How do you pick your dates?

[Lizzie]

Planning our next trip. I know the time frame we want to go.

Part of me wants to book now with magical journeys and hope deals pop up for my trip so we can book our adr's.

The other thought is to be more flexible and just wait to see what deals pop up.

Curious on how other people book their trips and thoughts.

[faline]

Typically, I've just decided when I want to go (or can go) and book for those dates regardless of whether or not we'd get a deal or a discount. We had been pretty fortunate in getting decent discounts even if they were applied later. Now that we are in the vacation club, the discounts/deals don't apply to us.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

We book for when we want to go/when we can go.

Each time, there has been some sort of discount (from a great discount to free park hopping, but at least it was something), but we don't book around the discounts.

I'd love to be able to wait until a great discount is released, but it just isn't practical ... so I trust Magical Journeys to get me the best deal available, and even if I pay full price, I'm still at Disney!

[BigB]

We pick our dates and book. We hope there are discounts and are willing to move the dates if the deal is worth it to us. There are other websites that can tell you statistically when discounts are released. Mouse savers has the last few years of discount release dates and their effective dates.

[d_m_n_n]

Whenever is "Value Season". Then Terrisue picks random dates for us lol

[barnaby]

I base I on a few things:
1) When my wife and son has off. I can take off any week for the most part, but he is school and my wife works at a school. So that means summer or spring/winter break.
2) I pick a season when I can save the most on room rates e.g. value season.
3) Weeks that have historically lower crowd levels.
4) Weeks that offer free dining historically.

So for me it basically leaves summer value season and at the end of August because of a) southern schools back in session = lower crowds and b) hurricane season, lower crowds = free dining to help put heads in beds.

[kakn7294]

Availability of vacation at work and the fact that I don't want to pull my kids from school. That narrows it down to 3 weeks in June / July or Christmas and Christmas week usually isn't available at work so June / July it is!

[Lizzie]

Love all the responses. I think if it were up to me I would book now. Husband wants to wait for a deal. There are six of us. And he wants free dinning. We still aren't six months out so we have time.

I wish ADRs didn't open up until three months out. Hate feeling the pressure to book so far ahead.