All Hotels FULL Dec. 7-13???

[MushuGrl]

Thank you all for all your help! You've answered so many questions! Have a great day!

[Dsnygirl]

Is anybody else out there wondering what is up with these 9 days? I know that Mousefest happens over part of the second weekend involved, and that Pop Warner is around at the value resorts and POR... but what else is going on that has kept Disney from having any good deals those dates? They excluded those dates from the MYW packages, and with my AP pass, I wasn't able to get a single standard room at any moderate for my dates, which cross into these dates. (We travel the 9-16) (Edited in a post further below -- we got in!!! Just didn't realize we'd been changed when I first posted... )

I feel like the other poster out there who was frustrated that all his "knowledge" of WDW and their historical "specials" dates didn't help at all, b/c this is the case with us, too. We could have chosen any week to travel, but chose these dates b/c they're within weeks that have always been heavily discounted, and seemingly quieter.

Granted, we did get an AP rate at our chosen moderate resort that upgraded us to a better room for a rate that was less than we would have paid for a standard room at "rack rate". And Debbie at MJ got it for us and answered every question we had re: the different rooms/resorts available.... so no complaint there, they've been awesome and got us the best they could. But truthfully, when you're looking to save $$ and you see everyone around you saving hundreds for their standard rooms on dates that are so close to yours, and you can't get into one for your dates, it's a bit frustrating, esp. when you know you won't be at the resort enough to really benefit from the "upgrade" and would prefer to be paying less in a standard room.

I know no one should make plans based on hopes of a good deal, and that is truthfully not what we did -- but you still hope something good will come your way, and right now, it seems like this one week has somehow become an impossible time to get the offers advertised, and I was just wondering if anyone had an insider's idea as to why. (besides Pop Warner and Mousefest, which I honestly can't believe affects the moderates and other hotels all that much)

Thanks -- I feel like I sound ungrateful for what we've got, and that's not the case -- I'm truly thankful we can go to WDW and for what we've seen MJ get for us -- I'm just wondering if there's any particular reason why these dates have been blocked.

[Gator]

I know the reason: they wanted to pick a fight with me. This is great - now I have 2 pages to bellyache on It really makes no sense. Mousefest and Pop Warner combined won't fill up 15% of the rooms available. Maybe they know Mousefesters will pay whatever to get to the festivities. Even the summer gets some kind of discount, and that's when everything is packed to the gills with sweaty people.

My final conclusion has to MouseFest. Just like Disney makes us pay for being at the MK at night and call it a party, they're going to not discount the favorite internet time to go because they know many will pay regardless.

[disneydeb]

Good News!

The economy is not as bad as we had thought!

Bad News...

Maybe a certain political party had bought up all the rooms to mske us think the economy isn't as bad as it really is.


Just kidding.. please don't moderate me.

[lindique]

I have a theory - and have no idea if I'm correct - but here it goes. Disney advertised the second week in December as one of the "Wonderful Weeks of Disney" (and also gave 40% off for that week to some lucky guests who received PINs) without realizing that, this year, Pop Warner would be that week. In recent history, PW was always the first week of December. So, with many rooms already booked at a discount and Pop Warner taking up most of All Stars and half of Port Orleans, that created a run on the market for that period of time.

However, as they say, all is not lost. I have been playing on the Passholder website and have managed to find rooms at various moderates for all of those nights - some nights are $119 and some are $99. You might have to do a split reservation (I now have part AAA rate and part AP rate), but it is doable. And, new availability appears to still be coming out daily.

[Dsnygirl]

Okay, rather than editing my own post, I'm just going to add to it -- unbeknownst to me, I got an e-mail from Deb at MJ this morning putting me into a standard room at our preferred resort (CBR)... it hadn't come through for some reason.

But she saw my post and PM'd me with the info -- just one of the reason MJ rocks and is the best travel agency ever!!! I could've never kept up with all Disney's opening and closing of rooms, etc., yet they do it constantly for us!!

So - my question still stands -- what's up with these dates -- but maybe Disney is listening, as it seems more availability is being released. Yeah!!!

Thanks Deb!!!

[brad817]

I assume Pop Warner means there's a little league football tournament during these dates, but what is Mousefest??

We're going December 11-14 and staying at All-Star Sports. By the content of this thread, I assume it will be jammed during those days. Yes??

How about the theme parks during this time. We're going to go Friday and Saturday (12th and 13th). Any idea which parks might be the least crowded during this time with these other events in town??

Thanks.

[TammiMcMan]

We already have an active thread about this subject. I'm going to merge this one with the existing thread.

[MushuGrl]

My math was messed up. I thought Pop took up more than it did.

However, I like your post Lindique! I'm really really hoping we can get a mod. I'm still in sticker shock from having to take a Deluxe.

[TammiMcMan]

Pop Warner is the 7th - 13th this year. When we went to Disney the first week of December a few years ago, we got a great discount with a pin code and it coincided with both Pop Warner and Mousefest. I don't think Disney made a mistake with giving out similar pin's this year for the 2nd week. It just seems to be a common misconception that this time of year is slow at Disney. Trust me, it has not been slow for the past few years.

Kind of reminds me of the mid 1990's. We'd stay at Disney the week of Christmas and the parks were empty. Can you believe it? I have video tape of us in the MK watching the afternoon Christmas parade. There is hardly anyone around us. Now, it's wall to wall people and the crowds are extending from Thanksgiving right through January 1st.

[brad817]

A few comments....

I've only been to Disney in the heat of the summer. Even with these December dates getting busier over the years, I have to assume it's better than the summer. We're going December 11-14. How much lighter will the crowds be then vs. July??

I did call for a discount and we got it during these dates, but they switched us from All-Star Movies to Sports. I would assume most of the Pop Warner people are staying at Sports. That seems strange to me they switched us to a better rate at an apprently more croweded hotel. Did we get thrown in with the wolves??

[TammiMcMan]

How much lighter will the crowds be then vs. July??

Weekday crowds will be significantly lower than the height of the summer and with the cooler temps, it just feels a lot more comfortable overall.

I did call for a discount and we got it during these dates, but they switched us from All-Star Movies to Sports. I would assume most of the Pop Warner people are staying at Sports. That seems strange to me they switched us to a better rate at an apprently more croweded hotel. Did we get thrown in with the wolves??

Historically, the resort package for Pop Warner includes a choice of the All-Stars, so I would expect to see them at both resorts. They may put a majority at Sports though and use Movies for overflow.

[WDW1208]

I tried to book this week also and every single resort was unavailable in the Disney.com system even if I changed the dates by one or two days in either direction. We ended up booking Pop for the 13-19 instead using the inline booking system. I priced out POFQ and it was over $700 more, but then I called yesterday and upgraded to POFQ over the phone and it was only an additional $300 so I am really confused. At first I thought maybe those other dates earlier in the month were just full for the online system since I know they set aside a certain number for travel agents, etc., but it sounds like they are full for people calling as well.

We were there one year for POP Warner and it was only really crowded the morning we went over to POR for breakfast, as they were all over there. Did not notice any difference in the parks though, and some sweet cheerleaders even sang us Christmas carols on the boat over to DTD one evening. We have NEVER had any problems getting a ressie during early December so I am as confused as everyone else as to why these resorts are full. I am crossing my fingers that the 13-19 is still lower crowds (at least the beginning of that week) and we will be leaving right before the majority of the Christmas crowds get down there!

[MushuGrl]

We have been encouraged by the nice cast members on the phone (and can I say how much I love them? They even make unpleasant calls pleasant. I just heart them) to keep trying for discounts and rooms since we didn't get what we want and are having to pay so much more. My sister called and checked today and was told the week of Dec. 7-13 is a black-out week for discounts.

I've gone quickly from upset at the extra money to OMG THANK YOU THANK YOU ZEUS AND BLUE FAIRY AND FAIRY GODMOTHER AND..who else..uh..MUSHU..I HAVE A ROOM!

[MushuGrl]

CALYPSO..I forgot to thank Calypso...

[WonderlandsMostWanted]

I feel lucky we got our AAA rate Dec 11-15 at POR. We decided to upgrade a few days BEFORE the discounts came out, and the only Mod resort with a AAA rate left, was POR with a King Bed. With the new package discounts and AP discounts... POR with a King bed was STILL all that was available for us! We're good with the AAA rate anyhow, but a standard room at a Mod would be fine by us; we don't need the Kings. Now, it's just a matter of waiting to find out if anything in a standard room opens up.

Maybe next year I need to look at going in early November instead!

[MushuGrl]

Here here!

And I'm using MJ again.

[bigearstoo]

We were there during the same week last year and we found out they were doing all the post season college football awards over at the Boardwalk. Chances are they are doing it again. It seemed like the crowds got lighter after the award was presented.

[Sunshine1010]

I posted earlier....here's an update:

I am STILL on a waitlist for Dec. 7th (I have gotten all my other days). I called again yesterday and the only thing that is available at the DVC's, are rooms that you can pay cash for....not use points.