Impossible to book a weekend at WDW

[Bean727]

We have been trying to book a Friday and Saturday night at a moderate or value resort in October and it’s downright impossible. If we put in dates of 4 nights or more, there are rooms available at just about any resort. As soon as we narrow it down to Friday and Saturday, everything is unavailable, except for the Grand Floridian at $3500 a night. That is just a tad over our budget (lol)...Is there a secret to booking for just a weekend that we don’t know about? We know there are rooms available, they just block them because they want to have longer staying guests. We think it’s crazy that they would rather keep rooms empty in the hope that other people will book for more nights. Does anyone have any tips on how we can get a weekend reservation that won’t cost $7000?

 

[SaintsManiac]

Have you tried Priceline?

 

[The Pho]

Well on my quick search a 2 night stay at the Dolphin for Columbus weekend was $362/night. If you’re willing to stay there.

 

[starry_solo]

I think it's their booking algorithm.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Book the 4 nights and then change the reservation to the two nights you want?
Even if you can't do it online you can make the change by calling in.

 

[Scubadaddy32]

That's not unusual in the hotel industry when you are booking basically within the month.
A phone call would likely be the best option.

 

[robinb]

Book the 4 nights and then change the reservation to the two nights you want?
Even if you can't do it online you can make the change by calling in.

Maybe ... or they may tell you that there is no availability for 2 days. OP, I wish you the best of luck! I would book a room on Hotel Blvd as a backup.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Maybe ... or they may tell you that there is no availability for 2 days. OP, I wish you the best of luck! I would book a room on Hotel Blvd as a backup.

If you don't try you are only telling yourself no.

 

[robinb]

If you don't try you are only telling yourself no.

Sure, it's worth a try.

 

[Bean727]

Have you tried Priceline?

Can you book WDW resorts through Priceline? I never knew that!

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

Book the 4 nights. Check in and the next morning cancel the last 2 nights. Room only reservations only need a 24 hour cancellation.

 

[Soarin4us]

Book the 4 nights. Check in and the next morning cancel the last 2 nights. Room only reservations only need a 24 hour cancellation.

Room only reservations require a 5-day cancellation.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

Room only reservations require a 5-day cancellation.

Shows what I know lol. A while back I was going to book on Trivago …. they have 24 hour cancellation. I'll be quiet now.

 

[sndral]

We have been trying to book a Friday and Saturday.. We know there are rooms available, they just block them because they want to have longer staying guests. We think it’s crazy that they would rather keep rooms empty in the hope that other people will book for more nights. Does anyone have any tips on how we can get a weekend reservation that won’t cost $7000?

Actually they predict that they are more likely to sell those Wednesday and Thursday night rooms if they are attached to a Friday and Saturday stay than if they let you book only Fri. and Sat.. In other words, if they let you book Fri. and Sat., their chance of finding someone who wants Wed. and Thurs. only is less than the probability they’ll find someone who wants all four nights.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Book the 4 nights. Check in and the next morning cancel the last 2 nights. Room only reservations only need a 24 hour cancellation.

Keep recommending that and Disney will change its policy to no refunds after arrival, no exceptions.

We know there are rooms available, they just block them because they want to have longer staying guests.

What they actually want is all four nights booked, ideally by a single party.

 

[McKelly]

Click on a resort that looks like no availability anyway, and make sure Room is checked, and not the current special. I found sometimes that pulls up availability.

 

[DisneyRobin]

Are you looking at Columbus Day weekend? That weekend has been sold out for a while. Jersey week in November has been completely sold out for a while, too!

 

[Lilylogan]

Years ago you used to "always be able to take off a night" but their system changed at some point.

 

[Sarahslay]

We have been trying to book a Friday and Saturday night at a moderate or value resort in October and it’s downright impossible. If we put in dates of 4 nights or more, there are rooms available at just about any resort. As soon as we narrow it down to Friday and Saturday, everything is unavailable, except for the Grand Floridian at $3500 a night. That is just a tad over our budget (lol)...Is there a secret to booking for just a weekend that we don’t know about? We know there are rooms available, they just block them because they want to have longer staying guests. We think it’s crazy that they would rather keep rooms empty in the hope that other people will book for more nights. Does anyone have any tips on how we can get a weekend reservation that won’t cost $7000?

I was having the same issue, I just wanted to go down from a friday-sunday for a quick weekend solo trip and the cheapest room I can get is at Coronado (I really wanted a value resort though since this would be last minute on the cheap). Everything else was at least near the $500 mark or way more and I just don't want to do that. I went all the way to december and there is just hardly any availability on weekends at a good price. At this point I've given up, I know I could stay at Swan or Dolphin, but I don't want to drive and hate taking Uber or Lyft by myself so that's out of the question really. The only thing I can think of if you want a value is to put in an extra night or two and just not arrive until the day you planned on, it's still cheaper than paying for those rooms at GF.

 

[The Pho]

At this point I've given up, I know I could stay at Swan or Dolphin, but I don't want to drive and hate taking Uber or Lyft by myself so that's out of the question really.

Swan and Dolphin have the same bus transportation as all the Disney hotels.

Plus the boat transportation and walking paths to Studios and Epcot.