I'ld book now. Why? To get the best choice possible. You can cancel without a fee untill 45 days in advance (package) or 5 days in advance (room only), so no risk taken in booking early. Because you only need to pay a deposit and can pay the rest later, there is no absolute need to have all the money in the bank yet. Also it's easier to drop a couple of days of the ressie later than adding them on later on.
Also; the earlier you book, the more choice, the more change of getting an
AAA-rate. I booked our room for dec. 2008 last month allready!
Have you got a membership of the Australian equivalent of the automobile association? You might want to check the AAA site if they're avilliated. If so (like our ANWB is part of the ARC Europe, which is OK), you can use the AAA-rate also, which can save you real big money. These rates are limited, so the earlier you book, the better chances of getting it and still having a choice.
To give you an idea; for 13 nights at a mod, it saved us (3 adults) over $440,-! I looked into club level at some of the deluxe resorts, and I could get an AAA-rate at different resorts, each saving at least $50,- or more, a night.
Reading on here, I see a lot of people booking a year in advance for their trip during
free dining,
MNSSHP or
MVMCP/christmas time.
Then again, you don't NEED NEED to book NOW to get the room. There should be enough choice left 6 months out, there just might be a bit less of a choice.