If you are planning a Walt Disney World vacation in advance, you are probably excited and ready to book. Before you get too excited, you need to know when to book next year’s Disney vacation.
Disney currently allows you to book a room only reservation 499 days from your travel date. Do you need to book it so far in advance? No. Plus if you want the dining plan, you can not convert your room only reservation to a Magic Your Way Package with dining (package rates are not always released with room only rates). You would have to cancel the room only reservation first.
In the event you want a specific room type or view, such as a Little Mermaid or Theme Park View, it’s advantageous to book a room only and convert to a package later.
Prices for the Magic Your Way Packages with room and tickets for the following year are historically released in July of the current year. Keep in mind that when the package prices are released, it will be through 499 days from the current date. So if you are planning to travel in November or December, you will have to wait patiently for it to be 499 days before you travel.
As soon as the Magic Your Way Package rates are available for your travel dates, that is when I suggest you book. This is not when the deals are available, but it is the release of rack rate pricing.
Promotions are not guaranteed during your travel date, but if one does become available you can call Disney and ask them to convert your existing reservation. Keep in mind that the promotions are limited based on availability and Disney will not automatically convert your existing reservation unless you call and ask. On days when popular promotions are released (like Free Dining), it is not unheard of to spend 6-8 hours on hold waiting to get through to Disney.
The best option is to book your Disney vacation package with my friends at Destinations in Florida. Not only is their service at no cost to you (their commission is paid by Disney), but they will watch for promotions during your travel date and convert your package to the promotion usually before you even have time to ask! In the event that your resort or room category is not available for the current promotion, they may suggest alternatives to save you money.
Learn more about planning your Walt Disney World vacation. Plus overwhelmed with all the planning? Destinations in Florida can help you plan your perfect trip.