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OVERVIEW
Your plans should be firm more than 180 days before your arrival date. See this for why.
If it is already fewer than 180 days from your planned arrival date, see the items below.
ALREADY FEWER THAN 180 DAYS AWAY?
Depending on the week you are targeting, the Polynesian may already be unavailable, and you may have to target a different value resort than Pop Century. Moreover, you may have difficulty getting in to Cinderella’s Royal Table, Hoop Dee Doo Revue, Cirque du Soleil and the Akershus Banquet character meal.
If you can’t get in to the Polynesian or Pop, see Next Best Resort Choices for alternatives.
For Hoop and Cirque, try swapping nights, or going on a different night altogether that your itinerary does not have you already scheduled. If you must miss one at the expense of the other, miss Cirque Du Soleil.
Missing Cinderella is unfortunate but OK, so long as you are successful in your attempt to reserve Akershus. Just pick the next most appealing Magic Kingdom restaurant for which you are not already reserved from here.
Some of the other restaurants you are targeting may not have availability near the times that the To-Do list and itineraries direct. Make the reservations you can make, then get off the phone and double check the daily itineraries on the dates that aren’t working out, to see how flexible that date looks.
If the itinerary implies that you can move your time around, call back and reserve the right restaurant for a different time that day.
If not, go here and pick the next best dining option for your family in the same setting—e.g., if you can’t get in to the Crystal Palace at the Magic Kingdom restaurant, pick the next best Magic Kingdom option on the list that you are not already scheduled for.
Keep a careful tally of the special dinners and other events that you are forced to miss.
If you have to miss more than half without exciting replacements, are in the wrong hotel, and will be missing both the Akershus Banquet and Cinderella’s Royal Celebration, then move heaven and earth to reschedule to either a later, or an earlier, but much less crowded, date—one that might still have the best of Disney World available.
LINKS FOR WHEN YOUR PLANS NEED TO BE FIRM
When Your Plans Need to Be Firm
ITINERARY LINKS
- For itinerary design goals and the basic December Itinerary, see this
- For shorter and longer itineraries targeted at the same December week, see this
- For itineraries covering all the other parts of the year, see this
- To design your own itinerary, see this
- For rides that might be skipped, see this
- For a comprehensive guide to rides and attractions, see this
MORE ON WHEN TO GO TO WALT DISNEY WORLD
- For when to go to Walt Disney World, see this
- For the next best dates, see this
- For the best and worst times to visit, see this
- For 2010 weeks to visit, ranked in order, see this
- For the 2010 Week Picker, see this
- For 2011 weeks to visit, ranked in order, see this
- For the 2011 Week Picker, see this
- For forecasting crowds at Walt Disney World, see this
- For seasonal pricing at Walt Disney World, see this
- For 2010 price seasons, see this
- For 2011 price seasons, see this
- For projected 2012 price seasons, see this
- For weather at Walt Disney World, see this
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7 comments
Want to stay at the Grand Floridian 3 to 4 nights with 5 adults. We want to go to Harry Potter World. What is the best package or pricing we can get?
Hi Terri–you may already know this, but the Wizarding World of Harry Potter has nothing to do with Walt Disney World, of which the Grand Floridian is a part. See this: http://yourfirstvisit.net/2009/12/13/summary-of-instructions-for-your-first-family-visit-to-the-wizarding-world-of-harry-potter/
Grand Floridian prices are here: http://www.mousesavers.com/grandfloridian2012.html You’ll need to add $25/night for every adult after 2.
For possible discount son these prices, see this: http://yourfirstvisit.net/2010/03/03/summary-of-current-walt-disney-world-deals-and-discounts/
Hope this helps!
ARRIVING to Music Resort ON 6/9 at 1:00pm and departing 6/16 2 adults and 8 year old with mild autism. We currently have reservations at epcot garden grill at 7:45on Sat arrival date of 6/9 and Tuesday we have reservations Crystal palace at 1:10. Don’t have the park hopper option yet but can upgrade. Do you have an itenerary for us, my son is very adventurous. I didn’t see any plans for Saturday arrivals. My thoughts are:
Saturday Epcot 6/9 Firm
Sunday MK- extended evening hours
Mon-DHS
Tue- MK CRYSTAL PALACE RESERVATIONS AT 1:10
WED – AK 8:00 7-00
THU EPCOT
FRI MK
SAT DEPARTING AT 3:00 FROM AIRPORT – LEAVING HOTEL AT 1:00
Hi Lizzy, I have only a small number of itineraries as otherwise I’d be overwhelmed with different arrival dates and trip lengths.
Couple of thoughts on what you have proposed:
You are using Extra Magic Hours more than I’d advise. While the first hour of morning EMH in particular is great, because EMH draws people, the parks over the course of an EMH day are actually more crowded than they are on non-EMH days.
Given that. I’d suggest you flip Sun and Mon, and also Tues and Weds.
Hope this helps and have a great trip!
Thank you for the site. It has great information!
Is it best to book through the online Disney site, via phone, or through one of the discount sites (e.g. travelocity). I am frustrated because as I play with the Disney sites planner to compare hotels etc, my offer price continually goes up!
You’re welcome Susan!
Check the stuff form the links on this page and see if it helps: http://www.mousesavers.com/roomrates2012.html
Susan, I would highly recommend booking your Walt Disney World vacation with an agency that has Authorized Disney Planners. The benefit in booking with one of these agencies (such as Destinations in Florida) is that we work directly with Disney, we are paid by Disney (so priced the same if not a little cheaper than if you book online or by phone with Disney) and we DISCOUNT WATCH! Meaning if you book a vacation early and a discount or promotion pops up, the agency will change your reservation to reflect the better price! Discount sites like travelocity will not provide this type of service.
Another “perk” of booking with an agency is that we can help recommend a Disney Hotel/Package that suits your family!
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