Do you book far in advance? If so what's the benefit?

[loldis]

I haven't read all the replies, but to answer the original question... I only book far in advance for Disney because the best on-site offer is currently released the year before. If they moved to a last-minute booking model, I'd switch no problem.

Non-Disney is completely different. I've decided my next trip is going to be around September/October time but haven't even decided where, let alone booked anything.

[razorsharp192]

Originally Posted by loldis

I haven't read all the replies, but to answer the original question... I only book far in advance for Disney because the best on-site offer is currently released the year before. If they moved to a last-minute booking model, I'd switch no problem.

Non-Disney is completely different. I've decided my next trip is going to be around September/October time but haven't even decided where, let alone booked anything.

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What do you consider to be the ‘best on-site offer’?

[Jakey Neverland]

Bit of everything for me, I like to have a choice of villa, if Disney its free dining (if they ditch free dining I wont be booking Disney hotels anymore)

For more every day holidays as a family of 6 I have never seen the prices cheaper than day of 1st release. Our Summer holiday this year has gone up 2k at this point.

[duchy]

Originally Posted by razorsharp192

What do you consider to be the ‘best on-site offer’?

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You aren't looking at it from the same perspective.
Free dining works out the best value with three or four (or even five) in a room so is the best offer for families or groups of adults. For couples often the later free nights offer or wait til the charters discount what they have left can be "best" if by best you mean cheapest for couples , with flexibility ,who aren't restricted to school holidays Aren't that fussed about a particular hotel or room type... but what you are missing is... the variables.

Personally I think anyone who flies on a charter is as you put it "crazy" but then I also think it's "crazy" to restrict a Florida holiday to one property in Florida when there's so much more to Florida ... the difference is I actually don't think my way is "better" just "better for me and my specific requirements" . I actually don't feel the need to put others down or critique how they choose to vacation.

[JudeB]

We booked almost 2 years in advance to try to secure the Dibb villa we love. Even then we had to adjust our dates a bit! Also I love having it booked to look forward to.

[loldis]

Originally Posted by razorsharp192

What do you consider to be the ‘best on-site offer’?

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For me, even solo, free dining plus the highest level of gift card worked out the best deal. But this was down to my resort choice and number of nights, I didn't qualify for free nights. Could have changed to the 7 night minimum but the resorts I wanted to stay at only had one night free so basically worked out the same price as my 6 night stay but I got free dining and the gift card on top.

I would have rebooked it had a better deal come along before the balance was due. Or waited for a last minute charter deal if I was travelling in peak, but I don't - their flights typically aren't operating when I choose to travel.

[razorsharp192]

Originally Posted by duchy

You aren't looking at it from the same perspective.
Free dining works out the best value with three or four (or even five) in a room so is the best offer for families or groups of adults. For couples often the later free nights offer or wait til the charters discount what they have left can be "best" if by best you mean cheapest for couples , with flexibility ,who aren't restricted to school holidays Aren't that fussed about a particular hotel or room type... but what you are missing is... the variables.

Personally I think anyone who flies on a charter is as you put it "crazy" but then I also think it's "crazy" to restrict a Florida holiday to one property in Florida when there's so much more to Florida ... the difference is I actually don't think my way is "better" just "better for me and my specific requirements" . I actually don't feel the need to put others down or critique how they choose to vacation.

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Yeah I agree, if you were just a couple, weren't restricted to any dates and were happy to stay anywhere you could get a dirt cheap holiday. We are a couple, but are restricted by dates and had a specific hotel we wanted. For us it's always worked out best to leave it until at most 6 months before we travel to book, booking any earlier we get the same holiday but just pay more for it.