Once you have an idea of where you want to stay at the Walt Disney World Resort, it’s time to make reservations. A travel agent is not needed, but if you have a great travel agent, by all means consult him or her (they do not generally charge any fees for their services). Here’s the lowdown on making Disney resort reservations:

Before you make your reservations, use the Lodging Worksheet in your LIVE! Guide Tools, download a worksheet PDF, or print our worksheets on page 116 - page 117 to record the dates and hotels you're considering. Transfer your reservations and confirmation numbers to the Trip Planner Tools to have all your information available on any mobile device through the cloud. You can also save the PDF to your desktop to work off-line, or print it out and carry it with you.

Enter the dates you prefer to visit along with any alternates. Even a one-day change in your travel dates can open the door to availabilities. Be familiar with all resorts in your price range. We also suggest you finalize resort reservations after you make your flight reservations. Hotel room reservations may be changed or canceled without fees up to a certain date, but flight changes at any time almost always incur a fee.

You can make reservations for all Disney World resort hotels at http://www.disneyworld.com or at 407-WDW-MAGIC (407-939-6244)—alas, all known toll-free numbers for Disney have been de-activated. Note that Walt Disney Travel Company agents answer the above number. Disney representatives can offer assistance in English, Spanish, Japanese, French, Portuguese, and German. Discounts are sometimes available on the Walt Disney World web site, but you must follow the specific links for the specials or you’ll be charged regular rates. You may also want to try Travelocity or Expedia, both of which are popular Internet reservation systems—you can visit them at http://www.travelocity.com and http://www.expedia.com. Be sure to look for promotional rates while you’re there, too! If you prefer, you can also make reservations through the mail by writing to Walt Disney World at Box 10100, Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830.

Reservations can be made for just lodging (“room only”) or for vacation packages, which include lodging, admission, and more (see page 32 for more details on the types of packages available). Prices and policies differ for each type of booking, which we describe on the next page.

Research special deals or packages by visiting MouseSavers.com (see page 11) or by calling Disney Reservations. If you have a Disney Visa card or Annual Pass, or if you are a Florida resident or military family, ask about those discounts, too. (The Swan and Dolphin offer discounts to nurses, teachers, and government employees.) If your dates aren’t available, ask about alternates. Sometimes you can get a discount for part of your stay. Lock in whatever discount you can get, and book at the full price for the remainder. Keep calling back, as canceled reservations are released every morning. If a lower rate comes out later, you may be able to call back and get it applied.

Make any special requests at the time of reservation and again when you check in. If you need a barrier-free room or a crib, request this now. If you have a particular location or room in mind (we make many suggestions later), make sure to tell the reservations agent or note it in My Disney Experience. It’s best to make your request as general as possible. You’ll have better luck requesting a “high floor with views of fireworks” than simply “room 5409.” If Disney doesn’t know why you want room 5409, they can’t choose a suitable substitute. Disney will not guarantee a particular room or view, but if your request is “in the system,” they will try their best to make your wish come true. Call your resort about three days before your arrival to confirm any requests you made.

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