Should I hold a room now?

[lynnzrae]

Hi Everyone,

So we are planning a ~July 2019 trip. It will likely be the last one for a few years so I was thinking of going all out and doing anywhere from a 10-14 day trip. I am hoping for a great discount between military, bounce back (when we are there in September), etc. However, is it worth it at all for me to book a room now in hopes to get a room style that I want when a discount comes up? Meaning, so I pay "full price" now but a great deal comes up, can I call and have them apply it to my existing room or reservation? Because I want 2-3 standard view rooms for such a long amount of time I am thinking it would be quite possible that I won't be able to get this inventory for this amount of time when discounts start to post.

Thanks.

 

[Dave006]

Good question. One of the challenges with booking / holding reservations while hoping for discounts to be released later. Please take note that by you holding reservations now you are reducing inventory of rooms. Disney only releases discounts to fill excess inventory. So please consider only holding reservations for rooms that you would be willing to pay for at the published rate.

If and when a discount is made available that you want to take advantage of, there must be specific inventory for you to reserve. You can't just apply a discount or special rate to your "Existing" reservation.

Dave

 

[lynnzrae]

Very helpful. So it’s pointless until I have a price I like. Thank you so much.

 

[Dave006]

Well it is not pointless, it is a balance between a price you like or a price that you would pay. It is a balance between have a confirmed number of rooms for a specific date range vs continuing to check back to see if Special rates are offered for your visit.

My personal view is if you find a price that you are willing to pay, then book it and check back to see if you might get a better deal with the knowledge that by having a reservation you are reducing the available inventory and this is what Disney uses to offer discounts.

Here is a link that covers the historical periods when Disney normally has offered discounts.

Link: https://www.mousesavers.com/historical-information-on-walt-disney-world-resort-discounts/#codetrends

Dave

 

[Nancyg56]

Is your trip dependent upon a discount? If so, wait fir the discounts to be released. If not, book the room you want. I see no reason to reserve a room that you will not keep if you must pay rack rate.

 

[Babsy]

Very helpful. So it’s pointless until I have a price I like. Thank you so much.

The point of booking now would be to ensure that you can get the rooms needed for your dates. Discounts for particular dates are never a guarantee. As time gets closer, availability also becomes more limited.

The idea that Dave006 suggested is the strategy that we have employed often. Book what you will be happy with if no discounts become available as far in advance as possible. Then, if you see a BB or other discount then you can change your current reservation to take advantage of that opportunity.

Having a booking already ensures that you will be able to go regardless of release of uncertain discounts.

I would book a category below the desired discounted category. So, if hoping for a discounted moderate, perhaps a value OR if hoping for a discounted deluxe, perhaps book your preferred moderate. If value rack rate is too high, book something in your price range with easy cancellation terms off site. That way, you aren't taking rooms out of inventory at the resort that you would stay in if a discount is offered.

If you won't stay unless you have a discount with availability at a particular resort, then wait until the discounts are released.

Good luck!

 

[lynnzrae]

Well it is not pointless, it is a balance between a price you like or a price that you would pay. It is a balance between have a confirmed number of rooms for a specific date range vs continuing to check back to see if Special rates are offered for your visit.

My personal view is if you find a price that you are willing to pay, then book it and check back to see if you might get a better deal with the knowledge that by having a reservation you are reducing the available inventory and this is what Disney uses to offer discounts.

Here is a link that covers the historical periods when Disney normally has offered discounts.

Link: https://www.mousesavers.com/historical-information-on-walt-disney-world-resort-discounts/#codetrends

Dave

So helpful, thank you.

 

[Sue M]

My trips are always 10-14 days. I’ve never had a problem booking for that length of time. Personally I wait for discounts to be released as I won’t pay rack rate and see no reason to book because I’d just have to cancel and rebook. And for reason of lessening possible discount.
Good idea to look at Historical Discount chart. Get an idea of what discounts are released and when they came out.

 

[ClapYourHands]

.
Good idea to look at Historical Discount chart. Get an idea of what discounts are released and when they came out.

Could you please direct me to the historical data chart? There is so much info on here that I find I sometimes miss it. Thank you!

 

[dansdad]

Could you please direct me to the historical data chart? There is so much info on here that I find I sometimes miss it. Thank you!

Here you go. You can go back to 2014.

https://www.mousesavers.com/historical-information-on-walt-disney-world-resort-discounts/#year2018

 

[sfbank]

We always book a year + out because we always stay BWI Club Level. We leave in 5 days for this year but already have rooms booked for next year as DDs boyfriend and his family will be coming with us on their first ever Disney trip. We want it to be awesome for them so we want to have the rooms we want and the cast member friends we know around. Book when you have what room category you want and the price that suits you.

 

[Amanda999]

Just to specifically answer OP's original question: booking a room early at rack rate will not give you an advantage to then book that same room (category) when a discount comes out. (If you will cancel the room if have to stay at rack rate, there's no point to booking at rack rate.)

 

[mickeynut1]

Is your trip dependent upon a discount? If so, wait fir the discounts to be released. If not, book the room you want. I see no reason to reserve a room that you will not keep if you must pay rack rate.

If you won't stay unless you have a discount with availability at a particular resort, then wait until the discounts are released.

Book when you have what room category you want and the price that suits you.

I agree with all of the above .

 

[Sue M]

Just to specifically answer OP's original question: booking a room early at rack rate will not give you an advantage to then book that same room (category) when a discount comes out. (If you will cancel the room if have to stay at rack rate, there's no point to booking at rack rate.)

True. And the category booked may not be available with discount. They usually discount the higher view categories that need filling. Not standard views.