Which WDW resort do you think will sell out 1st for FREE DINE??

[Disney Fans]

For those of you that have gone before? Which resorts tend to sell out 1st with free Dine plan??

 

[Seahunt]

I think all the Values will go fast BUT...last year I thought it was interesting that the original offer came out first for Disney VISA cardholders on 4/1/06, then the rest of us on 4/4/06 and was supposed to expire on 6/4. On 6/2/06 the offer was extended until 6/25/06 - which seems to me that either they had a lot of cancellations or people didn't pay their deposits, so rooms opened back up after the first surge in bookings?

So I think if you can't get the original resort you want at first this year, keep trying because this could happen again!

 

[Fionasmommy]

We had no trouble getting POFQ at the tail end of the promo last year, which surprised me because it's the smallest moderate so it's popular and rates there tend to go quickly.

But, offhand I'd venture a guess that if free dining is offered again this year, the Poly would sell out first, followed by CR, WL and GF. All of the MK area resorts are popular to begin with, and when you add in free dining you get the additional customers who are able to splurge and upgrade their resort because of the dining savings.

 

[Seahunt]

We had no trouble getting POFQ at the tail end of the promo last year, which surprised me because it's the smallest moderate so it's popular and rates there tend to go quickly.

But, offhand I'd venture a guess that if free dining is offered again this year, the Poly would sell out first, followed by CR, WL and GF. All of the MK area resorts are popular to begin with, and when you add in free dining you get the additional customers who are able to splurge and upgrade their resort because of the dining savings.

Gosh, do you really think deluxes will go first? I kind of thought the values would go first because you have to pay rack rate for the room portion - the Poly rack rate is $329 per night garden view, $425 lagoon view (and up from there), compared to the values @ $82 per night rack rate, or mods next at $145 standard per night

I guess I've been visiting over at the Budget Board here on the DIS too much lately!

 

[Fionasmommy]

Gosh, do you really think deluxes will go first? I kind of thought the values would go first because you have to pay rack rate for the room portion - the Poly rack rate is $329 per night garden view, $425 lagoon view (and up from there), compared to the values @ $82 per night rack rate, or mods next at $145 standard per night

I guess I've been visiting over at the Budget Board here on the DIS too much lately!

Well, keep in mind that there are fewer MK deluxe rooms to begin with.

There are approx 8640 value rooms available: 5,760 in the All-Stars and 2,880 (currently open) at POP. By comparison, there are 3522 deluxe rooms in the MK vicinity. 853 at the Poly, 1041 at the CR, 728 at WL and 900 at the GF.

I've considered CR many times, but I've never been able to get the room type I want (I believe it's called garden view there) even at rack rate! We booked WL through AAA last month, and were recently unable to add on another day at the end without upgrading our room type - even if we paid rack. So, those hotels book up without any special offers - there are enough people willing to pay full price. So when the specials are released, you get the upgraders AND the people who that decide to make an extra trip just because of the promo - on top of everyone that already booked it at rack to begin with.

Last year I was in both groups - we had nearly back to back WDW trips because of the free dining promo - so the promo alone brought us back. I booked ASMO, then upgraded to POFQ and finally went with CBR (lol!) - the upgrade to mod was because the dining savings gave me more $$ for the room. We booked them all late in the game - I booked ASMO the day before the deadline and changed resorts twice after the offer had ended with no problems.

When I booked an AP room recently it was a whole different ballgame! It was shocking how little availability there was, and it didn't help at all to have an existing reservation. The deluxes (with the exception of AKL) were near impossible to book even at 7am on the day the rates came out. Mods and values, however, are still available now. Last week I checked for the end of April and I could book ASMU or POFQ at AP rate. So, it just seems like MK deluxes are popular enough to begin with, and when you throw in a promo offer the rooms go twice as quickly.

 

[Seahunt]

Yep, with the number of value rooms that does makes sense! Since we're only a hour away from WDW we usually book a FL Res room only rate, so I could only make a guess from reading some of the other DISers posts.

Though last December I told my DH I HAD to try the DDP at least one time to see how it worked (loved it!) after reading so much about it here, so I had to book a package instead of using the FL Res rate. We stayed at WL Dec 17-20(package) then 1 night 12/21 over at BWI (FL Res rate). So I guess I'm guilty of booking a Deluxe during a special too! I should have considered that in my first answer!

 

[Fionasmommy]

Yep, with the number of value rooms that does makes sense! Since we're only a hour away from WDW we usually book a FL Res room only rate, so I could only make a guess from reading some of the other DISers posts.

Though last December I told my DH I HAD to try the DDP at least one time to see how it worked (loved it!) after reading so much about it here, so I had to book a package instead of using the FL Res rate. We stayed at WL Dec 17-20(package) then 1 night 12/21 over at BWI (FL Res rate). So I guess I'm guilty of booking a Deluxe during a special too! I should have considered that in my first answer!

Only an hour from Disney - lucky you!! And I did something similar - I booked a package instead of an AP room just to get DDP. We love it too, and I'm having the hardest time giving it up.

I just noticed that you're in Daytona! We're going to be in that area this summer. DD has a dance competition there, but I booked a hotel up in Ormond Beach because I got a much better deal and a bigger room. We're planning to catch the shuttle launch - if it goes on schedule, that is - is there anything else in the area that you'd recommend?

 

[Vickie46]

I think POP and All Star Movies will go first!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Which is why, even though I want Pop Century, I'm willing to be VERY flexible in my choice of resorts!

 

[Microcell]

I think all the Values will go fast BUT...last year I thought it was interesting that the original offer came out first for Disney VISA cardholders on 4/1/06, then the rest of us on 4/4/06 and was supposed to expire on 6/4. On 6/2/06 the offer was extended until 6/25/06 - which seems to me that either they had a lot of cancellations or people didn't pay their deposits, so rooms opened back up after the first surge in bookings?

So I think if you can't get the original resort you want at first this year, keep trying because this could happen again!

I got All Star Movies last year on June 4th! No worries, I hope!

 

[daretodream]

We were there last Sept. and upon check-in at POP we were able to choose from 3 different buildings. That said, I don't think POP was full. Of course, they say promo packages are limited.

 

[gigi1313]

I got All Star Movies last year on June 4th! No worries, I hope!

depending on your dates last year, people were changing ressies from ASMo because the pool closed the second week of september...

my guess is that CSR will be unavailable for booking the first week of free dining*... other than that i think all resorts will be get-able for various dates... no one resort will be filled the entire 4 weeks that FDDP is offered!

*oh, and i guess that CSR will be booked 'cause it already is for those dates!

 

[n2mm]

Pop sold out last year because many folks could not get in. They even oversold. When we checked in for our mid-august trip we were sent to CSR from Pop. It was great, paying for the price of Pop, getting free dining and getting to move to the CSR for the same price as Pop.

 

[gigi1313]

now *that* would be a dream for me!

 

[Disney Fans]

Pop sold out last year because many folks could not get in. They even oversold. When we checked in for our mid-august trip we were sent to CSR from Pop. It was great, paying for the price of Pop, getting free dining and getting to move to the CSR for the same price as Pop.

Thats SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Momto8]

I know that POP was sold out last year when we went (9/21) because my DD tried to add a day onto her stay when she checked in and couldn't do it. They put her name on a wait list, but it was already a page and a half long. We checked at the end of her stay, but no availability.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Last year we called on 6/4 (2 months after the offer was released) and had our choice of resorts. Neighbors called on 6/21 and had the same experience.

It's impossible to tell which may sell out if at all. Values are cheap, but some folks use the reduced package price to justify staying deluxe.

 

[Momto8]

I think that maybe WL or CR would sell out first. WL because it is a popular resort and CR because the North Garden wing is being torned down.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Another vote for CR...