Christmas 2023

[Disneybishops 13]

A certain TA is booking for Christmas 23. That’s 3 years in advance.  How the heck can average folks ever get a site a Christmas again. I love the fort at Christmas but I’m not even going to try anymore.  
 

This one TA seems to have all the inside info and sites. Don’t think Walt would like this much 

[rtguy007 74]

I stick with Jason. Best TA ever.

[ThemeParkCommando 81]

11 hours ago, Disneybishops said:

A certain TA is booking for Christmas 23. That’s 3 years in advance.  How the heck can average folks ever get a site a Christmas again. I love the fort at Christmas but I’m not even going to try anymore.  
 

This one TA seems to have all the inside info and sites. Don’t think Walt would like this much 

You would think that if one TA can book, all the TA's can book?   I'd check with Jason. Use the TA to get the site for you.  You don't have to pay any extra for their help!

 

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

He/she may just be taking pre-reservations. Many did that when they still had Settlers Groups. Res wasn't locked until 499 days out.

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

The TA in question books groups and is prepping lists for when the group booking is set up so they can fill it in. Nothing can be booked so far in 2023. Not even to the 500 day point we usually have. As of now the latest you can book is a reservation stating on December 31, 2022

[FortD3 0]

On 11/30/2021 at 10:10 AM, Katman1356...Jason said:

The TA in question books groups and is prepping lists for when the group booking is set up so they can fill it in. Nothing can be booked so far in 2023. Not even to the 500 day point we usually have. As of now the latest you can book is a reservation stating on December 31, 2022

So please educate me Jason, does the group bookings open before the 499 day window that is open to all?

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

18 minutes ago, FortD3 said:

So please educate me Jason, does the group bookings open before the 499 day window that is open to all?

No idea. 499 is old info btw. Bookings, when they have been open for room/campsite only, are now 500 days as the starting point and up to 30 days for the length. We will see if there is any change to that once they open up 2023. 

The agency I am with does not do group bookings like this. We have tried a couple of times and the up front costs and the return on time and investment have not been worth our while. I am sure I could make them work for Fort bookings but with the number of other people doing them and the fact I would have to put the money out myself to get things set up I don't think I could get the in demand dates or afford to do it. 

I will say I believe the contracts for the groups can be set up before hand but that isn't the same thing as booking the group to specific people. They are probably gathering the lists to match what their contracts will allow and that's as much as they are doing. 

This is not specific information mind you. Just what I have come to understand from conversations with various people. I could be incorrect on certain details. 

[FortD3 0]

23 hours ago, Katman1356...Jason said:

No idea. 499 is old info btw. Bookings, when they have been open for room/campsite only, are now 500 days as the starting point and up to 30 days for the length. We will see if there is any change to that once they open up 2023. 

The agency I am with does not do group bookings like this. We have tried a couple of times and the up front costs and the return on time and investment have not been worth our while. I am sure I could make them work for Fort bookings but with the number of other people doing them and the fact I would have to put the money out myself to get things set up I don't think I could get the in demand dates or afford to do it. 

I will say I believe the contracts for the groups can be set up before hand but that isn't the same thing as booking the group to specific people. They are probably gathering the lists to match what their contracts will allow and that's as much as they are doing. 

This is not specific information mind you. Just what I have come to understand from conversations with various people. I could be incorrect on certain details. 

Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

[Disneybishops 13]

Why do they let her book groups. They have never had any problem filling up in the holiday season 

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

1 hour ago, Disneybishops said:

Why do they let her book groups. They have never had any problem filling up in the holiday season 

Any TA can sponsor a group.  She is just one of at least 4 that do it for the winter season. They all were part of the "Winter Settler's discount" groups that ended about 4 years ago.  You can even set up a group if you want to "front" the deposit.  Churches, Scouts and many others do it all the time.  There was a Local Fire Department that used to take over most of the 1400 loop every year too.

[Disneybishops 13]

I think this all changed when the fort stopped doing their own reservations

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

3 hours ago, Disneybishops said:

I think this all changed when the fort stopped doing their own reservations

That had to be a long time ago then.  The TA's and other's were booking groups for at least 12 years, that is when we started our extended winter stays and they were doing it before that.

[Disneybishops 13]

I first camped at the fort back in the early nineties.  Tent camped but never had a problem with reservations.  I even tent camped on premium site. 

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

14 minutes ago, Disneybishops said:

I first camped at the fort back in the early nineties.  Tent camped but never had a problem with reservations.  I even tent camped on premium site. 

You have to remember that the locals also book weekends as soon as they can. All the years we were there many sites were available during the week but on weekends the FORT filled up with the same people and the majority were FL plates. Once the 499/500 day hits they are booking for their weekends, so if you want 10 days somebody probably already has the weekends on both ends of that reservation.  We never had issues either, but we always had a TA take care of it.  

The lack of open sites is happening across all campgrounds not just the FORT, just go on any RV blog/forum and many are complaining about the lack of availability in State parks and Private parks. RV sales have sky-rocketed the last 3 years.  

Let Jason work on it, save yourself the hassle.

[Disneybishops 13]

Just checked this morning you can get tent, full hookup and preferred site. From 12/16 till 1/1 

[keith_h 420]

3 hours ago, Grumpy and Grandma said:

The lack of open sites is happening across all campgrounds not just the FORT, just go on any RV blog/forum and many are complaining about the lack of availability in State parks and Private parks. RV sales have sky-rocketed the last 3 years.  

You can say that again. We use to be able to get one of our favorite sites at our goto state park a week or two out. After COVID hit it was hard to get anything covering a weekend unless you booked two to three months ahead of time. We ran into the same thing with the private campgrounds we use when we go to destinations only they can be fully booked even further out.  

As to RV's it looks like our trailer will be totaled (a good thing) for about what we paid (another good thing) for it due to the RV shortage pushing up prices. Rene and I have decided we are going to hold off on replacing it until RV demand and hopefully prices goes down. I also have concerns that the generally poor build quality will only be worse at the current time as the manufacturers push out more product than usual. We also think there will be a good chance for some great prices on low mileage used Class A's as people go back to the office and learn how much upkeep and costs RV have to them.

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

1 hour ago, Disneybishops said:

Just checked this morning you can get tent, full hookup and preferred site. From 12/16 till 1/1 

Hopefully it won't be like Halloween where they double booked sites and then moved people to the resorts.