Spring Break 2018

[PGHFiend 140]

Went to book a site for spring break and sadly they are all gone.  I just looked a few days ago and every tier was available on a variety of day selections and stay lengths. Went to book last night and there are zero options available for any combination of days the week before Easter.  I even called reservations and they concurred.  Oddly the CM asked me to ask whoever makes the decisions if we could come the week before.  I let him know I was the decision maker and promptly hung up. 

Guess they flipped the switch. 

And I'm looking for plan B. 

[Breezy2 18]

How disappointing.  Sorry to hear that.  Lesson learned for all of us.  When you are checking around and the dates are available - BOOK IT and make other decisions later!  Unfortunately since the system has no penalties until you get in the cancellation window it has created a subculture of bookers/cancellers to hold spots and book out our favorite campground. Hopefully things will open up again for you real soon.....try booking single days.  Good Luck and enjoy Spring Break - hopefully at the Fort!  May the "fort" be with you.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

How frustrating.

How can there be reservations available for all site levels one day, and then they all disappear the next.  You're right about them flipping their magical switch.  I don't think I'll ever understand the games that they play.  I'm sure it's all very scientific and profitable, but it stinks for guests.

TCD

[PGHFiend 140]

I'm the dummy for not booking sooner but I've waited till February last few years to make sure we could go.  If anyone spots a change in that week let me know. 

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

1 hour ago, PGHFiend said:

I'm the dummy for not booking sooner but I've waited till February last few years to make sure we could go.  If anyone spots a change in that week let me know. 

I am still looking for you. 

[PGHFiend 140]

You're the best Jason. 

Thanks 

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

2 hours ago, PGHFiend said:

You're the best Jason. 

Thanks 

And he’s the man!

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

On 12/7/2017 at 2:52 PM, PGHFiend said:

Went to book a site for spring break and sadly they are all gone.  I just looked a few days ago and every tier was available on a variety of day selections and stay lengths. Went to book last night and there are zero options available for any combination of days the week before Easter.  I even called reservations and they concurred.  Oddly the CM asked me to ask whoever makes the decisions if we could come the week before.  I let him know I was the decision maker and promptly hung up. 

Guess they flipped the switch. 

And I'm looking for plan B. 

I’m sure Jason will find you a rezzie.  

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

On 12/7/2017 at 2:52 PM, PGHFiend said:

Went to book a site for spring break and sadly they are all gone.  I just looked a few days ago and every tier was available on a variety of day selections and stay lengths. Went to book last night and there are zero options available for any combination of days the week before Easter.  I even called reservations and they concurred.  Oddly the CM asked me to ask whoever makes the decisions if we could come the week before.  I let him know I was the decision maker and promptly hung up. 

Guess they flipped the switch. 

And I'm looking for plan B. 

 

8 hours ago, Tri-Circle-D said:

How frustrating.

How can there be reservations available for all site levels one day, and then they all disappear the next.  You're right about them flipping their magical switch.  I don't think I'll ever understand the games that they play.  I'm sure it's all very scientific and profitable, but it stinks for guests.

TCD

If y’all ever figure how and why disney does the things they do please let me know.  

We booked our upcoming Christmas trip in August and couldn’t get a lunch rezzie at BOG to save my life.  Well a friend told me about about website that you can put in your desired dining  rezzie and if it becomes available they will send you a text or email and let you know it available.  Well up until last week I didn’t hear a peep out of them. Then all of a sudden I started getting 1 or 2 notices a day that a rezzie was available.  I had to make 3 separate 1 person rezzies but there all at the same time.  I didn’t cancel it so I’m now getting 3-4 notifications a day.  And not just for one person. But rezzies for groups of 2, 3, and even 4 people.  I’m keep the notifications open to see if they keep opening up.  

The way I figure it. Either Disney holds back rezzies or people are booking more than necessary and canceling them as they finalize their plans.  Or both.

Either way it really SMB!!!

[ImDownWithDisney 342]

I picked up a few days for Spring Break 2018.....$175 a night for premium...that stings a little.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

26 minutes ago, ImDownWithDisney said:

I picked up a few days for Spring Break 2018.....$175 a night for premium...that stings a little.

Sure does.  We moved our check-in for our Feb trip to the Tuesday after President's day weekend for that very reason.

[LONE-STAR 370]

11 hours ago, ImDownWithDisney said:

I picked up a few days for Spring Break 2018.....$175 a night for premium...that stings a little.

Tell me about it but when you pay for a AP you got to use it.

[ImDownWithDisney 342]

8 hours ago, LONE-STAR said:

Tell me about it but when you pay for a AP you got to use it.

Yep, we have put 5 trips and about 30 days on our AP's this year. I will squeeze half of the next trip on spring break before they renew. The cost is not bad at all when you look at how many days we used them. Plus as of right now the Fort is my favorite place to relax under the awning. I really do wish it were closer though, but after 5 trips this year the drive doesn't seem as long as it used to be.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

4 hours ago, ImDownWithDisney said:

Yep, we have put 5 trips and about 30 days on our AP's this year. I will squeeze half of the next trip on spring break before they renew. The cost is not bad at all when you look at how many days we used them. Plus as of right now the Fort is my favorite place to relax under the awning. I really do wish it were closer though, but after 5 trips this year the drive doesn't seem as long as it used to be.

Agreed X2.

DH came up with the bright idea to store the camper in FL after this past trip and "drive down to pick it up" in February - read "book another trip to the Fort."  (As it turned out, we drove home in a snowstorm, so thank goodness we did!)

We just got back from 6 weeks and we spent at least some of every day hanging out at the Fort. I had to work 3 of those weeks, but working from the Fort was better than working from home.  And I discovered that if you don't venture too far from the marina building, you can pick up WiFi on the beach. 

 

[ImDownWithDisney 342]

1 hour ago, BradyBzLyn...Mo said:

Agreed X2.

DH came up with the bright idea to store the camper in FL after this past trip and "drive down to pick it up" in February - read "book another trip to the Fort."  (As it turned out, we drove home in a snowstorm, so thank goodness we did!)

We just got back from 6 weeks and we spent at least some of every day hanging out at the Fort. I had to work 3 of those weeks, but working from the Fort was better than working from home.  And I discovered that if you don't venture too far from the marina building, you can pick up WiFi on the beach. 

 

I did that this year too. I left ours in Clermont in March, used it in April, then in June we took it back home.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

I did that this year too. I left ours in Clermont in March, used it in April, then in June we took it back home.

Ours is in Clermont too - at Top Notch.

And DH is already trying to finagle an April trip so we don't have to bring it home until spring.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

[ImDownWithDisney 342]

4 minutes ago, BradyBzLyn...Mo said:

Ours is in Clermont too - at Top Notch.

And DH is already trying to finagle an April trip so we don't have to bring it home until spring.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
 

We used Top Notch also

[LONE-STAR 370]

I agree favorite place to sit under the awning. We were able to get 20 something days of AP use on our last set. I agree we have made the trip to Disney so much that it doesn't seem that bad anymore but I still wish it was closer. So why do yall leave the campers in Florida? Is it to save fuel, seems like a hassle to me we like using our trailer as we travel plus we always have a clean restroom.

[ImDownWithDisney 342]

7 hours ago, LONE-STAR said:

I agree favorite place to sit under the awning. We were able to get 20 something days of AP use on our last set. I agree we have made the trip to Disney so much that it doesn't seem that bad anymore but I still wish it was closer. So why do yall leave the campers in Florida? Is it to save fuel, seems like a hassle to me we like using our trailer as we travel plus we always have a clean restroom.

I left mine because we had 3 trips in 3 months. The money that I saved in fuel went a long way to pay for the rent. Plus I saved 2,200 miles worth of wear and tear.....and 2,200 miles worth of running 80mph not 65. The bathroom is not a big deal for us. We usually only stop once or twice. Our last 2 trips have been 1 stop trips. We fill up the fuel and bellies, empty the bladders and hammer down.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

10 hours ago, LONE-STAR said:

I agree favorite place to sit under the awning. We were able to get 20 something days of AP use on our last set. I agree we have made the trip to Disney so much that it doesn't seem that bad anymore but I still wish it was closer. So why do yall leave the campers in Florida? Is it to save fuel, seems like a hassle to me we like using our trailer as we travel plus we always have a clean restroom.

We left it this time because we had another trip planned in February and it was cheaper to store it than tow it back and forth to NH. 

Plus being winter, we wouldn't be using it anyway.

It also should have meant that the ride home was quicker and less stressful, but as it turned out we had horrible weather all the way home, so that didn't quite happen.  But if we'd been towing we'd have had to pulled over for a day or 2 - no way we'd have attempted towing it through the snow we ran into. 

 

[PGHFiend 140]

I found one day available for the first night only.  I wonder if I should book it so I have a start?

[LONE-STAR 370]

15 hours ago, ImDownWithDisney said:

I left mine because we had 3 trips in 3 months. The money that I saved in fuel went a long way to pay for the rent. Plus I saved 2,200 miles worth of wear and tear.....and 2,200 miles worth of running 80mph not 65. The bathroom is not a big deal for us. We usually only stop once or twice. Our last 2 trips have been 1 stop trips. We fill up the fuel and bellies, empty the bladders and hammer down.

Wish we lived close enough for one stop.

[LONE-STAR 370]

12 hours ago, BradyBzLyn...Mo said:

We left it this time because we had another trip planned in February and it was cheaper to store it than tow it back and forth to NH. 

Plus being winter, we wouldn't be using it anyway.

It also should have meant that the ride home was quicker and less stressful, but as it turned out we had horrible weather all the way home, so that didn't quite happen.  But if we'd been towing we'd have had to pulled over for a day or 2 - no way we'd have attempted towing it through the snow we ran into. 

 

I can see not towing in the snow,  but if you got stuck in a blizzard on the highway and the highway shut down the camper could be nice to have with the propane heater.

[LONE-STAR 370]

5 hours ago, PGHFiend said:

I found one day available for the first night only.  I wonder if I should book it so I have a start?

I say go for it. And I don't know why this is in bold print.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

16 hours ago, PGHFiend said:

I found one day available for the first night only.  I wonder if I should book it so I have a start?

I would!  I managed to piece together 2 weeks by grabbing 1-2 nights at a time.

11 hours ago, LONE-STAR said:

I can see not towing in the snow,  but if you got stuck in a blizzard on the highway and the highway shut down the camper could be nice to have with the propane heater.

True, but the truck is well stocked for dealing with getting stuck in a storm if it came to that.  Plus we saved about $200 in gas one way.

Honestly we'd never have even attempted towing once the snow was sticking to the road and would have pulled off to a truck stop for a day or 2 in all likelihood.  We once ended up towing our hybrid in 2" of slush through CT.  That was a nightmare - and this camper is a lot bigger and heavier.  Actually even the rain would have been dicey towing this trip. The temperature quickly dropped 40 degrees between Jacksonville and GA, and was soon into the low 30s and pouring - that was sketchy enough with just the truck.  (eek)