Booking Reservations for Disneyland Resorts Timing

Mousetopia

DIS Veteran
Joined
Aug 3, 2015
Hi,

I am finding conflicting info elsewhere.
1. When should you book a stay at the onsite hotels? I read one place that for 2020 I should book in July and that this is when the rates are published.

2. I am hoping to book early and add a discount later if they become available. Anyone have any luck with this without paying a change fee?
 
1. You can book whenever reservations open, prices for Disney hotels don’t flex like they do for the local hotels.

2. There are no “change fees”, bookings are subject to cancellation fees but as of right now there are no fees to cancel your booking until right before your trip.
 
The 'July thing' is because that's when they open booking for the following year. Right now online, you can't book out further than 12/31/18. I don't know if they'd let you book 'room only' for 2020 by phone any earlier than July.

We always booked our trips in July/August and then 'stalked the site' frequently for better/special offers. We usually found one and they gladly applied the price difference to our existing reservation.

Room only reservations are handled differently, but FYI here is the cancellation policy for cancelled packages.

"For a cancellation made 29 – 2 days prior to arrival, there is a cancellation fee of $200 per package. For reservations cancelled 1 day prior to arrival through scheduled day of arrival and for reservation no-shows, the full package price is non-refundable.

Changes to Reservation- For a change made 29 days or less prior to arrival that results in a change in the package price, a change fee of $50 per package."

They waive the change fee if your change results in a net increase to the cost of your trip. If it results in a net decrease in the overall cost, they add the $50. BUT finding a cheaper rate isn't considered a 'change' to your booking. A change is adding or subtracting days, not applying a cheaper rate.
 
The 'July thing' is because that's when they open booking for the following year. Right now online, you can't book out further than 12/31/18. I don't know if they'd let you book 'room only' for 2020 by phone any earlier than July.

We always booked our trips in July/August and then 'stalked the site' frequently for better/special offers. We usually found one and they gladly applied the price difference to our existing reservation.

Room only reservations are handled differently, but FYI here is the cancellation policy for cancelled packages.

"For a cancellation made 29 – 2 days prior to arrival, there is a cancellation fee of $200 per package. For reservations cancelled 1 day prior to arrival through scheduled day of arrival and for reservation no-shows, the full package price is non-refundable.

Changes to Reservation- For a change made 29 days or less prior to arrival that results in a change in the package price, a change fee of $50 per package."

They waive the change fee if your change results in a net increase to the cost of your trip. If it results in a net decrease in the overall cost, they add the $50. BUT finding a cheaper rate isn't considered a 'change' to your booking. A change is adding or subtracting days, not applying a cheaper rate.


Thank you! That sounds perfect! I will keep an eye out starting in July. I want to plan way ahead with Star Wars crowds coming.
 


Thank you! That sounds perfect! I will keep an eye out starting in July. I want to plan way ahead with Star Wars crowds coming.


Good luck and definitely do keep checking rates. One year BFF and I booked in August (for a February stay) and a special deal came along in (IIRC) November. The difference between our old rate and the new one was enough that we were able to apply the credit and stay an additional night at the DLH for only $60.00.

One caveat now is that if the onsites stay booked up due to the SWL crowds, they may not feel the need to offer any specials. I'd still check, though, you never know!
 

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