How far in advance do you book your room? Rate we’re just released for 2019-any reason to wait? Any reason to book right away? We know our trip dates (March, Spring Break 2019). Trying to decide if I should go ahead and put the deposit down or wait.
Are your dates locked in? Then book it.
Is your hotel likely to book up if you wait (POFQ I’m talking to you!)? Then book it.
Do you have a particular room category you want? Then book it.
I really see no reason NOT to book it. It’s refundable.
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That’s what I was feeling, but DH seems to think I’m nuts.
I booked Oct 2018 in Dec 2017. Not nuts at all. That is good Disney planning.
Some people who go to hot tourist places like Myrtle Beach, or the Outer Banks, book the house for next year before they even check out of their current stay. Otherwise, they risk the place not being available.
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Same boat here. I know my travel dates (April 2019), I know where I want to stay and what type of room. And if something changes, I will cancel with no penalty. I booked it the day 2019 rates came out! (DH also thinks I’m nuts…)
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I’ve been awaiting the release of the 2019 packages and will book any day as soon as I figure out which resort–still waffling.
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Do people not wait for the big sales/discounts to be released to book? According to Mouse Savers, there should be a pretty big discount on room only released in late Sept/early Oct. We waited for the free dining packages to be released and made our reservation as soon as they were available.
I’m concerned that since we are going during spring break, rooms will be sold out. I know from the past that’s it’s fairly easy to switch reservations and get the better deal if it’s available. Our dates aren’t flexible, so I’m not sure that waiting would help us.
As soon as I’m sure that I’m going. Depending on the resort and the season it can be tough to find rooms on the more affordable end of the spectrum even six months out at some resorts. (I’m talking deluxe. I have no experience with mods or values, but I have observed that POFQ tends to go fast and is often not eligible for discounts.)
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If there’s someplace or some room category you really want (or need) I’d recommend the book now, modify later strategy. The caveat being that my experience is strictly with room only reservations. If you’re looking at a package I’m not sure about your flexibility to mod or cancel, but I’m sure someone here is.
I book when packages come out, as I tend to book at resorts and categories that go quickly.
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I have been able to modify packages once a discount was released with no trouble. Once I feel pretty secure about my dates I book - easy to cancel, easy to modify and if the deposit’s are not a lot.
I booked the day the 2019 packages were released so I could get the resort/room I wanted. Our trip is over a year away…October 2019. We book early and when discounts come out, I call and get the reservations modified and they reduce the cost…
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Hmmm…does anyone know if that would retroactively work for free dining? Like, book a room we want which would be eligible for free dining if they weren’t sold out, then call and see if free dining could be applied?
The DDPs are available on the UK site to book until 31 December 2019. Until 3 July a USD 200 gift card was included but this has now reduced to USD 100. UK visitors also still get free resort and at park parking. I read somewhere that the cancellation /modification policy is less generous on the UK site. When I book Universal hotels, packages or tickets I sometimes book through the US sites because the rates/offers are sometimes better. Sometimes my broswer takes a bit of persuasion to access the US site rather than the UK one. If the Disney offers are better or come out earlier on the UK site, presumably there is nothing to stop non UK residents taking advantage of those rates
probably not 
The availability of rooms for free dining is ‘set’ by Disney. When people book ahead of it being released it doesn’t guarantee they will get the free dining - it depends on the resort and how many other people are trying to get it there. They do sometimes release more rooms for the deals, but you would probably see that on-line also. I am pretty sure that calling gives you the exact same pool of rooms that you can see on-line.
You can book your room and when free dining comes out try to apply it to your reservation. We did it in 2016. However, there is no guarantee of getting free dining just because you have a room booked.
My understanding is US residents cannot book on the UK site.