This is a sponsored post on behalf of Dana from Magical Moments Vacations. The opinions in this post are 100% mine. You can read my full disclosure policy here.
WDW 101- The Best Time To Book Your Disney World Trip
By Dana Zificsak, Travel Planner for Magical Moments Vacations
My family has our first Disney World vacation planned this year and we are SO excited. Well, my husband and I are. We haven’t spilled the beans to the kids yet. Dana is a Travel Planner that specializes in Disney vacations and has some great info to share with Pandora’s Deals’ readers who might be planning a trip to Disney. Be sure to pin this post to come back to when you’re ready to make your reservation!
You have decided that you want to take your family on a magical vacation to Walt Disney World. Wonderful! Now, when is the best time to book this trip?
Most Ideal Time: 7-8 months before your travel dates
The biggest reason for this time frame is to get the best dining. If you want to eat in Beast’s castle or have breakfast with Chef Mickey you will have to book your dining reservations 180 days before your vacation. If you book your trip in this time frame it gives you plenty of time to plan which restaurants you want to eat at and the best days and times to do that. A travel planner who specializes in Disney can help you through this entire process and even wakes up at 5 a.m. on your 180-day mark to make sure you get that magical meal on your list.
Another reason to book this early is to get the most desirable rooms at the Disney resorts. A $200 deposit locks in your reservation and then the balance is not due until 45 days prior to your trip. By booking early, it also puts you in line with your travel planner for when a promotion comes out. Once a promotion comes out, your travel planner is applying the discount to your vacation dates automatically.
If something comes up and you need to change dates, Disney is flexible and you can move things around if need be.
An Acceptable Window: 70 days before your travel dates
By booking nearly 2 months prior to your dates, it is likely you will get a room on special, but you will have to pick from what is left over of the inventory.
Within 60 days of your trip you can make Fastpass + selections for each day of your vacation and customize your Magic Bands. These are new additions to the Disney vacation experience. A travel planner can help guide you through these changes and assist you in making the best choices for your family.
Flexibility Needed: less than 60 days before your travel dates
The closer you book to your travel dates the less likely you are to get a deal on your package, I’ve had clients snag discounts at the last minute but I’ve also seen clients have to pay full price because of lack of availability. However, you can still have a great time on your trip. There will still be seats available at table-service restaurants and even character meals as long as you’re not picky about which characters with whom you would like to dine. There will still be Fastpass+ times available, but the most popular rides and times might be limited.
Would you like to get started planning your next trip? Using a travel planner that specializes in Disney, like Dana, helps you get the most value out of your vacation dollar. And the best part is, she does not charge any fees to her clients! Request a free quote today!
Save up to 30% off plus get a free day of tickets with select Disney packages on stays most nights between March 14- June 15, 2014. Read more about this promotion on Dana’s blog. Remember, it is absolutely free to you to use Dana’s travel planning services.
Dana is a vacation planner for Magical Moments Vacations, Authorized Disney Vacation Planners. Her services are free of charge and she helps you plan every aspect of your vacation like: choosing the right resort, making dining reservations, selecting the best park to visit each day, advising on touring strategies and much more. All of her clients receive a special gift as a thank you for booking. Contact her today at danaz@magicalmomentsvacations.com or request a quote through her website.

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