HELP - Booking Christmas

[Bill Tozzo]

Hello All!

I'm no newbie. I booked my yearly February week at the Fort while I was there last February!

But I just found out yesterday I have an extended vacation from 12/22 - 1/5 and I want to jump in the rig and come down Christmas day night, or 12/26. It looks like it's all full, which is no surprise, but I've never stayed around Christmas so I'm not sure what my chances are with a cancellation.

• What kind of shot do I have?
• Any tips or words of wisdom to up my odds?

If there's no hope, I'll start thinking about somewhere else, but my heart is set on the Fort and I don't want to give up!

Hope everyone is doing great!

Bill

 

[bama_ed]

Hey Bill.

Well it can be done of course but you have to check the website and/or call frequently/daily/several times a day to catch a cancellation. They happen of course but with Star Wars coming the bookings have been earlier and tighter and thus harder to get to.

The way you can do this is to decide what level of site you want (Full/Preferred/Premium) then check day by day and cobble it together as best you can. If you settle on Premium, for example, check every day one day at a time and you might find a Tuesday here, a Thursday there (all in Premium), and so forth. Book them and pay the deposit (which is the amount of the one night). After you assemble all the days you want across however many reservations and have a solid string of dates at the same level, you can call Guest Services and get them merged into one reservation for simplicity, dining adr's, dealing with multiple magic bands, etc. Mixing different site types means you will have to move so just attacking one type is the way to go.

This far out your chances are still good but it depends on your level of diligence. People have done this for Christmas and times like Halloween.

Good luck!

Bama Ed

PS - I'd still scope out a Plan B just in case too....

 

[FtW Mike]

I will echo the saged advice you got from Bama Ed. Last year we did Christmas at Disney and it was supposed to be a one and done for us. Well we had so much fun made so many new friends, and loved the Christmas explosion everywhere. We spoke with our Travel Agent then and were told every site was booked. So since January I had been trying to piece together a stay to include Christmas with no luck. Two weeks ago out of the blue our TA called to say she had somehow gotten us just what we needed ( Okay we are checking in 2 days beyond when we hoped) so we will be there.

 

[Bill Tozzo]

Well, I got one night. It happened to be a "Premium Meadows Site" which is a new one to me, but I always like to opt for the better sites anyway.

I've been checking every night with not much luck, but reading Bama Ed's post just gave me a little more hope!

I'm checking at 8:00 at night, I wonder if there's is a better time of day?

Also, do travel agents have access to more inventory?

Any additional help would be appreciated.

Bill

 

[tiggerdad]

Travel agents are useful to do the legwork, save you the misery of calling every day. Which by the way, in my prior experience, I had better luck calling than online though it did take longer. I literally one two occasions looked online and there was nothing and called and was told there was an opening. Depends on the frequency of update online.

In the past when I've tried for times that were initially booked I really didn't have a particular time of day, just when I thought about it. I would bet whatever was available in the window I was looking for until I got them all, then joined them together. That particular time of year you are looking for is very busy, but you already knew that, but it is not impossible. Typically your chances get better as the date gets closer.

The whole "premium Meadows Site" is just another of many Disney "lets squeeze more money out of them but not give anything new" as far as I'm concerned. If anything, it will make it harder to bridge sites. Before you only had 3 campsite options, the vast majority being premium and thus more to choose from when looking for cancellations, now there is 4 categories and thus harder to get cancellations in a particular group. Still not impossible, just may take a little more work.

 

[Sjm9911]

When i tried go book my first trip ( coming this October Halloween) i couldn't find anything. I travel agent was able to get me a site for 2 weeks. I kept adding days, they got them for me. I would definitly try it.

 

[Tallis]

Definitely use a travel agent. It's the best shot if you don't want to get online and/or call a dozen times a day. They have always come through for me, even with last minute busy times, by piecing together different days as they come available.

 

[Bill Tozzo]

When i tried go book my first trip ( coming this October Halloween) i couldn't find anything. I travel agent was able to get me a site for 2 weeks. I kept adding days, they got them for me. I would definitly try it.

Ok! Please recommend the one you used

 

[Bill Tozzo]

When i tried go book my first trip ( coming this October Halloween) i couldn't find anything. I travel agent was able to get me a site for 2 weeks. I kept adding days, they got them for me. I would definitly try it.

Please recommend the one you used

 

[bama_ed]

Please recommend the one you used

Bill, send @Sjm9911 a Private Message. Since the DIS has Dreams Unlimited, another travel agency, as a sponsor and advertiser, the details regarding other travel agencies would be best done via PM.

There is also a pinned thread on the DIS Resorts board regarding the mentioning of travel agencies that you should be aware of.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/p...travel-agencies-and-other-businesses.3551156/

I hope you can get worked into the Fort in the end.

Bama Ed

 

[sippican]

There are a couple of FB pages that are run by travel agents that specialize in Fort Wilderness bookings. They seem to be able to work magic in acquiring sites during busy times.

 

[Bill Tozzo]

There are a couple of FB pages that are run by travel agents that specialize in Fort Wilderness bookings. They seem to be able to work magic in acquiring sites during busy times.

I tried Dreams Unlimited with no luck. Mel replied and didn't even take the time to read my email. I'll DM you if it's ok to get the facebook pages

 

[Bill Tozzo]

Bill, send @Sjm9911 a Private Message. Since the DIS has Dreams Unlimited, another travel agency, as a sponsor and advertiser, the details regarding other travel agencies would be best done via PM.

There is also a pinned thread on the DIS Resorts board regarding the mentioning of travel agencies that you should be aware of.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/p...travel-agencies-and-other-businesses.3551156/

I hope you can get worked into the Fort in the end.

Bama Ed

Thanks Ed. I figured that out a little late. I sent a PM.

 

[Sjm9911]

Hope it works out for you!

 

[bama_ed]

I tried Dreams Unlimited with no luck. Mel replied and didn't even take the time to read my email. I'll DM you if it's ok to get the facebook pages

Yes, when you go to the Dreams website to ask them to quote you a price (what-where-when), the only FW option that is shown is the cabins. Obviously when you work for a percentage, the total spend is a key component of that.

I learned where the FW campsites stood a LONG time ago.

And actually, were I in their shoes, I would do the same thing but handle it a little differently.

Ed