bama_ed
It's kind of fun to do the impossible-Walt Disney
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2004
I noticed this morning a second concern from a DIS poster regarding Fort availability when trying to book at the 499 day mark (Disneylover2000). I say "second" because someone trying to book at the 499 for Halloween time ran into the same issue (sambuster): No availability. At 499/500. Unusual.
To put that theory to the test, I attempted to book out around the 499/500 day limit and see what results I got. But first it's important to understand the 499/500 booking window rule as we formerly knew it:
OLD RULE: Basically, your entire reservation had to fit within a 500 day window from the day you booked it. In other words, your check OUT day from your Disney resort had to be on day 500 or sooner. That meant you had 499 nights and 500 days (maximum) from your reservation day to your check-out day.
(this is why some folks refer to it as the 499 rule or 500 rule. one was for days the other nights but the concept was the same).
It appears that Disney has altered the 500 day rule to use a method to the one used by ReserveAmerica (and possibly other systems) when booking state parks:
NEW RULE: Now your ARRIVAL day can be day 500 from today's reservation day or sooner. But you cannot book a reservation to arrive 501 days from now or further out.
So let's test the theory.
From today, July 22, 2019, 500 days out takes you to December 3, 2020.
I attempted to book a reservation (at any resort not just the Fort) for day 499 (Dec 2), day 500 (Dec 3), and day 501 (Dec 4) as various ARRIVAL dates.
Arriving December 2, 2020 (day 499) I could put a room in my shopping cart:
Arriving December 3, 2020 (day 500) I could put a room in my shopping cart:
Arriving December 4, 2020 (day 501) I could NOT get ANY rates for ANY hotels to show up (example):
Thus I could not choose anything to put it in my shopping cart.
Again, one reason I believe this is the case is that other vendors use a similar approach. Whether it is so many days or months out, a line is drawn in the sand as the maximum ARRIVAL day and then usual length of stay rules apply. It appears Disney implemented this with the release of the 2020 resort rates. So that means Christmas stays through the end of December can be booked now.
Anybody want to try out the theory and try to poke holes in it? I'm an engineer by trade so I had a theory, tested it, and I'm now putting it out for peer (all of you) review.
Bama Ed
PS - even the booking rules for my favorite Gulf State Park changed recently in a similar fashion. So I believe Disney is adopting the same approach.
To put that theory to the test, I attempted to book out around the 499/500 day limit and see what results I got. But first it's important to understand the 499/500 booking window rule as we formerly knew it:
OLD RULE: Basically, your entire reservation had to fit within a 500 day window from the day you booked it. In other words, your check OUT day from your Disney resort had to be on day 500 or sooner. That meant you had 499 nights and 500 days (maximum) from your reservation day to your check-out day.
(this is why some folks refer to it as the 499 rule or 500 rule. one was for days the other nights but the concept was the same).
It appears that Disney has altered the 500 day rule to use a method to the one used by ReserveAmerica (and possibly other systems) when booking state parks:
NEW RULE: Now your ARRIVAL day can be day 500 from today's reservation day or sooner. But you cannot book a reservation to arrive 501 days from now or further out.
So let's test the theory.
From today, July 22, 2019, 500 days out takes you to December 3, 2020.
I attempted to book a reservation (at any resort not just the Fort) for day 499 (Dec 2), day 500 (Dec 3), and day 501 (Dec 4) as various ARRIVAL dates.
Arriving December 2, 2020 (day 499) I could put a room in my shopping cart:
Arriving December 3, 2020 (day 500) I could put a room in my shopping cart:
Arriving December 4, 2020 (day 501) I could NOT get ANY rates for ANY hotels to show up (example):
Thus I could not choose anything to put it in my shopping cart.
Again, one reason I believe this is the case is that other vendors use a similar approach. Whether it is so many days or months out, a line is drawn in the sand as the maximum ARRIVAL day and then usual length of stay rules apply. It appears Disney implemented this with the release of the 2020 resort rates. So that means Christmas stays through the end of December can be booked now.
Anybody want to try out the theory and try to poke holes in it? I'm an engineer by trade so I had a theory, tested it, and I'm now putting it out for peer (all of you) review.
Bama Ed
PS - even the booking rules for my favorite Gulf State Park changed recently in a similar fashion. So I believe Disney is adopting the same approach.
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