I will probably do more last minute stuff and take a chance with getting a studio or 1 bed somewhere in WDW.

 

[DVC Mike]

Always at the 11-month mark.

 

[ilovefh]

I do a little of both. We just book today for May and this week we'll be booking for Dec and Feb and then trying for VWL at the 7 month marker. We don't really care where we stay as long as we go, so it workes out well for us! The one place we are hoping for is VWL for Feb since it will be our honeymoon.

 

[wildernessDad]

Mostly at the 11-month mark. I booked VWL at 11 months out and then switched it for my DW to OKW at the 7-month point.

I will just book OKW at the 7-month point from now on for my DW.

 

[Island Mouse]

Planning a trip to WDW from 6,000 miles away is no small undertaking so usually I make my reservation at the 11 month mark. My work is very flexible and as long as I don't plan my vacation during a critical time, I can pretty much take it whenever I want. Although it seems lately that once the the 7 month window opens, I feel compelled to see what else is available for my dates...not that I intend to give up my standard view BWV rooms in October or anything

 

[llmurphy17]

I always book at the 11 month mark and if I decide I want to try another dvc then I will change it at the 7 month mark. So far I have always got my first or second choice.

 

[Buckeye Fan]

With our son's sports, it's hard to book 8 - 11 months in advance. Five to six months out tends to be our average. As long as we have been a little flexible (e.g., booked a preferred view instead of a standard view at BWV or reserved a 2-BR lockoff instead of a dedicated 2-BR at SSR), we've always gotten the dates, resort and type of room we wanted. This includes booking our upcoming trip (3/21) to SSR for Spring Break at the 5 month window!!!

 

[BroganMc]

I try to have a plan for the next year's vacations a year in advance. (I'm kicking around ideas for next year now, 3 weeks before I actually start this year's trips.) Drives my family bonkers but with two timeshare systems and various work schedules, I need to have some handle on what we need.

That said, I have added days and futzed with the schedule as the date drew closer. I find my family tends to remember their schedules at the last minute.

The thing that worries me most is trying to snag accessible accommodations. The longer I wait the less likelihood Disney will have the room size I want. (I had to book a 1bedroom this April instead of my planned studio.)

With Disney, I figure as long as I cancel before my banking window closes, I'm golden. I always try to carry over points so I'm dealing with a surplus. I don't want to suffer distressed borrowed points.

I find once I've made the travel plans for the year, we seldom cancel. In fact the only trip we ever cancelled was a last minute medical emergency and in that case we got our timeshare week back. It was with Marriott.

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

I booked our upcoming Spring Break trip 11 months out b/c I figured the joint would be jumpin' and I wanted VWL.

I booked OKW about 5 weeks out last summer.

I'm hoping to book SSR 3 months out for this summer if I can convince one other member of my family that we NEED a vacation at WDW in June.

 

[JimC]

We always book at 11 months, then if we want to try another resort we will rebook at 7 months. Two trips required last minute changes to scheduling, but that is very rare for us.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Planning vacations is not only my obsession but also a delegated responsibility. The very minute I get my son's school year calendar I begin to plot and plan. The earlier I can get the dates, the easier it is to reserve restaurants/special activities etc. We have a family reunion Jun 6-Jun 13, 2008(OKW) and I planned it Jun 07, booked the GV in July. They all laugh at me but they're glad that I take care of every little detail.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Mostly at the 11 month mark, but occationally we add a trip closer to the 7 month window.

 

[Lexxiefern]

I mostly book at 11 months out, but sometimes I am not sure of the exact dates until later or I need to combine my points at the 7 month window. I do try to book as soon as I possibly can, even if that means guessing at a date and then changing it later.