How early should you book a Disney World vacation? We’re sharing what you need to know about booking each part of your trip.
Are you and your family excited to plan a trip to Walt Disney World? A lot of people think they need to book years in advance while others follow the idea that they can book last minute. And there’s really no wrong answer.But, there is an optimal time to book your trip in relation to your visit. This optimal period gives you enough time to make dining decisions, book those and know where you want to go and when. This isn’t a scientific answer of when you should book but as an expert Disney planner, this is what I would recommend.
How Early Should You Book a Disney World Vacation?
As someone who travels to Walt Disney World often, I would suggest the best time to book your trip would be around 6-8 months prior to when you’d like to visit. This gives you enough time to make sure you are happy with your resort and make any changes before it gets too close to traveling. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t book or can’t book earlier if you know and are certain but a lot can happen and change in a year’s time frame. 6-8 months is a good amount of time to do research and solidify plans.
Keep in mind, if you are visiting during Christmas or Easter when there are more crowds and people, you might want to opt for a 9 month booking window because rooms can go fast.
Why Should You Book at This Time?
You might be wondering? So why book 6-8 months ahead of time? There are a few important reasons that you’ll want to have some notice of your trip.
Room Booking
Resort rooms tend to book up quite quickly if you are booking popular resorts like Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa or Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. If you are looking for a specific resort to stay at or for a specific type of room, you’ll want that bit of advance notice to secure the hard-to-get rooms.
This goes for those Disney Vacation Club Members too! As a DVC Member, you can book your home resort at 11 months out and 7 months for other resorts. Book at that 7-month mark if there’s a specific resort you want to stay at for your trip.
Dining Reservations
Advance Dining Reservations can be made 60 days out from the start of your trip. If you are staying at Disney Resort Hotel, you can book for your whole trip on the 60-day mark. That means you’ll be able to secure those hard-to-get reservations early, like ‘Ohana and Space 220.
Making sure you have your tickets and resort booked before 60 days ensures you have access to the most reservations possible. By waiting, you’ll have to just see what’s left at the time you book.
Have Something to Look Forward To
I don’t know about you readers but I always LOVE having a Disney trip to look forward to. While a last minute trip is fun too, knowing you’ll be going to the Most Magical Place on Earth in months and starting your countdown just hits differently.
Booking a Last-Minute Disney World Trip
So what happens if you book at the last minute? Are you going to miss out on the best dining and hotels? Here are some tips.
Consider a Different Hotel
If those Disney Resort Hotels are all booked up and you want to go last minute, consider some other resorts on Disney Property. Did you know that the Swan and Dolphin, Bonnet Creek Resorts and Disney Springs Resorts are all on Disney property? You can often find last minute rooms at these resorts and can use different discounts like AAA, AARP and hotel loyalty program rates.
Try a Walk-Up List
If you book last minute and can’t secure those dining reservations you were hoping to get, walk-up lists in Disney are awesome. Once you are in close proximity to the restaurant, you can join the walk-up list on your app. It will always tell you how long your wait will be. I’ve had luck doing this in popular places like ‘Ohana before where I just walked up thanks to that list. It’s not a guarantee but it does often work for a lot of people.
The Best Way to Book Your Disney World Trip
Ready to book your Disney World vacation? We recommend doing so through our travel agent partner. Fill out the easy form below, and you’ll be connected right away with an agent who can help get you started on planning your trip. They can help you find the best deals and discounts, and everything else you need to make your trip special. Get started by filling out the form below.
